HD DVD & BLU-RAY: FINAL SPECS REVEALED!

Tons of
DVD Reviews
Inside

Home
Theater
www.hometheatermag.com • May 2006

Editor’sHOME Jessica Simpson’s revealing

turn as Daisy Duke.
See our review inside.

THEATER
SHOPPING
TIPS
>The Key
Things You
Need to Know
The
Westinghouse
1080p HDTV
Budget Surprise
>

Set of the Year?!

0 5>

The End
of CRT
0 70992 34953 1
www.hometheatermag.com
US $4.99 Canada $6.99
Also available in black finish.
PREVIEW May 2006 VOLUME 13 ISSUE 5

46
features columns
SHOPPING MADE EASY GearWorks: The Death and
by Gary Altunian Life of CRT by Geoffrey Morrison

46 A simple strategy for select-

ing a home theater system. 30 We love it, but it’s time to go.

30
KLIPSCH Hook Me Up: HD DVD Versus Blu-ray
by Steve Guttenberg by Gary Merson

35
46
56 Celebrating 60 years of inno-
vative engineering.
What’s the difference?

HT Talks to…Doug Liman

Audio Video Interiors by Chris Chiarella

83 The story of one couple that

isolated their home theater
from the rest of their house,
plus the modern relationship between
42 Straight shooter director Doug Liman
hits the mark every time.

42
interior designers and A/V integrators.
Log on to
Curtain Call by Michael J. Nelson www.hometheatermag.com
Check out our new Website! We have a whole new
www.hometheatermag.com. It’s got a new look and
has a ton of new content. Look for Web-exclusive
122 The Channel-Seven Report and sign up to receive
our new, free eNewsletter
for first-rate, up-to-the-
56 gear reviews, video-game reviews, blogs, tons
of DVD reviews (old and new), and more. 4 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
minute reporting of
everything that’s hot in
the world of home theater.
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PREVIEW from the test bench p. 65
departments
Prologue by Maureen C. Jenson

8 HT goes behind the scenes at a 60-year-

old American institution.

From the Staff

66 74
10 This month’s question: What do you
consider to be the top moment in
action film?

18 Letters
14 The magic of scaling, and your ques-
tions on HDTV resolution put to rest
once and for all.

Premium Programming
91 104
18 Your source for the highest-quality
digital programming to check out
this month. SPOTLIGHT SYSTEM

20 AV Newswire by Mark Fleischmann 66 Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby Grand Speaker System,
REL R-305 Subwoofer, and Optoma HD72 DLP Projector >
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
20 From the news desk… the Sonos multi-
zone system, and more good stuff on
HIGH PERFORMANCE
HD DVD and Blu-ray.

Coming Attractions 74 Revel Performa F52 Speaker System >

Sonic revelation.

22 Want to snazz up your system? Here’s

a look at the hottest new A/V gadgets
and gear.
MIDRANGE

Premiere Design
78 Mirage Omnisat v2 Speaker System >
Sometimes it’s better to be indirect.

22 28 TAW’s Revolution projector, Rock PRO

processor, and DigiLink DVD player are
rocking home theater.
91 Westinghouse LVM-42w2 LCD HD Monitor >
A true HD monitor.

Critic’s Couch: 96 Thiel SmartSub SS1 Subwoofer >

Woof smarter, not harder.
Movies and Music Reviewed
ENTRY LEVEL
109 Walk the Line, the latest Hayao
Miyazaki DVD offerings, and Best
100 ZVOX Mini Sound Console Amplified Audio System >
A lot of sound from a little box.
Picture Academy Award winner Crash.

Dealer Locator CONVERGENCE

28 117 Before you run out to buy a prod-

uct we’ve reviewed, find a quality 104 Samsung SyncMaster 244T LCD Monitor >
Start clearing room on your desktop.
dealer near you.

Log on to
ON THE COVER www.hometheatermag.com
Buckle up; this might get
exciting. Gear from Mirage,
for more info about our
Revel, and Westinghouse. ratings system,
Screen image courtesy measurements, and
of Everett Collecttion. other cool stuff.
Photography by Cordero
Studios.

6 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

109
 n o w h e a r t h i s.

ex tr ao rd in ar y

integ rated

systems.
www.
nhth
ifi.
com
Inc.
NHT,
©2006
 Join our many
happy customers like
Geri B. from Huntersville, NC:
"Bravo! You are truly a gem!
> prologue BY
Your customer service is MAUREEN C. JENSON
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Visit us online to see many more items

www.stargatecinema.com

Now g!
or call 1•866•684•3843
Deliver
Show
in Berkline Seats Cinema Seats
on a Promise
HT goes behind the scenes at a 60-year-old
American institution.
Choose from our wide selection of
Berkline seats and commercial quality I think I’ll start to emulate the late, legendary loud- HEY READERS,
Cinema Style seats. Call us for excellent speaker designer Paul Klipsch. You see, Mr. Klipsch
prices on our Berkline seats. Cinema Style It’s that time of year again:
seats start at $329.99 with Free Shipping. took to wearing a button behind his lapel that had the time to make those travel
word “Bull*&it” printed on it. arrangements and join us at the
When he heard outlandish claims about the perfor- Home Entertainment Show
Feature Marquee
mance of a competitor’s loudspeaker that supposedly in Los Angeles from June 1
had achieved sonic breakthroughs, he would flip his through June 4. More than
lapel and let his button do the talking. 250 manufacturers will be in
There have been countless times when I—and pre- 80 demo rooms, and they can-
sumably most of us—could have put Mr. Klipsch’s not wait to show you the latest
button to good use. In my case, I would use it every systems and technologies. In
9
$59.9 time I heard someone in the A/V biz come up with the addition, there are loads of free
concerts and seminars and a
This is by far the coolest accesso- newest and latest product that is going to revolutionize
ry for your theater! Our affordable marquee system comes with 96 ton of intelligent fun. Log onto
letters to announce your next feature or event. Add the Deluxe the world of home entertainment. It is amazing the
www.homeentertainment-
Packs for even more authenticity. number of e-mails we get about new stuff that never sees expo.com for more details.
the light of day. I suppose this is one of the facets that
Poster Cases and Custom Theater Prints makes our work at Home Theater magazine so interesting—separating the wheat from the chaff.
And Klipsch has always been one of those companies that delivers on a promise. I’ve had
g g
startin startin a pair of Klipsch Tractrix Horn speakers in my dining room for longer than I care to remem-
at at
99 0
$389. $69.0
ber, so, as a fan, I was intrigued when contributor
Steve Guttenberg asked if he could take a factory tour
Dear Readers,
at Klipsch and write a feature on his findings. Steve’s The Audio Video Interiors section within
foray begins Home Theater magazine is a huge suc-
on page 56. cess. Thanks to those of you who have
Log on to: www.hometheatermag. taken the time to e-mail with your com-
Our new line of Illuminated Poster Cases Put your name in lights! Put In keeping ments. Please continue to send us infor-
feature no-tool, quick-change Snap-Lock your custom message on sign com to sign up for our four free
frames, extruded aluminum construction, and marquee.Four sizes avail- w i t h o u r mation on your own home theaters,
monthly eNewsletters. You’ll get regardless of whether you designed and
and convenient, low-profile rocker switches. able, framed and unframed. n o - bull*&it
exclusive tips, trends, news, and constructed them yourself. We love to
reviews from your favorite HT writers. approach, con- see what you’ve accomplished, and, if
LED Theater Signs Theater Blanket tributor Gary appropriate, we will publish your endeav-
NEW! Our new,stunning ors in the magazine or on the audio-
LED Theater Signs Altunian takes you through the home theater shop- videointeriors.com Website. On a very
replicate the look of
neon and come in Blue, ping experience starting on page 46. So, when you related note, we are gearing up to run
Red, Green and White. head to the store, you will be properly armed with your problem home theaters, as well, and
Three sizes available— publish them complete with our expert
12, 18 and 24 inches. what you need to know. And, as always, this issue is solutions for your particular room or sys-
Various designs to packed with our honest opinions of the gear we review. tem issues. Send pictures, diagrams if
mount on wall or
ceiling.
NEW! Just in time for the Fall and Sit back, relax, have a good read, and decide what possible, and a brief outline of what is
Winter, our 100% cotton Deluxe Home wrong to HTLetters@primedia.com, or
Theater Blanket is available in next to buy while I browse online for someone who send snail mail to Editor, Home Theater
Burgundy, Hunter Green, or Dark Blue.
sells buttons with expletives. magazine, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los
Don’t forget about our: Angeles, CA 90048. Let us help turn your
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from the staff

What do you consider

to be the top moment
in action film?

CLAIRE LLOYD, EXECUTIVE EDITOR: “What’s not to love about

Tony Montana? It really doesn’t get much better than Al
Pacino’s oh-so-quotable quip from Scarface: ‘Say hello to my
little friend.’ Incidentally, this is also the phrase I use when
I whip out my editing pen.”

MARK FLEISCHMANN, AUDIO EDITOR: “Call me old-fashioned,

but it would have to be Sudden Impact, with Clint Eastwood
as Dirty Harry saying, ‘Go ahead. Make my day.’ It’s become
a part of the language—always the mark of a true classic—
and the threat of violence is always better cinema than
the act itself.”

GEOFFREY MORRISON, VIDEO EDITOR: “I’d have to pick the

bridge scene in True Lies. With the advent of CG, never again
will we see the likes of this marvel—from Jamie Lee Curtis
actually hanging off the bottom of a helicopter to the blow-
ing up of a life-sized replica of the Seven Mile Bridge.”

CHRIS CHIARELLA, CONVERGENCE EDITOR: “Much of what I

love about Die Hard is the sheer quantity of action. From
the point when Bruce Willis fights Alexander Godunov hand
to hand, right through to the end, it is virtually nonstop.
Man, that’s as good as it gets.”

NIKHIL BURMAN, COPY EDITOR: “There’s a scene at the begin-

ning of Predator when Schwarzenegger’s and Carl Weathers’
characters, old military buddies, meet up. The two slap
hands, which turns into a hilarious midair arm-wrestling
match, sweaty muscles rippling and all. Schwarzenegger
then says in his inimitable manner to Carl Weathers, whose
character now works a desk job, ‘What’s the matter, Dillon?
CIA got you pushing too many pencils?’”

ADRIENNE MAXWELL, CONTRIBUTOR: “Despite endless view-

ings, I’m still on the edge of my seat when I watch the Death
Star assault from the original Star Wars, the Pelennor Fields
battle from LOTR: The Return of the King, and every fight scene
from The Matrix. That’s the sign of a perfect action sequence.”

10 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

THE LAVA FLOWED
TOWARD US WITH
HELLISH INTENSITY.
I GRABBED MY
EX-BOYFRIEND
AND SHOVED HIM IN.

