HT Systems

Paradigm PW Soundbar Review

Michael Trei | Dec 27, 2017

Performance Features Ergonomics Value PRICE $1,299 AT A GLANCE Plus Wide array of wired and wireless connections, including Play-Fi Room correction with included microphone Wireless subwoofer connection Minus Confusing and non-intuitive setup Soft-sounding highs THE VERDICT Paradigm’s PW Soundbar ticks a lot of boxes with its long list of desirable features, but its complicated wireless setup and ergonomic difficulties make it frustrating to use. Consolidation is one of those things that can be either a good deal or a bad deal, depending on the context. For example, with big corporations, consolidation often means less competition, which can be a bummer for the consumer. Just ask the guy who pays through the nose for 2,000 cable channels he’ll never watch, or the guy who has tried to make a mini-sized bag of peanuts last through a six-hour transcontinental flight on one of the four remaining major U.S. airlines. But when it comes to consumer electronics, consolidation can be a wonderful thing.

Sony HT-ST5000 Soundbar System

Daniel Kumin | Dec 5, 2017

Performance Features Ergonomics Value PRICE $1,500 AT A GLANCE Plus Generally neutral sound reproduction Dolby Atmos and DTS:X spatial enhancement Ample level for serious listening to both music and movies Minus No physical surround-speaker option Subwoofer-to-soundbar integration is tricky THE VERDICT Sony’s high-end soundbar-subwoofer twosome delivers natural, tightly imaged, Atmos/DTS:X-abetted sound along with striking, understated good looks. Soundbars are marching relentlessly up-market, and Sony is right there with the Dolby Atmos- and DTS:X-capable HT-ST5000, which carries a list price of $1,500 and is being widely promoted this holiday season at $1,298 from the major retailers. It checks all the latest boxes: scarily slim, seriously wireless (including a wireless subwoofer), and no-rear-speakers faux surround sound.

Yamaha YAS-207 Soundbar System Review

Mark Fleischmann | Nov 30, 2017

Performance Features Ergonomics Value PRICE $300 AT A GLANCE Plus DTS Virtual:X mimics height/surround HDMI in and out with ARC Pleasant voicing in most modes Minus Only one video input 3D Surround mode can be slightly harsh THE VERDICT The Yamaha YAS-207, which uses DTS Virtual:X processing to simulate height and surround effects, sounds pretty good and is easy on your checkbook. When Dolby Atmos and, shortly thereafter, DTS:X made their debuts, I expected I’d soon be reviewing a flood of speaker systems and receivers supporting object-oriented surround in a 360-degree soundfield. My hope was that height-capable surround would spark renewed interest in surround speaker packages and receivers — and in home theater overall.

Revel Concerta2 M16 Speaker System Review

Mark Fleischmann | Oct 19, 2017

M16 Speaker System Performance Build Quality Value B10 Subwoofer Performance Features Build Quality Value PRICE $4,050 as reviewed AT A GLANCE Plus High transparency Equalized subwoofer Wall-hanging surrounds Minus Manual sub EQ requires expertise THE VERDICT Revel draws on Harman’s world-class engineering depth to produce immaculate high-end sound—this time, at an extremely reasonable price. Audiophiles (myself included) often point out that high-end audio is stigmatized compared with other product categories. High-end cars, high-end wine, high-end watches: All attract aficionados who don’t mind paying a stiff premium to get the best of the best. And if an average onlooker ventures an opinion at all, it’s “nice watch!” But when a bleeding-edge speaker or amp takes the stage, the applause of the cognoscenti mixes with heckling from the peanut gallery. High-end audio has long been subject to that extra measure of skepticism.

Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1 Soundbar System Review

Mark Fleischmann | Aug 17, 2017

Performance Features Ergonomics Value PRICE $500 AT A GLANCE Plus 11 drivers in system, including side tweeters Separate surround speakers 8-inch wireless sub Minus Cabinet resonance in sub and sats No stereo mode Odd remote volume-key positioning THE VERDICT The Shockwafe Pro 7.1 is a beautifully designed soundbar that delivers solid surround performance, especially with movies. Founded in 1948, Nakamichi became best known in the 1970s for building the booming audio industry’s highest-end cassette decks, both under the company’s own name and for other brands. Nakamichi pioneered three-head decks, which used the extra head to read and monitor a recording in progress. The company has also dabbled in CD changers, A/V receivers, and even TVs, and they provided audio systems for the Toyota Lexus from 1989 to 2001.

