LATEST ADDITIONS

Yamaha YAS-207 DTS Virtual:X Soundbar
DTS has an answer to Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbars: It’s called DTS Virtual:X, and it recently debuted in Yamaha’s YAS-207 soundbar. The “post-processing virtualization technology” simulates an immersive surround sound experience with effects that move around and above the listener without the need for additional speakers. DTS says it works with any stereo or multi-channel content (up to 7.1.4/11.1 channels).

PRICE $99, $199, $299

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Clear sound, great bass
Five-year warranty
Now made in the U.S.
Minus
Tangle-prone cable
No phone controls

THE VERDICT
Periodic Audio’s three in-ear headphones—the Mg, Ti, and Be—may only differ in the driver material but sound more different than you might expect.

Periodic Audio is a brand-new company that launched with just three in-ear headphones, the Mg (Magnesium), the Ti (Titanium), and the Be (Beryllium), for $99, $199, and $299, respectively. The three headphones look nearly the same, differing only in the color of the earpiece end caps. The Mg and Ti are similar shades of silver, while the Be is gold. The three models’ 10mm drivers are all mechanically exactly the same but differ in their diaphragm materials—magnesium, titanium, and beryllium—so it made sense to look at all three models as a group.

“The Quality Goes in Before the Name Goes On.” If you are of a certain age, that trademarked slogan is imprinted in your brain. It was marketed relentlessly. And it was a darn good slogan. It assured you that any product with the company’s name on it was of high quality. It also redirected your attention to the importance of the name of the company itself; you didn’t need to know anything else about the product; the company’s name ensured that it was good. My, how times have changed.

New research from Parks Associates shows that 53 percent of U.S. broadband households subscribe to both a pay-TV service and at least one OTT (over the top) video streaming service, chosen from a field with more than 200 active services.