Audio Video News

Roku Ultra Streaming Player: $130

Roku continues to up its streaming game, this time adding 4K high dynamic range (HDR) capability and voice search to its flagship media player. The player is dead simple to use, agnostic in the way it searches for desired content, and delivers topnotch video performance. It’s easy to see why we singled it out for our 2016 Top Picks of the Year list. Calling the Roku Ultra the best choice for owners of 4K/Ultra HDTVs, reviewer Barb Gonzalez wrote: “No other streaming player has the search capabilities, robust remote app, and ease of casting photos and music.”

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Excellent 4K HDR picture and sound quality
Optical audio output for full Dolby Digital Plus surround sound
Agnostic voice search finds movies/TV shows on most streaming channels
Minus
Playback control for music and slideshows is awkward
Doesn’t play Dolby Atmos from Vudu

Full Review Here

Panasonic DMP-UB900 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player: $600

One of only two players to make our 2016 Top Picks of the Year list, Panasonic’s first Ultra HD Blu-ray player has nearly everything you could want in a 4K disc player: Solid build quality, excellent upconversion of standard HD content, and overall excellent performance, including support for hi-res audio and high dynamic range video (though only HDR10). The UB900 is further distinguished as first UHD player to receive THX certification. Reviewer Al Griffin wrote: “With the arrival of Panasonic’s DMP-UB900, we finally have a player appropriately suited up to deliver the quality potential of not just Ultra HD Blu-ray, but regular Blu-ray.”

AT A GLANCE
Plus
High-quality upconversion of Blu-rays and DVDs
Effective detail enhancement and noise reduction
Full-featured remote control
Minus
Doesn’t support YouTube 4K video streaming
No Vudu app
No Dolby Vision disc support
Pricey next to competition

Full Review Here

 

Kicker Bullfrog Jump Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker: $400

The Bullfrog Jump is a rugged portable speaker that was conceived for rough and tumble use outdoors, making it ideal for tailgating and pool parties. And it more than lives up to the Kicker tradition of delivering big, bold sound, as reviewer Bob Ankosko discovered during his evaluation: “From Amos Lee to the Zombies, I gave the Bullfrog a serious workout on Pandora, hopping from station to station, artist to artist, and genre to genre while moving room to room and eventually outside. The Jump was a great companion.”

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Great for impromptu gatherings
Easy to transport
Rugged build quality
Plays loud and clear
Water resistant
Minus
A bit bulky/heavy for a portable speaker
Pricey

Full Review Here

Onkyo TX-RZ1100 AV Receiver: $2,199

Today’s AV receivers do a lot more than we should reasonably expect from one component. But when you get down to it, the ability to deliver clean, dynamic power is what matters most—and precisely what this 2016 Top Pick of the Year receiver offers in spades. Calling the sound “faultless,” Daniel Kumin offered this assessment of the RZ1100 as it powered Star Trek: Beyond: “There were almost too many sonic highlights to pick just one, but it would be hard to outdo the long battle sequence in chapter 10, which has it all: dynamics, numerous height cues for Atmos to show off its stuff, dialogue over boisterous scenes, wide-stage music, and more. And the TX-RZ1100 aced them all without any evident stress.”
Plus
Impressively dynamic, generous nine-channel power
Dolby Atmos, DTS:X on board
THX Select2 certified
Minus
Meh remote
Occasionally unintuitive ergonomics
Some features still await firmware update
Premium pricing

Full Review Here