Home Theater Focus : Product Reviews

Yamaha YSP-1000, Surround Sound Projection

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 19:08:00 GMT

New "holographic surround sound" technology is used in the YSP-1000 to create a single box replacement for a five channel speaker system. One rectangular speaker positioned under your TV is supposed to beam sound around the room to create five channel sound comparable to five separate speakers. That's right, just one speaker in front to replace five speakers positioned throughout your room. If it works it's the ultimate in spousal approval for a surround sound speaker system. I know what the skeptics among you are thinking. If you're like me, you're thinking "holographic, schmolographic"! The product description seems so ambitious that it can't possibly work as advertised. Sure, you might get tinny ambient sound effects. But can such an effect really reproduce the intended effects of a Dolby Digital soundtrack?

When I finally got a demo of the product I was impressed. As expected it's a system with limitations. But the YSP-1000 presents multi-channel sound, separation and directional effects that will make you think there is indeed a speaker hidden behind the couch.

I got a chance to listen to it in a demonstration room at Natural Sound in Kitchener. I sat on a couch in a small enclosed square room while we engaged the system's Automated System Calibration. Just plug and position the included microphone and like many like higher end receivers today the speaker system calibrates itself using a series of test tones. The moment I heard the first alien sounds coming from places I knew there were no speakers I was impressed. But a few test tones are a long way from real multi-channel sound.

The wide rectangular speaker box is compact and fits comfortably under a 42" in widescreen display for which the YSP-1000 is optimized. Inside the unit, covered by a silver grille, are 40 tiny drivers powered by digital amps. The drivers produce sound beams that reflect off surfaces in your room. But can beams of sound really produce localized full range acoustics outside the confines of a speaker? Yamaha promises the YSP-1000 can deliver Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS Neo: 6.

We popped a demo disk into the DVD player that gave us outdoor sound effects. I heard crickets chirping in generalized 'reflections' around the room. It was an ambient effect similar to what Dolby Pro Logic could do. As immersive as it was I thought that's it, this pony has just demonstrated its trick. Then we heard the sounds of bullfrogs. A single frog croaking in one corner of the room was a more localized sound compared to the ambient crickets. I could actually point to where I heard the frog, but it was also a sound that required some frequency response. I started warming to this system when we popped in a copy of Master and Commander in DTS for one of my favorite acoustic demos, the naval battle in the opening scene.

A sub is required to give the YSP-1000 5.1 otherwise it's only five speakers that are too light on bass for home theater. The details in the buildup to the naval battle at the beginning of Master and Commander provided suitable tension. The wind sweeping across the deck made me forget I was in a small square room. The subsequent cannon fire sounded like a real 5.1 system. The acoustic effects were not wanting for proper sonic imaging in its reproduction of the DTS soundtrack. In terms of producing left / right and front / rear movements including footsteps running around the ship were reproduced as if it were from a well positioned speaker system. It was difficult to believe all this only came from a single rectangular bar up front.

The sound quality was similar to what you can get from a less expensive satellite speaker system. The sound beams were surprisingly good at producing wide range sound but they won't provide the kind of detailed sound at a dynamic range you might expect of larger speakers. If you need to fill a mid to large sized room with sound this isn't the way to go. The YSP-1000 needs a symmetrically shaped smaller room to work its magic. It needs walls behind and beside the listening audience to reflect onto. The Room Acoustic Optimizer and Automated System Calibration is surprisingly good at finding objects to bounce sound. There is even a Target Beam Mode that allows you to center the sweet spot on unusual places in the room. But if you don't require the convenience of the sound projection there is no benefit to using a system like this as a substituted for five separate speakers placed around the room. That you can get a complete 5.1 speaker system that will sound better than the YSP-1000 for much less money should come as no surprise. MSRP on the system is about $1700 US dollars but you can find it on the streets for less.

Special thanks to Natural Sound in Kitchener ON for providing the demo of this remarkable new technology.

Onkyo HT-S580: HTIB with a surprize

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 15:02:00 GMT

Sure, I'm a hi-fi enthusiast and almost qualify as a hi-fi snob but I'll never tell you a quarter million bucks is required for perfect sound. Heck I'll take $5K worth of as-good-as-it-gets and die happy. But not so with you, yeah you John Q. Public. It seems you can't get enough of affordable HTIB (Home Theater In A Box) the most common question I get on the forums is people asking what a decent HTIB is these days. I must first qualify with saying that for the $300 - $500 you spend on a cheap HTIB system you can get your first real component and start building a system over time. But you, John Q have said… yeah yeah, forget that, I want good sound now. So rather than snub you I've promised to make recommendations anytime I see a decent HTIB out there. And honestly they surprise me sometimes.

Here is one I think you'll like for $300 that's peanuts for 5.1. Honestly I expected Onkyo's HT-S580 to sound like crap. This isn't Onkyo's top end HTIB system but a stripped down second or third fiddle. Seeing it at the local hi-fi store all setup I couldn't resist a demo.

Before I started listening I'm sneering at a $300 system expecting an acoustic hook that these el-cheapo systems usually offer as its excuse for "quality" audio. Maybe this one will do the midrange bulge which panders to rock and roll and gives movies articulate dialogue. This is accomplished by blasting middle highs to make feel more detailed. Or perhaps it'll pull the current popular trick of inadequate sound systems by pumping up the 80Hz - 100Hz range to give us "boomy" bass. It gets the kids excited thinking they're hearing 50 Cent on a real hi-fi system.

Onkyo's newest HT-S580 HTIB is indeed a stripped down system. Onkyo managed to save on cost by declining a DVD player. This is actually a good thing, better to see extra expense used elsewhere than in sub-par optics by including a garbage DVD player. You'll have to furnish your own DVD player but that's not so bad these days. Who knows maybe in a few months your HTIB beer budget will change in coming months and you might find yourself in the market for a new HD DVD / Blu-ray combo player by the end of the year. Give Onkyo some credit for foresight.

The audio circuitry is the strength of this unit, end of story. A 5.1 system is bare bones these days when people like to see 6.1 / 8.1. When you're placing micro satellite speakers around a dorm room or a small apartment what are you going to do with 6 or 8 speakers? 5.1 are really all you need. A well placed five speaker surround system will give you all the effects and depth you can get from any soundtrack. Extra speakers might be good for larger rooms but since the extra "back" channels in a 6.1 system aren't discreet they're no more than acoustic reflections of the surround channels.

100 Watts of continuous power graces all five micro satellite speakers on this HTIB system. It's a nice punch from such a small box. The sub is constructed of fiber board which is a nice break from the plastic "toy" subs you expect from cheapie systems in this price range. The sub's driver provides surprising ballast to the box weighting in at 20 lbs it feels like, dare I suggest, a real sub. All the digital decoding goodies you expect are present with Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital II, DTS. The crossover defaults to 80Hz and gives you flexibility to switch between 60/80/100/120 or 150Hz. It has four audio inputs including two of which are digital with one optical and one coax, not bad for such a lean system.

How does it sound?

I gave it a demo at a local audio shop and started off listening to one of those mix CDs featuring a bunch of high-brow musical recordings from people I've never heard of (what, no Sex Pistols?). One track was classical guitar the next had steel drums maybe you've heard what I'm talking about. The demo CD was obviously showing off detail and I was surprised at the quality. Nicely detailed strings from an acoustic guitar drew me in and I forgot this was a deep discount budget system. It lacked the velvety smooth transitions as the guitarist's fingers ride the bridge of the guitar. I've heard classical guitar sound more complex on more expensive speakers but this sounded like a mid ranged bookshelf speaker system not a micro satellite HTIB. Then we played some rock. Yeah, there was a bit of a bulge in the deep lows and it gave the sound an illusory 'richness', an acoustic gimmick to be sure but it worked. It gave the system punch that makes you forget it retails for $300. Then I tested the opening scenes in Fifth Element which is a nice display of subtle intensity inside the pyramid with the archeologist and then it builds to a climactic sub thumping when you get to the aliens. It actually made me say "holy crap" or some similar explicative. The sub is truly the jewel of the system. I've heard 5.1 speaker systems that include an 8" sub that costs between $600-$800 that sound about the same. The five speakers around the room being fed a continuous 100 Watts Per Channel really keeps pace with the soundtrack and could probably fill a mid sized living - room.

