When we select gear to review at Sound & Vision, we shy away from stuff that seems inferior or merely mimics what’s already available. We look for products that represent an important trend or new development — whether a technological breakthrough, a leap in performance, or a bold design statement. While literally dozens of the more than 150 products and services we reviewed in the past year were special in some way, only 21 were deemed by our reviewers to be exceptional.
Performance, as always, is the common thread among the winners, but the 2004 group is distinguished by its trendsetters — like the world’s first movie server, a new kind of rear-projection HDTV that gives plasma a run for its money, stylish on-wall speaker systems that sound every bit as good as they look, and a satellite service dedicated to HDTV. Best of all, you can buy anything on the following seven pages knowing that it’s well made, easy to use, and on the cutting edge of home-entertainment technology.
— The Editors
RCA Scenium Profiles HD61THW263
61-inch DLP HDTV
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, December 2004) RCA and InFocus engineers put their new Digital Light Processing (DLP) TVs on the Atkins diet, and it worked. The HD61THW263 is skinnier than any other rear-projection TV ever — at less than 7 inches deep, no other projection set comes close. It takes up very little space, and you can even hang it on the wall. And yes, at $10,000 list, it costs almost as much as a like-sized plasma TV, but it provides a better picture than any 61-inch plasma I've seen. RCA has also included an imaginative batch of features, like a built-in Web browser complete with wireless keyboard, an excellent array of picture-customization options, and comprehensive connectivity with both a CableCARD slot and an HDTV tuner.
But most surprising was the picture. Aside from a few nitpicks, the set's shallow depth had no negative effect on the image quality. I saw the same sharp, well-defined picture I've come to expect from high-end DLP sets, with relatively deep blacks and very little video noise. In the end, the RCA wins for its radical design, which other TV makers will soon try to emulate. But RCA got there first.
—David Katzmaier
RCA rca.com, 800-336-1900
Harman Kardon AVR 7300
Digital Surround Receiver
(original review, November) The AVR 7300 from the venerable Harman Kardon brand is a “flagship” receiver that really earns its rank, and even at $2,400 (list), it's less expensive than many others. It's one of the first receivers to incorporate Faroudja's acclaimed DCDi digital video processing, which upconverts standard-definition 480i (interlaced) sources like regular TV to enhanced-definition 480p (progressive-scan). You can also tweak numerous video parameters individually by input, and all incoming signals are upconverted to component video.
On the audio side, the AVR 7300 had the highest all-channels-driven power I've measured from any receiver and was excellent to exceptional in every important test. You'll find gobs of inputs and outputs, of course, plus auto setup using a microphone built into the remote control, which gets the job done with impressive accuracy. For its copious power, generous connection options, and overall performance, the AVR 7300 more than merits a Reviewer's Choice Award.
—Daniel Kumin
Harman Kardon harmankardon.com, 800-422-8027
Panasonic SC-HT1000
Home Theater System
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, April, “Home Theater Made Easy”) The SC-HT1000 is every bit as svelte as a megabuck Bang & Olufsen system — except it lists for only $1,000. More important, it's the first home theater in a box (HTiB) to include a DVD recorder. The recorder, which can burn both write-once DVD-R and rewritable DVD-RAM discs, has a TV tuner and a timer and works pretty much like a VCR except that there's no rewinding and you can start or stop recording nearly instantaneously. Everything I copied from cable to DVD-RAM was indistinguishable from the originals when I used the highest-quality recording mode.
Panasonic has loaded the SC-HT1000 with a bunch of signal-processing tricks like Multi Rear Surround, which enhances the sense of envelopment by creating the illusion of more than two surround speakers. More important, the SC-HT1000 (recently replaced by the more fully featured SC- HT1500) sounds as good as any $1,000 HTiB I've heard, which is like having the DVD recorder thrown in for free.
