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Pioneer SP-PK52FS 5.1 Floorstanding Speaker System Review [0.13] by Gene,February 27, 2013 00:00

What would you say if we told you that a company historically known for their A/V electronics has redefined the loudspeaker market with their budget speaker line designed by industry veteran Andrew Jones? For under $550, the Pioneer SP-PK52FS 5.1 loudspeaker system includes a pair of four driver 2 ½-way tower speakers (SP-FS52), a matching three driver MTM center channel (SP-C22) and pair of two-way bookshelf speakers (SP-BS22-LR) with an 8" 100-watt powered subwoofer (SW-8MK2). The SP-FS52 tower speakers alone are worth the $549/pr system price. I can comfortably say that I’ve never heard a better balanced, better sounding tower speaker for under $700/pr than these. How is it possible that Pioneer can offer such a low cost speaker line packed with so much solid engineering and performance? Well, you’re gonna have to read the review to find out.

BIC Acoustech PL-300 Subwoofer Review: Legit 20Hz Extension for Under $500?!? [0.13] by James Larson,December 12, 2022 01:30

The BIC Acoustech PL-300 subwoofer claims sub-20Hz bass for less than $500, and with a 350-watt amp, a 12” driver, and variable tuning, it may be positioned to actually deliver on those claims, but does it? That is what we will explore in our full review of what may be the least expensive way of getting true infrasonic bass on the subwoofer market right now.

The Perfect Room? [0.13] by clint,December 05, 2004 20:00

I get asked "What is the perfect media or listening room?" quite often. My response is usually something on the order of "It depends." And that's very true, it depends on a lot of things, but mostly it depends on the client. There are so many facets that go into the listening room, and the most important is the desires of the client. I have a pretty good idea of what my perfect listening room would be like, and I can almost guarantee that it would not the same for many clients. Most people are surprised by my answer. The say, "No, come on, really, what's the perfect listening room." So, I have to explain to them, how it is different depending on the desires of different people. I decided this would be a good topic for this month's column.

Vertical vs Horizontal Center Speaker Designs [0.13] by Chris Seymour,July 20, 2007 12:55

The center channel’s job is a tough one. The consensus is that around 75 percent of a movie’s content is routed to the center channel loudspeaker. Yet, the design criteria for center channels traditionally require that it fit as stealthily as possible around that big-box television, or that huge sheet of projection screen. The sound can’t go through your glass TV screen and projection screens are usually not acoustically transparent. Ideally, the sound should come from behind the image, through the screen as it does in the movie theaters. But while there are new options with acoustically transparent projection screens, this article will focus on the more traditional problem of what compromises result from the different approaches to center channel design.

Black Ops III: Do or Die for Call of Duty Sales [0.13] by wayde,November 10, 2015 02:00

Last Friday saw the launch of Call of Duty Black Ops III, the latest in one of the best-selling video game franchises in history. So far, the buzz online seems to indicate that Black Ops III is a hit. But will it be enough? This year will be pivotal For Black Ops III sales as publisher Activision and developer Treyarch have invested significantly in reversing the downward sales trend. So, while we're testing new campaign and multiplayer modes, we'll also be keeping on eye on the game within the game.

RBH Sound SVTR Listening Tests and Conclusion [0.13] by theo,November 30, 2018 02:00

The Departed HD DVD Review [0.13] by clint,May 29, 2007 08:40

The Departed is a film that captured our attention for several reasons. First off, as an Academy Award winner it stood out for its apparent merit as a film. Secondly, the number of A-list actors in the film are mind-blowing and I knew the film would be enjoyable regardless of plot due to the sheer presence of the talent on the screen. The last reason we chose this disc was due to the fact that surely for such an eventful film as a Scorsese masterpiece the audio and video quality must have been meticulously attended to in the mastering process to HD DVD.

JBL Vintage Speaker Restoration Done Right by Simply Speakers [0.13] by Gene,August 03, 2009 07:00

There is an old axiom I love to live by, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Just because your speakers are old, doesn’t mean they can’t still perform as good and sometimes better than the models that replace them from the very same company. When I noticed my JBL Pro III speakers weren’t sounded as good as I remembered, I realized it was time to take some action. My beloved little speakers fell victim of aging so I elected the services of a company called Simply Speakers to restore them to their original working condition. Not only did they oblige, but they took it to the next level by doing a first rate job while also offering a modification to improve their performance. They proved to me that it’s hip to be vintage. If you’ve got some old speakers lying around that you’re fond of in need of a little TLC, I highly recommend Simply Speakers as your #1 choice for the task.

Active Room Correction: A Primer to Audyssey MultEQ Pro [0.13] by Patrick Hart,September 30, 2006 20:00

Audyssey's Sound Equalizer is the company's first branded, flagship statement product. In working with the MultEQ Pro software over the last couple of months it has become apparent to this author that the ASE's power and flexibility can be best exploited, as far as overall system sound quality and balance are concerned, if careful attention is first paid to speaker selection, placement, and positioning. Often, passive room treatments, themselves carefully selected and placed are also recommended.

Debunking the Myth of Speaker Cable Resonance [0.13] by Gene,January 28, 2013 02:00

Some exotic cable vendors and esoteric audio magazines claim that speaker cables exhibit electrical and/or mechanical resonance at audio frequencies and that the RLC nature of the cable drastically changes at these frequencies causing the alleged cable resonance. They often cry bloody murder and seek out solutions to fix this alleged problem to preserve the pristine audio and save their golden ears from such atrocious distortion. I believe this claim was fabricated either because of a lack of understanding of basic principles of electronics, or an attempt to initiate a false scare tactic to rationalize how an exotic cable vendor can justify slapping an RLC network on the cable and charge consumers high asking prices. Some even pervert this fallacy one step further by suggesting it is necessary to isolate your speaker cables from mechanical vibrations. Before you run out and shop for a solution to stop your cables from resonating either electrically or mechanically, it may be best to examine if this is a real or made up problem to concern yourself with.