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LEARN MORE AT WWW.POLKAUDIO.COM APRIL 2018 Volume 83 No. 3

ON THE COVER No Height Speakers, No Problem: Denon LOG ON TO soundandvision.com and sign up to receive our AVR-X3400H A/V receiver with DTS:X Virtual. Additional gear ON THE new, free eNewsletter for first-rate, up-to-the-minute reporting from JVC, Klipsch, Sonos, TEAC, and TiVo. WEB of everything that’s hot in the world of home theater. 44 36

32 Flashback: Charles Rodrigues poked fun at the hobby we take too seriously. That’s not so hot! I paid only $7.95 for a 1000 watt iron.

COLUMNS If Not for Charles... The art of cartoonist Rob Sabin Track One: A History of Lirpa Labs 8 Charles Rodrigues. 32

Ken C. Pohlmann Signals: Why Is Tesla Killing AM Radio? 23 74

Michael Antonoff Apptitude: 8 Startups to Soar 24

Al Griffin Ask S&V: State of Streaming 25

John Sciacca The Connected Life: The Big Screen Debate 26 DEMAND MORE

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Sonica DAC is available for $799 from oppodigital.com and from select resellers nationwide. Tr Aprial 2018 ck One A HISTORY OF LIRPA LABS Audio had Loof every April, but SR had Rodrigues all year long.

In preparation for our April issue, and in search of a subject for our retrospective flashback feature, I pressed deep into our 60-year archive for hints of the origin of Lirpa Labs and its mysterious, opinionated, and wildly creative founder, Loof Lirpa. Many readers know that Loof and his often wacky products typically only appear in the BY ROB SABIN, EDITOR weeks leading up to April, more often than not as we’re just going to press. I perused every April issue looking for a glimpse of him—every single one, dating back to our first year in 1958 when our predecessor HiFi & Music Review was in only its third edition. Despite my recol- lections of Lirpa from my time at Stereo Review in the mid-1990s, and those of my colleague (and former editor-in-chief) Bob Ankosko, I was unable to find even one reference in the magazine until our more modern history in the few years prior to our merge with Home Theater. Hmm...where was Loof? So, I decided to check in with longtime contributor Ken An excerpt from Audio magazine’s review of the Lirpa 5kg Pohlmann, whose first articles in SR (aftermarket car audio •tonearm, April 1980 reviews) date to 1988, and whose Signals column (it ran under different names through the years) goes back to 1989. Lirpa, he a radio concert by the “distinguished continental pianist” Lirpa reminded me, made regular appearances in Audio magazine, at Loof, but when listeners tuned in, the joke was on them. And in one time a sister publication to SR in the mid-1990s when I was 1969, in the midst of the ongoing space race and with the U.S. first there, before ever appearing inSound & Vision. Ah...that rang poised to reach the moon, the Daily Journal newspaper in a bell. So I checked our Audio archive for as far back as I had on Kankakee, Illinois ran a most convincing item—complete with hand, and sure enough, in the April 1980 issue, there was a review a photo—about a Soviet space capsule that had dropped from of a 5-kilogram Lirpa tonearm and cartridge. That’s right, 11 they sky and miraculously landed intact with three survivors pounds. Other Lirpa reviews may have appeared earlier. Credit out on North Hobbie Avenue. “One of the cosmonauts is for introducing Loof and his handiwork to our audiophile world, thought to be Russian Lirpa Loof, missing for the past year,” the then, goes at least to longtime Audio editor Eugene Pitts III, (who article read. Despite the hint, people drove to the site in hopes can be found these days at The Audiophile Voice, audiophilevoice. of seeing the downed spacecraft. com), if not to one of his predecessors who enjoyed a shared sense All of this got me thinking about the role of humor in our of humor and was similarly adept at spelling backwards. hobby, or more precisely, the decided lack of it. Audiophiles and A casual web search of “Lirpa” brings up a number of quite A/V buffs know how passionate and serious we can get about all varied references. Trekkies might know that a Lirpa is a traditional this stuff, and how dry and deeply technical it can be. It’s nice Vulcan weapon first seen in the original 1960s series—a staff with a that magazines like Audio offered an annual respite each April; fan-shaped blade on one side and a club for striking on the other. a lovely tradition. But I realized that the work of Charles And urbandictionary.com says a Lirpa is “a person whose epider- Rodrigues, whose clever cartoons graced the mis absorbs sun like a sponge, resulting in a potato-like coating.” pages of this magazine from its first issue and Beyond these, I found a few mentions at the website of The were featured regularly thereafter, showed that Museum of Hoaxes (hoaxes.org) of seasonal spring appearances founding editor Oliver Ferrell wanted us to by various entities bearing the name Lirpa Loof. For example, in acknowledge the lighter side of what we 1984, That’s Life, a popular BBC television show in the U.K., ran a do and show we weren’t afraid to poke segment about a short, hairy, and extremely rare bipedal creature a little fun at ourselves. The artist’s by that name who was introduced to visitors at the London Zoo; it ongoing presence for more than four had the habit of mimicking the motions of anyone who stood in decades only proved that the editors front of it with remarkable accuracy and pooped purple nuggets, who followed Ferrell agreed. Our the result of it feeding on rhododendron flowers. Zoogoers retrospective tribute to Rodrigues starts on page 32. peering into its cage had no idea it was a small person in a suit. Charles Rodrigues, (The video is available on YouTube.) In 1961, the BBC advertised •by Charles Rodrigues

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Sleek, statuesque decision was made to create a new GoldenEar flagship, positioned and refined, the Reference is simply an elegantly gorgeous statement above the Triton One (of course still current and available), that piece that will excite listeners with its dynamic visual presence, as would joust with the best, but still stick to our trademarked slogan, well as its extraordinary sonic performance. “We Make High-End Affordable.” We are pleased and proud to introduce the new Triton Reference. The Reference has begun Sonically, the Reference has been engineered to perform with a gathering its own collection of honors, winning the prestigious dramatic and authoritative voice, comparable to speakers that sell and coveted CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award, for ten and more times its surprisingly affordable price. T Refs Digital Trends Best Home Audio Tech at CES, HD GURU Best completely disappear, with superb three-dimensional imaging that High Fidelity Loudspeaker at CES and What HiFi Stars of CES! will open up your room, stretching from wall to wall and beyond, And Triton Reference won the grand slam from Absolute Sound and depth that makes the wall behind them seem to vanish. The at CES, where all four of their writers honored T Ref with their astonishing bass is rock-solid, with low-frequency performance highly coveted accolade, “Best Sound (for the money)”! that is tight, quick, highly impactful and musical with extension flat to 20Hz and below. Another GoldenEar signature is a silky “ Undeniably stellar … Yes, it does deliver the smooth high end that extends to 35 kHz with a lifelike sheen but no trace of fatiguing hardness, sibilance or stridency so common sort of performance previously delivered only by with lesser tweeters. 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April 2018 Volume 83/Number 3

Editor-in-Chief: Rob Sabin Executive Editor: Claire Crowley Senior Editor, Technical Editor, Video: Thomas J. Norton Audio Editor: Mark Fleischmann Technical Editor, Audio: Mark J. Peterson Fathom® IWS Editors-at-Large: Bob Ankosko, Darryl Wilkinson In-Wall Subwoofer Systems Contributing Technical Editors: Kris Deering, Barb Gonzalez, Al Griffin, Steve Guenberg, Michael P. Hamilton, Daniel Kumin, Fred Manteghian, Geoffrey Morrison, John Sciacca, Michael Trei, David Vaughn Contributors: Michael Antonoff, Anthony Chiarella, Brandon A. DuHamel, Avi Greengart, Corey Gunnestad, Fred Kaplan, Josef Krebs, Ken C. Pohlmann, Leslie Shapiro Music Editor: Mike Meler Movies Editor: Chris Chiarella Logistics Manager: John Higgins Technical Consultant: Joel Silver, Imaging Science Foundation Art Director: Heather Dickson Copy Editor: Ken Richardson Web Monkey: Jon Iverson Contributing Photographer: Jorge Nunez

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Convenient Control from Subwoofer DSP Smartphone App :RUNVZLWK$SSOHL26pDQG$QGURLGpGHYLFHVWR XQORFNWKHIXOOGHSWKIRUFHDQGQXDQFHRIWKH 6HULHVVXEZRRIHUVE\FRQWUROOLQJDOO'63IXQFWLRQVDQG RHULQJFXVWRPSUHVHWVWRVXLW\RXUOLVWHQLQJWDVWHV Learn More at svsound.com 7KHHDVLHVWDQGPRVWFRQYHQLHQWZD\HYHUWRQHWXQH a subwoofer from the comfort of your favorite seat. brance. My buddy and I were there for the whole show (which we can prove with ticket We welcome stubs and photos, thank you). You say, “As questions and the legend goes, the festival was all peace- comments love-dove from start to finish,” and I can tell you it was no legend...that’s exactly how it Letters was. It’s hard to be violent when you’re E-mail them to [email protected]. Please note: Questions about the features and functions of a stoned. We made a pilgrimage to the site for particular product are best directed to the manufacturer. Questions about what product you should buy are best the 40-year anniversary and, defying signs directed to a dealer who knows all the details of your system, your preferences, and your personal habits. All submissions are considered the exclusive property of Sound & Vision magazine and TEN: The Enthusiast Network. that said “Stay Off the Grass,” I took a seat on We reserve the right to edit letters for brevity. Due to the volume of mail that we receive, we regret that we cannot that hillside approximately where we were in respond to every letter. 1969, only to be threatened with arrest by a rent-a-cop for violating their sign. Can you imagine? We were the reason they even had Our Founding Fathers limited tastes in music. But that may have a Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, and we Rob Sabin’s Track One column in the been an advantage. Their goal was fidelity to were being chased away. I suggested to the January issue excerpts comments on the original sound, and for them that meant gentleman that the papers would have a field Woodstock by former editor William the sound of acoustic instruments (a piano, day: “Senior citizen and former Woodstock Anderson. I actually remember reading a pipe organ, a symphony orchestra, an attendee arrested for sitting on the grass.” As those remarks in 1969. They’re even more unamplified voice). That’s a pretty reliable a crowd had gathered by that time, he left me laughably condescending and out of touch benchmark. Think what would have hap- alone while I communed with the past. today than they were then. However, Sabin’s pened if the development process was driven Ommm... comments on his predecessors are no less by people who took Phil Spector’s “Wall of I also recall your progenitor magazine, condescending: “erudite, pipe-smoking, Sound” style of electronic manipulation as which I first subscribed to in the early ’70s. suit- and lab-coat-wearing type who their ideal. I remember editor William Anderson well. snobbily held the classical genre as the We take the achievements of our pre- He could be stuffy, but the lessons he taught standard-bearer for music.” decessors too much for granted today. Let’s about audio value shaped my audio life. He Even without the snarkiness and stereo- give them some credit. would roll over in his grave if he read your typing, that misses the point. Anderson and Thomas V. Lento reviews of $1,200 earbuds and $40,000 his colleagues in the late ’60s were helping to Wilmington, DE speakers as being a good value. Using his advance the science of audio recording and principles, I’ve put together an outstanding reproduction. Yes, some of them had rather Thank you for your Woodstock remem- 5.1 A/V system of Sony, Polk, and Samsung (60-inch screen) products for the miserly sum of $1,700, complete. I loved Stereo Review, and I love Sound & Vision. Some things have changed but never the passion we share for good sound. Keep up the good work. Herb Goldman Enter to WIN Hollywood, FL Thomas, on the contrary, I meant no snark- CRUTCHFIELD’S GREAT GEAR GIVEAWAY iness or disrespect in my description of my forebears, and though it draws on a stereotype, it’s a fair accounting of the approach, tone, attitude, informed intelligence, and fine writ- ing and editing skills that helped establish Stereo Review as the powerhouse it became. And I do give immense credit to all of the folks who’ve held this seat before me, including a few editors-in-chief I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and working with in my career. This includes William Livingston (22 years in the position), who was still editor emeritus and an Sign up for your chance to win occasional visitor to our offices when I first came to SR in the mid-1990s; Bill’s successor D&UXWFK HOG*LIW&DUG Louise Boundas, who was EIC at that time; her successor (and our current editor-at-large and web editor) Bob Ankosko, who took the Enter now crutchfield.com/SVS reins in the late 1990s and was responsible for recruiting me to SR as a senior editor and later for shaping Stereo Review and Video magazines into Sound & Vision; and Mike Mettler (our music editor), who helmed the magazine in the years prior to its merger with Home Theater. All of these individuals left their imprint and took good care of the pub- lication while it remained their charge. As I’ve

LETTERS said before, I’m proud and even humbled to sit quality of the system around them, hearing a in their shadows.—RS singular piece of electronics evolve over time in any meaningful way (beyond what might Breaking It In occur during the initial warm-up after turning Sound &Vision and other audio magazine it on) tends to be rare. An exception is tube product reviewers often mention a break-in gear, which requires adjustments as the tubes period before evaluating speakers, and I’m age to maintain optimal performance.—RS curious how this procedure is accomplished. Are speakers simply left on playing content You’ve Got Ears—Use ’Em! at a moderate level for a period of time? If so, I’ve read with great interest the recent INTEGRATE how long is enough, and are other electron- headphone and DAC reviews. Clearly, it’s ics also given a similar treatment before possible to get astounding sound quality AND CONQUER evaluation? through this equipment, especially with James Mitchell high-resolution audio files. With our mobile Achieve separates-quality Via e-mail society, it seems that more and more music stereo reproduction with is being consumed via headphones. What a single component. The need for product break-in is well accepted an opportunity for content providers to in the high-end audio community, where produce binaural recordings (recordings listeners claim sometimes quite significant made typically using a dummy head with improvements in sound quality over time. microphones placed at each ear location), But the subject has always been somewhat which are specifically intended to be heard controversial, with the more objective camp through headphones. I have fond memories dismissing the notion outright or claiming that of listening to John Sunier’s Audiophile the differences in pre- and post-break-in sonics Audition on public radio with special pro- are overstated. In our pages, you’ll sometimes grams that were all binaural. I also enjoy see our reviewers mentioning the break-in listening to my binaural CD produced by of speakers, which are, after all, electro- STAX many years ago called “The Space This thin column represents mechanical devices with moving parts Sound, Dummy Head Recording.” the sound of your current required to compress air, whether these are While I think this recording technique integrated stereo amp. Time piston-like cones (typically attached with a would be great to capture live classical flexible spider at the voice coil and a surround concerts, it could also give the listener that to upgrade to the full-sized at the perimeter) or a film- or ribbon-based being-there feeling when listening to con- sound of Anthem’s diaphragm. With thousands of readers count- temporary music as well. Hopefully some STR Integrated Amplifi er. ing on our opinion, it’s only logical (and fair to record labels and/or artists will recognize the manufacturer) that our review samples this potential and produce some new Q High-resolution should be loosened up for at least a few days material. (For more information on binaural preamplifi er section before any serious evaluation is done. There’s recording, John wrote a very nice article that no real formula for it other than to run some can be accessed at binaural.com/SunBin- Q High current, high output steady content through the pipes for as many Article.html). amplifi er section hours as you can at moderate to loud volume. Dave Kulisek Q 8 bipolar output devices The speakers don’t need to be played contin- Bellevue, NE per channel uously, though a reviewer might just do that to clock hours faster and get on to the work at First, a quick nod to the long-running contrib- Q Up-sampling of hand. You can loop full-spectrum pink noise utions of our industry colleague John Sunier, lower-resolution sources from a disc or digital file, which works the who hosted his syndicated Audiophile Audi- Q Asynchronous USB Audio broad range of frequencies, or just put on tion radio show from the mid-1980s through Input Supports some favorite content that ideally has a bit of the late 1990s and now runs a terrific website 32-bit / 384 kHz PCM, and bass energy to help engage the woofers. For a of that name that focuses largely on music DSD 2.8 / 5.6 MHz plain old audiophile bringing new speakers reviews across many genres and formats. home, just enjoying them over time will break For those unfamiliar with binaural Q S/PDIF coaxial and optical them in, and if you’re an experienced listener, recordings, the technique essentially creates Q Balanced AES/EBU inputs you might hear them evolve as they settle. a 360-degree soundfield around the listener The value of a break-in period for elec- when heard through traditional two-channel Q MM and MC phono tronics is more questionable. Competently headphones. I’d have to agree that the surge in Q Graphic Front Panel Display designed audio electronics, by nature, will headphone listening does create an opportu- never show the same potential differences in nity, one that Chesky Records, at least, has sound quality you get with transducers like embraced. Their website (chesky.com/genres/ loudspeakers or phono cartridges. From time binaural) currently shows 38 albums recorded to time, you’ll see a review in S&V that binaurally, including a couple of whiz-bang mentions a perceived change after an initial demo pieces, all with the extremely high listening period. My view on break-in for audiophile quality Chesky has always been electronics has been the same as that for known for. They’re available on disc or as audiophile cables: My experience is that it hi-res downloads from Chesky sister company depends very much on the system and the HDtracks.com. If you’d like to peek in on component under test. High-end systems that a Chesky binaural recording session, check display powerful resolution tend to make out “Chesky Records Uses Its Head to Make differences more obvious for experienced Better-Sounding Music” by contributing listeners. But while I do believe firmly that technical editor Steve Guttenberg (Sound electronic components can have their own & Vision, May 2016 and available on our Visit anthemav.com to fi nd a dealer near you. sound, made all the more evident by the website).—RS SEPARATE AND CONQUER Introducing the ultimate performance combination

For classic phono or other low-gain line-in sources, STR Preamplifi er Features the new STR Preamplifi er and STR Power Amplifi er are QBass management for two subwoofers, perfectly calibrated to work together. They deliver a in mono or stereo smooth one-two punch of noise-free gain, and a massive, Q Up-sampling of lower-resolution sustained, low distortion power boost. Only exclusive sources to 24-bit/192 kHz Anthem technology, like ARC Room Correction and ALM Q Asynchronous USB audio input Advanced Load Monitoring, allows you to tear away the supports 32-bit/384 kHz PCM, and veil, revealing lifelike clarity and realistic detail even at DSD 2.8/5.6 MHz sources extreme volume. It’s a classic performance suited for QMM and MC phono, balanced XLR, classic performances. and single-ended analog inputs Q Multi-curve adjustable phono EQ Experience it at your Anthem dealer, or buy it today at anthemAV.com. STR Power Amplifi er Q 400W/600W/800W continuous into 8/4/2 ohms, both channels driven Q Cascoded complementary feedback input stage Q Massive toroidal transformers Q Four power on/off options STR Preamplifi er Only Available in black or silver. Q Advanced Load Monitoring (ALM™) Perfect focus NEW GEAR, TOP NEWS, HOW TO, AND MORE... Edited by Claire Crowley

S&V: It’s been a premium live broad- Ultimate A/V couple years since casting, especially sports the Alliance introduced the Ultra HD broadcasts. 15 Minutes with UHD Alliance President Mike Fidler Premium logo. How successful has the program been? S&V: The Alliance broadened its scope THE ULTRA HD experience—one that MF: The logo program has been very last year with the creation of the Mobile Alliance is on a mission preserves creative intent. successful in establishing performance HDR Premium logo for portable to spread the good word Our scope includes benchmarks that ensure a premium devices, which could be seen as over- of Ultra HD, which, as any developing testing experience for consumers. We have kill. Why mobile? self-respecting home methodologies and certified products in numerous cat- MF: Mobile video consumption is theater enthusiast will tell certification programs. egories, including UHD TVs, UHD growing exponentially, and we believe you, is more than just With that in mind, we Blu-ray players, UHD content, com- mobile devices deserve the same a resolution story. Yes, established the UHD puter monitors, mobile devices, PCs, attention as non-mobile devices, which having four times as Alliance logo program and media players. We believe the is why we established a separate set of many pixels as standard to identify products establishment of performance spec- specifications that are based on display HD is a definite boon to certified to deliver an ifications, developed and agreed to by size and proximity of the screen to image quality, but high dynamic range optimal presentation of UHDA- all member companies, is significant, our eyes. We focus on the same core (HDR), wide color gamut, and other branded content on UHDA-branded but we also understand that member specifications used for Ultra HD recent advances in TV picture quality devices. The Alliance also established companies are free to decide how to Premium to make sure you can get an are even more compelling, nudging us specifications—including mandatory use the logo program. enhanced visual experience on the ever closer to images that mirror the distribution requirements related to We are working toward a more small screen. real world. Last summer the Alliance HDR, resolution, color bit depth, and expansive use of the Ultra HD Pre- recruited industry veteran Mike Fidler color palette—and in the past year mium logo program with our member S&V: What will the Alliance be doing in as its first full-time president. We expanded those specs to include companies and retailers to help clear the coming year to increase awareness recently caught up with Fidler, who has battery-operated devices. up confusion around new UHD-related of HDR and wide color gamut as served in key executive roles at Sony technology announcements and give features? and Pioneer, to get an update on the S&V: How about content—what role consumers confidence in choosing MF: We have put an enormous amount Alliance and its efforts to promote the does the Alliance play there? UHD products. We are also working of time and resources into building benefits of what it calls a “premium MF: From a content perspective, the hard to expand the program to include an exceptional website that educates audio/video experience.” Alliance has established both new categories of devices, including consumers on the benefits of the Ultra —Bob Ankosko mandatory and recommended specs. set-top boxes, streaming media, and HD Premium and Mobile HDR Premium Mandatory “content master require- desktop PCs and to expand our programs. ExperienceUHD.com is a S&V: Let’s start with a little background. ments” include HDR, image resolu- marketing efforts through a new great resource, and it will be updated How did the UHD Alliance (UHDA) tion, color bit depth, and color palette. consumer website (ExperienceUHD. throughout the year as we work to come into being, and what is its Mastering display recommendations com), brochures, and a soon-to-be- increase awareness among con- mission? include display reproduction, peak released set of educational videos. sumers, retailers, and the press. We MF: The organization was formed in brightness, and black level. provide comprehensive information 2015 with the primary mission of more S&V: Resolution tends to be the first about the technology and develop- faithfully delivering creative intent using S&V: How does UHD certification thing people think of when they hear ments in the UHD space as well as a next-gen A/V technologies, estab- work? “Ultra HD,” but the format represents so listing of all Ultra HD Premium–certified lishing a minimum benchmark to MF: The certification program for much more in terms of video quality. products, with direct links to member ensure a compelling user experience, hardware devices uses independent Can you talk about the significance of company websites, extensive FAQs, and establishing a logo program to testing labs around the world to verify the other technical elements that fall and guides to help consumers get full identify products that meet strict conformance with our performance under the UHD umbrella? enjoyment from UHD devices and certification criteria. The Alliance is specifications. The manufacturer MF: We couldn’t agree more and have content. committed to education that helps submits candidate products to the established key pillars of performance We have also produced a com- consumers better appreciate how Authorized Test Center, and if the to help consumers understand what panion brochure that explains the advanced picture quality contributes to device passes certification tests (as goes into a premium A/V experience. benefits of our Premium programs a “premium” audio/video experience defined by the Alliance), test results Beyond 4K resolution, we include high and helps consumers determine with across content, devices, and services. are submitted for final review by the dynamic range (HDR), wide color confidence which products will best Alliance’s management company spectrum, color bit depth, and meet their needs. In addition, we have S&V: What role does the Alliance play (VTM Group), which specializes in immersive audio. We focus our produced five videos designed to help in establishing performance require- compliance enforcement to ensure collateral material on explaining what consumers in a friendly, non-technical ments for TVs, Blu-ray players, and proper testing protocol was followed. these attributes mean in terms of way understand UHD technology and other entertainment devices? Once the certification process is performance and how Ultra HD make buying decisions. These will be MF: The UHD Alliance has specified successfully completed, the UHD Premium certification optimizes the available shortly. technical requirements for UHD Alliance executes the requisite experience. High frame rate is another content, distribution, and devices that licensing agreement, allowing the factor in the overall experience—one The full version of this interview must be met to deliver a high-quality brand to use the UHD Premium logo. that will play a key role in defining appears on soundandvision.com.

20 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com This Just In... By Mark Fleischmann Apple TV 4K now switches display settings to match native frame rate and dynamic range. It was enabled via update...

