Bob Ankosko

The S&V InterviewAudio Video News
Peter Vasay: How THX Is Staying True to its Mission
Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 18, 2021
Few companies in the home entertainment electronics industry have as storied a history as THX, the company born out of George Lucas’ desire to bring the movie-going experience as close as possible to how he envisioned his theatrical creations on the big screen. Disappointed by the sonic limitations of movie theaters when the original Star Wars film was released in 1977, the celebrated screenwriter/director engaged a team of audio engineers to define a series of technical parameters theater owners could follow to achieve what we would call today an immersive experience. The theatrical program was a huge success, eventually finding its way into the home, and the rest is history. We caught up with Peter Vasay, general manager and senior VP for home products at THX Ltd., to get an update on what the iconic brand has been up to lately and where it’s headed.
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Custom Installation How-ToAudio Video News
Building a Home Theater? Avoid these Pitfalls
Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 11, 2021
Are you thinking about building a home theater — or maybe converting an existing mixed-use media room into a space dedicated to movie viewing? If so, there are a whole host of things to consider before you break ground, so to speak. Drawing on its 40-plus years of experience as a home audio and video specialist, North Carolina’s Audio Advice has identified the most common mistakes home theater builders make — from picking a screen that’s too small to ignoring room acoustics — and come up with meaningful advice on how to avoid these pitfalls to ensure a great home theater experience.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
New Gear for Spring 2021
Bob Ankosko  |  Mar 04, 2021
The historic cold of Winter 2021 is almost behind us at last. As a new season beckons and we anticipate what “spring cleaning” might look like in a world moving quickly toward post-pandemic status, it’s a good time to take stock in all facets of your life, including the home entertainment setup that helped push you through the darkest days of COVID-19 isolation. Many of us took time during lockdown to upgrade our AV systems with bigger screens, better sounding audio gear, a new turntable, or perhaps a more functional setup. To help keep the wheels of progress turning, we present a sampling of the latest A/V news, which as it turns out is dominated by a gaggle of interesting speakers from brands old and new.
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Audio Video News
Best Gear of February 2021
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 25, 2021
Spring beckons and so does the long-awaited return to normal life as the pandemic winds down. Though February was short, we learned a few things from our Top Picks for the month: (1) Subwoofers don’t have to look like subwoofers, (2) you can’t judge a speaker by its looks, and (3) you don’t have to spend thousands to get a big-screen TV that delivers terrific picture quality. Will one of our February gems help you rediscover your passion for music and movies or gaming (Pac-Man anyone?) and push your home entertainment experience to the next level? There’s only one way to find out.
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Vintage Gear
The Mighty Technics SL-1200
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 18, 2021

Coveted by audiophiles and DJs, the iconic turntable is still going strong half a century later.

It’s rare for any piece of audio gear to remain in production for more than a few years, let alone a turntable that not only survives but continues to evolve for the better part of five decades. The Technics SL-1200 turntable and its many iterations have been in production for 43 of the last 49 years, an extraordinary feat by any measure.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
New Gear for Winter 2021
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 11, 2021
In the weeks following CES 2021, we’ve witnessed a flurry of new product announcements. From a couple of nostalgic audio products to an outdoor entertainment setup and wireless speakers guaranteed to make your neighbors envious, here’s a look at some of the new gear coming your way.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
More Headphones from CES 2021 and Beyond
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 04, 2021
In post a couple weeks ago, we focused on some of the wireless headphones introduced at last month’s virtual CES 2021, the first virtual gathering in the show’s 53-year history. We’re visiting the massively popular category again, this time with a look at headphones introduced at the show or shortly thereafter, including models that bring new form factors and technology into the fold.
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Audio Video News
Best Gear of Winter 2021 (So Far)
Bob Ankosko  |  Jan 28, 2021
Home entertainment took center stage in 2020 and will continue to be a mainstay of life at home until we defeat the invisible enemy known as COVID-19. Whether a return to quasi-normal life takes weeks or months (my bet is on the latter), A/V gear of all shapes and sizes will continue to not only make possible but enhance our music and movie experiences. All of which brings us to the latest crop of Sound & Vision Top Picks, encapsulated here for your convenience.
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CES 2021New Products
CES 2021: Headphones Hold Down the Audio Fort
Bob Ankosko  |  Jan 21, 2021
Once upon a time, CES was a huge show for audio but those days are long gone and showed no signs of returning in the virtual world that was CES 2021, with one possible exception: Wireless headphones, a category that has made incredible strides in just the past year or so. A number of companies — some familiar, many not-so-familiar — used the world-class venue as a showcase for new headphones you can buy now and models you can expect to see online and in stores in the coming months. Prominent among the new entries were earbuds and full-size headphones with active noise canceling and features designed to improve wireless performance and the sound quality of music and phone calls. Wired models, as you might expect, were few and far between. Here’s a look at what a few of the more familiar brands are bringing to market.
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CES 2021Audio Video News
CES 2021: A Little Something for Everyone
Bob Ankosko  |  Jan 14, 2021
As the first virtual CES comes to a close, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has already proclaimed the event the largest digital tech show in history with close to 2,000 companies congregating online to introduce a staggering variety of new products and technologies. Here’s a look at some of the A/V related news we came across.
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