Our Listeners of the Week are: Erik, Geoffrey, and Brian for their donations. And also Jefferson, who ordered an Oppo UDP-203 Ultra HD Blu-ray player and told them he heard about them from AV Rant.

In the news, Amazon Prime Video is now available in over 200 countries. And Kris P. and Joel N. both sent word that Xbox One bitstream audio output is in beta and available right now to members of the Insider Preview Program.

Antoine informed us that no sales bonuses are paid to Best Buy employees, so that was an error on our part last week. Kris P. noted an updated Amazon Video App for Xbox One that adds 4K and HDR support, and he also implores everyone to use the Xbox User Voice Forum to vote for the features we’d like to see added. Jonathan F. gets a few more thoughts on his vaulted ceiling reflections. And Christian S. weighs in on image “burn-in” on various display technologies.

Timothy B. has Infinity Overture 2 Tower speakers, and he wants to know the best way to preserve the longevity of their built-in amplifiers. Josh C. gets our input on his choice of subwoofers for a small home theater that will hopefully be replaced by a larger theater in the future. We also discuss his speaker choices, and mention the forthcoming Ascend Acoustics Sierra Luna as the perfect match for other Ascend Sierra-Series speakers. And Jim B. is annoyed by the backlight in his Samsung KS8000 TV. It seems to have a mind of its own, but outside of using CNET’s recommended KS8000 settings or calling a THX Certified Video Calibrator or ISF Certified Video Calibrator, we don’t know how to fix his particular issue.

Travis D. wants to know if moving his speakers closer to the wall behind them will improve dialogue intelligibility. We say no, and we go over many other things that we think could help. James wants to play the content stored on his NAS using a Roku 4. We go over some Plex settings and offer the Personal Media Apps List for Roku devices. Colin H. wants whole house audio that can be used with two existing AV Receivers, and we think the Dayton Audio DAX66 Distribution System is the perfect solution. And John M. asks if brighter HDR projectors will result in more washed-out images in rooms with light-colored walls.

Nathan D. wonders if advertisers might use HDR to try and grab our attention with obscenely bright commercials. Steve H. needs Atmos speakers to match his Aperion Verus Grand fronts. We highly recommend RBH Sound A-600 in-ceiling speakers with RBH Rear Enclosures, or Focal Bird on-wall speakers, as well as constructing SPC Backer Boxes for any large openings in the walls or ceiling. And Nathan W. wants a device that can play content from a server with lossless audio. For that, we suggest the NVidia Shield TV, or a Raspberry Pi 3 with Kodi, or Plex Media Player on a Raspberry Pi.

Bari W. asks about phantom Center channels and adjusting dialogue intelligibility when anticipating poor room acoustics. Sam P. doesn’t want to upgrade his HDMI 1.4 Pre-Pro, which means his 4K sources either need two HDMI outputs, or he’ll likely need an HD Fury Integral. And Erik S. wants a very small, but still great subwoofer in a white finish. We favor the JL Audio E110, although if it’s more about footprint than height, the Axiom Audio EP500 v4 is also an option.

Infinite Gary used subtitles to discover he wasn’t hearing every single detail with his volume dial well below Reference Volume. We suggest using some mild dynamic range compression. Bill R. wasn’t impressed with Audyssey MultEQ XT32 right away, but some adjustments helped, and he wants to know what target curve we use, why, and when the Audyssey App will finally be available. And Yuri has a wide open room, so he gets our thoughts on speaker choices, whether to use subwoofers, and what to look for in a subwoofer when full pressurization isn’t the goal.

Jeremy P. started his own speaker company, Porter Edwards. He wants to use his house as a showroom, so we discuss equipment layout and how we would set up three different listening spaces. Terry G. wants to know if an Ultra Low Profile Projector Mount will work with his setup or cause any heat issues. And Andrew N. needs a replacement projector lamp. We suggest Projector Lamp Genie or My Projector Lamps.

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Our Listeners of the Week are Andrew, Joshua, and Mark for their donations, as well as: Terry G., for telling Accessories4Less that his Marantz SR6011 purchase was because of our recommendation; Bob, for tweeting EMP Tek that we recommended their Impression Series speakers; David F., for letting MountDirect.com know we sent him their way; and Byron S., who mentioned AV Rant in his review of the SVS Ultra Bookshelf speakers.

