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25 Articles

That’s all Folks! I KNOW you’ve heard this one before: All good things must come to an end. To quote The Doors, “This is the end.” It is the final print issue of Sound & Vision magazine. I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the writers who made Sound & Vision such an outstanding read in print, right up through the year 2024. Many other magazines didn’t make it this far, which makes this moment both a significant milestone and a bitter-sweet farewell. But like a delicious chocolate bar, bittersweetness has its good points. Yes, farewell, Sound & Vision magazine. I will miss it more than I ever imagined before I took the editorial helm two years ago. This magazine has been an institution in my life for decades, and…

Thanks For a Great Ride!

This will be the final print issue of Sound & Vision, which, sadly, also means this will be the end of this column. For 21 years I’ve had the privilege of sharing some advice and anecdotes in this space, and for this last column, I thought I’d take a look back on some of the highlights over the years and get a bit personal. And the best place to start is at the beginning… It is with no hyperbole that I say that home theater changed my life. I was working as a golf professional at a private club in Northern California when I first experienced a surround sound system in a home. One friend’s dad bought a JBL audio system called Music + Movies which included a basic 5.1-channel audio system,…

Thanks For a Great Ride!

Tales of Atmos and Imagination

Alan Parsons (at left below) has long been acknowledged as a pioneering surround-sound mixer/producer all the way back to the early days of quad, and now he’s finally triangulated his sights on the kind of project we’ve all been waiting for—namely, by taking the maiden Dolby Atmos remixing voyage into his own deep catalog as the co-mastermind behind The Alan Parsons Project. Parsons’ initial APP-in-Atmos foray appears on the Blu-ray that’s included in the 4CD/1BD/2LP Super Deluxe Edition box set for their May 1978 release, Pyramid, via the ironically named Cooking Vinyl label. In short, the Atmos Pyramid remix ascends and envelops you in all the ways it should—and shrewdly avoids the pitfalls of how it shouldn’t. During a recent Zoom interview, Parsons, 75, and I discussed his overall Atmos…

Tales of Atmos and Imagination

The 2024 Trasher Awards

Dubious achievements are flooding the consumer electronics and broad-cast industries. In our second annual Trasher Awards, we single out the most noteworthy companies and products. So, in the spirit of informative condemnation, our 2024 Trashers go to: ❱ WCBS TV for abruptly cutting in with the local news amid “Piano Man” during a live Billy Joel concert from Madison Square Garden. Fans who had been dancing in front of their couches were flabbergasted, dejected and outraged. Why couldn’t CBS have cut off The Masters that had run over earlier in the evening so that Joel could’ve started on time? (The network humbly reran the concert in its entirety the following week.) ❱ TV coverage of the April 8 North American total eclipse in which producers lit up their correspondents with flood lights.…

The 2024 Trasher Awards

To Sleep Perchance To Dream

Was it the carbonara? I wolfed down that big bowl of “coal miner’s spaghetti” but did the pork seem just slightly off? In any case, something sure made me drowsy, and now it feels like I slept forever. Did I pull a Rip Van Winkle and awaken years later? Or am I still asleep and this is all just a dream? Either way, here I am with the reincarnated Sound & Vision magazine in my hands. It’s the October/November issue. October/November 2124, that is. Wow! The future! But some things haven’t changed. For starters, fierce debates still rage in the audio/video community. Remember vacuum tubes versus solid state? VHS versus Betamax? CRT versus LCD? The analog versus digital brouhaha? Well, now we have a new squabble on our hands - the…

To Sleep Perchance To Dream

2024-2025 HOME THEATER VIDEO+AUDIO PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR

EISA, the Expert Imaging and Sound Association, is a unique collaboration of 56 member magazines and websites from 27 countries, specializing in all aspects of consumer electronics, including mobile devices, home theater video and audio products, photography, hi-fi, and in-car entertainment. This international association features expert members from Australia, India, Canada, the Far East, the USA, and the wider European community, ensuring that the EISA Awards and official logo are your guide to the best in global consumer technology. Every year, EISA’s Expert Group members, including editors from this publication, test a wide range of new products in their fields. These products undergo a comprehensive multi-step judging process, starting early in the year and continuing through early July. EISA hosts webinars to showcase brands and their latest technologies to its expert…

2024-2025 HOME THEATER VIDEO+AUDIO PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR

Logos and HDR10 broadcasts: An open letter to the TV networks.