Overall I was pleased with the acoustic quality. Another HTIB surprised me with how good it can sound. Surely you'd have to triple the meager $300 for the HT-S580 to exceed the quality with a component system. That's a strong statement I won't give out lightly because I know I can probably price a damn fine component system at $1K that will rival anything.

Next stop, I promise to test out a non-Onkyo, non-Yamaha HTIB system and get a feel for its performance.

Xbox 360 Killer App RPG: Elder Scrolls Oblivion

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 15:33:00 GMT

Xbox360 is rolling with hits this moth with Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter and now Elder Scrolls Oblivion. Make no mistake, this is the killer app for Xbox 360 and your home theater system. It’s a new fantasy role playing game that was released last week for both PC and Xbox 360. It’s a big budget release, the finest example of today’s technology, esthetics, storytelling and voice acting. The graphics are truly next generation with gorgeous environments to explore richly detailed by some of the finest graphic artists in the business. The people you’ll talk to in game have realistic faces that can portrait complex emotion. Noted British actors comprise the voice acting of non-player characters with which you’ll interact including: Terrance Stamp, Sean Bean and Patrick Steward as the Emperor Uriel Septim. I love a good role playing game (RPG) but have been under whelmed with the massively multiplayer variety lately. This is a pleasant return to a simpler time when a good RPG was about storytelling and playing your character and less about how powerful you can be so you can beat up on other players.

The platform debate will be endless but not indulged here. However…Oblivion is a prime example of a game that was meant for the console. This game should be played at a relaxed, thoughtful pace. You can pause to sip a coffee or beer depending on the time. The game begs for you to take in the scenery. Sitting at a desk hunched over mouse and keyboard is fine for a first person shooter. But this is different it’s a more relaxed pace and is best played kicked back on a couch with large screen HDTV and surround sound system.

I’m a longstanding veteran of the Elder Scrolls series. One might say I am an Elder Scroll. I was there when the Emperor Uriel Septim was betrayed by Jagar Tharn the Battle Mage in the series first installment Arena. Back then Uriel didn’t sound like Patrick Stewart as he communicated in text only. But I had never seen anything like it in a computer game a non-linear, wide open environment with an opportunity to explore the world at your leisure. The so much time went by when Daggerfall finally arrived that I thought Arena was but a dream. Then Morrowind, 2003’s game of the year and it was best single player role playing game made thus far. So the pressure was on the Oblivion development team to build the next installment of the game to live up to vast expectations.

I’ve only played for probably 6 or so man / hours and thus far I believe it lives up to expectations.

Environmental breakthrough

The greatest breakthrough in this installment of Elder Scrolls is in the environment. It’s another vast world to be explored with an artificial intelligence controlling events and individuals in the world that affects everything in the game. For instance the forests, meadows and animal species that inhabit them are controlled by a sophisticated system of AI that takes into account how they all interact. This can result in fluctuations in the deer population or even the extinction of a plant species. It’s an AI controlled micro – verse where your actions can set into motion reactions that affect the world around you.

Graphics

The graphics are amazing to behold, Oblivion takes its place among the most sophisticated looking games of the current generation. However, since it does so much it won’t be the best you’ve seen at any one element. Faces for instance look good and can express emotion. Faces in Oblivion aren’t the best you’ve ever seen in a computer game but that’s no complaint, they still approach photo realism. The indoor / outdoor environments are a marvel to behold and the sharp contrast between them is incredible. What easily makes this a graphically elite game is its wide variation. Most first person shooters today are good at a particular recurring environment you’ll see over and over … think … Doom 3 and dark shadowy hallways or F.E.A.R. and its detailed office buildings. Very good examples of graphics but neither game offers much variation from what it does well. In Oblivion you’ll explore shadowy dungeons with beautiful grey and indigo hues inside. You’ll strain for light and maybe fire up a torch and you can marvel at the real time orange light that casts shadows as you walk. Then you step outside into a bright sunny day and it’s as if you’ve opened a completely different game. The color palette changes drastically, gone are the orange glow and grey indigo hues in favor of a bright blue sky with rolling hills and grassy fields. Wind sweeps across waves of local fauna as you make your way across a meadow. The sunsets are so breathtaking they could make you want to applaud like a tourists at a Caribbean resort.

Sound

From the subtle squeaking of rats sneaking up behind you through your surrounds to the deep bass thump of certain spells the home entertainment system is well used by the Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track. The game does a great job at centering you on sounds such as speech that will remain placed consistently as you walk around the speaker or turn away. People might call to you from behind or drops of water might echo slightly within a musty dungeon and effect that exercises the soundtrack’s subtle details.

The music hasn’t gotten too repetitive as it stays mainly unnoticed in the background giving you atmosphere. But sometimes it’ll be the clue that danger is apparent if you hadn’t spotted an enemy and the soundtrack turns to a military style march letting you know combat was about to ensue. That is my one minor quibble, if I’m to be surprised I don’t think the music should provide clues. But I’d love that in real life … When my wife comes home I should hear either Julie Andrew’s “Sound of music” or Darth Vader’s “Imperial March” depending on the kind of mood she’s in. Actually that’s what I already hear subconsciously anyway.

Gameplay

The strong suit of this game is its relaxed gameplay. You can always hit pause, even in a tight situation. You can leisurely select a different weapon or spell and then go back into the game where you’re about to die. I’ve gone through the Elder Scrolls cycle of “newness” many times now. The dungeons that are a pleasure to explore the first 75 times become repetitive drudgery in the last 10 before I completely lose interest. This could be the case here too, obviously I don’t know yet. But Morrowind did a good job of keeping things fresh by hand making everything in the world you’ll explore. I hope for the same here. But for now, it’s a pleasure to move around, explore new places new buildings. The new shops you’ll enter to get supplies for a journey won’t just be a mock up of the last place you went to get your armor repaired. The designers seemed to take pains to provide a functional layout of a store that doubles as a family dwelling or a workshop where they can repair your armor. The buildings make sense in layout and design and this means they shouldn’t get too boring. I’ve rented a room at several cheap Inns (and one bloated float) and they’ve been non-descript bare bones affairs. The last one was no low budget room as it cost twice what I’d been accustomed to paying. And when I entered the room it looked like an expensive room. Well decorated corner room with windows all around and tapestries on the walls. It was beautiful and not cheap.

There is a main mission in the game but since it’ll take so much time and you’ll be required to gain a lot of experience before you’ll be able to undergo many of them you’re encouraged to strike forth into the world and find side quests that will build you a reputation, gold or possibly a gambling addiction at the arena. I won’t give anything away but you’ll definitely meet Patrick Stewart very early in the game.

Combat

This isn’t a first person shooter but combat is a big part of the experience. This game does it as well as can be expected for a game system that almost tries to employ way too many elements. You can cast spells in combat, swing your weapon in various arcs that do different kinds of damage. Depending on your weapon you can have different effects on your foe if it lands just the right way. Your weapon and likewise blocking skills are increased just like all skills in the game are increased, by actually using them. This is a clever system for gaining experience, one that a lot of “level” system RPGs can benefit from. There are a few minor glitches I’ve found, like being attacked by an invisible rat. Overall the combat system has greater flow than past versions of this game. You can move in and out of the range of the opponents axe and likewise they’ll do the same. At one point I’ve even seen an opponent run back around a corner and forced me to give chase.

