By Tom Andry
Home Theater and AV Questions Answered
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Marantz is offering an online exclusive color option for their Cinema 40 & 50 AVRs. Hulu will be added to your Disney+ app by the end of the year, along with a price increase. SignUp Captions is a free browser...
Rob is back! Premium Audio Company added new features to Onkyo, Integra & Pioneer AVRs, including Klipsch Optimized Mode. Disney+ added an ASL option to Ant-Man. LG Display’s 10.5G OLED factory is delayed again. And BenQ announced new projector models....
Rob is away so Lee steps in. We’ll get to your questions next week! This week – rambling on random AV and home theater topics! News: PAC rolls back prices: https://www.soundandvision.com/content/pac-rolls-back-klipsch-pioneer-elite-pricing Topics Made In China (or wherever). What are we...
Sofabaton X1 Universal Hub-based Remote has been available for over a year now. Andrew from AVGadgets.com has written a “One Year Later” update. DVD.com a Netflix Company will mail its last red envelope on Sept. 29. And Amazon says they’re...
HBO Max and Discovery+ will merge May 23 to become Max, with a new app and pricing tiers. SMPTE is working with all the other industry acronyms to create a Cinema HDR standard. And Tom’s SVS subs bottomed out! Pictures...
Inity Acoustics offers absorption panels & bass traps at good Canadian prices, but there’s a catch if you’re outside of Ontario. MQA filed for Appointment of Administrators (bankruptcy) in the UK. And we’ll be playing catch-up next week. Sorry! Pictures...
HDMI QMS disappoints. JOLED closing down. New Onkyo, Pioneer & Integra flagship AVRs. And what is soundstage anyway?
Lee Overstreet joins Rob this week. We cover RSL’s new, big Speedwoofer 12S subwoofer, Denon & Marantz’ new speaker configuration flexibility, a fix for 2023 LG OLED auto-dimming, and Roku ending support for their first 4K device. Plus, lots of...
Dirac Live Room Correction is now available for the newest Denon & Marantz Receivers. YouTube TV got a big price bump, but if you were paying for 4K Plus, it’s actually a bit cheaper now. And much of our discussion this...
We discuss the biggest Oscar winners from the 95th Academy Awards. Roku’s own branded TVs are available for sale exclusively at Best Buy. Filmmaker Mode for Dolby Vision is in the works for next year. And Clint’s Harmony Hub and...
Rob had a brief time to try out his PlayStation VR2 last week, so he shares his thoughts and impressions. SVS released their 3000 In-Wall Subwoofer System after beefing it up and increasing the price. Sony unveiled their 2023 TV...
Tom reviews the affordable Dark Matter Sentry USB Microphone from Monoprice. Netflix announced price drops for dozens of countries. 2022 reports show Samsung, TCL, and LG dominating TV sales. And a helpful correction informs us that playing Atmos Music from...
New KEF R-Series Meta. Sonos Era Smart Speaker with Atmos. Samsung QD-OLED prices. And what's really responsible for audible differences?
This week’s episode is a little rough. Tom is sick, and his modem was having problems. So apologies for being a little out of sorts. Hopefully we can make it up next week! Trinnov Active Acoustics is essentially a Double...
Netflix quickly walked back their anti-account sharing blockages and temporary codes. Sightline at AMC is here to charge different movie ticket prices depending on your seat. Sony announced their new lineup of ES Series AV Receivers. And Denon’s A1H manual...
We (mostly) fixed our YouTube video quality! Lee’s got mail. Emotiva released their 13.4-ch BasX MR1 AV Receiver. ZapperBox is a simple ATSC 3.0 tuner. Netflix posted their new anti-sharing rules. Samsung’s 77″ S95C QD-OLED price. And LG (kind of)...
Netflix has a new co-CEO and will broaden its crackdown on password sharing this quarter. MediaTek’s Pentonic 1000 HDMI chips aren’t quite as feature-rich as we’d hoped. Certain bass traps are a raw deal. And Rob’s excited about our What We...
