LATEST ADDITIONS

Soundbar Reviews
Monitor Audio ASB-2 Soundbar
Daniel Kumin  |  May 16, 2014
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,599

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Neutral tonal balance
Honest vocal and dialogue presentation
Handsome, understated looks
Minus
Limited volume output
Ergonomic shortcomings

THE VERDICT
Fine vocal and musical balance from an elegant, though not inexpensive, soundbar.

Pity the poor soundbar, the dancing bear of the audio world. (The audience applauds not how well the bear dances, but the fact that he dances at all.) And pity more the poor soundbar reviewer, tasked with saying something cogent about a not-inexpensive product that, while worlds better than any TV’s built-in speakers, is almost always demonstrably inferior to any number of affordable freestanding speaker suites, including the same manufacturer’s. Monitor Audio is a long-established, widely respected maker of just such speaker suites, a firm that presumably can read the handwriting on the wall just as well as the next guy: s-o-u-n-d-b-a-r-s-&-h-e-a-d-p-h-o-n-e-s.

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Audio Video News
Poll: S&V Readers Enthusiastic and Frustrated by 4K/Ultra HD
Bob Ankosko  |  May 16, 2014
S&V readers are generally enthusiastic about 4K/Ultra HD, with 18 percent planning to buy an Ultra HD set, but still frustrated by the lack of programming and the piecemeal way in which the technology is being rolled out (we’re with you on that), according to the results of this week’s survey in which we asked for your take on 4K/Ultra HD.

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Audio Video News
Sony 4K Ultra HD Media Player Due Out in July
SV Staff  |  May 15, 2014
Sony today announced that its second-generation 4K Ultra HD Media Player will be available for purchase in July for $699. Designed for downloading 4K titles from Sony’s Video Unlimited 4K service and streaming 4K content from Netflix to Sony TVs and only Sony TVs, the FMP-X10 player can be preordered between now and July 15 for $499.
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TV ReviewsLCD TV Reviews
Vizio E550i-B2 LED/LCD HDTV
Thomas J. Norton  |  May 15, 2014

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $730

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Backlit local dimming for superior blacks
Good color
Remarkable value
Minus
Wobbly stand
Occasionally buzzy sound

THE VERDICT
It’s not without flaws, but the Vizio E550i-B2 offers more of what we like in a quality HDTV than we ever expected to see at such a low price.

You still can’t get a decent, major-brand 55-inch HDTV for under $500. You can, however, get one for under $800. The new 2014 E-Series may be Vizio’s budget line, but it’s not bare bones. It omits 3D (as do all of the company’s 2014 HDTVs, including the highest-end models), and there’s no picture-in-picture mode. But it offers the same bang for the buck that has, in the relatively few years since Vizio’s founding, rocketed the company to a U.S. market-share position that has left long-established HDTV makers gasping for breath trying to keep up.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
Chris Chiarella  |  May 15, 2014
Picture
Sound
Extras
Interactivity
Bearing the lofty Jackass mantle, this feature film eschews the basic format of the erstwhile MTV series, which bombarded viewers with a string of standalone stunts and running jokes performed by a brave troupe with a high tolerance for pain. Instead, Bad Grandpa emulates the Borat model, crafting a basic plot and characters as a scripted backdrop for multiple outrageous set pieces that unfold before unsuspecting bystanders.
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Ask S&V
Why Does My LCD TV’s Screen Abruptly Go Black During Fade-to-Black Transitions?
Al Griffin  |  May 15, 2014
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I’ve owned two high-end plasma HDTVs, but recently purchased a new LCD UHDTV (Samsung HU8550). Watching Blu-rays on the new set using an Oppo player and Onkyo NR929 AVR, I am seeing something disconcerting that I never noticed before with the plasmas: Whenever there’s a fade-to-black transition between movie scenes, the screen abruptly goes black for about 1-2 seconds in the middle of the transition/edit. Is this sort of thing typical for LED-backlit LCD TVs? It ruins the viewing experience for me. —Richard Rife via email

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Headphone Amp/DAC ReviewsIntegrated Amp Reviews
AudioControl Rialto 400 Amplifier/DAC
John Sciacca  |  May 14, 2014

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $799

AT A GLANCE
Plus
High-performance Wolfson Audio WM8671 DAC handles signals up to 192 kHz/24-bit
AccuBASS designed to restore depth to compressed audio sources
Automatic input switching

Minus
Runs hot
Lack of front-panel controls may be problematic for some installs

THE VERDICT
This terrific amplifier and DAC solution improves sonics in a small package.

The quest for audio simplicity has come far closer to becoming a reality with the introduction of music streamers from the likes of Sonos and Apple. Now just connect one of these devices to an audio system, and you’ve got an entire world of music literally at your fingertips. However, these components aren’t exactly revered for their terrific audio qualities, and many dress up the sonics by running them through an outboard DAC before connecting to a quality amplifier. But in space-challenged places like an office, kitchen, or bedroom, this can be easier said than done.

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SmartStream
Hulu App to Offer Free TV Episodes and Remote Casting
Barb Gonzalez  |  May 14, 2014
Hulu has announced that this summer they will offer streaming of full TV episodes to the mobile app without requiring a Hulu Plus subscription. The Hulu app now has remote casting capabilities that extend to more devices.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
A Single Shot
Corey Gunnestad  |  May 14, 2014
Picture
Sound
Extras
For dedicated, respected, and talented actors, it’s still and will always be about the work—and taking it wherever you can find it. A Single Shot is a well-made, low-budget indie film that touts a superlative cast featuring Sam Rockwell, Jeffrey Wright, Kelly Reilly, Jason Isaacs, Ted Levine, and William H. Macy. With a pedigree like that, you’d think this film might have received a bigger push at the box office, but it was easily overlooked amidst the whirl of mainstream Hollywood entertainment.
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New ProductsPremiere Design
Thorens TD 209 Turntable
Bob Ankosko  |  May 14, 2014
Spinning With Style
You don’t come across many companies that have been in business for 100 years. Founded in 1883 as a manufacturer of musical boxes and clocks, Thorens started building Edison-type cylinder phonographs in 1903 and has been making turntables ever since. Although the company branched out into audio electronics in the ’90s, it remains a steadfast bearer of fine turntables. Its latest specimen is the ultra-modern TD 209, which borrows design cues from its higher-end sibling, the TD 309.
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