Overall you have an excellent game that is a suitable heir to the Elder Scrolls line. It’s easily the killer app for your Xbox 360 and it’s the real reason for getting one. If you like the RPG and are sick of the massively multiplayer variety this is the one to try.

Xbox 360: Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter

Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:38:00 GMT

The first Xbox 360 game to inspired me to write about here is GR – Advanced Warfighter.

So here I am anxiously waiting for Oblivion to rock my world. Then I see a little blip on the www.metacritic.com radar … a new Ghost Recon game for 360. Hmmm, it peaked my interest enough to check it out to make sure it’s just another rework of GR2 engine that’s been kicking around for years. Metacritic nails this new GR with a 91 (out of 100) rating so I read on.

I come to find out reviews rate it highly saying it’s a totally new game, it’s not just another GR2 makeover, the likes of which we’ve been seeing a lot of, maybe too much. It’s a new story, a new time period, new technologies in the immediate future 2013. So I sell CoD and buy it Ghost Recon Advanced Warfare (GRAW).

I haven’t completed the game, I’m currently deep in Mexico City somewhere. It’s definitely a return to good old Ghost Recon suspense. Danger lurks around every corner. You never know if you’re going to get the drop on some Mexican rebels or if you’re going to turn the corner into enemy fire. It’s the level of suspense that makes the Ghost Recon franchise so remarkable and GRAW has it! If you’ve played any Tom Clancy games you already understand the games have a level of realism. Although it’s a first person shooter with some control over a squad, it’s nothing like most twitch FPS games like Doom or Halo. You must use tactics, the enemy isn’t going to miss you much and when they hit you it only takes two to three bullets through body armor to kill you, or one good head shot. You won’t overcome the enemy with quick aggressive reactions, you have use tactics to flank the enemy positions.

Setting

GRAW adds some nice technology but getting comfortable requires a steep but quick learning curve. If you’ve played any of the GR games you’ll feel at home except for a few tweaks. In this game you’ll control Capt. Scott Mitchell as he controls a squad through Mexico City urban combat. It seems that in 2013 a treaty is going to be signed between Canada, US and Mexico in Mexico’s capital, Mexico City. A breakaway faction of the Mexican government opposed to the treaty captures certain VIPs who are supposed to sign this treaty. Your job will be to rescue the president while completely out manned and outgunned in the middle of hostile territory.

Gameplay Elements

The “quick cover” option allows you to pin yourself close to a wall and peer around corners easily. It’s a valuable touch for the mainly urban fighting you’ll be doing in Mexico City. The weapons are nice assault rifle variations, only slightly more advanced than the M-16 A1 rifle I used in the Army. Some of the weapons have scopes that give you a sniper element which is extremely valuable. I’d personally rather have a scope on any weapon for one shot precision than a higher caliber round or a grenade launcher, but that’s just me. I don’t intend to get into grenade range of the enemy.

You have to get past the HUD (heads up display) which overlays your view of the immediate environment and start working through it. Only then will working with your avatar in the game start to make sense. Manipulating Capt Mitchell through weapon choices and all his tactical controls and options is tricky at first but eventually becomes linear. In fact, I’m to the point now where I find the squad and extra vehicle controls to be clever in their simplicity. A nice touch (but difficult) is that you can actually feel the encumbrance of all the gear your character is wearing. You won’t be pulling off any quick strafe maneuvers, dives, running hops or many of the things you’d do in an FPS to avoid enemy fire. Capt Mitchel is mortal man weighed down by body armor and lots of gear. If you’ve ever had the experience of wearing combat boots under a ruc sack toting MOP gear including mask, weapon, LBE, drawn chin strap … you know how difficult it is to move with any amount of dexterity. Capt Mitchell will move forward slowly at first, then he’ll slowly escalate into a trot if you keep him in one direction. The control feels real because it’s not snappy at all.

Ordering your squad around becomes second nature with the point and down D pad, it’s easy. They mainly think for themselves in combat so you do not have to babysit when the bullets start flying. I don’t quite having healing down, I feel bad and sometimes restart from last checkpoint when one of my squad dies. I try to take care of the kids under my command. Trying my best to keep the squad out of fire, I always go in first and only use the squad to put fire on an enemy position as I try to flank. It’s worked for me so far. But there are situations where the Mexican regulars are going to surround you and come in from all directions.

When I first read about the Crosscom technology and the unmanned drone you can control to give you enemy positions I though … sounds complicated. The unmanned drone is very useful once you learn how to use it. The back button takes you to an overhead map of your area beamed to you from a satellite. You can send in the drone to give you detailed reconnaissance of the area including enemy positions. The drone is a little flying “craft” like a UFO. Normally it flies too high to attract enemy fire or scan for useful information. But if you put it into “scan” mode you can point and click it to areas on the overhead map and it’ll recon those areas. The enemy it finds will show up as red triangles on the overhead. When you go into first person view again you’ll see their positions highlighted in your view as part of the “Crosscom” technology. It’s literally the eyepiece that goes over one eye from your helmet. It’s a brilliant piece of real life future soldiering. It’s creepy when you’re sending the drone to scout and it exposes enemy positions and you start to see more and more red triangles exposed, realizing you’re in the middle of some serious merde. Then you can actually hear the enemy fire in the distance as they shoot at your drone. They’ll destroy it if they get the chance so you have to recover it to safety pronto.

Graphics

The best I’ve seen yet with Xbox 360. At first I took Capt Mitchell’s sluggishness as slowness or the graphic chip / CPU not being up to the task of rendering at acceptable speeds. I had just finished FEAR on a PC that is more than up to the task so it was hard to watch this at first. But you have to realize that 720P isn’t quite 1280 x 1024 and that sluggishness isn’t your processors choking, it’s Capt Mitchell trying to move under some 40 pounds of gear it starts to make sense. The colors are mainly shades of brown saturated in sunlight so you won’t see many brilliant hues outside the brown, grey and green color palette. Certain occasions where colors do stand out will remind you that this is the most advanced game system available today. Views from inside the helicopter approach breathtaking. Looking out over the skyline of Mexico City looks very nice when you can really take it all in. This is easily the best looking game I’ve seen on 360, the animations of people’s movement looks very good. The faces when you get a chance to see any are state of the art.

All in all, this is a great way to wait for Oblivion. I might not mind if Oblivion is delayed slightly now and this disc will certainly get a workout from me. There is an addictive quality once you get past the learning curve and the game’s complex controls start to become linear.

And one more thing … Capt Mitchell sounds like Clint Eastwood.

3 / 23 edit

Sound

I didn't comment on the sound quality. Not a lot to say here because it's excellent! Like most of the Xbox 360 games it makes great use of the 5.1 surround. Games are a great way to exploit the surround channels and this one does so well. What I liked is the subtle uses it has with the rear channels. At times when you're running down the streets of Mexico City you'll hear voices cry out in the distance in Spanish ... Is that an enemy behind you or just voices carried in the wind? They use the surrounds to add to the tension, well done.

Frustrations

Yes, plenty of frustrations trying to control targeting from a joystick. It's probably just my noobishness but I find myself turning the targeting reticle around the target trying to get it overtop. I've always prefered FPS games on a PC using a mouse for that reason. The left trigger “zoom” helps to varying degrees in that regard.

