Audio Video News

Soundbars

Monoprice SB-500 5.1 Soundbar System: $300

The Monoprice SB-500 soundbar system takes things up a couple notches over the all-in-one Vizio V21d-J8 soundbar we reviewed last September. At $280, the SB-500 costs almost three times as much but supplements the three-channel soundbar with a wireless subwoofer and a pair of rear surround speakers, which elevate performance to a true Dolby Digital 5.1 surround-sound experience. Not bad for less than 300 bucks.

Setup is easy: The subwoofer and surround speakers connect automatically to the soundbar when the system is powered up but the surrounds aren’t fully wireless — you have to run a cable between them and plug the right speaker into a power outlet. A fully featured remote with buttons for navigation, bass/treble, and Music/Movie modes is included and the soundbar supports convenient Bluetooth streaming. The 39-inch-wide bar houses front left/center/right driver complements and provides a generous selection of inputs: three 4K/HDR-ready HDMI ports, one of which is ARC-enabled, optical and coaxial digital inputs, an auxiliary analog input, and a USB port.

Putting the system through its paces with movies and music, reviewer Leslie Shapiro reveled in the “impressive dynamics… and level of ambient detail” she heard while watching Jolt on Amazon Prime. Music was satisfying, though not quite as full-bodied as movies. Even so, Shapiro concluded the SB-500 is a steal for the price. (Editor’s note: Monoprice has increased the price to $300 from the original $280.)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Includes wireless subwoofer and surround speakers
Good clarity with movie dialogue
Low price
Minus
Bright LED display
Cable required for surrounds
Music playback can sound thin

Full Review Here (posted 10/19/21)

Sonos Beam Gen 2 Soundbar: $449

With the Beam Gen 2 soundbar, Sonos added Dolby Atmos surround processing to expand the sense of immersion over the original Beam, recipient of a Sound & Vision a Top Pick in 2018. Atmos builds upon the proven beamforming technology Sonos employs, which uses advanced signal processing to create an enveloping audio experience from an array of drivers — in this case, five active drivers and three passive radiators — and no additional speakers.

Like its identical looking predecessor, the next-gen soundbar is remarkably full-featured and a cinch to set up. There’s only one input — an eARC-compatible HDMI port — but Sonos provides an optical-digital-to-HDMI adapter for use with your TV’s optical output. The system supports voice control through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant and is equipped with Sonos’ proven Trueplay automated tuning system, which greatly improves sound quality by compensating for room acoustics. The Sonos app works with a variety of popular music streaming services out of the box and can be used to control the soundbar, though volume and other key functions can be adjusted using the TV’s remote.

Though reviewer Mark Henninger was disappointed with the Beam Gen 2’s inability to create a realistic sense of height with Atmos processing engaged, the bar did a “remarkably decent job delivering bass” and played clear with a “fullness one normally wouldn't expect from a standalone soundbar” — especially one costing less than $500.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Compact, with exceptional build and sound quality
Built-in Google Assistant and Alexa voice control
Expandable with Sonos speakers and subwoofer
Minus
Modest bass output
Single HDMI input
No display for volume level or sound mode

Full Review Here (posted 12/15/21)

Denon Home Sound Bar 550: $599

Recording-engineer-turned-reviewer Leslie Shapiro is an audio purist with little patience for audio trickery, which is why she was surprised to experience convincing simulated surround sound from Denon’s all-in-one Home Sound Bar 550. Add to that, excellent overall sound quality, simple setup, wireless multiroom music capability through the brand’s HEOS platform and you have a winning combination from a respected audio brand best known for its stellar AV receivers.

At 3 inches tall and just over 2 feet wide, the 550 is designed to tuck neatly beneath the TV screen and equipped with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X processing, Alexa voice control, a 4K-capable HDMI input and output (with eARC), an optical input, and the ability to stream hi-res music from Tidal, Amazon Music HD, and other services supported by the HEOS app. The bar also boasts a three-position dialogue enhancer that Shapiro called one of the best she’s heard.

The 550 handled movies and music equally well. “Looking for a movie with snappy dialogue and great sound design, I cued up Deadpool 2,” Shapiro wrote. “Denon's Bar rendered Deadpool's deadpan voice-over in a crystal-clear manner, even over the massive explosions and pounding music. More impressive was the 3D immersion.” Switching to music, she reveled in the clean sound of Noah Kahan's "Someone Like You (feat. Joy Oladokun)" and singled out the walking bassline in “Love for Sale,” featuring Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett: “The plucked notes were precise with a sharp attack. It was also evident that the Denon was delivering vocals in a natural manner, along with plenty of musical detail.” Now is as good a time as any to supercharge the lifeless sound coming from your TV.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Convincing DSP-based surround
Excellent sound quality
Compact footprint
Minus
Built-in Amazon Alexa
Limited front panel feedback
Requires HEOS app for best results

Full Review Here (posted 11/16/21)

Headphones

THX Onyx DAC/Headphone Amplifier: $199

THX is famous for its longstanding audio and video certification programs but never got into the business of developing and selling THX-branded products. In April 2021, the company founded by George Lucas introduced an unlikely first product: THX Onyx, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC)/headphone amplifier designed to supercharge your headphone listening experience

Housed in a slim metal case, the device is compatible with most headphones and built to handle high-resolution DSD and PCM files (the latter up to 32-bit/384kHz) via an onboard ESS ES9281PRO chip. The Onyx also boasts an MQA renderer to "unfold" streamed or downloaded MQA-encoded music but its crown jewel is the patented 180-milliwatt Achromatic Audio Amplifier, that uses feed-back/forward error correction to keep noise and distortion to a minimum.