TOSHIBAHDDVD.COM

Of course I’d only shoved him off the couch and onto the floor, but the moment felt real. Really real. That’s when it hit me: the lifelike
clarity of a Toshiba HD DVD player not only completes the performance of your high-definition TV—it makes it so real you can feel it.
MOVIES IN TRUE HIGH-DEF > STUNNING IMAGES > ENHANCED AUDIO > PLAYS STANDARD DVDS & CDS > UNIQUELY INTERACTIVE

SO REAL YOU CAN FEEL IT.™

Discs may require an HDMI™ or HDCP capable DVI input on your HDTV or HD monitor for high definition playback. Dolby® Digital Plus support for up to 5.1 channels, Dolby True HD support for up to 2 channels, DTS-HD support for up to 5.1 channels of DTS®
core only. Some standard discs may not be compatible. Firmware update may be required for some interactive features depending on content, which may also require an always-on broadband Internet connection. Because HDDVD is a new format, certain
disc, digital connection and other compatibility issues are possible. If you encounter compatibility problems, please contact Toshiba Customer Support. Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories. DTS is a registered trademark of DTS, Inc. HDDVD
is a trademark of the DVD Format/Licensing Corporation. ©2006 Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
 May 2006 Volume 13/Number 5

Senior VP/Group Publisher: Rob MacDonald

Group Publisher: Dave Colford
Publisher: John Hurley

Editor: Maureen C. Jenson

Executive Editor: Claire Lloyd
Audio Editor: Mark Fleischmann
Video Editor: Geoffrey Morrison
Convergence Editor: Chris Chiarella
Technical Editor, Audio: Mark J. Peterson
Editor-at-Large: Darryl Wilkinson
Copy Editor: Nikhil Burman
Senior Contributor: Michael Trei
Contributors: Gary Altunian, Aaron Dalton, Tony DeCarlo, Gary Frisch, Aimee C. Giron,
Joe Goebel, Steve Guttenberg, John Hefter, Corrina Jones, Adrienne Maxwell, Roger Maycock,
Gary Merson, Michael J. Nelson, Michael Prince, Turnstyle Imaging, Ryan Vincent
Art Director: Heather Dickson
Contributing Designers: Irene L. Johnson, Barbara Simon
Contributing Photographers: Randall Cordero, John Martorano

Publisher: John Hurley

212-716-8468, john.hurley@primedia.com
Advertising Manager: Elisabeth Meyi
617-491-0878, elisabeth.meyi@primedia.com
Advertising Manager: Christina Yuin (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY, MI, WI, MN)
212-716-8469, christina.yuin@primedia.com
Advertising Manager: Ed DiBenedetto (NJ, PA, MD, DE, OH, IN, IA)
212-716-8466, ed.dibenedetto@primedia.com
Advertising Manager: Kimberly Daniels (Central & Western)
562-434-4737, FAX 562-434-4525, kimberly.daniels@primedia.com
West Coast Mfgs and National Retailers: Laura LoVecchio, LoVecchio Associates
718-745-5025, laura_lovecchio@sbcglobal.net

Senior Finance Director: Tyler Schulze

Every Theater Needs A Stage. Group Operations Director: Patricia Nolan

Ad Coordinator: Beth Levinsohn
Executive Assistant to the Publisher: Rebecca Luna
No one understands the role of home entertainment furniture
better than Salamander Designs, where we devote ourselves to PRIMEDIA, INC.
the art. Choose from base modules in various widths and heights. Chairman, President and CEO: Dean Nelson
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get a comfortable view of it all from one of our lush theater chairs.
Chief Creative Officer: Craig Reiss
President of Consumer Marketing: Steve Aster
SVP, Chief Financial Officer: Kevin Neary
SVP, Manufacturing and Production: Kevin Mullan
SVP, Chief Information Officer: Debra C. Robinson

ENTHUSIAST MEDIA SUBSCRIPTION COMPANY

Consumer Marketing Director: Lori Golczewski

PRIMEDIA, INC. PRIMEDIA, INC.

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PHONE: ( 323) 782-2000 PHONE: (212) 716-2700

BACK ISSUES: (212) 886-3601 / REPRINTS: WRIGHT’S REPRINTS (877) 652-5295

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Please include full name, address, and phone number on any inquiries.

COPYRIGHT 2005 BY PRIMEDIA SPECIALTY GROUP, INC.

Our World’s a Stage ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PRINTED IN THE USA

See your many choices, including luxurious seating options,

and plan your furniture system on-line at SeriousFurniture.com. 12 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
Phone: 800-350-6859
 A Tall Order
It was a tall order when Revel engineering was asked to create
the most affordable line of Revel speakers. But there was one
overriding mandate: Make sure they sound like Revels!

With this goal in mind, drivers, crossovers and cabinets

were designed, thoroughly evaluated, assembled, and
refined until our engineers were convinced the Revel
sound could be achieved. Then the speakers were sub-
jected to the ultimate test – double-blind listening.

The result?
The Concertas not only sounded like Revels, they
handily outperformed the competition as well.
A tall order indeed.

F12 M12 C12 B12 S12

3 Oak Park Drive, Bedford, MA 01730-1413 USA | Tel: 781-280-0300 | Fax: 781-280-0490 | www.revelspeakers.com
©2005 Harman International Industries, Incorporated. “Revel” is a registered trademark of Harman International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved
LETTERS
VIDEO MEASUREMENTS
I read your piece on HD resolution by
Gary Merson [March 2006 issue] with
great interest. I have a question that
neither Merson nor anyone else I’ve
read has addressed. How can a native
1,080 display accurately display a 720
signal? Same applies for a 786 display.
As I see it, it’s like asking a screen with
a resolution of four to accurately por-
tray a source with a resolution of three.
Steve Benoff
Los Angeles, CA
Magic! Actually, it’s called scaling, and
every digital display needs to do it.
Even if your display is 1,280 by 720,
it is still most likely scaling the image
(due to overscan). Done right, scaling
will transparently change the incom-
ing signal’s resolution to the native
resolution of the display. Done poorly,
this conversion to a different resolu-
tion will come with all sorts of arti-
facts. There is no real measurement
for this, so we discuss it in the text of
the review. Check out the November
and December 2005 GearWorks (also
available on the Web) for a more in-
depth explanation.—GM
HDTV RESOLUTION
As a somewhat longtime sub-
scriber of your wonderful maga-
zine, I could not help but be a
little disappointed with the incor-
rect info in this month’s maga-
zine. I am reading the new issue
[March 2006] as we speak. In the
article with the list of TVs that
pass or fail the HD-resolution test,
I could not help but notice that
you listed the Sony KDF55A20
as a DLP. As a sales manager at a
large retail electronics store, I
have yet to see a Sony DLP.
Russ
Williamsport, PA
What a horrible mistake. Such a cat-
astrophic error. Gary will be beaten.
It was supposed to read 3LCD.—GM
14 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
FULL-RESOLUTION
HAPPINESS
After reading Merson’s feature in
the March issue, it struck me as
somewhat of an apocalypse for
HDTV manufacturers. If I were
one of the marketing VPs at any
major electronics group selling
“bobbing” resolution sets, I would
soon have a serious sit-down with
the engineers. The article was
well written, easy to understand,
and certainly gives the unedu-
cated consumer greater likeli-
hood of in-home happiness, fol-
lowing a $3,000-plus purchase.
So, I took a look at the chart
and, since my set was not listed,
contacted the manufacturer to
see if I could get some answers.
Not only could they not (or
would not) tell me the type of
the processing chip or explain
how their sets process HD, they
informed me that, even if they
passed the information off to
engineering, it was unlikely
they would divulge such data.
In a world that is already highly
complex, the consumer is once
again fooled by what they think
full-resolution happiness means.
Thanks for uncovering such a
simple but major aspect of HDTV-
buying knowledge. I am now a
bit suspicious that my Panasonic
TC-32LX50 LCD flat panel may
not be performing as it should.
The motion artifacts I am observ-
ing lead me to believe I am in full-
resolution unhappiness.
Alan Sauber
Charlotte, NC
GO DIG A WELL
I was appalled to find Richard
Hofrichter’s letter, titled Quit
Complaining, printed in your let-
ters column [March 2006 issue].
According to Hofrichter, there’s
something self-indulgent about
voicing your dissatisfaction with
the cable monopoly, and the only
We welcome questions and comments.
You can e-mail them to htletters@
primedia.com, or mail them to: Home
Theater Letters, 6420 Wilshire Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90048. Please note:
Be sure to check the FAQ page on our
Website (www.hometheatermag.com)
to see if we’ve already answered any
questions you might have. Questions
about the features and functions of a
particular product are best directed to
the manufacturer. Questions about
what product you should buy are best
directed to a dealer who knows all the
details of your system, your preferences,
and your personal habits. All submis-
sions are considered the exclusive
property of Home Theater magazine
and Primedia. Due to the volume of
mail that we receive, we regret that we
cannot respond to every letter.
way to lower exorbitant cable
charges for HDTV is for sub-
scribers to discontinue their ser-
vice. Sure, and if your water bill is
too high, why not just dig a well
in the back yard? Drill for oil the
next time the gas bill goes up?
I live in an ugly and dirty desert
town in Southern California. It’s
not as though there are any nature
walks nearby. Land developers
have seen to that. So the only
thing of beauty I have to contem-
plate is broadcast content on my
HDTV. But greedy communica-
tions companies are making that
increasingly problematic.
The fact is, shareholders of
Time Warner love imperfect
market conditions, i.e., monopo-
listic conditions. That’s when
share price goes up. It’s an invest-
ment opportunity. But consumers
like us foot the bill. Cable charges
for HDTV are outrageous, and it
isn’t just our right to complain,
it is our duty. Thank God, Jesus,
John, and Mary that Verizon is
finally getting into the business.
Now at least there’s the possibil-
ity that competitive market pres-
sures will make HDTV service
affordable to the general public.
One has the feeling that Home
Theater magazine sympathizes with
Hofrichter’s position, otherwise
why print his stupid letter? Home
Theater magazine should be on the
vanguard of the fight for reasonable
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LETTERS
cable rates. You have been shirk-
ing your duty for too long.
Wm. B. Fankboner
Indio, CA
“Ugly and dirty desert town in
Southern California?” You mean
L.A.?—GM
RECEIVER WATTAGE
I was looking through this year’s
Home Theater Buyer’s Guide, and
a friend of mine asked me why it
seems that some of the higher-end
(more pricey) models have less
wattage than some of the models
that cost less? Even some of the
local stores are that way, too. He
noticed it all through the guide—
a lot of them only have 50 watts. Is
there a true power rating for this?
We would like to know before he
makes his purchase.
Joe (Via E-Mail)
This is a complex situation, so a bit
of history is in order. Back in the two-
channel days of 1974, the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) began
enforcing strict standards as to how
amplifier power output was to be
measured and promoted. To the best
of my knowledge, these standards are
still in place, but, in 2001, it was
decided that not all channels had to
be measured simultaneously and that
the details of bandwidth and har-
monic distortion no longer needed to
be specified in all advertisements.
In our published measurements of
reviewed gear, we still test to the spirit
of, if not the letter of, the 1974 FTC
method. These tests are brutal and,
some would argue, not indicative of
real-world program material, but they
provide a consistent standard by which
to compare amplifier capabilities.
Correction: In the Spotlight System in our
January 2006 issue, we mistakenly listed the
price of the Aperion Audio S-12 subwoofer as
$59. The correct price is $599.
16 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
These tests involve operating all
accessible channels continuously and
produce output ratings that are often
much lower than the manufacturers’
claims. Many manufacturers only
state the power output with one, per-
haps two, channels operating. This
will produce much larger numbers
because the unit isn’t stressing the
common power supply for all chan-
nels. Some manufacturers, on the
other hand, publish much lower
numbers based on the stringent FTC
method with all channels operating
simultaneously. As always, the details
in the fine print of a specification
page make for important differences
that are often overlooked.—MJP
LCD FLAT-PANEL BURN-IN?
Over the years, many authors
have expressed concern over
burn-in for various types of TV
technologies. I am preparing to
purchase a flat-panel LCD TV
and want to make sure I do not
make a mistake. I have children
that make a point of leaving the
same screen up all day, and I have
been guilty of playing my Xbox
well into the evening.
The January 2006 article by
Mark Fleischmann covers the Sony
KDL-V40XBR1 LCD HDTV in
great detail. He is certainly on
point with his comments, and I
believe the competition has a new
standard to live up to in this cate-
gory. Within the article, he does
not address burn-in tolerance.
My specific question is, should
I be concerned with burn-in on
this set or with LCD technology
in general?
Jerald Horner
Flower Mound, TX
The only types of displays that can
burn in are those that create their
light with phosphors. This includes
CRTs, plasmas, and presumably
SEDs, when and if we ever see them.
The thing is, phosphor development
has come a long way in the, you
know, 90 some odd years since the
beginning of television. That is why
it’s rare to see a CRT burn in any-
more, and the better plasmas are
extremely difficult to burn in.
So, technically, LCDs can’t burn in.
It is possible for them to exhibit “persis-
tence,” where an image sticks on the
screen. It may look similar to burn-in,
but it is significantly harder to cause
and infinitely easier to get rid of. Usu-
ally just turning the LCD off will
fix the problem. Or, and this usually
helps for plasma burn-in, as well, a
full-white screen from a test DVD for
a few moments also helps.—GM
TV DEAL OF THE YEAR
I went shopping last month for
my third hi-def TV. I was after the
Samsung 67-inch 1080p DLP.
My first stop was Magnolia Home
Theater at Best Buy. They wanted
$5,500. I then went to Circuit
City. They were asking $3,985.
So back to Magnolia for a price
match, which they did. So, I just
saved $1,500. That was just the
start. The next day, I received
in the mail Best Buy’s coupon for
the 10-percent-off sale for the
following weekend. I went back
and they gave me a credit for
another $430 due to the coupon.
While I was there, I noticed a
promotion from Samsung starting
that day that, if you buy the TV I
purchased, they would give you
a free DVD player worth $200. I
just received it. Then, to top it
all off, I used Best Buy’s rewards
card to buy the TV. I just received
the certificates for $150 to use
at Best Buy. So, I did the math,
and the total savings was around
$2,300. I just wish everything I
purchased worked like this. By
the way, the new format on the
magazine is great.
Dyemasters
(Via E-Mail)
Now that’s some impressive bargain
shopping!—GM
PREMIUM PROGRAMMING OVER THE AIR
What to Watch: HDTV