Hanspree Artisitic LCD TVs

Tue, 17 Jan 2006 14:23:00 GMT

When I saw this little number on Gizmodo I though; “cool!”. The Batman LCD TV is from a company called Hanspree who makes LCD displays built with style. After looking at the company’s website I was completely enamored. If I were of a mind to get a TV for my son’s room (Bruce Wayne) this would be it. However, being an old school tyrant of a father I’m not inclined to make passive entertainment more accessible for a kid who should be playing outside in the dirt like we used to in the old days. One giant LCD TV in the house is plenty. I’d be proud to see him put up a new Hanspree monitor in his room if he saved up enough money he’d earned to buy it.

Not all the Hanspree designs are for kids. You really have to check out their website and see the styles they’re using to decorating an LCD panel. It’s a unique, groundbreaking use of LCD technology, an idea that was definitely in mail the moment small LCD panels fell below a certain price. The TVs themself are in the 15” range and have a variety of styles from sports to fantasy to some of the more sophisticated elegant styles to make TVs look like throwbacks to a past (or future) era. Examining them through the company’s website is a pleasure. Their website has images and even 360’ animations of each product. Their lines of LCD TVs are divided neatly into categories making for simple navigation. Other electronics companies could learn volumes on how to design a website from Hanspree.

OpenPeak SimpleRemote

Mon, 16 Jan 2006 16:28:00 GMT

Electronics company employs the clever word - joining technique to create new brand based words for ModerNeNglish.

OpenPeak is a small company that makes remote control devices specifically designed (so they say) to accomplish complex tasks as simple as possible to the user. Universal Remote controls for Home Theater systems have certainly come of age. You can get one button control of complete mood settings for your house that include lights and exact song selections. OpenPeak has created the next step in household electronics integration with the remote control this is possibly the most advanced universal remote yet. The SimpleRemote brings the home theater system, PC, internet and VoIP together. Using the SimpleRemote you can access internet content like RSS news feeds, MP3 media library, right along side your DVD player and home theater receiver’s volume control. It also integrates with VoIP (internet phone line) and will ring with an incoming call and will automatically pause the music/movie but only if you decide to take the call. The device is wi-fi aware and has a 2.2” display for easy navigation and personal settings.

I haven’t had a chance to play with this remote but it sure doesn’t sound very simple. OpenPeak is proud of their integration with the internet and its interview setup. It’s not the first device to conduct its initial setup through an interview with the user asking questions about other equipment it’ll be attached to. Access to the Wi-Fi internet access (using your wireless router of course) is a great way for instant access to the correct drivers or codes to run your equipment. Overall it looks like a great system. I’m leery of branding the concept of simplicity into a universal remote. I wish just once they’d brand a universal remote or similar device a little more honestly and up front. Perhaps they next remote could be called “The Confounder”. Or just have a warning label that says right on it: Not recommended for persons over 35 years of age.

Harmony 880 Universal Remote; it's a better toilet

Wed, 05 Oct 2005 13:21:00 GMT

For me, universal remote controls are like toilets. Basically you deal with the hand you’re dealt, sure there are probably ways to improve them, cushions, maybe a built in monitor and keyboard with wi-fi access to the router so you can surf while your sitting on the can. But basically, you use the same old standard that’s been around for decades and you’re just happy when everything works out. It’s the same with universal remotes, it seems every component you buy these days packs a featured remote with universal aspirations. The receiver seems to be the component that often elevates a universal remote to a higher level. So, if the universal that comes with your receiver doesn’t suck you plug a few codes into it so you can use other functions. If the PVR is too complicated for the receiver’s remote, there’s the PVR right over… here… somewhere, dig around the couch cushions and you’ll find it and a pen you thought you’d lost.

Now Logitech makes the Harmony 880, a universal that’s a little different. Personally I’m not afraid of complex menu systems, literally I used to program people’s VCRs back in the early 90s as a part time job so I’ve seen it get pretty bad. Sharp made a VCR around ’93 that seriously, the only conclusion I can come up with is they engineered the thing to ensure the clock flashes 12:00 for eternity. But back to the point: What makes the Harmony 880 so cool is that you can program it online, any computer with an internet connection. You hook it up to the PC with a supplied USB cable and with the software installed you just answer the programs questions about your system, it will include model numbers of equipment you own and configurations you wish to use. Then you map these activity based commands to buttons on its color LCD display. No system is idiot proof, granted some people will find installing the software and getting online a headache. But it’s a lot easier than mapping most “learning” remotes IR to IR functions. The best thing about a software based solution is it can never go out of style, in years to come they can simply update their online programmer to include new models etc. This remote really is the one if you’re thinking about spending some money to take care of remote problem once and for all. The remote also has a cradle that recharges the built in lith-io batteries. Never worry about changing batteries again and never lose your remote if you’re good about putting back in the recharger. The only bad news is this thing retails for $250. As enthused as I am about it, I think I’ll wait and see if the price drops before I spring for one.

NAD T743

Thu, 01 Sep 2005 20:29:00 GMT

I've always loved NAD's equipment and I'm a sucker for that gunmetal grey. It looks like a military piece, something that might be rack mounted in back of a US Army cavalry vehicle.

I spent some time at a NAD authorized dealer today and went straight for NAD’s bottom of the line multi-channel receiver. You can really tell a lot about people by what they throw away, likewise you can tell a lot about a company’s product line by what they put at the very bottom. Okay, maybe that’s a bad analogy but it seemed correct for a second. I took the time to play with the T743 that appears at the bottom of NAD’s line of receiver that ends with their flagship T773 that you can find for around $2000.

NAD’s T743 can be had for around $600. For your troubles you get a 5X50watt amplifier surround processor capable of decoding Dolby Digital, DTS, ProLogicII the important ones. Throw in a mitt full of DSP settings (you know Hall, Church eq presets that mess with delays and frequency response for cool sounding effects) for whatever they’re worth, sometimes DSP’s are fun to play with but eventually you bypassing them if pure sound quality is more important to you than gee whiz factor. It also features an LED display, stripped down but intuitive which is typical in receivers today. What surprised me with this one is the video switching capabilities include component, this is rare in any receiver let alone the sub 1000 price point. Another nice feature not common in this price point was the incredible audio flexibility, not only a analogue 5.1 inputs (for your DVD-Audio/SACD fans) main outs of course but every digital input gave you the choice between coax or optical.

Outside of actually listening to the unit, the test I gave it was the heft in my hands test to feel the weight and mess with the buttons. The switches are all digital so they lack the punchy solid click feel of earlier NAD gear but they did have a smooth feel, responding to almost no more than a touch. But you’ll almost never use front panel controls anymore the way the remote dominates your interface with the unit. The remote that comes with the HTR-2 universal/learning remote, with illuminated buttons for easy use in the evening hours this is the same remote that is included in every model including their flagship T773. To heft it in your hands, yes this is a solid construction weighing in at 36lbs it’s a solid box, nice heavy transformer beefy power supply as expected from anything NAD their design is Spartan with no frills getting in the way of excellent engineering.

Sound audition in this particular outlet takes place in little cubicle like structures where several complete 5.1 setups including display stand side by side in relative isolation. A clever setup mimicking a very small room, with nobody occupying the other spaces you get a reasonably nice demo of the equipment you’re testing. Of course acoustics will always vary when you bring it home, since I was testing “cheaper” gear I didn’t get the benefit of the big room with couches, I had to sit in an office chair. I replaced a Yamaha receiver with the NAD T743 before the test, of course the Yamaha was a higher end model and powered the same budget speaker kit by Klipsch. Not to slam on the Yammy because it performed great, but I did give it a listen before I compared it with the NAD.

