Audio Video News

JVC DLA-NZ9 8K D-ILA Projector: $25,000

Are you ready to jump into the 8K game and do it the right way — that is, projecting pristine images on a massive screen to mimic, even exceed the thrill of watching a Hollywood blockbuster in a topnotch movie theater? If so, the DLA-NZ9 projector will help you get you there but the price of admission is steep at 25 grand. The good news: You will own one of the best home theater projectors in this price class and one of the first with HDMI 2.1 inputs to support bandwidths up to 48Gbps, enabling 4K video at 120 frames per second (fps) and 8K at 60fps. The NZ9 is also the first projector to support HDR10+ high dynamic range (HDR) in addition to JVC’s excellent adaptive tone mapping algorithm, which automatically adjusts light levels based on incoming metadata.

A follow-up to the DLA-NX9 that netted a Sound & Vision Top Pick in 2019, the NZ9 is an impressive specimen. It runs quieter and boasts higher light output than its predecessor and features the next generation of JVC’s BLU-Escent laser light engine and pixel shifting 8K e-Shift technology, 8K e-ShiftX, which addresses individual pixels with no scaling to attain 8K resolution. Video guru Kris Deering applauded the NZ9 for delivering appreciable improvements in image definition, contrast, and depth over its predecessor before concluding: “I can't think of a projector that offers better overall picture quality at anywhere near its $25K price point.”

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Industry leading HDR performance
Contrast improved over previous flagship models
True 8K video input and display
Minus
Light loss in wide color gamut mode
Laser dimming needs some refinement

Full Review Here (posted 12/1/21)

Speaker Systems

Monolith By Monoprice Encore T6 Speaker System: $1,410 (as tested)

The hits just keep coming from Monoprice, the one-time accessory company that has evolved into a full-on maker of quality A/V gear. The five-piece T6 speaker system delivers a remarkably high level of performance for the remarkably reasonable price of $1,400, which gets you two sizable tower speakers, a center-channel speaker, and a pair of two-way surround speakers — all tonally matched. We were so impressed with the system that we named it our Top Value Pick of the Year for 2021.

Whether listening to music on SACD or watching movies on Blu-ray, reviewer Dan Kumin was impressed, even captivated by what he heard. He went so far as to describe a multichannel recording of the San Francisco Symphony performing Aaron Copland’s “Symphony for Organ” as “thrillingly real” and deemed the tower speakers capable of producing respectable bass and playing lower than similar sized towers he has recent experience with. For movies or even live sports, Kumin marveled at the system’s “highly cohesive front stage” and “wonderfully enveloping” sound.

While he missed having a dedicated subwoofer to reproduce the lowest of lows for “real cinematic impact,” Kumin remained impressed with the T6 towers’ ability to render the bus/train crash scene in the remastered version of 1993’s The Fugitive with satisfying impact: “I suspect they'll come close enough to keep a significant segment of listeners happy.” Performance-minded shoppers who are on a budget can hardly go wrong with the T6 ensemble, especially when you consider Monoprice’s 30-day money-back guarantee.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Very accurate, natural tonal balance
Impressive bass extension
Remarkable center-channel off-axis consistency and timbral match with towers
Minus
Towers are sensitive to placement
Some non-linearities at loudest playback levels
Generic looks (grilles-on)

Full Review Here (posted 1/12/22)

Fluance Ai41 Bluetooth Speaker System: $250/pair

The Ai41 Bluetooth speaker replaces and improves upon the outstanding Ai40, one of our Top Value Picks in 2019. Like its predecessor, the Ai41 is a two-way bookshelf design built for Bluetooth streaming that mates a 5-inch woofer with a 1-inch silk-dome tweeter in an attractive cabinet just shy of 11 inches tall. Though it looks almost identical to its predecessor, there are notable differences. For one, the Ai41 is a ported design, whereas the Ai40 was sealed. The system also packs more power (90 watts vs. 70 watts total) and boasts a set of stereo RCA analog inputs plus an optical digital input and a subwoofer output with an 80Hz low-pass crossover, whereas the Ai40 provided only RCA inputs.

Instead of an app, you get a compact remote that puts everything you need at your fingertips, including a feature missing on many of today’s wireless speakers: bass and treble controls. Most important, the Ai41 conveys vocals with lifelike presence and is able to play loud and clear without turning multilayered music into mush. If you’re looking for a turnkey stereo setup you can have up and running in minutes, you can hardly go wrong with Fluance’s impressive Ai41 speaker system.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Excellent, full-bodied sound
Cosmetically appealing design
Sturdy build
Remote control with tone controls (!)
Minus
No multiroom Wi-Fi streaming

Full Review Here (posted 12/16/21)

Andover Audio Spin System Integrated Audio System: $1,146 (as tested)

Massachussetts-based Andover Audio has expanded its clever turntable speaker concept with a complete, vinyl-based stereo system that conserves space and is super easy to set up and use. The modular Spin System mates the SpinBase all-in-one stereo speaker with a SpinDeck turntable, and SpinSub powered subwoofer in a SpinStand audio rack with a spare shelf and room for a few dozen records. There’s even a hanger for your headphones. The turntable is setup at the factory and fitted with an excellent Ortofon cartridge so you won’t have to worry about fine tweaking.

Setup involves assembling the SpinStand rack, installing a belt in the turntable (which has a built-in phono preamp), running RCA cables from the table to the SpinBase, connecting the subwoofer, and making a few quick adjustments to set the sub’s level and crossover point. The turntable sits on top of the SpinBase speaker, which doubles as a vibration-resistant platform. We know it sounds crazy, but it works thanks to a remarkable technology called IsoGroove Feedback Elimination. Andover also puts the technology to work in the SpinSub to prevent the transfer of bass energy into the stand.

Unlike an old-school hi-fi rig with a stereo receiver at its core, all you have to do to get the party started here is drop a record on the platter, cue it up, and adjust the big volume knob on the SpinBase speaker. There is no remote control — the RCA inputs are always on, waiting for your next musical excursion — and the system supports Bluetooth streaming. Reviewer and vinyl expert Michael Trei gave the Spin System a four-star rating for performance and praised it for its open, natural sound and rich bass. For those who prefer a fully automatic turntable, Andover offers the SpinDeck MAX, which costs $250 more than the manually operated SpinDeck.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Exceptionally simple to set up and use
Great sound
Minus
No remote control

Full Review Here (posted 10/6/21)