Dayton Audio Epique CBT24 Speaker System Review

Daniel Kumin | Aug 9, 2017

Performance Build Quality Value PRICE $1,995 pr (assembled); $1,295/ pr (kit) AT A GLANCE Plus Remarkable, panel-speaker-like stereo imaging Neutral tonal balance Complete absence of “floor-bounce” thickening Minus Curtailed bass requires subwoofer support Needs custom- or auto-equalization for best performance Modest subwoofer localization THE VERDICT A genuine rarity—a truly distinct take on consumer loudspeaker design— Dayton Audio’s Epique CBT24 delivers exceptional performance with exceptional stereo imaging. Extremely unusual looks and the need for modest equalization and a subwoofer shouldn’t deter adventurous listeners. And now for something completely different: Dayton Audio’s Epique CBT24. What’s an Epique CBT24? A 24-driver, no-crossover, one-way tower loudspeaker that stands 5 feet tall yet is no more than 3.5 inches wide over its full, dramatically arched length. A tower speaker with a unique geometry, pedigree, visual aesthetic, and equally unique technical story (and even marketing plan).

Paradigm Persona 3F Speaker System Review

Darryl Wilkinson | July 28, 2017

Persona 3F Speaker System Performance Build Quality Value Persona SUB Subwoofer Performance Features Build Quality Value PRICE $31,000 as reviewed AT A GLANCE Plus Beryllium tweeter and midrange drivers Hand-polished, high-gloss finish Slender, curved cabinets Minus Expensive Heavy THE VERDICT Paradigm set out to create the best, state-of-the-Paradigm-art speakers the company has ever produced, bringing together top-notch cabinet construction and finishing capabilities and advanced driver technologies in hopes of achieving something greater than the sum of its already great parts. They’ve succeeded. Paradigm, the Canadian loudspeaker company founded in 1982, has a long and respectable history of building excellent-sounding, great-looking speakers at relatively affordable prices—not outrageously expensive but not stupidly cheap, either. Somewhere along the way, though, somebody at Paradigm accidentally said out loud at a company meeting: “What if cost were, well, not no object, but at least less of an object? What if we combined all our best technologies and maybe threw in a bit of new stuff, too? Just how awesome of a speaker could we make? We should try that someday.” And thus the company’s latest and greatest-ever series of speakers was born.

Bluesound Pulse Soundbar and Pulse Sub Review

Daniel Kumin | May 18, 2017

Pulse Soundbar Performance Features Ergonomics Value Pulse Sub Performance Features Build Quality Value PRICE $1,598 as reviewed AT A GLANCE Plus Excellent musical sound quality Notable bass extension, with or without sub Many streaming capabilities, including hi-res audio Multiroom system architecture Visually outstanding Minus Some level and dynamics limitations Occasional cumbersome or inconsistent operation THE VERDICT Accurate, dynamic musical sound, lifelike stereo imaging, and remarkable bass extension and control—plus extensive multiroom streaming abilities—easily counterbalance the few ergonomic quirks of a lovely, ultra-compact design. Don’t look now, but the soundbars are gaining on us. Hardcore home theater heads like you and me can scoff all we want, but consumer electronics’ all-inone answer to audio for video is getting better, smarter, bassier, and popular-er, by leaps and bounds. High-end-ier, too.

Polk MagniFi Mini Soundbar System Review

Michael Trei | May 10, 2017

Performance Features Ergonomics Value PRICE $300 AT A GLANCE Plus Big sound from a tiny speaker Carefully voiced with neutral tonal balance Minus No HDMI video passthrough Sub’s performance limited by its small size THE VERDICT Despite its diminutive size, the MagniFi Mini speaks with a loud and clear voice at a bargain price. Why is it that every year, TVs seem to get bigger while speakers seem to get smaller? Back when Stereo Review became Sound & Vision, a nice home theater had a 34-inch tube TV and a decent 5.1channel surround sound system with floorstanding tower speakers. Now, many years later, the TV has grown to 65, 70, or even 80 inches, but the speakers have shrunk to the point where they’re small enough to get lost at the bottom of the massive screen.

Hands On: Sennheiser Flex 5000 Makes Wired 'Phones Wireless

Leslie Shapiro | May 8, 2017

Who doesn’t love staying up late and watching a guilty-pleasure movie while the rest of the household sleeps peacefully? The problem is that you can’t turn up the volume without fear of waking them or the neighbors. The Sennheiser Flex 5000 turns any headphone into a wireless option designed to let you watch TV using your favorite wired headphones. Plus it has features that help make TV audio clearer and enhances dialogue for better intelligibility.

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