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Smart Speaker ReviewsStreaming Device ReviewsSurround Sound System Reviews
Apple HomePod (Generation 2) Review
Mark Henninger  |  Jan 31, 2023

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $300

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Clear and detailed sound
Easy to set up and use
Supports Dolby Atmos, eARC
Pair two with an Apple TV 4K for a complete system
Minus
Needs an iOS device for setup
No optional subwoofer
Limited maximum volume

THE VERDICT
Apple's attractive and intelligent HomePod speaker arrives just in time to ride the spatial audio wave. It's a technologically advanced, high-fidelity, hyper-smart speaker that transforms into a full-blown surround-sound system when you add a second one.

The moment I first heard a pair of the new Apple HomePod speakers play spatial audio, I could not get one thought out of my mind: This is going to be more than good enough for 90+ percent of listeners. Of course there will still be a place in this world for large, powerful, multi-speaker systems.

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A/V Veteran
Two for a View
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jan 31, 2023
When I have visitors over to watch a movie, the choice of which film to watch is always a challenge. Typically, none of my regular guests care for either science fiction or animation, and those genres make up perhaps half of my collection. But that evening's selection, Chariots of Fire, was a title I hadn't watched in years.
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Tower Speaker Reviews
JBL 4349 2-Way Loudspeaker Review
Mark Henninger  |  Jan 30, 2023

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $8250/pair

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Realistic soundstage
Wide sweet spot
Easily play loud, deep
Adjustable tweeters

Minus
Power hungry for a big speaker
Expensive
Require stands

THE VERDICT
These powerful and precise JBLs made everything I listened to through a pair sound fresh and vital. The 1970s studio monitor styling may not suit everyone'staste, but the mesmerizing sound they produce is sure to captivate any music lover's imagination.

When it comes to speakers, I've learned not to judge a design by its looks. But when you first meet a JBL 4349, it's impossible not to start thinking about the company's professional studio monitors. The prominent horn, with its curved and bulging shape, takes center stage...

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Ask S&V
Upgrading a 5.1.2 Setup that Has Bi-amped Front L/R Speakers
John Sciacca  |  Jan 30, 2023
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a 5.1.2 setup based around an Onkyo TX-RZ840 receiver and a Monitor Audio Bronze speaker package using the Bronze 2 stand mounts. My left and right front speakers are bi-amped and I’m looking to upgrade to 5.1.4. I wish to add external amplifiers plus an AV receiver in preamp mode or a preamp processor. Would I get a worthwhile upgrade in audio quality choosing the preamp processor? —Dan Pinnock, via email

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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Woman King
Ralph Potts  |  Jan 30, 2023
Picture
Sound
Extras

The Woman King is inspired by true events and centers around General Nanisca (Viola Davis), the seasoned leader of the Agojie, an all-female group of warriors that protects the African kingdom of Dahomey. After Gen. Nansica suggests to the king that the slave trade, an essential part of their economy, has put their future at risk, she urges him to seek other means of commerce through their foreign partners...

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Streaming Device Reviews
Arylic S50+ Pro Preamp and A50+ Amp Review
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jan 28, 2023
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE A50+ $199, S50+ Pro $219

AT A GLANCE
Plus
A50+
Multiple music sources include streaming music services
Multiroom streaming or stream separately
EQ adjustment buttons on remote
Presets to favorite playlists
Stream legacy devices like turntables or CD players

S50+ Pro
Pairable with A50+ for synchronized listening throughout the home
Optical input and output
Decodes high-resolution audio
Remote control with EQ direct buttons
Presets to switch to favorite playlists from a variety of services
Stream legacy devices like turntables or CD players

Minus (A50+ and S50+ Pro)
The 4STREAM app is confusing and incomplete
Can’t create a play queue
Amazon Music has bugs (doesn’t play when switching from another app)
Output is compressed CD quality, not high-resolution audio
Doesn’t have AirPlay2
Doesn’t work with Alexa, Google, directly with Siri

THE VERDICT
The Arylic A50+ wireless multiroom full digital hi-fi amplifier and the S50+ Pro wireless streaming preamplifier are reasonably priced streaming solutions for specific needs. These aren’t devices for the average user looking for a whole home music system. Instead, the Acrylic amp and preamp are better suited for DIYers or users who are comfortable piecing together a system.

Arylic's A50+ and S50+ are small music streamers that work with most music sources...

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The S&V Interview
David Crosby, The Tenor of Our Times
Mike Mettler  |  Jan 27, 2023

David Crosby spoke extensively with music editor Mike Mettler just a few months before he sadly passed away at age 81 on January 18. The voice of a generation, Croz discusses his knack for recognizing the chemistry he had with certain musicians, how the song “Compass” helped recalibrate his songwriting acumen, what album of his he’d like most to be listened to a half-century into the future, and much more.

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Audio Video News
Best Gear of January 2023
Bob Ankosko  |  Jan 26, 2023
If January is any indication, we can look forward to a stellar year for new gear. The first month of the New Year brought us several easy-to-recommend Top Picks: A new AV receiver from one of the most storied names in home audio, a killer ultra-short-throw projector, a subwoofer made for music, and a top performing streamer that is surprisingly affordable.
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Music Reviews
The Beach Boys: Sail On Sailor – 1972 Deluxe Edition Box Set
Mike Mettler  |  Jan 26, 2023
Performances
Sound
In the early-1970s, two new VIP members of The Beach Boys not sporting the surnames Wilson, Love, or Jardine came to the forefront of the band — namely, guitarist/vocalist Blondie Chaplin and guitarist/drummer Ricky Fataar. Though their tenure in The Beach Boys was short-lived, the energy and creative verve these two artists of South African descent injected into this consummate California band’s era-transitional gambits were noticeably palpable for a decade, often overshadowed by the sheer magnitude of their groundbreaking 1960s recordings.
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Editor's Eye
New Horizons
Mark Henninger  |  Jan 25, 2023
Getting to know Sound & Vision Editor Mark Henninger.
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