The watt per channel specification means the most to people who understand hi-fi the least. That is to say that watts per channel means very little, there is almost no difference between a 50 watt amp and a 100 watt amp, in fact it’s exactly 3db through a given speaker load. NAD publishing a 50W spec on an amp designed for this end of the retail market is brave indeed, they’ll be up against bottom end receiver’s priced at about half and publish 100W per channel. Without a doubt, this 50w NAD will turn most 100Watt receivers available at the big box chains over on their side and have its way with them. A company like NAD frequently underrates their own specs and their 50Watt is generally a very high current voltage powering your speakers, enough to give you the full rich detailed sounds without clipping. By the way; the Yamaha powered the Klipsch kit just fine without any hesitation, well it should it was double the price and was the reference receiver used to sell many sets of this Klipsch speaker system. What impressed me when adding the NAD at 50Watt was how little difference there was in the overall performance, even when I pushed the volume beyond my listening comfort level the speakers and receiver held together nicely to the point where the speakers where practically dancing on the floor themselves. Klipsch are known for a very forward sounding speaker, a little on the bright side emphasizing the middle highs which fits rock music nicely and brings out detail in most of the audible parts of any soundtrack. I found the dialogue clear when watching my favorite scenes from the Matrix where Neo follows the white rabbit to a night club playing Rob Zombie in the background. That particular scene is one of my favorite scenes for testing articulate dialogue against an aggressive music soundtrack. In that scene Trinity whispers in Neo’s ear, if you’re not hearing every word you’re missing the movie. It’s easy not to hear every word in that scene with Rob Zombie doing what he can to prevent it. But the separation was beautiful using the digital inputs on the NAD receiver I could hear clearly defined left right, front rear separation and of course, the sub kicked in when I expected it to.

The only drawback to this unit it that it’s only 5.1, which is hardly a limitation as way too much is made of the extended formats these days. 7.1 when you can get it, but most people don’t have the living room space to add speakers behind the viewing area. Providing space between the back of your audiences head and the rear speakers in a 7.1 is difficult in a smaller room. The purpose of going to the lowest end of NAD receiver line is to save a bit of money, if you’re looking to power up a dedicated HT room and speaker placement is infinitely flexible you might want to look into one of their higher end models. But if you’re getting started in the hobby of home theater, especially powering a smaller room approximately 15’X15’ or less, you won’t find a better receiver for the money.

5 x 50W Simultaneous Minimum Continuous Power into 4 / 8 ohms
105W, 145W, 165W IHF Dynamic Power into 8, 4 and 2 ohms, respectively
Dolby Digital, DTS, ProLogic II, EARS and Enhanced Stereo
5 A/V Custom Presets store unique speaker level and tone control settings
Direct access speaker level adjustment for surround, center and subwoofer
Stereo Bypass
NAD Soft Clipping ™
6 A/V Inputs, 3 with S-Video, 2 Full Tape Loops
Component Video, 2 Inputs and 1 Output, HDTV Compatible
2 Audio Inputs, 1 Tape Output
6 Digital Inputs, 4 Coaxial, 2 TOS Link freely assignable
5.1 Analogue Input (for DVD-Audio)
Speaker A + B switching (Speakers B stereo only)
2 x IR Outputs, IR Input
2 x 12V Trigger Outputs, 12V Trigger Input
Preamp Outputs for all 5.1 channels (2 Subwoofers)
Amplifier Input for 3 amplifier channels
RDS FM/AM Tuner with 30 direct access presets
HTR-2 - 8 Device Illuminated Learning Remote with Macro function

Wireless Home Theater

Wed, 24 Aug 2005 13:42:00 GMT

The future is now with hi-fi that communicates wirelessly with your network. Home Theater media players are nothing new, we’ve seen some very exotic pieces that will play your ripped CDs and DVDs right from your network catalogue to your TV. It’ll be some time before the complete wi-fi home theater is an affordable reality. But for now the first surprisingly affordable (but still a little up there at an MSRP of $1300). Cambridge Audio has introduced its Azur 640H.

This little gem is built on its own high end CD player; but who wants a CD player nowadays? This unit ensures you never have to use a CD player again. It includes a built in 640G hard drive and its own proprietary “rip” method called AudioFile which stores your CDs locally, it can rip up to 300 AudioFile CDs that supposedly lose nothing from the original. Alternatively you can store up to 3000 of your CDs using conventional lossy compression. You can even play internet radio right off the Cambridge Audio 640H.

Granted, 160G is big but it’s not that big. So the 640H can wirelessly communicate with your home network and play audio files stored outside. This is huge for the HTPC users or someone who has yet to take the plunge and build an HTPC. If you have a wireless router on your home network you can share to your 640H and it’ll play from your master library using its own menu system to select songs, playlists or randomizer.

How does this differ from any HTPC? Why would someone with an HTPC even want something that does the same job the PC can do? This is the $100 question. And to take it a step further what’s the difference between this type of unit and the Xbox360, besides the disc space, 360 with a mere 20G. The difference is in the playback device itself which will only be a concern if hi-fi quality audio is important. For an audiophile there are many weaknesses in using a PC as a source, not the least of which is the noise generated within the box, even the finest quality HTPC is not an audiophile device. Any all-in-one unit is lesser quality than any specialty device. This is almost universally true in hi-fi and that’s largely because any time you house several processes and functions inside one box, on the other side of single power supply you literally have several processors muddying up the acoustical quality of the output signal. The result is a flat acoustic texture. As an (little a) audiophile who has been a longstanding fan of the Cambridge Audio line and their CD players I trust their equipment as reasonably priced rendition of the kind of stuff the really expensive big boys are making.

The Cambridge Audio 640H is made from CA’s own audiophile quality CD player, high end DACs, beefy power supply and all. Even audio files accessed from across the network, while not as good as those originating from the unit itself, will benefit from the strength and signal purity of the 640H’s high caliber design. So, playing MP3’s off the Xbox360 or any media extender PC or HTPC is simply not going to hold a candle to the acoustic quality of the Cambridge Audio 640H.

Upscaling DVD Players - Part 2

Tue, 02 Aug 2005 14:45:00 GMT

In my last installment (part 1) I expressed some concern that the HD “upscaling” feature found on some DVD players today was more of a marketing feature than a technical feature that will give you better picture quality from a DVD player. The reasons “DVD Upsampling” seemed like B.S. to me were twofold.

Upscaling or upsampling DVD players might be a way for cheaper players to offer a tighter picture that can scale pixel per pixel to HD or DTV resolutions. This could be a benefit if your HDTV has a very poor internal scaler. HDTVs today have a native resolution and scale everything to “that” resolution. If you have a CRT based HDTV it scales to 1080i, if you have a fixed display device (LCD, Plasma, DLP) it’s most likely 720P. So, your DVD player’s 480P images are converted to your TV’s native resolution and “should” do a better job of it than any external box that retails at the $150 range.

Upscaling DVD players don't add anything to the image, you won't get HD from a DVD. Be patient HD DVD and Blu-Ray are coming.

What intrigues me is the ‘upscaling’ DVD players like the LG LDA-531 and Samsung’s HD850 provide video to your HDTV in the digital domain, that is they use an HDMI output. When the DVD player sends video to the TV using HDMI or DVI it’s fully digital, no need to process the video signal to send it through analogue component cables, which could cause some degradation. So, I had to test one of these for myself.

I had a chance over the weekend to play with one of these DVD players in a head to head video contest against my old faithful Cambridge Audio Azur 540d. The player in question was the Samsung HD850 complete with HD upsampling and an HDMI output I connected to my Sony LCD rear projector (Grand Wega KF-50WE620). The Cambridge Audio DVD player should be a far superior player, if for no other reason than it is a more expensive player and designed for a specialty consumer market who desires higher end quality. The Azur 540d uses MediaTek’s highly rated DACs and it’s always been my assumption that better quality DACs make for better sound and audio quality from your DVD player. So, even if the Samsung does use some superior technology to do a better pixel overlay on a 720P display device, if it’s using cheaper DACs it’s doing little more than putting lipstick on a pig.

