Audio Video News

With component shortages and shipping delays largely behind us, the first three months of 2023 have produced a robust crop new home entertainment gear. Looking back over the period we find a dozen Top Picks worthy of consideration, whether you’re updating a long-cherished sound system or assembling your first hi-fi or surround setup. Standouts include a cutting-edge streaming amp masquerading as a vintage piece of audio gear, one of the best ultra-short-throw projectors we’ve reviewed, a soundbar that can hold its own against a full-fledged surround setup, and a sweet sounding stereo speaker system from a brand you probably never heard of.

Epson LS800 4K Ultra-Short-Throw Projector: $3,500

The ultra-short-throw (UST) category of video projection has only been around for a few years but is taking off like a rocket. Case in point: Epson’s LS800, a substantial update of the LS500 that impressed us in 2020. The LS800 is easy to set up and bright enough to thrive in normal living spaces with windows and ambient light. It uses a three-chip RGB LCD instead of the single-chip DLP used in other UST projectors, making it immune to the “rainbow effect,” and can project images as big as 150 inches (diagonal) when placed only a few inches from the wall, thanks to its reconfigured optics. The imager is 1080p but uses proven pixel shifting technology to increase perceived resolution to 4K, and convincingly so.

Mark Henninger tested the LS800 with a $3,000 SilverFlex Ultra 120-inch ambient-light rejecting (ALR) screen designed for UST applications, and noted its ability to improve contrast in “almost all viewing conditions” with the caveat that you will want a dedicated ALR screen if watching TV during the day is a priority. “You would not watch Game of Thrones or a Star Wars movie under those [bright] conditions, but typical TV shows like a sitcom, news, or live sports look totally fine.” Sports, in particular, really shine on the LS800.

Overall color looks great out of the box and is very close to what you would get with professional calibration, especially in the Natural, Cinema, and Game modes. The LS800 also boasts extremely low input latency (under 20 milliseconds at 4K 60 Hz) making it ideal for gaming. Calling it a match made in heaven, Henninger marveled at the realism on a PC running 1080p at 120 Hz. “These experiences still look highly detailed with truly incredible smooth motion, and there was a connected, responsive, real-time feel to the play that's especially gratifying for simulations.” The Epson LS800 is one of the best UST projectors we’ve seen to date.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Sits close to wall
Very bright
Low input lag
No rainbow effect
Accurate colors
Minus
Limited color gamut
Can't be calibrated
No HDMI 2.1
2-way pixel shift
No 3D

Full Review Here (posted 1/13/23)

Marantz Cinema 50 AV Receiver: $2,500

The Marantz Cinema 50 just might be the most elegant AVR on the planet and, in this case, beauty is more than skin deep. Way more. Behind that stylish faceplate is a bustling control center with nine 100-watt channels of class AB power — enough to drive a 5.1.4 setup with no need for additional amplifiers — processing for up to 11.4 channels, Audyssey’s remarkably effective MultEQ XT32 acoustic room correction with the option to add Dirac Live, and four (!) independent subwoofer outputs to satisfy those who crave (and are willing to put in the time and money to achieve) perfect bass. Immersive surround processing extends beyond the usual Dolby Atmos to include DTS:X, Auro 3D, and IMAX Enhanced and you can enjoy whole-house wireless streaming using the excellent Heos platform introduced by Denon some years ago and take advantage of voice control through Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Siri.

The receiver is compatible with the major forms of high dynamic range (HDR) processing, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+, supports gamer-friendly tech such as ALLM and VRR, and is equipped with a generous selection of connections, including six HDMI inputs, all with 8K video support and upscaling. In a useful touch sure to be appreciated by serious listeners, the remote control has four Smart Select buttons for recalling specific preset combinations of various settings — including master volume, surround mode, EQ, individual channel-level trims, and more — so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you switch between music and movies.

Drawing on the company’s heritage as a 1950’s pioneer in two-channel hi-fi, the Cinema 50 is every bit as good at reproducing stereo music as it is at reproducing multichannel music and movie soundtracks. Reviewer Daniel Kumin’s listening tests spanned a smattering of selections in both categories, delivering the goods without a hint of strain at “mid-hall concert levels.” In particular, the Marantz easily conveyed the expansive sound design of the German remake of the anti-war epic All Quiet on the Western Front, capturing the terrifying in-your-face sound of war.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Audyssey room correction (with Dirac option)
Nine powered channels
Ability to precisely integrate up to four subs
Compatible with the Marantz/Denon Heos platform
Two-way Bluetooth
Minus
Native streaming mostly requires Heos app
No affirmation of surround mode when streaming from TV

Full Review Here (posted 1/17/23)

Amazon Fire TV Cube 3 Streamer: $139

The stylish third generation of Amazon’s Fire TV Cube brings new features and performance upgrades into the fold, making it an excellent streamer if your TV lacks onboard streaming apps and a no-brainer upgrade to the previous generation Cube. It’s essentially an Echo smart speaker and Fire TV Cube in one through which you can stream your favorite shows, summon Alexa, and control smart-home devices such as lights and security cameras. And here’s the kicker: It costs $139.

Topping the list of new features is a more powerful processor that makes possible improved picture quality, smoother streaming of high resolution content, and faster, more reliable scrolling and response to commands (via voice or the remote). Other updates include a remote finder, the addition of channel buttons to the remote control, an HDMI connector with pass-through for easy integration with set-top boxes, a USB-A port for connecting a hard drive or web cam, and a 100 Mbps Ethernet port. “Super Resolution” 4K upscaling has also been improved with new filtering techniques that aim to keep images sharp by removing “jaggies” and other picture artifacts.

In addition to upgrading performance, Amazon has redesigned the home screen to highlight recommended titles and new releases, though users are free to personalize the screen to facilitate quick access to favorite apps instead of having to scroll through sponsored apps. To further ease content searches, the remote control has dedicated buttons for the most popular destinations: Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, and Hulu.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Impressive 4K upscaling
Hands-free control
Fast navigation and content loading
Can expand content options with USB or hard drive
Minus
Sponsored apps, ads monopolize home screen and search
Set-top box integration didn’t work with DISH Hopper

Full Review Here (posted 1/22/23)

JBL 4349 2-Way Studio Monitor: $8,250/pair

JBL continues its decades-long tradition of delivering studio-grade sound quality with the 4349 two-way studio monitor, designed and built at the company’s state-of-the-art acoustic engineering facility in Northridge, CA. With its large horn, 12-inch woofer, dual ports, and front-panel trim controls, the speaker echoes the bold styling of JBL’s iconic professional monitors and delivers on the promise of conveying artist intent with sonic purity.

Mark Henninger praised the 4349s for conveying mesmerizing sound, characterized by silky highs, a smooth, natural midrange, powerful bass, and a wide, deep soundstage. “The JBLs delivered a nonstop stream of sublime listening sessions, easily blowing past my highest initial expectations. Sure, I anticipated they'd be good speakers…But I did not expect they'd deliver proper pinpoint imaging and a three-dimensional soundstage, regardless of where I sat on my sofa.”

Citing one of several specific examples, Henninger wrote: “Binary, the 2019 album by Sounds from the Ground sounded absolutely stunning. The dynamics were incredibly clear and precise, with each instrument mixed in perfect balance…Listening to the JBL 4349s is not a ‘wow, those speakers sound amazing’ experience. It's all about the ‘wow, that music sounds amazing’ experience, in which the speakers are transparent conduits for what's found in the recording.” What more can you ask for?

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Realistic soundstage
Wide sweet spot
Plays loud and deep
Minus
Power hungry
Expensive
Requires a stand

Full Review Here (posted 1/30/23)