Audioholics Featured Reviews & Articles
Emotiva XPA-2 Two Channel Amplifier ReviewNot only does Emotiva have a winner on their hands with the XPA-2 two channel amplifier, but they’ve literally hit the ball out of the park with this creation rewriting the rule book on high performance amplifiers on the cheap. The XPA-2 is not only the most powerful amplifier that has come across my test bench, but it represents the best value in consumer two-channel amplification that I’ve ever seen. Quite frankly, when I think about it, the XPA-2 is a lone wolf in a pasture of sheepish amplifiers. |
Yamaha RX-V3900 Receiver First LookAt $1799, this 7.1 CH A/V receiver comes with everything but the kitchen sink. Extensive networking features allow you to stream music from your PC, Internet Radio, or Rhapsody online music service. The RX-V3900 also boasts HD Radio with iTunes tagging, four HDMI v1.3a inputs and two outputs, with HDMI up-conversion and scaling to 1080p and extensive multi-zone custom installation compatibilities. It supports the latest HD Audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio (192kHz). |
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Recent Professional Reviews, Articles and News
Video Spotlight: Marantz New Products Interview Demos Separates & Blu-ray
by Clint DeBoer — last modified November 21, 2008 09:09
by Clint DeBoer — last modified November 21, 2008 09:09
Marantz made their presence known in a big way at the 2008 Audioholics Expo with their new separates and flagship DLP video projector. The AV8003 and MM8003 are the first of the newly redesigned line of AV receivers and processors which borrow some of the cosmetic stylings from their Reference line. Dubbed the M1 chassis, the new design is also designed to better dissipate heat and reduce vibrations. Audyssey auto-calibration is include and so it XM and HD Radio. Balanced outputs are available on the AV8003 and a digital media player is included to allow consumers to stream content from a PC, Escient or NAS drive to the home theater. The system not only does audio, but also plays video from networked storage.
Editorial: AVRant #103: Outtakes
by Clint DeBoer — last modified November 21, 2008 06:31
by Clint DeBoer — last modified November 21, 2008 06:31
Clint joins Tom and Dina this week. What’s up with the speaker shootout? Tom gives you the skinny. Tom tells a sad, sad story. A love story gone wrong. Lots of discussion of the facts and not a whole lot of sympathy. Tom learns something new about the Internet. Dating via email. What is the deal with the 6500k setting for displays? What does it mean? Is it important? Thanks for listening and don’t forget to vote for us at Podcast Alley.
Press Release: Dayton Audio's New Flat HDMI Cables
by Tom Andry — last modified November 20, 2008 10:53
by Tom Andry — last modified November 20, 2008 10:53
Dayton Audio has expanded their line of HDMI cables. A flat cable enables you to run the cable under the carpet and behind any home theater system without the bulkiness of round cables. The ATC certification guarantees HDMI v1.3b compliance. 1.3 compliant now means you will experience richer color (up to 48-bit deep), faster refresh rates, and automatic lip sync. The Full potential of high definition 1080p video and lossless Dolby® TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio™ audio formats are waiting to be unleashed.
Tech Article: Crestron Home Theater and Dance Lounge
by Steven Castle — last modified November 20, 2008 06:14
by Steven Castle — last modified November 20, 2008 06:14
There's a "game room" with four plasma and LCD TVs and a video gaming array that allows for side-by-side play on separate screens. There's a "dance lounge" with fiber optic lights, a professional sound system and dueling drop-down plasmas. And that’s just scratching the surface in this 40,000-square-foot home brimming with technology.
Editorial: Xbox Experience and Netflix Review
by Tom Andry — last modified November 19, 2008 14:33
by Tom Andry — last modified November 19, 2008 14:33
As most Xbox 360 owners know (at least those that have and Xbox Live account) the new interface went live today. This update completely revamps the interface adding a number of features like 8 person chat and Avatars. More importantly, for those with a Netflix account, Netflix streaming of movies has been made available. This editorial will be a short review of the interface changes and a more in-depth one of Netflix streaming.
