A/V Product Reviews

Dayton Audio has followed up their enormously popular MK402 bookshelf speaker with a floor-standing speaker version: the MK442T. The MK442T is more than just the MK402 with an extra woofer and larger cabinet. Dayton Audio decided to try something different and has used a transmission line enclosure to shore up bass frequencies instead of the standard vented design used by virtually every other speaker in this category. Transmission line designs are not very common, and at Dayton Audio's asking price of $228/pair, totally unheard of. Read our full review of the MK442T to see how Dayton Audio managed to pull this off.

During the first ever Sound United North America Dealers Conference in New Orleans, Marantz announced the latest versions of its popular slimline AV receivers. The 5.2-channel NR1510 ($599) and 7.2-channel NR1710 ($749) both deliver a modest 50 watts of power per channel, limited no doubt by their compact chassis. New features for 2019 include Apple AirPlay 2 support, enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC), and Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization (on the NR1710). Read on to learn more.

The small and elegant NAD M10 BluOS Streaming Amplifier is a streamer, dac, and an integrated amp all squeezed into one small and stylish package. The $2,747 M10 features an MQA-capable ESS Sabre DAC and a Hypex nCore amplifier stage delivering 100 real-world watts per channel. Built-in room correction via Dirac Live helps the M10 sound its best even in less than ideal acoustical environments. Read on to learn more.

The new Triad Distributed Audio Series in-ceiling and in-wall speakers offer what parent company Control4 calls “discreet, designer-friendly solutions for multi-room audio installations on any budget.” There are 14 models divided into three price/performance levels using different driver materials. Prices start at just $125 each and they look great. Read on to learn more.

Bowers & Wilkins 603 floor-standing speaker is a culmination of trickle-down technology and ideas from their cutting-edge flagship designs. The 603s are their least-expensive floor-standing speaker at $1,800/pr, but don't let its entry-level status fool you; there is some intensive R&D invested in these things that come from decades of engineering refinement. Read our full review of the 603 loudspeakers to see what Bowers & Wilkins can do at such an accessible price bracket.

At the recent High End show in Munich, Mark Levinson introduced a new “integrated audio media player” called the No. 5101. Expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2019, the No. 5101 is a CD/SACD player with built-in network streaming capabilities, digital inputs and outputs, and a “PrecisionLink II” DAC section derived from the company’s 5000 series integrated amplifiers. The new player is expected to sell for $5,500, making it one of the least expensive products in the current Mark Levinson lineup. Read on to learn more.

Chip-supplier, Qualcomm says its new QCS400 line of processors will not only make new devices run better with new and interesting features, but will introduce the best sound quality yet in the next-generation of wireless & smart speakers, soundbars and A/V receivers designed by many of your favorite brands. See what may be coming to these products.

Audio legend Bowers and Wilkins released details on their newest lifestyle products to hit the market. Officially called the "Formation Suite", the new lineup includes a wireless soundbar, bookshelf speaker pair, elliptical tabletop speaker, subwoofer, and wireless hub designed to add your existing system to the Formation Suite ecosystem. Like other B&W products, the Formation Suite isn't cheap, but are the products worth the price tag? Read on to find out.

Monoprice is at it again: trying to see how affordably they can produce a speaker that sounds legitimately good. In this review, we look at the MP-T65RT floor-standing speakers, a marvel of cost-conscious sound reproduction. This are floor-standing speakers that manage some really cool tricks at an astonishingly low-price of $140 per pair shipped. Read our full review of this intriguing speaker to see what high-fidelity sound looks like at such a modest cost.

Sony has announced pricing and availability information for its entire lineup of 2019 TVs. At the top of the heap is a 98-inch behemoth boasting 8K resolution and a fairly ridiculous $70,000 price tag. But the range also includes 4K OLED TVs at competitive prices, and a number of models that will support Apple’s AirPlay 2 and HomeKit protocols. Read on to get all the details and see how it fares against the competition.

In market for a powerful 200 WPC amp? ATI has you covered with two completely different technologies . The AT4000 class A/B and the AT522NC Class-D amplifiers both fit into the 200-watt sweet spot and both have surprisingly similar specifications. The AT500 series is 25% cheaper and up to 50% lighter than the AT4000’s. So, how do they compare? Let’s find out.

The Amazon Fire TV Recast is a DVR for over-the-air broadcasts, giving cord-cutters easy access to free programming from major networks and local TV channels. Starting at $230, the DVR streams live and recorded content to the company’s ecosystem of Fire TV media players, as well as to any mobile device running the Fire TV iOS or Android app. Since it doesn’t connect directly to a TV, the Fire TV Recast can be placed wherever your TV antenna and Wi-Fi both have strong reception. Read on to learn more.

Denon’s updated S-Series comprises three models, the AVR-S950H ($599), the AVR-S750H ($499), and the AVR-S650H ($399). Denon says that the lineup is “designed for anyone who wants an affordable way to dramatically improve their entertainment center.” All three of the new S-Series models offer voice control, AirPlay 2 support, and useful HDMI 2.1 features, like enhanced Audio Return Channel and Auto Low Latency Mode. All models are available now. Read on to learn more.

Denon’s AVR-X8500H is the most technologically advanced receiver the venerable company has ever built. It is arguably the most advanced AVR available today. It’s among the best AVRs we've ever reviewed—and we tested every 3D audio format it supports: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Auro-3D, and IMAX Enhanced to their maximum configurations. It just won our 2018 AVR of the year award. But those statements just tell a small part of the story. Read on and see why the AVR-X8500H may be Denon's best AVR since the legendary AVR-5805 and AVR-5308CI masterpieces.