Reviewer Al Griffin put Onyx to the test, listening to a variety of hi-res music on Tidal over Sennheiser headphones and JVC earbuds. He was captivated by the “impressive drive, detail, and clear separation of instruments and vocals” he heard on Wilco’s “Kamera” and the Crosby, Stills & Nash classic "Guinnevere," which came across “precisely layered with acoustic and electric guitars maintaining a distinct presence in the mix.” Ultimately, the THX Onyx’s strength is in its ability to deliver a “layered spatial presentation — something that bodes well for the portable gaming and movie-viewing THX touts for its DAC.”

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Clean, clear, powerful sound
Extensive format support
Compatible with a wide range of headphones
Minus
Requires extra-cost adapter for iOS devices

Full Review Here (posted 10/13/21)

Technics EAH-AZ60 Noise-Canceling True Wireless Earbuds: $230

It may come as a surprise that the brand that gave us the iconic SL-1200 turntable, makes earbuds. Indeed, the Technics EAH-AZ60 noise-canceling wireless earbuds live up to a stellar reputation that has been cultivated over more than 50 years. Priced just above the comparable Jabra Elite 85t ‘buds that that triumphed in our 2021 face-off, the AZ60s are resistant to water, compact and comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and designed to provide more than 7 hours of continuous listening pleasure on a single charge. Noise control is adjustable as is the useful Ambient mode and a companion app puts an equalizer at your fingertips so you can customize the sound just the way you want it.

That’s all well and good, but how do they sound? “Superior” is the word Technics uses to describe sound quality. They’re not wrong. Listening to a variety of music — from folk to guitar-based rock to electronica — Al Griffin praised the warm, lifelike sound, deep bass, and enveloping soundstage he experienced: “I found myself quickly immersed in the music, with the AZ60's relaxed, yet detailed sound.” If you’re looking for a “level of hi-fi-ness” not often associated with earbuds, start here.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Great sound quality
Impressive noise cancellation
Compact form factor
Long battery life
Minus
Somewhat pricey compared to other true wireless earbud options

Full Review Here (posted 3/8/22)

Sony WF-1000XM4 Noise-Canceling True Wireless Earbuds: $280

Sony’s new flagship earbuds are the real deal, offering just about everything you could want in an ear bud: best-in-class sound quality, excellent noise cancellation with an adjustable ambient noise mode, above-average battery life, sweat/water-resistance, and a robust app loaded with features for customizing operation. Among those features: a speak-to-chat mode that automatically pauses music playback, eight equalization (EQ) presets, and a five-band equalizer with two presets for storing your own custom curves.

A fully charged battery provides up to 8 hours of play time with noise-cancellation engaged or 12 hours without it, and the WF-1000XM4’s tiny charging case provides an additional 16 hours. Sony provides an array of options for customizing noise cancellation, including an adaptive mode that detects, learns, and automatically switches between sound modes based on your activity or location. But what’s most impressive is how good the buds are at filtering out ambient noise. Though it was unable to suppress wind noise, the 1000XM4 impressed reviewer Stewart Wolpin by “eliminating more external noise than nearly every other noise-canceling bud I've auditioned.”

“To my ears, the Sony WF-1000XM4 ranks alongside the Bose QC as the best-sounding noise-canceling bud option available,” wrote Wolpin, who presided over our 2021 True Wireless Earbuds Face-Off. “Both supply a wide, airy soundstage and plenty of even-tempered bass, and their response is detailed enough to draw out subtle nuances in music.”

As a bonus, the buds support Sony's 360 Reality Audio spatial audio technology, which delivers enveloping surround sound from music streaming services such as Tidal, Deezer, and Amazon Music HD that support the format. With 360 Reality Audio switched in, “two-dimensional sound suddenly surrounds and envelops you, and it's especially effective for newer music mixes that lend themselves to 360-degree manipulation.” If you want the best and are willing to pay for it, you really can’t go wrong with these Sony earbuds.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Best-in-class sound reproduction
Sony 360 Reality Audio
Excellent noise canceling
Small buds and case
Long battery life
Minus
Requires deep ear tip insertion
Complicated app, noise canceling options
Doesn't block wind noise

Full Review Here (posted 10/26/21)

To browse all Sound & Vision-recommended AV gear, broken out by category, visit our Top Picks page.

Click here for Sound & Vision’s for 2021 Top Picks of the Year