Daniel Kumin

Paradigm Reference Studio 40 v.3 Home Theater Speaker System

Daniel Kumin | Mar 08, 2004

Many of the new speaker designs I've seen

recently look more like a wing, an orb, or an obelisk than a speaker, so it was reassuring to unpack this latest system from Paradigm Reference, the high-end division of Paradigm. The Studio 40 v.3 front left/right speakers are solidly conventional, quadrilateral boxes.

-theater-speaker-system">Continue Reading >

AV Receiver Reviews

Harman Kardon AVR 330 Digital Surround Receiver Daniel Kumin | Mar 02, 2004

Photos by Tony Cordoza The model numbers for Harman Kardon's latest line of A/V receivers recall those the company used for receivers it introduced some 20 years ago, and I'm betting that's no accident. Back then, HK scored a solid hit with a compact, simple, affordable stereo receiver called the 330C that was modestly powered but provided consistently good sound.

nd-receiver">Continue Reading >

Other Source Component Reviews

Samsung SIR-S4120R TiVo DirecTV DVR Daniel Kumin | Jan 19, 2004

Photos by Tony Cordoza Samsung's SIR-S4120R neatly combines two of the coolest products in today's pantheon of A/V wonders - digital satellite TV receivers and TiVo video hard-disk recorders (HDRs) - in one trim component that looks more or less like an ordinary DirecTV receiver.

Reading >

AV Receiver Reviews

Open Receivers Daniel Kumin | Nov 17, 2003

Long ago, I used to sell audio/video gear for a living (not a very good living, I might add).

Tower Speaker Reviews

Athena Audition Series Home Theater Speakers Daniel Kumin | Nov 09, 2003

Photos by Tony Cordoza As I unpacked Athena Technologies' Audition Series home theater speakers, I recalled that Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom, reason, and purity. Was it wise and reasonable, I wondered, to expect purity of sound from a six-piece system that costs less than $1,500? If anyone could make such a system, though, I figured Athena could.

speakers">Continue Reading >

Surround Processor Reviews

Rotel RSP-1098 A/V Preamp/Processor Daniel Kumin | Oct 13, 2003

Photos by Tony Cordoza Not too long ago, a loyal Sound & Vision reader wrote complaining that the "audio/video" preamps and receivers we regularly review are really just plain-audio components with a few video inputs and switching thrown in. Point taken. So here's an A/V component with some actual video: the Rotel RSP-1098.

AV Receiver Buying Tips

Giving Receivers

Daniel Kumin | Jun 28, 2003

Homepage photo, remotes, and back panels by Tony Cordoza Sure, when it comes to A/V receivers, the $4,000 flagships get most of the attention in our fantasy lives, and the $399 loss-leaders get most of the play in the Sunday-paper circulars.

Bookshelf Speaker Reviews

B&W DM600 Series 3 Home Theater Speakers

Daniel Kumin | Apr 09, 2003

Photos by Tony Cordoza For half a century, British speaker maker B&W has been very successful following a strategy of incrementally improving its designs year after year. Building on solid foundations is hard to argue with.

AV Receiver Reviews

Sunfire Ultimate Digital Surround Receiver

Daniel Kumin | Feb 23, 2003

Photos by Tony Cordoza Naming your company's very first A/V receiver "Ultimate" is a pretty bold move, but Sunfire founder Bob Carver has never been the shy and retiring type.

Other Tech

Hard-Drive Dreamin'

Daniel Kumin | Jan 27, 2003

(Photos by Tony Cordoza) Let me tell you about my very first hard-disk drive. It was about the size of a VCR and made as much noise as a small refrigerator. It cost about as much as a refrigerator, too-but who cared?

Search form

Daniel Kumin

Pages