This week, we thank Tyler and William for their donations, Kris I. for mentioning us to Aperion Audio and Accessories4Less when he bought products from them, and Jeremy P. for letting Herb know he heard about Cross-Spectrum Labs on AV Rant. Keep your ears peeled for Tom’s SVS Prime and Ultra speaker reviews next week or the week after.

In the news, Antoine on Twitter was first to give us the heads up about Vizio’s new 2016 P-Series with Dolby Vision and HDR10 (within 90 days). Also announced are new Vizio M-Series and E-Series displays. SVS has updated their SVS Customer Bill of Rights. And Amazon used GitHub to release an official project to build an Echo (Alexa) using a Raspberry Pi 2.

Jonathan F. mentioned And Vinyly, a company that will press your ashes into vinyl records after you die. Bill offers more ideas for Wesley’s Volume Mystery, although switching to 2-channel output seems to be providing a usable workaround. Mark says drop ceiling tiles stuck directly onto a drywall ceiling make excellent ceiling cable camouflage. And Karl R. found a test from the BBC asking: Can Sound Change the Taste of Chocolate?

Ian E. gets our input on Audyssey microphone placement, speaker toe in, and which parts of the Audyssey Suite to turn on and off. Bill S. wants an Atmos Receiver, but it’s his desire for whole house audio that makes us strongly suggest a Yamaha AV Receiver with MusicCast. And John W. asks about a spherical room, then gets our suggestions for a headphone amp, which include the Schiit Audio Magni 2 if you want to spend a little, the Audio Engine N22 if you want to spend a little more, or the Oppo HA-1 if you want to spend a lot. The Emotiva Stealth DC-1 is also a good choice with a price that falls in the middle.

Brock R. gets our input on how many Atmos ceiling speakers he should add and where he should put them. Scott B. gets the scoop on Tom’s current plans for written reviews. And Tom K. gets a definitive answer in the battle of waffles vs. pancakes vs. French toast.

Kris I. asks whether Audyssey is a benefit or a detriment for background music in a large, open space. Felipe has a failing B&K amplifier, and we recommend the Monoprice Monolith 7 or the Outlaw Audio Model 7700 as replacement options. Felipe also wants to replace his Center speaker, and our top recommendations to match his other PSB speakers are the Paradigm Monitor Center 3 v.7, RBH Sound MC-616C, or the pricey PSB Imagine C3. And for deaing with Felipe’s 9,000 cubic feet of air, we point him towards HSU Research, Power Sound Audio, and Rythmik Audio as the output per dollar value champs.

Abby Savage is using a self-powered Center speaker that seems to be picking up RF interference from her Xbox 360. We discuss options and explain a little bit about how ferrite cores work. Josh Z. wonders why the calibration test tones from a setup disc measure lower than 75dB on his SPL meter. And Adriano M. gets our input on using curtains as acoustic absorption.

Jeremy P. is starting Porter Edwards HiFi to sell “boutique” hand-made speakers and subwoofers, so we offer him some business advice. Nelson A. wants subwoofers that can go “subsonic”, so our top recommendation is to go large and sealed from Power Sound Audio. Infinite Gary gets our suggestion for an HDMI switch, and our thoughts on those new Vizio P-Series monitors vs. LG’s OLEDs. And Tim B. is most likely in need of a new Audyssey microphone, so we suggest some resources, and a potential low tech fix.

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This week, we thank Robert, Tyler, James, Brock, and Fred for their donations. Fred used AV Rant Listener Rob W.’s Printed Absorption Panels write-up with fantastic, affordable results! Our Producer Austen was thankfully able to join us this week! And Tom reviews his new Silver Ticket Projection Screen.

In the news, Playstation VR will cost $400, or $500 if you want Launch Bundle. Sony is also rumored to be working on a more powerful “Playstation 4.5“. And Tyler F. pointed us to the “HD Vinyl” story that was all the rage this past week.

