John Sciacca

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The Connected Life
Thanks For a Great Ride!
John Sciacca  |  Oct 03, 2024
October/November 2024 is the final print issue of Sound & Vision, which, sadly, also means this will be the end of this column. For 21 years I’ve had the privilege of sharing some advice and anecdotes in this space, and for this last column, I thought I’d take a look back on some of the highlights over the years and get a bit personal. And the best place to start is at the beginning…

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The Connected Life
The Big Clean: How to Keep Your A/V Gear in Good Working Order
John Sciacca  |  Aug 29, 2024
Chances are you probably don’t think about the state of your electronic devices too often. Oh, you might think about all the upgrades you would like to make and where you would put those new tower speakers, but how often do you actually think about the well-being of your system?
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Where Can I Find a Good Remote Volume Control?
John Sciacca  |  Aug 22, 2024
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a vintage preamp that I love (Audible Illusions 2C) but really need to be able to have remote volume control. Ten years ago, there seemed to be some good options for adding a volume control between a preamp and amp that were not very expensive. I am not finding anything reasonable now. Any ideas? —Michael O’Connor

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How Can I Listen to Vinyl on My Old Sonos Setup?
John Sciacca  |  Aug 08, 2024
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a Technics SL-J33 turntable and an NAD PP4 preamp. I wish to listen to my vinyl collection through an older Sonos speaker setup with a Sonos ZP80 preamp that feeds into a Yamaha RX-V495 receiver. I haven’t found any workable solutions. Can you please help? —Bill Pilat

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The Connected Life
How to Prepare for Your Next Big A/V Purchase
John Sciacca  |  Jul 29, 2024
If you’re planning to make a big A/V purchase but haven’t done an upgrade in a while, here are three key things to keep in mind before you take the plunge.
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What’s the Best Amplifier Configuration for Upgrading My 5.1 Setup to Atmos?
John Sciacca  |  Jul 02, 2024
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I recently upgraded my 5.1 home theater to Atmos by adding a pair of in-ceiling speakers to create a 5.1.2 setup. I want to connect my seven MartinLogan Motion XT series speakers to my A/V receiver and an external amp. I’ve been running the five main speakers off my Denon AVR-X6500H and plan on adding an Integra DTA-70.1 amplifier, which I own but haven’t been using. How should I best utilize the amps? —Jesse

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What’s the Difference Between a $500 Streamer & One that Costs Several Times More?
John Sciacca  |  Jun 18, 2024
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q Bluesound’s Node streamer has a built-in DAC and costs around $500. Meanwhile, Lumin, Linn, and Naim sell streamers without built-in DACs for over $2,000 or $3,000. What do these more expensive streamers do to the signal that justifies the extra expense? And if the digital output from these pricier streamers is of higher “quality,” can a high-quality DAC compensate for a lower-priced streamer with a “lower quality” output? — Reginald Tinsley

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What’s the Best Way to Improve Bass in a Multiroom Audio System?
John Sciacca  |  Apr 16, 2024
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have an existing housewide audio system with a receiver connected to a speaker selector and speakers and volume controls in four rooms. The bass isn’t very good, and I’d like to improve it. How can I add a subwoofer to my housewide audio system? — Don Hamilton

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Why Doesn’t My AVR Switch to ARC When I Open Netflix on My TV?
John Sciacca  |  Mar 25, 2024
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q When I switch to the Netflix app on my Sony TV, the receiver doesn’t switch to ARC; it stays on HDMI and I get TV audio instead of Netflix. Sometimes, powering down everything works to restore the connection, but the issue soon returns. Any thoughts on this? — Larry Hochstetler

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Soundbar Reviews
Samsung HW-Q990D 11.1.4-Channel Atmos Soundbar Review
John Sciacca  |  Mar 21, 2024

Performance
Build Quality
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $2,000

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Supports Dolby Atmos/DTS:X up to 11.1.4
Immersive surround sound
Impressive subwoofer performance
Lots of adjustment options
Minus
Limited front panel display
No on-screen display
No room correction/test tones
Adjustments with remote are cumbersome

THE VERDICT
The newest version of Samsung’s top-of-the-line Atmos soundbar maintains the exceptional sound quality, performance, and style of its predecessor. However, the new model comes with some added features, such as 4K/120 Hz HDMI support, making it an even more capable product. It’s an effortless recommendation for anyone seeking a high-performance soundbar solution.

Soundbars have advanced beyond their initial role of making TVs sound better. At the highest levels, the current generation of flagship soundbars includes virtually all the features of AVR-based multi-channel surround sound systems, often including higher channel counts, the ability to decode modern immersive audio systems, far easier installation and operation, and a lower cost.

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