TiVo’s Vox Two-thirds of non- MSG GO DirecTV Now’s branding identifies voice subscribers are former streaming and VOD via free Just Right package delivers control in its Bolt DVR and subscribers... app is now included in the 85 percent of the “core chan- Mini client. “Show me Sony’s 2017 Android price of MSG Networks on nels” viewers want, says a movies with Scarlett TVs TV Advertising DirecTV. MSG previously study by TiVo’s Data Science Johansson.” See our review now have Google Assistant. is “likely to shrink mean- struck a similar deal with Team. By that reckoning, it is on page 64... The mic is built into the ingfully” in the next Verizon... the king of skinny bundles... remote control... decade, according to Samsung-Owned Barclays analyst Kannan Dish’s UHD College FX+, Harman Funai-Made Philips Venkateshwar, especially on Football already launched on Com- has joined WiSA, the TVs cable and local TV. Cable is part of a larger plan to cast, has now come to Cox. Wireless Speaker and Audio are the latest to add Roku networks, he says, are offer college basketball, It includes in-season FX Association. That suggests as a feature. Roku TVs and obsolete... Major League Baseball, series for $5.99/month... that WiSA-compliant players are being packaged and NASCAR in Ultra HD. wireless speakers from with a free month of DirecTV Millennials Spearhead Hopper 3 owners can find What Happened to Harman brands may be on Now with new subscrip- online viewing, with those it on channel 540... Spike? the way... tion... 18 to 25 watching over seven It’s been rebranded as the hours per week, accord- Facebook’s Watch Paramount Network. Viacom Toshiba Sold Its TV “Alexa, Talk to Best ing to a survey by Limelight is getting NFL game recaps would like to see it break into business to China’s Hisense. Buy” Networks. Those over and highlights from all general entertainment like The $113 million deal is the opening line of a 60 watch less than four regular season games. rivals TNT, FX, and AMC... includes production, R&D, conversation you can now hours... That will include the Super and a 40-year brand have with your Amazon Bowl... TV Panel Shipments license... Echo speaker. You can order Streamers Stream hit a new high in 2017, a specific item or choose more than ever, says Comcast Xfinity totaling 23 million units in AudioControl Added from a curated list of Limelight. They’re up to 5.75 Instant TV August, says WitsView. Dolby Vision recommendations... hours per week, a 34 percent has moved into nationwide Strong sales in China passthrough to its products. increase from a year ago... beta with an $18/month buoyed optimism... That includes the Concert Sonos One’s Spotify skinny bundle boasting local AVR-7 and AVR-9 receivers presentation has a new Amazon’s Video affiliates, VOD, cloud DVR, Harman and Hisense and Maestro M5 and M9 feature: Alexa voice control. Streaming and premium add-ons. In have jointly launched pre/pros... We review the One on page service, with bundled other Comcast news, the Hisense Laser TV, a DLP 58... broadcast and cable cable op now delivers Ultra laser projector. It includes a Denon and Marantz channels, is not to be. The HD to its X1 set-top boxes... 100-inch Screen Innovations AVRs Stolen Cable TV company couldn’t figure out screen, 2.1-channel sound have been updated with service is in 6.5 percent of how to make money at it... AT&T and TiVo system, and NTSC/ATSC DTS Virtual:X. This provides U.S. homes, according to have signed an agreement tuner for $9,999. Our review simulated surround effects Sandvine. Most do it with Streaming Disap- to extend the former’s use is pending... from encoded or legacy boxes or hardware designed points of the latter’s technology sources. See our review of to access pirated video sports fans, who complain through 2025, allowing TiVo the Denon AVR-X3400H on streams... of buffering problems, magic to grace DirecTV, page 36... delays, poor picture quality, U-verse telco TV, and Pay-TV Subs Dropped and loss of service, reports DirecTV Now streaming. below the 80 percent mark Phenix. They may become With Comcast, TiVo is still for the first time since the the last bastion of pay-TV negotiating—and litigating early 2000s, reports the and broadcasting... for patent infringement... Leichtman Research Group. soundandvision.com 21 THE VERDICT The Focal Listen delivers lots of detail and vitality, and the bass is to Hands die for. Focal Listen Headphones By Steve Guttenberg Focal Listen Headphones Performance news for Build Quality folks who Comfort Listen & Hear go through a lot of head- Value PRICE $249 AT A GLANCE phones. Auditions FOCAL IS BEST KNOWN AS Plus started in of headphones. I’d say the France’s leading speaker manu- Q Excellent isolation from earnest with Neil Momentum 2.0s’ was facturer, but in 2016 they turned a Young’s Hitchhiker slightly better, though the external noise corner and entered the fiercely album, which was Listens did a better job Q Lightweight yet rugged competitive high-end headphone recorded in 1976 but sat on the hushing the din on the design market with two extraordinary shelf until now. It’s prime stuff, NYC subway. Q Plentiful, but not overdone ’phones, the Elear, which I reviewed with Young alone playing acoustic The Listens had a for Sound & Vision (January 2017), bass guitar so the tunes feel like demos, special affinity for and the deliriously great Utopia with no production sweetening, just jazz—at least I (Sound & Vision, July/August 2017). Minus a 30-year-old Young at the peak of thought so as This time I wanted to try Focal’s Q Can sound too bright with his creative powers. Most of the I listened to a handful of most affordable full-size head- harsh or overcompressed songs are familiar because Young pianist Thelonious Monk’s albums. phones, the Listen, and I came away recordings recorded them again on later albums, Monk’s music was the first jazz that mightily impressed. They share no but here they feel very much more stirred me, and over the Listens, it’s parts with Focal’s original, affordable alive over the Listen. Who could ask the way Monk’s music moves—I’m Spirit headphone line—the Listen’s Listen’s hinged headband folds for for more? not talking about tempo, but the earcups, 40mm mylar/titanium compact storage to fit in the included Nicholas Britell’s stirring score for music’s forward momentum—that’s drivers, and headband are all new. soft carry pouch. Build quality feels the Moonlight film soundtrack stands irresistible. That, and Monk’s touch Weighing just 9.6 ounces, the especially rugged, which is good on its own, but it sounded a little is more percussive than most jazz Listen is one of the lightest sets of cramped and closed in over the pianists, and the Listens make all of over-the-ear headphones I’ve tested Listen compared with what I heard that abundantly clear. in a long while. The 4.6-foot-long, from the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Still, these are bright-sounding user-replaceable cable has a over-the-ear headphones ($350). headphones. With well-recorded single-button remote and a Neither set of headphones music, the treble push didn’t bother separate mic closer to was as spacious me, though I have a feeling the your face on the sounding as my Listens’ brightness may be a deal cable. The cable open-back HiFiMan breaker for some potential buyers. locks onto the HE400S ($299). With typical harsh or overcom- left earcup. Continuing with pressed music, that harshness is I like that Randy Newman’s hard to ignore. If you prefer laid-back the gorgeous Dark or mellow-sounding headphones, Matter album, the the Listen won’t be the best choice. Momentum 2.0s Bass is one of these ’phones’ supplied more strong points: The Listens go low gravitas to the without overdoing it or making bass sound of the sound monotone. There certainly lavishly arranged was a muscular quality to the bass on strings and the seriously deep organ passage Newman’s piano that opens the Philip Glass score for and vocal than what the film Koyaanisqatsi. I heard from the Focal just introduced a new Listen. high-end model, the $1,499 Clear that The two at least partially fills the gap between ’phones also felt the $999 Elear and $4,000 Utopia. very different on The Listens are a real contender for my head. The buyers searching for an affordable Listens’ larger headphone. earcups and amply padded cushions put less pressure SPECS directly on my ears, Type: Closed-back, over-the-ear but they hugged my • Driver: 40mm, mylar/titanium • noggin a little too much. Impedance: 32 ohms • Weight Comfort wasn’t great on either set (Ounces): 9.6

22 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com Focal • focal.com PERFECT FOCUS FCC’s Pai Makes Waves Signals No Federal Communications Commission chair in living memory has changed so much, so fast, as Republican Ajit Pai. Despite being a critic of activist ken c. pohlmann government, he has taken an activist role in reshaping the commission that oversees the nation’s telecom law, sweeping away regulatory regimens that took decades for commissioners of both parties to create, craft, and Why Is Tesla maintain. In recent news, he’s made his influence felt in net neutrality and TV broadcasting. Killing Why are you hearing so much about net neutrality? hybrids, and it’s worse in an all-electric Imagine getting a letter from your local electric utility AM Radio? car. The mitigation must be robust, saying you’re allowed to run a heater under your cur- and apparently Tesla has decided that rent plan, but if you want to run an air conditioner, You just bought a Tesla. clean AM reception is no longer worth you’ll have to upgrade to a higher tier of service. Or Congratulations! You, the effort. imagine how you’d feel about your local water utility my friend, are driving the As you know, an AM radio is designed if you got a healthy spray from the showerhead but wave of the future. While to respond to changes in amplitude in the bathtub faucet ran so slowly that it took an hour everyone else is burning dinosaur drop- the received carrier waveform; those to fill the tub. Oh, and your home theater system just pings, you are propelled ever onward changes convey the audio signal. How- informed you that it refuses to play Led Zeppelin— by the magical energy of the sun and the ever, the radio struggles to differentiate would you like some Justin Bieber instead? wind. Gaia, the primal Mother Earth between the audio signal and amplitude- That’s a metaphorical equivalent of the nightmare Goddess, loves you. varying noise. In contrast, in FM radio, scenario Pai’s FCC has just decreed by refusing to use On the other hand, and I feel bad tell- the carrier is frequency-modulated; the its longstanding Title II authority to regulate internet ing you this, you are also a murderer. radio can reject amplitude-varying noise. service providers as public utilities. The ironically One of my fondest childhood memories The Tesla Model X does not have an named Restoring Internet Freedom order eliminates is carefully adjusting my radio’s spindly AM receiver, and neither does the BMW rules against blocking internet-provided services, antenna and pulling in KMOX to listen i3. The older Tesla Model S does have throttling them with reduced bandwidth, or prioritiz- to St. Louis Cardinal baseball. Now you an AM radio. But here’s the thing: The ing services that have paid the ISP for access. want to kill that. Thanks a lot. future of vehicles is electric. As more and Pai is passing the buck from the FCC to the Federal Your car is sleek. It’s powered by more cars and trucks go electric, I sus- Trade Commission, which has a different but argu- renewable energy. It drives itself down pect that more companies will follow the ably not as effective regulatory toolbox. Unlike the the road. The government gave you lead of Tesla and BMW, and fewer vehi- FCC, it is not a telecom regulator—in fact, it is pro- money to help you buy it. It accelerates cles will have AM radios. Most AM lis- hibited from regulating “common carriers” such as like nobody’s business. It’s a Tesla, for tening is done while driving. Ergo, in phone companies, and a recent federal court decision a few decades, AM broadcasting may extended that prohibition to non-phone services such Radio interference is a disappear. “AM” stations will be AM as broadband. So Pai is pinning our hopes for an open in name only; they won’t modulate a internet on a toothless tiger. problem in hybrids and carrier, and instead just excite some For a harbinger of the future, look no further than electric cars. internet electrons. Portugal, where ISPs already offer rigorously tiered Maybe listening to AM via the inter- service. Many of the internet services you take for net is better than actual radio. But to granted carry additional charges, including e-mail, heaven’s sake. And it’s killing AM radio. me, it’s not. For starters, the static in an social networking, messaging, music, and video. Want That’s right—your falcon-wing Model X AM broadcast is as integral to the listen- to use Gmail, Facebook, and Spotify? That’s five euros does not have an AM radio. You can ing experience as the surface noise on a extra per month—each. Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching. only find AM stations streamed via the vinyl record. I’ll miss Cardinal baseball In the future, your internet service may look more TuneIn app. accompanied by the mysterious static like your cable TV service, with incessant rate hikes, From my back porch I can watch that informed me of nearby thunder- tiers offering limited options, and pricey premium SpaceX rockets blasting off, and occa- storms. European countries are already services. Twitter may become the new HBO. sionally landing, at distant Cape Canav- pulling the plug on AM broadcasting. ISPs claim they won’t use their newfound free- eral. SpaceX is a heck of a company, and Call it progress, call it collateral damage, dom—but they’re already doing it. Mobile broadband Elon Musk is a heck of a guy. The omis- call it whatever you want. For me, it’s providers already exempt favored video services from sion of an actual AM receiver is probably another stake in the heart of my child- data caps. The consumer is now like the proverbial not due to any personal malice toward hood memories. frog in a saucepan. Turn up the heat slowly, and she’s technology. Finally, let’s consider a tangentially not as quick to notice she’s being cooked. I surmise three reasons for Tesla related issue. Maybe you never listened In other FCC news, Pai’s Republican FCC majority omitting AM radios: First, an AM radio to a ballgame and don’t care that AM has moved to increase concentration of ownership in might seem old-fashioned in a car of the broadcast radio might be doomed. But TV broadcasting. Formerly, media cross-ownership future. Second, there are lots of other I bet you fondly remember listening to rules prevented a single company from owning TV listening options (like the internet). Dark Side of the Moon on FM radio. or radio stations and newspapers in the same metro Third, and most important, is noise. Then be advised that area. The immediate effect is to Try this sometime: Turn on an AM Norway, taking the lead green-light a $3.9 billion merger radio, then fire up your DeWalt power in Europe, is shutting between the Sinclair Broadcast drill. Whoa! down all of its FM Group and Tribune Media. Crit- Now, all cars generate electromagnetic broadcast stations. ics note that Sinclair is already interference, and precautions must be Just sayin’. notorious for forcing its stations taken to mitigate its effects on the radio. to air ideologically charged pro- Radio interference is a problem in some Continued on page 24

soundandvision.com 23 PERFECT FOCUS FCC’s Pai Makes Waves Continued from page 23 Apptitude paganda. Now it will become a broadcasting colos- sus reaching 70 percent of U.S. TV households. State attorneys general from Illinois, Maryland, michael antonoff Massachusetts, and Rhode Island are asking the FCC to ax the deal, decrying “increased consolida- tion that will decrease consumer choices and voic- 8 Startups es in the marketplace.” Thirteen Democratic sena- tors have urged the FCC’s inspector general to in- to Soar number-one entertainment app vestigate ties between Pai and Sinclair, noting that at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. they met shortly before the cross-ownership rules Venture capital is were gutted. This, they say, “suggests a disturbing flowing into an array Corn Pops On Demand pattern of a three-way quid pro quo involving Sin- of startup services poised Why go to the trouble of getting up to clair, the Trump administration, and Pai.” to exploit the emerging use the microwave when you can simply The FCC has also followed through on Pai’s trends of 2018. We know because we touch the Popcorn-on-Demand icon vow to kill the “main studio rule,” which requires happened to retrieve a document entitled on your phone? You’ll have lukewarm TV stations to maintain newscasting studios in “Where to Put Your Money Now” that buttered popcorn delivered gluten-free to communities where they are licensed to operate. had fallen out of the pocket of a tuxedo- your door within 30 minutes—or it’s free! This will save broadcasters (including Sinclair) clad capitalist as he stepped into a black a bundle. Pai’s FCC says the 77-year-old rule limo and sped off. Multi-Screen Adviser “has outlived its usefulness in an era of mobile His loss is your gain. The list of com- With 71 percent of viewers using the news gathering and multiple content delivery panies, any of which could become the internet while watching TV, this nightly platforms.” But cutting newsgathering infra- next Amazon, follows. advisory service provides perfect pair- structure may undercut local reporting in times ings for multitasking during prime time. of emergency when boots on the ground make a A/V Equipment of the Month Examples: Superior Donuts, dunkin- real difference. Club donuts.com; Grey’s Anatomy, webmd. In less discouraging news, Pai’s FCC has Fruit of the Month Club, move over. com; This Is Us, adoptionnetwork.com; approved ATSC 3.0, the next-generation broad- The new A/V Equipment of the Month and Wisdom of the Crowd, facebook.com. cast TV standard. It joins, but does not replace, Club will send subscribers handpicked Synergy, baby! the existing ATSC 1.0, which initiated the transi- components direct to their man caves. tion from analog to digital broadcasting and the Just make sure to save the box in case you America’s Funniest Surveillance dawn of the HDTV era. Among the attractions want to return something. What do you Videos of ATSC 3.0 are Ultra HD resolution, object- mean you already have a DVD player? With security-minded consumers oriented surround, mobile broadcasting, installing Wi-Fi-connected hidden advanced emergency alerts, and cloud DVR Open Box of the Month Club cameras in their homes and workplaces, recording from live broadcasts. Implementation Each month you’ll receive a box of stuff there are abundant opportunities for will be voluntary; so will backward-compatibility selected from the returns pouring in embarrassment to go viral. This service with existing ATSC 1.0. And it will require some from the A/V Equipment of the Month aggregates the best gotcha moments. fancy footwork among TV stations including Club—but at an amazing 50 percent Think of it this way: If there’s nothing on updating and sharing of broadcast facilities. discount! The only caveat is that you agree TV, you can always watch the office. (No, Some are uneasy about Pai’s approach to ATSC not The Office.) And if you’re bored at 3.0. The National Cable & Telecommunications work, you can always watch a nanny Association, headed by former Republican FCC Opt-In America will pay changing a diaper. (No, not your nanny. chair Michael Powell, has called for mandating Some random nanny who doesn’t know backward-compatibility with ATSC 1.0 so viewers you to let them watch you. what she’s doing.) won’t suddenly find themselves cut off from antenna-delivered HDTV. Democratic commis- Field of Asterisks sioner Jessica Rosenworcel echoed the concern in advance to not return anything. (That’s Why depend on a friend or family about backward-compatibility, noting that Pai’s why things are sent from an undisclosed member for their passwords to stream plan offers no subsidy to consumers for new location.) Hulu, CBS All Access, or another service equipment to convert ATSC 3.0 to 1.0 for sets when millions of other people aren’t using with existing HD tuners. Opt-In America their accounts at the moment? Field of Some critics also see ATSC 3.0 as a boon to Sin- This service will pay you to let them Asterisks is a new kind of vacation clair, a big ATSC 3.0 booster. They include cable watch you and your family watch TV. time-share exchange. Just register one operators, who are wary of it becoming an issue Sure, it means keeping the camera on account that you actually pay for and list in always-charged retransmission negotiations. your TV powered on 24/7, but just the times during the week you don’t However, the Consumer Technology Association’s imagine the cash that will be coming expect to be online. That way someone Gary Shapiro asserts that the technology “delivers your way as all America discovers what else can tap in. Did you know, for overwhelming consumer benefit and does not stimulates your endorphins. instance, that Netflix will have 50 percent hurt any existing products,” asserting that “this more original programming in 2018 than should not be embroiled in politics and media Virtual Date Night it did last year? There’s never been a better ownership issues.” Now you can share a movie with a blind time to say yes to the share! Finally, Pai has apparently decided that the date anywhere in the world. You’ll be internet is something low-income people can live synced to the same program. You’ll both For what it’s worth (and it’s not much), without. The FCC has voted to gut the Lifeline be able to see each other and converse. all these startups have been capitalized by program, which enables people below 135 percent And you’ll be together for as long as you the renowned investor and inventor, Loof of the federal poverty line to use a $9.25 subsidy like. What (virtual) fun! Chosen the Lirpa. to buy internet or phone service.—MF

24 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com PERFECT FOCUS Oppo Adopts Q&A MQA MQA, or Master Quality Authenticated, has been adopted al griffin for use in the Oppo UDP-205 UHD Blu-ray player via firmware home’s network is humming update. That would enable the State of along properly. A key one is to player to perform MQA’s “audio upgrade to an 802.11ac wireless router. The origami,” which allows hi-res Streaming 802.11ac specification boosts data throughput audio to travel in CD-quality speeds significantly over the previous Wi-Fi version, downloads or streams, and is said The idea of physical media going 802.11n. Since it also transmits data on the to bring the listener as close as away bothers me because video 5-gigahertz band, it provides a less congested possible to the original master. streaming quality still seems so connectivity option than the 2.4-GHz band, which This is the first time MQA has spotty. Even my wife—I’ll call her is used by older Wi-Fi gear and devices including been incorporated into a Blu-ray a home theater appreciator, if not an enthusiast— household appliances, baby monitors, and garage player. Note that the UDP-205 noticed how bad the last season of Game of door openers. The reach of an 802.11ac wireless ($1,299) is Oppo’s step-up player Thrones looked when we streamed it on HBO Now. connection is typically more limited than 802.11n, with high-end ES9038PRO To be fair, that’s not the case with all streaming however, so if you have a large home, you may want digital-to-analog conversion, services. For example, Stranger Things looked to consider using a mesh system. Such systems use which might make the use great on Netflix in 4K. With both examples, satellite units that connect wirelessly with the main of MQA worthwhile. Oppo’s however, you will most certainly get the definitive router to extend Wi-Fi signals. Some, like Netgear’s entry-level model, the UDP- experience by watching the show on disc. Here’s Orbi, also use a second, dedicated 5-GHz channel 203 ($549), does not include my question: Which of the video streaming that allows for signals to be broadcast to the satellite MQA.—MF services currently offers the best possible A/V unit without compromising speed. quality? Are there any advances on the horizon? As for streaming’s future, an alliance of tech and Jason Acosta / via e-mail media companies including Google, Microsoft, Cisco, Intel, Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu are cur- It’s true that not all streaming services deliver the rently working on a next-generation video com- same quality. Netflix and Amazon Video offer a pression codec called AOMedia Video (AV1) to fair amount of programming in Ultra HD (3840 replace the HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) x 2160p) resolution. And some programs on both codec used for 4K streaming. While it’s unclear if services are available in the Dolby Vision and the new codec will provide A/V quality benefits, we HDR10 high dynamic range (HDR) formats, which do know that it’s open-source (allowing companies can have a greater visual impact than the resolution to avoid paying royalties as they must with HEVC) Samsung boost that Ultra HD provides over regular HD. and will reportedly provide up to 20 percent higher Hulu also offers some shows in Ultra HD (but not compression efficiency than current codecs. Helps Color- HDR), though you’ll need to use a PlayStation 4 Pro Blind or Xbox One S console to stream them. I’m considering buying either an 82-inch Samsung Most à la carte streaming channels such as HBO LCD or a 65-inch LG OLED and am wrestling with Samsung has developed an app Now and Showtime, in contrast, max out at HD the issue of TV picture quality versus size. Having for its QLED TVs aimed at happily owned a 50-inch plasma TV for the past 11 helping people with color vision years, I’m wondering how the new LCDs stack up deficiency (CVD) better under- Which streaming services against plasma models when it comes to picture stand their condition. The See- quality? Colors app conducts a Colorlite offer the best A/V quality? Gregorio Lopez / via e-mail Test, or C-Test, using a smart- phone app. Having diagnosed Since plasma TV production ended in the the deficiency’s type and level, resolution. As an HBO Now subscriber, I can con- high-definition era, a key difference between old the app then connects to the TV firm that its video quality is spotty. Netflix, on the plasmas and new LCDs is that LCD TVs now offer and adjusts it to help the viewer other hand, provides consistently excellent quality, both Ultra HD resolution and an ability to display experience something closer to especially on its Ultra HD offerings, which require HDR content. Both of those factors could bring a accurate color. About 8 percent a $12/month, four-screen plan to access. I’ve also quality boost over your old plasma TV, especially of men and 1 percent of women come to depend on Vudu as a source for video when viewing on an 82-inch screen. Plasma, on the have CVD, totaling 300 million rentals, both for its consistent streaming perfor- other hand, offered the advantage of an extremely people worldwide. The app is mance and for its selection of Ultra HD movies, wide viewing angle—a feature you don’t get with available from Sansung’s Smart including titles with Dolby Vision HDR. many current LCD models that OLED does TV App store, Google Play, and While examples like Netflix and Vudu show that provide. the Galaxy App Store for Galaxy streaming is headed in the right direction, I’d agree Since you’re a plasma fan, I expect you’ll find smartphones.—MF that physical formats such as Blu-ray Disc remain OLED TVs more to your liking since that tech- a definitive source. That’s because Blu-ray, with nology delivers the same rich, deep blacks and its maximum 40 Mbps video data transfer rate, subtle highlight rendition plasma was known for. provides a consistent quality level, and it isn’t LCD TVs, in contrast, offer a better bang for your affected by factors such as your internet service buck than OLED models when you make price provider (ISP) and the performance of your home’s comparisons based on screen size. For example, Wi-Fi network. LG’s 65-inch E7 series OLED UHDTV costs around While you can’t control what’s happening with $3,500—the same price you’ll pay for an 82-inch your ISP, you can take steps to ensure that your Samsung LCD UHDTV.

soundandvision.com 25 PERFECT FOCUS Google Dumps TV The Connected Life Service If you’re living in one of the few john sciacca communities getting Google Fiber, and you’re subscribing to TV as well as internet, count yourself lucky. Google is killing The Big the traditional TV component of the service to concentrate on the internet component, which Screen of course is perfectly capable of delivering video streaming. Debate Existing TV customers get to keep their service for the fore- There are lots of cool aspects to to enjoy, then a projector will be your best—and seeable future—but at a price. my job as a custom installer, but possibly only—means of doing that. Google Fiber TV subscribers in my favorite is installing home Concealment. Even though it offers larger Charlotte are getting hit with a theater systems. And when screen options, it can be easier to conceal a $20/month increase, and new designing a surround system with a customer, projection system than a traditional display. A customers in that area will pay one of the first discussions is whether they motorized screen can completely disappear when an extra $30. But sign up in the should go with a direct-view, flat-panel display not in use, rolling up into a housing that hides away new markets of Louisville or with a two-piece projection system. Some- in the attic or behind molding. And the projector and San Antonio, times this choice is obvious; either due to room can be completely concealed inside cabinetry or and you won’t even size, budget, aesthetic demands, or some con- behind a soffit with just a porthole for the lens to have the option of struction issue that dictates one over another. fire through. Another hot trend is ultra-short TV service. Google Other times it’s grayer. throw projectors that can be housed out of sight in no doubt has its eye Below are some reasons why one or the other furniture at the front of the room, while producing on the future. By might be right for you. 100-inch images! 2020, according to Ericsson Consumer- The Pros of Projection Deciding on Direct View Lab, on-demand No Size Limits. With a projection system, you Budget. You can pick up a direct-view 80-inch viewing will catch up can project an image as large as your front UHDTV for under $2,500 and a 70-incher for with linear viewing, wall—or viewing distance—supports. Also, under $1,500. That is a lot of screen for not a and half of it will be unlike a traditional display, the price difference lot of green. Comparably, a decent projector done on a mobile screen.—MF between a 100-, 110-, or 120-inch screen is and screen will set you back a fair bit more. often only a few hundred dollars. Also, a projector is generally more difficult (i.e., Multiple Aspect Ratios. While 16:9 aspect costly) to wire and install. When budget is ratio, direct-view displays are great for watching tight, a flat panel is often the right choice. Logitech Kills broadcast sports and sitcoms, many movies are Brightness. Projectors rely on dark rooms to filmed in wider 2.35 or 2.40 aspect ratio. This produce the best image quality, and if you don’t Harmony means movies will have the “dreaded black bars” have absolute light control in your room, or like to and appear significantly smaller. Projection systems watch with lights on, then a direct-view display is Link likely the right choice. Sure, there are ambient light Logitech’s Harmony Link, the rejecting screens like Screen Innovations’ Black hub that runs systems and Should I go with a direct-view Diamond, but these are pricey and still don’t deliver devices from smartphones, will flat-panel display or a two- the same picture quality as viewing in a dark room. be permanently disabled via piece projection system? HDR. Read any of Tom Norton’s projector software update on March 16, reviews, and you’ll see that projectors can’t get 2018. The company is killing anywhere near the 1,000 nits required to deliver the it ostensibly because the cloud can support multiple aspect ratios, either with full HDR experience, with most topping out at service that powers it will be screen masking that blocks off unused portions of around 150 nits. This makes HDR on a projection going offline as its security cer- the screen, lens memories that zoom and focus the system a far trickier proposition. While projectors tification expires. Another (and image for different sizes, or anamorphic lenses. can pull off HDR—with the laser-based models more likely) reason cited was Stewart Filmscreen unveiled its new Gemini looking pretty spectacular—direct-view sets will “small user base.” Products system at this past CEDIA, a screen system that likely always be superior in this regard. within warranty (originally one incorporates two separate screens—one 16:9 and Smart Features. Even the best projector is year, later reduced to three one 2.35:1—in one housing! [Ed. Note: Elite’s pretty “dumb” by any modern TV standard. No months) will be exchanged for Osprey offers similar flexibility, review at sound- apps, no streaming, no Alexa—heck, not even any an upgraded Harmony Hub at andvision.com.] speakers! A projector may be the prima donna of no cost. If your product is out 3D. Whether you loved it or hated it, 3D the system, but it relies on a whole supporting cast of warranty, you get a one-time in direct-view displays has pretty much been of gear to work. If the goal is simplicity in design, discount of 35 percent off the abandoned by every major display manufacturer. with few or no other components, then it’s flat $100 replacement cost.—MF However, many projector manufacturers have panel all the way. continued incorporating 3D into new models, Whichever display technology works for you, including the new sub-$5,000 true 4K Sony make sure you pair it with an equally impressive VPL-VW285ES (Sound & Vision, February/March audio system for the full movie experience! 2018). If you have a collection of 3D films you want