Paul MacDonald had a visit from Rob H. to help restore his Kodi Add-Ons that were lost when he updated his Minix NEO X8-H Plus Android TV box. Patrick G. shared his amazement at seeing LG’s OLED UHDTVs in person. And Jared F. (sorry we forgot your name while we were recording!) recommends the RBH EP-SB Bluetooth Earbuds. We hope our Mystery Caller to our Offline Rant Line hears the podcast and writes to us. Brenden G. might know a simple solution to Wesley’s jumping volume mystery: check the batteries in your remote! And SteveTheGeek got exactly what he expected when he added an Outlaw Audio Model 770 to his system.

Robert F. from Australia wants to expand to a 5.2.4 Atmos setup, but that requires more expensive AV Receiver models like the Denon AVR-X4200W, Marantz SR6010, or Yamaha RX-A2050. We also weigh in on speaker placement and Robert’s options for a second subwoofer. Tyler F. gets the lowdown on the Ascend Acoustics Sierra speakers that Rob H. uses and the Aperion Audio Verus Grand speakers that Tom uses. Tyler also asks us to compare the B&W CM6 S2 with its Tweeter On Top design vs. the less expensive traditional box CM5 S2 that appears to have all the same specs. And he puts out the call for a database of AV reviewers that would allow readers to quickly figure out whom to ignore!

James B. wants to know if Tom still agrees with his own “5 Reasons Dolby Atmos May Be DOA” article. Zach R. wants to double check that the Vizio E65-C3 from Sam’s Club, is the best deal (we think it is). And Kris I. (who totally lives in a McMansion) wants to use a $1600 budget to improve the sound in his Living Room. We suggest EMP Tek Towers or Ascend Acoustics CMT-340SE speakers mated to an HSU VTF-3 MK5 to handle the large space. We also discuss ported vs. sealed design, and we recommend a Marantz Slimline Receiver as a great way to get 2.1 pre-outs plus HDCP 2.2 support all at an affordable price.

Tyler S. needs help deciding between 5.1.4 and 7.1.4, and he wants to know if he can use an older AV Receiver as an external amp in either case. Brent S. asks about DTS Neo:X vs. DTS Neural:X. Tom K. read some advice about how to adjust subwoofer phase that we completely disagree with. And Glenn M. has an enormous space with in-wall speakers that cannot be moved and asks if there’s anything he can do to improve the sound.

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This week, we thank John, Cliff, Ed, Brendan, and Tyler as our Listeners of the Week for their generous donations! Ed replaced dual subs with a lone Paradigm Prestige subwoofer, but that lone sub gets firmware updates, so there’s that.

Tom got a new Silver Ticket projection screen, and he’s testing the SVS Prime and SVS Ultra Series speakers, so look forward to reviews of all of those coming soon!

In the news, LG revealed their complete “Super UHD” 4K LCD TV lineup and pricing, all of which support both HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Brandon M. gave us a heads up about The Screening Room, which aims to offer first run movies at home for $50 with backing from Hollywood directors. And Tyler F. sent us Ford’s projector screen for autonomous cars patent.

Jeff G. heard us ranting about Shun Mook Mpingo wood products, and that sent him down the rabbit hole, including their claim that a wood disk can weigh more if you flip it over in your hand (seriously). And Wesley M. has a seemingly unfixable volume malfunction in his system, but Tom has one last troubleshooting idea, which is to try a 2-channel analogue signal.

David has $2,000 to upgrade his loft setup, and we suggest spending it all on subwoofers and speakers. Justin B. gets our recommendations for the Teac HA-P50 headphone amplifier, Outlaw Audio Model 5000, Emotiva XPA-200, and Crown XLS DriveCore amplifiers to go with his new Center, Surround, and possible Magnepan Front speakers. And Brian R. has some questions about his Logitech Harmony Smart Control (now Harmony Companion) universal remote setup.

Cliff Heyne is finishing his basement, and we offer suggestions for subwoofer, Atmos speaker, and Surround speaker placement. Darren L. asks about Reference Volume. Infinite Gary wants to know how close a ported speaker can be placed to a wall. And Chris T. asks if he should manually override YPAO, and where he should position his projector.

Joe W. gets us to spill the beans on where really old AV Rant episode downloads went. Brandon G. has a subwoofer budget and size restrictions, and wants to know if driver materials indicate quality. And Bill R. asks about >$2,000 projectors and whether we think affordable 4K HDR models will arrive in the next 2-3 years.