News: Blu-ray Pirates: A Few Lines Short of 1080p
by Wayde Robson — last modified November 19, 2008 09:55
by Wayde Robson — last modified November 19, 2008 09:55
Who wouldn’t be attracted by lower priced high-definition movie discs. But pirated Blu-ray discs are getting so good over in China, complete with Blu-ray cases, they’re becoming virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. But the new breed of digital fakes isn’t quite perfect and it’s all about the resolution.
News: Infinity Speakers on Sale at Audioholics Store
by Will Stamps — last modified November 19, 2008 09:57
by Will Stamps — last modified November 19, 2008 09:57
The Audioholics Store is proud to announce that it is your newest Infinity Authorized Online Retailer. The store offers the full line of Infinity Home Audio Speakers, including exciting speaker packages and complete system discounts.
Pro Review: Elemental Designs A6-6T6 Floorstanding Speaker Review
by Tom Andry — last modified November 18, 2008 17:18
by Tom Andry — last modified November 18, 2008 17:18
Elemental Designs A6-6T6 speakers only cost $500 a pair. This sounds like either crazy Internet pricing or white van material. At this price point, there is only so much you can do and eD has moved that bar quite high. The imaging of the A6's is really their strong point. I'm tempted to make grandiose claims about the imaging but I won't. If you're on a budget and or perhaps looking for your first pair of speakers, you could do a lot worse than the A6-6T6s.
Editorial: Best Buy Caught Tricking Customers Again, Now It’s HDTV Calibration
by David Waratuke — last modified November 18, 2008 16:54
by David Waratuke — last modified November 18, 2008 16:54
Electronics retailing giant Best Buy is stooping once again to generate business, showing they are willing to go to any length to get it, and they are certainly not going to let truthfulness or ethics get in the way. HDTV calibration, we here at Audioholics talk it up, and it is a good thing. A properly calibrated television balances color, providing a more natural viewing experience. It does not make crappy SDTV signals look less blurry and distorted. Best Buy is counting on uninformed customers not knowing the difference to sell Geek Squad branded HDTV calibration services.
Editorial: A Primer on Trademarks
by T. D. Ruth — last modified November 18, 2008 07:27
by T. D. Ruth — last modified November 18, 2008 07:27
Intellectual property is a matter that regularly plays into the lives of audiophiles. The most prevalent example is, of course, the copyrights in the music we enjoy. However, the ever-litigious Monster Cable reminds us of another area of intellectual property – trademarks. Trademarks, copyrights and patents are frequently confused for one another, as are the rights that each is designed to protect. Understanding the fundamentals of trademark will help prevent potential problems with famous mark owners as well as help smaller shops defend their own rights.
News: Emotiva Audio’s Holiday Sale is NOW!
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Tom Andry
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November 17, 2008 06:17
Editorial: Call of Duty: World at War on Xbox 360
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Wayde Robson
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November 17, 2008 05:14
Editorial: Audioholics 2008 SOTU Show Report Wrap Up
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Bertha DellaSala
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November 17, 2008 10:27
News: LG, Sharp Embroiled in LCD Price Fixing Scandal
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Wayde Robson
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November 13, 2008 06:20
Pro Review: Belkin Powerline AV+ Networking Adapters Review
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Tom Andry
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November 13, 2008 04:19
News: IBM Hooks Up Rural Area for Broadband, Ham Radio Leery
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Tom Andry
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November 13, 2008 04:15
Editorial: Universal Attempts to Squash Redbox, Redbox Fights Back
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David Waratuke
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November 11, 2008 15:11
News: iPhone 3G Puts Sexy into Smartphone
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Wayde Robson
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November 11, 2008 15:06
News: Circuit City Files for Bankruptcy Chapter 11
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Clint DeBoer
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November 10, 2008 04:12
News: YouTube Adds MGM Movies to Content Lineup
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Clint DeBoer
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November 10, 2008 02:24