26 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com PERFECT FOCUS Reference Tracks mike mettler Nancy Wilson Gets to the Powerful Heart of Roadcase Royale’s First Things First sister Ann in Heart for so many years, you probably have some Nancy Wilson intuitive sense about how to do doesn’t like being harmonies. Did you have to change idle. The noted anything mentally when you and Northwest-bred Liv started singing together? How guitarist/vocalist was up for did you two work that out? tackling new challenges while NW: Well, harmony singing is one Heart, the band she and her sis- of my all-time favorite things to do. ter Ann Wilson made famous, And singing with Ann Wilson— decided to take an extended first, it’s a sisterly blend. It’s also break—and she found exactly second nature as to how the what she was looking for with phrasing is going to go, what her new six-piece collective, intervals are going to sound better, Roadcase Royale. and what the rhythm movement “As a band, we’re very demo- should be. cratic—everybody writes, It’s a really interesting thing for everybody contributes, everybody me to sing harmony with Liv, votes,” says Wilson about the because she has a whole other way collective energy behind RR’s of phrasing. A lot of times, she’ll propulsive debut album, First just throw the last syllable out, Things First. The proof is deep in to where she almost doesn’t even the groove, from the pure head sing the last syllable. I really like rush of lead single “Get Loud” to following her stylings, and the way the crackling push-pull addiction she forms her sentences. Following lament of “The Dragon”—not to her form is a really fun thing to do. mention of-the-moment updates of a pair of Heart classics: the along so well in this band. It’s drummer, Ryan and I are the stereo MM: Does that just kick in naturally slide-guitar turnaround of “These a really incredible link-up and guitar players. We also played live, even if you’re subconsciously Dreams” and a funkified reading match, so I have to believe it was almost everything live at the same conditioned to sing it another way? of “Even It Up.” by divine intervention.” time in the studio. NW: That’s exactly right! Liv does a Wilson’s chief RR foil is power- I got on the line with Wilson, 63, When I was playing acoustic lot of really interesting things with house vocalist Liv Warfield, the to discuss how the band’s two guitar, obviously, I would be in a her phrasing that I can anticipate, one-time singer with Prince’s guitarists mastered the album’s different room. Ben, Dan, and now that I’m singing with her more New Power Generation who also stereo soundfield and how she Chris [Joyner, RR keyboardist] often. Our harmonic singing has appeared on the late Purple One’s figured out the right harmony were all in the same room. If I was been a really cool way of learning 2009 release, Lotusflow3r. “I like blends with her new vocal partner. playing electric, then I was in the her map, vocally. bringing elements of soul into the While you’re still alive, you’ve gotta same room with them—and that’s rock part of what I’m singing, plus kick it out… when we’d really play off each An extended version of the making sure there’s a certain level other. Mettler-Wilson Q&A, including a of angst in there too,” explains MM: Looking at the way the two discussion of why she feels the Warfield. “I also love rock guitar Roadcase Royale guitarists come MM: I can really hear that vibe Roadcase Royale take on “These and those big power chords, so I’m across visually, you’re at stage during the second half of Dreams” is the best version of that really glad how Nancy and I get right—or left, for audience “Insaniac,” where you’ve got that chart-topping song, appears in the members—and Ryan major power riffage going on and S&V Interview blog on soundand- [Waters] is on the opposite the whole band just totally goes for vision.com. side. Did you guys map out it there together. the stereo field on the record NW: (chuckles) Yeah! A couple of CD to match that? Did you say, “I times when Ryan has played that LABEL: Loud & Proud need to be over here, and you one live, I thought his guitar was AUDIO FORMATS: 44.1-kHz/16-bit need to be over there”? going to explode. He’s a monster of PCM Stereo (CD & download) NW: NUMBER OF TRACKS: 10 We naturally fell together a player. He doesn’t overplay. He LENGTH: 40:29 that way, so we similarly knows when to be subtle, but then PRODUCERS: Dan Rothchild, mixed the album that way, he really pulls out the stops for Roadcase Royale just so the soundstage would when it means something. I have ENGINEERS: JJ Blair, Dan Rothchild, Gabe Lowry match the live setting. And endless admiration in working because Dan [Rothchild], the with Ryan right now. PERFORMANCE bass player, needs to stand

Photos by Jeremy Danger Jeremy by Photos closer to Ben [Smith], the MM: Since you’ve sung with your SOUND

soundandvision.com 27 Triton Redefi

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R … Yes, it does deliver the sort of performance previously no-object speakers.” – Dennis Burger, Home Theater Review THIS MONTH’S HOT NewGear STUFF...

G Philips 50PFL4662/F7 50-Inch Roku TV Roku has been busy adding streaming smarts to televisions from a number of brands, including this 50-inch set from Philips, the top model in the 4000 series of 1080p LCD TVs. Hit the power, and you’re greeted by the Roku home screen, which serves as a gateway to, oh, a half-million or so movies and TV shows across 5,000 streaming channels, including the biggies Netflix, Amazon Video, Hulu, etc. Search Master: A key feature of Roku’s new OS 8 operating system is Smart- Guide, which conveniently lists cable and over-the-air (OTA) broadcast channels alongside streaming channels. For local OTA channels (antenna required), the guide goes back seven days and ahead 14 days; it even indicates if a movie or show is available on demand from one or more streaming services. Nice. Price: $429 Philips • (866) 309-5962 • usa.philips.com

G ATC Loudspeakers HTS Series On-Wall Speakers U.K.-based ATC has applied its 40-plus years of experience in pro sound design to its Home Theatre Series of on-wall speakers, featuring proprietary drivers and custom crossovers mounted in shallow cabinets with recessed input terminals, “hidden” keyhole mounting plates, and foam pads—one per corner—that prevent vibration and protect the walls. Three’s a Charm: The series comprises three models: the 15-inch (tall or wide) HTS7 two-way ($899), the 19-inch HTS11 two-way ($1,249), and the 29-inch HTS40 three-way ($3,499)—all featuring ATC’s new dual-suspension tweeters and available with mounting keyholes oriented vertically or horizon- tally. Traits ascribed to the speakers—which “sound very similar regardless of size”—include high dynamic range, natural voicing, low distortion, and wide dispersion. Available in a white or black satin finish with matching grilles. ATC Loudspeakers (distributed by Lone Mountain Audio) • (702) 307-2727 • atcloudspeakers.co.uk

28 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com J Puro Sound Labs JuniorJams Wireless Headphones Everyone knows that listening to loud music over headphones can cause permanent hearing loss, right? But what about kids? Ask Dave Russell. He founded Puro Sound Labs with the mission of “fighting the growing epidemic of noise- induced hearing loss” after learning that his young daughter had damaged her hearing wearing headphones. Determined to help prevent this from happening to other children, Russell developed a line of volume-limited “kid-safe” headphones. The new JuniorJams transmit sound wirelessly over Bluetooth 4.2 (with aptX coding!) and boast 1.5-inch custom drivers, an aluminum frame that folds flat for easy storage (case provided), and a rated battery life of 22 hours (200 standby). Turn It Down: Patent-pending technology limits volume to 85 decibels, even if the headphones are operating in wired mode with the supplied cable. Available in blue, green, purple, or pink. Price: $80 Puro Sound Labs • (888) 590-7876 • purosound.com

J Pioneer SX-10AE Stereo Receiver It’s back to basics with Pioneer’s refreshingly simple SX-10AE, featuring a discrete stereo amplifier rated to deliver 45 watts per channel into 8 ohms (with 0.1 per- cent total harmonic distortion), bass and treble controls, an A/B speaker selector, remote control, and something that tends to be overlooked in today’s digital world: an AM/FM tuner with 40 quick-access presets and station naming. Retro with a Twist: As retro as it may seem, the receiver supports wireless streaming via Bluetooth-enabled devices while skipping a feature many old-schoolers will miss: a phono input. Otherwise, connections are limited to four analog inputs, a line output, a sub pre-out for connection to a powered subwoofer, and a front-panel headphone jack. Price: $249 Pioneer • (844) 679-5350 • pioneerelectronics.com

D Emotiva Airmotiv E2 Bipole/ Dipole Surround Speaker If you’ve ever wished you could experiment with different types of surround speakers without having to physically move different speakers in and out of position, your prayers have been answered—and very cleverly, we might add—by the audio gurus at Emotiva. Flip the Switch: You can configure the Airmotiv E2 surround speaker as a forward- or rear-oriented dipole or a direct-radiating bipole. All you have to do is flip one (or both) of the small switches on its rear panel. Each switch inverts the phase of one of the speaker’s 1.25-inch folded ribbon tweeters relative to the 5.25-inch woofer. The E2 is finished in satin black lacquer with an easy-to-remove magnetic grille and includes a heavy-duty steel bracket for wall mounting. Price: $459/pair Emotiva • (877) 366-8324 • emotiva.com

soundandvision.com 29 THIS MONTH’S HOT NewGear STUFF...

J Klipsch Reference Premiere Designer On-Wall Speaker Series Klipsch has the perfect solution for enthusiasts who want big sound but don’t have room for freestanding speakers. The latest iteration of its flagship Reference Premiere series trades bulky enclosures for slim, wall-mountable cabinets with wraparound magnetic grilles. Same Only Different: The series comprises four models that use different combina- tions of the same 3.5-inch Cerametallic woofers and Tractrix horn-loaded 1-inch titanium tweeters used in their freestanding counterparts. Three are column-style speakers that can be used for left-, center-, right-, or surround-channel duties: the 12-inch RP-140D ($199), 16-inch RP-240D ($299), and 28.5-inch RP-640D ($499). Rounding out the line is the RP-440D SB soundbar ($699), a three-channel passive system. All are finished in matte black and have dual keyholes for wall mounting; a detachable glass base is also included for placement on a table or bookshelf. Klipsch • (888) 250-8561 • klipsch.com

D Damson S-Series Wireless Dolby Atmos Home Cinema System If you love the idea of watching movies with state-of-the-art, “object-based” surround sound that puts you in the middle of the action but cringe at the thought of assembling the gear needed to make that happen, Damson’s S-Series system might be your ticket to paradise. The super compact setup provides a simple path to Dolby Atmos using a 9.5-inch-wide S-Bar with a detachable up-firing S-Atmos speaker, a décor-friendly subwoofer that’s only 3 inches thick, and two tiny S-Cube surrounds that double as multiroom speakers. Hassle-Free: You don’t have to mess with cables thanks to Damson’s JetStreamNet wireless network, and the S-Cubes are battery powered for true wire- less functionality with a range of 150 feet. The system packs 130 watts of power and supports several Dolby surround formats with passthrough for Dolby Vision and HDR10 high dynamic range content. Price: $800 Damson • damsonglobal.com

30 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com D SVS Sound 4000 Series Subwoofers The subwoofer mavens at SVS have put the principles of trickle-down technology into play with the new 4000 Series, which borrows technology from the flagship 16-Ultra Series and packages it in smaller enclosures that sell for less. The result? Higher output and deeper bass extension than the 13-Ultra Series models they replace. Pick a Sub: Three models are offered, each featuring a proprietary 13.5-inch driver: the SB-4000, a sealed cube rated down to 19 hertz ($1,500 in black ash, $1,600 in gloss black); the PB-4000, a larger ported cube that rumbles down to 13 Hz ($1,900, $2,000); and the PC-4000, a 47-inch-tall cylindrical design rated down to 15 Hz ($1,800, stay tuned for our upcoming review). The SB and PB models include a steel mesh grille. Bonus: The DSP amplifier in each model can be adjusted via the supplied remote or iOS/Android app. SVS Sound • (877) 626-5623 • svsound.com

J Shinola Canfield On-Ear Headphones The Canfield On-Ear headphones are beautifully handcrafted by a Detroit-based industrial design and manufacturing company named after the long defunct Shinola shoe-polish company that flourished in the early part of the 20th century. The modern-day Shinola prides itself on designing and building products in the Motor City, among them stylish, precision watches, leather products, bicycles, and a handful of audio products. Precision-Built: Two years in the making, the headphones are crafted with “the same high-quality materials, finishes, and processes” the company uses to make its watches, including stainless-steel components. The Canfields feature custom 1.6-inch dynamic drivers, interchangeable lambskin-encased memory-foam earpads, a cushioned top-grain leather headband, and an in-line microphone. Nominal impedance is rated at 32 ohms. Three finish options are available: silver earcups with black or brown ear cushions for $495 or all black for $550. Shinola • (844) 744-6652 • shinola.com

D +Audio The+Record Player The Boston-based design team behind +Audio has brought street cred to the lowly record player by combining a custom- built Pro-Ject turntable with a 100-watt biamplified speaker system featuring a pair of high-excursion 3.5-inch woofers and two 1-inch soft-dome tweeters in a compact cabinet. Well Appointed: The +Record Player has a wide listening mode to “make you feel like you’re listening to separate speakers” and supports Bluetooth streaming. It also offers a full complement of connections, including an optical digital input, USB port, analog line input/ output, headphone output, and 5-volt output to accommodate streaming devices such as Amazon’s Echo Dot or Google’s Chromecast Audio. The standard model, featuring an aluminum tonearm and Ortofon OM10 phono cartridge, costs $999, or you can upgrade to the limited- edition Carbon ($1,199), which is fitted with a carbon-fiber tonearm and Ortofon 2M Red phono cartridge. +Audio USA • (877) 331-5380 • plusaudio.com

soundandvision.com 31 IF NOT FOR Charles... For decades, the cartoons of Charles Rodrigues poked fun at us and the hobby we otherwise take all too seriously.

In the very first issue ofHiFi & Music cartoons took place at home, where there was Review in 1958, the magazine that became Stereo inevitably depicted a recalcitrant wife railing Review and then Sound & Vision, a gifted 31-year- against the huge rack of gear and giant speakers old artist named Charles Rodrigues contributed the in her living room, or the prices her husband was first in a string of cartoons that both celebrated, and willing to pay to acquire them. Rodrigues loved made fun of, that odd bird known as the audiophile. It ended poking fun at format wars (he lived through several) up being a long run that lasted more than 40 years. Rodrigues’s and saw audiophiles as a thoroughly obsessed lot that humorous insight into the audiophile’s mind and his world (the would go to no end to extract better sound from their hobby remains, to this day, predominantly male), proved the gear. He had a keen ear for audiophile lingo and enough knowl- perfect counterpoint to the dry, technical business of reviewing edge of specifications and features to cast many an insider tech joke. components, and what Rodrigues saw as the ever-rising prices Indeed, all of Rodrigues’s cartoons for this magazine were insider of gear and increasingly bizarre claims made by manufacturers jokes to our quite specific audience. As far as I know, none of the as the years went on. competing publications through the years regularly featured His themes covered wide ground. Audio salesmen were a frequent cartoons or had anyone quite like Charles Rodrigues. target, a breed whom he painted as a low life form, willing to make Rodrigues was of Portugese-American descent, born in 1926, and any claim at any time in the name of a sale. Many of his funniest was himself a family man, living in the suburbs outside of Cape Cod, Massachusetts with his wife Lorraine till his passing •Charles Rodrigues’s first cartoon in the inaugural issue of HiFi & Music Review, February 1958. in 2004. They raised two daughters. He was a World War II vet and went to art school on the G.I. Bill. According to former Stereo Review Editor-in-Chief William Livingston, who wrote the Foreward for a 1988 collection of Rodrigues’s work titled Total Harmonic Distortion, Rodrigues was a nocturne who slept during the day and worked all night for much of his life, listening to classical music on FM as the hours ticked by. Classical composers did turn up frequently in his work, as did his disdain for the dissonance of the modernists. Elliott Carter was attacked so often during Livingston’s 22-year tenure, he wrote, that he had to warn the artist that his running gags were starting to look like a vendetta. Rodrigues, Livingston said, traced his ability to get inside the audiophile head to his days playing with crystal radios as a kid and an interest in shortwave radio, but he apparently remained just outside the lines of the hardcore audio hobby, operating with an observational dispassion that undoubtedly served him—and us—very, very That’s not so hot! I paid only $7.95 for a 1000 watt iron. well.—Rob Sabin

32 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com “Mary, you’re a good wife. It isn’t every woman who’d wear that acoustic smock to help soften this hard listening room.” soundandvision.com 33 IF NOT FOR CHARLES...

“...No, that’s not tape hiss, that’s Emma—she hates Bartók.”

“...Oh, no, sir—the sound from this speaker here, the Extel MK8, is salubrious, exquisite, stunning, glorious, and dazzling. The sound from that speaker there, the Airex 3, is superlative, smashing, magnificent, superb, and impeccable.”

“You think he sounded better than his compact disc? Well, no, I wouldn’t go that far....”

“...Joe, I don’t think it’s multipath at all. I think it’s you!”

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TEST REPORT When Seven Is Enough By Daniel Kumin

“smart-loudness-contour” implemen- tations out there. Denon AVR-X3400H A/V The setup routine mostly proceeded smoothly. But in a couple Receiver competitors today). And not just of instances, the wait for the receiver’s plain-vanilla Audyssey but MultEQ software to respond to a Next or Back PRICE $999 XT32, which collects microphone command via onscreen buttons was AT A GLANCE data from eight listening locations extremely long: minutes (or very and incorporates higher-performance nearly), rather than seconds. I can’t DENON’S NEW AVR-X3400H A/V Plus filters than lower-ranked Audyssey say whether this was a processing receiver scored points with me even versions. This ran as expected delay, a software glitch, or a frozen Q before I got it out of its box: The Solid two-channel and but provided no option to escape response to an unexpected input. four-piece packaging foam (top/ multichannel power with fewer than the full eight mic (One instance occurred when my Q bottom front and back) allows for 3.1.2-channel Dolby placements. Nor did it offer visual or sub’s level was too high, requiring easy removal of a heavy-ish item Atmos/DTS:X virtual tabular data as to equalizations or attenuation at the sub, which the without battling box flaps, splintering height effects corrections. (Audyssey’s iOS/Android onscreen meter showed and which I full end-cap pieces, or leaving a trail Q Excellent Audyssey MultEQ MultEQ app, however, adds both of performed. The onscreen display of Styrofoam crumbs behind. (Yes, XT32 room correction these and much more. It's a $20 add moved in real time, but neither the I’m packing-material obsessive.) But Q HEOS wireless multiroom with this model but still highly Next nor the Back button would let me not prejudge. recommended.) respond for such a long interval that I Once out of the box, the The receiver’s Audyssey setup thought the unit had locked up. It AVR-X3400H appeared as a familiar Minus does offer the familiar Reference and hadn’t. So, a couple of points example of the receiver genus: black Q Wired multiroom limited to Flat equalization options. There’s deducted.) chassis, lots of jacks, two knobs, and one zone also Audyssey Dynamic EQ, which However, the setup results were a few buttons. (Denon has—sensibly, interactively modifies the shaping entirely positive, as I generally expect in my view—abandoned most and balancing for the lower-than- for higher-version Audyssey. As front-panel controls other than source reference levels that nearly all of us usual, the most obvious impact of select and volume. So don’t lose that And the AVR-X3400H accumulated employ nearly all of the time. (Many the Reference setting, which shapes remote control!) At $999, this seven- more points when I hooked it up. audiophiles probably defeat this in all speakers to a target curve, was channel receiver slots in just above Although its speaker outputs are only their setup options. My advice: Don’t a relatively modest focusing of the middle of Denon’s 11-model medium-duty and plastic-knobbed, until you’ve tried it.) Then there’s midrange textures, a similarly slight lineup, which means it features most they are all U.S. standard, half-inch- Dynamic Volume, one of the best tightening of all but the last octave or of the good stuff at a price that’s about spaced pairs of multi-way binding a quarter of Denon's new $3,999 posts. This means that the dual- flagship, the AVR-X8500H. banana connectors terminating my What good stuff? To wit: Dolby surrounds and a pair of front Atmos Atmos and DTS:X object-oriented speakers plugged right in with- surround (along with the addition last out requiring test-lead kludging. fall of DTS:X Virtual height effects), (Some designs use wider spacing, video scaling of SD/HD analog video apparently to avoid confusion with the to 4K with 4K/HDR passthrough, power plugs used in other countries. hi-res readiness up to 192/32 PCM Yikes!) After I connected a few HDMI and including (two-channel) DSD 2.8 cables, the seven speaker cables, and 5.6 megahertz, audio streaming and the subwoofer line cable for a that accommodates your DLNA front-height Atmos setup, it was on to media and TuneIn internet radio as calibration. well as all the usual services (Pandora, Denon provides a colorful graphic Tidal, Deezer, etc.) and a few less setup guide that hand-holds the common (Amazon Music and novice through the basics of layout Sound-Cloud, none built in, but all via and connection. (It’s easily skipped.) the free HEOS app), and compatibility Better still—more points!—Denon with Denon’s well-regarded HEOS gifts the AVR-X3400H with Audyssey multiroom ecosystem, for wireless. calibration and speaker/room Plus, of course, Bluetooth and Apple correction, rather than a proprietary AirPlay. system (as do more and more

Denon’s clean front panel is home to source select and volume •knobs and just a few control buons.

36 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com THE VERDICT A/V RECEIVER Denon AVR-X3400H A/V Receiver A fine seven-channel amp, attractive ergonomics, full DENON AVR-X3400H A/V RECEIVER Performance 4K/HDR-readiness, and 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos and DTS:X PRICE: $999 Features make for a very competitive midrange option. Denon • usa.denon.com Ergonomics Value

so of bass, and an expanding of the spare to present a DSD of surround bubble. This last was more Beethoven’s Piano Sonata pronounced than the result of some No. 32, Op. 111, at other Audyssey runs I’ve performed, piano-bench levels probably because of the Atmos without strain or effect: The crowd sound on an harshness—no mean NFL game was quite organic and feat—and with no sign believable. (Spoiler: The Patriots of congestion from won.) As always, I did all the rest of the first movement’s my listening with Audyssey defeated, powerful, closely voiced, since it’s unrealistic to expect the even dissonant left-hand results with one speaker/room chords, nor any trace of combination to translate to every noise across Ludwig’s mad other. dynamics extremes. In the rock realm, I cued up an I flipped across a cable stream of rather than just a single front pair of Listening, Viewing SACD of the Rolling Stones classic the modern-classic Western Open Atmos drivers (what I’ve dismissed in The power amplifier sections of Let It Bleed and cranked up “Monkey Range. (Has anybody ever done the past as Atmos-lite). The latter is all Denon’s AVRs have acquired a solid Man” to dorm-room-party levels (I crusty cowboy better than Robert that the Denon, like most competing reputation among subjectivists for was only following the instruction Duvall?) Through my system, the receivers, can offer, because of its good sound, and I will offer nothing printed in the liner notes). This Copland-esque score soared with seven-amp-channels and internal- here to contradict them. Beginning remastering has a certain heft and impressive openness and depth, processing limits. But I’m coming with plain, full-range (no subwoofer) midrange smoothness, or at least while the fusillades of the climactic around to 5.1.2. Especially with dipole stereo listening, I found the AVR- less-rawness, that was lacking on the battle slammed with startling dynamic surrounds on the sides, which I X3400H eminently capable of original CD release, along with a impact—despite the fact that the (apparently, alone) still favor, the producing appropriate serious- decided extra layer of cymbal sparkle movie’s FX handguns sound more like difference between these two listening levels from my antique-but- up top—all of which the Denon fully cannons than pistols. applications seems surprisingly able Energy three-way monitors. displayed, even on the vomiting- For a taste of Atmos-pherics, I modest, at least without the These modest-sensitivity loud- Ampeg sound of Keith Richards’ stab- loaded up Dolby’s demo Blu-ray illumination of direct comparison. In speakers are probably 2 to 4 dec- bing riffs. (I’m getting a little old for and enjoyed its collection of clever, any case, the front-elevation speak- ibels less so than typical designs such SPL escapades; these are the swooping trailers and soundmarks. ers added a valuable sense of size today, yet the receiver produced sacrifices I make for science.) I’m on record as strongly preferring and height to both ambience and amply satisfying quantity and quality The Denon did duty for a number at least a 5.1.4-channel Atmos con- wide-range music, while more vertical on a rotation of hi-res files streaming of movies during its tenure, in both figuration (with both front and rear effects—such as rain, helicopters, from my desktop iMac. For just one casual-viewing and reviewer modes, elevation and birds—gained substantially in example, the Denon had oomph to and at no point did it disappoint. First, speakers), realism, even when overflying from front to back. I also spent some time viewing The Lost City of Z via an Amazon 4K stream. Since my Vizio TV won’t display its Info screen while stream- ing to the set, nor will the Denon show its equivalent while digesting ARC-sourced signals, I couldn’t confirm whether this carried the Atmos metadata or not, but I doubt it. Still, whatever mode the Denon auto-selected (most likely Dolby Digital + Dolby Surround), it steered sound elements to the elevations, with the result that the jungle sus- urrations gained in eeriness and pervasiveness. Not that this pro- duction, which is overly mystical-ized for my taste, needed much of either. (Still, I wonder: What accent exactly is Charlie Hunnam projecting here? The actor is a Geordie, by way of Oz, while his character, Percy Fawcett, is

The good-sized component is •just over 17 inches wide and weighs nearly 24 pounds.

soundandvision.com 37 TEST REPORT Test Bench Denon AVR-X3400H A/V Receiver

except in those tables in the comparisons were more difficult, I appendices listing surround mode heard the same from selections from options). This mode, available to all my limited stash of DTS:X Blu-ray DTS bitstreams and to most other Discs. non-Dolby signal types—is a But the most dramatic demo came DSP-processing option that aims when I reconfigured my system to 2.1 to conjure up virtual height and channels and played the oddball surround speakers from a fronts- thrill-ride DTS:X movie American Ultra. only system; it’s scalable, so it can I was quickly wowed by the breadth, virtualize heights only, or surround- height, and depth of the sonic backs only, or whatever you need. dimension projected. No, the sur- This magic it performed with no round bubble did not extend very far small success, most effectively from behind my shoulders, and discrete multichannel programs, and was by rear effects sounded vaguely “up- far the most impressive with DTS:X- and-back-ish” rather than truly encoded soundtracks. rearward. But the height dimension, THIS graph shows the AVR-X3400H’s left channel, from CD input to The potential usefulness of this the virtual-center channel solidity, speaker output with two channels driving 8-ohm loads. Measurements for feature seemed obvious: Those and the openness and detail of the THD+noise, crosstalk, signal-to-noise ratio, and analog/digital frequency aching for immersive audio but front-half surround ambience were all response were all within expected performance parameters. Full details reticent to add the required height highly impressive, including the available at soundandvision.com.—MJP speakers might just get some hovering helicopter at the end of semblance of it with virtual chapter 6, which was strikingly 0.1% THD 1.0% THD overheads. So I tried overhead. These Two Channels Continuously Driven, 8-Ohm Loads 123.0 watts 147.6 watts adding virtual-front- effects were still Two Channels Continuously Driven, 4-Ohm Loads 145.4 watts 176.6 watts heights to a 5.1 present, though Five Channels Continuously Driven, 8-Ohm Loads 97.6 watts 106.1 watts layout—and was somewhat less Seven Channels Continuously Driven, 8-Ohm Loads 72.7 watts 80.8 watts happy to discover powerfully, on a decided new other multichannel verticality. After first programs. Though, SPECS Power Output: 105 was (8 ohms, 2 channels driven) setting my Oppo as alluded to above, • Auto Setup/Room EQ: Audyssey MultEQ XT32 • Video Processing: 4K BDP-105D to output due to legal restraints, scaling/passthrough supporting HDCP 2.2, cross-converts analog video to multichannel LPCM Virtual X will not be HDMI; HDR (HDR10 and Dolby Vision) via HDMI • Dimensions (WxHxD, (to get around the available to any Dolby Inches): 17.1 x 6.6 x 15.3 • Weight (Pounds): 23.8 • Video Inputs: HDMI “no-Dolby” pro- Digital–encoded 2.0b (8 including 1 front), composite video (3), component video (2) • scription), I played bitstream regardless Audio Inputs: Coaxial digital (2), optical digital (2), USB (1, front); analog the Dolby Atmos of channel count. In a line-level stereo (5) • Additional: RJ-45 Ethernet, IR in/out, 12-volt trigger demo Blu-ray. Clips permanent setup, one • Video Outputs: HDMI 2.0b (3, including 2 monitor, 1 zone), component like the “Amaze” and could opt to set one or video • Audio Outputs: 7.2-channel pre-out (1); stereo line Zone 2, ¼-inch “Unfold” trailers more sources’ outputs headphone (front) • Zone 2: Second A/V zone via HDMI output B, or delivered added from DD bitstreams to audio-only via speaker- or line-level outputs • Wireless: Dual-band Wi-Fi, height to discrete, PCM, where possible, Bluetooth (A2DP 1.2); Apple AirPlay • Wireless Streaming: Internet radio over-flying effects, to make Virtual X (TuneIn) onboard; Spotify, Tidal, Pandora, Amazon Music, Deezer, more via like the bird-flaps available to Dolby HEOS casting • Computer Audio: Streaming via wired Ethernet or Wi-Fi in the former and Digital–encoded (DLNA/equivalent), USB fixed-storage; HRA capable up to 192/32, includ- chattering in the sources. ing native-DSD 2.8/5.6 MHz latter, but even better With the advan- was the heightened tages of operating “dome” of ambi- upon a “real” speaker an upper-crust Devonian. Yet his (mine’s about 3,300 cubic feet) or ence in the rain and system rather than a dialogue sounds as much like an quite low-sensitivity speakers, you thunder of the first. (A soundbar or middling Estonian tinge as anything British I should have no worries when it somewhat flattened HTIB system, and of could identify.) But to return to my comes to oomph. dome, to be sure, but processing true DTS:X central topic—did I have one? Oh, a clear improvement content, Virtual X really yeah: The receiver performed Virtual Heights nonetheless. There did bring my two- admirably throughout, with no sign of And then, there’s the notable and was also a very slight speaker system clipping or brightening, at the enthusi- newsworthy inclusion of DTS:X brightening of effects, closer to subjective astic levels I employ. So unless you Virtual (unmentioned on the data but not enough to surround-ness than have quite a large home theater sheet or the instruction manual, trouble me.) Though any other such DSP

The supplied remote isn't backlit but offers clear •labeling and a spacious layout.

