LATEST ADDITIONS

Sony KDS-60A2000 SXRD HDTV
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Oct 24, 2006  |  First Published: Oct 25, 2006
Save some money; get a 1080p input.

I've been getting a lot of letters asking when there will be cheaper 1080p displays. Well, this 60-inch model is $300 cheaper than the last 50-inch Sony 1080p RPTV we reviewed. The 50-inch model in the new A2000 line is a full $900 cheaper. This 60-inch is a full 26 percent cheaper than the last 60-inch SXRD we reviewed. Sure, $3,699 is still a chunk of change, but it's a little bit more palatable chunk.

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In-Wall Speaker ReviewsOn-Wall Speaker Reviews
BG Radia R-17i Speaker System
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Oct 24, 2006  |  First Published: Oct 25, 2006
Hang a blue ribbon on the wall for these planar-driver speakers.

To stand out from the crowd, a speaker (or any product) needs to have a gimmick. "Gimmick" is too harsh of a word, really. "Unique element of differentiation" is too clinical but more on the mark. Maybe I should say, "thingamajig." On-wall speakers used to stand out from the crowd by their ability not to stand out. They were slim, contemporary in style, and loosely matched the flatness of plasma TVs, plus, until recently, only a handful were on the market. In some cases, these speakers were even voiced to sound their best when mounted on a wall. (Imagine that.) But on-wall speakers are no longer unusual. They're everywhere, including in some HTIB systems. Differentiation is definitely different now—it's a heck of a lot harder to do.

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On-Wall Speaker Reviews
Fujitsu P50XTA51UB Plasma HDTV and Leon Speakers Horizon 313-LCR Speaker System
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Oct 24, 2006  |  First Published: Oct 25, 2006
Monocromaticness.

It's a fact of life that not all people can fit speakers into their living rooms. This could be for size reasons or, shall we say, more personal reasons. This fact has not gone unnoticed in the speaker world, which has been struggling for years with a declining market for big traditional speakers. In-walls have been a choice, but even the best in-walls have to make compromises that often end up being audible. On-walls are a newer choice that manufacturers hope will take out some of the concessions inherent in in-wall mountings. More recently, several companies have begun offering "sound bars" that give you multiple channels of sound from one long speaker that you can mount under your plasma or LCD. Leon is one such company that custom builds all of their speakers. Before they can build you one, though, you have to choose a plasma.

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AV Receiver ReviewsBookshelf Speaker Reviews
Canton Movie CD 201 Speaker System and Onkyo TX-SR504 A/V Receiver
Steve Guttenberg  |  Oct 24, 2006  |  First Published: Oct 25, 2006
The little system that could.

Some guys fantasize about winning the Mega Millions Lottery and driving into the sunset in a $1.25-million Bugatti Veyron 16.4 supercar. Or maybe a giddy winner would fork over heaps of cash for an ultimate home theater. The market for ultrahigh-end exotica is surging, but, while I'm waiting for my big payday, I thought I'd come back down to earth and have some fun with one of Onkyo's most reasonably priced audio/video receivers, the TX-SR504 ($300), partnered with Canton's sleek Movie CD 201 speaker system ($1,999). Budgetary constraints be damned, the little system still had to sound great in my home theater and deliver the goods in a cozy bedroom, office, or den.

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AV Receiver Reviews
Rotel RSX-1057 AV Receiver
Fred Manteghian  |  Oct 24, 2006

To me, Rotel has always been the Everyman's answer to high-end audio. The company has always followed a "straight wire with gain" philosophy, which has earned it respect throughout the audiophile community. Like NAD, it's believed in holding to conservative power ratings, particularly compared to mass-market American and Japanese offerings. My daughter uses "40-Watt" Rotel integrated amplifier that's a decade old to drive her Magnepan MMG speakers, which are a pretty tough load, and it is more than comfortable with the task.

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Toshiba Cinema Series Pro 47LZ196 Flat Panel: First Look
Ultimate AV Staff  |  Oct 24, 2006

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Toshiba Cinema Series Pro 42LZ196 Flat Panel: First Look
Ultimate AV Staff  |  Oct 24, 2006

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Sony BRAVIA KDL-52XBR3 Flat Panel: First Look
Ultimate AV Staff  |  Oct 24, 2006

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Sony BRAVIA KDL-52XBR2 Flat Panel: First Look
Ultimate AV Staff  |  Oct 24, 2006

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Projector Reviews
Sony VPL-VW50 SXRD Projector: First Look
Ultimate AV Staff  |  Oct 24, 2006

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