Table of contents for November 2017 in Sound & Vision

Ya got trouble, folks, right here in virtual reality. It begins with a lowercase “i,” and that rhymes with “my,” and that means iPhone! Ten years after the quintessential smartphone went on sale and lifted personal computing from desk to palm, a funny thing happened to virtual reality. While VR enthusiasts, mainly gamers, were blindfolded in head mounts, augmented reality (AR) quietly encroached on everything that mattered. The difference between AR and VR is that AR overlays the world as it exists; VR replaces it. AR superimposes itself visually as in schematics appearing over an engine or audibly as in a GPS navigator announcing “turn left.” VR, on the other hand, pulls the wool over your eyes with artificial sights and sounds that effectively isolate you from your environment. Psychologically,…

Texas Instruments has upped the DLP game with the recent rollout of their newest digital micromirror device (DMD), claiming full Ultra HD performance. The 0.66-inch chip has nearly the same physical dimensions as the DLP chip found today in many 1080p home theater and business application projectors. It features a native resolution of 2716 x 1528 pixels, which combined with an optical actuator used for pixel shifting, allows for an onscreen image of 8.3 million pixels—roughly the same as a native 3840 x 2160 UHD imaging chip. The chip’s compact size is said to allow for more cost-effective manufacturing—and has resulted in a new $2,000 low price point for at least one Optoma 4K projector. How’s It Work? Both TI and manufacturers implementing the chip call the result a true…

THIS graph shows the RR2160’s left amplifier channel, with two channels driving 8-ohm loads. Measurements for THD+noise, crosstalk, signalto- noise ratio, and analog/digital frequency response were all within expected performance parameters. Full details available at soundandvision.com. SPECS Power Output: 2 x 110 watts (8 ohms, both channels driven), 2 x 165 watts (4 ohms, both channels driven) • Dimensions (WxHxD, Inches): 17.1 x 5.75 x 15 • Weight (Pounds): 28.3 • Audio Inputs: Coaxial digital (2), optical digital (2), stereo analog RCA (4), stereo analog minijack (1), MM/MC phono (1), main in (1), external processor in (1) • Additional: Ethernet (1), USB-PC (1), USB-storage (1), USB-power (2), USB-upgrade (1), AM (1), FM (1) • Audio Outputs: Pre out (1), external processor out (1), rec out (1), sub out (2, monophonic),…

PRICE $479 EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT TO expect from a flagship or cruiserclass A/V receiver: top-bracket power of 120 watts per channel or more, with nine, 11, or even 13 channels ready for latest-generation surround technologies like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, as well as hightech auto-setup routines and DSP on board. And then there are the deluxe extras, such as extensive multiroom capabilities, 4K/HDR passthrough and 4K scaling, and plenty of internet- and computeraudio streaming options. But what can you expect from the other end of a brand’s AVR fleet? Not so much, right? Well, actually…Pioneer’s newest value entry, the VSX-832, features all of the above (less a fistful of watts, and a couple of channels or four) plus a good deal more. One of the prime ways it manages the…

Korben Dallas, a retired space fighter pilot, has been relegated to driving a cab in New York City, and since leaving the military, his life has been on a downward spiral. His luck begins to change when a beautiful girl named Leeloo drops into the back of his cab, and before he knows it, he’s stuck in the middle of an intergalactic feud that happens every 5,000 years. It turns out the lovely young lady is the Fifth Element, who when combined with earth, wind, fire, and water becomes the perfect weapon to save the human race from destruction. I remember the first time I saw the movie that I was blown away by the video quality but found the story to be a bit over-the-top. As time has gone…

The long-running Japanese franchise Power Rangers is rebooted in this 2017 film from director Dean Israelite and writer John Gatins. The somewhat camp story follows a group of teen misfits who uncover a collection of ancient artifacts and a buried alien ship; endowed with superpowers, the teens must muster their new powers and learn to work together to save the world. Power Rangers is hardly high art, and it never has been. The American version of the series was culled from stock Japanese footage edited together with new English-speaking scenes. It’s silly, but it does have at its core the idea of teamwork. This reboot is a mishmash of Godzilla, Transformers, and a little of The Breakfast Club thrown in. It’s popcorn fun with amazing visual effects—no need to think…

Does the metadata used to enhance video for high dynamic range TVs also work with still photographs? George Yeoh / via e-mail No. Two very different processes are used to create HDR (high dynamic range) video and photos. With HDR video, images are captured at 10-bit or higher resolution using a professional digital cinema camera. During HDR post-production and mastering, metadata is then added to the content that triggers an HDR-capable TV to display the expanded contrast and color gamut captured in the original image. If the TV being used is not HDR capable, the metadata gets bypassed and the set displays a standard 8-bit image with a Rec. 709 (HDTV) color gamut. With HDR photography, multiple versions of an image are taken at various exposure levels and combined by…

