Sometimes, it feels like the producers of a show or movie have gone out of their way to make voices sound as quiet as possible, while cranking up the volume for music and sound effects. If you’re tired of missing key pieces of dialogue thanks to your TV’s subpar speakers, it may be time for …
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If you’re looking for the best way to combine your voice assistant and music streaming, a fully featured sound system is what your TV needs. Brands to be on the lookout for include Bose, Polk, Sonos, Roku and Yamaha, and prices start at a little over $100. Before I show you the picks, it’s worth making a distinction between a smart soundbar …
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When you think of a voice assistant, your mind probably goes straight to Alexa. Not only is it one of the best-known voice assistants, but Alexa is also compatible with most smart devices you’ll come across. So if you’re looking for a soundbar with Alexa integrated, you’ve got plenty of options to choose from. You’ll find Amazon’s virtual assistant on the Polk Command Bar, …
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Soundbars may be the more popular home theater option, but ask any enthusiast and they’ll tell you that an AV receiver the key to great movies (and music) in the home. These big black boxes look the same as ever on the outside, but their innards keep on evolving and picking up capabilities with every generation. The Onkyo TX-NR6100 is a superb …
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Roku is best known for its popular streaming devices, including the excellent Roku Express 4K Plus, but it also powers TVs and speakers. The TCL Roku TV Wireless Soundbar is an attempt to bring these two latter categories together. Compared against other soundbars at the price it certainly sounds good, but being totally wireless is its most limiting characteristic. Also known as …
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Recent 8K-compatible AV receivers from Yamaha, Denon and Marantz will need additional hardware fixes for a bug preventing them from displaying highest-quality video. Currently these models are unable to display video with a 4K resolution and 120Hz frame rate. Yamaha has announced that owners of its early 8K receivers, including the V6A, will need to replace an internal HDMI mainboard if they …
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Yamaha has announced three new high-end receivers in its Aventage range, the RX-A4A, RX-A6A and RX-A8A, which the company says will not be affected by a bug preventing certain 4K signals from displaying. Prices start at $1,300. Yamaha says the 4K/120Hz issue that affected the earlier RX-V6 won’t affect the new Aventage receivers due to their updated hardware (more on …
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We’re all under more stress and spending a lot of time at home, and nothing eases the mind like some new music. But what if you want those tunes to sound seriously better? If you’re looking to give your ears and soul a real treat during these troubled times, there’s no better investment than upgraded audio. Here, I’ve chosen audio …
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If you’re a Fortnite fan you’re probably using a set of headphones or multimedia speakers, especially if you’re playing on a PC. Soundbars are usually something you associate with TVs, not gaming, but Panasonic‘s latest bar is aimed squarely at the space below your big gaming monitor. At $300 the SoundSlayer SC-HTB01 — yes, that’s its real name — totes …
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A/V Receivers have a tradition of being ugly. Great, yes, but ugly nonetheless. Only in once in a while does a manufacturer change things up with something that’s a little more stylish. Yamaha’s brand new RX-V range joins the Denon HEOS AVR in offering something of a conversation piece. Yamaha has dispensed with the “hearse”-like appearance of yesteryear, and its new …
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