Tom reviews the XGIMI Aura 4K Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector. We fear Yamaha MusicCast might be dead. Stadia tries to keep its controllers out of landfills. And MGM+ joins the streaming wars. Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAoxuD 00:00:00 –...
Tom is back! Dirac Live Active Room Treatment is coming to StormAudio Processors this year, and we’ve got hot takes. TCL scales back on mini-LED backlighting. Hisense charges forward with more mini-LED than ever. And the Nakamichi Dragon SoundBar is...
Welcome to 2023! Tom is away this week, so we start with a pinch-hitting performance from Lee Overstreet. At CES: IMAX Signature Sound by DTS comes to Disney+, OLED TVs add Micro Lens Array, QD-OLEDs get bigger and better, and...
Happy New Year! Glasses-free 3D with eye-tracking is coming to Acer SpatialLabs displays. LG’s 2023 SoundBars take on Samsung’s Q-Symphony with Wow Orchestra. Tom watched good shows. And Rob had a travel adventure. Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAkLVd 00:00:00...
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everybody! Rob saw Avatar: The Way of Water in HFR 3D, so he shares his lengthy review. Parasound’s founder retired, so there’s a new owner. 77-inch QD-OLEDs have been confirmed for next year. There’s a...
We discuss the Value Electronics Ultra Short Throw and Long Throw Projector Shootout for 2022. Do we agree with their Kings of Projectors picks? Disney+ has ads that take away Atmos. We issue an apology. And careful walking under those...
Velodyne recently returned to the US market. Aperion’s new Energy Amplifiers sure look like ATI designs. Warner Bros Discovery is floating a short name for their combined HBO Max and Discovery+ streaming service. A smaller group of questions this week....
Netflix disc-by-mail is coming to an end. Black Friday deals on huge TVs were impressive. Subwoofer repair, installation, and calibration. Should you get an open box OLED? And much more! Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAhgRd 00:00:00 – Intro &...
Welcome to Thankful Everywhere All at Once! This is our 3rd annual multi-podcast, 6-man crossover event with Tom, Rob & Lee from AV Rant Podcast, DJ from the Bright Side Home Theater Podcast, and we’re joined by two new co-hosts:...
Our video feed returns to YouTube now that Rob has moved back into his apartment! The restoration might be done, but the unpacking is just beginning, so no tour yet. Over at Disney, Bob Iger is back to replace Bob...
Rob’s paint choices leave Tom shocked & appalled. SVS released their new Prime Wireless Pro Speakers & SoundBase, and they’re running a Black Friday sale. We discuss how to evaluate audio gear and nail down speaker toe-in. Pictures shown in...
Tom is back, and he reviews the inexpensive EarFun Air S ANC Wireless Earbuds, and the Soundcore by Anker Sleep A10 Earbuds. Playstation VR2 will be more expensive than a PS5. And Ascend has upgraded their CMT-340SE2 speakers. Pictures shown in...
Lee Overstreet joins us while Tom is away this week. Monoprice’s Monolith Audition Series speakers look solid at low prices. And Epson’s EpiqVision LS300 & LS800 bring improvements over last year’s Ultra Short Throw projector models. Pictures shown in this...
Apple is using HDR10+ and a smaller, cheaper Apple TV 4K, GiK Turbo Trap freestanding cylinders, a detailed article on how sound works, and downsizing your theater. Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAcyGX 00:00:00 – Intro & What We Watched...
Pumping the brakes on some hype this week. 8K TVs are not banned. Netflix changes. Denon & Marantz Dirac plans. And just who needs an outboard video processor, anyway? Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAbBfC 00:00:00 – Intro & What...
Matter 1.0 is finally here to help all our Smart Home products talk to each other. Emotiva’s running an interesting sale. And we dive into Dirac’s Spatial Room Correction future. Pictures shown in this episode:https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAaJWA 00:00:00 – Intro & What...