Out of the box the Samsung HD850 had a nice build quality for a sub $150 player, the silver finish and indigo power light is a nice touch, the box has an appeal you wouldn’t mind seeing in your stack. I hooked it up with the HDMI port. The Cambridge Audio 540d is component only. As I navigated the menu systems I went straight to the display settings. The menus were intuitive, I have no complaints so far. The default 480P setting made the menus themselves look a little “soft” they got whipped into shape when I switched to 720P. I experimented with my Superbit version of Spiderman2, probably the best Superhero movie ever made given the Superbit treatment I’ve always admired. This is where I started to notice cracks in the veneer of what otherwise seemed like a fine player. It was way too dark. I played with the video settings in the DVD player and found a brightness control that allowed me to pump it up.

At this point I could go “soft” not using the “upsampling” feature at all and I had all the brightness I needed or I could enable 720P and suddenly lose brightness and contrast. I pumped up the Samsung’s brightness to 5 which was all the way, and it gave the images the brightness I was accustomed to seeing. This didn’t look half bad on Spiderman 2, I paid particular attention to the daylight scenes and they looked good on 720P when the brightness was all the way up. However there was a minor problem where I felt the color palette was limited, complexity in skin tones were ‘off’. Flesh tones are always difficult for video to reproduce, skin is a very complex color and we humans know it very well so much that if it’s not right it sticks out like a turd in a punch bowl. The two kids Spiderman rescues from impact with the truck had oversatured reddish highlights on their faces instead of the healthful glow of rosy cheeks. Coloration seemed to be a problem but didn’t really stand out too badly when images were in good lighting. Pixel overlay seemed right on, I had no problems with fuzziness, flickering, macroblocking or clearly inferior 3:2 pulldown.

I broke out Digital Video Essentials and did a few color test/calibrations so hopefully it would balance the flesh tones.

Next DVD Elektra; I decided to add complexity to the video by popping in Elektra staring Jennifer Garner. Early in the film she performs an assassination in shadowy darkness. There is even a fireplace leaving flickering reflections on everything in that scene to add complexity to video coloration. My Cambridge Audio recreates this scene perfectly. The Samsung HD850 looked horrible. There were no shadowy nuances, anything you were supposed to see that was layered in shadow was lost in a muck of darkness. The fireplace left cartoonish orange on everything. What seems like a dance of shadow and fire on my Cambridge Audio was a bloody mess on the Samsung.

My video testing was far from scientific, I didn’t use any test equipment to calibrate my concern was purely for real world images and enjoyment. I honestly don’t know what to ”look for” in any video engineering capacity to test differences between these two machines. I realize comparisons are flawed because the two players aren’t designed to compete with each other in the market, the Cambridge Audio player should be superior and certainly was. What my testing did prove to me was that this “upsampling” feature offers nothing significant in the way of any technical breakthrough. It is certainly not HD DVD or anything akin to it. As I suspected good quality DACs will trump any extemporaneous pixel overlay technology every time.

The other thing I wasn’t expecting was the difference in audio. I knew the Cambridge Audio’s strong point was audio but I had no idea how significant it would be. Both players used their digital audio outputs to my Arcam receiver which processed Dolby Digital in all testing. I assumed any audio differences would be slight as all the player is doing is presenting the receiver with a flat audio signal to process, no DACs involved in the reading of this digital audio signal, so I figured the difference would be minimal. Boy was I wrong, this causes me to re-think many long standing assumptions I have had about digital playback devices and the role they play in audio reproduction even where no DAC is used. The assassination scene in Elektra depicted in the image samples below is preceded by a whisper, the ring of metal then a powerful score kicks in as the anti-hero does her dirty work. It’s a powerful scene, the Cambridge Audio DVD player can make even the most dour film critic say… “That was a good scene!”

The Samsung on the other hand made that whole scene sound flat. The directional quality on the soundtrack was lost, the left, right – front, rear separation seemed muddled. Although the surround effects existed, they weren’t as noticeable. Even the dynamic range was affected, the gentle whisper “I died once” sounds chilling and up close on the Cambridge Audio, on the Samsung it was just a whisper.

My assumptions about the audio differences is that you’re simply hearing the sound of superior electronics, pure and simple since there can be no processing differences here (both used my Arcam DAC to decode the bitstream). The Cambridge Audio has a better quality power-supply and likely better optics and subsequent circuitry. I wonder if the Samsung had some noise issues or electronically minute details in the soundtrack were simply unsustainable through the electronics.

In summary, all is as I suspected in the universe. The old adage you get what you pay for is especially true for DVD players. If you’re looking for significant gains from any DVD player in the sub $200 range you have to step up to the plus side of $300 and the score of players that compete on this level. The likes of NAD, Denon and Cambridge Audio even Onkyo and Yamaha offer quality at affordable prices. HDMI or DVI outputs on any DVD player should never be considered an image quality boost. The image quality from any DVD player is dependent on how well it can process the video stored on the disc.

Here are two images; these are as close as I could get to the same frame, the “mark” discusses his misspent life as a ruse to cock his pistol just before Elektra plunges her sai into his back. The flickering fireplace prevent the Samsung from drawing any perceptible flesh tones from his face, the color of his shirt is also distorted. It almost seems like the Samsung had a limited number of colors it could paint into image.

Cambridge Audio (example above) shows actual flesh tones. The orange of the fireplace reflecting off the flesh tones is under control.

The Samsung HD850 has considerable trouble presenting realistic flesh tones under the extra colors of a fireplace in low lighting.

Edit: I've received a lot of responses on this particular post. As mentioned above the test is NOT scientific, no test equipment was used. The video results pictured above were after performing and 'eye' calibration using DVE w/ the new Samsung. Samsung is connected via HDMI, Cambridge Audio was connected via component toggling back and forth gives the above results. Unique video settings are saved for the different inputs, in short both are calibrated as best I could.

True, the comparison is hardly a fair one because the CA DVD player is better and more expensive. My only point with this post is that the upscaling feature shouldn't be considered important when looking at DVD players. Upscaling is secondary to the DACs used for video processing.

Sony's new PVRs: DHG-HDD500 and DHG-HDD250

Wed, 27 Jul 2005 14:01:00 GMT

Sony has released two new digital (HD) Personal Video Recorders in North America the DHG-HDD500 and the HDD250. The model's nomenclature indicates the drive capacity the 500 model with 500Gigs and the 250 with only half capacity.

The 500 Gig model (DHG-HDD500) runs for a steep $1000, but 500 Gigs is simply massive. That’s 60 hours of HD programming or 400 hours standard definition. Just looking at those numbers gives you an idea of the difference between HD and standard definition TV in how much more information you’re viewing in HD. 250Gig model (DHG-HDD250) at $800 is no slouch either but I’d be tempted to put another $200 into the initial investment for double space. But, you say you’ll never need more than 30 hours of recorded HD programming? Yeah, and computers will never need more than 640K memory.

Since Sony’s new PVRs include an over the air HD tuner they make the perfect add-on for anyone with an HD-Ready set and no tuner. If you live on continental US you can receive all the over the air networks in full digital from a rooftop antenna. Both models also include a cable card slot, a new item on the set top box scene that allows cable companies to turn any STB armed with a cable card slot into a fully functional subscriber cable box for their perspective cable company. I like the CableTV electronics programming guide, no subscription required. Just setup the guide for your local area and away you go. HDMI and optical outputs for digital video and 5.1 audio ensure compatibility with your digital home theater systems.