THE MAJOR NETWORKS

Fox
> MLB games, including:
May 1, 7:05 pm ET: NY Yankees at Boston
May 3, 7:05 pm ET: L.A. Angels at Detroit
May 9, 7:05 pm ET: Oakland at Toronto
May 12, 7:05 pm ET: Kansas City at Baltimore
May 15, 7:05 pm ET: Texas at NY Yankees
May 19, 10:05 pm ET: San Francisco at Oakland
May 22, 7:05 pm ET: NY Yankees at Boston

>
May 25, 4:35 pm ET: Baltimore at Seattle
May 26, 7:05 pm ET: L.A. Dodgers at Washington
May 29, 7:05 pm ET: Milwaukee at Pittsburgh
> NASCAR Grand National Division: Discovery HD Theater
March 12, 4:00 pm ET: Las Vegas Motor Speedway; Las Vegas, Nevada > May 2, 8:00 pm ET: The Desert Speaks
March 19, 1:00 pm ET: Atlanta Motor Speedway; (series premiere)
Hampton, Georgia > May 5, 8:00 pm ET: Rides 4: Summer School
March 26, 1:30 pm ET: Bristol Motor Speedway; > May 7, 8:00 pm ET: China Rises: Party Games
Bristol, Tennessee > May 12, 8:00 pm ET: Million Dollar Auctions
> May 14, 8:00 pm ET: Wild Squadron
NBC
> Thoroughbred Horseracing ESPN/ESPN2
May 6: Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs Racetrack; Louisville, Kentucky > Major League Soccer:
May 20: The Preakness Stakes, Pimlico Race Course; Baltimore, Maryland May 6, 4:00 pm ET: Los Angeles at New England
> NHL: May 13, 4:00 pm ET: Houston at Dallas
May 6, 7, 13, and 14: Conference Semifinals May 20, 4:00 pm ET: Chicago at Houston
May 20: Conference Finals May 27, 4:00 pm ET: Colorado at Salt Lake City
> May 27–28: 67th Senior PGA Championship, Oak
Tree Golf Club; Edmond, Oklahoma INHD/INHD 2
> Various AFL games
CABLE/SATELLITE > Various MLB games
HDNet > Action Sports World Tour (series premiere)
> Various Major League Soccer games > Airtime (new episodes)
> NASCAR Grand National Division races > Rush 30th Anniversary Tour concert
> Sundays at 9:00 pm ET: HDNet Concert Series > Pink Floyd: The Wall

> Showtime
> Team America: World Police
> Wicker Park
> Three Days in September
(original documentary premiere)
> Huff (new season)
> May 6: Showtime Championship Boxing
** In addition to the special events listed above, all of the major broadcast networks and
some of the cable networks show at least a portion of their weekly programming in HD.
Check your local listings for additional HD programming on the major networks and these
HDTV channels: Cinemax HDTV, Discovery HD Theater, ESPN HD, HBO HDTV, HDNet, HDNet
Movies, INHD, INHD2, PBS HD, Showtime HD, Starz HDTV, TNT in HD, The Movie Channel
HD, and Universal HD (formerly Bravo HD+).

18 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

 ON THE SHELF
What to Buy: High-Resolution Audio
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RECENT RELEASES:
Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for strings, percussion, and
celesta—Seiji Ozawa, Saito Kinen Orchestra (Philips, SACD)
Copland: Motets (1921); Duruflé: Gregorian Motets; Tavener: Song for
Athene; Vaughan Williams: Mass
in G Minot for Double Choir;
Messiaen & Tallis: O sacrum
convivium—Norman Mackenzie,
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and
Chamber Chorus (SACD, Telarc)
Simple Minds: Once Upon a Time
(DTS, DVD-Audio)
Spyro Gyra: Wrapped in a Dream
(SACD, Heads Up)

> Johann Strauss: Waltzes—Yakov

Kreizberg, Vienna Symphony
Orchestra (SACD, PentaTone)

NEW AND UPCOMING

RELEASES:
Bach: Complete Contatas, Volume
30—Carolyn Sampson, soprano;
Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium
Japan (SACD, BIS Records)
Nat King Cole: The King of Sound
(SACD, Top Music International)
>

Haftor Medboe Group: In Perpetuity

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Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F—Michel Camilo,
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latest on the Blu-ray and HD DVD technologies, hardware, and soft-
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Sonos Gets Slicker
news
AV wire> > > > >
> by MARK FLEISCHMANN,

Springtime
Audio Editor

for Blu-ray and

HD-DVD
This is the year Blu-ray and HD-DVD will
deliver high-definition players and discs
to a ravening public. Unfortunately,
some early-adopter HDTV households
may be left out in the cold.
Both formats will include AACS, the
Advanced Access Content System,
which will allow downresolution
through the component video outputs
(as predicted in our December 2005 AV
Newswire). Instead of 1,920 by 1,080
pixels, owners of older HDTVs may see
only 960 by 540. That’s a kind of video
limbo, trapped in the nether region
between standard-def DVD’s 720 by
480 and true HDTV’s minimum of 1,280
Now more than a year old, the Sonos System is a visually arresting and ergonomically pleas- by 720. The restriction will not apply to
ing DIY multizone solution. When connected to your router, it pulls music off your computer’s newer sets with HDMI inputs.
hard drive, feeds a compact stereo system through your router, and then uses wireless mesh
networking to fling music to other client systems throughout the house.
The Sonos originally came without speakers. That’s no longer the case—if you don’t mind
paying another $300 more than the $1,199 basic package price to get the controller, software,
two players, and two pair of speakers. The two-way bookshelf speakers are also sold sepa-
rately for $179 per pair. Speaker cables are included. Of course, you’re still free to use the 50-
watt, Class D stereo amps to feed any speakers you like (within reason).
Don’t want onboard amplification? For smoother integration into home theater systems,
the ZonePlayer ZP100 client now has a line-level output, and the line-out-only ZP80 ($349) This halving of resolution will come
has been added to the roster. Custom installers can also use a ZonePlayer solely to extend the in the form of a flag called, incredibly,
network and hide the extender in the zones menu. the Image Constraint Token. Use of the
Version 1.3 software adds FLAC and Apple flag is at the discretion of the studio. At
Lossless support, iTunes folder sharing, full- press time, no studio has said they will
screen album art, slicker playlist and use it, and Sony has said concretely
queue management, tougher security, that they won’t...for now.
and German-language support—das Bummer! I’ll leave you with two
ist wundervoll! And the system pieces of good news: Toshiba’s HD-A1
accepts downloads from both the HD-DVD player will cost just $499, and
Rhapsody and Audible.com Sony may offer an even better bargain
Websites (but not the iTunes in the Blu-ray-enhanced PlayStation 3.
Store). That way, some of you can save your
pennies for a new HDTV.

20 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

Radio Renovated
Free over-the-air radio, the grandparent of all broadcast media, is in for a digital renovation. Digital
signals are already flying over the public airwaves. And iBiquity, the developer of HD Radio, has
licensed the technology to a broad range of companies.
HD Radio will make its biggest initial splash in mobile products. BMW’s 2006 fall lineup will
include factory-installed HD Radio. Some manufacturers offer HD Radio tuner cards that mesh with
other products. For instance, Kenwood’s KTC-HR100MC HD tuner ($500) is compatible with the
KDC-MP625 and KTC-HR100TR in-dash receivers, and the Eclipse HDR-105 tuner ($449)
works with the CD8455, CD8445, CD5435, CD5425, and CD5415 receivers. Standalone
mobile products include the Alpine DVA-9965, to be available in August; the JVC KD-SXH900
($799), which has both Sirius and HD Radio; and the Panasonic
CQ-CB8901U ($499).
For an HD table radio, consider the Boston Acoustics Receptor
Radio ($499) or Polk iSonic ($599). Yamaha’s RX-V4600 ($1,899) is
the first surround receiver to accommodate HD Radio. If you’d prefer a
separate tuner, Rotel offers the RT-1084 HD. HD Radio will even sneak into high-
end multizone products like the Audio Design Associates two-slot Duo Tuner
($2,200) and four-slot Tune Suite (starting at $2,999). The latter can accommodate
HD, XM, Sirius, and analog radio. Also in the custom category are the Day Sequerra
M2 and M4 (starting at $2,995).