Stadia is shutting down. LG OLEDs will get smaller. And YouTube wants more money and longer ad breaks. Pictures shown in this episode:https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA9Kwg 00:00:00 – Intro & What We WatchedRob watched the new Quantum Leap. Tom watched the original Hocus...
Tom is away this week, under hurricane evacuation order. So Lee Overstreet is here to pinch hit for us. And Rob’s already makeshift setup gets even whackier as he records from his car! Obviously, audio quality is suspect this week....
We have thoughts about bass. Controversial? Maybe. Against the grain of most of the online home theater community? Definitely. Also, Perlisten has the first THX Dominus certified in-walls. Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA82Nc 00:00:00 – Intro & What We WatchedRob...
Gonna be a long while yet before Rob’s back in his apartment and back to normal audio quality. Still makeshift for now. Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA6UqE 00:00:00 – Intro & What We WatchedRob watched Thor: Love and Thunder....
Sorry, once again, for Rob’s poor audio quality, but we’re stuck like this for quite a while yet. Information about Denon & Marantz 2022 Receivers & Separates supposedly leaked last week. We’re not sure we believe all of it. LG’s...
Still a makeshift episode this week. Sorry for Rob’s poor audio quality. Updates on both our theaters. New AVRs from Arcam, a long-awaited Yamaha firmware update, & lots of questions! Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA53vT 00:00:00 – Update on...
We’re back! Tom reviews IOGEAR’s Professional Online UPS (Battery Backup). We catch up on lots of questions. And Rob explains our absence last week. Pictures shown in this episode:https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA49Pz 00:00:00 – Intro: Why We Were AwayRob posted a short video last...
Free tickets are still available for the Home Theater & Audio Show being hosted by Audio Advice in Raleigh, NC Aug 19 – 21. Email us if you’d like some. Or use our promo code: AVRANT22 for $5-off 3-day passes...
Audio Advice is hosting a Home Theater & Audio Show in Raleigh, NC from Aug 19 – 21. If you’d like to attend, email us. We’ll have a small number of free tickets to give out, as well as $5-off...
Emotiva teased a new 13.2-channel Receiver. Avatar and Titanic are being remastered in HDR and high frame rate. And our listeners provide 100% blackout solutions that don’t involve aluminum foil! Plus lots of questions, including a deep dive into Front...
Monoprice expanded their Monolith THX Certified In-Wall Speaker lineup, and Amazon Prime Video finally updated their user interface. We get back to what we’ve watched over the past two weeks. And check out our interview with Jason Ehrlich, Sales Development...
We interview Jason Ehrlich, Sales Development Specialist, from Kinetics Noise Control, Inc. to learn all about their soundproofing and acoustic treatment products and installations. Visit https://kineticsnoise.com/ to learn more! Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzYgu8 00:00:00 – Intro 00:05:37 –...
Netflix gets Sennheiser AMBEO Spatial Audio. We tackle lots of questions this week, particularly about projection setups and trying Surround Backs. Plus, Tom doesn’t think aluminum foil on your windows is classy. Pictures shown in this episode:https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzXPRm 00:00:00 – Intro...
We go over Ascend Acoustics’ updated website and newest speaker model, the Sierra-LX. We plan a full audio system, explain bitstream vs PCM audio, dig into THX Listening Mode settings, and much more. Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzX19J 00:00:00...
We feature LG’s Ultra Short Throw projector lineup. Lots of questions about subwoofers. Rob got to meet one of our favorite listeners and supporters in person. And wouldn’t you know it, HDMI-CEC strikes again! Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzWh6L...
Perlisten Audio has an entire new THX Ultra speaker Series at a lower (but still expensive) price bracket. We go over the details of Emotiva’s new monoblock amp. And our honest advice about a new theater room probably isn’t what...
Auro, Insteon, and the Xbox Cloud Gaming Stick all appeared to be dead, but they’ve lurched back to life in various ways! Some in-depth discussions on room curves, home theater influencers, and which HDMI cable to buy at a store,...