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AVR and Two Subwoofers
Scott Wilkinson  |  Oct 12, 2011  | 
I want to hook up two Velodyne Impact 10 subwoofers to my Integra DTR-6.5 AVR. Do I need three signal splitters? Will I lose some signal using that many splitters? Should I use the Zone 2 sub output?

Mario B.

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Coby Soundbar vs. TV Speakers
Scott Wilkinson  |  Oct 10, 2011  | 
Would you recommend using the Coby CSMP88 soundbar instead of the TV speakers in my LG plasma?

Nick Andrade

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LED vs. Plasma
Scott Wilkinson  |  Oct 07, 2011  | 
I'm moving into a new home, so I have the chance to start from scratch building a small home theater. My room has no problem with reflections, and all my flat-panel TVs up to now have been plasma. I want to get a 60- or 65-inch screen, and I'm trying to decide between a plasma and LED-illuminated LCD TV by Samsung. My seating will be about 10-12 feet from the screen, but I am very critical of the picture. I watch a lot of old movies and TV so I want to get the best bang for the buck. Will a top-of-the-line LED be as good as a top-of-the-line plasma? I'm worried about the heat that a plasma will generate compared to the LED, since the new home is in South Carolina, which is hot enough as it is.

Jeff Stern

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AVR Decoding Light & PS3
Scott Wilkinson  |  Oct 05, 2011  | 
I have a Sony STR-DA4400ES AVR connected to a PlayStation 3 via HDMI. Whenever I play a Blu-ray movie on the PS3, none of the audio codec lights come on. But when I watch programs from my cable box or watch DVDs from a different DVD player, the corresponding light does illuminate. Any idea what the problem is?

Mark Barios

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Setting the Backlight Control
Scott Wilkinson  |  Oct 03, 2011  | 
What is the proper way to set an LCD TV's backlight? I have two calibration discs, and neither of them address this issue.

Jim Painter

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Samsung UN55D8000 vs. Sony XBR-55HX929
Scott Wilkinson  |  Sep 30, 2011  | 
I want to buy a LCD TV with LED backlighting. I am not a "ultimate" kind of guy because I do not have the money. I am looking for a 55-incher for $3500 or less. I've heard you say Samsung is the one to get. What the model would that be? I think it is the UN55D8000.

John Phillips

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Marantz AV7005 vs. Cary Cinema 11a Pre/Pro
Scott Wilkinson  |  Sep 28, 2011  | 
I have a Marantz SR8500 A/V receiver with B&W speakers across the front, and I would like to upgrade to take advantage of the new high-rez audio formats. I'm considering the Marantz AV7005 and Cary Audio Cinema 11a preamp/processor. For amplification, I plan to use my Lexicon 512 amp or the amp section of the SR8500. Considering the equipment I have, would the extra cost for the Cinema 11a give me that much improvement in sound over the AV7005? Should I use the Lexicon amp or the 8500's amp, or would the Marantz MM7055 5-channel amp be the way to go? I'm willing to spend the money for whatever is going to sound best.

Jack Woodruff

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Top of the Line Plasma
Scott Wilkinson  |  Sep 26, 2011  | 
I'm in the market for a high-quality plasma TV, and I have narrowed the choices to two: Samsung PN64D8000 and Panasonic TC-P65VT30. I have gone to three high-end A/V stores in New York City and was told that the Samsung ranks better than the Panasonic. But I was in a Best Buy store today and was told that nobody comes close to the Panasonic, especially since it is THX-certified. How do you rate these two models?

Michael Quinones

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New BDP, Old AVR
Scott Wilkinson  |  Sep 23, 2011  | 
I read HT's review of the Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player, which was very helpful. I have an older AVR (Pioneer Elite VSX-43TX, 96/24 capable, but no HDMI or DTS/Dolby HD decoders), so if I get the BDP-93, the review suggests that I connect HDMI from the Oppo to my new Panasonic TC-P65VT30 plasma and use analog outputs to the AVR. But what about using either coax or optical out from the BDP-93 to the AVR? At least that would cut down on the cabling and clutter. Also, will I hear the benefits of Dolby or DTS HD audio via analog or digital audio from the Oppo, since the Elite is 96/24 capable?

Peter Kukiel

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TV for HTPC
Scott Wilkinson  |  Sep 21, 2011  | 
Is it be better to connect a plasma or LCD TV to an HTPC? I want to use it for watching movies, surfing the web, and playing games.

Steve Norene

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TV Setup
Scott Wilkinson  |  Sep 19, 2011  | 
I recently bought a Sony KDL-60NX810 TV, and I used the Spears and Munsil High-Definition Benchmark Blu-ray setup disc to optimize the picture controls. A friend has Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics from Joe Kane. Should I try it too, or have I gotten it as good as it will be?

Dennis O'Neill

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PSB Image & Marantz AVR
Scott Wilkinson  |  Sep 16, 2011  | 
Will my new Marantz SR5005 receiver pair well with the PSB Image series speakers? When I bought the receiver, I thought I would be getting lower-end speakers, but I ended up wanting more, and I'm fairly determined to get the PSBs. (My dream speakers are the Revel Ultima2 Salon2s; maybe someday I can find a used set.) I am thinking of T6s for the front and B6s for the surrounds.

Also, I recall you saying that center channels with dual side-by-side woofers aren't ideal due to combing issues as you move off-axis. Should I still get one of the side-by-side PSB Image center channels, or can I use a third B6 bookshelf speaker as the center channel?

Shane Pluta

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Audio Evolution
Scott Wilkinson  |  Sep 14, 2011  | 
How has sound technology changed since you started in the home-theater industry?

Kenny Kraly

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Amplifier Damage
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 31, 2011  | 
Can an audio amplifier be damaged by running it without speakers connected? For example, a surround system without the rear speakers hooked up or one channel of a stereo amp not connected.

Craig Farraway

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AVR Shopping
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 29, 2011  | 
I am in the market for an A/V receiver in the $500 price range. With such a variety of brands, it is hard to pinpoint one. I have a medium-size room, and I am planning to use two Definitive Technology BP-8020ST floorstanding speakers. I don't want to clutter my room with speakers in every corner. I will use my receiver to watch TV and my DVD player and VCR, no iPod or iPad. I have looked at user reviews on Amazon, and every receiver has some 1-star ratings, which tells me the technology is not that advanced yet since they break so often. Could you recommend any reliable receiver or amplifier for my setup?

Alex Frisch

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