38 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com •The well-utilized back panel is logically organized.

algorithm I’ve yet encountered. Of everything that many desire. computer, server, networked drive, so small that it scarcely merited course, these caveats are restrictive: Onboard multiroom capabilities are or suchlike proved among the faster reporting. The effects, though still quite good, confined to a single Zone 2, which receiver examples I’ve used, and Denon’s latest receiver strikes me were less notable from non-X may be powered at speaker level if completely stable, though lacking the as a mature and well-refined design. program and rather less so again you don’t deploy front-elevation or search and page-scrolling options It includes most of the A/V baubles from typical two-channel broadcast/ surround-back speakers, or which I’ve found on a few others. That said, you might expect but isn’t cluttered cable streams. And, as with all other can be digital audio/video via the the Denon played all my stereo with a lot of extras to get in your way. DSP-surround magi I’ve tried, it’s second HDMI output. Of course, files—including DSD, FLAC, and Its seven-channel configuration really a table-for-one proposition: the receiver also hosts Denon’s ALAC—without a glitch, and it provides more than enough speaker Move out of the sweet spot—this HEOS wireless multiroom sounded uniformly pure in doing so. outputs to fire up a basic 5.1 surround proved to be slightly forward of my ecosystem, which effectively AirPlay and Bluetooth worked as system and, for those who seek more, calibrated listening position in my integrates many-zoned audio via expected, though the latter is not via to add a solid dimension of height (or studio—or even turn your head much a variety of extra-cost powered the higher-quality aptX codec. rear, at your discretion) ambience. If beyond 45 degrees or so, and most speaker and adapter add-ons—but As spec’d, the receiver both all of your speakers are confined to of its virtues collapse, at least to some since this family has appeared in passed-through UHD video and the front of the room, it even provides extent. these pages several times, we’ll scaled regular (1080) HD to 4K when virtual surround processing for a DTS:X Virtual is distinct from the pass over it here. so configured. I compared its scaling 3.1.2 simulation of the full object- AVR-X3400H’s native Virtual surround Denon supplies a dedicated with that performed by my Oppo oriented surround experience. More mode, which appears on the pop-up remote that’s simple, plastic, and BDP-105 universal disc player, and important, it performs basic tasks, Movie and Music mode menus for all un-illuminated, but its generous I concluded that the Oppo’s was both audio and video, with a sense of non-DTS signal types. I found plain spacing and clearer-than-most maybe just barely perceptibly sharper/ quality and eminent usability. I have Virtual decidedly less effective than labeling highlight the virtues of quieter/cleaner—something. But no hesitation in recommending it to Virtual X in most cases; both are resisting the multicomponent, the difference (if it existed at all) was any mid-market shoppers. available to non-Dolby signals. full-system-remote temptation. I tried There’s also DTS Neural:X, which the company’s iOS control app 2016 maps content, whether two-channel AVR Remote (hey, Denon, it’s already or mulitchannel, to all available 2018!) on my iPhone 6. This proved speakers, much as “new-era” Dolby serviceable, and though it provides Surround (as distinguished from the no new capabilities or notable ergo- original, 4.1-channel analog surround, nomic innovations, it makes for also named Dolby Surround) has another worthwhile option. done since the advent of Atmos. I have already touched upon the Think consumers might be con- receiver’s audio streaming options, fused? Nah…why would they be? but note that all except generic internet radio (TuneIn) must be cast Extras & Ergos from a phone or tablet via the HEOS The menu of extra stuff for the app; I did not try these. However, the AVR-X3400H is comfortably onboard DLNA/UPnP client for modest but includes most harvesting media from a home

Denon’s latest receiver is a mature and well-refined design.

soundandvision.com 39 TEST REPORT Take Your Vinyl on the Road By Michael Trei

AT A GLANCE Korg DS-DAC-10R Vinyl Digitizer Plus Q Transfers analog sources to high-resolution digital, PRICE $500 will look right at home in a system of RIAA EQ included, the rest of the including DSD high-end audiophilia. Connections circuit can be fairly basic. Q Phono preamp with TEN YEARS AGO, WHO WOULD are uncomplicated, with a single pair variable EQ settings have figured that almost every major of RCA jacks that can be switched Setup Q Built-in headphone new music release would also get between phono and line-level inputs, Getting the Korg up and running amplifier issued on vinyl? Every day, more a USB Type B jack to connect it to is pretty straightforward. First, you and more people are learning to your computer and provide all download the AudioGate 4 soft- appreciate the appeal of vinyl operating power, and a pair of ware from Korg’s website (I used my Minus records—but sadly, the lack of line-level RCA outputs for playing Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows Q No input for low-output portability means that for most of back the recorded files through 10 Pro 64-bit), then you enter a moving-coil cartridges us, it’s a stay-at-home listening your audio system. A quarter-inch license key from the DS-DAC-10R to Q No software-based vinyl experience. That can be frustrating headphone jack, with its own volume unlock the full-function version. With noise reduction in a world where we’ve become so control, is also provided for private a Windows PC, you’ll also need to accustomed to digesting our music listening. The only display is an install a separate driver, while Mac on the go; consequently, lots of new illuminated ring surrounding the users should find that it’s plug and from warped vinyl on your turntable, vinyl records come bundled with a volume knob, which changes color play. Once you have the software which could throw off your recording lossy-compressed digital copy as a depending on the sampling rate and installed, you just connect the Korg’s levels (and make the woofers in free download. Of course, listening digital format being used. digital output to an open USB 2.0 vented loudspeakers threaten to to such downloads means that On the hardware side, the port and start the software, and launch their cones into the room). we’re no longer getting the vinyl DS-DAC-10R uses the same Texas everything will configure itself Of particular interest to archivists experience at all—so really, what’s Instruments PCM4202 ADC and automatically. is the software’s multiple phono- the point? Cirrus Logic CS4390 DAC as in Korg’s I found AudioGate 4 to be quite equalization settings. This is useful What if, instead of those crappy highly regarded MR-2000S pro- easy and intuitive, with sliders to when digitizing records from the late MP3 files we’ve had to endure for fessional recorder. The phono control the recording level and 1940s and early ’50s, allowing you to so long, we could capture some of preamp is built around the Texas drop-down menus to configure the apply alternative equalizations, such vinyl’s analog goodness in a portable Instruments OPA1662 op amp, recording format and resolution. as NAB, AES, Columbia, and Decca hi-res audio version? That’s the idea although with no hardware-based There’s also a high-pass filter to get ffrr. There is some debate about behind the DS-DAC-10R, a handy rid of ultra-low-frequency rumble when RIAA became the de facto little box developed by the pro-audio mavens at Korg and distributed by Essence. Despite incorporating a Swiss Army knife–like combination of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a phono preamplifier, and a head- phone amp, the DS-DAC-10R looks deceptively simple. Korg achieved this by designing it to work in tandem with their AudioGate 4 software package, and it is there that most of the control functions live. Housed in a beautifully finished aluminum-and- copper chassis, the chunky Korg (similar in size to a hardcover book)

The volume knob’s illumination •changes color to indicate sam- pling rate and digital format.

40 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com THE VERDICT VINYL RIPPER Korg DS-DAC-10R Vinyl Digitizer The Korg DS-DAC-10R lets you transfer your LP KORG DS-DAC-10R VINYL DIGITIZER Performance records to state-of-the-art, high-resolution PCM PRICE: $500 Features or DSD files, all while retaining their essential Korg • (727) 580-4393 • essenceelectrostatic.com Ergonomics Value vinyl character.

other devices. see how sonically transparent it was The editing to the source—in this case, a vinyl features within the record. AudioGate app I started by transcribing that old are fairly limited, hi-fi demo chestnut from decades including track join past, “More Than This” from Roxy and split, fade Music’s final studio album, Avalon. in and out, and For those of us who grew up volume normaliza- recording to analog tape, there’s tion, but those are always a temptation to push levels enough to get the up into the red. But with a digital job done. One recording system like the DS-DAC- function I missed 10R, you’ll quickly discover that this was any type of is strictly verboten. The dynamics declicker or on many recordings can catch you decrackler to out, so it’s important to be pretty worldwide standard for phono EQ. alternative EQ curves. I installed an reduce vinyl noise, but you can conservative with your settings if you But certainly prior to 1954, there was Ortofon 2M Black moving-magnet always export the files to another want to avoid some nasty digital a lot of variability among the differ- cartridge in my VPI Scout turntable to editing app (such as Audacity) if you clipping that will send you back to ent record labels. Because of this work directly with the Korg’s native need that feature. Of course, cleaning square one. confusion, the DS-DAC-10R gives phono input. the LP and stylus thoroughly with a With the Roxy Music track, I used you the option of recording the signal Recording formats include DSD at decent record cleaner before each four different settings: DSD at each of flat and applying the required EQ both 2.8 megahertz (DSD64) and 5.6 capture can help minimize vinyl noise the two sampling frequencies and later during playback or export. MHz (DSD128) and PCM covering in the first place. PCM at the highest- and lowest- That’s a neat feature if you have an the range from 44.1-kilohertz/16-bit Once you’ve completed your resolution setting available. The Korg old pressing and want the ability to CD-quality sound to 192-kHz/24-bit recordings, edited the files, and will allow you to monitor the signal experiment with EQ options after high resolution. The unit won’t record assembled a playlist, you can burn from the source as you record transcribing the disc. in any lossy-compressed formats like it to a CD or transfer it to another through either the headphone jack The phono input’s sensitivity and MP3 or WMA. Once you’ve made a device. or the line output, but because the loading are optimized for a typical recording, it gets stored as a WAV file DSD recordings can also be phono stage always converts the moving-magnet or high-output (for PCM) or a DFF file (for DSD), burned to optical disc, using signal to digital, this really doesn’t moving-coil cartridge. That’s fine for which is a format proprietary to Korg’s recordable DVDs formatted as DSD give you a true comparison to the the vast majority of users, but if you own infrastructure and editing discs. One big limitation of DSD is pure analog original. Therefore, to want to use an exotic low-output software. You can play DFF files that editing in its native format is make a fair comparison, I recon- moving-coil cartridge, you could directly through the DS-DAC-10R, but basically impossible, so as with nected the turntable to the phono always connect the output of a for more versatility, the AudioGate 4 all DSD editing platforms, the input of my Croft preamp and separate moving-coil-capable phono software can convert the files into DS-DAC-10R converts the file to PCM hooked up the Korg’s line output to a preamp to the Korg’s line-level input. more familiar formats for export to to perform editing functions. Korg line input on the same preamp. Using Of course, by doing this, you’ll give makes the point that their DSD a test tone I had recorded earlier up the Korg’s ability to apply editing system keeps the converted from a test LP, I was able to match the PCM signal at the same sampling rate levels of the direct turntable signal as the original DSD stream (2.8 MHz and its recording within a fraction of or 5.6 MHz) to maintain the highest a decibel, making the comparison as possible fidelity. fair as possible. The headphone amp is rated to The first thing that struck me was deliver up to 70 milliwatts peak per just how much all of the digital copies channel at 32 ohms. That’s fine for sounded like the direct analog signal. the majority of headphones but There was no shortage of the kind of might fall a little short with some of breathing space around instruments the tougher-to-drive models. I used and broad spectrum of tonal colors it mostly with my Sennheiser HD that normally sets analog apart. If you 650s, which the Korg had no diffi- had blindfolded me and asked me to culty handling. guess whether I was hearing the vinyl or a digital copy, I probably would Listening have said it was the vinyl most of the As with any audio recording device, time. Closer listening revealed clear if my goal with the DS-DAC-10R was to rather subtle differences, but most of

The Korg’s front panel offers •a quarter-inch headphone jack with its own volume control.

soundandvision.com 41 TEST REPORT SPECS Dimensions (WxHxD, Inches): 6.1 x 2.0 x 7.3 • Weight (Pounds): 2.43 • Inputs: Analog stereo line-level/ • The simple phono RCA (1 switchable) • Outputs: Analog stereo line-level RCA (1), headphone ¼-inch (1) • Other: USB 2.0 Type B (1) • suite of back- Headphones Maximum Output: 70mW at 32 ohms • Phono Input Sensitivity: 5 mV • Phono Input Loading: 50K ohms • panel connections Sampling Rates and Bit Depths: PCM, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz, 16 and 24bits; DSD, 2.8224 and 5.6448 MHz, 1bit • includes RCA jacks DAC: Cirrus Logic CS4390 • ADC: Texas Instruments PCM4202 • Windows Drivers Installed: ASIO 2.1, WDM • Apple Drivers and a USB port. Installed: Core Audio

recording format it with me when I travel is clearly not could be the an option. I have reviewed several amount of hard- other ways to digitize vinyl, but none drive space you of them included the ability to record have, because using my own carefully optimized DSD has a vor- turntable, along with the ability to acious appetite record using DSD. The Korg DS- for bits and bytes. DAC-10R gives me those features One full album will at a price that seems eminently eat up about 4 gigabytes, reasonable by audiophile standards. them were likely caused by the dif- recorded from an uncomfortably so you may want to save DSD for your Once you get the hang of it, mak- ferent phono preamps being used. close position, but the ambient cues most precious albums. ing recordings is pretty easy, and More interesting was the com- make it clear that the venue was an the results are definitely worth the parison between the different digital enormous church. Sometimes, this Conclusion effort. formats. There were slight but definite type of detail could be heard even at With more than 10,000 records improvements in fine details, such CD-level (44.1/16) PCM, but the lining my walls, I guess it’s as the shimmer of the cymbals and higher-resolution settings simply fair to say that I love the reverb tails on the drums, when brought everything into even finer my vinyl. But I switched to the higher PCM focus, making the subtleties more taking sampling-rate and bit-depth settings. apparent and easier to pick out. High-resolution PCM really excelled Switching to DSD resulted in at capturing fine low-level details, another small but definite click such as the sense of space on a 1973 upwards in realism—although at live recording of the Concentus times, it took very focused listening to Musicus Wien playing Vivaldi’s Flute hear a repeatable difference. One Concerto No. 2. The ensemble was deciding factor when picking your

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IIXSYGLERHFY]GEFPIWERHXYVRXEFPIW LIEHTLSRIWERHTIVWSREPPMWXIRMRKTVSHYGXWRI[ ERHZMRXEKIZMR]PERHWSQYGLQSVI8LI&<543& *\LMFMX-EPPMWXLIPEVKIWXWLS[GEWISJGSRWYQIV EYHMSIUYMTQIRXERHTVSHYGXWIZIVHMWTPE]IHMRSRI room in North America! TEST REPORT More From Less? By Thomas J. Norton

JVC DLA-X790R D-ILA Projector Features The DLA-X790R may not have true PRICE $6,000 later—so fast that the eye blends the 4K imagers, but native resolution AT A GLANCE two blocks together and perceives isn’t everything. Instead, this model ONE OF THE KEY FEATURES OF the result as greater than the offers more features—and perhaps the Ultra HD format is 4K resolution. Plus projector’s native 1920 x 1080 better performance in areas beyond But to date, the catalog of true native resolution. Among the most notable resolution—than it otherwise might 4K home theater projectors—those Q Standard-setting blacks improvements over the last-genera- if it had to absorb the cost of true 4K with imaging chips featuring a Q Impressive HDR tion e-shift, JVC says, is that the chips at a similar price. Its feature set minimum of 3840 x 2160 pixels Q Solid color and resolution system now analyzes all of the pixels is long indeed, even a bit over- without relying on any pixel-shifting in the original 4K source before whelming. tricks—is pretty thin. JVC has the processing down to the critical 4 To begin, the projector supports laser-lit DLA-RS4500K at $35,000, Minus million pixels for each frame, allowing both the HDR10 and HLG (Hybrid and Sony has its own premium Q Complex setup menus it to retain improved sharpness and Log-Gamma) versions of high models above $10,000. But if you’re Q Some black crush detail. The e-shift feature is on by dynamic range (HDR), though not looking for something priced more default with any 4K input but can be Dolby Vision (we know of no home affordably, you’re currently limited to turned off for inputs of 1080p or less. projectors to date that support the Sony’s new VPL-VW285ES ($5,000) The subject of this review is the latter). Its two HDMI inputs are HDCP and VPL-VW385ES ($8,000). JVC’s projector offerings in the middle sibling in the JVC Procision 2.2 compliant and can accept a full Beyond this, if you want a lower price range also use pixel line’s new three-model range for 18-gigabit-per-second bandwidth. UHD-friendly projector, you’re shifting, which the company refers 2018: the DLA-X790R, which sells for That means that it can do Ultra HD 4K looking at so-called “pixel-shifters,” to as its e-shift technology. JVC’s $6,000. Above it is the DLA-X990R, sources at 60 hertz in HDR and 10 which flash up successive frames of system, first used some years ago which at $8,000, offers marginally bits—though such material remains video from lesser-resolution imaging and now on its fifth generation as improved brightness and contrast rare, there are murmurings from devices in an effort to achieve higher e-shift5, uses three 1080p-resolution ratio specs versus the DLA-X790’s some Hollywood creatives that more subjective resolutions. A handful of D-ILA LCOS imaging devices to bring rated 1,900 lumens and 130,000:1. will be coming. The RS-232 and projectors now use DLP’s latest 4K resolution up to something beyond The step-down DLA-X590R, at LAN inputs are designed for wired chip, which delivers all the signal full HD but not quite to full 4K. An $4,000, offers 1,800 lumens and a control of the projector, not for video information in a full UHD signal to the e-shift projector starts by processing rated contrast ratio of 40,000:1. sources. But the projector’s wireless screen in two half-frames. We’ve the 8+ million pixels in a 4K source Duplicate models are offered in JVC’s remote control is comfortably sized, tested two models to date with this down to 4 million. Half of these are professional Reference line series, well organized, and backlit. chip, including the budget-priced displayed first on the projector’s 1920 and a seventh 2018 model, a limited- The 265-watt lamp is rated for a Optoma UHD65 (December 2017 x 1080 imaging chips. The remaining edition high-end projector in a red life of 4,500 hours (in Low mode) or and soundandvision.com), but half are then shifted diagonally by cabinet, serves to honor the 20th neither delivered recommendable less than a pixel and displayed a anniversary of the contrast performance. fraction of a second company’s D-ILA technology.

The DLA-X790R is both THX certified and ISF licensed.

44 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com THE VERDICT PROJECTOR JVC DLA-X790R D-ILA Projector It may not have true native 4K imaging chips, JVC DLA-X790R D-ILA PROJECTOR Performance but the JVC DLA-X790R shouldn’t be overlooked PRICE: $6,000 Features JVC • (800) 582-5825 • jvc.com Ergonomics by those upgrading a projection system or look- Value ing for their first projector. It’s a knockout.

3,500 hours (High mode). I suspect you’ll feel the need for a replacement sooner than that, particularly if you watch a lot of HDR material. The cooling fan is barely audible in Low mode. In High (definitely recom- mended for HDR), you’ll hear it in a quiet room, but I didn’t find it obtrusive, particularly with audio playing. There’s also an Eco selection in the menu, but it has nothing to do with the lamp or the in-use power consumption. When engaged, it shuts off the projector after 20 minutes of detecting no source signal. Regardless of lamp brightness, no projector can equal the peak HDR levels achieved by a flat-panel display. But even a small increase in or you can choose a manual iris peak luminance is welcome for those setting. There’s also a powered lens HDR highlights. This projector’s cover, as well as two anamorphic Custom Picture Modes can be Fortunately, it’s safe to ignore most previously mentioned 1,900 lumens stretch settings (vertical or hor- converted into calibrated ISF modes of them, particularly if you choose to is said to represent a 10 percent izontal) for users who have an and locked. give the projector a professional increase over that of last year’s similar outboard anamorphic lens. The controls are extensive and a calibration. I settled on two options model. But lumen ratings should Last but not least, 3D fans will bit intimidating, even for an old pro for SDR (THX and Cinema) and one always be taken lightly, and they appreciate that the latest JVC like me. While the basic picture menu for HDR (simply labeled HDR). Many should never be compared between projectors still do 3D. But neither looks simple enough, each selection of the others are clearly for pro manufacturers (who will very likely the external 3D sync emitter or has submenus that ratchet up the applications—and without cali- rely on different measurement 3D glasses are included with the options. There are nine Picture bration, they produced pictures on techniques). projector. modes, including the five User consumer content sources that The lens is fully powered for zoom, modes and one HDR mode. Each ranged from so-so to Looney Tunes. shift, and focus, with lens memories Controls and Setup Picture mode offers a range of Color The JVC offers a full color man- for saving multiple settings. You can The DLA-X790R is both THX certi- Profiles. If you tally each User mode agement system (CMS), along with select one of two auto iris modes to fied and ISF licensed. There’s a and its own selectable settings, there gain and offset controls for white improve black level and contrast dedicated THX Picture Mode for are, by my count, 102 different com- balance. The Gain and Offset settings beyond the chip’s native capabilities, HD/SDR (standard dynamic range) binations of Picture modes and Color are universal across all SDR modes; sources, and one or more of the Profiles. you can’t, for example, use different Gain and Offset settings for THX and Cinema. But you can use different settings between SDR and HDR modes. There are convergence adjust- ments (overall and zone) to fine-tune the alignment of the red and blue images with the green. But our sample was well aligned out of the box, so I never needed them. Another option I didn’t use was C.M.D. (Clear Motion Drive), a motion-smoothing feature in the Blur Reduction menu. A Low Latency selection, intended primarily for gaming, ended up hav- ing more than the obvious use for me. I was having difficulty getting good lip sync with any of the audio delay settings offered on my Oppo UDP-203 Ultra HD Blu-ray player. Turning on Low Latency cured this,

The DLA-X790R’s lens is set up •with powered zoom, shift, and focus.

soundandvision.com 45 TEST REPORT JVC’s backlit •remote is Test Bench uncluttered and JVC DLA-X790R D-ILA Projector well organized.