—Rich Warren
Panasonic, panasonic.com, 800-211-7262
B&W FPM
Home Theater Speaker System
If you've seen the top speaker in B&W's high end Nautilus line — which looks like a high-fidelity robot from another galaxy — you might be surprised that the company could come down to earth enough to create the FPM (flat-panel monitor) series. From a design standpoint, the B&W FPMs simply match the plasma-TV aesthetic better than any other “flat” speaker out there. The FPM-5 satellites in the $4,650 system I tested shared the “picture frame” look of my plasma set, and the speakers' 4-inch depth and 26-inch length were a perfect visual complement to the TV.
Supported by B&W's ASW 675 subwoofer, the FPMs did a great job with cavernous, reverberant interiors and slamming sound effects in movie soundtracks. And their superb imaging and midrange clarity on music gave them a distinct resemblance to B&W's more far-out speakers.
B&W Loudspeakers www.bwspeakers.com, 800-370-3740
Definitive Technology Mythos
Home Theater Speaker System
Photo by Tony Cordoza
Definitive Technology, longtime champion of the bipolar tower speaker, got everyone's attention when it previewed the Mythos system. Based on the Mythos Two satellite, a 4 1/2 -inch-deep direct-radiating speaker with a polished-aluminum cabinet, this $3,700 rig can stand up against systems costing three times as much. Both the Mythos Two and the matching Mythos Three center speaker come with hardware for wall mounting, and the Two has an elegant glass base (shown below) for placement on a shelf or stand.
Movie soundtracks had a seamless continuity between the front and rear sound fields and music sounded lush yet detailed, with an incredibly wide soundstage. Equal credit must go to the compact SuperCube 1 subwoofer for contributing to the system's dynamics, which were nothing short of awesome.
Definitive Technology definitivetech.com, 410-363-7148
MartinLogan Fresco
Home Theater Speaker System
Photo by Tony Cordoza
Long before most companies had even thought of making a flat-panel speaker, MartinLogan had made a name for itself with its excellent hybrid electrostatic models. So it wasn't too surprising when the company came up with a statement product wedding lush sonics with flat-panel flair.
The five direct-radiating Fresco satellites use an advanced thin-film (ATF) transducer to reproduce midrange and high frequencies and two 4-inch cones for the midbass. Each Fresco can be mounted either vertically or horizontally, comes with a wall-mount bracket that allows it to pivot up to 90°, and has an EQ switch for on/off-wall placement.
The $5,790 system I reviewed included the stylish yet powerful Grotto subwoofer. Movies sounded seamless, with excellent clarity and dy namics. The same clear, seamless, and effortless sound made the system perfect for multichannel music, which it reproduced with three-dimensional detail.
MartinLogan martinlogan.com, 785-749-0133
Atlantic Technology System 4200
Home Theater Speaker System
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, May) This $3,500 system appeals to my preference for designs that put performance first. Atlantic Technology's System 4200 relies on conventional cone-and-dome speaker technology but simply gets it all right . The sound was consistently superb, with clean, relaxed, yet sparkling treble and virtually no bass boom.
Just as important, the System 4200 can be tweaked to maximize its performance in a wide variety of rooms. Each front speaker has both a Boundary Compensation switch, to smooth out the sound when it's placed close to a wall or a big TV screen, and a three-position treble Tilt switch. And the wedge-shaped surrounds can be switched between dipole and bipole radiation patterns for more spacious or more focused sound.
Okay, there is one bit of gee-whiz tech: the metal-screen grilles are held in place by tiny, curiously strong magnets. “Niftoid!” is what I said at the time, and I ain't changing my story now.
—Daniel Kumin
Atlantic Technology atlantictechnology.com, 781-762-6300
Yamaha RX-V750
Digital Surround Receiver
(original review, September) Yamaha's RX-V750 is everything a good 7.1-channel A/V receiver ought to be: powerful, easy to use, rich in helpful design touches, and excellent at every crucial surround sound task. Just as important, it's mercifully free of the things such a receiver shouldn't have: no complex features of questionable usefulness, no confusing layers of submenus, and no needlessly flashy switches, knobs, or displays. And at $650 (list), it doesn't cost as much as a spa weekend in Malibu .
