LATEST ADDITIONS

Audio Video News
Best Gear of September-October 2022
Bob Ankosko  |  Nov 03, 2022
Ready for the hands-down best all-in-one soundbar you’ve ever heard? Or how about a light cannon that will project a massive image on your wall without you having to climb up on a ladder to install it on the ceiling? These are just two of the remarkable products that made our Top Picks list in recent weeks along with an alluring set of noise-canceling wireless earbuds and an exceptional sounding wireless speaker system. Read on as we celebrate the latest round of A/V riches.
Continue Reading »
Streaming Device Reviews
Apple TV 4K 3rd Generation Review: Smaller, Faster, Cheaper
Barb Gonzalez  |  Nov 03, 2022

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $129 (64GB) / $149 (128GB)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Lower price than any recent Apple TVs
Excellent sound and picture quality
Now supports HDR10+
Agnostic "Watch Next" suggestions
Supports Dolby Atmos for movies and music
Minus
Scrub fast-forward and rewind can be squirrelly
Limited Siri Commands
Netflix integration remains minimal

THE VERDICT
The Apple TV 4K 3rd generation is a must-have for anyone with an iPhone or other Apple device. It still has great sound and picture quality, but the processor is faster and it supports HDR 10+. If you are invested in the Apple ecosystem, the Apple TV 4K should be the streamer you use. Also, if you have a Samsung TV that supports HDR10+, you might want to think about getting the new model.

The latest Apple TV 4K is the company's most compelling and feature-rich streaming box yet. It performs better and has more features than its predecessors while costing less...

Continue Reading »
Bookshelf Speaker ReviewsSmart Speaker ReviewsStreaming Device ReviewsWireless Multiroom Speaker Reviews
SVS Prime Wireless Pro Powered Speakers Review
Daniel Kumin  |  Nov 02, 2022

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $900/pair

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Impressive low-end extension and dynamics
Good array of inputs including HDMI/eARC for TV sound
Subwoofer output lends expandability
Minus
The active speaker must be the right channel
Low-end balance may prove a bit strong for near-wall placement in some rooms
No systemic EQ
No file format data display

THE VERDICT
Outstanding sound quality in a compact, wireless-streaming speaker pair.

I haven't yet decided what to call the new genus of streaming-on-board powered stereo speakers. Streakers? Speamers? Whatever you call them, active DSP speakers, with amps, digital converters and crossovers, and of course, streaming capabilities built right in, are officially now a thing.

Continue Reading »
A/V Veteran
Rediscovering Movie Critic Richard Schickel's 'Keepers'
Thomas J. Norton  |  Nov 02, 2022
A recent 650 mile drive round trip, with a stay at the far end of unknown length, sent me scurrying to my bookshelf to select a few titles that I hadn't yet read, and that's when I rediscovered Keepers, sub titled "The Greatest Films, and Personal Favorites, of a Moviegoing Lifetime by Richard Schickel.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video NewsNew Products
1More Takes on Apple with New Head-Tracking Wireless Earbuds
Bob Ankosko  |  Oct 31, 2022
China-based headphone specialist 1More is taking on Apple’s AirPods Pro with its new Aero wireless earbuds, which offer active noise cancellation (ANC), up to 5 hours of playback from a single charge with ANC turned on, and dynamic head-tracking for an improved “spatial audio” experience — all for $110, less than half of what the new AirPods Pro sell for ($249).
Continue Reading »
Ask S&V
How Can I Get Sonos to Randomize My 700-CD Collection?
John Sciacca  |  Oct 31, 2022
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a Sonos system for playing music throughout the house. I've recorded my 700-CD collection and like to listen to the songs randomly but Sonos does not access the whole collection — only about 4,000 of the 6,000 available songs. Can you recommend a solution, or do you know of an app that can safely randomize files? —Clive Fox, Richmond, VA

Continue Reading »
Spatial Audio FileThe S&V Interview
Here, There and Spatially Everywhere
Mike Mettler  |  Oct 28, 2022

The Beatles’ Revolver further solidified the creative validity of the rock album format when it was released in August 1966. Seeing how Revolver’s Super Deluxe Edition multidisc LP/CD box set incarnations have been officially released via Apple/UMG today, October 28—not to mention the inherently excellent Revolver Atmos mix by producer Giles Martin concurrently being made available digitally—I had to find out why I needed to get that Atmos mix into my listening life. Therefore, Martin and I got on Zoom together recently to discuss exactly that. He also shared with me what his late father, original Beatles producer George Martin, thought of his multichannel mixing skills. These are all perfect topics for this month’s Spatial Audio File (he said he said), so read on, read on. . .

Continue Reading »
Music and Soundtrack FeaturesAudio Video News
Recording and Remixing Revolver
Matt Hurwitz  |  Oct 28, 2022
All photos courtesy of Apple Corps Ltd. unless otherwise noted.

For many Beatles fans, Revolver is their favorite album. A balance of great songwriting and first dips into experimentation and change even place the 1966 LP above Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road for some. The album was a clear step forward into new kinds of music, fresh sounds, and pioneering recording techniques. Following in line with Special Edition packages of Sgt. Pepper, Abbey Road , The Beatles (a.k.a. The White Album), and Let It Be, Apple Corps, Ltd/Capitol Records/UMe today released a series of new special editions of Revolver featuring the original mono mix and a new stereo remix by Giles Martin (son of original producer Sir George Martin) and engineer Sam Okell plus a Dolby Atmos mix of the album, now available via download. Matt Hurwitz explores the creation and lasting legacy of the work that marked a turning point in the evolution of the world’s greatest band.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Child's Play
Chris Chiarella  |  Oct 28, 2022
Picture
Sound
Extras
Chucky, the possessed plaything who would go on to become one of the premier icons of late 20th-Century horror, got his start right here in this 1988 outing. When a dying serial killer with a fondness for the occult transfers his soul into the only vessel available—the hot new talking doll on display at a toy store—little Chuck winds up going home with a single mom and is soon in the hands of a cherubic six-year-old boy.
Continue Reading »
Subwoofer Reviews
Sonos Sub Mini Powered Subwoofer Review
Leslie Shapiro  |  Oct 26, 2022

Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $429

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Most affordable Sonos subwoofer
Compact, attractive
Controlled, restrained bass response
Minus
No Trueplay for Android
Fixed crossover
Only useable in the Sonos ecosystem

THE VERDICT
The Sonos Sub Mini is a great way (albeit, one of only two ways) to add deep bass to a Sonos soundbar or speaker in a small listening room. Considering that Sonos is a closed system, the Sub Mini only works with Sonos products, and Sonos products will only work with Sonos subwoofers. While not exactly a budget item, it's the most affordable subwoofer in the Sonos ecosystem.

What is the number one complaint about almost every soundbar? Let’s say it together: lack of deep bass. Even soundbars as sonically competent as the Sonos Beam and Ray could benefit from more. So here comes the Sonos Sub Mini (MSRP $429), a compact subwoofer that perfectly bonds with all of the non-portable, amplified Sonos products. It should be noted that while the Sub Mini will work with the larger Arc soundbar, Sonos recommends using that configuration only in a smaller room and at low-to-moderate listening levels. Fair enough.

Continue Reading »

Pages

X