BEFORE Calibration though it defeated issue. Some argue the Clear Motion that this is merely a Drive. (No loss result of the fact that there for me, given projectors can’t my incurable Soap produce, on a Opera Derange- projection screen, ment Syndrome.) anywhere near the According to JVC, peak light output of the Low Latency a good Ultra HDTV. AFTER Calibration mode has no This is certainly true, effect on the but with a proper quality of the setup on a screen picture (color, of domestically resolution, etc.), acceptable size, and I neither saw none of the pro- nor measured any. jectors I tested looked subjectively FULL-ON/FULL-OFF Contrast Ratio in either before or after calibration, so First Take dim in HDR. The HD/SDR: 22,800:1 the CMS wasn’t used for SDR. After The JVC passed JVC, however, does calibration, the EOTF (gamma) ranged both 3:2 HD and offer three controls MEASUREMENTS were made with from a maximum of 2.41 at 20% to a MA (motion in the Gamma menu SpectraCal’s CalMAN software, Photo minimum of 2.3 at 70% and 80%. adaptive) HD in (Picture Tone, Dark Research PR-650 and Klein K-10A color CAREFUL use of the available our standard HD/ Level, and Bright meters, and Murideo and DVDO pattern adjustments (particularly Picture Tone SDR video tests, Level) that allow the generators. The control settings used and Dark Level in the Gamma menu), but it failed 2:2 PQ curve to be here will be posted at soundandvision. with tools available to most calibrators, HD. The JVC won’t tweaked during com. All measurements were taken at brought the HDR EOTF impressively accept a native calibration until it approximately 14 feet from a 96-inch- close to the expected shape of an 480i input, so the measures closer wide, 1.3-gain, Stewart Filmscreen HDR10 PQ curve. Because of this, the SD tests were to the shape we StudioTek 130 screen. Delta E errors, while not up to their SDR irrelevant. It commonly (DELTA E as referenced below is a quality, were the best I’ve yet measured passed both luma associate with the figure of merit indicating how close the on a projector, dropping from a max- and chroma resolution but HDR PQ we routinely find on an color comes to the standard at each imum value of approximately 28 at 50% clipped both above white and HDR-capable Ultra HDTV. point in the brightness range. Values to under 8 after calibration, luminance below black. It will pass below I always recommend a below 3—some experts allow for 4—are included. Without luminance, the black and above white if the professional calibration for a generally considered visually indistin- maximum post-calibration Delta E was Input Level control is changed projector, particularly for a guishable from ideal.) The peak white 4.2 at 50%. from Auto (the default) to pricey one. But you should put reading for the contrast ratio was 22.78 THE color points, after CMS calibra- Enhanced, but the latter some hours (100 to 200) on the ft-L (78.1 nits) and the black level 0.001 tion, were dramatically improved, to resulted in odd settings for projector before you schedule ft-L (0.0034 nit). At maximum zoom, the a maximum of 3.5 in magenta for all, the Brightness and Contrast one, as it takes time for a pro- full-on/full-off contrast ratio measured except green at 9.0. But the green error controls, together with a jection lamp to settle in. I made 13,685:1; at minimum zoom, 33,370:1. was rarely noticeable, and never bother- paler image offering reduced all of the observations below The black levels measured 0.001 ft-L for some, on real program material. HDR pop and contrast. The after I’d performed complete all three; if our measuring gear could AS with all other UHD/HDR displays Enhanced setting did produce SDR and HDR calibrations, read to more than three digits past the we’ve tested, the JVC falls well short of better clipping results on test with more than 100 hours on decimal point, it might have been less! full coverage of the UHD standard’s patterns, but overall I preferred the lamp. IN its default settings, the THX mode’s BT.2020 color gamut. UHD sources the visible result in the Auto peak SDR brightness was 27.5 ft-L. originally mastered in the DCI-P3 gamut position. HD/SDR During calibration, the iris was reduced still fell short of the P3 limits inside the The new catchphrase for The first things you can’t miss to –4, for a more practical peak of 21 BT.2020 color container, but that’s true gamma is EOTF (Electro-Optical about the DLA-X790R are its ft-L. (This differs slightly from the peak of all the displays I’ve seen so far. As Transfer Function). And for HDR, superb blacks and shadow contrast levels cited above, due to the viewed, the JVC’s color was more than we have a new form of EOTF, detail. This should come as no use of different test tools and proce- impressive. called PQ (Perceptual Quan- surprise if you’re familiar with dures for the two measurements.) THE peak HDR brightness on-screen tization). As has often been JVC’s projectors. When the FOR HDR, as viewed, the full-on/full-off increased slightly from 148.9 nits in a the case in the HDR-capable picture fades to black in a contrast ratio measured 21,765:1 at a 10% window to 166.3 nits at 25% and projectors I’ve tested so far, with darkened room, it’s very near peak white level of 43.53 ft-L (149.1 nits) above.—TJN standard measurements the PQ true black even after your eyes and a black level of 0.002 ft-L (0.0069 curve skews darker than the adjust to the dark. You’ll still be nit). expected PQ shape. Flat-screen able to make out the screen BEFORE SDR calibration in the THX TVs typically don’t have this from the surrounding void Picture Mode, the grayscale Delta Es SPECS Dimensions (Wx- ranged from a minimum of 1.14 at 20% HxD, Inches): 17.8 x 7.0 x 18.5 • Weight to a maximum of 3.68 at 80%. After (Pounds): 34 • Video Inputs: HDMI I’ve not seen better from any other calibration, the minimum was 0.71 at 2.0 (2, HDCP 2.2 compliant) • Other: 20% and the maximum 1.29 at 50%. The Trigger, remote (RS-232C/Control), projector at or near the JVC’s price. SDR color Delta Es were all below 2.0 LAN (RJ45/Control), 3D Synchro

TEST REPORT

(unlike the case with an OLED TV, can sort them out better than this nits, or about 42 foot-lamberts, in Halftime Walk, which the JVC where the screen completely JVC—and only a few flat-screen TVs HDR. As with most other projec- displayed in its native 60 Hz, HDR, disappears with such a source). (mostly OLEDs) that can do better. tors, this can’t equal the full HDR with YCbCr 4:2:2, 10 bit color. If those But I feel confident saying it would Both of these discs looked richly experience of a good flat-panel numbers mean little to you, they be hard to find any true 4K or saturated, with black levels and HDTV. But that much peak simply mean that the JVC can display pixel-shifting 4K projector that can shadow detail that most projectors brightness can still generate any 4K source with its attendant do better. Most do worse. can’t approach. decently bright highlights, all the benefits intact—apart from the use of On 1080p sources, the picture For an older title, I chose Apollo 13. more impressive given my pixel-shifted resolution enhancement looked subtly sharper to me with Fleshtones here were a bit too rosy 8-foot-wide screen. And while the rather than full 4K, as well as the e-shift5 defeated, so all of my (this appeared to be a disc issue). color gamut from most current UHD color-gamut limits that all UHD observations here about the JVC’s But backing off to –15 on the Color consumer displays is still well short displays remain subject to. (No HD/SDR performance were made control helped dramatically without of the ultimate goal of the UHD displays can yet reach full BT.2020 with it off. I began my viewing with an visibly compromising any other format, you’re unlikely to complain color, and no projector I’ve yet tested animated feature. Animation almost colors. Seeing this title on the DLA- about the UHD color you’ll get from can achieve full P3 color limits within always looks good, but not always X790R was spectacular and like the JVC. I know I didn’t. the UHD format’s BT.2020 container.) this good. And animation is a good watching it for the first time. The I watched all or part of 15 different You might well assume that test for vivid (if not always natural) reference-quality launch sequence, Ultra HD Blu-rays for this review, and pixel-shifted 4K from a native 1080p color and detail. It’s nearly always the dark of outer space, and the all but a few provided compelling projector is inevitably inferior to true crisp—so if it isn’t, you know that the cramped intimacy of the spacecraft’s viewing; again, I’ve not seen better 4K using native 4K imaging chips. error is not in the source. Frozen interior left me with virtually nothing from any other projector at or near the But the visible resolution from this looked amazing on the JVC, with to criticize. JVC’s price. The best of the discs— projector seemed to hold nothing brilliant color and resolution that Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, The in reserve as I sat 12 feet from my could hardly be better even if the disc UHD/HDR Great Wall, War for the Planet of the 8-foot-wide screen. I attribute this and display were both true 4K. The JVC will automatically switch Apes, and (yes!) Trolls—knocked my not only to the cleverness of JVC’s Animation rarely has many dark between your calibrated SDR and socks off, with vivid images, crisp e-shift5 but also to what appears to scenes, but both Prometheus and HDR settings when it sees an HDR detail, and brilliant color (though be a superb optical path and lens. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: source. This includes changing Apes is more subdued than the If I have a reservation about the Part 2—two of my favorite black-level from Low to High lamp modes as others). At least six more of the other JVC’s HDR performance, it’s that the torture tests—are loaded with them. required. On my Stewart screen, the discs didn’t disappoint in any way. blacks in HDR content sometimes To date, I know of no projector that JVC peaked out at approximately 145 This included Billy Lynn’s Long crushed very low-level shadow

FACE-OFF Sony VPL-VW285ES vs. JVC DLA-X790R as possible, including turning the Sony’s iris function. In any event, without its Contrast By Thomas J. Norton Contrast Enhancer to High for SDR sources Enhancer, the Sony couldn’t keep pace with (during my review, I had used Low for SDR the JVC. Since the Sony VPL-VW285ES I reviewed in and Medium or High for HDR). After that, the two looked remarkably similar on HD/SDR February/March (available at soundandvision. HD/SDR com) was still on hand while I was reviewing material, though not identical. The differences Watching Unbroken, I marginally preferred the JVC DLA-X790R, a brief comparison varied a bit from scene to scene. Sometimes, the Sony’s color; it was a little less warm on with the JVC was impossible to resist. At the Sony looked better; other times, the JVC. fleshtones. But the JVC was arguably sharper, just $5,000, the VPL-VW285ES is the least A contrast-enhancement feature like the if not by much. Yes, the 1080p JVC projector expensive native 4K projector Sony has yet Sony’s is typically dynamic in nature and could nudged the full native 4K Sony on this disc— released. But it does sacrifice some feature account for that. The JVC doesn’t have such a with the native 2K source displayed on the JVC content to achieve its price—notably any control, nor did it appear to need one, though with its e-shift5 turned off, and the source sort of mechanical iris to improve black levels it benefitted from its automatic beyond the dynamic contrast enhancement included with this model. At $1,000 more, the JVC adds a dynamic iris but sacrifices the Sony’s native 4K resolution for enhanced 1080p resolution with 4K sources via e-shift5 technology. To perform the comparison, I linked the two projectors to my Oppo UDP-203 Ultra HD Blu-ray player through an AVPro 4K-capable splitter. I had to make a few tweaks to get the two projectors to match as closely

Sony’s VPL-VW285ES offers a finer pixel •structure than the JVC...

48 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com PROJECTOR •With HDCP 2.2-compliant HDMI inputs, the JVC does Ultra HD at 60 hertz and 10 bits.

detail—not often or seriously enough first episode of the UHD Blu-ray of fleeting concern on a limited number same with the Contrast control to be a major issue, but enough to Westworld looked crushed and were of discs. I had more jaw-dropping produced glare, degraded color, and mention. In Life of Pi there’s a shot in also better (though not perfect) on moments in UHD/HDR with this near-clipping). But on the limited chapter 21 (at 1:23:46) where Pi is the LG OLED. Independence Day projector than with any other material I watched that has produced shown in deep darkness. On the JVC, Resurgence in HDR was also projector I’ve yet reviewed. 3D ghosting in the past, I saw none. the details in his face came close to frequently too dark, though in the disappearing, with only his eyes same settings the original Indepen- A Moment for 3D Conclusions clearly visible. This was not a problem dence Day was, ironically, one of My 3D testing was brief. The 3D The JVC DLA-X790R isn’t flawless. on LG’s E7 OLED, suggesting that the the best-looking HDR discs I’ve images, via early versions of JVC’s But its overall performance with issue was not in the source. Raising watched—and possibly the best- external 3D transmitter and glasses, black level, shadow detail, bright- the JVC’s Brightness control by a few looking catalog title to date. were fairly dim, even with the ness, color, and resolution makes steps helped, but not completely. Nevertheless, the issue I just projector’s Picture Tone control it the best sub-$8,000 projector I’ve And more than a few scenes in the described was only a minor and turned up to maximum (doing the yet tested. upconverted by the Sony to its native 4K The differences were more difficult to see and obvious there.) The JVC was a little cooler, the imaging chips.) describe on the animated Frozen. The depth of Sony warmer. But this might have been nothing There was much greater distance between the JVC’s blacks rarely showed up directly here, more than a result of calibration, and I didn’t find the two in terms of black level as viewed on but it still helped enhance the overall image, the HD/SDR color differences to be significant. fades to full black or in very dark scenes: The rendering it slightly richer than the Sony’s. But not The black levels, however, were. It was impos- JVC was clearly the king here. In black areas on by much, and the Sony offered a bit more detail. sible not to see that the Sony’s blacks and otherwise bright scenes, though, they edged This was hard to spot initially but was sometimes shadow detail couldn’t keep up with the JVC’s in much closer. There are two possible reasons for visible in characters and objects that were dis- this film’s many dark, gloomy cave scenes. It was this, neither under the direct control of either tant and small but well focused. Fleshtones also a clear take for the JVC, and not a subtle one. projector. My room, while fully darkened, isn’t looked a bit smoother than on the JVC. While totally black, particularly the ceiling. But prob- one might argue that such slickness also made UHD/HDR ably more significant is this: With a picture that’s characters’ faces look subtly plastic and artificial In my review of the JVC, I mentioned a dark partially dark and partially light, the bright areas (which, of course, they are), it also made them a scene in Life of Pi (chapter 21, at 1:23:46) force your pupils to narrow, thus making them shade more dimensional and pleasing. This was where Pi’s face is obscured, except for his eyes. less sensitive to the dark areas. Still, the JVC more than likely the result of the Sony’s finer pixel The Sony did provide more detail in his face often looked a little richer than the Sony even structure. Sony wins here, by a different nose. here—but in the process, it lightened up the on brighter scenes, and while Unbroken isn’t a On Prometheus, I noticed slight but clear dif- dark image enough to give it a slightly blanched pristine transfer, I’d have to give the win here to ferences in color between the two projectors. (I look. The JVC made up for this one odd scene the JVC by a nose. had seen this in Frozen as well, though it was less with consistently superior blacks. Even with the Sony’s HDR Contrast control bumped up to near maximum, it couldn’t match the JVC’s HDR punch. Yes, the JVC could some- times edge closer to visible clipping, but this was rarely distracting. Overall, I have to give the nod to the JVC. But the Sony is still a first-rate projector, and it’s a not insignificant $1,000 cheaper. And of course, it’s native 4K.

...while JVC’s DLA-X790R exhibited beer •contrast and black level.

soundandvision.com 49 TEST REPORT Hi-Res Done Retro By Al Griffin

TEAC AI-503 Integrated AT A GLANCE Plus Amplifier/DAC inside the AI-503, it’s time we talk Q Clear, crisp sound about its stunning, jewel-like exterior. Q Cool, retro design TEAC, brings particular benefits to My review sample came in a silver Q Can drive efficient speakers PRICE $1,000 headphone listening. brushed-aluminum case with to reasonably loud levels The AI-503’s Bluetooth streaming rack-mount-style handles on the capability is worth calling out for its front. (An all-black version is also INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS support of LDAC, a coding available; both are substantially Minus designed for use both on the technology developed by Sony that narrower than standard 19-inch rack Q Hi-res Bluetooth requires desktop and in the listening room allows for wireless transmission of up mount width.) A pair of backlit meters LDAC source are a niche category that we’ve to 96-kHz/24-bit original files, track signal levels independently for Q Pricey looked at before, most recently in resulting in the claimed equivalent of the left and right outputs, and they’re reviews of Elac’s $699 Element hi-res audio. Like other Bluetooth flanked by aluminum dials for input EA101EQ-G and Cary Audio’s AiOS implementations, LDAC uses lossy selection and volume adjustment. In (April 2017 and December 2017 compression, although its a slick design touch, the volume dial the removable power cord. If it had a issues, respectively; both reviews 990-kilobit-per-second maximum is motorized, moving in response to phono input, too, that would almost available at soundandvision.com). data-transmission rate in Quality remote control commands. Other put the AI-503 over the top, but in its But of all the hi-fi manufacturers priority mode is three times what you front-panel features include a power absence you can always use an working this space, TEAC is the one get with regular Bluetooth. At on/off switch, a 3.5mm analog input, external phono preamp or a turntable that embraces it most enthusiasti- present, LDAC-compatible sources and a four-pole 3.5mm headphone with a built-in phono stage to get that cally. The company offers a full are limited to Sony’s hi-res-capable jack with a high/low gain select capability. lineup of compact, desktop-friendly Walkman digital audio players and button to tailor the headphone amp’s TEAC’s sturdy, comfortably sized integrated amps, including the new Xperia smartphones, so to benefit output for cans with a range of remote control has an aluminum AI-503 ($1,000), a model that from the TEAC’s pumped-up impedances. surface that matches the exterior of combines an asynchronous USB Bluetooth, you’ll need to use one of Besides its USB Type B computer the amp/DAC’s silver version, and it input (for a computer), a dedicated those devices. Fortunately, the port, the AI-503 provides RCA analog provides a clean layout of same-sized headphone amp, and hi-res-capable high-quality AptX Bluetooth codec is and coaxial and optical digital inputs rubber-coated buttons. Input select Bluetooth streaming (more on that in also supported, as are the on its back panel. There’s also a buttons are located up top, while the a bit). lower-fidelity AAC and SBC codecs. preamp output for future amp volume adjustment and mute buttons The key to the AI-503’s compact- Now that I’ve covered what’s upgrades, as well as a connection for are at the bottom for easy access. ness is its use of a high-efficiency Class D amplifier from Denmark’s ICEpower, which eliminates the need for bulky heatsinks. Power is spec’d by TEAC at 2 x 30 watts (8 ohms), and the amp is compatible with both 8-ohm and 4-ohm speakers. Separate Verita AK4490 digital-to-analog converters are used for the left and right channels, with support for up to 384-kilohertz/32-bit PCM and 11.2-megahertz DSD. When in asynchronous USB mode, the DACs are driven by separate clocks that operate at 44.1 and 48 kHz, as well as multiples of those frequencies for hi-res audio playback. Along with its dual DACs, the preamp section uses a fully balanced, dual-mono circuit design that, according to

The 11.4-inch-wide TEAC •sports rack-mount side handles and is available in a silver or black finish.

50 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com THE VERDICT AMP/DAC TEAC AI-503 Integrated Amplifier/DAC TEAC’s stylish, computer-friendly inte- TEAC AI-503 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER/DAC Performance grated amp is a great option for both desk- PRICE: $1,000 Features top and living-room listening. TEAC • teac.com Ergonomics Value Test Bench TEAC AI-503 Integrated Amplifier/DAC

(There are a few other buttons that, confusingly, have no corresponding Performance function on the AI-503.) Controls to Comparing the performance of the dim the front-panel meters and adjust Elac Discovery’s analog and digital the filter characteristics of the DACs outputs connected to the can be found in the remote’s middle corresponding inputs on the AI-503, section. I sensed that the TEAC’s DAC was slightly better at revealing nuances Setup in tracks with vocals. With the AI-503 I placed the AI-503 in my hi-fi rack handling decoding, there was also a and connected it to an Elac clearer presentation of instruments Discovery music server with built-in in space. For example, when I played DAC (see review in our February/ a familiar track, Mazzy Star’s March 2018 issue) running Roon “Flowers in December,” the violin THIS graph shows the AI-503’s left amplifier channel, with two channels Essentials music library software. stood distinctly behind the acoustic driving 8-ohm loads. Measurements for THD+noise, crosstalk, The speakers I used for the test were guitar. Listened to through the Elac, signal-to-noise ratio, and analog/digital frequency response were all GoldenEar Technology Triton Five both instruments tended to blend within expected performance parameters. Full details available at towers; to evaluate the headphone more in the mix. soundandvision.com.—MJP amp, I tapped Sennheiser’s HD 598. Another song, “Is This the Life We 0.1% THD 1.0% THD For computer input, I used a Really Want?” by Roger Waters, MacBook Pro running JRiver Media provided an even better demonstra- Two Channels Continuously Driven, 8-Ohm Loads 22.3 watts 26.1 watts Center 21. The AI-503’s manual tion of the TEAC’s ability to render a Two Channels Continuously Driven, 4-Ohm Loads 48.5 watts 55.9 watts states that a Windows driver is detailed, expansive soundstage. As I available on TEAC’s website, but it listened, a guitar emerged from an Waters was poking his head into my hear strain, I didn’t get the sense that hadn’t been posted yet for download impossibly distant point beyond the room. I was also impressed by the there was a tremendous amount of in the site’s support section during speakers. The track’s dry vocals, orchestral flourishes, which had a headroom. Still, it was my sense my evaluation, so I wasn’t able to test meanwhile, sounded upfront and dynamic impact I normally wouldn’t during listening tests that the TEAC Windows compatibility. present enough that it seemed as if expect to get from a modestly is rated conservatively at 2 x 30 powered integrated amp. That said, watts. I’ll be interested to read the while the bass guitar sounded taut measurements once the AI-503 exits and detailed, it did lack some of our test bench. [Editor’s Note: In the extension I’m used to actuality, the unit came up a bit short hearing with my regular, more of its 30-watt specification into an powerful amp. 8-ohm load, even at the more I continued to be conservative 1 percent distortion impressed by the compact figure. See Test Bench.—RS] TEAC’s clarity and power when My final living-room listening test I played an electronic track, “LA was to play the jazz supergroup Trance” by Four Tet. Synths and Hudson’s take on Joni Mitchell’s samples were meticulously “Woodstock.” Here again, the TEAC rendered, with fine layering, and presented a finely layered and bass was potent. However, I again expansive soundstage. Cymbals felt that the bass lacked some of were rich and detailed, while both the weight in the bottom octaves I the piano and the guitar came get with my regular amp. And through with a clear, natural tone. though I was able to push the The standup bass on this track in volume to relatively high levels in particular caught my attention due to my largish living room and not the crisp quality of the plucked

The le and right outputs •each get an independent retro-style backlit meter.

soundandvision.com 51 TEST REPORT •The cleanly styled •USB, RCA, coax, and SPECS Inputs: Stereo analog (2, 3.5mm front panel), optical digital (1), co- remote sports an optical inputs are located axial digital (1); PC/USB, Bluetooth wireless • Outputs: Stereo analog (1), 4-pole 3.5mm aluminum around back. headphone • Dimensions (WxHxD, Inches): 11.4 x 3.2 x 10.4 • Weight (Pounds): 8.8 finish.

the TEAC was connected to tower speakers in my large-sized listening room, but it would be a perfect fit for smaller spaces where a high decibel level isn’t a requirement, or with more efficient strings and the powerful resonance detail, along with an intricate quality to what I heard from the bass speakers. And in any of the instrument’s hollow body. rendering of stereo mixes, as I on Hudson’s version of “Woodstock,” event, the preamp There was also a degree of warmth to listened to the tracks through the a track that also sounded warm and outputs give you the the overall sound that was a pleasant Sennheiser headphones. I then spacious played through the option of connecting it surprise. moved on to a 5.6-MHz DSD headphone output. to a higher-powered Transferring the AI-503 to the download of Beethoven’s so-called amp or self-powered desktop, I plugged in my head- “Heiliger Dankgesang,” the third Conclusion monitors. Whether it’s phones and leaned back to listen to movement from his String Quartet No. TEAC’s AI-503 is a stunner on several used in a living room the same tracks. The Sennheiser’s 15, in A minor, Op. 132, as played by levels. First, it’s got a gorgeous look: or located on a 50-ohm impedance makes it an easy the chamber orchestra A Far Cry. The brushed-aluminum case, backlit desktop for headphone for many amp designs to Here, the massed violas and violins analog meters, and solid control computer-based drive, and I sensed plenty of power conveyed a sweet tone, and they knobs and switches all exude retro playback, TEAC’s on tap from the Class A/B headphone bristled with detail and ambience. I glamour. Equally appealing is the AI-503 is sure to be a amp that TEAC specs at 2 x 50 could clearly hear the scraping of sound, with its clean, refined conversation piece milliwatts (32 ohms, 0.1 percent THD). bows across strings, as well as the presentation and its ample power for you’ll be proud to have Same as with the speakers, the layering of the instruments in space. a compact integrated amp. I did on display. TEAC delivered impressive clarity and The cellos had a similar resonant sense headroom limitations when THE PERFECT GIFT FOR MOM & DAD!

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ORDER AT AMAZON.COM OR ZVOX.COM TEST REPORT Blow, Little Horns, Blow By Mark Fleischmann Klipsch Reference Theater Pack Speaker System AT A GLANCE formerly cone-shaped recesses that Plus PRICE $999 cleverly guided wire tips into the Q Klipsch’s classic horn- upgraded from injection-molded posts and replaces them with holes loaded sound at a budget SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST GOOD graphite (IMG) to spun-copper- that make the job more like threading price at things. People like Rembrandt colored IMG. Largely a cosmetic a needle. Thin, soldered tips would van Rijn, who could make a painted touch, it makes each little speaker work best. image gaze into your soul; or Meryl look gorgeous when used with the When we reviewed the Quintet, it Minus Streep, who can be Anna Wintour grille off. The 0.75-inch Linear Travel was available with a 12- or 10-inch Q Enclosure adds some one moment and Julia Child the Suspension tweeter is another subwoofer, sold separately from the next; or Warren Buffett, who’s been feature that the Reference Theater satellites. The Reference Theater coloration known to make his shareholders a Pack borrows, as its name implies, Pack comes with an 8-inch sub dollar or two; or Billie Holiday, who from Klipsch’s higher-end Reference included, and it adds a new could sing like Louis Armstrong’s line of loudspeakers. attraction: a 2.4-gigahertz wireless The Sound of Rap trumpet and fit a lifetime of hard The new satellite’s curved kit. The sub’s internal amp is rated at These Klipsch horns really loving into a single phrase. Com- enclosure is made of “black brushed 50 watts RMS and 150 watts peak, communicated. Dialogue and other panies can be good at things, too. polymer,” a.k.a. plastic, a step down which is considerably less than the elements in the soundfield were well Klipsch, for instance, became from the highly inert “forged stone 200 and 450 watts spec of the 10- imaged, with strong outlines, but not famous for their horn-loaded drivers polymer” (a composite molding inch sub we previously reviewed. without a modicum of shading. under founder Paul W. Klipsch. In the compound called AcoustaComp) Associated equipment included a Tonal balance, while slightly forward, last couple of decades, the brand that was formerly used. As a result of Denon AVR-X7200W A/V receiver, was certainly not too aggressive or has parlayed its expertise in horns this and other changes, though a Oppo BDP-83SE universal disc sizzly; things that were supposed to into a commanding position in quarter-inch taller, the Pack Sat player, Micro Seiki BL-51 turntable, sound warm sounded warm. With the compact speaker category, weighs less than half as much as the Shure M97xE cartridge, and Denon matched horns and drivers in every marketing one bestselling satellite/ old Quintet sat. My fear going in was PRA-S10 serving as phono preamp. corner of the room, as well as in the subwoofer set after another. that this could influence the sound, adding cabinet-induced colorations The Sixth Generation for starters. More on that below. The Klipsch Reference Theater Cloth-covered grilles are mag- Pack is the company’s sixth-gener- netically attached. On the back are ation sat/sub system, succeeding a port, a threaded insert on each the Quintet, which we tested back sat (two on the center), and in 2013. It sells for $999 with an spring-loaded cylindrical binding 8-inch subwoofer, compared with posts. The new enclosure makes it $1,050 (not factoring in a half- harder to access the binding posts decade of inflation) for the previous because it dispenses with the configuration we reviewed with a 10-inch sub. The Reference Theater Pack consists of four RTP Satellites—or Pack Sats, as I like to call them—plus an almost equally compact, horizontal RTP Center and an R-8SWi subwoofer (not sold separately). The 0.75-inch tweeter in the sats and center is still recessed into a 90 x 90-degree Tractrix horn. But there are notable differences from the previous system. The 3.5-inch woofer has been

Each speaker in this set •includes Klipsch’s beautiful copper-colored woofer.