Its most distinctive feature is its auto-setup routine — one of the first in a midprice receiver. Plug its small, UFO-shaped microphone into the front-panel jack, and the receiver sends test tones to each of your speakers and uses what the mike picks up from them to set the speaker “size,” distance, and level for each channel with impressive accuracy — it even warns you if a speaker is misconnected. Very cool. Add an exceptional palette of surround modes and a user-friendly preprogrammed/learning remote control, and you have a receiver that can't be beat at the price.
—Daniel Kumin
Yamaha yamaha.com/yec, 800-492-6242
Mitsubishi WD-52525
52-inch DLP HDTV
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, November) Not every big, silver-and-black box is created equal. With a finely chosen blend of understated style, up-to-date features, and uncompromising picture quality, Mitsubishi's newest DLP HDTV puts the competition to shame. At $4,000 list, the 52-inch WD-52525 does cost a bit more than competing DLP sets in this size range, but the extra cost is well worth it. Among its laundry list of features is NetCommand, a system designed to control all of your A/V components using an onscreen interface. Add to that a trio of component-video inputs, a CableCARD slot, a built-in HDTV tuner, an extremely useful set of color controls, a slick onscreen menu, and an easy-to-use remote, and the TV looks great on paper.
In person, I appreciated its vibrant, accurate colors and deep blacks, and its handling of darker scenes was among the best I've ever seen in a DLP: clean and full of shadow detail. Whether you want to control a rackful of gear through your TV or want one of the best pictures DLP has to offer, the WD-52525 is the complete package.
—David Katzmaier
Mitsubishi mitsubishi-tv.com, 800-332-2119
Kaleidescape System
DVD Movie Jukebox
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, February/March) Kaleidescape shattered both technological and legal boundaries when it delivered the world's first hard-drive DVD storage system. A year later, there's still nothing cooler. DVDs are saved to the server with zero additional compression and with all of the original features retained, including things like commentaries, Easter eggs, and deleted scenes. Kaleide-scape's Movie Guide service automatically catalogs stored movies, loading information like plot summaries, names of the actors and director, and ratings along with the DVD cover. The terrific interface makes it easy to browse your collection.
Picture and sound quality were pristine, and pressing play offered near-instantaneous gratification, as the movie simply starts — bypassing menus, trailers, and FBI warnings. Since my review, Kaleide-scape has added some new tricks, including an improved Movie Player, the K2500, that sports Faroudja DCDi video processing and upconverts standard video to high-def for output to your TV through an all-digital HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connection.
There's no sugar-coating the price. The Kaleidescape is expensive — Ferrari expensive. The basic system lists for $27,000, which includes a server capable of storing 180 DVDs (expandable to 500 discs), one Movie Player, and a DVD Reader for importing discs. But for movie lovers with the means, this is the ticket.
—John Sciacca
Kaleidescape kaleidescape.com, 650-625-6100
DirecTV HR10-250
HDTV Satellite Receiver/TiVo Hard-Disk Recorder
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, September) HDTV gets even better when you can enjoy those pristine images with all the convenience of TiVo, which lets you pause or replay “live” broadcasts, fast forward through commercials, and have favorite shows automatically recorded. DirecTV's HR10-250 receiver/TiVo recorder ($999 with a DirecTV subscription, plus $5 a month for TiVo service — waived for Premier subscribers) has four HDTV tuners, two for satellite programs and two for local broadcasts, so you can record two shows at once. It also has a 250-gigabyte drive that holds about 30 hours of high-def programs or 200 hours of standard-def shows. And since DirecTV's broadcasts are digital, the recorder doesn't have to do any encoding on the fly, which means you get the best possible picture quality.
Images recorded on the HR10-250 were identical to the originals, and its off-air HDTV tuners are excellent. It also does a good job of upconverting standard-def programs. The HR10-250 lets you watch HDTV on your own schedule — and does it very well.