THIS JUST IN…

SOME HDTV OWNERS DON’T QUITE GET IT, according to a survey of 500 of them conducted on behalf of
set-top box maker Scientific-Atlanta. Sadly, 23 percent think they don’t need an HD signal source because
they see the little “HDTV” label at the start of programs shown on analog channels...PANASONIC is now
the world champion in plasma size, having shown a 103-inch prototype at a trade show. But the biggest
plasma you can buy is Samsung’s 80-inch, hitting the streets in May for a yet unspecified price...AT&T—
which recently changed its name from SBC—is quietly rolling out TV-over-IP service in San Antonio, Texas,
using a combination of fiber and copper lines. Verizon is running an all-fiber experimental service in the
same state—Texans have all the fun!...DIRECTV has started using newer, more efficient, and potentially
higher-quality MPEG-4 AVC video compression to deliver HDTV in New York City and will reach a dozen
markets by year-end. Existing MPEG-2 HDTV equipment will continue to work, but no one’s saying for how
long...SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and its fans are doubly blessed this year. The current season is the first in
high def, and you can download old favorites from the iTunes music store...FOX is hanging back from new small-screen distrib-
ution gimmicks. “We think of this as a quintessential marathon and not a sprint,” Fox Entertainment president Peter Liguori
told TV critics in Pasadena...NIELSEN RATINGS now include data from DVRs. You can run, but you can’t hide from
Hollywood’s demographers...BUBBLE, Steven Soderbergh’s new movie for Magnolia Pictures, hit HDNet and theaters
simultaneously on January 27, with DVD release following four days later. Theater chains are grumbling, and other stu-
dios are nervous...SRS WOW HD—the audio enhancement widely licensed for use in TVs, receivers, cell phones, and
other gear—now allows greater control of the phantom center channel. You can keep your TV volume down and still get
all the dialogue...MOTOROLA’S IRADIO replaces iTunes in the second-generation Rokr E2 cell phone. Service costs $7
per month, depending on your phone plan...VERIZON has disabled MP3 on its V Cast Music service. Windows Media 10
will automatically convert MP3 files to WMA for loading onto the phone, but, if you use Mac or Linux, you’ll have to con-
vert them your own self...ITUNES 6.0.2 no longer rats out your listening habits to Apple servers unless you deliberately
turn on the MiniStore. If you’ve already made the mistake of installing it, select Hide MiniStore from the Edit
menu...NEXUS, the less heralded of Samsung’s XM portables, will download music from a satellite when placed in a
docking station along with a tuner card. Pricing is $200 for the 25-hour version and $250 for the 50-hour
version...MUSICGIANTS promises 5.1-channel downloads later this year with quality comparable to DVD-Audio at 24 bits
and 88.2 or 96 kilohertz sampling frequency. You can already get stereo downloads from www.musicgiants.com in
Windows Media Lossless at up to 1,100 kilobits per second, versus the puny 128 kbps of typical lossy MP3
downloads...MTV and MICROSOFT are teaming up on a music service called Urge. If hackers write viruses that wipe
Microsoft file formats off your hard drive, will they call ’em Purge?...
COMING ATTRACTIONS
> Philips
Philips has taken Ambilight a step further with their new
Ambilight Full Surround technology, found in the 42-inch 42PF831D
LCD, retailing for $3,999. The new design surrounds the entire display
with a continuous band of colored light by way of an integrated can-
vas that gives the LCD a floating effect. Furthermore, it adapts domi-
nant onscreen colors on each side of the set. But this technology is
claimed to have more than sheer aesthetic benefits. Philips explains
that it reduces eyestrain by creating a wider spray of light, reducing
the sometimes-jarring contrast between a bright LCD picture and a
dark environment. The screen image benefits from two new Philips
technologies: ClearLCD and Pixel Plus 3HD.
Philips • (770) 821-2400 • www.philips.com

> Projectiondesign
Projectiondesign makes projectors that range all over the map in
terms of price and, thus, performance. They debuted their $24,595 Action!
Model Three 1080 projector at CES, but also present was their more mod-
erately priced $5,995 Action! Model Two projector, pictured here. The
Action! Model Two has a native resolution of 1,280 by 720, and it uses TI’s
HD2+ DC3 DLP technology coupled with video processing that incorpo-
rates Faroudja’s DCDi chip. The projector employs the same UniBoard
video signal processing found in the company’s higher-end projectors. By
keeping all processing on a single printed circuit board, the Action! Model
Two is said to maintain signal quality and prevents electrical interference.
Projectiondesign • (800) 298-4508 • www.projectiondesign.com

> Acoustic Research

Do you ever get the urge to flip channels but concurrently
don’t want to miss what you’re watching? As far as universal remote
controls go, $299 is getting up there, but the Wi-Q remote from
Acoustic Research has an on-remote Electronic Program Guide (EPG)
that displays on the remote’s own full-color screen. Without inter-
rupting what’s on your TV, you can use the remote’s display to
select from Major Channels, All Channels, or Favorite Channels, or
you can configure the guide to display movie or sports program-
ming. It can control 24 components or more, and, as its name sug-
gests, it uses Wi-Fi communication capability.
Acoustic Research • araccessories.com

> Audio-Technica
Many situations call for headphones, and there’s no reason to
use some cheapo pair. Fortunately, Audio-Technica has just released their
new Import Series line of headphones. Five of these models are designed
specifically for audiophiles, three of which are open-air headphones—
including the ATH-AD500 (pictured here)—and two of which are closed-
back models. Audio-Technica reports that each model has high-quality
sound with deep, resonating bass and crisp vocal projection. They feature
large-aperture drivers, a double air-damping system, and copper-clad
aluminum-wire voice coils. Prices range from $119 to $249.
Audio-Technica • (333) 686-0719 • www.audio-technica.com

22 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

COMING ATTRACTIONS

> Onkyo

Screen images courtesy of Warner Brothers and Buena Vista

Onkyo’s CS-V720 personal audio/video system can be a great
starter system or a way to add an inexpensive A/V system into a smaller
room, such as an office or a bedroom. It comes with a two-channel
receiver, a universal disc player, a pair of two-way loudspeakers, and
5.1-channel processing in a small form factor. It also offers
progressive-scan video output and audio pre-outs for expansion into
a 5.1-channel system. The XM-ready receiver features a 32-bit DSP
engine and Dolby Pro Logic II decoding. The speakers have 1-inch soft-
dome tweeters and 5.125-inch Onkyo Micro Fiber composite woofers
in MDF enclosures. The retail price is $400.
Onkyo • (800) 229-1687 • www.onkyousa.com

> Pioneer
Some people can be rather intimidated by the sheer number
of components needed to put a home theater together—not to men-
tion their price. Pioneer’s new $299 A/V receiver, the VSX-816-K/S,
may appeal to these folks. The receiver has the necessary bevy of
connections and more than just the basic features. It offers a claimed
100 watts per seven channels and is configurable, so you may choose
either a 5.1-channel or a 7.1-channel arrangement. The receiver offers
a large variety of programmed surround modes, and it comes ready
to work with an XM Connect & Play antenna, delivering XM radio in
the new XM HD Surround format.
Pioneer • (800) PIONEER • www.pioneerelectronics.com

> Morel
Israel-based Morel has come out with a new on-wall, flat-panel-
friendly speaker called the Vario ($999), and you can even adjust its
shape to fit flush with your display. A solid MDF cabinet minimizes dele-
terious vibrations, while two 5.25-inch woofers sandwich a soft-dome
tweeter. The woofers employ unique Morel engineering, such as the
patented double-magnet, 3-inch aluminum voice coil featured in the rear-
vented motor structure. Here, three are arranged around a display as left,
center, and right speakers. A Vario subwoofer, designed to complement
the sound and style of the on-wall speaker, is available for $999, as well.
The sub uses a 10-inch driver and a 220-watt amplifier.
Morel • (800) 464-8569 • www.morelhifi.com

> Panasonic
The existence of wires running through a room for surround
speakers can be a major deterrent to exploring surround sound. If that’s
your stance and you’re also looking for a home theater ensemble that
doesn’t require hours of research, two of Panasonic’s new home-
theater-in-a-box systems may be down your alley: the $600 SC-RT50
and the $500 SC-HT940 (seen here). You can configure each with one of
two wireless surround-speaker-receiver kits that retail for $150 and
$200. Both HDMI-enabled HTIBs can upconvert DVDs to 720p and 1080i.
You can either set the towers on their stands or wall-mount them.
Panasonic • (800) 211-7262 • www.panasonic.com

24 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

A PICTURE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. GIVE OR TAKE A FEW .

“Worth every penny.”

Al Wozniak, Plasmavision end-user

“The best plasma display in my store.”

Leon Shaw, Audio Advice in Raleigh, NC

“A plasma we’d all be thrilled to have.”

Cindy Davis, Editor-in-Chief of Electronic House Magazine

“No other plasma display outperforms it.”

Jason Lord, The Source A/V Design Group in Los Angeles, CA

“The best technology, picture quality and service money can buy.”
Franklin Karp, Harvey Electronics in New York, NY

“Now that I’ve got a Plasmavision® display, Superbowl Sunday

is always at my house.”
Marty Kravet, Plasmavision end-user

“Fujitsu’s line of Plasmavision® displays are by far the best in

class in the plasma category.”
Joe Piccirilli, Managing Director of AVAD

THE FUJITSU AVM-II DIGITAL VIDEO PROCESSOR. Our award-winning technology speaks for itself. You get a vivid
high-definition picture with noise reduction, picture text optimizer, ambient light sensor and advanced color management, available in
four screen display sizes: 42”, 50”, 55”, and 63”. After all, you deserve the best.

T H E P O S S I B I L I T I E S A R E I N F I N I T E

Available only at an authorized Fujitsu retailer. To find one near you, visit plasmavision.com.
Three-year limited warranty includes parts and labor and one year on plasma display element.
COMING ATTRACTIONS

> LG Electronics
If you’re outfitting a new home theater, you might decide to
save yourself a little hassle and possibly some cash by including one of
LG’s HDTVs that come with a built-in DVR. The 50-inch 50PC1DRA plasma
(shown here) can store 15 hours of digital high-definition programming
or 66 hours of standard-definition programming. The sets incorporate
LG’s XD Engine and have HDMI inputs. Plus, they are digital cable ready,
eliminating the need for an external cable box, even for HD program-
ming. The 50PC1DRA features a black-gloss finish, and the 50PC1DR has
a black/silver-gloss finish. Both models retail for $6,100.
LG Electronics • (800) 243-0000 • www.us.lge.com

> BG
Multiroom audio is great, but certain rooms where you
spend a lot of time aren’t spatially conducive to big speakers—like
the bathroom, the laundry room, or even your walk-in closet. Enter
BG’s PD-6CS dual-channel speaker ($399). BG claims that their
Coherent Signal Summation technology sets the speaker apart from
the competition. It combines signals from stereo sources into one
signal. Other such speakers often try to accommodate stereo mate-
rial by using two closely spaced tweeters to reproduce high fre-
quencies, but this can lead to irregular dispersion. The PD-6CS uses
the same ribbon driver, Kevlar woofer, and neodymium magnet
found in other models from BG’s popular PD Series.
BG • (775) 884-1900 • www.bgcorp.com

> Qsonix
Many have speculated that the huge popularity of Apple’s iPod
is due at least in part to its simple, intuitive user interface. Qsonix brings
this same approach to hard-drive-based music servers for the home with
their Q100 Digital Music Entertainment System. It consists of a console to
transfer and store your CDs and a 15-inch LCD touchscreen. The touch-
screen sports the graphic user interface, which lets you use your fingers
to manage your entire music collection. The Q100 offers three compres-
sion ratios: lossless compression, high quality (320 kilobits per second),
and normal quality (192 kbps). The 400-gigabyte version retails for
$5,495 and can store up to 7,500 CDs’ worth of songs.
Qsonix • (877) 4-QSONIX • www.qsonix.com

> Wireworld
Power cords are an often overlooked member of A/V systems that
can potentially affect your system’s performance. Power cords, unlike signal
wires, should ideally pass only line frequencies from 50 hertz to 60 Hz and
attenuate the other frequencies, thus preventing power-line noise and har-
monics from contaminating the signals. Wireworld’s new 52 series of power
cords answers this call. They have a unique flat shape with conductors that
are formed in a spiral-coil arrangement to increase inductance and there-
fore decrease spurious high-frequency transmission. Prices range wildly
from $100 for the Stratus cord (seen here) to $2,000 for the Gold Electra.
Wireworld • (954) 680-3848 • www.wireworldcable.com

26 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

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PREMIERE DESIGN

Field-interchangeable lenses are

premiere points available for the Revolution projec-
> TAW’s Revolution three- tor, and it comes with user-friendly
tools, such as a bulb-temperature
chip DLP projector has
monitor.
the ability to upgrade
when 1080p chips
become available
> The Rock PRO processor
has artifact-reducing
software and is upgrade-
able via the Internet
> The DigiLink DVD player
has pure digital output via
a serial digital interface

28 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

> Rock Revolution
This month, we’ve decided to feature the TAW Revolution three-chip
DLP projector along with the TAW Rock PRO performance processor and DigiLink
DVD player. Interesting features of the Revolution include the capacity to
upgrade as 1080p chips become readily available and an overheat warning to
allow fine-tuning of soft boxes and thermal solutions. It is a very lightweight
three-chip model, weighing in at a mere 35 pounds. The Rock PRO processor
Around back, the
comes equipped with noise/artifact-reduction-algorithm software and is entirely DigiLink offers
upgradeable directly via the Internet. The DigiLink comes with all of the advan- 7.1-channel ana-
tages you would expect from a pure digital connection to a scaler via a serial log connections,
digital interface (SDI). The stylish Revolution, Rock PRO, and Digilink are and 30-bit DACs
inside.
designed to attract the eye of discriminating consumers. The upgradeable
Revolution and Rock ring in at $26,999, while the DigiLink sells for $2,499.