As with many communities across the USA, the Tampa Bay area has implemented ATSC 3.0 broadcasting, which has been in service for over a year. Well, of sorts… There are no 4K signals yet; however, the participating channels (all major networks plus PBS) are broadcast over the air in 1080p and uncompressed to the extent the signal is scarcely manipulated from the control room on out through the transmitter. FOX and ABC, normally 720p via cable, streaming, and satellite, with CBS and NBC, stoically 1080i, are broadcast at 1080p, with the NBC signal in one “form” of HDR10. I say form because HDR10 live content is theoretically done using Hybrid Log-Gamma generated at the camera based on luminosity differences that vary between how a camera captures an image and how the image…

Logos and HDR10 broadcasts: An open letter to the TV networks.

Retro Power, Modern Edge

IS THE stereo receiver still relevant? Outlaw Audio certainly believes so: its newly updated RR2160MkII re-thinks a long-running basic design for the streaming age with onboard Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity, a free iOS/Android app, and a (very) modest power update. First, a little background. Veterans of NAD and Atlantic Technology among others founded Outlaw Audio, formed at the end of the last century, as one of the first consumer-direct audio-hardware brands. By eliminating the distribution and retail channels the firm claimed to claw back the 35 to 45 percent of cost to the consumer that typically went to them, passing it on to the buyer in the form of greater value. (And hey, if Outlaw grabbed a couple points for themselves, can we blame them?) In today’s on-line-dominated world, this seems…

Retro Power, Modern Edge

Double Driver Deep Diver

MOST AUDIOPHILES today are familiar with the KEF brand. It’s one of the most widely recognized names in loudspeakers, offering products ranging from the relatively affordable to the high-end. Established in the U.K. in 1961 by Raymond Cook, the company’s name was derived from its original location, the Kent Engineering and Foundry. The Hong Kong-based Gold Peak Group acquired KEF in 1992. All of its products are currently designed and engineered in the U.K., but today most of them (including the KC92 subwoofer) are manufactured in China. One major exception to this are the KEF Blades, the company’s highest-end loudspeakers that are still built in Kent. KEF hasn’t traditionally been known for subwoofers, but they now offer a range of them. While most are conventionally sized, at least two models are…

Double Driver Deep Diver

TV’s New Sibling

WITH JUST a few minutes setup and when viewed under controlled lighting, The Premiere 9’s image is roughly equivalent in appearance to a 120-inch or larger TV. Samsung’s The Premiere 9 arrives at an interesting juncture. The ultra-short throw (UST) projector category, once a scrappy upstart, has matured, along with consumers’ understanding of how these devices fit into the AV lifestyle. USTs are no longer just alternatives to traditional projectors, and with 98” TVs now priced similarly, they no longer have a monopoly on the big-screen experience. Evaluating USTs by the same criteria as TVs and home theater projectors often overlooks their unique strengths and can sometimes ignore their limitations. FEATURES The new The Premiere 9 is a sophisticated 4K RGB triple-laser UST that feels unmistakably like a Samsung. Its menus, picture processing,…

TV’s New Sibling

I’M MOVING UP in the world it seems. In March of 2023 I published an article on Arendal Sound’s 1723 S speakers and 2S subwoofer, one step below the flagship 1723 and 2V subwoofer. I was impressed with the brand and their products back then, I felt the S series was something special. Fast forward to June of 2024, when I was offered the opportunity to evaluate the company’s flagship products, and naturally, I said yes. Now, staring me in the face at this very moment are the following: two 1723 Tower THX speakers, a 1723 Center THX speaker, two 1723 Surround THX speakers, and a 1723 Subwoofer 2V. The 1723 Tower retails for $3,899 a pair, the Center runs $1,299, Surrounds cost $1,849 a pair and the 2V subwoofer goes out…

Ace Aces All Audio

SONOS CREATED quite the buzz when they announced their first headphones, the Sonos Ace. The appeal was instantaneous, especially when people realized that they could be used independently from the Sonos ecosystem. Hello, world! The wireless Ace was released and I can’t begin to describe how excited I was. Although Sonos has kept Android users slightly disadvantaged in their ecosystem, a running update gives Apple and Android users the much-anticipated TV Audio Switch feature, adding compatibility to switch from Sonos Ray, Beam and Arc soundbars. Breaking the Ace out of the Sonos world is a brave and gutsy move, but I think they pulled it off brilliantly. The Sonos Ace are gorgeous over-ear headphones. Their appearance is on par with other high-end noise-canceling headphones such as the Apple AirPods Max. Premium…