—Gary Merson
DirecTV directv.com, 888-347-3288
Sharp XV-Z12000
DLP Front Projector
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review in June, “Ultimate Home Theater!”) The market is flooded with low-priced DLP-based front projectors that were originally designed for corporate boardrooms and then adapted for home theater use. But high-end models engineered from the ground up for movies and HDTV blow them away. Sharp's $12,000 XV-Z12000 is a perfect example of that breed, delivering a jaw-dropping picture that you'll want to charge your friends to watch. And they'll probably want to pay.
Along with a flexible lens-shift function, which really expands placement options, the Sharp offers unmatched picture-customization options, with full control over color temperature, gamma, film-mode processing, and other esoteric functions that delight videophiles. And its image quality is excellent, with great video processing, rich, spot-on colors, and better reproduction of dark scenes than any single-chip projector I've seen. Compared with less-expensive DLP projectors having the same resolution, the XV-Z12000 makes a strong case for paying the extra dough.
—David Katzmaier
Sharp sharpusa.com, 800-237-4227
Hsu Research Ventriloquist VT-12/ STF-1
Home Theater Speaker System
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, October) Hsu Research — best known for its subwoofers — addresses a common but widely ignored problem with this inexpensive 6.1-channel speaker system. Tiny satellite speakers inevitably poop out in the upper bass/lower midrange well above where a real subwoofer ideally kicks in — which usually robs the sound of warmth and weight.
Hsu's Ventriloquist VT-12 array includes five tiny satellites, each with a 2 1/2 -inch mid-range/tweeter, and a much larger center speaker with dual 4 x 6-inch woofers flanking the same small driver. For our review, Hsu combined the main speakers with its compact yet powerful STF-1 subwoofer. Here's the clever part: signals for the front left/right channels pass through the center speaker, and its woofers not only reproduce center-channel sound but also help “fill in” the sound on either side.
Though you have to be careful about how you place the satellites, Hsu's ingenious solution worked very well, delivering impressive sound for a system that you can buy factory-direct for $498. Hsu would deserve an award just for attempting to solve the problem of blending tiny satellites with a subwoofer. That it was so successful is icing on the cake.
—Daniel Kumin
Hsu Research hsuresearch.com, 800-554-0150
Denon AVR-3805
Digital Surround Receiver
(original review, July/August) In my review, I said that the Denon AVR-3805 is “perfectly balanced between the conflicting demands of versatility and usability, between sheer audio performance and price,” and I haven't seen anything since that would change my mind. For a reasonable $1,199 (list), you get 7.1-channel operation (including Dolby Pro Logic IIx processing for stereo, four-channel, and 5.1-channel sources) with impressive power reserves of more than 93 watts per channel even when seven channels are going at once.
The Denon also automatically and accurately sets speaker levels, “size,” and distance compensation and can receive digital SACD and DVD-Audio signals from compatible Denon players. To top things off, the AVR-3805 can drive two separate sets of surround speakers, one optimized for multichannel music and the other for movie soundtracks. Extravagant? It might be the only way to get the very best sound from each one — you could buy the two additional surround speakers for the price difference between the Denon and many comparable receivers.
—David Ranada
Denon usa.denon.com, 973-396-0810
Samsung HL-P5063W
50-inch DLP HDTV
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, October) There's a lot to like about rear-projection TVs based on Texas Instruments' DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology, but above all else they deliver big-screen, high-def images in shallow, wall-hugging cabinets and cost way less than comparable-size plasma TVs. With Samsung's HL-P5063W, the price advantage gets even better. At $3,800 list (I've seen it selling for about $1,000 less than that), it's cheaper than many other rear-projection DLPs in the 50-inch range.