TAW
(407) 362-0664
www.taw.biz

Download
cables come
packaged with
the Rock PRO,
facilitating
simple Internet
upgrades.

Cordero Studios
 gearworks

The Death
and Life
of CRT
We love it, but it’s time to go.
By Geoffrey Morrison
Relics of the 20th century face off.

Don’t get me wrong—I love CRT
displays. They still offer the best pic-
ture quality across the board, and I
can’t imagine having anything else
for my computer monitor. That said,
the technology isn’t long for this
world. Fewer and fewer companies
are coming out with new models as
consumers spend their money on big
screens and flat panels. So, when
all, I can’t surf, and it would take
far too long. And how many times
do you think we would have made
it around the block before the
cops pulled us over?
My next thought was to tie the
TV between my car and Higgins’
and tear the set asunder. Nope, I
stopped this one, too. If you look
at our cars, you’ll see that there
was a good chance the TV would
tear them apart.
OK, last chance. We’ll crush it
with the cars! We lined up the cars,
and…hmmm, too much glass.
Well then, I’ll be boring and
just take it apart. After all, I’ve
never seen what was inside a
picture tube (a vacuum!).
Figure 1 shows a top-down
view of the main circuit board and
the back of the tube. On the upper
middle of the circuit board is the
input stage, in this case just S-video
and composite video. At the upper
right is the tuner (the small, verti-
cal metal box). The tall cylinder
on the upper left is the do-not-
touch high-voltage power supply.
Figure 2 is more interesting. This
is where much of the magic hap-
pens. This is the back of the tube,
with the electron guns (encased in

You didn’t attach that to the bumper, did you?
contributor John
Higgins mentioned
that his TV had died,
I knew what had to
be done. I needed to
give it a fiery send-
off. I needed to
destroy it.
My first thought
was to tie it to the
back of a car and
surf it down the
street. This, as you
can imagine, was a
Geoffrey don’t surf. stupid idea. After
Ancient Technology
This TV was manufactured at
the end of the last century.
While it is standard def, it is
still pretty indicative of what
CRT TVs look like now, as well
as before. Twenty years ago,
there would have just been
more stuff inside. The circuit
boards were bigger and more
numerous, and there were
more wires and plastic bits. This
is because companies figured
out ways to use fewer, more
integrated parts (less money),
while incorporating new tech-
nology (more features). Figure 1: CRT guttiwuts

30 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

 gearworks
a glass tube) and the deflection coils
or yoke (copper wires).
For simplicity, let’s say this is a
black-and-white TV. We’ll worry
about the color electronics later. The
electron gun is located within the
vacuum tube, with a cathode (a heated
piece of wire) inside. This cathode
emits electrons.
These electrons are
pulled towards an
anode, which is in
line between the
cathode and the
screen. So, the elec-
trons get pulled
toward the anode
and, therefore,
along toward the
screen. The deflec-
tion coils use mag-
netic fields to steer
the electrons in a
pattern along the
screen, starting at
the top left (as you
would see it seated
Figure 2: The back of the tube in front) to the bot-
tom right, line by
line. It paints the
240 odd-numbered
lines (1, 3, 5, 7…)
in 1⁄30 of a second.
Then, in the next 1⁄30
of a second, it goes
back and paints the
240 even-numbered
lines. There’s your
480i (interlaced) of
regular TV. When
Figure 3: Back of the shadow mask the electrons hit the
screen, they (hope-
fully) hit a phos-
phor. This phosphor
gets all excited and
emits light.
Color TVs usu-
ally have three elec-
tron guns, one each
for the red, green,
and blue colors that
comprise the pic-
ture. The electrons
Figure 4: Phosphors lit from other side themselves have no
32 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
color, which is where the different
phosphors come in. With precise
aiming and the help of a shadow
mask between the gun and the
phosphors, each stream of elec-
trons hits only a certain colored
phosphor—red, green, or blue.
Sony’s Trinitron CRTs have a
slightly different way of doing a
shadow mask, but it functions
roughly the same way.
Where CRT’s benchmark black
level comes in is that, if a pixel
isn’t supposed to be lit, the elec-
tron beam skips over it. With no
electron stream hitting the phos-
phor for that pixel, it remains
dark. So black here is actually the
absence of light. So far, all other
display technologies are trying
fancy tricks to mimic what CRTs
do by their very nature: create a
decent black level.
Don’t Try This at Home
I’m sure many of you have done this
before, but don’t try it again. A
CRT is called a vacuum tube for a
reason. There’s just a thin layer of
glass keeping the outside world
from the vacuum. This means CRTs
implode when trauma, like say a
crowbar, is applied.
As you can imagine, there was
significant cleanup required. But,
thanks to some brute force, you
can see the back of the shadow
mask in Figure 3. In Figure 4, you
can see the phosphors, lit from
the viewing side. Light angles
being what they are, you can see
bands of color s instead of the
My money is on the TV.
individual columns of red, green,
and blue phosphors.
With My Last Breath…
Color CRTs have served us well
for more than half a century. By
the end of the 20th century, devel-
opment had pushed them to the
pinnacle of picture quality. Their
color reproduction (due to
decades of phosphor research),
response time (due to their nature
and the phosphors), black level,
and detail were all of a quality that
other display technologies strived
for but could not match.
But money and competition are
excellent movers of technology. In
the past few years, we’ve seen prod-
ucts with similar color accuracy,
better detail, and with huge
improvements in response time and
black level. Worse, they have taken
CRTs on where CRTs can’t compete:
size. A 42-inch CRT would weigh
hundreds of pounds and never be flat
enough to hang on a wall.
We’re already seeing the decline
of CRT purchase and manufactur-
ing. Within a few years, CRTs will
be all but gone, replaced by cheaper
and cheaper plasmas and LCDs.
With the rate of advancement
being what it is, these new tech-
nologies could replace CRTs not
just in sales but maybe in picture
quality, as well. Or perhaps that
succession lies in one of the tech-
nologies that is on the horizon,
like OLED or SED. The latter
works by firing electrons at phos-
phors. Sound familiar?
 hook me up
HD DVD
Versus Blu-ray
What’s the difference? by Gary Merson
The next generation of prerecorded
video content is here. The new
machines use a blue-violet laser to read
discs with far more storage capacity
than current standard-definition
DV D, a n d t h ey c a n p l ay h i g h -
definition content in full 1,920-by-
1,080 resolution. The big attraction is
the promise of the best picture quality
you have ever seen on a display. The
prerecorded, high-definition content
offers pristine, near-perfect images
with fewer artifacts (noise and block-
ing) than is possible today with broad-
cast or D-VHS content.
By the time you read this, if every-
thing goes according to plan, HD DVD
and Blu-ray players and discs should
be hitting the store shelves. To dispel
the confusion that will surely ensue, I
will attempt to define the similarities
Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD player
and differences of the two formats as
closely as I can discern.
Let’s begin with the similarities.
Each format uses 120-millimeter-
diameter discs, the same size as
standard-definition DVDs. Both for-
mats’ players will read SD DVDs in
www.hometheatermag.com > Home Theater / May 2006
addition to their respective discs.
However, neither will play the other’s
HD format. Each has the same type of
405-nanometer-wavelength blue-
violet laser. HD DVD and Blu-ray are
being introduced in the United States
as playback-only home-deck models,
although each camp plans to debut
computer drives that will record and
play their respective formats. These
are not expected until later this year.
They first need new-generation video
cards and computer monitors, both
with copy protection. HD DVD sup-
porter Microsoft will also offer a new
operating system, currently called
Vista. Vendors will produce home
recording decks, but none have How’s it
announced a firm release date.
There are three different methods
of squeezing huge HD programs onto
hanging?
That will be the question when they see how great
your flat panel TV looks on Vista. Tell them it’s magic.
But you’ll know it was no trick to hang most any TV
directly onto Vista’s new universal mounting system.
The screen floats above adjustable glass shelves and
unsightly cables disappear from view within Vista’s
sturdy steel column.
No, it’s not magic. It just looks like it.
a disc. The first is MPEG-2, the com-
pression standard for broadcast televi-
sion. The maximum bit rate for
broadcast is 19.39 megabits per sec-
ond. At this rate, the average 1080i To locate a dealer near you, visit www.bdiusa.com
HD broadcast is around 10 gigabytes
per hour. Both next-generation DVD
35
Setting the standard for
high performance furniture.
 “It was though someone had switched on lamps...
one after another, while walking deeper & deeper into the soundstage,
as the walls behind the speakers disappeared—
The amount of information coming out of familiar test tracks was
simply overwhelming.”
Build Quality 98 Performance 98
Home Theater Magazine Mark Fleischmann April 2006

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prices starting around $2500 for a complete 5.1 system. Surefire win-
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Reporting on the Best of Show, CES 2005

“The Era speakers...

