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.

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!

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