And there's good news here for folks who like to get close to deliciously sharp HDTV images: the set's HD3 DLP chip — a new design that made its debut in this set — includes a feature called Smooth Picture that helps reduce the “screen door” pattern you usually see when you watch a fixed-pixel TV close up. While there was some picture softness and noise when I used the composite/S-video and standard-definition (480i) component-video inputs, HDTV programs and DVDs on a progressive-scan player looked terrific.
—Al Griffin
Samsung Electronics samsungusa.com, 800-726-7864
Pioneer Elite DVR-57H
DVD/TiVo Recorder
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, January) I always found even the simplest DVD recorders difficult to use — until I tested Pioneer's Elite DVR-57H. Pioneer was the first to marry a DVD recorder with the extremely user-friendly interface of a TiVo hard-disk recorder, and the result was the DVR-57H, a DVD recorder that's actually fun to operate! You use the TiVo program guide to select shows to record on the 120-GB hard drive and then use that same interface to easily copy any shows you want to save to a DVD-R or erasable DVD-RW disc. The DVDs you burn are complete with menus incorporating TiVo graphics as well as program information from the TiVo guide. It all fits together much more smoothly and easily than with a typical DVD recorder.
But for all its operational simplicity, the DVR-57H doesn't stint on performance, offering excellent quality in the top two recording modes and fine playback of DVD movies, especially using the progressive-scan output. Granted, the $1,000 list price is steep, but $800 less than when I reviewed the 57H. And the nearly identical DVR-810 that followed (reviewed in the June issue), now costs $500.
—David Ranada
Pioneer pioneerelectronics.com, 800-746-6337
Voom
High-Def Satellite Service
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, April, “Va-Va-Voom!”) The newest satellite-TV service is the place to turn if you want the most high-definition TV. With more than 35 HDTV channels — including Showtime HD, Playboy Hot HD, ESPN HD, HBO HD, Cinemax HD, TNT in HD, and Discovery HD Theater — Voom offers at least triple the number of any cable system or other satellite service. There are 21 exclusive high-def channels, including ten that show mainly movies all day long. While the picture quality varies considerably on those movie channels, it rates an A or B on all the other original channels. Subscription packages range from $50 to $90 a month, and all include some 80 standard cable channels and 18 music channels.
Voom's dish antenna and Motorola DSR-550 receiver, which has a built-in HDTV tuner, cost $499 with installation, or $9.50 a month with a $49 installation charge when you commit to a year of service. An antenna for local high-def broadcasts is included in the installation, and Voom's onscreen program guide seamlessly integrates your off-air stations with the satellite channels. When it comes to sitting down for an evening of HDTV, Voom is the complete feast.
—Gary Merson
Voom voom.com, 800-438-8666
Bose Lifestyle 38
Home Theater DVD System
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, November) With its hard-disk storage and other goodies, the Lifestyle 38 blows away home theater packages that merely play DVDs in surround sound. High-speed CD ripping has never been easier. Place a disc on the tray, press a button, and the Lifestyle 38 does the rest — it even tracks down disc and song titles and other info from its internal (and upgradable) database. As you listen to the 200 hours of onboard music, using the superbly designed universal remote — which works through walls thanks to its use of radio-frequencies instead of line-of-sight infrared — you can express your musical likes and dislikes. The uMusic system remembers your preferences and thereafter intelligently plays the music you like most, neatly solving the problem of finding “good” music in a big archive.
The $2,999 system sports five of the familiar Direct/Reflecting cube speaker arrays and an Acoustimass bass module that can be counted on to deliver the sonic goods. The supplied ADAPTiQ software even calibrates the system's sound for your room's acoustics. Add some optional gear, and the Lifestyle 38 can be used in a multiroom setup in which up to 15 remote Bose systems can access one of two audio streams. The elegant integration of so many features, utter simplicity of use, and trademark Bose sound quality all add up to a well-deserved Reviewer's Choice Award.
