Sound & Vision June 2017

To begin, some quotes from this issue: • “I found the app to be a little cumbersome and glitchy...on quite a few occasions it would not find one of the zone players on the network or one of the two speakers in my stereo pair.” • “I found the software mostly intuitive and largely stable, but I did encounter a few things to gripe about.” • “Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only frustration I experienced with the app. Over the course of two weeks, I found it to be sluggish and unpredictable at times, leaving me longing for the good old days when pressing a button produced immediate results.” • “The app seemed shaky when accessing the larger of the two libraries. Sometimes it would freeze, albeit without interrupting the musical flow, if I tried…

E-mail them to HTLetters@sorc.com. Please note: Questions about the features and functions of a particular product are best directed to the manufacturer. Questions about what product you should buy are best directed to a dealer who knows all the details of your system, your preferences, and your personal habits. All submissions are considered the exclusive property of Sound & Vision magazine and TEN: The Enthusiast Network. We reserve the right to edit letters for brevity. Due to the volume of mail that we receive, we regret that we cannot respond to every letter. An Aloof Loof With great anticipation, I quickly leafed through the pages of the April issue looking for the announcement of the latest product from Lirpa Labs. At first I couldn’t find it, but then I spied the review…

NEW GEAR, TOP NEWS, HOW TO, AND MORE... 15 Minutes with Bruno Putzeys You may not have heard of Bruno Putzeys, but if you’re an audiophile and have purchased a highperformance power amplifier in the recent past, you might know his work. Putzeys’ groundbreaking NCore Class D amplifier module, created under the aegis of Netherlands-based Hypex Electronics, is used in amplifiers from ATI, Marantz, Jeff Rowland, and Bel Canto, to name a few. That Morris Kessler, founder of ATI and longtime champion of Class AB amplification, chose NCore for his new AT527NC and AT524NC amplifiers, is telling. Both models received Sound & Vision’s Top Pick designation, earning five stars in the Performance category. We tracked down Putzeys to learn more about the new Class D and the apparent revolution he has started.—Bob…

Sling Media Has Stopped making Slingbox units, raising questions about its future in standalone devices. The Dish Network–owned technology may continue as a feature built into apps and devices like Dish’s Hopper DVR... Sony Adopted Dolby Vision HDR video technology along with HDR10 in three 2017 Bravia OLED models and three LCD models. Screen sizes range from 55 to 77 inches... LG Adopted Dolby Vision in all 2017 models, having already offered it in several 2016 models along with HDR10. Screen sizes range from 65 to 77 inches... Amazon’s Fire TV interface is being built into UHD sets from Element, Seiki, and Westinghouse in sizes from 32 to 65 inches. “Alexa, turn on the TV”... Haier Is Switching from Roku to Google Chromecast as the streaming platform for its TV line. Look for models from 43 to 75 inches,…

PRICE $1,800 THE VERDICT The MrSpeakers Ether Flow headphones combine clarity with an effortless, non-fatiguing sound that ensures long-term satisfaction. I’VE ALWAYS BEEN INTO headphones, starting with my longlost Sennheiser HD 414 in the early 1970s. I love ’phones, and they keep getting better and better, but I get a lot of pushback from audiophile pals who aren’t yet ready to take the plunge. When asked about what’s holding them back, they complain about comfort and sound that feels crammed inside their heads. Sure, but that was then. It’s time to listen to some of the best new ’phones to hear what’s happening now. Take the new MrSpeakers Ether Flow: It’s so open and spacious, the sound seems to come from around your head! The Ether Flow’s pleated planar magnetic drivers measure 2.75 x…

Hi-Res Streams I own an Integra DTR-40.6 A/V receiver that is capable of playing Hi-Resolution Audio (HRA). Here’s what I want to know: If I were to upgrade my Pandora or Spotify account to stream HRA, would I be able to listen to it using the Pandora or Spotify app built into the receiver? My internet service plan is 50-Mbps FIOS, and I have the receiver connected to my router with an Ethernet cable. Tony Held / via e-mail Before I answer your question, let me take a moment to recap some recent HRA streaming news. At CES 2017, Universal, Sony, and Warner all announced they would make titles available for streaming in hires format. Pandora, Napster (formerly Rhapsody), and hi-res download site HDtracks also announced plans to support streaming of hi-res music.…