offer impressive speaker engineering at affordable prices...
the new Era Design 4 two way speaker sounded superb for the price.”
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 hook me up
formats have more headroom than
broadcast. HD DVD, for example, has
a transfer rate up to a maximum of
36.55 mbps, almost twice that of
HDTV broadcast television. Blu-ray
is even faster, with a bit rate on
prerecorded discs (ROM) of up to
54 mbps. These higher rates mean
better, cleaner images. In addition,
there are two other compression
methods for squeezing more into the
same space. These are called MPEG-4
(also known as H.264) and VC-1 (also
known as WM9). These two methods
are more advanced and more robust
than MPEG-2 (according to their
respective proponents), requiring
lower transfer rates to achieve the
highest-quality, full-resolution high-
definition pictures. An HD DVD
demo disc encoded in VC-1 and pro-
vided by Toshiba has an average bit
rate of just 12 mbps.
HD DVD and Blu-ray players are
capable of providing enhanced menus,
multiple layers, multiple Dolby
Digital and DTS audio formats, and
commentary tracks with the actor or
director’s image overlaid. Both for-
mats can also connect to the Internet
for downloads of new movie trailers,
bonus content, and games, although
not all Blu-ray players will have
Internet connectivity. (All announced
HD DVD players will.)
Both formats’ discs will be able to
hold a standard-definition version of
the material, as well as the HD one. A
Warner spokesperson has indicated
that they plan to introduce new
releases as dual discs (DVD + HD
DVD). Blu-ray has demonstrated dual
discs, but no studio has yet to
announce availability.
Film-based HD content on either
format will be recorded as 1080p/24,
according to sources from both
camps. At the moment, though, only
Blu-ray has players that will output
this format natively. Reportedly, there
is no filtering in the 1080i output of
HD DVD, and all film-based content
will be flagged to provide a 3:2 output
cadence. If the display device properly
www.hometheatermag.com > Home Theater / May 2006
deinterlaces 1080i film-based content,
the resulting image from either a
1080p/24 or 1080i output should
look nearly identical. (For more on
deinterlacing and HD resolutions, see
our feature in the March 2006 issue or
at www.hometheatermag.com.)
Le Difference: Physics and
Capacity
The differences are in the details.
While both disc formats create high-
definition images, the discs themselves
are slightly different. With HD DVD,
the layer where the information is
recorded is 0.6 millimeters into the
disc. Blu-ray’s layer is only 0.1 mm
deep. Blu-ray originally needed a pro-
tective caddy, but new coatings make
it unnecessary. Both formats use pits
in a reflective layer to store the digi-
tal data. The pits are smaller in the
Blu-ray format, resulting in a larger
storage capability per layer. A single-
layer read-only Blu-ray disc (ROM)
used for the prerecorded content has
a capacity of 25 GB. A single-layer Behind
HD DVD can store 15 GB. Dual-
layer discs have been announced for
both formats at 50 GB for Blu-ray and
Closed Doors
30 GB for HD-DVD, respectively. AVION home theater furniture is more than just a pretty
(For more information on how this face. Yes, it’s a sleek design. But it’s what you don’t
works, check out GearWorks in the see that makes AVION a true original. With hidden
September 2004 issue or at integrated features like speaker and media storage
www.hometheatermag.com.) How much compartments, an easy-access back panel, hidden
capacity does a disc need to achieve wheels, flow-through ventilation and an optional flat
pristine quality, added features, and
panel TV mount, AVION is ready to meet the demands
top-quality audio? That is where
of the most challenging entertainment systems.
things get interesting; both camps are
making their own claims.
The Blu-ray side, led by Sony
Pictures, is currently advocating
MPEG-2 compression as the way to
provide the highest-quality images. A
Sony Pictures spokesman says that all of
their initial releases will be encoded in
MPEG-2, which requires more disc
capacity to encode a movie. Sony and
their other owned studios do not sup-
port HD DVD and do not intend to
release discs in the format. Sony also
To locate a dealer near you, visit www.bdiusa.com
owns a number of Blu-ray patents.
The HD DVD camp will be releas-
ing most of their discs in either
Setting the standard for
37
high performance furniture.
 hook me up
MPEG-4 or VC-1. According to
Microsoft’s HD DVD program manag-
er, Sage Schreiner, in a published
interview, “On a quality 1,920-by-
1080p display, MPEG-2 will not look
as good as VC-1 (or H.264).”
A Warner Home Video executive
told me that their titles would be
encoded with the same compression
scheme for either format and at the
same maximum bit rate, so the image
quality should be the same with the
discs they supply in both formats.
Warner has indicated that their discs
will all be encoded with VC-1.
A 15-GB single-layer disc can store
more than 4 hours’ worth of content
and more than 8 hours on a double-
layered disc using VC-1 or MPEG-4.
Toshiba HD-XA1 HD DVD player
So, which disc format provides the
best image quality? Ultimately, the
jury is still out until we can compare
them side by side. But, on paper, the
same title on either format will likely
look similar.
Output Resolution
The initial HD DVD players (from
Toshiba and RCA) will have a maxi-
mum output of 1080i, although
next-generation players are expect-
ed to incorporate 1080p output
(using an HDMI output). The first
Blu-ray players from Samsung and
Pioneer will output 1080p. This is
useful for the handful of set owners
who have displays that will accept
and display a 1080p signal.
Copy Protection
Both formats have approved the use of
Advanced Access Content System
www.hometheatermag.com > Home Theater / May 2006
(AACS) for their main copy-protection
system. Simply put, you will not be
able to make disc copies of prerecorded
HD movies. In addition, both for-
mats incorporate HDCP on their
digital HDMI outputs. The Blu-ray
Association has approved a second
encryption layer called BD+. Fox
Studios mandated this second layer as
a condition to release their content on
a high-definition disc format.
The BD+ system is a dynamic
encryption scheme. In other words, if
some hacker compromises the security,
it can be updated. The AACS system is
also dynamic, but, used alone, it is
apparently just not sufficient for Fox.
The AACS system within each pre-
recorded disc contains an optional flag
(called Image Constraint Token or
ICT) to control the resolution on a
player’s analog output. At each movie
studio’s discretion, if the flag is acti-
vated, each format’s players, via com-
ponent video outputs, would max
out at 960 by 540, exactly one-fourth
of the resolution. This would mean Support your
that the millions of HDTV owners
without HDMI (or DVI/HDCP)
inputs would not be able to view their
loved ones
content in full resolution. Fox, That new flat screen may as well be part of the family
Paramount Disney, and Sony Pictures with as much time as you’ll be spending with it. Give
(and therefore MGM) all say they will it the attention it deserves by putting it on something
not enact the down-rez flag on their just as impressive. Like ICON from BDI. Strong steel
releases, at least for now. construction and floating glass shelves provide a sturdy
For the consumer, the extra layer and elegant home for your new arrival. And if you
of copy protection has no advantage.
want to take your baby for a spin, there’s even a model
If you own a display without a copy-
that swivels!
protected digital video input (DVI or
HDMI), there will obviously be an
advantage to purchasing content on
which the respective studios leave the
down-rez flag off.
Cost
There are two sets of expenses for
each format: the hardware and the
software. I’ll start with the software.
Sony Pictures has announced the
wholesale price of Blu-ray discs with a
cost to retailers of $17.95 for catalog
To locate a dealer near you, visit www.bdiusa.com
titles (meaning old releases) and
$23.45 for new releases. At press
time, the only announced retail price
Setting the standard for
39
high performance furniture.
 hook me up
is for the film Chronos (independent
studio). It has the same MSRP of
$24.98 for either HD DVD or Blu-ray
at Amazon.com. The manufacturing
cost of discs, according to published
repor ts, are lower for HD DVD
because it uses existing SD DVD man-
ufacturing equipment (with some
modifications). The Blu-ray camp has
reportedly said the cost advantage of
HD DVD will disappear within a few
years as production volumes ramp up.
The hardware costs consist of royal-
ties and the cost of materials and labor.
The materials and labor should
cost about the same, since the
major components, such as the
blue laser, the MPEG-2/VC-1/
MPEG-4 decoder chip, and the
HDMI output circuitry are
essentially the same for both for-
mats. The largest variable cost
appears to be in the intellectual
property (IP). The Blu-ray disc
The Fifth Element on Blu-ray (BD) format uses IP owned by
HD DVD titles
core members of the BD Association,
plus the interactive portions known as
BD Java (BD-J), which is owned by Sun
Microsystems. A published report has
placed the price of the royalty package
at around $30 per BD player. By com-
parison, the royalties for HD DVD
players have been pegged at around
$12 per unit. In addition, the iHD sys-
tem included in the cost of HD DVD
software is owned by Microsoft
and will be included within their
new Vista operating system for PCs
with HD DVD drives.
Currently, there is a huge retail-
hard-cost difference. Toshiba has two
40 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
models, both with USB and Ethernet
ports for network (Internet) connec-
tivity, for $500 (the HD-A1) and $800
(the HD-XA1).
The two Blu-ray models announced
so far are the Samsung BD-1000
(no network connection) at $1,000
and the Pioneer BPD-HD1 (with
network connectivity) for $1,800.
What PlayStation 3 will do to the
pricing of Blu-ray players and the
next generation of disc players as a
whole remains to be seen.
Clearly, HD DVD has a current
cost advantage. Time will tell how
quickly hardware prices will decline.
Manufacturer and Studio
Support
The Blu-ray group showed proto-
types and prospective production-
model players at CES 2006 by LG,
Mitsubishi, Panasonic , Philips,
Samsung, Shar p, and Sony. The
HD DVD promotion group displayed
players by Toshiba, RCA (Thomson),
and LG. Studio support falls into three
categories: ones that support only
HD DVD, ones that support only
Blu-ray, and media companies that
will supply discs in both formats.
HD DVD Only
Universal, Weinstein
Blu-ray Only
20th Century Fox, Lions Gate,
Disney, Sony Pictures (includes
Columbia TriStar, MGM), Miramax
Blu-ray and HD DVD
Warner Brothers, Paramount, New
Line, HBO
HD DVD and Blu-ray are claiming
around 40 titles each at launch and
around 200 to be available for each
format by year’s end.
Current Studio Advantage:
Blu-ray
However, if recent history is any indi-
cation of studio support, the format
that wins consumers’ hearts, minds,
and dollars will eventually find support
from the hold-out studios. Disney is an
excellent example. They were very
late to begin producing (standard-
definition) DVDs, but they could not
ignore the sales and began to offer
many of their titles in the format.
If HD DVD’s lower price creates
far greater demand than its Blu-ray
counterpart, I would suspect that
Disney (along with other studios)
would begin to make their respective
catalogs available in both formats.
Conclusion
Based on early demonstrations of
HD DVD and Blu-ray, both formats
provide the best-looking high-
definition images ever available to
consumers. As playback media, we do
not expect picture-quality differences
between the two. There will be format-
based distinctions for the operation,
the look of graphics and special fea-
tures (interactivity), and, later, when
ready, the “managed copy,” or the abil-
ity to move content around the home
or to other devices (such as a PC or
hard-drive recorder, an issue for a
future discussion).
Boiling it down, Blu-ray offers
more storage, which will enhance its
value as a game- and computer-data-
storage media but may or may not be
of significance as a prerecorded for-
mat. Initially, the prices of players will
be higher for Blu-ray when compared
with HD DVD. Again, this difference
may disappear when Sony’s
PlayStation 3 appears with Blu-ray
playback. More movie studios have
said they will offer content on Blu-ray,
although (as announced) the number
of titles available through 2006 will be
about the same for both formats.
HD DVD will get you in the game
for as little as $500 at introduction
and may gain significant sales
momentum—and additional support
from hardware makers and studios if
the HD DVD camp can maintain the
price differential it has against Blu-ray.
I anticipate that things will heat up
very quickly, so stay tuned.
HT
STRAIGHT
TA L K S T O . . .
DOUG LIMAN

with myself. Since I was the sole producer of the film, I was
able to hire myself to direct it.
SHOOTER I IMAGINE THAT BIG-BUDGET ACTION MOVIES ARE VERY COMPLEX TO
DIRECTOR DIRECT, DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER TYPES OF MOVIES. DO YOU PER-
CEIVE MORE PRESSURE FROM THE STUDIO?
DOUG LIMAN Of course there is more pressure—more is at stake. Money
HITS THE always comes with strings. I have always said that it is easier to
MARK EVERY make a great movie when you have less money. But I also love
the challenges that come with the big studio films.
TIME.
YOU’RE A CINEMATOGRAPHER: HOW IMPORTANT IS THE LOOK OF
YOUR MOVIES ON DVD?
Very. Go and Swingers actually look better on DVD than in
the theater because I was able to do digital color timing,
which I could not afford for the film versions.
DO YOU EVER PERSONALLY SUPERVISE THE TRANSFER?
Ever? Always! Every single shot, both for color and for framing
for the nonletterboxed versions.
THE SOUND MIXES ON YOUR MOVIES TEND TO KICK BUTT, AS WELL.
I love 5.1 movie sound—the immersive experience of great
surround. My roots are actually in bad movie sound: I mixed
Swingers myself on the Avid, because we ran out of money.
We couldn’t even keep the picture and audio in sync with
each other. After Miramax bought the movie, I thought they
would go through and redo the entire soundtrack, but all

I
n less than a decade, Doug Liman has established himself they did was fix the sync.
as one of Hollywood’s most versatile—and successful—
directors. He has nimbly moved from comedy to thriller DVDS OF YOUR MOVIES ARE TYPICALLY LOADED WITH SPECIAL
to a unique hybrid of the two in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, soon to be FEATURES. AS A MODERN FILMMAKER, HOW DO YOU VIEW THE
IMPORTANCE OF DVD?
re-released in a new, unrated DVD edition from Fox Home
Entertainment. Here he talks about the challenges of making
quality movies in a demanding business.
by Chris Chiarella
NOW, I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW YOU WENT FROM SWINGERS TO GO,
AND I SEE HOW YOU PROGRESSED FROM THE BOURNE IDENTITY TO
MR. & MRS. SMITH. BUT HOW THE HECK DO YOU MAKE THE TRANSI-
TION FROM GO TO THE BOURNE IDENTITY?

