News

Seiki Digital debuts with a $1,499 4K TV
New brand gets off to a fast start with a super-affordable 50-inch Ultra HD model
Klipsch intros first Bluetooth speaker
With D-cell battery power for on-the-go sound
Sony's new 2013 home audio products
New receivers, new soundbar, new HTiBs

What's New

Totally Tubular: Samsung's 2012 Premium Audio Line

Glowing triodes may be the least interesting elements of the latest from Samsung
- By Michael Berk
- Posted March 28, 2012
Last night we got a chance to check out Samsung's new audio product line — a full refresh of the company's approach to docks and HTiBs, with a whole bunch of interesting twists.

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Tech Trends 2012: The Electronics Report

Electronics heat up with AirPlay, cloud streaming, and super-high-rez audio
- By Brent Butterworth
- Posted March 26, 2012
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AUDIOPHILES’ enthusiasm for computer-sourced sound has inspired innovation in the market for external digital-to-analog converters, which deliver vastly better performance than your computer’s sound card. Accordingly, there were many new DACs at CES designed to connect to computers.

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Audio Quality Lives!

No one cares about audio technology, right? It’s all about screens and phones and apps, right? That’s certainly been the case, but I think audio’s demise has been exaggerated, and instead is showing vigorous signs of life.
- By Ken C. Pohlmann
- Posted March 26, 2012
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Everything runs in cycles, and audio has passed its nadir and is now trending back up. And high-fidelity audio — for heaven’s sake! — is moving back onto the radar screen. Consider these 10 points:

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Seen at CES: The New Goodies

They say it was the biggest CES show ever, and it sure felt like it. When I got back, everyone asked me what the “most amazing” gadget or gizmo I saw was.
- By Gary Dell'abate
- Posted March 26, 2012
I hate to say it, but there were no real “wow” things this year. What gear and gadgets caught my eye? These items:

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Gaining Control

Though the category is generally downplayed at CES, there were some notable items in the control field at this year’s show.
- By John Sciacca
- Posted March 26, 2012
Control4 unveiled two new processors at this year’s CES, the HC800 ($999) and the HC250 ($599). They offer way more power for system control and provide a much zippier interface when controlling different areas of the home or browsing a media library.

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New Gear: Axiom Audio Debuts Omnirectional Linear Field Radiating Speakers

At Montreal's Salon Son & Image this week, the high-value speaker experts roll out a new concept
- By Michael Berk
- Posted March 21, 2012
Making their formal debut tomorrow at Montreal's Salon Son & Image high-end show, Axiom Audio's new Omnirectional Linear Field Radiating Speakers are a brand new design, pairing front- and rear-baffle mounted drivers with custom DSP and a unique cabinet design to create a wholly new twist on transducers from the Canadian compa

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New Gear: Axiom Audio Debuts Omnirectional Linear Field Radiating Speakers

At Montreal's Salon Son et Image this week, the high-value speaker experts roll out a new concept
- By Michael Berk
- Posted March 21, 2012
Making their formal debut tomorrow at Montreal's Salon Son et Image high-end show, Axiom Audio's new Omnirectional Linear Field Radiating Speakers are a brand new design, pairing front- and rear-baffle mounted drivers with custom DSP and a unique cabinet design to create a wholly new twist on transducers from the Canadian company.
Compact Discs — Not Dead Yet: Parasound Rolls Out Futureproofed Zcd CD Player

Parasound's new half-space disc player adds preamp functions and USB file playback
- By Michael Berk
- Posted March 14, 2012
The writing may be on the wall for the CD and for physical media in general; but we're still seeing interesting disc players emerge as we enter the format's end times (of course, we could be totally wrong about that; vinyl certainly hasn't gone away, and nor has innovation in the turntable arena). But simple CD-playback devices may be a thing of the past.

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The Physics of Unphysics: Walmart Takes to The Cloud

Walmart sells more physical movies than any other retailer. Now it wants to get unphysical.
- By Ken C. Pohlmann
- Posted March 14, 2012
- 1
You’ve got to hand it to Walmart. First, they make a zillion dollars selling DVD and Blu-ray discs to everyone. Now, they’re set to make another zillion dollars so you don’t have to actually use the discs. Brilliant, simply brilliant.

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Up Close and Personal with the Samsung Smart TV Lineup

The accent is on personalized control at Samsung's TV rollout event
- By Al Griffin
- Posted March 9, 2012
Though we got a good peek at them at the recent CES, Samsung’s 3/6 event in NYC gave Sound+Vision a chance to get even more up close and personal with the company’s new LCD and plasma Smart TVs.

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New Gear: Harman’s Dock+Go Personalized Dashboard

An integrated car system that uses the steering wheel as a dock.
- By Leslie Shapiro
- Posted March 8, 2012
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Who says Switzerland is known only for chocolates, cheese, and watches? There’s plenty of exciting news coming from the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

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Would You Like a Rolex With That?

Note to Sony: Next time, don’t leave the key under the door mat.
- By Ken C. Pohlmann
- Posted March 7, 2012
Michael Jackson is back in the news, and as usual, not in a good way. This time, at least, it’s no fault of his own. Rather, it’s his employer, Sony, who assumes the blame. It was imprudently careless with the keys to Jackson’s bank vault.

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