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Can I Drive Two Headphones With One Amplifier?
Al Griffin  |  Jul 16, 2015  | 
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q My girlfriend and I want to watch movies and listen to music late at night without waking up everyone else in the house. Here are my questions: Is there is a proper way to drive two pairs of headphones from the same amplifier without degrading the signal? Is it as easy as using a jack splitter? We care about great sound, so I'm planning to use HifiMAN, Audeze or Oppo open back headphones, but I'm wondering if I can get away with using only one amp (either a dedicated headphone amp or my home theater receiver). —Raphaël Rainville / Montreal, QC, Canada

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Is My Audio Setup Hi-Res Ready?
Al Griffin  |  Jul 13, 2015  | 
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Q I’m interested in hi-res audio but am not sure if my current system can cut it. Here’s what I have: Integra DTR-40.3 AV receiver, GoldenEar Technology Triton 2 speakers, Macbook computer. I’m using iTunes for playback and am running an optical cable from the computer to the Integra. Here’s my question: Do I need a DAC to connect the Macbook to the receiver, or can I just continue to use the optical hookup? —Michael Skrzat / via e-mail

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Can I Use a Mac Mini as a Music Server?
Al Griffin  |  Jul 08, 2015  | 
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I’ve been bouncing around the idea of upgrading my current gear and going digital because my wife and I want the convenience of being able to cue up any piece of music using our iPhones.

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Can Bluetooth Speakers Handle Heavy Music?
Al Griffin  |  Jul 02, 2015  | 
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I’ve been checking out the JBL Charge 2 Bluetooth speaker but had doubts regarding its performance with metal and other heavy types of music. Would the Charge 2’s limited bass hinder the sound quality of heavy music in any way? —Abhay Bajpai / via e-maill

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Can I Route HDMI Audio to an AV Receiver’s Zone 2 Outputs?
Al Griffin  |  Jun 25, 2015  | 
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Q I’m in the market for a new 7.1 home theater receiver but have been told that many lower-end models do not pass HDMI audio signals from an Apple TV box or Blu-ray player to their Zone 2 or Speaker B outputs. Is this true? I don't want to invest in a new receiver if I can't play Internet radio from my Apple TV, or Pandora from my Blu-ray Player, to the speakers on my patio. Is there a way to identify receivers that do or do not support this? —James Goar

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Can I Use Dipole Height Speakers for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X?
Al Griffin  |  Jun 18, 2015  | 
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Q I have a 7.1-channel surround system with four dipole surround speakers. My plan is to move the back surround speakers to the ceiling in my home theater and use them for down-firing height speakers in a Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 setup.  The room is 12 x 20 feet with a flat, 8-foot-high ceiling. Will I get a good Atmos experience with this setup? How will it work for DTS:X? —Dan Spaughs

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Why Is My HDMI Connection Unreliable?
Al Griffin  |  Jun 11, 2015  | 
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have TVs connected to both of my Onkyo TX-NR636 receiver’s HDMI outputs and am finding that I need to have both sets switched on before the receiver will pass any video content. Any suggestions on what settings to look for?—Chris Hauer

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Can I Build a Dolby Atmos Theater Using All In-Ceiling Speakers?
Al Griffin  |  Jun 04, 2015  | 
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Q I am new to the world of home theater, but I’m building a house soon and want to plan for the possibility of a home theater setup. I like the idea of having in-ceiling speakers running the surround sound. Is it possible to set up a Dolby Atmos system that exclusively uses in-ceiling speakers?—Jonathan Huizingh / via e-mail

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Do You Need AirPlay to Stream Music in iTunes to a Sonos System?
Al Griffin  |  May 28, 2015  | 
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I want a great-sounding home theater system (preferably wireless) that won’t break the bank. I’m interested in the Sonos system (PLAYBAR, PLAY:1 rear speakers, and SUB). The only downside is that Sonos doesn’t support AirPlay—a deal-breaker for me since much of my music is on Apple devices (MacBook, iPad, and iPhone). Someone told me I don’t really need AirPlay to play my iTunes library through Sonos. Is that true?—Paul Fox

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How Can I Upgrade to Atmos Without Running Wires for Additional Speakers?
Al Griffin  |  May 25, 2015  | 
Q I have a 7.1 setup and am interested in upgrading my receiver/processor to one that supports Dolby Atmos. My situation won’t allow me to easily run new wires. Is there a good wireless speaker option for adding channels from a receiver/processor? Or would I be better off trying to retrofit/hide new wire runs? —Mason Guy / via e-mail
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Should I Buy a 240Hz TV to Watch Sports?
Al Griffin  |  May 21, 2015  | 
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Q I went to Best Buy looking for a TV with the highest possible refresh rate. (I like to watch sports.)

The salesperson there explained to me that buying a 240Hz TV would be a waste of money since there are no broadcasts with that frame rate—TV networks, cable, and satellite providers all transmit either 60Hz or 120Hz signals. He also said that if a set receives a signal that doesn’t match from its native refresh rate (240 Hz, for example), it can’t convert it. Was the salesman right, or I should follow through with my initial plan to buy a 240Hz set? —Nelson Aleman

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How Much Power Do I Need for Height Speakers?
Al Griffin  |  May 12, 2015  | 
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I’m planning a significant overhaul of my home theater and am leaning toward using the configuration suggested for Auro-3D: 10.1, with four corner speakers and one overhead voice-of-god speaker. In replacing my current AV receiver with separates, I am concerned about buying amplifiers that I can keep over the next several advances in surround sound tech/features. Here’s my question: When using height speakers, is it important that they be amplified at the same power as those near ear-level?—Quest Fanning / Brooklyn, NY

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What’s Up With HDCP 2.2-Compatible AV Receivers?
Al Griffin  |  May 07, 2015  | 
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Q I just purchased a Samsung 4K UHDTV and am now ready to spring for a new AV receiver. It’s May 2015. Are there any HDCP 2.2-compatible AV receivers available yet? —Pat Balice

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What’s the Best Path to Structured Wiring?
Al Griffin  |  May 05, 2015  | 
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I’m considering buying a home where the builder has options for structured wiring. The markup on this option seems a little high (a few hundred dollars to go from 16-gauge to 12-gauge speaker wire, etc.). I know the best time to run wire is during the construction process, but what is the best way to accomplish it: builder, custom installer, or DIY? One major concern is that the exterior walls will have spray-foam insulation, so once that’s in, I’m thinking those walls are hands-off.—Mike Sellers / Tomball, TX

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Can I Buy a Surround Sound Processor for Headphones?
Al Griffin  |  Apr 29, 2015  | 
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I am looking for a standalone headphone surround sound processor that handles both Dolby Digital and DTS and lets me use my own headphones. Does such a product exist? —Anthony Aurigemma

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