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Soundbar Reviews
Polk Audio Signa S4 Soundbar Review
Rob Sabin  |  Apr 13, 2022

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $399

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Atmos height effects from a high value soundbar
Easy to set up and use
Well-integrated small subwoofer
Good sonics for TV and movie watching
Minus
No expandability for surrounds
No network connection for music
No height channel level adjustment
Better for movies than music

THE VERDICT
Polk Audio’s Signa S4 makes some canny compromises to bring immersive audio to the masses at an affordable price.

When it comes to hi-fi and home theater, I'm a space hog. Some folks zero in on tight, room-shaking bass, others seek immaculate midrange accuracy or high frequency extension with gobs of etched detail. For me, it's always been about imaging and soundstage first. I can forgive a lot of sins if a system conveys the sense of a three-dimensional instrument, voice, or sound object in the listening room. This is what makes things real for me.

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A/V Veteran
Hands On: Aperion Audio Super Tweeters
Thomas J. Norton  |  Apr 12, 2022
All full-range loudspeakers have a tweeter, apart from relatively uncommon, single driver designs. A tweeter's performance can vary widely, but generally reflects the budget and/or the intentions of the designer. Most buyers are happy with the tweeters in their loudspeakers, but are they missing something?

Aperion Audio believes they are. They offer three different super tweeters as add-on devices to your current loudspeakers. There are other super tweeters on the market, but as a category they're rare. Aperion sent me one of each — the pure Aluminum Ribbon at $649 (shown in the photo above), the Planar-Ribbon at $399, and the pure Dual Aluminum Ribbon (radiating toward both the front and the back) at $999.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Nakamichi Promises 360° Immersion with New Soundbar System
Bob Ankosko  |  Apr 11, 2022
Nakamichi has expanded its Shockwafe series of high-end soundbar systems with an upgraded version of its flagship Ultra 9.2 SSE, an advanced version of the Pro 7.1 system we reviewed back in 2017.
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Signals
What Would Music Sound Like on Mars?
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Apr 11, 2022
Congratulations! You are one of the first humans to walk on Mars! That is so awesome! But then you suffer an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction – your helmet comes off and there you are – completely exposed to the Martian atmosphere. As you lose consciousness, you hear the sound of a piano.

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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Halloween Kills
Roger Kanno  |  Apr 08, 2022
Picture
Sound
Extras
Halloween Kills, the twelfth film in the Halloween franchise, picks up immediately following the events in the 2018 reboot of the original film of the same name. These latest entries were directed by David Gordon Green with a third installment, Halloween Ends, also to be directed by Green, planned for release later in 2022.
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Spatial Audio File
Please Don’t Leave Me, Spatial Audio
Mike Mettler  |  Apr 08, 2022
To certain observers, jazz multi-instrumentalist Jon Batiste’s March 2021 passion project We Are was the surprise winner of Album of the Year at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards last weekend. But to these ears, this multi-layered, genre-defiant album displays the best of all musical worlds—as in, everybody can find something to love within the grooves of its wide-ranging sonic palette.
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Audio Video News
Best Subwoofers, Home Theater Speakers of 2021-22
Bob Ankosko  |  Apr 07, 2022
Tired of putting up with anemic bass while you miss out on the visceral excitement that comes with owning a bad-ass subwoofer? Or maybe it’s time to replace a lowly soundbar (or, heaven forbid, the speakers built into your TV) with a full-on home theater speaker system. Help has arrived. We present capsule reviews of our Top Picks in subwoofers and home theater speaker systems for all of 2021 and so far in 2022.
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SmartStream
Plex Update Brings Superb Discover and Universal Search
Barb Gonzalez  |  Apr 06, 2022
Plex continues to improve and reinvent itself with the goal of becoming the one app that you turn to first for all streaming. Its most recent addition is Plex Discover (in public Beta). Plex Discover finds trending and popular shows on all of your subscription services.
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Integrated Amp Reviews
Rotel A14MKII Integrated Amplifier Review
Al Griffin  |  Apr 06, 2022
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,600

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Surprisingly powerful amp
Clean, detailed sound
Great build quality for price
Minus
limited feature set compared to competition
Streaming options limited to Bluetooth wireless and direct computer-to-USB input

THE VERDICT
Rotel’s affordable A14MKII integrated is light on features but heavy on performance. A great option for listeners who want to keep their audio system simple.

Back in fall 2021 Sound & Vision reviewed Rotel's RA-1572MKII integrated amplifier, an upgraded version of the company's popular RA-1572. Well, at Rotel the upgrades keep coming fast and furious: Just a few months later, word dropped that the same treatment was coming to products at more affordable price points, with the company's A12 and A14 integrated amps getting bumped up to MKII status.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Devialet Announces Super Sleek Atmos Soundbar
Bob Ankosko  |  Apr 05, 2022
Devialet, the Paris-based maker of the utterly unique Phantom line of speakers, has brought its considerable design prowess to bear on its latest creation: a super sleek soundbar designed to deliver an immersive Dolby Atmos experience without the need for a separate subwoofer.
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