Scott Wilkinson

Ask S&V
HTIBs, Signal Switching, Balanced Cables
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 19, 2009  |  Published: May 20, 2009
HTIB Shopping
I am currently interested in purchasing a 5.1 home-theater-in-a-box system, and I'm reasonably aware of the available products. However, I am unable to determine which is the appropriate system for me. I had short-listed the Harman Kardon HKTS8/AVR-135 bundle (~$630) and the Sony DAV-DZ870 (~$550). I was going through Home Theater's reviews of the best HTIBs, and Onkyo HT-SR800 seems to be pretty good, though I haven't checked it out yet. I am now confused. What would you recommend?
Continue Reading >
Premiere Design
Sound All Around
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 18, 2009

Sometimes in this blog, I like to profile new and unusual technologies that may&#151;or may not&#151;actually perform well. Sony's <A href="http://www.sony.net/Fun/design/activity/product/sountina_01.html">NSA-PF1 Sountina</A> speaker is just such a product. I have no idea how it performs since I've never heard it in action and I know no one who has, but the technology is certainly intriguing.

Continue Reading >
The Big Picture
Ultimate Demos Debuts
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 15, 2009

In <I>UAV</I>'s never-ending quest to bring you the ultimate in audio and video, we are proud to introduce a new feature on the site&#151;<A href="http://www.ultimateavmag.com/ultimate-demos/">Ultimate Demos</A>. Each week, movie reviewer David Vaughn will identify a reference-quality Blu-ray title, complete with the chapter number and time code of specific scenes that exemplify different video and audio performance parameters, such as detail, color, blacks, shadow detail, audio dynamics, frequency range, and surround imaging. He'll also point out what to look and listen for in each case.

Continue Reading >
Ask S&V
AT&T U-verse, HTPC Audio, Sound Color
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 15, 2009
Unhappy U-verse
I've had AT&T U-verse service since 12/08, and I have an issue with audio dropouts on HD channels. I have the set-top box connected to my A/V receiver via optical digital cable. On HD channels with 5.1 audio, I get sporadic dropouts every five minutes or so. I called AT&T and was told it's a firmware issue to be resolved later. I've seen many others mention this problem online.
Continue Reading >
Premiere Design
Projector of the Gods
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 14, 2009

In Greek mythology, the Titans were the children of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaia (Earth). Similarly, the flagship Titan Reference video projector from <A href="http://www.digitalprojection.com">Digital Projection International</A> (DPI) was born from the union of heavenly images and earthly concerns about service accessibility and recyclability.

Continue Reading >
The Big Picture
Balancing Act
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 13, 2009

<I>There are some awesome AVRs out there, but I think it's a big compromise to run long speaker cables all around the room. Nearly every speaker manufacturer recommends using equal-length speaker cables. So unless you use monoblocks for each channel, you defy that logic.</I>

Continue Reading >
Ask S&V
Multichannel Analog, Which TV, Upgrade Path
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 12, 2009
Bypass Blues
I read that if you let a Blu-ray player decode the new audio formats and send them to the receiver from the player's multichannel analog outputs, you bypass the receiver's crossover and equalization settings. Is this also the case when you use PCM over HDMI?
Continue Reading >
Premiere Design
The Art of Music
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 12, 2009

Lately in this blog, I've been concentrating on speakers with astronomical prices, which is loads of fun. But it's certainly possible to enjoy exceptional sound without spending six or seven figures. Take, for example, the new top-dog Klimt series from Austrian speaker manufacturer <A href="http://www.viennaacoustics.at">Vienna Acoustics</A>.

Continue Reading >
Premiere Design
Tons of Fun
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 07, 2009
Unlike many high-end manufacturers that concentrate on one type of product, MBL casts a wider net. For three decades, this German company has developed super-sophisticated—and super-expensive—speakers, power amps, preamps, integrated amps, optical-disc players, and D/A converters. At the top of its speaker heap is the 101 X-treme, a stunning sonic and visual masterpiece.
Continue Reading >
Ask S&V
Class D, TV Choice, Long HDMI
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 05, 2009
D is an Excellent Grade
I'm thinking about purchasing Rotel's RSP-1570 pre/pro, and I notice that all the company's latest amplifiers (and the flagship RSX-1560 receiver) utilize Class D technology. Is this a move we're likely to see from other manufacturers given how well the energy-efficiency story plays in our increasingly green world? Does the technology sacrifice any performance?
Continue Reading >

Pages

X