Samsung HW-MS750 Sound+ Soundbar Samsung means business with its new soundbar. It won’t win any beauty contests, but the five-channel Sound+ deserves credit for squeezing three wide-dispersion tweeters, six woofers, and two up-firing tweeters into an enclosure 45 inches wide, 3 inches tall, and 5 inches deep. Each driver has its own dedicated amplifier, and patented audio processing is said to cancel bass distortion before it even happens. How Sweet It Is: The payoff, with a special nod to those wide-dispersion tweeters, is a “sweet spot anywhere you sit.” In addition to 4K/Ultra HD passthrough and video upscaling, the soundbar uses 32-bit processing to enhance incoming audio and supports music streaming via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Samsung offers the SWA-W700 wireless subwoofer ($500) for those who demand a more visceral experience—the…

PRICE $4,050 as reviewed 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. To survive and prosper in this distrustful environment, a high-end audio manufacturer must not only make high-achieving products, but do it consistently. That is what has made Revel, Harman International’s top speaker brand, a long-term success. From day one, it…

AUDIO This graph shows the VSX-832’s left channel, from DVD input to speaker output with two channels driving 8-ohm loads. Measurements for THD+noise, signal-to-noise ratio, and analog/digital frequency response were all within expected performance parameters. Full details available at soundandvision.com. MJP VIDEO The Pioneer passed our video clipping test DK SPECS Power Output: 80 watts (8 ohms, 2 channels driven) • Auto Setup/Room EQ: Proprietary MCACC • Video Processing: 4K passthrough supporting HDCP 2.2, HDR (HDR10 and Dolby Vision) via HDMI • Dimensions (WxHxD, Inches): 17.1 x 6.8 x 12.6 • Weight (Pounds): 19 • Video Inputs: HDMI 2.0a (4), composite video (2) • Audio Inputs: Coaxial (1), optical digital (1), USB (2, 1 front panel), analog linelevel stereo (3, 1/8-inch stereo on front panel) • Additional: RJ-45 Ethernet •…

I never understood why MI-6 always gave James Bond the most expensive and exotic sports cars on the planet to take with him on his missions. Q Branch must know by now there’s no way in hell that thing is coming back in one piece. That same basic logic applies to the Fast & the Furious films: Why would you ever give a Lamborghini to someone who’s going to a demolition derby? But let’s face it: The Fast & the Furious franchise has never really striven to imbue their films with much reality. Every subsequent film in the series tries to top the previous one with even more ludicrously implausible action sequences and ridiculous plot devices. And F8: Fate of the Furious is a doozy. At the outset, Vin Diesel’s…

If you’re going to steal, the saying goes, steal from the best. Like many a filmmaker, Dario Argento was strongly influenced by the works of a certain British director, so much so that he earned the nickname “The Italian Hitchcock.” His debut film, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, embraces many a cliché of the thriller genre while also forging its own path. Shot and scored with genuine inspiration, the film boasts a clever plot, with twists that are not easy to predict, as well as a distinctive sense of humor. Sam (Tony Musante), an American writer living abroad, is about to return home when he witnesses a violent attack, in the midst of a wave of recent murders. Short on clues, the police revoke his passport to compel him…

Do you feel like you’re back in the ’70s, when vinyl ruled and fashion was…well, let’s just say, questionable? There’s a good reason for that: Tannoy’s new Legacy Series is based on the popular High Powered Dual (HPD) Series released in 1974, the year after Pink Floyd mixed The Dark Side of the Moon at London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios on a pair of newly installed Tannoy Lancaster monitors. Although substantially updated with the latest materials and driver technologies, all three of the Legacy models—Eaton ($5,500/pair), Cheviot ($6,400/pair), and Arden ($8,000/pair)—share something special with their predecessors: They’re built around an updated version of the Dual Concentric driver Tannoy invented way back in 1947, two decades after Guy R. Fountain founded the company in London. The latest generation of that famous…

Pro-Ject Special Edition Turntables I’VE BEEN A HARD-CORE BEATLES fan for…well, let’s just say a very long time. So I was more than a little intrigued when I saw Pro-Ject’s Fab Four turntables (my name, not theirs) at the May press event unveiling Giles Martin’s stereo remix of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The thought of a “new” Beatles record being played on a table that pays homage to the greatest band ever was compelling. Maybe it’s time to revisit my longdormant vinyl collection... What about you? Beatles fan or not, what will it take for you to climb into the attic to retrieve that ancient BSR turntable you always meant to upgrade but never did? To rekindle your relationship with albums you haven’t listened to in…a very long…

