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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Widows
Roger Kanno  |  Mar 22, 2019
Picture
Sound
Extras
Widows is a taught crime thriller directed by Oscar-winner Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave), who co-wrote the script with author Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl). Based on a British television series, it follows the lives of several women brought together by their husbands' criminal pasts and features an outstanding cast led by an intense performance from Viola Davis, with support from Daniel Kaluuya, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, and others. Told in a stylish and well-paced manner, Widows holds plenty of twists and surprises for the viewer. I found the movie to be thoroughly engrossing.
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Stream On
Hands On: Roon Music Playback, Management System
Mike Mettler  |  Mar 22, 2019
Once you let Roon manage your digital audio playback, your multizone listening aspirations will be fulfilled.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Apple’s Airpod Wireless Earphones Get a Makeover
SV Staff  |  Mar 21, 2019
Apple has introduced a second-generation version of its popular Airpod wireless earphones that outperforms its predecessor in several key areas.
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Ask S&V
Can I Upmix Stereo Sound for a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos Setup?
Al Griffin  |  Mar 21, 2019
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q Would audio upmixing solutions like Dolby Surround or Dolby Pro Logic IIz be able to convert stereo sound for a 5.1.2 speaker setup? —Osama Ashoor, via email

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Throwback Thursday
Flashback 1997: DVD Players Go On Sale
SV Staff  |  Mar 21, 2019
Twenty-two years ago this week, the first DVD players were introduced in the U.S. after numerous false starts and delays over copyright concerns raised by Hollywood movie studios. DVD offered an upgrade in picture quality over VHS tape plus the convenience of a CD-like disc that wasn’t prone to wear and made it quick and easy to navigate through content, putting an end to tedious rewinding and fast-forwarding.
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Audio Video News
Survey: Mobile Video Streaming Breeds Frustration
SV Staff  |  Mar 20, 2019
Streaming video on mobile devices continues to surge worldwide but the convenience of watching your favorite shows anywhere is increasingly besieged with frustration, according to a new study from Penthera, a New York-based software company that specializes in mobile streaming.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Mixcder’s New Noise Canceling ’Phones Are Wireless and Cost $80
SV Staff  |  Mar 20, 2019
Mixcder, a California-based company that prides itself on delivering audio bargains, has introduced full-size wireless noise canceling headphones that sell for $80 on Amazon.
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Bookshelf Speaker ReviewsSubwoofer ReviewsSurround Sound System Reviews
Klipsch R-41M Speaker System Review
Michael Trei  |  Mar 20, 2019

Speakers
Performance
Build Quality
Value
Subwoofer
Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $996 (as tested)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Dynamic and lively sound
Good stereo and surround sound imaging
Minus
Requires careful setup for best performance
Basic black finish only

THE VERDICT
Klipsch’s R-41M speaker system amply demonstrates how a 5.1 surround package can outperform a same-priced soundbar. Enthusiastically recommended for both movies and music.

Putting together a home theater system on a limited budget can be a daunting task. That's why so many people instead take the easy route and buy a soundbar to handle audio. Sure, a one- or two-box (with subwoofer) solution is simple to shop for and a snap to hook up, but what about the sound quality? With soundbars, the amplifiers, speakers, and signal processing are all designed to work together in an integrated unit, so it's often possible to squeeze surprisingly big and powerful sound out of the bar's tiny drivers.

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The S&V Interview
Reese Wynans: A Consummate Sideman Fronts His First, Sweet Solo Release
Mike Mettler  |  Mar 20, 2019
Keyboard maestro Reese Wynans called us from his homebase in Nashville to discuss how he and producer/partner Joe Bonamassa decided where his organ should appear in the final mixes of his first ever solo album Sweet Release, why he began listening to vinyl again, and how he had to instantly be on his A-game when he first joined up with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Bryston to Unveil Active Speaker System at Montreal Audio Fest
SV Staff  |  Mar 19, 2019
Bryston today announced plans to formally unveil a new active speaker system at the Salon Audio Montreal Audio Fest, which opens Friday and runs through Sunday, March 24 at Hotel Bonaventure in Montreal.
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