54 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com THE VERDICT SPEAKER SYSTEM Klipsch Reference Theater Pack This redesign of Klipsch’s bestselling sat/ REFERENCE THEATER PACK SPEAKER SYSTEM Speaker System Performance sub system makes some compromises from its PRICE: $999 Build Quality predecessors—but still produces excellent sound. Klipsch • (888) 250-8561 • klipsch.com Value

season of this TV series was shot in 2014 with a stereo soundtrack. That left the center speaker unused and required the left and right Pack Sats to image dialogue on their own. In terms of clarity, they never failed, though the plasticky coloration was made even more obvious... center, it was easy to follow panning subwoofer needed less than half of trajectories. Bass reflected the its volume control’s range (with the “White Album” Revisited inherent limits of the Pack Sat’s usual default level in my receiver’s ...until it wasn’t. Why did the 3.5-inch woofer, and took some surround processor) to produce an coloration all but vanish from “The dialing in, but eventually I got the adequate level of low bass effects. White Album” in the vinyl box set sats and sub on speaking terms. Despite the modest sub amp, it of The Beatles in Mono? The box’s On the downside, there was a got the job done in my New York reserved presentation may have go to 200 Hz, which made the sub- hollow-plasticky coloration coming apartment. Dialing out a slight called less attention to it; of the woofer unbearably obvious. And at from the cabinets. Knowing that localization of male voices pushed half-dozen versions of this album 120 Hz, the hole between 120 and these had been switched from the the sub level and crossover point sitting on my shelves, this one is the 200 Hz isolated the sub and omitted harder, stone-like material to the down, though I would later rethink least bright, and it’s a relief to be able a big slice of upper bass. Switching lighter plastic, I asked myself if this the crossover. to play it loud. Whatever the reason, to 150 Hz turned on Paul’s bass was confirmation bias—the tendency The Fate of the Furious (Blu-ray, the Pack Sat zeroed in on those guitar like a light switch. to allow a pre-existing theory to DTS-HD Master Audio) loads up on familiar voices, making them warm I continued hopping among sub overwhelm facts. But no. Although action heroes (Vin Diesel, Dwayne and fleshy. Chalk up a win for the crossover points while listening to the Quintet review was years ago, I’ve Johnson, Jason Statham) and little speaker. This would be the last Simon Nicol’s Before Your Time (CD), never forgotten knuckle-rapping the other stars (Charlize Theron and an album in which the band and their the Fairport Convention frontman’s Quintet cabinet; it sounded and felt uncredited Helen Mirren) and lays team miraculously fit numerous first solo album, replaying the like stone. Rapping the RTP on the motorized noise with a trowel. layers into a single channel, and opening track obsessively as I enclosure reveals a hollow-sounding I became grateful for both the the Pack Sats peeled the onion flipped between 120 and 150 Hz. coloration, and it isn’t subtle. The Klipsch’s well-behaved top end and beautifully. With the Beatles, the difference was other confirming factor was plain the apparent decision to mix the The one thing missing was Paul night and day—but it made far less old listening. Yes, I could hear the film with a limited dynamic range. McCartney’s bass. Dialing in bass difference to the rhythm section on resonance from time to time, Although my aim for a one-size-fits- takes extra effort with sat/sub this album, beautifully self-produced though it wasn’t a deal breaker and all volume setting was lower than a systems in general (not just this one). and self-engineered for the age of didn’t prevent the system from motorhead might prefer, the center My usual 80 hertz and even 100 Hz high fidelity, with crisp mids and performing well enough in other speaker wouldn’t let me miss a word would leave a huge hole; nowadays, I a beefy bottom end that flattered respects—imaging, resolution, and of dialogue. start at 120 and go from there. In our ace players Dave Mattacks (drums) overall clarity. Grantchester (DVD, Dolby Digital), Klipsch Quintet review, a different and Dave Pegg (bass). The system Gold (Blu-ray Disc with DTS-HD with James Norton as the village vicar 3.5-inch woofer rolled off steeply mined colorful textures from Nicol’s Master Audio soundtrack), starring who solves murder mysteries, can below 200 Hz, so I knew I would have finely aged baritone and the lay- Matthew McConaughey as a be filed under unintentional demo to use a higher sub crossover than I ered filigrees of his delicate but modern gold prospector, features material (my favorite kind). The first typically prefer. However, I refused to rhythmically surefooted acoustic some pleasing natural effects from guitar. the jungles of Borneo (actually Next, I turned to a live recording of filmed in Thailand). The horn- outgoing music director Alan Gilbert loaded tweeters made them leading the New York Philharmonic almost too colorful; when in Verdi’s Requiem at David Geffen perspective shifted within a scene, Hall (CD). The recording seemed to the transition was dramatic. The

The wireless R-8SWi •sub comes with a compact, pre-paired transmier.

soundandvision.com 55 TEST REPORT Klipsch R-8SWi Subwoofer See soundandvision.com/ The R-8SWi subwoofer is Performance ON THE TestBench for full lab results and •only available as part of the Features WEB technical definitions. Reference Theater Pack. Build Quality Value Test Bench Klipsch Reference Theater Pack Speaker System

enough to find anything left of the RTP Satellite (purple) +4.68/–2.06 dB, 200 Hz to 10 kHz; –3 dB @106 latter in the retail pipeline, go for it. Hz, –6 dB @ 96 Hz; impedance minimum 5.00 ohms @ 360 Hz, phase But the Pack Sats are still excellent angle –49.30º @ 213 Hz; sensitivity 86 dB, 500 Hz to 2 kHz. performers, and the Value rating for the system as a whole benefited from RTP Center (green) +3.29/–1.63 dB, 200 Hz to 10 kHz; –3 dB @ 109 Hz, the $50 price cut. –6 dB @ 97 Hz; impedance minimum 5.02 ohms @ 379 Hz, phase angle The Klipsch Reference Pack –41.41º @ 241 Hz; sensitivity 89 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz. successfully continues the brand’s string of excellent-sounding budget R-8SWI (blue) Close-miked response, normalized to level at 80 Hz: sat/sub systems. There are some lower –3 dB @ 33 Hz, –6 dB @ 31 Hz, upper –3 dB @ 133 Hz w Low Pass folks who love horns not only for control set to maximum.—MJP their inherently higher efficiency— a good thing to have in a speaker system when it’s running with a $500 SPECS RTP Satellite: 3.5 in IMG cone woofer (1), 0.75 receiver—but also for their distinctive in aluminum dome tweeter in 90 x 90º Tractrix horn (1); 4.38 x 7.75 x horns is not only an evergreen clarity. Klipsch continues to profit 5.37 in (WxHxD); 3 lb • RTP Center: 3.5 in IMG cone woofer (2), 0.75 company tradition but also an from the wisdom of the company’s in aluminum dome tweeter in 90 x 90º Tractrix horn (1); 10.75 x 4.38 x inspired piece of ingenuity that, elders. 5.37 in (WxHxD); 5 lb • R-8SWi: 8 in IMG cone woofer; 50 was RMS, literally, has been passed down from 150 peak; wireless, line-level RCA LFE and stereo in; 11.75 x 13.25 x generation to generation. And it Audio Editor Mark Fleischmann is 11.75 in (WxHxD); 15 lb survives because it does what it does the author of Practical Home Theater: really well, allowing small satellite A Guide to Video and Audio Systems, speakers to assert a big sound. now available in both print and soften the venue’s hard string sound, broadcasts/1415/verdi-requiem.) Another positive factor is the addition Kindle editions. which actually suited the Pack Sats In assessing my Performance and of wireless transmission to the well, enabling them to bring out the Value ratings for the Reference now more compact sub. natural warmth of the chorus and Theater Pack satellites and center, I That the sub was also soloists. One thing the venue and had to balance the downgrading of downgraded to one with a the satellites had in common was the enclosure from filled polymer to smaller driver and less powerful excellent low-level resolution, which mere plastic against the continued amp to hit a price point did not meant that soft-voiced passages effectiveness of the horn-loaded go unnoticed. However, my didn’t vanish into the ether. (My CD tweeters and IMG-coned woofers. respect for its nimbleness at was a Philharmonic subscriber There was something special about frequencies just below the freebie, but you can download the those AcoustaComp enclosures, sat-friendly sub crossover slowly album in Amazon MP3 form or watch though, and I hope they make a but surely increased over time. it free on the orchestra’s website at comeback someday. So yes, the Pack is a step down nyphil.org/watch-listen/audio/ On the other hand, Klipsch’s use of from the Quintet—and if you’re lucky

Klipsch’s compact The Theater Pack is an excellent-sounding budget system. •8-inch sub measures 11.75 x 13.25 x 11.75 inches. 56 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com Many speakers claim superior sound quality in a bookshelf format. Our MK402 speakers actually deliver — at a price point that will surprise you. The carefully cultivated drivers and simple, yet effective custom crossover team up to create a large, well-separated soundstage. Expansive dispersion means great sound quality with less attention to room placement. And their unique appearance adds yet another Distributed By: layer of sophistication to the already impressive package.

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surreptitiously listening-in to your Sonos One Wireless Smart space. Below the microphone button at the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions are icons that look like Speaker over 6 inches tall. In place of the double colons (i.e., ::). You can tap on top-mounted volume rocker and these to adjust volume down or up, play/pause button found on every or swipe right or left to advance or PRICE $199 AT A GLANCE other Sonos speaker, the One sports back up the track selection in your Plus a capacitive touchpanel. At the 12 playlist. In the center is a familiar THE FULL IMPACT OF THE o’clock position is a little micro- play/pause icon to engage those home-based voice-actuated Q Typical Sonos build and phone icon, which, when tapped, functions. So you really get three assistant, invented first by Amazon sound quality deactivates (or reactivates) the Alexa options to control the speaker: touch in the guise of Alexa, then followed Q Alexa voice control assistant. It’s mated with a white LED. controls, voice, or the Sonos app. by Google and now Apple with its Sonos describes this as a security The One follows the Play:1 in also Siri-driven HomePod, has yet to be feature: The mics are powered using a 3.5-inch aluminum cone felt. The category has loosely Minus directly by the same circuit as the woofer and 0.75-inch silk dome evolved into what we are now calling LED; if the light is off, there is said to tweeter, though both drivers have Q the “smart speaker,” though it is not No Bluetooth be no possibility of anyone been redesigned for the One to Q the speaker, but the microphone (or No hi-res audio mic array) in conjunction with a network connection that imbues these devices with their extraordi- that demo, they used a $50 Amazon nary power. Sure, the speaker plays Dot to tell one of their speakers to music, perhaps the simplest of its play this or that, a small teaser to voice-controlled functions (and prove they were working on it and according to a recent study by NPR/ had taken some baby steps. What we Edison Research, the activity a smart didn’t know at the time was that an speaker is still most frequently used entirely new voice-interface speaker for). But the opportunity presented was in the works. by an artificially intelligent device That speaker, the subject of this that can respond to human language review, is essentially a “smart” version and trigger any number of events in of the company’s popular $199 Play:1 our environment possesses extra- entry-level speaker, itself a fine- ordinary potential for transforming sounding incentive to bring Sonos our lives. The fact that the most into the home and reduced (as of sophisticated of these voice early January) to $149. The One looks interfaces to date, Amazon Alexa just like it and shares similar dimen- and Google Assistant, are offered in sions and shape, and Sonos execs at open, licensed platforms and being the launch said the intention from the constantly advanced and promoted start was to voice it just like the Play:1 by two of the world’s richest tech and fit it to the same form factor while giants, suggests that we are on the squeezing in the top-panel six-mic verge of an explosion of innovation. array and required electronics to The best is yet to come. give the One its smarts. The result, In this context, the release of the interestingly, is that virtually no parts Sonos One wireless smart speaker were directly carried over from the last October was much anticipated. Play:1—short of a few pieces of Sonos, the leader by far in the wire- hardware holding it together, it’s an less multiroom space, had been entirely new speaker. promising Alexa control of its popular For those unfamiliar with either ecosystem for more than a year and model, the One is a stocky, square showcased a few parlor tricks for column with rounded corners, not journalists back in February 2017. In quite 5 inches wide or deep and just

Both the design and dimensions of the Alexa-enabled Sonos One are •similar to the preexisting Play:1.

58 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com THE VERDICT SPEAKER Sonos One Wireless Speaker Sonos was slow to deliver a voice-controlled smart speaker, SONOS ONE WIRELESS SMART SPEAKER Performance but with integrated Alexa (and Google Assistant arriving soon) PRICE: $199 Features in what amounts to a redesigned Play:1, they’ve created a nearly Sonos • (800) 680-2345 • sonos.com Ergonomics Value irresistible, low-cost intro to their wireless ecosystem.

Truth be told, setting up the One was not the quick and straightforward experience attendant to setting up any old Sonos speaker. It goes something like this: 1. Plug the speaker in, then log into your Sonos account (or set one up if one already doesn’t exist). 2. Add the speaker to your Sonos network via the usual mechanism in the Sonos app. This time, it involves pressing the button on the back of the speaker to confirm that the new speaker the app has automatically recognized is ready to be added, then naming the speaker with whatever room label you’d like to apply. better handle the higher internal it). As with the Play:1, there are no 3. Hit the Alexa button on the temperatures wrought by the additional inputs of any kind—no just-added “Add Voice Control” page assumes you had an Amazon additional processing required for analog Aux, no Toslink optical, no of the Sonos app. (Sometime in 2018, account to start with; if not, you’ll be voice control. Each is driven by a Bluetooth for the quick streaming of Sonos will add Google Assistant to establishing that first. pair of Class D amplifiers, whose your friend’s latest playlist from his the system’s voice-control options. 6. Use the Alexa app to link your power output (unspecified) remains phone. Fortunately, the Sonos Sonos execs say they expect to sup- existing music service accounts to unchanged from the Play: 1. Around platform offers pretty much any port all of the popular voice platforms Alexa. Alexa currently supports voice back is a reset/setup button and an popular music streaming service as the market develops.) control of Amazon Music, Spotify, Ethernet port if a wired network you’ve heard of, along with the abil- 4. Connect your Amazon account Pandora, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and connection is readily available or ity to access your iTunes or other to Sonos by logging into it from inside Sirius XM. This doesn’t mean that required for reliable operation (most hard-drive-based digital music the Sonos app. you can’t play, say, Apple Music on people with capable Wi-Fi coverage library. Like other Sonos speakers 5. Switch over to the Amazon your Sonos One if you’ve got an won’t need and devices, audio signals are limited Alexa app, which you have already account there and have added it to to 48-kilohertz/16-bit, essentially dutifully downloaded and tied into your Sonos network. It just means CD-equivalent resolution. Like the your Amazon account by providing that you’ll have to use the Sonos app Play:1, a pair of Ones can be your Amazon login credentials. This to call it up and navigate it by finger. mated as a stereo pair or used as surround speakers for a Sonos Playbar soundbar or Playbase. You can also add a Sonos SUB subwoofer to lend low-end reinforcement to this or any other Sonos speaker system.

Setup I tested the One in various locations around my home for a couple of months, using it and an ancillary Amazon Echo Dot to voice-direct music and news streams to other Sonos speak- ers around the house and generally put the Alexa/Sonos combo to the test. Separately, I set up the One in my studio to listen to CD-quality test tracks from Tidal streams and my digital music library in order to compare its audio quality directly with the Play:1.

You control the Sonos One with Alexa, the speaker’s top-mounted •touchpanel, or the updated Sonos app.

soundandvision.com 59 TEST REPORT

Sanus makes both a wall mount (WSWM22) and speaker stand •(below, WSS22) to mate with the Sonos One.

by grouping without any subwoofer support, both respond, as a group, to voice com- them together benefitted from Sonos’s tasteful mands directing music to just one of in the app and Loudness contouring when I got them. So, for example, if I start up my moving the volume around to reactivating that. Still, Frank Sinatra Pandora station in the sliders for each while the One seemed a touch more app and make a Kitchen/Dining speaker up and down; weighty at times, we’re talking about Room group, I’ll hear music in both I casually kept an eye on split hairs here. These were all subtle zones. I can even independently an SPL meter to more or differences that would likely escape adjust volume by voice in each, as in, less match volume. After inexperienced listeners, and they “Alexa, volume 3 in Kitchen,” followed performing the Sonos could easily have been attributable by “Alexa, volume 6 in Dining Room.” TruePlay in-room tuning on to the small difference in the speak- If I want to turn off Frank and listen to both and using the app to turn off ers’ positioning/proximity to room NPR, I can ask Alexa to “play WNYC Only the the Loudness emphasis for each, boundaries, or some variance in the radio from TuneIn in Kitchen,” and the Alexa-supported my listening revealed that the two TruePlay tuning process. The bottom change will affect both rooms in the services can be called into speakers are indeed voiced very line is that the Sonos One and Play:1 pre-established group—which action by voice, though once you much alike. Super close, in fact. They were nigh on sonically identical. Both remains a group until I ungroup them get any of the 80 or so Sonos music are best described as essentially are exemplary for their size and price. in the app. services running via the app, you can neutral, with a nicely extended and These are speakers that respect the Along with this one very Sonos- use voice to adjust the volume or never bright high end, a detailed music. centric limitation, there are other track transport functions. midrange absent of any overempha- commonly used Alexa skills that are 7. Use the Alexa app to select your sized presence that might push Voice Control not supported. Alexa calling and default music service—the service voices out front from the rest of the Sonos launched Alexa control with messaging, and the relatively new Alexa will automatically go to if you mix, and modest bottom-end a basic palette of capabilities; the “drop-in” intercom service that lets just say “Alexa, play James Taylor” support that clearly shows a company expects to find and fix you communicate among compat- without specifying a service. preference for natural character and bugs as it goes along and ible Alexa-enabled devices, If this sounds like a lot of steps, roll-off over an artificial and continuously add more are also not available from the it is—and there are an awful lot of overwrought upper-bass thump. capabilities to their Alexa skill Sonos One. You can’t get screens to peck your way past to get Despite their similarity, on most set. As of early January, the notifications, keep or update to the end. Fortunately, the Sonos tracks I was able to distinguish on the most notable limitation was lists, or set reminders. You also app takes you step by step, and One a slight extra bit of midrange the inability to use voice to cannot, for now, call up your Sonos has an excellent support page smoothness and warmth versus the create groups from speakers Audible books on the One or on its website. They’ve done the best Play:1, along with an ever so slightly in different rooms, or to shift the use any other Alexa-enabled they can with a process that, by its fuller bottom that suggested a tiny bit content you’re listening to from device in your house to direct nature, involves tying into Amazon’s of thickening of the upper bass. This one room to another. This is these to a Sonos speaker, though third-party ecosystem with its own generally served the music well. something the Sonos app easily Audible playback is commonly complexities and requirements. Still, Listening to Mickey Jupp on “Old allows by simply checking or supported by Amazon Echo for a company whose guiding Rock ‘n’ Roller” from his album unchecking rooms from a list of speakers. That said, Sonos is principle has been unintimidating Juppanese, I noticed that Jupp’s available zones. For instance, if planning to add Audible to its mix and intuitive ease-of-use for a bluesy, Jerry Lee Lewis–inspired vocal you’re playing something in the of available services this year, so mass-market audience, I can only was just a tad more exposed and raw den and want to switch that same that will at least make playback of imagine the collective “oy vey!” that on the Play:1; the One rendered it with program to the kitchen, you can ebooks an option through the app, must have risen up from the product its detail intact but was ultimately just call up the Rooms page and and perhaps through voice control team when they saw what they were more palatable, especially when he hit the Den tile to reveal the list as well. going to have to ask customers to cranks up the volume toward the end of available rooms. Then, within As anyone who’s brought an do. Sonos execs say they’ve made of the track. On Kehlani’s beautiful, that list, you uncheck Den, check Echo device into their home will removing setup steps and simplifying syrupy ballad “Honey” (pun intended, Kitchen, hit Done, and the changes tell you, using Alexa takes some this process a top priority for the but it’s apropos), which features just happen. Similarly, if you want to getting used to, and although it’s future. voices and guitar, the One’s rendering move the music from Den to a instantly more convenient for allowed it to play a little louder than group consisting of the kitchen launching a music service than Listening the Play:1 without inducing any kind and dining room, you would reaching for your phone and To compare the Sonos One with the of edge, but the Play:1’s slightly uncheck Den, check both Kitchen calling up an app, the specificity older Play:1, I placed the speakers sparser delivery gave the vocal a and Dining Room, and hit Done. of language that’s sometimes about 2 feet apart at ear height on touch more body and presence. You can’t currently tell Alexa required leads to frustrating speaker stands (specifically, the From a bass standpoint, neither to do any of this. However, moments. This is not a Sanus WSS21, which is designed to speaker could be called ballsy by speaker groups that critique of the One per mate with Sonos speakers). Direct any stretch—even by small speaker you create from se, although it was not A/Bs were easily accomplished just standards—and for casual listening inside the app will always clear exactly

The Sonos One and Play:1 were nigh on sonically identical.

60 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com Drivers: 3.5 in aluminum cone woofer (1), 0.75 in silk dome tweeter • Inputs: Sonos wireless As with the Play:1, SPECS •Sonos offers the One in (Wi-Fi), Ethernet • Amplifier: Class D, 1 per driver (power unspecified) • Dimensions (WxHxD, Inches): 4.69 x either black or white. 6.36 x 4.69 • Weight (Pounds): 4.08

specific remote zone music services by artist, album, popular music services. If you have where I wanted this song, playlist, station, genre, or Spotify, Tidal, Pandora, or iHeart- done. So, “Alexa, composer. Radio accounts linked to your Sonos resume Office” As a long-time Sonos user, I can network, you can call up each of brought the Spa say there was more of a re-learning those apps on your mobile device channel back to curve adjusting to this update than as you might while using a pair of life after a pause some others in the past. The hardest headphones, and select your Sonos command, without part was getting used to swiping zones from within the app. The requiring me to down on the Now Playing screen company has announced plans for respecify what I was whenever I needed to regain access similar access directly from the Kuke listening to and starting to the main navigation bar to handle Music and Audible apps for early a new stream. a music or room change. But once I 2018. Despite what seems to be I also noticed that got used to it, I appreciated the new consumer demand for this feature, controlling Sonos streams organization and the useful accessing Sonos this way is a mixed via my ancillary Echo Dot had consolidated search function. bag. On one hand, you get to use the whether the gaps in conversational its own odd vagaries. At one point I Separately, in recent months, most up-to-date app platform being intelligence I encountered were used the Dot, located in the kitchen, Sonos has made its speakers acces- offered by each of these services, associated specifically with the to direct a Sonos music stream to sible through the native apps of and if you often use these outside the Sonos skill set or the Alexa platform the Playbar soundbar I have in the home for headphone playback, they’ll generally. adjoining den. When it came time to likely be familiar to you. On the other For example, using the One or my turn off the music, I said “Alexa, turn hand, the native apps from most Dot to boot up a music stream in a off the Den,” to which she responded services do not permit you to initiate different Sonos zone required precise (via the Dot), “Den doesn’t support multiple streams from the same instructions about what I wanted that.” That language worked just fine service to different Sonos rooms done in which zone, and even then, it in similar situations with the One as simultaneously. So you can’t, for didn’t always work if the command the interface. So I tried “Alexa, turn example, play Oscar Peterson in wasn’t rendered exactly as Alexa off Den,” this time without the the. the den from Spotify and Barbra wanted. Here’s a recent exchange Same result. Finally, I tried “Alexa, Streisand in the kitchen from Spotify with the One, which was located in off in Den.” That worked. Lesson? at the same time. The Sonos app, on my listening space adjoining my Although any Alexa-enabled device the other hand, does usually permit office, where I had a Sonos Play:3. theoretically works to control Sonos, multiple streams from the same The plan was to instruct the One via you can’t necessarily count on them service in different rooms. voice command to boot up some understanding precisely the same relaxing music in the office. language set. But with time, you’ll Conclusion “Alexa play Spa Radio from learn how to execute what you do The explosive growth of the smart Pandora in the Office.” Alexa fetches most frequently without incident. speaker category in the last couple my Spa Radio station from Pandora of years has been driven largely by and starts playing it in the office. There’s a New App for products that weren’t, sonically Success! That speaking, very high performing. “Alexa, pause Office.” Alexa Concurrent with the launch of Sonos That’s quickly changed in recent pauses music in the office. So far, One, Sonos rolled out a significant months with a range of new entries so good. update to its smartphone user that make the smart speaker “Alexa, play.” Alexa, not getting interface. Emphasis here on attractive to more experienced that I was just asking to restart the significant—this one pretty radically listeners. Given the popularity of its Pandora music in the office, says (via changed how you select content ecosystem, Sonos was surely a little the One), “Here’s a playlist you might and rooms from previous versions late getting into the category. But like. Classic Rock Dinner Music from with the introduction of a main by offering up the Sonos One at Amazon Music.” And “A Horse With navigation bar at the bottom of the the same $200 entry price they’ve No Name” starts playing on the One main screen. The options include maintained previously for the Play:1, out in the studio. Arrgh! Browse (for selecting music) and and allowing Alexa voice control to OK, I get it—I didn’t specify the Rooms (for directing music to be added to any pre-existing system, room. So I set up the same scenario various zones). But there’s also a My they’ve given hesitant buyers with a and tried “Alexa, play Office.” Same Sonos button that gives you access critical ear a real incentive to explore result, only this time, it’s Dinner Music to your Sonos Favorites (organized this brave new world of home auto- in the office. Finally, I realized that into Songs, Stations, etc.) and a mation. Only time will tell what the Alexa was looking for “resume,” Search button that lets you search impact will be, but I’d bet this little instead of “play,” as well as the your library and all of your registered speaker will be big. Really big.

