Audio Video News

We reviewed 13 products in December but only eight made the cut. Among them are three exemplary projectors ranging in price from $2,200 to $6,000, a fabulous sounding set of compact speakers with built-in power, excellent planar-magnetic headphones from a classic audio brand, a unique hi-res digital recording system that disciples of vinyl will love, and a separates-based 5.1-channel system that gives you everything you need except a source for just over two grand. As we ring in the New Year, any of these products would be a fine addition to your 2018 AV lineup.

Sony VPL-VW285ES LCOS Projector: $5,000

Sony has given fans of high-performance video projection something to get excited about: True 4K/Ultra HD (UHD) resolution at price most can aspire to. Add a generous helping of expanded color with high dynamic range (HDR) contrast, and the VPL-VW285ES is hard to resist. Noting that most of the UHD discs he tried looked “amazing,” veteran reviewer Tom Norton wrote: “At last, a genuine full native-4K projector that won’t break the bank and might just leave you feeling like you scored a bargain.” Click here to see how the VPL-VW285ES fared in a face-off with another one of our Top Picks — JVC’s new DLA-X790R, which uses advanced pixel-shifting technology to achieve 4K resolution.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Native 4K
Superb resolution and color
Impressive HDR
Minus
No dynamic iris
No lens memories

Full Review Here

 

Acoustic Research AR-H1 Headphones: $599

Acoustic Research is getting back to its roots as an audio innovator with the elegant AR-H1’s, a reasonably priced set of planar magnetic headphones that delighted headphone guru Steve Guttenberg with their comfortable fit and accurate sound. As he put it, “I was knocked out by Tony Williams’ drumming on Miles Davis’s The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions album. His powerhouse rhythms ignited the band, and Dave Holland’s bass was no less revelatory over the AR-H1s. Oh, and Davis’s trumpet cut through the dense mix with startling precision.”

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Oval planar magnetic design
Easy to drive
Nice and comfy
Minus
Cable lacks phone mic or inline controls

Full Review Here

Korg DS-DAC-10R Hi-Res Digital Recorder: $500

Serious vinyl collectors will rejoice at the arrival of this unique digital recorder, designed to capture the nuances of vinyl records in high-resolution PCM or DSD format. Korg, world-renowned maker of keyboards and synthesizers, brought its deep knowledge of pro audio to bear on the DS-DAC-10R, which combines A-to-D and D-to-A converters with a headphone amp and phono preamp in a compact aluminum chassis. “I have reviewed several other ways to digitize vinyl, but none of them included the ability to record using my own carefully optimized turntable and the ability to record in DSD,” wrote reviewer Michael Trei. “The Korg DS-DAC-10R gives me those features at a price that seems eminently reasonable by audiophile standards. Once you get the hang of it, making recordings is pretty easy, and the results are definitely worth the effort.”

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Transfer analog sources to high-resolution digital including DSD
Phono preamp with variable EQ settings
Built-in headphone amplifier
Minus
No input for low-output moving-coil cartridges
No software-based vinyl noise reduction

Full Review Here

 

Emotiva BasX 5.1 Audio System: $2,143 (as reviewed)
Emotiva’s BasX series of products is sure to capture the imagination of budget-minded audiophiles. The system we reviewed teams a Dolby Digital-based 5.1-channel surround processor with a killer 5 x 80-watt amp, five speakers, and a serious subwoofer — everything you need for high-performance 5.1-channel surround sound except the source. “The BasX separates exemplify the best of the ‘low end of the high end’ school, asking modest prices for excellent performance,” wrote reviewer Mark Fleischmann. “For $1,098, the cost of a mid-priced receiver, you can have separates that include a butt-kicking little amp. For another $1,045 to add the speakers, you can have something just slightly bigger, warmer, and more fun than any other sat/sub system I’ve heard at that price.”

AT A GLANCE: MC-700
Plus
7.1-channel analog outputs
Sub XLR-out and flexible crossovers
HDR10 video passthrough
Minus
No Dolby Atmos or DTS:X
No Dolby Vision HDR
No onboard Bluetooth or Wi-Fi

AT A GLANCE: A-500
Plus
80 watts Class A/B with all channels driven
Handles 4-ohm loads
Slim chassis
Minus
No XLR outputs

AT A GLANCE: BasX Speaker System
Plus
Silk domes and polypropylene cones
Contours minimize diffraction
Beefy sub with 300-watt RMS amp
Minus
Soft voicing sacrifices some dialogue clarity and musical detail

Full Review Here