Brendan G. could use an inexpensive 2-channel amplifier from AudioSource or Dayton Audio to expand to 11 speakers in what Rob insists should be a grey and black theater. Sammy C. gets us to rant about CNET’s Steve Guttenberg’s claims that old Receivers sound better than new ones. And an Anonymous Listener asks about Tower vs. Bookshelf vs. Satellite speakers.

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Thanks to Thomas, Adriano, Robert, and Karl this week for their donations. Karl and Richard C. both bought SVS Prime Tower speaker packages and let SVS know they heard about them on AV Rant!

Tom gives his review of the $4,495/pair JansZen zA1.1 Monitor Electrostatic speakers with their unique airLayer tweeters (see some pics Tom took at the bottom of this post).

In the news, Keith S. alerted us last week to Slysoft’s shutdown. But the team behind AnyDVD HD quickly returned on the RedFox Forum, and the brief shutdown led to a handy compilation of disc decryption alternatives. Jason H. pointed out the new Bugatti Chiron’s Accuton sound system with diamond tweeters. Amazon expanded the “Echo” product line with their new $130 “Amazon Tap” and $90 “Echo Dot”. And the Avegant Glyph headset is now available for $700.

James B. sent us articles explaining acoustic metamaterials from Nature and acoustics.org, as well as a long article on speaker wire. John W. wanted to inform everyone that an SVS SB-1000 in a large room can still have headroom to spare. And Richard C.’s wife just laughed at our advice from last week, but he managed to purchase our speaker, subwoofer, and AV Receiver suggestions anyway while waiting for a new display!

Ian E. is likely in need of a Pre-pro repair or replacement, so we weigh the pros and cons of slightly older Receiver models. Justin B. wants a calibrated measurement microphone from Cross-Spectrum Labs. Kris I. compares Denon’s AVR-X6200W and AVR-X7200WA, as well as a 9.2.2 speaker layout vs. 7.2.4. And Nathan D. unfortunately doesn’t get much help from us in his search for A/V showrooms in Tampa, Florida.

Justin C. wonders if a Rythmik L12 subwoofer can team up with an SVS subwoofer to handle a large room. Wesley M. unfortunately did not solve his strange volume jumping problem with a Toslink cable, so he looks for more advice. And Gaylen H. wants to know how to stream TV recordings from a PC to a Chromecast.

Tommy B. completed his gorgeous new theater, but wants to double check his PS4’s output settings. Jessie F. wants whole house audio that works with iRule. He’s leaning towards the HTD MCA-66A, and we also mention the Monoprice 6-Zone Kit along with the Yamaha NS-IC800 in-ceiling speakers from Accessories4Less. And Jeff G. wants to install 4 overhead speakers for Atmos, but he needs to nail down the best positions.

Adriano M. took our advice regarding his theater plans, and now he’s back to ask about his patio, so we recommend Yamaha All-weather speakers. Leighton is painting his theater gray, and we mention: the expensive option – GTI Munsell Gray, the reasonable option – Sherwin Williams “Gray Screen”, and the easiest option – mixing your own. And Srini wants Bluetooth in-ears to replace his Jaybird BlueBuds. The newer Jaybird X2 are one option, while the Mee Audio X7 Plus seem like a bigger change.

Brendan G. is building an extension on his house in Northern Ireland that will look like a garage from the outside, but will be a dedicated theater on the inside. He asks about optimal dimensions, the best location for the door, soundproofing, replacing any existing gear, projector and screen recommendations, seating layout, and how to deal with a chimney. David M. wants to dig into bass optimization for home theater. And lastly, Josh Pollard from The Digital Media Zone wanted a bit of clarification on the new Axiim WiSA speaker packages, particularly their subwoofer specs and how their forthcoming app-based auto-EQ might work.

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This week, we thank Tim and Gabe for their donations, and Phil B. for mentioning us to “The Listening Post” in New Zealand. In the news, Raspberry Pi 3 is available now for $35 with WiFi and Bluetooth built in. And 23 years later, someone finally found the hidden menus in Mortal Kombat arcade cabinets.

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