Sample screens from the •new Sonos app, including Now Playing (top) and Search results.

soundandvision.com 61 TEST REPORT iFi nano iDSD Black Label Amp/DAC Performance Features Ergonomics Little Big Amp Value By Mark Fleischmann

AT A GLANCE iFi nano iDSD Black Label Amp/ Plus Q Handles PCM, DSD, and MQA natively DAC Label amp/DAC. That’s a mouthful; AB. There is no DSP in the signal Q let’s just call it the Black Label. chain to modify the music. The Black Second iEMatch output for PRICE $199 The company emphasizes that Label aspires to be bit-perfect—lossy IEMs Q the Black Label’s headphone amp formats notwithstanding, of course. USB or battery powered IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A USB outputs 10 times more power than With PCM material, the Measure amp/DAC to juice your headphones, one in a typical smartphone or tablet, mode employs a linear phase filter for Minus you might assume that a couple enabling it to run more demanding flattest frequency response, and the hundred bucks would buy nothing headphones with more headroom. Listen mode uses a minimum phase Q No analog line input more than a stick amp, one of those But its design is smarter than your filter to avoid pre-ringing on trans- compact dongles that extends average headphone amp. It provides ients. With DSD, Measure is narrow straight out from your computer’s two different headphone minijacks, bandwidth, optimized for low out- three mentioned below, and USB port. We live in the golden age one of which is designed specifically of-band noise, while Listen is connected one at a time—it ran my of the stick amp, and I’m sure not with reduced output for in-ear extended bandwidth, again opti- 57-minute playlist nearly three times, knocking ’em. But what if the same monitors and more efficient head- mized for impulse response. I found or fewer than three hours, before the money can buy something with a phones; the other supplies full power the difference between the two red battery-discharged indicator little more real estate for circuitry for less efficient ’phones. AMR touts modes almost vanishingly subtle on went on. iFi clarified that their initial and the always vital power supply, compatibility through both outputs program material. The option isn’t production had firmware that set the offering better than 96-kilohertz/ with headphones that offer a 3.5mm available in MQA, which uses a battery warning LED too conserva- 24-bit resolution, DSD, MQA, and TRRS balanced cable (the four-pole predefined, mandatory fixed filter, or tively and that the unit runs about two headphone outputs with variety) by maintaining the balanced in DXD, which uses a fixed filter for twice the time indicated by the light. I different gains, one for demanding wiring all the way up to the amplifier, what they call “bit-perfect” verified that the Black Label did last a ’phones and one for more efficient which is claimed to maintain the processing. more reasonable five to six hours on ones (including in-ear monitors, aka benefits of balanced wiring despite The only audio input is an unusual a full charge irrespective of the LED. IEMs)? Of course, you must read on. this being a single-ended amp. socketed USB-A male connector Current production has the updated There’s also a fixed-level analog line recessed into the chassis. It can firmware in place, and any customer Things from England output to feed an audio system (but charge the internal battery by in the field who encounters this and British parent company Abbingdon no input for analog line-level drawing power from your PC (though wishes to correct it can send their Music Research markets a full range sources). you might instead use a common unit to iFi’s service center for a of pricey, bleeding-edge two- Along with handling PCM files (up 5-volt phone charger). The company software update (http://support,ifi- channel products, including a triode to 384-kHz/32-bit in various formats), provides three accessories that plug audio.com). In any event, the issue is vacuum tube amplifier and a CD the most prevalent type, the Black into it: a 40-inch USB-A female to cosmetic and has no effect on the player. In 2012, AMR launched iFi Label decodes exotic file types USB-A male cable, a 7-inch USB-A unit’s performance. Audio as a “trickle down” value such as DSD (up to quad rate of female to USB-B female dongle, and As noted, I auditioned the Black brand with high environmentalist 11.2 megahertz, also called DSD256) a USB-A female to USB-B female Label with a couple of different aspirations, using materials that are and DXD (a PCM-derived format adapter. The company recommends HiFiMan planar magnetic open-back either recycled (plastic) or recyc- used in DSD mixing, up to 384/24). them over ordinary charging cables. headphone models: the big Edition lable (aluminum). Some of iFi’s It also supports the format-agnostic For use with mobile devices, you’ll X V2 ($1,299), on which I’ve come to dozens of products are exotic, like MQA (Master Quality Authenticated), have to add your own Android OTG depend, and (just for fun) the slightly the LS3.5, a reimagining of the which allows a lossy version of hi- or Apple camera adapter dongle. The smaller (and far more classic BBC LS3/5A monitor with a res audio to travel in streams and Black Label can be powered via USB affordable) HE400S bamboo enclosure, or the Pro iESL, files that are compatible with, and from Android devices, but not from ($299). Also in a headphone amp specifically the size of, uncompressed 48/24 iOS handhelds, which do not allow rotation were designed for electrostatics. The PCM audio. USB power draw by Apple mandate. nano line alone includes the nano The physical form of the Black Running it off its charged internal iGalvanic3.0 USB isolation device, Label is a modest black box about an battery is recommended with mobile the nano iUSB3.0 USB power supply inch tall, small enough to attach to devices. and signal regenerator, and several your smartphone with the supplied The unit is specified to DACs: the nano iOne DAC, the nano rubber straps. It also has rubber feet run up to 10 hours on iDSD LE headphone amp/DAC, and, to grip the surface of a desk. On the battery power with IEMs reviewed here, the nano iDSD Black front are a volume knob, a multicol- or efficient headphones. ored LED for power and sampling- With two sets of moderately rate status, and the two headphone efficient cans and one set of outputs. The amp circuitry is Class inefficient ones—the first

The front panel offers a pair of •headphone outputs, each with a different gain. 62 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com AMP/DAC SPECS Dimensions (WxHxD, Inches): 2.5 x 1 x 3.8 • Weight (Ounces): 5 • Inputs: USB Type-A IFI NANO IDSD BLACK LABEL male • Outputs: ⅛-inch minijack headphone (2), line (1) • Maximum Output: 20 mW, 3.5 V at 600 ohms; 285 mW, AMP/DAC 2.9 V at 30 ohms; 200 mW, 1.7 V at 15 ohms • Bit Depth/Sampling Rates: PCM up to 384/32, DSD up to quad- PRICE: $199 rate/11.2MHz/DSD256, DXD up to 384/24 • DAC: Burr-Brown DSD512/PCM768/2xDXD iFi Audio • ifi-audio.com

THE VERDICT on the light side, illuminating the epic. The HiFiMan HE400S had a Putting on the plushly padded presence region beautifully, while slightly darker tonal balance than the Sennheiser was a physical relief. This full-featured budget amp/ artfully dodging listening fatigue Edition X V2, which worked well on Although they usually produce little DAC can get the best out of most with most of the cans and content. the King Crimson track, moderating low bass, their winning way with headphones, especially in the Bass was usually sufficient but not the sax’s bright bite and giving the midrange not only flattered the all-important presence region. outstanding. It was obvious that three clockwork drummers an strings of the Venetian Concerto but the Black Label’s heart was in its attractive patina of grunge. also gave them an irresistible sense the Austrian-made AKG K240 reproduction of vocals and instru- of forward motion. In the giddy (semi-open back, about $70 online), ments occupying roughly the same With Dynamic Head- tarantella of North by Northwest, the the Sennheiser HD 600 (open back, spectrum. phones Sennheiser/iFi team was dark like the about $285 online), and the Sony With the two HiFiMan planar When I moved from planar mag- AKG but close-up and vivid like the MDR-V6 (closed back, about $90 headphones, the Black Label netic to the more commonly found HiFiMan Edition X V2. “Ben’s Farm” online). The HiFiMen and Sony were produced a suitably large and deep dynamic headphones, the Black lost some of its fleecy finery to the fairly efficient, the AKG and soundstage with a perspective that Label scored two out of three, Sennheiser’s reserved top end, but Sennheiser less so. was up close but not uncomfort- enabling the AKG to conjure smaller the Bach piano track was pleasingly The demo playlist was David able, and it demonstrated loads of but tighter images than the planars warm, with a medium perspective, Chesky’s Venetian Concerto No. 3, pleasurable tone color. Imaging was and conspiring with the Senn- neither in the piano nor too far from first movement, with the composer just how I like it: well outlined but fully heiser’s peerless sense of flow. it. The word natural appeared in my conducting the Orchestra of the fleshed out. And it handled the headphones’ notes on the Thompson and Drake 21st Century (AIFF 48/24), Bernard Among the three orchestral test challenging nominal impedances tracks, with the latter inspiring a Herrmann’s North by Northwest tracks, the star was the Varèse of 600 and 300 ohms, respectively, torrent of additional adjectives: score, main title, with Laurie Johnson Sarabande release of North by generally using half to two-thirds of “dark, warm, smooth, flowing, conducting the London Studio Northwest. As my notes remind me, the volume control’s range when each element in its place.” The Symphony Orchestra (ALAC 44.1/16), it literally made me say “wow” to an connected to the higher-output jack. Sennheiser/iFi team reveled in the David Chesky’s “Ben’s Farm in empty room. The top end’s rippling Only with the trebly Sony did the lead vocals of Steely Dan but lost the Vermont” from Dr. Chesky’s Ultimate castanets were zingy and vibrant Black Label’s light tonal balance lushness of the backing vocals; I Headphone Demonstration Disc without being overwhelming. The become too much of a good blamed the headphones, not the (FLAC 192/24), Bach’s Goldberg recording is loaded with reverb and thing—though when I re-auditioned amp. Toppy elements like King Variations, first variation, with pianist ambience, giving the orchestra an the Sony later, at the start of another Crimson’s sax and Pink Floyd’s Kimiko Ishizaka (FLAC 96/24), exotic undulating quality, and as day, I realized that much of my dis- screaming-seagull slide-guitar Richard Thompson’s “They Tore the reproduced here the long decays satisfaction was in direct compar- effects were discreetly smoothed Hippodrome Down” from Acoustic were rigorously structured and ison with the other headphones. out—again, not unexpectedly, with Rarities (FLAC 88.2/24), Nick Drake’s coherent. The spatial coherence also With fresh ears, the Sony/iFi pairing these headphones. “Hazey Jane II” from Bryter Layter suited the massed strings and solo wasn’t half bad. The Black Label allowed most of (FLAC 96/24), Steely Dan’s “The flute of the Venetian Concerto and With the orchestral and piano the headphones to be the best Caves of Altamira” from The Royal the piano of the Goldberg Variations. selections, the Black Label versions of themselves most of the Scam (ALAC 44.1/16), King Crimson’s With my go-to track for high- appropriately did little to offset the time. But with the Sony, it spotlighted “Meltdown” from Radical Action to frequency finery, “Ben’s Farm in AKG’s darker tone, though this a top end that is already prominent Unseat the Hold of Monkey Mind Vermont,” the Black Label excelled pairing still showed excellent detail and clinical with most amps, leading (ALAC 44.1/16), and for a grand finale, with every headphone; I never had to retrieval on the chiming instruments to lower volume settings, drier Pink Floyd’s “Echoes” from Meddle turn it up but could still hear all the of “Ben’s Farm,” and its imaging of the textures, and miniaturized images. (ALAC 44.1/16). delicate instruments at the low levels Bach piano track was the most Even so, in one instance, the Sony/ allowed by the recording. straightforward and realistic of the lot. iFi combo succeeded where the With Planar Magnetic The two folkie tracks showed how Lead vocals on all tracks that had Sennheiser/iFi combo failed, Headphones beautifully the Black Label could them were similarly shifted to the illuminating Pink Floyd’s airy vocals The Black Label handle voices. It gave the Richard dark side. The AKG/iFi combo got and complex thicket of guitars, even performed brilliantly Thompson home-studio recording a the meatiest groove out of Steely Dan if the seagull effects were predictably for a $199 amp/DAC, full-bodied richness in both voice and the best live feel out of King searing. allowing nearly every and acoustic guitar, a quality that Crimson. This led me to veer from my For the price of a stick amp, iFi’s headphone to fulfill would be elusive with the headphone playlist and put on Led Zeppelin’s nano iDSD Black Label musters most of its potential. output of an average smartphone or “Black Dog” which erupted like Old features and output capability you As promised, it deliv- tablet. The gorgeously produced and Faithful; the urge to play it loud was won’t get in most stick amps, yet it ered enough juice to engineered Nick Drake track was irresistible and, thanks to the amp’s still fits in a pocket. It is ingenious, power even the most remarkable not only for vocal realism output capability, quite feasible. But, great sounding, and highly demanding of my and balance but also for layering of returning to the playlist, the AKG recommended. headphones, with a little complex arrangements. Steely Dan’s sucked the life out of Pink Floyd, (or a lot of) room to spare. vocals, backing vocals, and horn turning vocals bland and guitars Audio Editor Mark Fleischmann The IEM mode delivered less charts also benefited from adroit muddy. These ’phones also pinched is the author of Practical Home gain, allowing a wider range of layering, as did the numerous my noggin painfully, reminding me Theater: A Guide to Video and volume adjustments for the more keening, chugging guitars why I rarely use them nowadays. Audio Systems, now available in efficient ’phones. Tonal balance was overdubbed onto the Pink Floyd both print and Kindle editions.

The compact nano iDSD The simple back panel •measures 2.5 by 1 by 3.8 inches •includes a line out, USB port, and weighs in at 5 ounces. and filter switch. soundandvision.com 63 TEST REPORT Talk to the ’Mote By Michael Antonoff

TiVo Bolt Vox DVR and Streamer AT A GLANCE Plus make room for the mic hole just PRICE $200-$500 below it. New, too, are a Netflix- Q Voice-assisted search and plus service plan recording and costs $200. A launch button and a green Skip channel changes four-tuner model with 1 terabyte button for quelling commercials. Q Skip button for vaulting storage good for 150 HD hours costs (The tiny, multipurpose D button commercials WITH FOLKS CHATTING UP THEIR $300. The top line model boasts six continues to work for skip, too.) Q QuickView feature smart speakers and smart TVs, TiVo cable-only tuners, has 3 TB for 450 Zoom is gone, and a few buttons owners may have felt like they were HD hours, and costs $500. To any have been moved. living in the silent era of cinema. unit, you must add one of three Minus Being behind the tech ball was service plans: $15 a month, $150 a Hearing Voices Q Voice control adds little to especially galling for the TiVo year, or $550 for the lifetime of the By force of habit, I refuse to use program navigation community, which, not unlike the device. superlatives like revolutionary. But I Q New Experience interface Apple fanbase, is willing to pay more Preloaded on the Bolt Vox is an will say that searching for some- is sometimes cluttered and for superior technology. In late 2017, advanced onscreen interface called thing to watch by speaking natur- confusing TiVo, a name synonymous with the the New Experience. If you want to ally versus slow-going through an DVR, finally responded with a new upgrade from an earlier TiVo model, onscreen keyboard is the difference remote and interface that recognize the Vox remote (in black or white) is between driving and walking. You the value of voice recognition— $40 for a Bolt or $45 for a Roamio. can be specific, as in “Play Madam continue to play at normal volume especially when a viewer is search- You must download the new inter- Secretary” or “Create OnePass for but at a duller brightness. ing for something to watch from face and then pair the remote to the The Good Doctor.” You can be more I had a blast reciting famous among innumerable over-the-air, DVR. After TiVo assured me that general, as in “Show me Robert De quotes from movies. Such as: “Say cable, streaming, and recorded- features and performance would be Niro movies”—in which case, movie hello to my little friend,” whereupon program options. the same, I chose to upgrade my posters showing some 20 titles will TiVo brought up Scarface and The TiVo Bolt Vox is the existing Bolt for this review, mainly appear. (You could refine this by indicated whether I could record it company’s first DVR to come with a to avoid having to transfer my adding, “Just comedies.”) You can from cable or rent or buy it from a listening remote. Physically, the Vox $5-a-month CableCARD. Pointing the say, “Show me Knicks basketball streaming service. When I read lines is identical to the TiVo Bolt Unified new remote, I could control TiVo via games,” and an array of NBA posters from the American Film Institute’s Entertainment System I reviewed RF and my A/V receiver’s volume via will appear, each designating an 100 Greatest Movie Quotes of All previously (Sound & Vision, June IR. The Bolt Vox has only one cable/ upcoming game. Time, TiVo successfully identified the 2016), including the stack-defying antenna input, so you must choose Voice search performed sur- vast majority. hump. It has the same roster of ports between cable TV and broadcasting. prisingly well, though there were a I loved the efficiency of being able on the back panel and a CableCARD Wi-Fi is built in, but connecting an few times when I had to repeat myself to change channels by simply say- compartment underneath. However, Ethernet cable is recommended. because TiVo didn’t understand what ing, for example, “HBO.” If I had the Vox is black, whereas the original The new TiVo remote retains the I was asking. Note: You never start remembered the number, I could Bolt was white. distinctive peanut shape but adds a by saying a wake word like Alexa. have readily said “899” (HBO on my The pricing structure for the Bolt blue button labeled with a white You simply hold down the remote’s system) to achieve the same rapid Vox varies based on the tuner count microphone icon. The traditional mic button until you complete your result. If I said “Hulu,” the app would and size of the internal hard drive. TiVo home button, designed as a TV request. Your words will show up load. TiVo almost always responded The most basic unit has four tuners with rabbit ears and feet (TiVo once on the TV screen. Underneath, and 500 gigabytes of storage for 75 gave away a plush-toy version), has the program you’re HD hours of been modified slightly to watching will

The TiVo Bolt Vox closely resembles the TiVo Bolt but •sports a black finish rather than the Bolt’s white.

64 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com THE VERDICT DVR/STREAMER TiVo Bolt Vox DVR and Streamer Finding cable, streamed, and recorded content through the TIVO BOLT VOX DVR AND STREAMER Performance voice remote is much faster and more fun than using an PRICE: $200-$500 plus service plan Features TiVo • (877) 494-4567 • tivo.com Ergonomics onscreen keyboard. But the joined-at-the-hip New Experience Value interface may frustrate TiVo veterans until they get the hang of it. accurately, and the result was direct button was implemented that lasted tuning without necessarily having to even if your TiVo unit lost power, scroll through a massive lineup. and TiVo referenced it in the manual. SPECS Storage: 500 GB, 1 TB, or 3 TB internal; expand- Whereas deploying my voice paid So, seeing the Skip button finally able by 1 TB • Inputs: Coax cable or antenna, Ethernet, USB 2.0 (2), off while I was searching for a appearing, along with having the CableCARD slot • Outputs: HDMI, optical digital audio, stereo analog program or changing channels, it entire commercial set book-ended audio, eSATA • Dimensions (WxHxD, Inches): 11.4 x 1.8 x 7.3 • Weight added almost nothing to navigat- for each block, represents something (Pounds): 1.9 ing within a program. TiVo didn’t of a milestone. recognize simple spoken com- mands like “pause” or “play” or A New Experience The TiVo Live Guide has been One thing TiVo isn’t taking more complex orders like “Go back The addition of voice input can’t be retired. The vertical listings of advantage of, in the case of the 30 seconds” or “Jump ahead 20 discussed without also talking about upcoming programs from a particular Tuners Panel, is live video. Maybe minutes.” The only command that the radically redesigned system of channel are gone, replaced by a I’ve been spoiled by the ESPN app worked was “skip” or “skip it” to onscreen menus and prompts—the traditional matrix that requires lots on Apple TV, but I was disappointed leapfrog commercials. But in that New Experience. TiVo describes it of scrolling to the right to see what’s that I didn’t see live action playing case, why bother moving your lips as delivering “spot-on personalized on later. Recognizing the resulting in those panels instead of canned when, with the remote already in program predictions influenced by usability gap, TiVo was planning to graphics. hand, you can simply press the green actual viewing habits.” update the interface in February with When you switch to a channel Skip button? At least that button Viewers upgrading from the a new one-line guide launched by where a movie is in progress, you’re doesn’t first make you swallow your previous TiVo interface will be pressing the up arrow during live TV. prompted to press the A button to chips and guacamole. immediately struck by an enlarged This will show upcoming programs start over. That’s TiVo’s cue to direct The surprise addition of the program-in-progress picture (after on the current channel, and you you to get the full movie online from dedicated green Skip button brings pressing the TiVo home button) and can then use the up or down arrow the likes of Netflix, Vudu, or Amazon. up a bit of TiVo history. This functions a swarm of poster art that substitutes to move the focus through other While such offerings can be gen- similarly to the “D” button on the for bare titles. Similar movies or series channels. uinely useful, I can’t help but see this previous Bolt remote, and allows you might like get their own posters; Already in place is a handy feature mainly as TiVo’s opportunity to serve the skipping of an entire block of each cast member, a beauty shot. I called QuickView. While watching as middleman to rent or sell you commercials for shows recorded wasn’t enamored with SmartBar, a show, you simply press the right some content. What continues to from the top 20 most-watched TiVo’s row of predictions (in the form arrow to bring up a Tuners Panel, be missing is access to cable-on- channels that are recorded during of movie and TV posters) appearing showing graphic titles of what’s demand offerings (due to a limitation prime time. You’ll hear a tone sound at the bottom of the TiVo central currently feeding each of TiVo’s of CableCARD) that are otherwise as soon as the commercials begin. screen. The resulting visual clutter other tuners. They’re available through a DVR you’d You press Skip (or D), and the suggests a restaurant menu where arranged vertically along rent from your cable program instantly resumes where the customers place an order by pointing the right side of the company. commercial block ends. Having the rather than reading. I felt as though it screen, making As for the New dedicated Skip control represents got in the way of me finding content I it easy to select Experience’s touting of a long about-face by TiVo, which had recorded or wanted to record. one if you’re bored hyper-personalized initially only supported tape-like Also, menus have been moved, with what you’re recommendations, I fast forwarding, then depended with choices like Play, Start Over, and watching and want have to admit that I’ve on independent web user groups Delete—which you expect to see to take advantage never been a fan of to provide instructions on how arranged vertically—now laid across of each tuner’s algorithm-driven to activate a buried 30-second a horizontal, overhead bar. And buffer to go back to suggestions. The first quick-skip feature. Unfortunately, speaking of Delete, it’s no longer an an earlier point in the thing I did with my first if your TiVo lost power, you had to all-or-nothing option. If you choose program. Similarly, TiVo was to turn off its reprogram the remote all over again. Delete and Bookmark, the program you press the left option “to automatically Finally, a 30-second quick skip will be recorded again, and you’ll be arrow to bring up record shows you might reminded that it lingers on an online QuickView’s Favorite like.” The Bolt Vox still service. Channels Panel along allows me to opt out of the left side of the auto-recordings, but now screen, to see what’s I’m being inundated with currently on channels poster art that, frankly, you’ve designated looks an awful lot like as favorites. In either display advertising. QuickView option, It reminds me of TV what you’re currently sets in the early 2000s watching occupies that came with “free” most of the screen. program guides as an

•The 11.4-inch- The new voice- wide case features activated• remote TiVo’s signature is also available curvy hump. separately to upgrade an existing Bolt or Roamio.

soundandvision.com 65 TEST REPORT

The New Experience user interface provides a •variety of enhancements.

As for leading-edge formats, Bolt Vox supports 4K content from Netflix and YouTube. In terms of high dynamic range, the hard- ware supports HDR10 and HLG but not Dolby Vision. Nor does it support not currently doing any advertising in Dolby Atmos audio. the new UI [user interface] for TiVo A few words about the remote Bolt Vox. There are a couple of finder, a function we didn’t have room provisions for onscreen advertising, to explore in our review of the original but we haven’t used them.” Bolt. Press a button on the back of TiVo may not want to push the the Bolt Vox, and an RF signal is sent envelope too far when it comes to out. Even if the remote is in another antagonizing commercial-supported room or buried under couch cush- broadcasters. TiVo could go further ions, it will be triggered to play a tune. with the ad-skipping function within Press any button on the remote, and recorded programs—something you the tune stops. But don’t worry about can’t get on a cable company DVR. draining the batteries if you can’t get Since markers are in place for where to the remote: The tune times out a program resumes play, it would be after about 45 seconds. By the way, relatively easy for TiVo to automate the that upbeat tune sounded familiar to process so that, once the viewer has me, so I played it through Shazam, alternative to paying companies like result of trying to duplicate a indicated a preference for ad-skipping the song-identifying app recently StarSight Telecast, ReplayTV, and Hollywood movie using two VCRs. at first break, he or she should not acquired by Apple. Lucky for TiVo, yes, TiVo to provide detailed and Macrovision went on to acquire the have to touch the remote again during Shazam found “No Results,” so objective onscreen listings. As a TiVo assets of Gemstar, the inventor of a the rest of the show. Following in the TiVo won’t be paying royalties. (Can subscriber years later, I still resent this system of numbered listings (printed footsteps of CBS All Access, the you imagine the bill if TiVo used sort of in-your-face pitch. in newspapers and magazines) that streaming service, why not institute something apropos like Al Green’s The lineage of TiVo’s new owner VCR owners entered to set a premium tier in which subscribers “Let’s Stay Together”?) may have something to do with what recordings. As Gemstar-TV Guide, could pay a few dollars more per we’re seeing. Since our review of the company developed month for the privilege of watching Conclusion the original Bolt, TiVo was acquired ad-supported electronic program commercial-free TV? The money Despite my misgivings about the by Rovi Corporation, which then guides integrated into TV sets. At the would be distributed to the impacted invasion of poster panels and the adopted TiVo as the name for the time, manufacturers like RCA were broadcasters, based on usage. It’s not need to relearn a TiVo interface I entire company. Rovi, known for criticized for taking away large swaths as if TiVo isn’t already collecting such thought I mastered years ago, the program guides and intellectual- of the visible program guide to data. A TiVo spokesperson wouldn’t new Bolt Vox and its voice remote property portfolios, was once called accommodate ad panels. reveal future plans, except to say that definitely advance the platform and Macrovision. Old-timers will forever A TiVo spokesperson said in they’re “working on ways to make make changing the channel or associate that name with unwatch- December 2017, “We are commercial skip more automatic.” searching for a program in an ocean able tapes, the of choices faster than ever. And while TiVo could risk fully auto- mating their commercial-skip capability, just seeing that big green Skip button for the first time is remarkable in itself. Time is a finite resource. The time that TiVo gives back to viewers by streamlining search—and the hours we get back by not having to watch commer- cials—cannot be discounted.

Around back, the Bolt Vox provides HDMI, •optical digital, analog stereo, and eSATA outputs. The new Bolt Vox and its voice remote definitely advance the platform.

