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.

Thanks for listening. Now, don't forget to:

• Check out the AV Rant YouTube channel to watch our show videos.
• Download Tom’s FREE superhero-themed ebook Bob Moore: No Hero.
• If you like it, you can purchase the two full-length follow-ups -  Bob Moore: Desperate Times and Bob Moore: Hostile Territory.
• Check out AVGadgets.com where Tom is the new Editor-in-Chief!
• Download Tom's NEWEST book, Touch of Pain from Amazon now!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Liked it? Take a second to support AV Rant on Patreon!