Our Listeners of the Week are Terry and Jeff G. for their donations, as well as our 77 Patreon Patrons. And our thanks again to Lee Overstreet for guest co-hosting last week.

In the news, the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiative) has an HDR Cinema draft specification ready for review and ratification.

0:14:37 Jon P. asks if he should get an SVS 3000 Series subwoofer now that the Plus Series is discontinued. And he wants to expand to 4 Zones of audio, so we suggest multiple Chromecast Audio if he just wants background music, multiple Amazon Echo Link Amps if he wants to share separate sources from each room, or our top recommendation of a Monoprice 6 Zone Matrix Amplifier (also sold as the Dayton DAX66), along with the Monoprice Whole Home Audio app for iOS or Android, and Global Cache iTach Flex Wi-Fi or iTach Flex IP and RS-232 Cable if he wants a centralized setup.

0:25:11 Kyler B. wants to start a sound system with a $1,000 budget. We suggest that he could go with excellent headphone, like the top-rated HiFiMAN Sundara, or start with a Denon AVR-X3400H and a pair of RBH Impression Elite R-5E speakers.

0:37:12 Chris B. gets some thoughts on the Sennheiser HD599 vs. HD600 headphones, and whether his Yamaha RX-A2070 Receiver can power either of them without needing an external headphone amp.

0:44:16 Weldon B. used Rob’s 12 Step Guide to Setting Up Dual Subwoofers, but Audyssey still reduced his trim levels, so we discuss setting your master volume to 0 dB before playing test tones, and potentially getting a Triplett TSC-MC1 SoniCheck SPL Meter, or a Dayton UMM-6 or a calibrated measurement mic from Cross-Spectrum Labs.

0:51:20 seaRpea wants dialogue clarity above all else, and wonders if a $125 Center speaker will deliver. We have recommendations for an RBH Impression R-515, Ascend Acoustics HTM-200SE, or BIC Acoustech PL-28 II, but they all cost just north of $150.

>0:57:28 Monty N. sadly lost his house during the recent wildfires in California. He’s imagining all the replacement home theater gear he might buy, so we chip in with suggestions of: Marantz AV7705 pre-pro or Marantz SR7013 Receiver, Monoprice Monolith or Emotiva XPA amp, Ascend Acoustics or RBH Signature speakers, plus a new LG OLED and a Panasonic UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray player. Then we discuss alternatives to a cable company DVR, including TiVo Bolt, or the forthcoming HD HomeRun Prime 6 and HD HomeRun DVR Service.

1:11:55 Infinite Gary gets an explanation for why using a headphone jack to feed a pair of self-powered speakers sounds different than using the line out.

1:14:43 Christian S. takes us down memory lane of all the gear he’s bought on our recommendations, and then he asks why the streaming apps on his PS4 look too dark on his new OLED.

1:20:46 Karl R. gets our recommendation for the APC J25B battery backup UPS to protect his projector and other gear.

1:21:23 Ted M. has further questions about his room’s Schroeder frequency and transition frequency, and how we approach deciding where to stop applying EQ.

1:28:49 Mike S. has issues with the maximum length of Monoprice DynamicView Active HDMI Cables, so we believe he likely needs fiber optic HDMI or Monoprice SlimRun AV HDR Cables. We also discuss his Audyssey microphone extension cord, and Atmos speaker placement.

1:37:01 Juan F. gets our thoughts on the RBH Visage MC Series in-wall speakers vs. the RBH Signature on-walls. And since he opened the door on on-walls, we suggest considering the Focal Super Birds, and then getting matching Focal in-ceiling or RBH Visage A-Series in-ceiling speakers.

• 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!