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Reviews in High Definition RATINGS Good Excellent Reference Poor Fair PICTURE UHD BLU-RAY 3D-NESS SOUND Valerian and the City of a ThousandP lanets EXTRAS

also allows filmmakers to change the HDR effect from frame to frame, while HDR10 sets a single level for the film, and this made a dramatic difference. For example, in the opening sequences, astronaut uniform colors in HDR10 were oversaturated, and brightness peaks were low, allowing plenty of shadow detail on a giant alien spaceship. The same sequence in Dolby Vision had tamer uniform colors followed by brighter lights—and deeper blacks—on the ship. Both versions look amazing, but the differences between them are pronounced, and the Dolby Vision version better represents the director’s, er, vision for what each scene should look like. The Dolby Atmos audio track doesn’t disappoint, either. The opening “historical” footage sequence starts in a 3:2 aspect ratio with David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” in stereo on the soundtrack. The visuals then

Lionsgate expand to 2.35:1 and the music mix opens into all the Dolby Atmos speakers. (When 9.4.2 Atmos support Too Much Valerian... starts appearing in A/V receivers next year, you’ll want to revisit this scene, Valerian is director Luc Besson’s passion project: He wrote rates regularly above 50 Mbps as the music blooms into the front and directed it based on a French comic book he loved as with peaks above 70 Mbps during surround channels first.) There’s a child. It’s also the most expensive independent film ever, a sequence wherein hero Valerian plenty of directional audio through- with a budget of around $180 bursts through different habitats. out the movie and distinct bass. million. It’s quite the spectacle, and the This is where physical media When a planet is bombarded, the plot—involving displaced aliens amidst shines: Streaming services today loud, room-shaking explosions a multi-species space station—could be a won’t push that much data even appear to come from different parts of reasonable foundation for a sci-fi adventure if you pay for Gigabit Internet the room, a neat trick since deep bass or sci-noir procedural. Unfortunately, the service. isn’t usually localizable. The higher acting, character development, and dialogue Valerian is one of the first discs frequencies that go with the thuds are are simply terrible. Ironically, the only to offer the Dolby Vision HDR placed in different spots, and it’s an believable character is a shape-shifting format (all 4K discs will default effective illusion. burlesque dancer played by Rihanna. to HDR10 if the TV does not The extras are underwhelming. However, like Besson’s The Fifth Element, support Dolby Vision). It allows Short featurettes show that Besson Valerian may thrive less as a sci-fi classic and BLU-RAY much higher brightness peaks, loves the source material and provides more as a home theater demo disc. Valerian’s STUDIO: Lionsgate, 2017 but the TCL TV that Dolby lent a glimpse into how much of the 2K digital intermediate was upscaled to ASPECT RATIO: 2.39:1 me for review purposes does movie was CGI (nearly all of it). A AUDIO FORMAT: Dolby Atmos / 4K for Blu-ray, and it looks fantastic. The True HD 7.1 core not approach those limits, so I 1080p Blu-ray and a Digital Copy resolution itself isn’t markedly better than LENGTH: 137 mins. wasn’t expecting to see major code are included. The code is regular Blu-ray, but HDR, wide color gamut, MPAA RATING: PG-13 differences between Dolby Vision UltraViolet only; Lionsgate does not DIRECTOR: Luc Besson and higher data bandwidth easily justify the STARRING: and HDR10 in that respect—and participate in MoviesAnywhere. Dane DeHaan, Cara O upgrade. My Oppo disc player reported bit Delevingne, Clive Owen I didn’t. However, Dolby Vision Avi Greengart soundandvision.com You sure you know what you’re doing?”

68 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com UHD BLU-RAY

THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD ATOMIC BLONDE EVERYONE’S OUT TO GET THEM Lionsgate I WANT ACTION TONIGHT Universal

Being a bodyguard is a tough business, but Michael Bryce David Leitch is known mostly as a stunt coordinator on was at one time considered the best, earning him the big action films like Tron: Legacy, but for Atomic Blonde distinction of being a triple-A executive protection agent. he steps behind the camera as the big man in charge to Unfortunately, if you lose a client, your life will take a turn direct an adaptation of the graphic novel series The for the worse, which is exactly what happened to Bryce when he wasn’t Coldest City by Antony Johnson and Sam Hart. The movie is fairly able to successfully protect a distinguished Japanese client. Two years dripping in neon and ’80s nostalgia. Charlize Theron stars as sexy Cold have gone by, and in order to make a living, he’s resorted to protecting War MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton, tasked to go into East Berlin and second-class clients—like lawyers. Luckily for him, he gets a request work with embedded station chief David Percival (James McAvoy) in from Interpol to escort an internationally renowned hitman, Darius order to find a sensitive dossier known as The List as communism is on Kincaid, from Manchester to the Hague in order to testify against a the verge of collapsing and the Berlin Wall is literally about to crumble. ruthless dictator, who has dispatched a team of assassins to ensure that Things go sideways the minute she lands and is made an agent by the the witness never arrives. Soviets. It’s a visually stunning film that takes place all on the surface, I generally don’t like these types of violent movies, but I really loved but things break down if you try too hard to follow the plot line. Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool and Samuel L. Jackson in virtually every Atomic Blonde was shot on Arri Alexa M and Arri Alexa XT Plus role, so I had to give this 4K disc a spin. Needless to say, I loved it. The cameras with Hawk V-Lite Vintage 74 lenses at 2.4K resolution. The story is much better that I expected, it has the right blend of action and anamorphic 2.40:1 production used a 2K DI and was done in Dolby comedy, and the chemistry between the two stars is exceptional. Sure, Vision; it also arrives on 4K Ultra HD in a 2160p encodement from there’s plenty of violence and foul language, but I couldn’t help myself Universal with Dolby Vision HDR (HDR10 compatible). Although it’s despite the flaws, especially Salma Hayek’s character. upscaled to 4K, it’s the extended color gamut and dynamic range that Many Ultra HD 4K discs are derived from 2K digital intermediates, really make the image stand out. The ’80s retro look and the neon pop but that’s not the case here. The film was shot on various Arri Alexa may border on kitschy, but they do look glorious here. There’s strong cameras, captured at 3.4K, and finished in 4K with spectacular results. shadow detail, superb detail without any flaws, and a fantastic range of The level of detail is off the charts in both close-ups and long shots. The colors (check out the right-hand corner of the screen and the skyline overhead flybys of the various locations in Europe are breathtaking and when James McAvoy is running to dive into the manhole near the make you want to call your travel agent and book a trip. The colors pop Berlin Wall at night). off the screen, especially red and green, and black levels are to die for. Atomic Blonde receives a DTS:X soundtrack (compatible with DTS- Just as impressive is the Dolby Atmos soundtrack, which features HD Master Audio 7.1) on Ultra HD. The height channels add a lot of plenty of gunshots, explosions, and a spaciousness, and the mix is superbly balanced. The low end is big plethora of discrete effects. This is on full enough to rattle some floorboards, but it display when Interpol tries to sneak Kincaid never seems overwhelming. The comple- out of England and the bad guys stage an ment of era-appropriate rock songs really ambush. Buckle up and prepare for one hell adds a lot of punch. of a demo scene as Kincaid shows why he’s Given that this is Leitch’s first feature one of the most lethal hitmen in the world. film, it’s unsurprising that the most The supplements are housed on the 4K interesting special feature is the nearly discs—thank you, Lionsgate—so there’s no eight-minute “Anatomy of a Fight Scene,” need to pop in the included 1080p Blu-ray which dissects the bloody sequence at the to delve into the production. The middling center of the film. Other features include package of bonus features includes outtakes, BLU-RAY a commentary with Leitch and editor deleted/extended/alternate scenes, four STUDIO: Lionsgate, 2017 BLU-RAY Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir, and “Welcome to ASPECT RATIO: STUDIO: featurettes, a director’s commentary, and a 2.39:1 Universal, 2017 Berlin,” which provides some interesting AUDIO FORMAT: Dolby Atmos / ASPECT RATIO: 2.40:1 O UV Digital Copy. David Vaughn True HD 7.1 core AUDIO FORMAT: DTS:X / DTS-HD historical perspective about Berlin during LENGTH: 118 mins. Master Audio 7.1 core the waning days of communism. A Blu-ray MPAA RATING: R LENGTH: 115 mins. Disc and UltraViolet and iTunes Digital DIRECTOR: MPAA RATING: Patrick Hughes R Copies are also included. STARRING: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel DIRECTOR: David Leitch O L. Jackson, Gary Oldman STARRING: Charlize Theron, James Brandon A. DuHamel McAvoy, John Goodman soundandvision.com

soundandvision.com 69 UHD BLU-RAY

CARS 3 LOGAN LUCKY SPEED THRILLS Pixar NASCAPER Universal

In the original Cars, from 2006, hotshot racecar Lightning Director/Producer Steven Soderbergh is an admirably free McQueen learned to be a gracious winner but a winner thinker, a true creative with an eye on the future of film- nonetheless. In Cars 2, Pixar learned that they could making. He’s very particular about the projects he chooses, produce a less than sparkling sequel. Now, in Cars 3, the emerging from pseudo-retirement to direct his latest, second Disney-Pixar property to produce a threequel (afterToy Story Logan Lucky. Made largely outside the Hollywood system he walked 3), McQueen is getting older, losing his edge, and suffering both losses away from, it still managed to score some A-list talent on a modest bud- and trash talk from newer, sleeker, faster racers. But he goes back into get, with James Bond and Kylo Ren likely welcoming the opportunity to training, gets up to speed (so to speak), and is on the verge of motoring play against type, as a down-on-his-luck explosives expert and a good- back to the top when….OK, you don’t expect spoilers, do you? hearted sad-sack, respectively. Star Channing Tatum plays it safe as yet In my first viewing on a projector and big screen, I was put off by the another nice guy with a bad-boy streak, willing to do anything for his film’s slow start, lame humor (Mater has little more than a bit part here, daughter. This time out, that means ignoring his family curse and risking and he’s missed), and less than subtle messaging that, while fine in a everything to knock off the Charlotte Motor Speedway, home of NAS- one-shot story and found in innumerable Disney films, compromises CAR. Logan Lucky soon reveals itself as a heist flick, and an extremely McQueen’s character arc as established in the first two films. When entertaining one at that, full of quirky characters and no shortage of viewed again, this time on a flat-screen UHDTV, I did like it better laughs. But in big ways and small it’s also quite derivative of Soderbergh’s despite my continuing issues with the direction it took. But for dedicated Ocean’s (Insert Number Here) movies. There are already three of those, Lightning McQueen fans, I’d suggest a rental rather than a purchase. with a fourth on the way, so the familiarity is disappointing. Pixar’s animators have been so consistently flawless that the stan- The video quality, however, is anything but. Logan Lucky was shot and dards they’ve set are becoming difficult to exceed, even for them. completed at 4K, and there’s a downright striking clarity to the 2.4:1 Nevertheless, they almost do so here, and the superb Ultra HD picture image that can’t help but pull us into this world. Tiny textural details pop, quality fully reveals their efforts. As with most brightly lit animated grass in particular, in the infield of the racetrack and elsewhere. High films, there are few opportunities for the UHD disc’s high dynamic dynamic range is in evidence, with interesting lighting choices in some range to stand out. But you’ll spot it nevertheless, particularly when unusual settings, such as the dark construction tunnels beneath the McQueen and Cruz (his trainer) find themselves in a nighttime, mud- speedway, with ample detail and blacks that are free of distraction. The soaked demolition derby complete with bright pyrotechnics. The color colors are strong and pleasing, if not extreme enough to really dazzle. and resolution are also superb; the metallic sparkle on McQueen’s The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack is solid without post-makeover re-paint, for example, is clearly visible, with the new red impressing. Dialogue is eminently legible, even with the affected deeper and richer than before. accents, while the cleanly rendered Oddly, the disc defaults to lossy Dolby music—David Holmes’ compositions and Digital on loading; you have to select the an eclectic mix of songs—works wonders to lossless Dolby Atmos track manually. I propel the movie forward. The couple of listened to the latter, but in 5.1. The sound explosions are restrained, and while I is big, clean, and dynamic. While not quite suppose that the race day sequence ably as wow-inducing as the best-sounding captures the thrill of these powerful cars, it’s films I’ve heard, it doesn’t disappoint and is not intrinsic to the story. enhanced by a beautifully recorded Randy The Ultra HD disc is movie-only, while Newman score. the extent of the bonus content on the The extras are extensive, with deleted included Blu-ray is a pair of deleted scenes, scenes, making-of featurettes, the short film BLU-RAY BLU-RAY one of which gives Daniel Craig the chance Lou, and additional background informa- STUDIO: Pixar, 2017 STUDIO: Universal Studios, 2017 to flex his thespian chops a bit. But for the ASPECT RATIO: 2.39:1 ASPECT RATIO: 2.40:1 tion—plus an interesting but clearly mer- AUDIO FORMAT: Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 AUDIO FORMAT: DTS-HD Master Digital Copy, that’s it: no interviews, no chandizing short on the many commer- (Ultra HD), DTS-HD Master Audio Audio 5.1 making-of, no commentary wherein Soder- cially available, miniature die-cast models 7.1 (HD Blu-ray) LENGTH: 119 mins. bergh discusses the bold new approach to of the Cars characters. There’s also a LENGTH: 103 mins. MPAA RATING: PG-13 his craft. Like the Charlotte Motor MPAA RATING: G DIRECTOR: Steven Soderbergh OChris Chiarella commentary track, but only on the HD DIRECTOR: Brian Fee STARRING: Channing Tatum, Adam Speedway, I feel robbed. O disc. Thomas J. Norton STARRING: Owen Wilson, Cristela Driver, Daniel Craig Alonzo, Chris Cooper soundandvision.com

70 APRIL 2018 soundandvision.com THE DARK TOWER WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES CHILDE ROLAND TO THE DARK Sony APEOCALYPSE NOW Fox TOWER CAME Bringing Stephen King novels to the big screen is always War for the Planet of the Apes concludes a trilogy that fraught with conundrums, the expansive detail not often began with Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011. It tells translating well to film. Condensing the eight Dark Tower the story of Caesar, from a nascent, intelligent ape to novels into a single sub-100 minute movie seemed espe- the leader of a band of smart simians. Humankind here cially ambitious. The Dark Tower screenwriters plucked bits and pieces has been nearly wiped out, with the survivors fighting to retain their from the series, beginning in the middle and crafting a tale from there. freedom and humanity. In a twist from the classic 1968 original, The bulk of the film follows young Jake Chambers, whose powerful however, the humans here are the villains, and the apes, fleeing the “shine” has him struggling with dark visions too real to be dreams. Jack remnants of an army led by an obsessed, Ahab-like colonel, are the stumbles across a portal that transports him to Mid-World where he heroes. We’re driven to root for the Apes, from the story’s beginning to joins the last remaining gunslinger, Roland Deschain, on his quest to its near-biblical conclusion. hunt down The Man in Black and stop his plans to destroy the Dark I’m not totally on board with the deviations here from the 1968 Tower, a mystical nexus point that stands at the heart of all worlds. original, nor with some of the symbolism used. And there isn’t a single Roland, played with burning intensity by Idris Elba, proves he has sympathetic adult human; the middle film, Dawn of the Planet of the not forgotten the face of his father as he handles the big guns with the Apes, was far more balanced in that regard. But there’s no denying that sandalwood grips, dispatching a variety of supernatural baddies. this is a powerful, beautifully made movie and one of the best of the Matthew McConaughey conveys the right smirk and menace for The year. Man in Black, leaving death and destruction in his wake. The set The UHD-HDR images, as viewed on a pixel-shifting 4K LCOS dressing has ample attention to detail, with some nice Easter eggs to projector, are stunning, many of them shot in the jaw-dropping winter other King works throughout. landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. And the motion-capture, animated Shot with a mix of 3.4K and 6.5K cameras and rendered from a 4K apes are as convincingly real as they are in the first two films, with a DI, The Dark Tower on Ultra HD Blu-ray looks terrific. From the gun- special nod to a superb Andy Sirkis as Caesar. slinger’s worn leather garb and cracked boots to the texture in buildings, The picture is crisp throughout. Dark scenes (which are dominant) the image has strong depth and feel. I enjoyed how the action scenes are appropriately dim but always clear. And bright highlights, though were shot, the stability letting us appreciate Roland’s lightning-fast infrequent, stand out where needed. The only bright colors come from reloads. The many night scenes display bright highlights from buildings explosions and rifle flares in the inevitable battle scenes; UHD’s wide and campfires where the HDR really pops. The film’s muted and often color palette isn’t a star player here. But that’s the nature of the film, and dusty color palette won’t push your set’s color gamut’s boundaries, but it’s this is a reference-quality UHD Blu-ray by any standard. natural and accurate. The disc also includes The UHD disc’s audio is Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, but, sadly, my system doesn’t. but I auditioned it in 5.1. It’s explosive and The Dolby Atmos audio mix is reference dynamic where required and subtle when caliber, with significant and frequent use of not. Michael Giacchino’s scores have often the ceiling speakers throughout to create struck me in the past as workmanlike and ambience, expanding and immersing you nothing memorable, but this one is a real in the action, with deep, powerful low exception—perhaps his best and superbly end when called for. Dialogue is also well recorded as well. As he points out in the recorded and easily understandable package’s extras, he was inspired by the regardless of the mayhem happening on work of Jerry Goldsmith in the 1968 screen. The mix features tons of directional- original. It shows. ity, particularly during the various gun- BLU-RAY BLU-RAY The extensive extras are some of the best fights, chases, and worlds the characters STUDIO: Sony, 2017 STUDIO: 20th Century Fox, 2017 I’ve seen recently. They include ten deleted ASPECT RATIO: 2.39:1 ASPECT RATIO: 2.40:1 visit, with all 11 speakers fully engaged. AUDIO FORMAT: Dolby Atmos / AUDIO FORMAT: Dolby Atmos scenes, extended making-of featurettes, a The Ultra HD set includes the film on True HD 7.1 core (Ultra HD), DTS-HD Master Audio concept art gallery, and an audio commen- Blu-ray Disc along with five deleted scenes, LENGTH: 95 mins. 7.1 (Blu-ray) tary from director Matt Reeves (on both a bloopers reel, three promotional vignettes, MPAA RATING: PG-13 LENGTH: 140 mins. the UHD and HD discs—as is typical, the DIRECTOR: Nikolaj Arcel MPAA RATING: PG-13 five behind-the-scenes featurettes, and an STARRING: Matthew McConaughey, DIRECTOR: Matt Reeves other extras are only on the HD version). HD Digital Copy. OJohn Sciacca Idris Elba, Tom Taylor STARRING: Andy Serkis, Woody OThomas J. Norton Harrelson, Steve Zahn soundandvision.com

soundandvision.com 71 Courtesy of Elektra-Asylum Records Norman Seef soundandvision.com ENTERTAINMENT individual menu screens for each song, Blu-ray the while hasonly one stellar, to say The least. the hereonly knock that is the DVD-A offered for Scheiner Elliot 2001DVD-Audio the release. Said surround mixis original producer Bill and Szymczyk longtime studio Eagles compatriot taining 96-kHz/24-bit the Master DTS-HD Audio 5.1mixdone by onstage. wingspan five-man bandthe midst in of learning how to stretchtheir collective evidentbecome much later tour, inthe but edited show this does the set ForumEagles’ on 20–22,1976.The October live true muscle would and Love Again”). masters of fade-in(“Pretty the Maids AllinaRow”) and fade-out (“Try harmonies and prowess, songwriting are underrated Eagles the also of album the proper, and anicereminder that, vaunted their besides anniversary, 1isaremaster sinceit 1976).Disc wasreleased inOctober nically said speaking, box actually commemorates thealbum’s properly feted anniversary 40th deluxe inathree-disc edition (tech- worldwide and counting.) official tally: over 16million units sold in the U.S.alone, and 32million California gritty Bicentennial times than Eagles’ the 1976masterpiece, basked afterglow. they inthe while by much artists very aware of pitfalls the of experimentations, their even closely, and you’ll clue into bit agood of prescient commentating social glitz, and drama resided high also some damn fine music, too. Listen andlike Mac. Eagles the Fleetwood Andyet, amidst allthat glamour, thing, time” allthe lifestyle credo personified pop-musicby superstars literal ’70s—the Ah, the age of excess, asdocumented by “every- the 72 APRIL 2018 Naturally, nest of egg Blu-ray box 3,the true the this isDisc con- 2containsDisc 48minutes from culled three shows at L.A. the Hotel California Indeed, could there have amore been flawless representation those of EAGLES HOTEL , one of albums best-selling the of ourcurrent time?(The soundandvision.com

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DAW Pro Tools edit. physical tape editing that would likely not happen with amodern deal-breaker. It’s just one of things from those days the of hands-on digital download. Make nomistake, moment though—this isno hi-res, one I’ve confirmedthe isalso on DVD-A, remastered CD, and next line, “Mirrors on ceiling,” the commences. It’s ajarring edit in lastthe “s” are abruptly cut off with amillisecond beforeof silence the momentat very the bass the tone hisvoice behind and hisinflection of line, “bring your alibis.” There, you canthe hear hard-stop clipped edit about halfway through at Henley 3:27,when endof gets the to very the right) that dominates song’s the final2:10. duel Don between Felder left (inthe quadrants) and Joe (onWalsh the throughclockwise channels the intro inthe or epic the section guitar it’sto behold in5.1,whether Don Henley’scymbal work deft moving “California Broken-Dreamin’.” Henley hasoften claimed hewanted to Resort,” subtitled which could be also Immigrant “The Song” and/or and full-channel the growl of “Victim of Love.” majesticthe swells on of “Wasted string section the Time (Reprise),” rear-leftpercussive chug the backduring half of the“Life in Lane,”Fast Scott (live material) Kelly Kotero, Tom AllanBlazek, mix); Matt Coles, ZackJohnson, (original album);Jeff Balding(live Ed Marshal,BruceBlazek, Hensal ENGINEERS: (box set) Day, Steve BillInglot, Woolard F.W. Davis (live material); Jason (5.1 mix);DonHenley, Richard Elliot ScheinerwithBillSzymczyk (original album,live material); PRODUCERS: CDs, 43:33on1Blu-ray) LENGTH: CDs, 9on1Blu-ray) NUMBER OFTRACKS: Audio 5.1(Blu-ray) DTS-HD 96-kHz/24-bit Master PCM Stereo (Blu-ray &download), PCM Stereo (CD),192-kHz/24-bit AUDIO FORMATS: LABEL: CD &BLU-RAY Regardless, Thatsaid, one editing decision continuesfrustrate to ear. my occurs It But of essence the Y Asylum 2:14:42 (1:32:09 on 2 2:14:42(1:32:09on2 DEL Bill Szymczyk, Allan Allan BillSzymczyk, Bill Szymczyk BillSzymczyk 44.1-kHz/16-bit Hotel U 28 (19 on 2 28(19on2 XE contains like other galloping, the 5.1marvels Hotel

EDITION other supplementals rears. inthe keyboard, guitar, and percussion accents and either bulk the peppering side—while of stereo, and theguitars on centered and/or panned to channels—vocals and drums song’s track front inthe bed ofessence band the and each justdoes that by keeping the surround mixessentially jointthe Scheiner/Szymczyk mission statement, as infact, middleofthe band.” the 5.1]wasputthe listener the in “What Iwanted to do[with known perfectionists” and “The Eagles were Eagles were “The Naturally, title the track itself isawonder That’s adamn good is embodied by the final track, “The Last Last “The by isembodied finaltrack, the O grandeur of it all, you can never leave. it—once your ears check in to very the that’s thing the about hundreds (ifnot thousands) of times.And takable depth to songs you’ve likely spun bears repeated listening, adding an unmis- center-channel piano figure) in tow. strings) and(the somber subtleties (asmall round mix,with requisite volume swells for splendor the and panorama of sur- the decay of Cal suited isperfectly imagery So John Cheever territory. Henley’s vivid prime left-coast-transplanted John Updike/ proffer his observations landsquare in its lyrics and felt hefailed, but Iwould achieve aJames Michener–like with scope  Mike Meler The bottomThe box’s this lineis, 5.1mix Hotel Hotel California

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Sound Leisure Sgt. Pepper’s

Limited-Edition Sound Leisure (distributed by Deer Park Distributors) • (618) 427-3761 • Jukebox deerparkdist.com

Sound Leisure behind The Beatles. That’s the sort made headlines in of thing we wanted to incorporate 2016 when it intro- into the jukebox design.” (Visit duced the SoundLeisure.com for a fascinating ’50s-inspired Vinyl Rocket Jukebox, making-of video.) its first 45-rpm-record-playing juke- The record mechanism—the box in 20 years and, at the time, the same one used in the Vinyl Rock- only new vinyl-playing jukebox in et—remains the only vinyl-playing the world. Last year, the U.K.-based apparatus in production today. The company—one of two remaining glass-encased, rotating rack holds jukebox manufacturers, the other 70 double-sided 45 rpm records for being jukebox pioneer Rock-Ola— a (now quaint) 140 selections. You partnered with Apple Corps to can select songs by pushing the build an “analog dream machine” buttons (just like teenagers did back that would memorialize the 50th in the day) or pick up the supplied anniversary of The Beatles’ 1967 remote for more modern control masterpiece, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely (sorry, no voice…yet); the remote Hearts Club Band. has keys for volume, reject, shuffle, and The Sgt. Pepper’s Vinyl 45 Jukebox may well lighting. The company also includes Label Magic be the ultimate tribute to the most influen- software as a “quick and easy way” to create and print tial rock album of all time, evoking both multi-colored record labels when it’s time to switch out some 45s (the the era and the album. Each record purchase price includes a one-year subscription). machine is built by hand—a painstak- Each jukebox is numbered and features a wood base cabinet, spray- ing process that takes around 70 painted red and appointed with chromed-aluminum accents and a cus- hours—with the album’s iconic art- tom cloth speaker grille emblazoned with the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely work cleverly adapted to the vintage Hearts Club Band” insignia, which conceals a 120-watt speaker system three-dimensional structure. Most comprising two tweeter/midrange driver complements and a 12-inch striking is how the cover art is “twin-cone bass speaker.” In case you’re wondering, the remote control repurposed inside the jukebox. “We isn’t the only modern amenity: The jukebox also supports wireless wanted the interior to feature the streaming via Bluetooth. 3D look with The Beatles themselves The initial shipment of Sgt. Pepper’s Vinyl 45 Jukebox sold out late standing forward over the vinyl mech- last year and the company is now accepting orders for a second ship- anism, just like the original photo- ment, expected to deliver in April. The price is $12,995, which includes graph was set up,” the designer delivery anywhere in the continental U.S. For an extra $299, you can explained. “You don’t get that impres- ship a batch of 45s to Sound Leisure, and they will create labels and load sion from the album, but imagine the jukebox for you. The company also offers several collections of new looking at it when the photograph 45s ($75 for a set of 10) that they will label and load. Put another dime was taken with the cardboard cutouts in the jukebox, baby.—Bob Ankosko

Sound & Vision (ISSN 1537-5838) (USPS 504-850) April 2018, Vol. 83, No. 3. COPYRIGHT 2018 BY TEN: Publishing Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Published 10 times a year (January, February/March, April, May, June, July/ August, September, October, November, December) by TEN: Publishing Media, LLC., 1212 Avenue of the Americas, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10036. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Single copy price is $5.99. Subscriptions: U.S., APO, FPO, and U.S. Possessions $23.94 for 10 issues. Canadian orders add $10.00 per year and international orders add $20.00 per year (for surface mail postage). Payment in advance, U.S. funds only. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to Sound & Vision, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. Mailing Lists: Occasionally, our subscriber list is made available to reputable firms offering goods and services we believe would be of interest to our readers. If you prefer to be excluded, please send your current address label and a note requesting to be excluded from these promotions to TEN: Publishing Media, LLC., 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245, An: Privacy Coordinator. Subscription Service: Should you wish to change your address or order new subscriptions, you can e-mail [email protected], call (800) 264-9872 (international calls: 386-447-6383), or write to: Sound & Vision, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235.

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