Audio Video News

In just the past couple of weeks, efforts to curb the coronoavirus pandemic has up-ended the lives of millions of people across the globe. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the steady flow of Top Pick-worthy gear that’s essential to establishing a home entertainment sanctuary. From a state-of-the-art DVR from TiVo, the company that helped pioneer and perfect the category 20 years ago, to a compact subwoofer that will shock you with its visceral precision, there’s something to ignite everyone’s AV imagination. As we head into April with a whole new set of expectations about daily life, stay healthy and let us know how you’re spending your newfound “leisure” time while we wait for those dark clouds to lift.

JL Audio Fathom f110v2 Subwoofer: $3,500

JL Audio built a name for itself in the early 1990s by bringing audiophile sensibilities to car audio, especially subwoofers. A decade later, the Florida-based company moved into home audio with a line of well-regarded subwoofers it has been perfecting ever since. Its latest specimen, the impeccably crafted f110v2, is aimed at audiophiles seeking powerful bass from a highly compact enclosure. And deliver it does. “I was blown away by how well the f110v2 performed,” gushed veteran basshead David Vaughn, who used two in his system. “While my reference subs deliver more output below 20 Hz, they don't measure up to the quality of bass I heard from the JL Audio drivers. These babies hit hard, really hard: Every impact from the f110v2 pair was precise and realistic, with a visceral quality that I felt in my chest.”

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Powerful output for a compact model
Automatic room optimization processing
Dual-sub setup option
Minus
Lacks below-20Hz extension
Gloss black finish attracts dust

Full Review Here

 

TiVo EDGE DVR: $400 (plus service fees)

Most people think TiVo invented the digital video recorder (DVR) category but it was actually one of two companies (the other ReplayTV) that unveiled the first DVRs in 1999. There is, however, no question that TiVo perfected the DVR in the same way Apple revolutionized personal music with the iPod. The Edge is the latest iteration of TiVo’s famous recorder. In addition to a 2 terabyte (TB) hard drive that holds around 300 hours of HD content, it offers improved voice search, automatic commercial skip, and multiroom capability in addition to supporting Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR) and Dolby Atmos sound. Though he lamented the lack of direct access to Disney+ and Apple TV+, long-time TiVo user David Vaughn enjoyed using the six-tuner CableCard model he reviewed (a $350 version with an over-air TV tuner is also available). “TiVo hasn't reinvented the TV-watching experience like it did 20 years ago, but its software is still best-in-class and the user experience has been made even better through the outstanding OneSearch option.”

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Supports 4K/HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos
Voice-activated search
Terrific program guide
Minus
High up-front cost
No Disney+ or Apple TV+ support
TiVo+ Network is a work in progress

Full Review Here