The one weakness with these Sony’s new PVRs is that they only have one tuner, this means you have to watch what you record and cannot record one channel while watching another. Many popular digital PVRs like the Scientific Atlanta HD8300 include the extra tuner. However Sony’s over the air tuner is a compelling feature not commonly found on PVRs that double as a subscriber cable box like those by Scientific Atlanta and Motorola.

Wireless Audio Video Transmitters

Mon, 25 Jul 2005 14:54:00 GMT

Wireless A/V transmitters are not new but have only recently become affordable with the mass production of wireless networking technologies. The foremost player in this market that’s been receiving great reviews from users is by Belkin Pure AV Remote AV55000. Belkin is a veteran of the connectivity and power protection market, their power strips, surge suppressors are well known throughout the industry. The Belkin Pure AV Remote TV is a 5GHz audio-video transmitter that easily connects to the A/V outputs of one device, this can be a TV, DVD player or even a PVR. The Belkin AV Remote then sends your transmission to the receiver, another box that looks identical to the first except its connectors are outputs to be connected to the receiving TV. The Belkin Pure AV powers up two rooms with your favorite television programming. The transmitter is documented to have a range of around 350 feet, enough to make most runs inside your house. At 5GHz it’s unlikely to receive interference and is well received as the AV transmitter that works consistently. But at a price of about $500 it’s a bit expensive considering there are now lower cost alternatives.

The RF Link AVS-5811 5.8 GHz Wireless device is another A/V wireless transmitter that does the exact same job as Belkin. However this one not only transmits at a 5.8GHz but is also considerably less expensive. You can find the RF Link AVS-5811 for $140 or less. The transmitter/receiver boxes are even smaller than the Belkin’s already compact units and operating at a slightly higher frequency should make them just as reliable for uninterrupted transmission of audio/video programming.

While A/V transmitters are a handy tool for providing signal to a roaming set or into a room you can’t easily wire. The drawbacks are apparent; it’s not a tuner, so you’re only transmitting one device that is controlled by the source at the transmitter. The video being transmitted is S-Video at best, no HD. Audio is only two-channel stereo so you’re not going to power up a multi-channel amp for a second complete Home Theater system.

DVD Recorders. Sony RDR-GX300

Sun, 10 Jul 2005 11:53:00 GMT

I've played with a few DVD recorders such as the Sony RDR-GX300. If you’re considering a DVD recorder addition to your HT setup be prepared to spend some serious RTFM time. That is you’ll need to dust off the owners manual read, read and read some more. I found the controls to be very unintuitive, perhaps the next gen DVD Rs will improve but the DVD recorders available last year seemed about as user friendly as a bottle of cod liver oil.
When connecting the DVD recorder to your system there are as many configurations as purposes for your recorder.

A popular option (and who can blame you) is recording all those VHS tapes. It’s best not to use the receiver to pass the video signal through for recording from VHS. Make a direct audio-video connection from the VCR (out) to the DVD recorder's input, use S-Video instead of the yellow RCA video connector if available. Using a direct connect will give you a better quality recording all around and the S-video gives superior picture to the composite RCA connection. Be sure and match the recording time on the DVD-R to that of the VHS tape you’re using for best results. Obviously, like in the VHS realm you have 2, 4, 6 hour settings. The less record time you get out of your DVD-R the better the quality. When setting up your kit that now does a bunch of jobs, recording shows to DVD, and VHS tapes to DVD... you're the engineer with all this gear to get operating. It's important to remember the first rule of engineering: KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid.

The receiver as a "pass through" is handy for switching between devices with one remote control from the couch. This is great for your regular playback devices IE DVD player. But for special jobs like recording tapes to DVD you probably want to bypass it. If your receiver has a DVD in/out that includes S-video and composite (the yellow RCA cable) remember not to mix them up. If you're using an S-video on the DVD-1 input on the receiver, you must also use the S-video output to the TV (unless the receiver performs the relatively advanced job of conversion) or you'll get no signal at all.

DVDRs with HDD

Many people believe that for editing purposes it’s best to have a DVD-Recorder that includes a Hard Drive built in that records for you so you can commit to disc only portions you want. This means you can edit our commercials and your DVD Recorder doubles as a PVR. This isn't necessarily true on DVD-Rs that are DVD-RW compatible. Many have a list of great editing features. The Sony RDR-GX300 has a feature that allowed me to place an A mark then a B mark (A-B erase) at any point of the recording (as long as it was a DVD-RW) and then I could eliminate from the entire recording anything between point A and point B (IE commercials). A great feature, and easily mastered. Carefully consider the significantly more expensive DVD-R’s with a built in HDD (Hard Disc Drive for recording). They’re going to tack at least an extra $100 to the purchase price, usually much more. The HDD set top box such as TiVo or the many satellite and digital cable boxes out there that come standard with PVR are a handy way to watch TV, the ability to pause at any time or rewind is very handy especially if you have a baby in the house.

When you think about what the PVR adds to your viewing experience I find that I would much rather have it part of my cable box/satellite box and NOT the DVD-Recorder. The PVR is a great idea; stopping or pausing anytime you watch is very cool. Having a little baby around the house made it particularly valuable. I’m leery of keeping your DVD-R ‘on’ to use its HDD while viewing a hockey game. I don't like to have extemporaneous units on and running while viewing (IE I have no intention of recording a hockey or basketball game, but I want the pause rewind features the PVR offers).

The second hesitation I have for the PVR/DVD-R combo is that the signal path of everything I watch has to go through yet another box. The audio from the digital cable box has to be diverted to the dedicated PVR/DVD-R box then to the receiver to "record while watch". Now, using a digital cable terminal/PVR combo is the cat's ass! I can watch/record at will and have the DVD-R (if I still had it) off and only switch it on if I recorded (or even just watched) something I wanted to commit to DVD.

Appologies to any regular readers out there. I am again going away on vacation and will be sent more than a few days. But when I come back I'll have lots to say.

NHT ST-4 look as refined as they sound

Thu, 23 Jun 2005 11:46:00 GMT

NHT is a small speaker company out of California that has been making moderately priced high-end speaker equipment since 1987. NHT stands for ‘Now Hear This’ and people tend to comment on the bold name when they first hear about NHT concluding they’re a bit cocky. But they’re a speaker manufacturer who really tends not to make so much noise, letting their product line literally make sounds for them. Credited with the creation of the worlds first powered sub in 1992, NHT aims at the audiophile who is ready to take that first step beyond the kind of equipment you find at the local big box store and try something truly amazing that will match well with those ‘better than average’ components you’ve been collecting. These are not for your low-budget receiver and stock 20 gauge speaker wire. You’ll need to treat your speakers a little better than that to make the NHT ST-4 really sing.

The ST-4 stands atop NHT’s “Super Audio” series as the only floor standing speaker in the line. The piano lacquer finish and narrow footprint gives the NHT ST-4 an elegant, refined demeanor. This is a three way speaker, with a highly sensitive aluminum dome tweeter, a single midrange and a woofer. The ST-4 can get away with such a narrow face by using a side firing woofer. The narrow design of the ST-4 is common in full sized speakers today, manufacturer’s have gotten away from front firing woofers and mounting them on the side saves valuable space, since the directional effects of low frequency is limited this won’t diminish one’s perception of bass. Another space saving feature is NHT’s claim that these speakers are engineered so as not to require very much toeing in if any at all. Definitely experiment with this when you get them into your living room as results with room acoustics will vary. But I found the sound evenly dispersed culminating in a nice sweet spot when I did not toe in one bit, the sound seems to converge front and center quite nicely without. As refined as this speaker looks, it’s also a smooth operator when it comes to sound. The NHT-ST-4, like the entire “super audio” series specialize in neutrality, trying for neither a bright nor boomy sound. The result is a smooth clarity that sounds well beyond this speaker’s price range.

