Bob Ankosko

CEDIA 2013
Vantage Shows Off Equinox System in Room With a View
Bob Ankosko  |  Sep 26, 2013
Vantage demonstrated its Equinox family of home-automation control products in a posh 5,000-square-foot penthouse apartment at the Four Seasons hotel with spectacular views of downtown Denver. The homeowners are avid art collectors who use the residence as a second home when they’re in town and chose Vantage because they wanted an unobtrusive and easy-to-use control system for entertainment (music and TV), climate control, security, cameras, and—most important—lighting to accentuate dozens of prized paintings. Motorized shades and a TV lift are also covered under the Vantage control umbrella.

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CEDIA 2013
Bringing Artwork to Life
Bob Ankosko  |  Sep 25, 2013
Nestled among the few dozen companies exhibiting at CEDIA 2013’s Media Preview was Soundwall, a Boulder, CO-based startup specializing in speakers that masquerade as art (or is it the other around?). The artwork of your choice is printed on a foam-core board mounted in a 2.5-inch-deep frame that hangs on the wall. Left- and right-channel exciters attached to the back of the board (and powered by a small amplifier), vibrate the “canvas,” turning it into a speaker.
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Audio Video News
Energy Introduces Power Base Soundbar
Bob Ankosko  |  Sep 04, 2013
Energy today introduced the Energy Power Base soundbar, which is available on Amazon.com for $399 now and will roll out to retail stores in October.

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Premiere Design
Meridian DSP7200 Digital Active Speaker
Bob Ankosko  |  Aug 31, 2013
Sonic Splendor

Timing is everything when it comes to great comedy—and great sound. And time alignment is one of several refinements Meridian has made to the popular DSP7200 tower speaker it introduced in 2007—one of the most technologically advanced speakers on the planet. But before we get into what the company has done to improve this already remarkable speaker, let’s take a quick look at what makes it special in the first place.

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New Products
Behind the Scenes: 10 Distinctive Home Theater Accessories
Bob Ankosko  |  Aug 16, 2013
When it comes to home theater, there’s the gear that we enthusiasts like to obsess over, and then there’s everything else: racks, cabinets, stands, mounts, seating, you name it. Beyond a perfectly calibrated TV and multi-speaker sound system, it’s the “everything else” that distinguishes a truly fine setup from one that’s just OK.
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Audio Video News
Wall Flower: REL Acoustics Habitat1 On-Wall Wireless Subwoofer
Bob Ankosko  |  Aug 14, 2013
The Welsh company REL Acoustics has been specializing in subwoofers for more than two decades and likes to do things a bit differently. In particular, REL believes a subwoofer must be connected to the main amplifier’s high-level inputs to make sure it receives the same signal as the main speakers—the company even provides a special cable to make the high-level connection.
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Premiere Design
Symbol Audio Modern Record Console
Bob Ankosko  |  Jul 31, 2013
Visions of the Zenith (yes, Zenith) hi-fi console in the living room of my childhood home filled my head when I saw the Modern Record Console (MRC). The Zenith was simple in design with an AM/FM tuner and turntable under the lift-up top of a luxurious walnut cabinet with louvered speaker grilles. My parents listened to Herb Alpert and Dionne Warwick while I obsessed over Abbey Road, the album that launched my LP collection. My parents tolerated it—maybe even secretly liked it. Ah, but I digress…
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Audio Video News
A/V for the Great Outdoors
Bob Ankosko  |  Jul 03, 2013
Ah, summertime. The smell of lavender wafts through the air. A warm breeze rustles through the trees while you kick back on the patio and savor the latest craft beer. It’s almost time to head inside to watch the Yankees take on Detroit. If only you could watch the game outside… Well, you can. In honor of America’s favorite season, we present 10 products that will add pleasure to your backyard experience. Read on, and you may soon be the envy of the neighborhood.
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Audio Video News
Solid Like a Rock: Thorax Lowboard A/V Rack
Bob Ankosko  |  Jun 26, 2013
It’s not every day you come across an equipment rack made of concrete, but if you’re into industrial design, the stark, angular look of the Thorax Lowboard might be just the ticket. Made by Thorax of Bochum, Germany, the rack is modular and comprises a series of 3-inch-wide concrete squares held together by screws and 1- to 2-inch-wide stainless steel or aluminum brackets; each square weighs about 33 pounds and measures 20.4 x 20.4 inches with a thickness of 1.5 inches.
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Audio Video News
Like Magic: Black Diamond Motorized Projection Screen
Bob Ankosko  |  Jun 18, 2013
Hailed as a sleek “zero-glare” alternative to flat-panel TVs, the Black Diamond Motorized projection screen is ideal for minimalist décors and spaces that simply don’t have room for a huge screen. Hit a wall switch and, like magic, a slender tube descends from the ceiling and the screen unfurls, suspended from ultra-slim aircraft cable.
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