I had read the novel Bourne Identity in high school and always
thought it would make a great film. After Swingers became
such a huge success, I was the flavor of the month, and every-
one in Hollywood was asking me what film I wanted to do
next. I said, “Well, there’s this book I’ve always loved…” and
people would respond “Well, what else besides that?” So, the
leap from Swingers to The Bourne Identity did seem too big. But
I never gave up. I pursued the rights to that property from 1995
to 2000 with rejections lying at the end of every path. Eventually,
I took my brand-new pilot’s license and flew to Glacier National
Park and convinced [author] Robert Ludlum in person to
let me have the rights. I then sold the project to Universal, Mr. & Mrs. Smith

42 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

 Great theater deserves a great setting.
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and The Union of Form and Function are trademarks of Sanus Systems.

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HT TA L K S T O . . .
I think DVDs make us into better filmmakers. I feel much
more liberated with my scissors in the editing room know-
DOUG LIMAN

ing that the things I cut out won’t be lost forever.

ARE BONUS MATERIALS LIKE COMMENTARIES SOMETHING YOU ENJOY
CREATING?
I do. After working so hard on a movie, it is nice to step back
and reflect on the experience. I’m also a teacher at heart, so I
view the bonus materials as a great way for others to learn.
DO PEOPLE STILL COME UP TO YOU AND TELL YOU THAT SWINGERS IS
THE COOLEST MOVIE EVER MADE?
I get the most compliments for Go, which, in some ways, is
my favorite of the bunch.
BUT YOU’VE STAYED CHUMMY WITH VINCE VAUGHN ALL THIS TIME?
For a while after Swingers, it was awkward for all of us. As
Vince describes it, it was like a high-school band hitting it big
time, and suddenly everyone is questioning, “Is it the bass
player, the keyboards, the lead guitarist—who is responsible?”
In our case, it turned out to be the bass player, the keyboards,
and the guitarist. It took us some time to see that. The thing
is, we grew up together on Swingers, so we’re siblings of sorts.
MR. & MRS. SMITH NEEDED TO BE A REALLY GOOD MOVIE TO AVOID
GETTING LOST IN ALL OF THAT TABLOID NONSENSE. WERE YOU
AMUSED/ANNOYED BY ALL THOSE HEADLINES?
Brad, Angelina, Jennifer—they’re like fictional characters to the
public. Personally, I could never get over how difficult it must
have been for them to conduct their lives under such scrutiny.
After all, maintaining a relationship is hard enough—that’s the
point of Mr. & Mrs. Smith—without the added attention.
WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THE CHEMISTRY OF YOUR TWO STARS?
Thank god they had it, because I was making a love story.
All the explosions in the world would not have saved the
movie if they hadn’t had onscreen chemistry. I should note
that there is absolutely no correlation between onscreen
chemistry and off-screen chemistry.
I HEAR THAT THE LOVE SCENE THAT WE SAW WAS SCALED BACK FROM
WHAT YOU SHOT. TRUE?
True. It was important for me that the film be rated PG-13,
because I wanted it to be seen as a romantic comedy, and R
tells an audience something else. Given the unique tone of the
movie, I needed to use every resource at my disposal, including
the rating, to set that tone. Music was the most critical tool.
WHAT’S THE TRICK TO BALANCING THE ACTION WITH THE COMEDY?
It’s the toughest thing I have ever done, this film, for exactly
that reason. The action sequences were worked and reworked
and reworked again and again before we shot them to make
The Bourne Supremacy
sure that they would be kick ass but remain within the
film’s comedic tone.
WHICH DO YOU PREFER: THE MORE SERIOUS APPROACH TO ACTION
(BOURNE ) OR ACTION WITH A SENSE OF HUMOR (SMITH )?
The tone of this film put me out on the most precarious
ledge of my career. I thought I was pushing the envelope
with Bourne, but, at the end of the day, there is nothing revo-
lutionary about that movie other than the fact that a film-
maker who cares about character chose to tackle an action
franchise. Smith, on the other hand, is a truly unique movie.
Maureen Dowd cited it in her article on modern feminism
in [New York’s] Sunday Times. This is a movie that spent more
on ammunition than the entire budget of Swingers. This is a
movie where I actually heard a woman say to her boyfriend
or husband after the movie ended, “That was really cute!” as
she beamed romantically at him. Mind you, she is saying this
not 60 seconds after Brad and Angie have just slaughtered
50 agents, the bodies have barely hit the ground, and she’s
telling her boyfriend how sweet the movie was. I heard
comments like that all over America.
NOW THAT THEY’VE WORKED OUT THEIR ISSUES, ARE THERE ANY
KIDS—OR SEQUELS—FOR JOHN AND JANE SMITH?
We’ve had one sequel meeting, and the first and only ques-
tion asked by the studio was, “Do we have a great story for a
sequel?” This is a movie that made more than both Bourne
movies combined, and Regency wants to know if there is a
great story. I wish more studios were like them. We wouldn’t
be suffering the box-office slump.

44 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

 “LUCK HAS ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!”
A number of companies manufacture products that provide either superb performance or great value. Once in a while they get lucky
and deliver a product with both. But when one company turns out product, after product, after product, that consistently combine
amazing performance with incredible value, luck has absolutely nothing to do with it. Here are just a few of the current critically-
acclaimed Arcam products:

Arcam AV9 Arcam AVP700 Arcam Surround

Surround
Processor
($5,749)
The Arcam AV9 is the latest, improved
version of the highly revered Arcam AV8
processor. Arcam used the AV8 platform,
added 5 in / 1 out HDMI switching,
improved the power supplies and lowered
the noise floor. The AV9, therefore,
is everything you loved about the AV8
and better!
“There’s an instantly recognizable sonic
difference between this system with these
Arcam units and every other surround
system we’ve heard. It’s a dramatic
has a potent trio of attributes – it sounds
difference, so even ordinary non-
audiophile listeners instantly hear it.
And it’s a powerful difference...
These two Arcam units are more than
excellent. They have literally transformed
our horizons of what home entertainment
can be as an experience, and how it can
move and affect you.”
Widescreen Review
Surround
Processor
($2,199)
“Arcam continues a good run of quality
midpriced separates. The HDMI inputs
and truly balanced connections are nice
touches, while the performance and ease
of use are the headliners”
Home Theater
“…the AVP7000/P1000 is a killer
package of features at a
startlingly attractive price”
Ultimate AV
“Arcam’s 7.1-channel AVP700 pre/pro
good, it’s well stocked with features
and connections, and it couldn’t
be much easier to use”
Home Theater
products that carry on the same tradition of offering
groundbreaking performance at surprisingly reasonable prices.
Receivers
($1,599
to $1,999)
“The AVR300 is a stunner. We’ve been
waiting in vain for a receiver like this to
come along for over a dozen years
– but finally, someone has done it.”
What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision
“In terms of picture and sound quality,
the AVR300 can more than hold its own
against the best receivers out there
from Denon, Yamaha, Pioneer
and others, some of which cost
more than double its price.”
Custom Retailer Magazine
Impressive?
You bet. But you’ve only
seen the tip of the iceberg. In 2006
Arcam will continue to introduce new

Arcam DVD Players ($999 to $2,999)

“Arcam demonstrates that some digital pictures are more perfect than others…
Arcam’s DV79 raises the bar to a new and record height.”
AV Tech

Arcam • dCS • Nordost • Nottingham Analogue

www.audiophilesystems.com
Visit our website for more information and to find your local dealer
 Turnstyle Imaging
Shopping Made Easy
A simple strategy for selecting a home theater system. BY GARY ALTUNIAN
It’s a common experience: an uneasy or nervous feeling, perhaps just general anxiety. It can happen when
you buy a used car, sign a loan document, or shop for a home theater system. Major purchases often come
with the fear of making the wrong decision (aka buyer’s remorse) and some-
times lead to no decision. Fear not—purchasing a home theater can be easy
if you follow a few guidelines. The rewards of owning a good home theater
system are many hours of enjoyment, and preparation is the key.
46 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
 Definitive’s ProCinema Systems Are
“Truly Incredible Speakers
At An Unbelievable Price!”
Definitive delivers high-end performance you can afford.
“You won’t find anything else that will perform
as well at this price” —DVD ETC. Magazine
Now you can get Definitive’s high-end leading-edge
technology and world-class sound quality at an incredibly
affordable price. Beginning at only $699 (for the 6-piece
Pro 60 system) all our highly-acclaimed ProCinema®
sub/sat speaker systems are elegantly styled, remarkably
compact and will deliver absolutely state-of-the-art
performance for stunning music and movie perfection.
They are clearly your number one choice for unmatched
quality and value.
ProCinema 100
System $1349
ProCinema 60
System $699
®
— Home Theater Magazine
“They sound like monster towers” —Home Theater
With their awesome mega-watt powered 8" or 10"
subwoofers, non-resonant NROC™ curved PolyStone™
cabinets, high-definition diecast-basket drivers and
precision Linkwitz-Riley crossover networks, Definitive
ProCinema systems will make performances really
come alive in your room and literally put you right
in the concert hall or into the movie itself. They are,
as Time Magazine raves, “phenomenal.” Hear them at
a Definitive dealer today!
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See our dealer list on page &&.
 Shopping Made Easy
Home theater is a broad term. To many
enthusiasts, it’s a dedicated media room
complete with a 100-plus-inch projection
television, a surround sound proces-
sor, and mega-amplifiers coupled with
reference-grade loudspeakers. Custom
theater seating and automated lighting-
control systems help create the true
cinema experience in the home. Some
home theater owners even have a box
office and a popcorn machine or motor-
ized curtains in front of the screen. For
many others, a home theater is a 25-inch
TV with a prepackaged home theater
system. Either way, it’s home theater.
Determining Your Needs
Although they come in many forms, most
home theater systems consist of a multi-
channel audio/video receiver or proces-
sor and separate amplifiers (with five or
more audio channels), five or more speak-
ers, at least one subwoofer, a DVD player,
and a display device of some sort. Prepack-
aged home theater audio systems from
Panasonic SC-HT17 HTIB
Panasonic SC-HT940 HTIB
Sony, Yamaha, Panasonic, and many others
combine the receiver, satellite speak-
ers, subwoofer, and DVD player in one
performance-matched package—just add
a TV. They cost less than separate compo- Klipsch RB-10 Speaker System
nents and can offer good performance, but
not as good as what you can potentially get
by selecting separate audio and video com-
ponents and speakers. The best system for
you depends on a few factors.
To determine your needs, consider how
Yamaha RX-V1600 A/V Receiver
often you’ll use a home theater and how
important it is to you and your family. If
you crave the excitement of movies,
music, and games, and they will be a cen-
tral part of your family’s home entertain-
ment, consider it a wise investment that
will return many hours of enjoyment and
justify a larger budget. If you plan to use
your home theater infrequently, consider
an all-in-one home theater audio system Denon AVR-4306 A/V Receiver with iPod
and a moderately priced television.
Establishing a Budget
A total budget for a home theater system
depends on your financial situation, so only
you know how much you can afford. You
can be certain that even most moderately
priced components and systems, when pur-
chased wisely, offer very good perfor-
mance. For a system with separate audio
components, expect to spend approxi- Polk RTi12 Speaker System
mately half of your total budget on these
components and your speakers and half on Flat-panel and projection television
a video display. For example, you can pur- prices range from less than $1,000 to
chase a good audio system with speakers for more than $10,000, depending on screen
approximately $2,500 (with components size, image type, screen resolution, and
from Yamaha or Denon and speakers advanced, high-definition features. The
from Klipsch or Polk, for example). Add a sky is the limit for separate audio compo-
37-inch flat-panel LCD display (from Sharp, nents and speakers (McIntosh, Anthem,
Samsung, or Philips, for example) for and Meridian are good examples of
$2,500, and your total investment is $5,000 no-holds-barred audio components).
for a very good home theater system that However, you can find prepackaged home
will provide years of enjoyment. For a theater audio systems for less than $100.
prepackaged home theater system (also
known as a home-theater-in-a-box system) Where to Shop
and a flat-panel television, you will probably It’s a good idea to shop in more than one
spend about one-third or less on audio and location before you make a purchase.
two-thirds on a video display. Compare prices, service, and product
48 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
 Shopping Made Easy

