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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Product News: Fall 2020 Edition
Bob Ankosko  |  Nov 12, 2020
With Thanksgiving only two weeks away, the 2020 Holiday Season is well underway as pandemic-wary shoppers scramble to place online orders to ensure gifts are delivered before Christmas. Whether you plan to shop online, mask up and hit the stores, or opt for “contactless delivery” or curbside pickup, there are plenty of new A/V products to consider. From a newly ISF-certified projection screen to a hi-res music streamer that can be had for $129 to a unique speaker that finds a crazy new application for the tried-and-true acoustic diffuser, we take a look at some of the new gear A/V makers have introduced in recent weeks with high hopes of making your holiday list.
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Stream On
Nugs.Net Opens the Floodgates to Live Hi-Res Recordings
Mike Mettler  |  Nov 12, 2020
Keep those bootleg LPs in storage — nugs.net opens the floodgates for access to scores of live hi-res recordings from many of our favorite artists.
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SmartStream
Hands On: Roku Ultra 2020
Barb Gonzalez  |  Nov 11, 2020
The 2020 Roku Ultra brings improved performance over its predecessor, and it offers new features following the RokuOS 9.4 upgrade. Read how to set up Apple's AirPlay and HomeKit, and also get some fun Fandango browsing tips.
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AV Receiver Reviews
Denon AVR-X6700H 11.2-channel A/V Receiver Review
Thomas J. Norton  |  Nov 11, 2020

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $2,499

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Superb performance
Pre-amplifier Mode
Excellent onscreen setup guidance
Minus
Runs hot
Non-backlit remote

THE VERDICT
Denon’s 11-channel AVR does its formidable job with great style. It may have a few quirks, but none detract from its exceptional audio and video performance.

Denon's AVR-X6700H, made in Japan, is one of four new models in the company's X-Series A/V receiver family. The new models start at $849 for the AVR-X2700H and extend up to $2,499 for the AVR-X6700H under review here. (The company's current $4,000 AVR-X8500H carries on as the X-Series flagship.) The AVR-X6700H is notable for its next-gen HDMI 2.1 connectivity, which supports pass-through of 8K video and multiple gaming-oriented features.

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Signals
A Different Kind of Streaming
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Nov 09, 2020
My prayers have been answered. Ever since I was a small boy, I have wanted this. Every day at school I filled my notebooks with scribbled diagrams of my dreams. My teachers thought I was crazy. But now, my dreams have come true. I pinch myself in disbelief as I say this – humanity has been gifted with a water-powered loudspeaker.

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Music Reviews
Remaster Class: Supertramp: Crime of the Century
Mike Mettler  |  Nov 06, 2020
The third time was truly the charm for Supertramp. After two middling misfires, the British quintet's third LP, September 1974's Crime of the Century, vaulted them into the big leagues where progressive-leaning tendencies met not-so-subversive pop sensibilities head-on. Over the course of eight songs, Supertramp took full advantage of the dynamic range of tracks like "School" (punctuated by multiple piano bursts and yelping schoolchildren), "Bloody Well Right" (its razor-sharp guitar line wafting from back- ground to foreground and back like a talkbox in a tsunami), and the ascendant, power-packed rage of the title track (with a final lyrical twist worthy of the last episode of The Prisoner).
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Audio Video News
Making Tech History: 8K Video Replay Debuts Tonight at Levi’s Stadium
Bob Ankosko  |  Nov 05, 2020
A first-of-its-kind 8K video replay system debuts at Levi Stadium tonight where the San Francisco 49ers meet the Green Bay Packers. We go behind the scenes to learn about a new five-camera system that promises "incomparable digital zoom without pixilation" and full-field coverage with clear views of all goal lines and sidelines.
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Ask S&V
Can I Stream in High-Res Through My A/V Receiver?
Al Griffin  |  Nov 05, 2020
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I’ve always been interested in streaming high-resolution audio through my Denon AVR-4300H receiver, but don’t know if that’s possible. Although I mainly listen to music on Spotify and Pandora, I tried Tidal and Amazon Music HD but couldn’t figure out how to stream the tracks in high resolution. What options do I have, if any? —Mark Levesque, via email

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Integrated Amp ReviewsMedia Server ReviewsStreaming Device Reviews
NAD Masters M33 Streaming Integrated Amplifier Review
Daniel Kumin  |  Nov 04, 2020

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $4,999

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Reference-quality power and D-to-A conversion
Excellent on-board phono section
Onboard Dirac Live room correction
Minus
Coarse “app” volume control steps
No USB type-B port for computer connection
Occasionally wonky AirPlay 2 streaming

THE VERDICT
The M33 combines state-of-the- art sound, power, and broad functionality in an elegantly conceived package.

Boy, has NAD come a long way. Back in 1978, the Canadian/ American/Euro multinational's first product was an unassuming but great-sounding little 20-watt integrated amplifier in a plain gray sheetmetal box, with controls that had all the sophisticated feel of a Kenner Easy-Bake Oven.

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New Products
Epson Launches Under-$1,000 Home Theater Projectors
SV Staff  |  Nov 03, 2020
Winter is coming, and it looks like many of us will be spending even more time at home than usual during the approaching cold-weather months. If that prospect causes you to shiver, here’s happy news: Epson has expanded its 3LCD Home Cinema projector with four new 1080p models, all selling for less than $1,000. With prices like that, setting up a high-def home theater has become an eminently affordable prospect.
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