LATEST ADDITIONS

The Connected Life
Evolution of the App Part 2
John Sciacca  |  Jul 19, 2021
My previous column covered ways to control both a modern A/V system and a smart home using various manufacturer-supplied apps. With smartphone and tablet use now widespread, and smart devices capable of being controlled via free iOS and Android apps proliferating, app-based control has also surged. Whether you’re streaming music, controlling your A/V receiver, or managing your home’s energy or security systems, there’s now an app that can help you to do it smarter, better, and more easily. And since most people are now in the habit of carrying their phones 24/7, they basically have a full-blown system controller in their pocket at all times.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Secrets & Lies
Josef Krebs  |  Jul 16, 2021
Picture
Sound
Extras
As a kid in England in the late 1970s, I loathed director Mike Leigh's BBC TV dramas about what seemed like the drab lives of dull, ordinary people because they lacked the glamour and drive of Hollywood classics. Years later, I became enthralled with the pathos of universal pain and struggle shown in Leigh's Secrets & Lies, a microcosm of real relationships and feelings that is as moving and massively encompassing as any film I've seen.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
2021 Midyear Roundup: News & Gear
Bob Ankosko  |  Jul 15, 2021
Ah, summertime… Life has more or less returned to normal and we’re finally getting back to our pre-COVID-19 lives but the effects of the Great Pandemic linger — and I’m not talking about the Delta variant causing worry in some quarters. No, I’m talking about global chip shortages and shipping delays that continue to constrain the availability of a whole host of new electronics products. The upshot: As we head in to the dogs days of summer we’re seeing fewer new product announcements than usual, though there is still plenty to keep tabs on. Let’s take a look…
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SmartStream
Hands-On: Apple Music Lossless and High-Res Lossless
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jul 14, 2021
Apple Music Lossless streaming is now live with an ever-growing library of songs available in Lossless and some in High-Resolution Lossless audio formats. While Lossless is available at no extra charge to Apple Music subscribers, there are a few things you need to know before experiencing these premium-quality offerings.
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Tower Speaker Reviews
PSB Synchrony T600 Loudspeaker Review
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jul 14, 2021

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $7,999/pair

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Open, detailed sound
Powerful bass
Excellent build quality
Minus
Somewhat pricey
Matching Synchrony center speaker not yet available

THE VERDICT
With Canadian speaker maker PSB's 50th anniversary on the horizon, the company's new flagship Synchrony T600 tower is cause for celebration.

PSB Speakers was founded by Paul Barton in 1972. While the brand has long been part of the Canada- based Lenbrook Group, which also includes NAD and Bluesound, Barton began as and remains PSB's chief designer, cook, bottle washer, and one of the most respected speaker authorities in the industry. His work, including the new Synchrony T600 under review here, has long made use of the Canadian National Research Council's (NRC) audio testing facilities, including its anechoic chamber.

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New Products
Definitive Technology Introduces Descend Series Subs
SV Staff  |  Jul 13, 2021
It’s been some time since Definitive Technology rolled out a new line of subwoofers, but the new Descend Series lineup the company announced today looks worth the wait. The Descend family consists of 15-, 12, 10-, and 8-inch sealed models, each featuring a “3XR” driver array that couples an active driver with a pair of passive radiators.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Elac to Start Shipping Reference Speakers This Week
Bob Ankosko  |  Jul 12, 2021
Germany’s Elac plans to start shipping the recently announced Uni-Fi Reference series of speakers this week. The line builds on the success of its highly rated Uni-Fi 2.0 series.
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Signals
Receiving the Zombie Apocalypse
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jul 12, 2021
Those poor dumb bastards didn't make it. But you did. At least so far. Every night, when the Zeke's come out to play, it gets pretty intense – all alone in your basement, crouching in the darkness. If only there was some way to connect to the outside world. There must be other survivors, but where are they? Fortunately, you remember a blog you once read.

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Music Reviews
Al Stewart: Year of the Cat: 45th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Mike Mettler  |  Jul 09, 2021
Performance
Sound
Al Stewart is the kind of seasoned artist known for being well worth the wait. The Scottish-born and London-bred Stewart initially focused on mining a folk-driven vein when he made his debut with October 1967's orchestrally buttressed Bed Sitter Images, and it took the burgeoning singer/songwriter five more albums and another eight years until he truly hit his stride with March 1975's Modern Times.
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Audio Video News
Midyear Review: Best Gear of 2021
Bob Ankosko  |  Jul 08, 2021
With a little over six months under our belts — and COVID now thankfully behind us — now is the perfect time to review our Top Picks for the first half of the year. In all, we’ve highlighted more than two dozen products that have made the cut.
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