Last month’s column listed some essential tools to outfit your toolkit for tackling various DIY custom install projects around the house. This month, we’ll put that toolkit to work mounting a flat-panel TV! I’ll cover running the wiring to your new TV, and next month we’ll tackle the physical mounting of the set. Step 1: Determine Size and Location If you’ve already got the TV, great; but if not, give some thought to the screen size you want for your room. In my nearly 20 years of being a custom installer, I’ve never once had a customer come back and say they wish they’d gone smaller. No matter how big a screen you get, you’ll quickly get accustomed to the size. And with 4K resolution, you can sit closer to…

THIS graph shows the RAP-1580’s left channel, from CD input to speaker output with two channels driving 8-ohm loads. Measurements for THD+noise, crosstalk, signal-to-noise ratio, and analog/digital frequency response were all within expected performance parameters. Full details available at soundandvision.com. MJP VIDEO The Rotel passed our video clipping test. MF SPECS Power Output: 7 x 100 watts (8 ohms, all channels driven), 7 x 150 watts (8 ohms, 2 channels driven) • Auto Setup: None • EQ: Manual 10-band parametric • Video Processing: 4K passthrough, HDR10, deep color 24-, 30-, 36-bit • Dimensions (WxHxD, Inches): 17 x 7.55 x 18.5 • Weight (Pounds): 50.3 • Video Inputs: HDMI 2.0a (3, UHD; 4, 1080p) • Audio Inputs: Coaxial digital (3), optical digital (3), stereo analog RCA (3), stereo analog XLR (1),…

PRICE $799 ONE MIGHT ARGUE THAT NO single product category has brought vastly improved sound to so many, so fast, as the now-retro stereo receiver. Models poured in during the (mostly) Japanese mass-market audio explosion of the 1970s, when Classic Rock was just rock. My first receiver was a 15-watt-per-channel Pioneer SX-434, but it just as easily could have been a Marantz, Sansui, Kenwood, Luxman, or any of several other storied brands. Today, top-line stereo receivers from the ’70s—their shiny silver faceplates bristling with knobs, buttons, and toggles—command eyebrow-raising prices on eBay and are lovingly restored by vintage hi-fi buffs. Outlaw Audio speaks with an American accent and belongs more to our own era, selling direct to the consumer over the internet—thus potentially offering better build quality and value by…

M16 (purple) +0.73/–2.33 dB, 200 Hz to 10 kHz; – 3dB @ 57 Hz,–6 dB @ 50 Hz; impedance minimum 5.05 ohms @ 160 Hz, phase angle –41.51º @ 96 Hz; sensitivity 85.5 dB, 500 Hz to 2 kHz. C25 (green) +0.73/–3.93 dB, 200 Hz to 10 kHz; –3 dB @ 86 Hz, –6 dB @ 67 Hz; impedance minimum 4.79 ohms @ 200 Hz, phase angle –47.18º @ 98 Hz; sensitivity 90.5 dB, 500 Hz to 2 kHz. S16 (red) +0.85/–3.91 dB, 200 Hz to 10 kHz; –3 dB @ 71 Hz, –6 dB @ 59 Hz; impedance minimum 4.91 ohms @ 179 Hz, phase angle –45.91º @ 98 Hz; sensitivity 89.5 dB, 500 Hz to 2 kHz. B10 (blue) Close-miked response, normalized to level @ 80 Hz: lower…

Discovering life on Mars would be the crowning achievement in any scientist’s career, so when a team on the International Space Station receives a care package of samples from the red planet, they can’t wait to begin their experiments. To their surprise, they discover there was once life on Mars after all, and they unleash a creature that evolves at an accelerated pace that has its eyes on the planet below them. Having never heard of this movie until it showed up on my doorstep, I had no knowledge of what I was sitting down to watch other than that it had some decent star power and was set in space. The first act does a good job of building the tension and offers some decent character development in a…

From the get-go in this hugely provocative and highly challenging essay on violence, there’s a disconcerting, menacing montage of images that tilts you off balance. The setting is a small, insular, isolated, Wicker Man– ish Cornish community where Deliverance-like locals sit and wait. It’s a wild-west horror-film village seething with aggression and coiled sexual tensions where touches, embraces, and fights erupt unbidden. Imminent violence hangs as a fog over streets of brooding, bored young men leering lustily while girls tease and flirt. There’s too much time, too few dreams. Enter bespectacled, civilized, ineffectual American intellectual Dustin Hoffman, passive yet competitively macho mathematician seeking isolation to work with his gorgeous, bored, attentionseeking wife. Clannishness and hostility breed as the confines of the village close in, causing ugly moods to emerge. After…