In the news, John M. gave us a heads up about Sony launching OLED TVs in 2017. Emotiva Airmotiv Series Subwoofers were added to their lineup not even a week after their BasX Series. HDMI LLC made a new HDMI 2.0b spec official, which adds HLG. And Nathan D., Infinite Gary, and Heath B. all pointed out that the Oppo UDP-203 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player is now available.

Jeff G. dropped us a comment saying he’s sad to see his Denon AVR-X4000 Receiver go, but his new AVR-X4300H and 7.2.4 setup sounds awesome!

Ted M. asks about some of our favorite movies of 2016, and he discovered that hearing a whole extra octave of deep bass revealed some unevenness from seat to seat, so he wonders if there’s a fix. Mark O. asks about LG’s affordable HDR LCD TVs vs. Vizio, and we suggest it’s worth holding out for the Vizio M-Series. And Mike F. has a large, open theater area and doesn’t want to bother his family while they’re sleeping, so he asks about nearfield subwoofer placement and eventual dual subwoofer options and positions.

Troy T. wasn’t satisfied with his bass after running Audyssey MultEQ and wants to know why it doesn’t offer greater control. Infinite Gary asks about the current top performing $10,000 projectors, so we discuss the JVC DLA-X950R, Epson LS10500, and Sony VPL-VW365ES. We also talk about sealed vs. ported Center speakers. And Jack R. wants us to explain what we think about Paradigm speakers in general, and how they compare to the sound of other speakers.

David F. wants to know more about tilting a projector, which leads to a discussion about keystoning and keystone correction. He also asks about DIY absorption panel placement. Heath B. reached out to GiK Acoustics for room advice, and we end up disagreeing with what they said regarding subwoofer placement. And Jonathan F. wants a sure-fire way to improve the slap echoes caused by his vaulted ceiling, so we suggest flattening it with either a drop tile ceiling or Auralex Sustain Diffusors.

John W. wants our recommendations for power protection. Our go-to brand is APC, so we mention their APC P8V Surge Protector, APC Back-UPS Battery Backup, APC H-Type Power Conditioner, and APC J25B and J35B AV Battery Backup units. Sam P. was warned away from buying an LG OLED TV and told to buy a Sony LCD instead by a Best Buy “expert”. We weigh in on the reasons given. And Brian “brain” A. has a new plan for his great room after talking with his builder and vendor. We recommend KEF in-wall speakers, GoldenEar on-wall speakers, SnapAV speakers, and a cylinder sub for his consideration.

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Our Listeners of the Week are Steve, James B., and Sigmond, who all sent donations, as well as Fred T. and Michael I. who both told Ascend Acoustics that they bought speakers thanks to AVRant, and also Bill C. for mentioning us to Parts-Express, and Terry G. for dropping our name to Silver Ticket.

If anyone in the San Diego area needs a flat panel display mounted or some other AV installation services, Steve’s company is MediaVerge, and he’d love to help out.

In the news, Emotiva BasX Subwoofers come in three sizes at affordable prices. Netflix Downloads let you pre-load iOS and Android devices with content for offline viewing. Plex for Kodi add-on means harmony between the two interfaces, and the Plex Media Player is now free for everyone. And Cyberlink PowerDVD is certified to play UltraHD Blu-ray.

Nathan D. found that getting a Marantz SR6010 Receiver is a headache, but ultimately Marantz is standing behind their product. And Josh S. got a killer deal on a Vizio D-Series TV plus a Vizio SoundBar for under $200 total!

Matt G. gets our recommendation for an HSU VTF-3 Mk5 HP Subwoofer for his open concept room, as well as a list of AV Receivers that offer Atmos capability and Audyssey MultEQ XT32. Steve W. gets our thoughts on dual subwoofer placement, and we also discuss his idea of putting artwork on the back of a projection screen and physically flipping the screen around whenever the projector is not in use. PJ now has 5.1.2 capability, and he wants to know which Atmos speaker positions will sound the best. And Aiden C. wants to reduce the echo in his garage, so we suggest Acoustimac Acoustic Baffles, Acoustic Ceiling Tiles, and GiK Spot Panels as potential solutions.

