LATEST ADDITIONS

Spatial Audio File
It’s Spatial Audio O’Clock, Yeah
Mike Mettler  |  Apr 22, 2022
British indie-rock sensations Wet Leg made quite a splash with their deadpan and earnestly quirky June 2021 debut hit single “Chaise Longue.” Now a key component of this dynamic duo’s full-length, self-titled April 2022 debut album, “Chaise Longue” gets to stretch its compositional legs that much more in Atmos.
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Vintage Gear
Another Side of KLH: The Model Nineteen
Bob Ankosko  |  Apr 21, 2022
KLH is well known for the amazing acoustic-suspension speakers it sold in the 1950s and ’60s, but did you know audio legend and company co-founder Henry Kloss also designed a series of music systems?
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SmartStream
HBO Max and Discovery Plus to Merge Into One Service
Barb Gonzalez  |  Apr 21, 2022
The WarnerMedia and Discovery merger has been finalized. The new company, dubbed Warner Bros. Discovery, will bring significant changes to HBO Max and Discovery+ streaming and will likely affect the CNN+ streaming app. It’s expected that all the content will be aggregated into one streaming service, but it won’t happen immediately.
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Subwoofer Reviews
Monolith by Monoprice 13-Inch THX Ultra Certified Subwoofer Review
Daniel Kumin  |  Apr 20, 2022

Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $1,700

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Reference-level extension and output
Exceptionally flat, controlled response through crossover octaves
THX Ultra Certified
Minus
No auto-EQ/correction or remote control
Very big and heavy
No pass-through outputs

THE VERDICT
Monolith by Monoprice's 13THX is huge, heavy, and lacks the convenience of app-controlled on-board automated EQ and curve-selection. But if you have more-than-generous space and budget, it's all the subwoofer you or anyone else will ever need.

Got bass? I do. Boy, do I ever: Monolith by Monoprice's newest THX Ultra Certified 13-inch behemoth. You might think that a "13-inch" sub would be just a bit bigger than a typical 12-inch job, maybe 15 or 16 inches wide, and perhaps as heavy as 70 or 80 pounds. Think again.

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Ask S&V
What Are the Requirements for Dolby Atmos Sound?
Al Griffin  |  Apr 19, 2022
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a Sony XR-90J TV that supports 4K/HDR and Dolby Atmos. Here’s my question: For a fully Atmos-compatible system, do I also need a receiver, Ultra HD Blu-ray player, and HDMI cables specifically designed to support Atmos? —Rayfield Coston, via email

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Audio Video News
New Lotus SUV Gets Super-Charged KEF Sound System
Bob Ankosko  |  Apr 18, 2022
KEF has extended its partnership with Lotus to bring killer sound to the new Eletre Hyper-SUV, the carmaker’s first all-electric “lifestyle” vehicle.
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Music and Soundtrack Features
Remaster Class: Chicago Transit Authority
Mike Mettler  |  Apr 15, 2022
The seven-man band then known as Chicago Transit Authority were at the forefront of the horn-driven jazz-rock movement when they emerged in April 1969 with their self-titled double-length debut album, thanks in no small part to the knob-turning efforts of their semi-Svengali producer James William Guercio.
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Spatial Audio File
What a Wonderful Spatial Audio World
Mike Mettler  |  Apr 15, 2022
British supergroup Asia consisted of four virtuosic musicians who shared an uncanny knack for distilling their progressive-leaning chops into pop rock for the masses. The evidence is on full display all over their chart-topping self-titled March 1982 debut album, and the Atmos version of its popular lead track “Heat of the Moment” makes it even more appealing across the board.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
News & Gear: Spring 2022
Bob Ankosko  |  Apr 14, 2022
As spring hits stride, we take a look at some of the latest home entertainment news and gear.
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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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