Audio Video News

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you don’t have good speakers, you don’t have a good sound system. Period. The speakers you use (or choose) have a disproportionate impact on how your music sounds — more so than the source, amp and preamp, or any other component or accessory in the audio chain. Simply put, your speakers define the character of the sound, which is why they are so important and why we’ve compiled capsule reviews of our Top Picks in speakers so far this year. With prices that range from $250 for a simple smart speaker to more than $9,000 for a topnotch home theater ensemble and lots of interesting choices in between, there is something for everyone.

Ready for an upgrade? The editors of Sound & Vision have singled out nine speaker systems that deserve a listen if you’re getting the itch to take your home theater to the next level. All made our coveted 2019 Top Picks of the Year list, meaning they all deliver exceptional sound. Product summaries appear in ascending price order.

Ready to up the ante on your AV investment and take your theater or music setup to the next level? Trade that puny boom box for a subwoofer built to deliver deep, palpable bass that reminds you you’re alive and tricks you into thinking for a moment you’re circling the track in a Shelby Cobra while watching Ford v Ferrari? The editors of Sound & Vision have singled out five outstanding yet reasonably priced subwoofers you must consider if your answer is “yes.” All made our coveted 2019 Top Picks of the Year list and are presented here in ascending price order.

There’s a good reason speakers are so popular in these pages. They make a difference! Pick the right ones and you are rewarded with an immediate improvement in sound quality. Whether you’re buying a new set of stereo speakers, upgrading an existing suite of home theater speakers, or introducing a new subwoofer into the mix, the result should be transformative. A speaker that recreates the recording space in a mind-blowingly lifelike way. A subwoofer that punches you in the gut and gives new meaning to going low. Forget subtle. Forget straining to hear a difference. This is where Sound & Vision comes in. We’ve compiled capsule reviews of our 2022 Top Picks in subwoofers, soundbars, and speakers. With any luck, one or more of our recommendations will play a meaningful role in elevating your listening experience.

Like it not social distancing is real and happening at an unstoppable pace that will only get worse with each passing day as more schools, gyms, restaurants, you-name-it close. What better time to stay at home and binge on a TV series or watch a movie or two? Dust off a timeless classic you haven’t watched in eons: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Back to the Future, or maybe Young Frankenstein. Watch that series you’ve been meaning to dig into, and watch it from start to finish. Who cares if it takes a week or two? Of course, you will need a nice big screen to deliver all that movie and TV magic so may we be so bold as to suggest 11 Top Pick TVs and projectors for your consideration. All are 2019 models, in many cases available at greatly discounted prices, and presented here in ascending price order.

CES over the past few years has become more about vision than sound, with statement TVs in booths lining the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall vying aggressively for the attention of show attendees. CES 2020 was no different, and in some ways was even more TV-centric due to the wide range of new products and prototypes on view from both established brands like LG, Samsung, and Sony, and relative newcomers such as Hisense, Konka, and TCL. Yes, LG once again had motorized rolling OLED TVs at the show — a product promised for 2019 that never materialized here — along with new OLED prototypes that roll down from the ceiling. But what most interested me was the sets that are likely to arrive in 2020, especially the innovative ones that will actually be affordable.

Labor Day sales are in full swing but you may not feel the need for a discount when it comes to Sound & Vision’s recent Top Value Picks. From a $700 AV receiver with near-flagship chops to a kick-ass pair of desktop speakers from a revered audio brand, there’s a little something for everyone.