LATEST ADDITIONS

SmartStream
Amazon Blocks Linking From Plex and Others
Barb Gonzalez  |  Feb 15, 2023
The best discovery apps display titles on a watch list or let you search through all streaming apps and then instantly play regardless of which app is streaming. Amazon Fire TV devices now block apps from launching other apps.
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AV Receiver SetupSpeaker SetupA/V Veteran
How to Use an AV Receiver to Add Surround to a 2-Channel Setup
Thomas J. Norton  |  Feb 14, 2023
There's a surprisingly wide range of preferences among audio-video fans. I'll categorize them here into two broad groups: classic 2-channel audiophiles and home theater fans. Not that these groups don't overlap. They often do. But there are listeners in each group who don't intersect with the other. For fans of 2-channel music who are open to adding surround sound as long as it doesn't hamper their enjoyment of listening to stereo recordings, there's a fairly easy way to make that happen.
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Audio Video News
Rock Hall Extends Beatles Exhibition, Announces 2023 Nominees
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 14, 2023
Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has extended “The Beatles: Get Back to Let It Be” exhibit through the end of the year. And, in case you missed it, the Rock Hall recently announced the nominees for its Class of 2023.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Marantz AV 10 and AMP 10 System Now Available
Mark Henninger  |  Feb 14, 2023
Marantz has announced that it is taking orders for the AV 10 and AMP 10 starting today, February 14, 2023. The cost of each component is $7,000 ($14K for the pair) which puts it above AV receivers but still well below some other separates-based home theater AV solutions.

The AV 10 is a new, high-end AV preamp/processor that supports the latest AV formats and delivers an immersive, 3D sound and pristine picture quality. It comes with 15.4 channel processing and supports 8K resolution, making it an ideal choice for serious home theater enthusiasts.

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Audio Video News
LG Expands Free Channels, Adds Fox Sports
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 13, 2023
In the ultra-competitive world of 4K TVs, top brands have been going out of their way make free content readily available on the home screens of smart TVs. It’s an enticing feature. Who doesn’t love free, especially during these financially trying times? In the latest expansion of its ever-evolving LG Channels service, LG today announced a new slate of movies and TV series.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Andover to Ship $300 Turntable in March
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 13, 2023
Andover, the Massachusetts audio company behind the innovative Spin System we reviewed a couple of years ago, has announced an updated version of its original SpinDeck turntable.
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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Don’t Worry Darling
Brandon A. DuHamel  |  Feb 13, 2023
Picture
Sound
Extras

The cover art and title for filmmaker Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling is rather misleading. We could be excused for thinking that we are about to sit down to watch some sort of romantic drama, but on the contrary, the film is a psychological thriller in the vein of The Stepford Wives, if not an indirect remake of that film.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Sonus faber Looks to Spring with 1st Outdoor Speaker
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 09, 2023
Sonus faber, the Italian company known for its striking speaker designs, previewed its first outdoor speaker at last week’s Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) show in Barcelona.
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Soundbar Reviews
Samsung HW-Q990B Atmos Soundbar Review
Rob Sabin  |  Feb 08, 2023

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,500

AT A GLANCE
Plus
11.1.4-channel Atmos/DTS:X with wireless rear surrounds and sub
Audiophile sonics for movies and music
Superb dynamics
Extensive adjustability
SmartThings app for control

Minus
Some functions hard to reach with remote
No Atmos/DTS:X indicator on app

THE VERDICT
Samsung's HW-Q990B is a high-performing Atmos soundbar that easily substitutes for a full AVR-speaker setup.

I've had the liberty of reviewing some very high-performance soundbars in the last couple of years that take advantage of the height information in object-based Atmos or DTS:X soundtracks to effect a more engaging soundstage. These are sweet-sounding systems adept at both movies and music, but all were equipped with only a pair of front-height channel drivers that bounce off the ceiling and no rear surrounds.

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SmartStream
Where to Stream Super Bowl LVII, Puppy Bowl XIX or the Great American Rescue Bowl
Barb Gonzalez  |  Feb 08, 2023
As we increasingly ditch our traditional ways of watching broadcast TV, we're no longer switching on the TV and watching the game. It's just as likely that you'll stream Super Bowl LVII, and here's where to find it. If the big game isn't your thing, perhaps you'd prefer to stream one of the furry games like Puppy Bowl XIX or the Great American Rescue Bowl.
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