Ace Aces All Audio

Retro Style, Modern Sound

THE JBL L42MS speaker system is a testament to JBL’s ability to blend the charm of classic design with cutting-edge audio technology. Inspired by the iconic JBL L100 speakers from the 1970s, the L42ms is part of the company’s Classic Series and features an attractive wood veneer finish and JBL’s signature Quadrex foam grille. Beneath its exterior lies a modern, compact audio powerhouse. The system comes equipped with a 24-bit/96kHz DAC, 200 watts of Class-D amplification, and comprehensive connectivity including Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, and Google Chromecast. From its design and features to its performance and usability, it stands apart from the plastic competition. DESIGN AND BUILD QUALITY The JBL L42ms speaker system balances retro charm and modern minimalism. While the style evokes classic JBL designs, it still has a contemporary appearance characterized…

Retro Style, Modern Sound

Precision Calibration Anywhere, Anytime

MY FIRST foray into calibrating displays came about 20 years ago when I purchased a Hitachi RPTV (remember those?) and discovered various online forums that talked about getting the most out of your display through calibration. In those days, the controls needed to perform a full calibration required one to enter the factory service menu, which at that time intimidated me enough to hire a professional calibrator to do the job. Unfortunately, there weren’t many options in my area, and the gentleman I hired turned out to be a poor choice. I had to guide him on how to access the service menu, and I quickly realized I knew more about my display than he did. Although the picture was improved, I expected a professional to be more knowledgeable about the…

Precision Calibration Anywhere, Anytime

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA

I’ve long contended that 1982’s The Road Warrior is one of the greatest action masterpieces of all time, and that its precursor, 1980’s Mad Max, is the better “movie,” telling a more well-rounded story with a protagonist ending up quite differently from where he began. And not since that original film have we seen such a nuanced origin drama as we’re given in the fifth installment in the series, Furiosa. Although not an innovative landmark like the movie that directly inspired it, 2015’s Fury Road, it doesn’t aspire to be. Rather, this is a prequel that reveals how Furiosa (then Charlize Theron, now Anya Taylor-Joy) came to be a no-nonsense, tough-as-nails Imperator. Taken as a child from her happy life in the Green Place of Many Mothers, which occupies a remote…

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA

THE BOY AND THE HERON

THE LATEST (and final?) Studio Ghibli anime feature from Hayao Miyazaki, The Boy and the Heron, is a coming-of-age fantasy following a boy named Mahito whose mother dies, and his father then marries his mother’s sister. After the family moves to the countryside in the early days of World War II, Mahito encounters a strange talking heron that leads him into a tower where the world of the living and the dead intermingle. Along the way, he learns about himself, comes to terms with the death of his mother, and begins to reevaluate his relationship with his stepmother. Miyazaki infuses The Boy and the Heron with all the fantastical oddities he is known for, in the form of strange creatures and emotional journeys that bring about strong character development. The protagonist…

THE BOY AND THE HERON

THE BIKERIDERS is a period drama inspired by the book of the same name by Danny Lyon. It captures a rebellious time in America, focusing on a newly formed Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals, which begins to evolve from a friendly gathering of local buddies into a dangerous underworld of violence. The story is told from the perspective of Kathy, a strong-willed young woman who falls inextricably for Benny, the newest member of the club, after a chance meeting in a local bar. As the plot unfolds, we learn more about the club from the time of its inception in the mid-‘60s through to 1973. The timeline transitions in an interesting fashion as her retelling of the events peels back the layers of the club’s beginnings, first as a simple racing…

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES is an extension of the most recent Planet of the Apes film trilogy, set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign. Apes are living harmoniously as the dominant species while humankind survives by hiding in the shadows. The story follows Noa, a young ape that goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he’s been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike. After seven years since the last film was released, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this new story but was hopeful. I enjoyed it, feeling as though it reached back to the roots of the original 1968 film. The storyline favors a tonally complex narrative that explores…

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI

THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI tells the story of seaman Michael O’Hara, hired to work on a yacht belonging to the disabled husband of femme fatale Elsa Bannister. O’Hara is an innocent man drawn into a dangerous web of intrigue and murder that will leave him holding the smoking gun that could place him behind bars, or worse, headed to the gas chamber. Based on the novel If I Die Before I Wake by Sherwood King, the movie was written and directed by co-star Orson Welles. It’s the very epitome of film noir and speaks to the genre on every level. Everything--from the seeming damsel in distress, murder plot, to the rough-and-tumble guy duped by the allure of a woman, now trying to piece the truth together--makes it entertaining to watch. Rita…

THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI

WATCHING WRITER/DIRECTOR/COMPOSER Tom Tykwer’s Run Lola Run (Lola rennt), we can’t help but feel the energy that drives its titular heroine (Franka Potente). Her boyfriend, low-level hood Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu), has lost a bag full of mob money and they only have 20 minutes to come up with 100,000 deutsche marks, or he’s toast. At a mere hour-and-a-third, the movie certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome, showing us three different outcomes without ever feeling redundant, we soon wonder: “What’s going to be different this time?” Unlike the alternate versions of events posited in Rashomon, a timeless statement on memory and perception, Lola is a profound exploration of fate and the power we hold over our own destinies… and it’s so damned entertaining. The story is propelled by the beat of the music,…

USING GRADUAL immersion in striking imagery and startling visual and audio juxtapositions, The First Omen, like such skin crawling art films as Dario Argento’s Suspiria and Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby, achieves creepiness using traditional cinematic language of camera-work, lighting, editing, sound, powerful performances and virtually no CGI. It creates its atmosphere like a tale told around a campfire, so eerie that you can even forget its hairbrained premise. This run-in to The Omen (even including a photograph of Gregory Peck) is set in an Roman nunnery housing a maternity clinic and orphanage where all sorts of dark goings on gradually reveal themselves to an American novice-nun preparing for final vows. Captured by cine-matographer Aaron Morton in sumptuous 35mm film images, a digital 4K transfer was created for cinematic release from whence…

WHEN TITANS RULED THE EARTH: CLASH OF THE TITANS & WRATH OF THE TITANS

ARROW VIDEO brings together Clash of the Titans (2010) and Wrath of the Titans (2012) in this limited edition collection, loosely retelling the mythology of the demigod Perseus (Sam Worthington), son of Zeus (Liam Neeson). Clash introduces Perseus, who must lead a mission to defeat Hades (Ralph Fiennes), god of the underworld, and battle the Kraken. In Wrath, Perseus is still at odds with Zeus ten years later, and must now team up with Andromeda (Rosamund Pike), Poseidon’s demigod son Agenor (Toby Kebbell) and fallen god Hephaestus (Bill Nighy) to rescue his father from Hades’ clutches. Wrath falls into the trap of many sequels by making everything bigger, but bigger isn’t always better. These films released at the height of the post-Avatar 3D craze and marketed as 3D fodder, with Wrath…

WHEN TITANS RULED THE EARTH: CLASH OF THE TITANS & WRATH OF THE TITANS

THE ZONE OF INTEREST

MANY WELL-RECEIVED films have explored the horrific subject matter of The Holocaust, and yet with The Zone of Interest, director/screen-writer Jonathan Glazer (Under the Skin) has gone someplace new and uniquely impactful. In a stark contrast that stands at the heart of the drama, Rudolf Höss is the patriarch of a loving family and also the all-business commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Part of the German occupation in Poland, 1943, husband and wife approach their lives with utter complacency, unaffected by the atrocities taking place just a few yards away yet annoyed when a Jewish servant is perceived as disrespectful. Glazer favors long, unhurried, objective shots, further suggesting the sense of detachment. Even the title here is a polite euphemism for the site of the extermination camp, used by…

THE ZONE OF INTEREST

SUPER DELUXE EDITION BOX SET

The first time I became aware of the word synchronicity was when I saw it being used as the title of The Police’s fifth and final studio album released on A&M in June 1983. My then-bookwormish self was not yet up to speed on Carl Jung’s hypotheses about meaningful yet seemingly random inter-sectivity, nor the parapsychology principles laid out in Arthur Koestler’s 1972 book The Roots of Coincidence—but The Police’s ever-erudite bassist, vocalist, chief songwriter, and former schoolteacher Sting hipped me to Jung and Koestler’s philosophies right quick. As commercially successful and artistically creative as its predecesso, October 1981’s Ghost in the Machine, was, Synchronicity is the album that vaulted the blended British/American trio into the megaplatinum global-phenomenon stratosphere, itself a 10-track master class of envelope-pushing pop songwriting, clever and sometimes…

SUPER DELUXE EDITION BOX SET

These Are the Eyes of Disarray

EARLY IN their career, Stone Temple Pilots were often compared to Pearl Jam, mostly because of the occasional guttural tone deployed by vocalist Scott Weiland that reminded people of Eddie Vedder. That said, STP and PJ were clearly different animals born and bred during the early ’90s alternative-cum-grunge movement, with PJ hewing to their Hendrixian-activist vibes and STP doubling down on unfurling surrealist lyricism atop a crunchy nest of Aerosmith-heavy guitars. Core, STP’s September 1992 debut, laid the foundation for a hard-rockin rollercoaster ride steeped in the three G’s—garage, glam, and groove. “Creating our own sound with a sense of space—that’s always the mission when you’re making an album,” Weiland told me in February 2015, less than a year before he sadly passed away that December. “The intent is to have…

These Are the Eyes of Disarray

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