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Audio Video News
Cambridge Audio Streamers Now Support Qobuz
SV Staff  |  Dec 17, 2019
U.K. audio specialist Cambridge Audio has announced that its network audio streamers now support the high-resolution music streaming/download service Qobuz.
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Audio Video News
2019 Holiday Gift Guide, Part 2
SV Staff  |  Dec 16, 2019
With less than 10 days to go before Santa makes his way down the chimney, how’s that holiday shopping going? For those who are still working on it (we sympathize with you), here’s Part 2 of our 2019 Holiday Gift Guide, featuring a few last-minute ideas. Unless otherwise noted, we haven’t done hands-on testing, so be sure to check return policies and try to take items with strong gift potential for a test drive.
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Signals
Analog Tape Time Machine: A Momentous Recording
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Dec 16, 2019
The year is 1962. You are working at Decca Records and your job is to listen to audition tapes and pass along your evaluation. The next demo tape on your endlessly replenishing stack is from some unsigned band calling themselves The Beatles. You mount the tape on your machine and listen for a few minutes. Then you rewind it and put it back in its box. Pass.

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Audio Video News
Vizio Offers 1-Day-Only TV Deals at Sam’s Club
SV Staff  |  Dec 13, 2019
Vizio is running a one-day-only holiday special on two Dolby Vision-equipped 4K smart TVs and a soundbar system at Sam’s Club on Saturday, December 14.
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Music Reviews
Remaster Class: Jethro Tull: Aqualung
Mike Mettler  |  Dec 13, 2019
Jethro Tull made a bold move with their fourth album, March 1971's Aqualung, by amping up the intensity that informed the eclectic, prog-folk acoustic/electric hybrid the British band had firmly established on their first three LPs. That move effectively catapulted Tull headlong into the slipstream of the first wave of FM radio-favored artists. In fact, one could even argue the opening six-note pattern of the iconic title track is as instantly recognizable as the recurring four-note riff that defines Deep Purple's seminal "Smoke on the Water" (sorry, just wond'ring aloud here).
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Audio Video News
Konka to Launch Line of 4K TVs in U.S. Next Spring
SV Staff  |  Dec 13, 2019
The Konka Group of China has announced a “major brand expansion into the North American market” with plans to unveil a series of 4K Ultra HD TVs and smart-home products at the upcoming CES 2020, which opens January 7 in Las Vegas.
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The S&V Interview
Aubrey Powell: Pink Floyd’s Perennial Man of Vision
Mike Mettler  |  Dec 12, 2019
Aubrey Powell, Hipgnosis co-founder and the creative director for Pink Floyd's massive The Later Years: 1987-2019 box set, tells us why having a personal bond with the artist helps with the creative process and why the intended visual message must connect with the music itself.
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SmartStream
Hands On: Roku Smart Soundbar and Subwoofer
Barb Gonzalez  |  Dec 12, 2019
The Roku Smart Soundbar and Wireless subwoofer improve TV sound with a budget price tag that is even better during the holidays.
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Audio Video News
Denon and Definitive Technology Kick Off Holiday Deals
SV Staff  |  Dec 12, 2019
Denon and Definitive Technology today announced limited-time holiday discounts on AV receivers and soundbars.
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Media Server Reviews
Zappiti 4K HDR Media System Review
Kris Deering  |  Dec 11, 2019

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $4,739 (as tested)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Easy setup and installation
Sleek, attractive user interface
Scalable—can add other rooms as needed
Minus
Does not retain HDR metadata
No Dolby Vision or HDR10+ Support
Requires wired network for best results

THE VERDICT
An easy to use digital ecosystem with a sleek interface that lets you rip your entire music and movie disc library and access it from any room in the house.

With today's streamers and smart TVs offering myriad apps to watch movies from, one thing has become painfully obvious about discs: they're clunky. While I'm a firm believer in pre-recorded media due to its superior technical merits, I'll admit that shelves overflowing with discs can get overwhelming. Also, let's face it: case spines aren't nearly as sexy as a slick onscreen interface. From early Windows Media solutions to the latest apps like Kodi, I've seen numerous solutions crop up over the last decade to bring pre-recorded media to a modern playback environment.

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