LATEST ADDITIONS

Editor's Eye
Back to Basics
Al Griffin  |  Jun 10, 2021
Yes, it had to be done. Consider it a form of spring cleaning. The “it” is in this case is a streaming service — HBO Max to be specific — that I decided to drop. My video streaming plate had become over-filled during the pandemic as I spent much of my free time at home, and now that I was vaxxed up and ready to re-engage (as much as possible) with the world, I made the decision to dump at least one service. It’s not that I wanted to lose it — in the final days of my active subscription, I of course happened upon a new original series, Mare of Easttown, that was right up my alley — but something had to give, and it was going to be HBO Max.
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SmartStream
Hands-On: Roku Express 4K+ and Voice Remote Pro
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jun 09, 2021
Roku released two new products mid-May. The Roku Express 4K+ is a value priced streamer that performs at a level much higher than its price tag suggests. We tested both the Express 4K+ and the Roku Voice Remote Pro, a new, hands-free voice remote. Both may have a place in your Roku streaming arsenal.
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Headphone Reviews
Face-Off: Noise-Canceling True Wireless Earbuds
Stewart Wolpin  |  Jun 09, 2021
What the world needs now is active noise-canceling (ANC) true wireless earbuds. ANC buds meet the needs of the moment by providing a way to boost audio quality during Zoom calls while simultaneously isolating us against intrusive environmental factors (remote-schooled kids, other work-from-home adults, etc.). And fortunately for us all, they are getting better-sounding, more feature-packed, and less expensive.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Vizio Announces Pricing & Availability for 2022 TVs
Bob Ankosko  |  Jun 08, 2021
Vizio has announced details, pricing, and availability for the 32 models that comprise its 2022 TV lineup. You read that right — 2022. Pandemic-driven setbacks pushed the release of its 2020 TVs to late in the year so those models were carried over into 2021. About a third of the new models are currently available, with the remainder slated to ship in July or August. All but eight of the models are 4K.
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Signals
Covid and a Concert Hall
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jun 07, 2021
Suppose you're head honcho of an orchestra. Cool gig! Then Covid arrives. You cancel your season and shut down the hall. You manage to keep the musicians on payroll, albeit at a reduced salary, but your revenue drops to zero. What do you do? You speed-dial an architectural firm.

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Music and Soundtrack FeaturesThe S&V Interview
Robbie Robertson: When I Paint My 5.1 Masterpiece
Mike Mettler  |  Jun 04, 2021
Whenever we talk about artists who changed the course of rock history who aren't The Beatles, one group with perhaps the most unassuming yet wholly appropriate name tops the bill: The Band. Their homespun July 1968 debut Music From Big Pink literally turned the rock world on its collective ear to such a degree that contemporaries like Eric Clapton instantly renounced their virtuosic "look at me" playing styles and adjusted their thinking toward creating more organic and more authentic music truer to their essential selves.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
News & Gear for the Waning Days of Spring 2021
Bob Ankosko  |  Jun 03, 2021
With the Great Pandemic largely behind us, the masks are disappearing as life slowly returns to normal and the electronics industry is, as always, ready to greet us with an ever-expanding roster of new gear, even though it is still dealing with lingering chip shortages and supply-chain disruptions. The past few weeks have brought to light a unique “triphonic’ speaker designed by a former Apple designer, a tiny projector that makes it easy to take movies and gaming out to the patio, and a couple of really cool turntables that commemorate the album that redefined popular music 54 years ago.
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Wireless Multiroom Speaker Reviews
Cleer Crescent Wireless Smart Speaker Review
Bob Ankosko  |  Jun 02, 2021
Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $700

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Striking design
Excellent build quality
Good sound quality
Minus
Sound modes shift tonal balance, create exaggerated effect
Tone controls accessible only through the Google Home app
No remote control

THE VERDICT
The Crescent doesn't come cheap but it has a lot going for it: distinctive looks, smart speaker chops, and good sound.

"Aladdin's lamp" popped into my head as I lifted the 12-pound Crescent speaker out of its box. Between its champagne finish and arcing profile, it's a distinctive design you'll either love or hate. My wife cringed when she saw it sitting on the cabinet in my office. Me? I think it's pretty cool.

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Audio Video News
Denon and Marantz Announce 8K Upgrades for Flagship AVR and Processor
Bob Ankosko  |  Jun 01, 2021
Denon and Marantz have introduced factory-upgraded “A” versions of two prized flagship components, both Sound & Vision Top Picks: the Denon AVR-X8500H AV receiver and Marantz AV8805 preamp/processor.
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A/V Veteran
Epson vs. Vava vs. Lumens
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jun 01, 2021
Epson America recently filed a lawsuit against Vava (Sunvalleytek International Inc.), claiming erroneous ANSI Lumens claims for the latter's VA-LT002 4K UST (Ultra Short Throw) laser projector.

It's easy to get into the weeds on this subject (I pity the poor judge assigned to adjudicate the claim!). You'll usually see a projector's overall luminance specified in one of two ways: either simply in lumens or in ANSI Lumens. The latter spec must follow procedures established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The former doesn't...

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