Be warned however, if you care to venture into the NHT “Super Audio” line they all tend to have high impedance relative to other speakers of their size, power requirements are going to be rather high. A benefit of NHT’s thoughtful design is that they’re bi-ampable. This means I can use a separate two channel amp to power only their woofers and another two channel amp to power the tweeter and midrange. Bi-amping half the of these speaker’s considerable load can be especially helpful when you’re already taxing a multi-channel receiver.

If you’re ready to delve into something on the higher end of the speaker room at Best Buy but don’t have the budget for those electro-stat hybrid’s that cost as much as a car, you might want to consider any of NHT’s lines. The uppscale speakers sold any big box store will surely cost much more than the ST-4s, and some will look bigger and badder. But if you close your eyes and let your ears decide you'll understand why NHT has won over a dedicated following. Complimenting a variety of music, these speakers make the perfect match for a maturing eclectic musical taste. They're just as at home with a bit of jazz or classical as it is with the latest pop sounds and give a transparent home theater performance. It won’t emphasize middle-highs or give hard rock guitar that push it likes, and other speakers will certainly give you more kick and in your face for live performances. The ST-4's strong point is their transparency, a feat only much higher end speakers apsire to. But when a female vocalist is accompanied by minimal instrumentation on a well recorded track, just close your eyes and they'll make the hairs on your arm stand on end.

Arcam AVR receivers, a spartan luxury

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 12:35:00 GMT

Arcam is a British audio manufacturer who specializes in high end and rather pricey CD/DVD players, receivers, surround processors, amplifiers and pre-amps. Arcam’s DVD players are particularly noteworthy as some of the best DVD players available according independent testing by Home Theater Secrets.

If you look into Arcam’s Diva line you’ll find gear that can be considered affordable in the real world. I personally don’t live in the world of most hi-fi reviews who call a $6000 Arcam processor affordable and pretty good for its price range and offer anecdotal comparisons with processors that cost twice that much. The Arcam AVR line of receivers is one way us common folk (you know, mortgage, kids and family to help spend our money) can own something designed by the same team of engineers who design some of the hi-fi equipment we can only dream about. Arcam has struck balance with their AVR line, designed by the same award winning team at their small UK factory but manufactured overseas to meet a price point that puts them in competition with Japanese manufacturer’s you might find at the local big box store.

AVR 200
AVR 250
AVR 300

The AVR200 has recently been replaced by the 250 and 300, both newer models boast a few added features but the basic look, feel and most importantly the attention to detail remains largely the same. My reviews can really only stick to the 200 and 250 models as I’ve been able to hear both intensively and haven’t listened to a 300 yet but I can only conclude it’s more of the same.

When the AVR200 first came out a few years ago it lagged slightly in one particular feature most competing multi-channel receivers included, that is support for the extended 7.1 Dolby Digital EX and DTS ES surround formats. The AVR 200 only supports 5.1 and has 5 discreet amplifiers built in at 70 watts per channel. This shortcoming has been remedied with the AVR250 now with seven separate channels capable of up to 70watts of continuous power and support for extended surround formats. Both receivers offer 70 Watts per channel in multi-channel listening mode but use an alternate two channel amplifier circuit that reaches 90 Watts per channel when listening in stereo or 2.1 (stereo with sub). While 70 Watts may seem slight, in their literature Arcam claims their AVR300 upgrade, at 100Watts per seven channels, is designed for larger rooms and if the two channel 90W circuit is any indication it’s almost as if Arcam is apologetic about the seemingly slight power output of their AVR200/250 models. Considering Watts law, you must double the power output to get a mere three decibels of extra volume from any given amplifier/speaker combination. The power output of the AVR300 would require 140 watts per channel to give three more decibels in any given speaker load. The difference between 70 and 100 watts in an amplifier is negligible. General public’s attraction to the watts output specification and the number 100 seems a purely psychological product of marketing. Remember the old commercial?

“100 Watts per channel, baby!”

More volume can be produced by more efficient speakers; my own experience with the AVR200 is with the remarkably inefficient NHT ST-4 speakers and I never found them wanting for volume in a 30x30’ room. I don’t see where a larger room would be served better with twenty extra watts per channel. Because power output isn’t Arcam’s forte, more emphasis is placed in other areas; and rightly so! The key to a great sounding receiver isn’t the amplifier’s power output but the power supply. A high capacity power supply should be able to draw more than enough current for the output transistors providing gain to the speakers. All the AVR models boast a large heavy Toroidal power transformer in its power supply. The Toroidal transformer is a high current circular style transformer used in some high end equipment and provides much of the weight when you pick it up.
A high quality power supply and high current circuitry, simple circuit design with short paths and not a lot of bells and whistles provides the Spartan performance you expect from components with the Arcam name. When you’re immersed in a movie and the front channels kick in with a musical score that takes you away, it’s not some silly extemporaneous processing chip giving that scene the oomph it needs. It is clean unobstructed power provided to the outputs who in turn can rise to the occasion of lofty peaks in the soundtrack without clipping, giving you every note, every decibel the film’s sound director intended, this is what makes the home theater system.

What about the sound quality of the Arcam AVR receivers? I don’t go for a lot of adjectives to describe the sound produced by an amplifier. Amps provide speakers the ability to do their job, that’s it. I won’t go into a dissertation about the “musicality” of the Arcam AVR200/250, although those that do claim the Arcam receiver is designed as much for music as it is for Home Theater. When using Arcam’s built in DACs for processing CD and DVD through its digital inputs the Arcam puts most CD/DVD players within its price range to shame. With its extra 90W stereo circuit the Arcam AVR has engineered a Home Theater receiver that hasn’t forgotten their company roots in the audiophile quality stereo market. You can be sure that when the soundtrack really kicks in, whichever Arcam AVR you chose will be able to keep up and brings out the true beauty in your speakers.

The AVR 200 has 5.1 channel outputs, labeled S/PDIF ins, which is a bit of nuisance, only so many optic/coax not for each digital input but the good news is there are both coax and optic available, but if you’re relying on all coax or all optical you’ll be disappointed. The AVR 200 has pre outs for every channel allowing you to transfer power duties to another unit or bi-amp your speakers. It also includes 5.1 inputs for high resolution audio formats like DVD-Audio and SACD.

• Five discreet amplifiers at 70W continuous
• Dolby Digital, DTS and Dolby Pro Logic II processing
• Both coax and optic digital inputs
• 5.1 channel analogue inputs for hi-res audio format
• Arcam’s own high quality DACs that produce amazing sound for its price point.

The AVR250 has 7.1 capability and extended surround processing. The same hard labeled s/pdif inputs (you cannot rename their source) but missing on the AVR250 are pre outs for every channel. Only the front L.R has pre-outs and the manual calls this a zone 2 feature. I find this a bit cheesy of Arcam and a slight step backward from the AVR200. One place the 250 makes up lost ground is in bass management, now with the AVR 250 you can manually set the crossover frequency for your small speaker setting. This is a huge improvement from the AVR 200 which has the ambiguous “small” speaker setting with an unpublished crossover. Rumour has it the crossover is 80hz on the AVR 200 if you’re interested. But this isn’t a problem for the AVR 250, you can select from list of crossover frequencies and fine the one that best suits your sub.

• Seven discreet amps at 70 Watts continuous power
• Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Pro Logic II and Dolby Digital EX, DTS ES.
• A variety of coax and optical digital inputs, hard labelled
• 5.1 channel analogue inputs for hi-res audio formats
• Arcam’s own high DACs that produce amazing sound for this price point.
• Missing pre-outs for all but the front two channels, you can only bi-amp the front L, R channels. Renders that external five channel amp useless.