Matt asks about stacking subwoofers to get better pressurization, and we suggest the Ascend Acoustics HTM-200SE speakers for expanding his system beyond 5.1. Brian “Brain” A. has an open space, a strict budget, and a desire for a projection setup with surround sound. We tackle placement ideas and offer some speaker suggestions, such as: HSU HIW-1 in-walls, EMP Tek Impression Series, SVS Prime Elevation, and Monoprice Caliber in-ceiling speaker with backer boxes. And Bret R. is having an audio problem that we think can be fixed in the settings for his streaming apps, although a Marantz SlimLine Receiver from Accessories4Less could also do the trick.

Will T. asked about an inexpensive SPL Meter that does not appear to offer C-weighting. We suggest the Triplett TSC-MC1 SPL Meter instead, or the Dayton Audio iMM-6 Microphone combined with an iOS or Android SPL Meter App. Dave wants to know how any speaker manufacturer stays in business when there are so many. Vince H. wants our thoughts on the timbre match between Ascend Acoustics SE-Series speakers and Sierra Series speakers. And Michael I. asks how to increase his sense of spaciousness and soundstage width, as well as the best way to position his Surround speakers.

Toby H. gets our thoughts on the best use of dual subs when you only have one seat. Yuri K. is trying to decide between an HDR flat panel and an HDR projector. And Paul B. gets our recommendation for the Vizio SB4051-C SoundBar up in Canada.

Nathan D. thinks he’d like to use an analogue audio connection between his Oppo UltraHD Blu-ray player and his Receiver, but an AVS Forum thread about Oppo bass management has him worried. Infinite Gary read A Matter of Diffusion from 28 years ago, and he wonders if anything has changed. Gary also gets Rob to weigh in on a particular movie scene in 5.1 vs. Dolby Surround, as well as our prediction on laser 4K projector pricing. And David F. gets some clarification on figuring out exactly where to place Atmos speakers on his ceiling.

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Happy Thanksgiving! Our Listeners of the Week are Bret, Fab, and Alan for their generous donations!

With Tom away this week, Lee Overstreet fills in once again.

Karl R. shared some hyperbole-filled coverage of the opening of the Devialet flagship retail store. Chad T. noticed and interesting use of the black bars on the 3D release of Ghostbusters. And Heath B. found the Projector Central HDR-compatibility article enlightening.

Grant M. asks about suede-covered absorption panels from Acoustimac and Acoustical Solutions, as well as options for speakers that will work well laying horizontally inside a TV stand, such as the KEF Q-Series and Ascend Acoustics HTM-200SE. Infinite Gary gets the scoop on how we put together our AVRant YouTube videos, as well as our thoughts on a lone Center speaker vs. multi-speaker mono, and what’s up with speaker prices in Canada. And Johnny D. wants to know what a variable iris does in a projector, and is itching to upgrade, although we think he should wait for the Epson Home Cinema 5040UB.

Christian S. loves his new EMP Tek speakers, but he wants to know where to set the crossover and why all of his other speakers seem to sound better, too. John J. needed an SVS cylinder subwoofer manual for discontinued models, and some tips on connections and using an inexpensive SPL Meter, or a professionally calibrated SPL Meter from Cross-Spectrum Labs. And Jonathan F. gets us to compare and contrast the SVS SB-1000 vs. the HSU VTF-1 Mk3 subwoofers.

Nick B. gets our recommendation for a Monoprice Blackbird HDMI Switch with Audio Extraction. Josh Pollard is also looking for an HDMI matrix switch, although what he really needs is an HD Fury. We also discuss HDR streaming video services on the Xbox One S. And Fab F. wants to know if it’s ok to build a subwoofer into a wall in order to save floor space.

Jason S. asks if the included microphones that come with Audyssey-enabled Receivers are truly good enough to get the job done. Michael S. gets us to recommend AudioEngine self-powered speakers and the JBL LSR305 Studio Monitors to use with an Echo Dot. Bret R. wants a 4K HDR TV that can also serve as a computer monitor, and we think the Samsung KU7000 Series is the way to go. And Jefferson G. stumped us with a Chromecast Ultra HDCP 2.2 issue that we only know how to resolve by using an older Chromecast.

