Al Griffin

CES 2021New Products
JBL Previews Retro Integrated Amp, L100 Classic Speaker
Al Griffin  |  Jan 11, 2021
JBL is celebrating its 75th anniversary with the launch of the SA750 integrated amplifier and L100 Classic 75 loudspeaker, two retro modern products that reference hi-fi’s golden age—specifically, the 1970s part.
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CES 2021New Products
LG Showcases 2021 OLED TV Lineup at CES
Al Griffin  |  Jan 11, 2021
LG today announced its new OLED TVs for 2021 at the company’s virtual CES press conference. The lineup includes a 4K-resolution 83-inch TV—a new screen size option from the company—high-end “evo” models with a new panel designed to deliver higher brightness than prior OLEDs, and a new AI processor for improved performance. LG is also planning to attract more OLED buyers via a series of affordable entry-level models.
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CES 2021New Products
Sony Announces 2021 Bravia XR LCD and OLED TV Lineup
Al Griffin  |  Jan 07, 2021
Sony today dropped news of its new 2021 Bravia XR TV lineup, with the announcements arriving days in advance of the company’s scheduled January 11 all-digital CES press conference. The new TVs comprise two series of 4K OLED models, along with 8K and 4K LCD sets.
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Top Picks
2020 Top Picks of the Year
Al Griffin  |  Jan 06, 2021
The best thing I can say about 2020 is that it's over. You'd think a year that was challenging on so many fronts might result in a drought of interesting A/V gear, but that was not the case for 2020. Logistical issues slowed shipment of certain products, but most eventually arrived. When they did, Sound & Vision's reviewing team eagerly went to work.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
First Cow
Al Griffin  |  Dec 31, 2020
Picture
Sound
Extras
"It's the getting started that's the puzzle—no way for a poor man to start. You need capital. Or you need some kind of miracle. Or a crime." These words, uttered by King-Lu, a Chinese immigrant seeking fortune in the mid-19th century Oregon Territory, set forth a series of events leading to a business selling baked goods to the hardscrabble inhabitants of Fort Tillicum. King-Lu's partner in the venture—which originates from a crime, as opposed to capital or a miracle—is Otis Figowitz, a mild-mannered cook also trying to carve out a future among the fort's traders and trappers.
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Ask S&V
Looking for a TV-Worthy Interface for Streaming Music
Al Griffin  |  Dec 17, 2020
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have over 9,000 songs on a hard drive hooked to my computer. When I listen, I stream it over my home network to a Samsung TV connected to a Denon receiver. The audio is fine but the visual effect of browsing through folders on a 70-inch screen leaves much to be desired. Is there an inexpensive way to browse and play your stored digital music library in a home theater using a visual interface like Microsoft Groove Music? —Jay Sklaroff, via email

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Editor's Eye
John Lennon Remembered
Al Griffin  |  Dec 08, 2020
It’s hard to believe 40 years have passed since John Lennon was fatally shot outside his home on Manhattan’s Upper West Side on this very day. We’re marking the anniversary of Lennon’s untimely passing with a review of the new Gimme Some Truth: The Ultimate Mixes box set and Matt Hurwitz’s story on the production of tracks remixed in stereo, 5.1, and Dolby Atmos.
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Projector Reviews
Epson LS500 4K Laser Projection TV Review
Al Griffin  |  Nov 25, 2020

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $4,999

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Bright, living room-friendly image
Packaged with easy to assemble screen
Plentiful picture adjustment options
Minus
Limited contrast and color space coverage
High fan noise in Normal Light Output mode
Basic remote control

THE VERDICT
With its powerful brightness and impressive overall picture, Epson's LS500 offers a compelling alternative to pricey oversize flat-panel TVs.

Remember the rear-projection TV (RPTV)? RPTVs were big, boxy contraptions housing a projector that beamed an image at the rear of a screen mounted on the set's front surface. While necessarily inelegant compared with the sleek flat-panel TVs that eventually replaced them, the RPTV in its heyday solved the problem of getting a big image—screen sizes topped out around 80-inches—without having to resort to a room-dominating two-piece system with a ceiling-mounted projector and separate screen.

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Tower Speaker Reviews
JBL HDI-3600 Loudspeaker Review
Al Griffin  |  Nov 18, 2020

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $3,800

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Impressive looks and build quality
Plays loud effortlessly
Wide imaging capability
Minus
Requires careful amp-matching
Fussy about setup and placement

THE VERDICT
JBL's upscale-looking HDI-3600 tower speaker delivers effortless, fatigue-free sound.

When I first ran across JBL's HDI series loudspeakers at the 2019 CEDIA Expo, I was struck by the line's upscale looks and substantial build quality. The brand's new speakers seemed more akin to the Revel models also being shown in parent-company Harman's sprawling booth than the budget-priced JBL Stage series towers Sound & Vision had reviewed earlier that year.

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Ask S&V
Can I Stream in High-Res Through My A/V Receiver?
Al Griffin  |  Nov 05, 2020
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I’ve always been interested in streaming high-resolution audio through my Denon AVR-4300H receiver, but don’t know if that’s possible. Although I mainly listen to music on Spotify and Pandora, I tried Tidal and Amazon Music HD but couldn’t figure out how to stream the tracks in high resolution. What options do I have, if any? —Mark Levesque, via email

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