Sound & Vision April/May 2019

AS SOMEONE WHO has spent the past two-plus decades writing about and reviewing TVs, projectors, and associated gear, I have to say that the addition of high dynamic range to video is among the more impressive developments I’ve encountered. Not since high-definition TV took over the airwaves back in 1999 and then made its way to Blu-ray (and HD DVD) discs a few years later have video enthusiasts been treated to such a massive leap in visual quality. Oh right, there was the launch of Blu-ray 3D back in 2010, a format that required a new player and TV, goggles, and a 50 percent hit in screen brightness, but…oh, never mind. What are the main benefits of HDR? Viewed on a capable and properly set up display, images have deeper and…

Two music contributions by Mike Mettler to this issue’s Entertainment section effectively serve as bookends for the progressive rock genre. On one side, we have the rock/classical mashup of England’s The Moody Blues, a band noted for bringing the Mellotron to the world’s attention on 1968’s In Search of the Lost Chord. On the other side, there’s the progmetal of Rush, a Canadian trio that pushed its longform sonic explorations to the limit on 1978’s Hemispheres before heading down a more poprock road. Reading these made me nostalgic for my own music-listening past. Hearing the stereo soundscapes of The Moody Blues at a neighbor’s house as a kid served as an introduction to higher-quality hi-fi. Then, as a teen in the early 80s, I caught Rush live during their tour…

4K, 8K, and Planned Obsolescence Your February/March 2019 issue had a small clip mentioning 8K broadcasting in Japan. Here in the U.S., 4K has just been settling in, with streaming and discs stepping up to fill a broadcast TV void. And now, all of a sudden, 8K is on the horizon. When will this madness stop? You buy some gear and before you turn around it has become outdated. This applies equally to the entire electronics field: You start salivating for one product, buy it, and then they start you salivating again. But if you wait, you will never buy anything. Planned obsolescence? John Fair Via email While it’s true there will be many new 8K TVs arriving in the U.S. in 2019 from a range of manufacturers (see Wide Angle on page 16…

CES 2019: TVS TAKE CENTER STAGE The Consumer Electronics Show that takes place each January in Las Vegas has evolved into a broad showcase for the latest technology developments—everything from robots and VR hardware to smart bathtubs and toilets can be seen and experienced. But for Sound & Vision, the main items of interest are the TVs. CES remains a showcase for set-makers to unveil the high-profile products they’ll release in the year to come. It also gives them a chance to dazzle attendees with future-tech concepts that may or may not ultimately make it to market. Here are the TVs and trends that caught our eye at CES 2019. Roll-up OLED: LG Signature Series 65R9 LG’s CES booth featured an array of roll-up OLED TVs that raised and lowered in synchronized formation.…

I have been going to the Consumer Electronics Show ever since Edison debuted his new, hit single “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” At every show, everyone always asks me, “So, what’s the most important thing you saw at the show?” In years past I have cited things like Compact Disc, DVD-Video, Blu-ray, 4K TVs, and so on. This year the most important thing wasn’t a gizmo in a booth. Rather, it was a message on a billboard hung on a hotel across from the Las Vegas convention center. More specifically, it was an Apple billboard that read, “What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone.” That, of course, is a riff on the well-known Las Vegas advertising slogan. But in this case, Apple is calling out the sins of its competitors. Apple,…

Vizio’s top-of-the-line Atmos soundbar comes with a cumbersome model number: SB46514-F6. Outside of that, this $1,000 Atmos system is a sleek, well-designed package that delivers surprisingly potent sound for the money. The addition of Chromecast built-in and Bluetooth streaming, along with Google Assistant compatibility, make it a compelling option for anyone seeking an all-in-one immersive audio solution to pair with their new TV. Overhead effects with Vizio’s 5.1.4 Atmos system are delivered through upfiring drivers embedded in the top surface of the soundbar and satellites. The package also includes a wireless ported subwoofer with a 10-inch driver that does the heavy lifting for bass and LFE. Unlike some other all-in-one systems such as the Sony HT-Z9F that I reviewed in the September 2018 issue, the satellites aren’t wireless—you’ll need to connect…