Corey B. isn’t as happy with his projected image as he used to be. We discuss Sherwin-Williams neutral paint, Screen Goo, and image settings, as well as older upmixing listening modes and why a bigger Center speaker doesn’t necessarily mean clearer dialogue. Alan L. is planning his basement theater. We talk about his layout, projector choices, and 7.2.4 wiring options; and also recommend the EMP Tek I-12 subwoofer, Outlaw Audio Ultra-X12 subwoofer, and Monoprice Caliber in-ceiling speakers with Monoprice Back Enclosures along with a Marantz SR6011 from Accessories4Less and a Dayton Audio APA100 or Emotiva A-500 Amplifier to power it all. Travelling IT Guy gets our thoughts on Vizio’s D-Series vs. their E-Series, and our suggestion to check out the HSU VTF-15H Mk2 and Power Sound Audio 15V subwoofers for a large room. And Ted M. is finally happy with his equipment choices, but now he’s bleeding sound into other rooms, so we discuss what can be done about that.

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Lee Overstreet fills in for Tom this week, but there’s a surprise about an hour and a half into the podcast.

In the news, LG 2017 Wallpaper W7 OLED TV might be coming to market. And Samsung bought Harman for $8 billion!

Rob has an update on his Kuro plasma shipping disaster. Rob also amends his Reaction Audio recommendation in light of them shutting down. Bret R. found success with our Intel graphics settings for use with Kodi. Jeb B. thinks curtains can offer acoustical advantages, especially psychologically. And Andy C. created a very interesting Windows app for optimizing multiple subwoofers, and he’s giving it away for free, so check it out!

Brian F. has a small theater with actual theater chairs and a stepped tray ceiling. We discuss Atmos speaker placement, recommend Monoprice Caliber Series in-ceiling speakers with Monoprice Back Enclosures, and confirm that he should still upgrade to dual subwoofers. Bret R. wants to know what modern TV will take over the mantel for “best display” from the Kuro plasmas. And we spend a ton of time with Rick and his two setups; first, discussing his UMC-1 EmoQ bass handling, potential alternatives using a miniDSP 2×4, nanoAVR-DL, or just a calibrated microphone from Cross-Spectrum Labs plus the built-in manual EQ options, or replacing his Processor entirely with a Denon AVR-X3300W from Accessories4Less. Then we tackle Rick’s dedicated theater build, including: room dimensions, ideal seating distances and screen sizes, JVC DLA-RS500 vs. Epson LS10500 projectors, and pre-wiring locations for speakers.

John W. wanted a further discussion of Audyssey target curves vs. Direct listening mode playback. Ted M. seems to really want an extremely powerful subwoofer, and he’s willing to leave his door open to get it. And Matt H. wants an affordable, large, cutting edge display, so we suggest the Vizio M-Series.

Heath B. wants to know if three identical bookshelf speakers across the front makes sense, and we also suggest the DIY Movie Rooms Riser Height Calculator to help figure out ideal screen and riser height. Chad T. asks about BlackoutEZ window covers, but we offer a cheaper solution. We also mention Wired and LifeHacker’s pick for transcoding iTunes videos: NoteBurner. And Bill C. wants independent volume control via a tablet or phone for his whole house audio system, so we suggest pairing several Dayton Audio WFA02 Wi-Fi Adapters with a Dayton Distribution Amplifier.

David is moving and wants to confirm his plans for a new theater. We go over subwoofer capability, false wall and projector screen setup, seating distance, acoustic panel placement, and the possibility of a “full” Atmos setup with 11 or 13 floor level speakers and all 10 overhead speakers. Jordan B. wants to know if he should opt for a gray or white projector screen. And Jeff B. is helping his brother-in-law with a long term buying plan. We confirm a speaker audition list including: Aperion Audio, SVS, EMP Tek, Ascend Acoustics, and KEF.

Ian E. wants to save as much hard drive space as possible, so we discuss transcoding Blu-ray audio and potentially using Audio DiffMaker to figure out what lossy codecs are discarding. Michael I. has some upgraditis and wants to know what will be worthwhile when replacing his Ascend CMT-340SE speakers and HSU VTF-2 Mk4 subwoofers. And Fil C. wants inexpensive surround sound in Canada. Rob’s go-to picks of a Yamaha RX-V381 Receiver, Monoprice 12-inch Subwoofer, and Fluance Classic Elite Series speakers, or Energy Take Classic 5.1 speakers all end up being too expensive, so we suggest The Wirecutter’s pick for best 5.1 SoundBar, the Vizio SB4051-C, or Vizio SB3851-D with Google Cast.

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