—Ken C. Pohlmann
Bose bose.com, 800-444-2673
Apple iTunes Music Store
Internet-based Music Seller
(original review, February/March, “The Download Challenge”) While the future might be filled with subscription-based music libraries accessible from anywhere, I suspect most people still prefer buying their music outright and using it unencumbered by an Internet connection and monthly bill. That's one reason Apple's iTunes Music Store, which pioneered the 99¢ song download, has been more successful than rival services with all-you-can-hear plans at about $10 a month. It also helps, of course, that Apple's interface is a pleasure to use and works seamlessly with its iTunes software and wildly popular iPod player.
When I compared the iTunes Music Store with three competitors, it offered the deepest pop and classical catalogs with the fewest restrictions. Though you download songs in the AAC format (which sounds better than MP3 at the same bit rate), the Windows or Macintosh iTunes software lets you burn your downloads to disc in the same PCM format as on standard music CDs. And it manages your MP3 collection, too. Unlike our other award winners here, the iTunes Music Store isn't a piece of hardware. But in the connected world, good software and good service may count for even more.
—Michael Antonoff
Apple iTunes Music Store apple.com/itunes, 800-692-7753
Yamaha RX-Z9
Digital Surround Receiver
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, May) You'd expect a flagship surround sound receiver to have vast power reserves and very low noise — especially one that's THX Ultra2-certified — and the Yamaha RX-Z9 has both down cold. But it's also one of the first receivers to automatically set speaker “size,” level, and compensation for their varying distances to the listening position — a job it does completely and accurately. This is especially valuable given that it can power up to nine channels, including a pair of small Presence speakers intended to create a more enveloping sound when you use Yamaha's advanced digital signal processing.
The RX-Z9 provides consistent bass management and distance compensation for all inputs and formats, including multichannel analog audio from a DVD-Audio or SACD player. Even better, and much rarer, its i.Link (FireWire) inputs let you digitally connect a compatible disc player — it doesn't have to be a Yamaha — to avoid a potentially degrading cycle of analog-to-digital conversion. At $4,499 (list), the RX-Z9 is expensive, but it's unsurpassed in performance and features. In a large, no-holds-barred home theater, it'll be worth every penny.
—David Ranada
Yamaha yamaha.com/yec, 800-492-6242
Zvox 315 Sound Console
One-Piece Speaker System
Photo by Tony Cordoza
(original review, October) What's not to like about a small box not much larger than a typical center speaker that turns the audio from an iPod or DVD player into room-filling stereo sound and costs less than a dozen DVDs? The Zvox 315 Sound Console ($200) contains three small, forward-facing drivers and a larger woofer that radiates from a slot in the rear. A sealed tube connects the left and right drivers to help keep the enclosure small.
There's no instruction manual because the only controls are for volume, woofer level, and PhaseCue, which mixes different combinations of the left- and right-channel signals in and out of phase and sends them to the various drivers to create an impressive spread of sound, far larger than the box itself. The Zvox 315 is easy to use and works with any gear that can feed its stereo minijack input — you can even use it outdoors or in the car. It's a remarkably ingenious, affordable route to satisfying sound when there's no room — or money — for a full system.
—Rich Warren
Zvox Audio zvoxaudio.com, 866-367-9869
Flat-Speaker Phenomenon
Sound & Vision readers are well aware that advances in TV technology have spawned a new generation of flat-panel sets. But with TVs now hanging on the wall or nestled up against it on a sleek stand, home theater speakers that once massed comfortably around them look more awkward and boxy than ever. The laws of physics say you can only make speakers so flat and still have them sound good. So creating models that can mate with the new flat TVs while still meeting audiophile standards is a serious challenge. Pulling it off takes not only a change in styling but a fundamental rethinking of speaker design. Here are systems from three companies that successfully made the leap (original review, January, “Speaker, Speaker on the Wall”).
—Al Griffin
2004 Reviewer’s Choice Awards Road Show
Sound & Vision’s Bob Ankosko took the magazine’s 2004 awards on the road, visiting many of the companies to personally congratulate them.
Click here to see the photos.