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AV Receiver Reviews
Onkyo TX-NR7100 9.2-Channel A/V Receiver Review
Daniel Kumin  |  Feb 23, 2022

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,099

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Onboard Dirac Live room/speaker correction
Nine amp channels for a full Atmos/DTS:X experience
Multiple HDMI 2.1 connections with 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz support
Minus
Small remote control a bit cramped
Somewhat light-duty casing and speaker outputs

THE VERDICT
This affordable Onkyo AVR renders powerful Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound via its nine built-in amp channels, and it brings the considerable benefits of Dirac Live room EQ as well.

The arrival of yet another A/V receiver doesn't usually engender much excitement here at S&V's currently sub-arctic regional headquarters in New England. But Onkyo's new TX-NR7100 is not "just another" receiver. First, the TX-NR7100 features a true nine-channel-power layout, which makes possible a full 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos system without supplemental amplification within hollerin' distance of the magical ten-Benjamins line. Just as notably, it's among the first affordably priced AVRs to incorporate Dirac Live, the eponymous Swedish tech firm's widely praised room/speaker-correction software system, at no extra cost.

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Ask S&V
What’s the Difference Between HDMI ARC and eARC?
Al Griffin  |  Feb 23, 2022
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I want to get the highest possible audio quality from my home theater system when using the streaming apps on my new Samsung QN90A Neo QLED 4K smart TV. Is the TV’s eARC port compatible with my Denon receiver’s ARC port? By compatible, I mean will the Denon “understand” the Dolby Digital Plus bitstream coming from the apps and just ignore any Atmos metadata? —George Perkins / Madison, WI

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A/V Veteran
The Human Visual System: Digital Cinema
Thomas J. Norton  |  Feb 22, 2022
The human visual system is a lot more complicated than we might imagine. A recent paper published in the journal Science Advances (January 12, 2022), Illusion of visual stability through active perceptual serial dependence, by researchers Mauro Manassi (University of Aberdeen, UK) and David Whitney (UC Berkeley), takes this idea a step further. I can't pretend to have slogged through the bulk of this article. The text is dense with the sort of science-speak common to experts in their field of expertise but nearly incomprehensible to the layman (a worldwide issue over the past two years, but I digress!)
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Sonus Faber Promises 3D Sound from New All-In-One Music System
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 22, 2022
Sonus faber, the Italian speaker maker known for its unique and elegant designs, today announced a stylish all-in-one wireless music system that uses digital signal processing (DSP) and an array of seven speakers to deliver “mesmerizing three-dimensional sound.”
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Signals
Tesla Owners: Curb Your Enthusiasm
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Feb 21, 2022
Alert readers will recall that I recently heaped praises on TeslaMic, an in-car karaoke technology that gives Tesla owners the opportunity to unleash their inner Mick Jagger. Now, unfortunately, it's time for some Tesla scorn, courtesy of our Federal overlords.

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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Dune
Brandon A. DuHamel  |  Feb 18, 2022
Picture
Sound
Extras
Frank Herbert's Dune had turned into a sort of creative graveyard for filmmakers over the years, causing the beloved sci-fi novel to be labeled unadaptable. The first attempt was made by Alejandro Jodorowsky, who started his adaptation in 1974, working with artists including H. R. Giger, Chris Foss, and Jean "Moebius" Giraud for set and character designs, resulting in over 3,000 storyboard sketches.
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Spatial Audio File
As Long As You Stand By Me, Spatial Audio
Mike Mettler  |  Feb 18, 2022
Hear ye hear ye, o fine fellow hi-fi-inclined friends o’ mine! It’s Week Three here in the always aurally intriguing world of the Spatial Audio File, and I’m more than ready to delve right on into five more choice selections for the best of this week’s Dolby Atmos mixes Made for Spatial Audio on Apple Music. Happy Spatial Listening, everybody!
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
News & Gear: Late Winter 2022
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 17, 2022
As the pandemic winds down (again) and spring draws near, new product introductions are starting to pick up. Will they reach pre-2020 pandemic levels? Probably not, though the volume of press releases seems a bit higher than it was a year ago. Ongoing labor shortages and supply-chain disruptions caused by the logjam of shipping containers in major ports continue to hinder a return to normalcy — a situation that some analysts predict is here to stay for the rest of the year and possibly beyond. In the spirit of being thankful for the goods and services we can get, here’s a look at some of the latest A/V gear with a little news thrown into the mix.
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SmartStream
How to Stream the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics
Barb Gonzalez  |  Feb 16, 2022
The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics may be halfway through, but with so many streaming opportunities, you can get caught up on everything that’s happened. Like the 2020 Summer Olympics held last year, NBCUniversal is again offering replays, highlights, interviews, and live coverage. Here’s how to stream the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics
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Subwoofer Reviews
Definitive Technology Descend DN15 Subwoofer Review
David Vaughn  |  Feb 16, 2022
Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $1,799

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Powerful output
Intelligent Phase Control allows for precise alignment with main speakers
Useful remote control
Minus
Large size makes optimal placement difficult
No custom EQ options

THE VERDICT
Definitive Technology flagship subwoofer delivers extended bass and impressive output, but lacks the app-based custom EQ controls found on many other models.

Watching a movie at home is one of the things I always look forward to when coming back off the road from a long business trip. My home theater has evolved over the years from a modest 5.1-channel setup with a rear-projection TV into a system I never dreamed I'd attain: a JVC RS2000 4K projector, 110-inch Stewart FireHawk scope screen, and a full Dolby Atmos speaker system brought to life by a Trinnov Altitude 16 processor and ATI N-Core amps. I truly am living the home theater dream.

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