recommendations among var- purchase, however, I prefer to see, touch,

ious stores and salespeople.
There are many places to
shop, including warehouse or
big-box retailers, audio special-
DVI Cable
ists, custom installers,
and the Internet (not
counting the guy in the
parking lot with a van
DVI Input
full of cheap speakers). Each
of these options has bene-
fits, depending on your
needs and knowledge—
except for the guy in the
HDMI Input van. If you are interested in
a true consultant, consider an
audio specialist or a custom
installer. Generally, these mer-
DVI-to-HDMI Adapter chants sell the best brands,
offer the best demonstration facilities, and
have the most knowledgeable salespeople.
They usually offer installation and setup
services, an important consideration for
a high-end system. The warehouse, big-
box retailers offer the broadest selection
of products at competitive prices, but you
may have to search, sometimes in vain, for
a truly knowledgeable, experienced sales-
and hear the product before I buy it.
Exchanges or upgrades are also more dif-
ficult if you buy online. You should con- Runco CL-420 DLP Projector
sider purchasing on the Internet if you’re
certain that you know what you want and
need. However, be cautious about buying
online—some manufacturers will not
provide a warranty if you buy their prod-
ucts from unauthorized Websites. And
some manufacturers provide online stores Runco CL-610 DLP Projector
for direct purchases, so check their
Websites before you buy.
How to Audition and Select the
Best System for Your Needs
Video Displays: With the upcoming switch
from analog to digital-compatible tele-
vision broadcasting expected in 2009, it
would be wise to select a digital television.
If you want a flat-panel television that you
can wall-mount, your choices for a digital
TV include an LCD or plasma display Sharp LC-37DB5U AQUOS LCD HDTV
(from manufacturers such as Samsung,
Sharp, LG, Toshiba, and Pioneer, among
others). Should you want a floorstanding
rear-projection television, you can choose
a DLP, CRT, LCD, or LCOS model. A

Screen images courtesy of Disney and Universal

person. Many also offer installation ser-
vices. I would recommend shopping and
comparing at least three different stores
before you make a purchasing decision.
The Internet is a good place to research
products and features, and, in some cases,
Websites offer the lowest prices because
of lower overhead costs. With a major
front-projection system is the ultimate in
big-screen theater but requires a free-
standing projector (which you will likely
mount on the ceiling) and a separate theater
screen (check out Stewart Filmscreen and
Da-Lite screens, among others). You’ll
also need professional installation and total
control over ambient light.

Pro tip: Shop in more than one location before you make a purchase. Compare prices, service, and prod- Mitsubishi WD-62627 DLP HDTV
uct recommendations among various stores and salespeople. Here’s a quick shopping guide:
You should base your choice for a dig-
WHERE TO SHOP SERVICE /KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTS ital television on these factors: Image
Big box/warehouse stores Find a home theater specialist Widest selection and quality, room size, ambient-light condi-
competitive prices tions, and viewing habits. Generally
Audio specialists Generally the most Offer the best brands and speaking, plasma displays offer better
knowledgeable people demo facilities
picture contrast but require a darker
Custom installers Offer customized solutions Wide range of product selection
and installation
room for optimum viewing. You can
Internet shopping Best prices, but be certain Many product options; check
view LCD models in brighter rooms, but
of your needs warranty coverage they have a narrower viewing angle.
Larger rooms and longer seating

50 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

 The RV-8
A u d i o / Vi d e o R e c e i v e r

The Best.
Just got Better.
Lexicon LIVE™ *

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Lexicon® and LOGIC 7 are registered trademarks of Harman International Industries, Incorporated. Dolby Pro Logic IIx is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories. All rights reserved.

*Requires the use of the optional Lexicon 2 microphone kit.

 Shopping Made Easy
distances require a larger picture for an
optimal viewing experience. The amount
of ambient light and location of windows
influence the picture quality, especially
if you watch TV during the day.
Rear-projection DLP, LCD, and LCOS
televisions, such as those offered by JVC
and Mitsubishi, have larger screen sizes,
and the new slim-profile models use less
floor space. Front-projection displays
(available from Runco, Sharp, Samsung,
and others) have the largest possible pic-
ture size but require a dark room for the
best image quality.
When shopping for a television, take a
familiar disc with you, and ask the sales
associate to play it on various models. Try
to view the TV in light conditions that are
similar to your room. You might even
draw a diagram of your room with dimen-
sions, locations of windows, and furni-
ture placement
for reference.
Image quality
is measured in,
among other
things, picture
resolution and
contrast ratio. A
picture resolu-
tion of 1,280 by
720 pixels (hori-
zontal by verti-
cal) is considered
a minimum for
Sonance iPort In-Wall Docking Station high-definition
video, and a reso-
lution of 1,920 by
1,080 pixels offers
the highest defini-
tion of a currently
agreed-upon
format. Contrast
ratios vary widely,
but a higher ratio
(3,000:1 and
higher) provides a
more true-to-life
p i c t u re w i t h a
52 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
Sonance Cinema Select In-Wall Speaker
SpeakerCraft SC Integrated Display with iPod
broader range between the darkest blacks
and the brightest whites.
Audio Components: The selection of
audio components should begin with the
speakers. Speakers are the most impor-
tant determinant of sound performance,
and they dictate the amount of receiver
or amplifier power you will need. For a
multichannel speaker system, it’s best to
purchase satellite speakers with similar
sound properties from the same manu-
facturer. Your speakers don’t have to be
floorstanding models; there are many in-
wall and in-ceiling models (even for sub-
woofers) that have great performance.
However, most require professional
installation. Some manufacturers of such
speakers include Sonance, SpeakerCraft,
BG, Definitive Technology, and many,
many more. Select speakers based on
your personal listening preferences by
taking a few familiar discs with you
when you shop. Specifications mean
little when comparing speakers, but it’s
a place to start.
A typical audio/video receiver outputs
approximately 100 watts of power to each
of the five (or more) channels, which is
adequate for the majority of speakers in
most home environments.
The Most Important Questions
(And Answers)
Prior to shopping, ask yourself some
questions about your needs and wants,
and make a list.
It’s important to
know what is
most impor-
tant to you SpeakerCraft Tantra Three
based on how you will use your home
theater. For example, will you spend
more time watching movies or listening
to music and playing video games? What
types of movies and music do you enjoy?
Do you prefer television programs or
movies on DVD? How large is your
room, and where will you put the
system? Will you listen at low to moder-
ate levels, or do you like it loud? Do you
prefer in-wall, on-wall, or floorstanding
speakers? Which family members will
use the system most often? An experi-
enced salesperson should ask these ques-
tions and many others and recommend
product solutions based on your answers.
If not, shop elsewhere. Don’t be afraid
to walk out if the salesperson simply pre-
sents a solution without taking the time
to understand your needs. Just because
something is on sale doesn’t mean it’s the
right product for you.
Be sure to ask questions about com-
patibility between components. For
example, many video displays and DVD
players have HDMI and/or DVI con-
nections, which carry high-definition
digital video and/or audio content. If
the DVD player and television have
HDMI and/or DVI connections, make
Tel.: (514) 259-1062 • Fax: (514) 259-4968 • info@totemacoustic.com • www.totemacoustic.com
 Shopping Made Easy

Gary’s Home Theater Setup example, if the manufac-

23' turer offers a one-year war-
To Home Software
Office
ranty, a three-year extended
Sub TV EQUIP warranty adds two addi-
Dining tional years, for a total of
Area C
L R three years.
Consider an extended war-
ranty for products that Gary’s Acoustic Wall

Windows
To Kitchen

30° Sub
16' employ new technologies,
Listening such as a plasma TV or a DLP
projector, or on a product
Position
that is expensive to repair or
60°
Entrance

SL
replace. Otherwise, I’d rather
SR
spend my money on new
Seating Area
To Bedroom
Bookcase discs, better components, or
performance accessories.
Dahlquist DQ10 L/C/R speakers • Paradigm Reference Studio
100 surround speakers • 2 Morel IS-9A powered subwoofers • Consider an extended warranty on
Yamaha DVD-S2300 universal disc player • AVDeco HR 619 equip- video displays, such as DLP, plasma, or
ment rack • MIT speaker cables and interconnects • Homemade
acoustic treatments on rear wall LCD televisions, because of potential
pixel failure. Each picture element is
called a pixel, and occasionally a few
sure that the audio/video receiver pixels can fail, resulting in a small, dis- Gary and a Friend
includes them, as well. tracting spot in the picture. The manu- audio reflections from walls, floors, and
facturer’s warranty and the extended objects in the room. There are many
Should You Consider the warranty usually cover pixel failure if attractive acoustic treatments that hang
Extended Warranty? there is a minimum number of failed on walls or sit on floors that can inte-
Extended warranties provide extended pixels within the warranty period. grate nicely into your room’s décor.
coverage for defective parts or manufac- Check the coverage carefully. Be sure Correct room acoustics can significantly
turing and are usually inclusive of the to ask if the warranty includes in-home improve sound quality. Consult a pro-
manufacturer’s warranty. For example, a service or pickup and delivery. I would fessional if you need help.
three-year extended warranty provides a decline the extra coverage on receivers, If you’re choosing to buy a home-
total of three years of coverage, which DVD players, and speakers because they theater-in-a-box system, it usually
includes the manufacturer’s warranty. For usually don’t need it. Remember, includes the speaker wire, but it is usu-
you’re buying an insurance policy. If ally no thicker than dental floss, and
Home theater system recommendations: you’re a Libertarian, you’ll probably you’ll get better audio/video perfor-
1. $5,000 home theater system: want to avoid the extended warranty. If mance if you upgrade the wires. If you’re
Yamaha RX-V1600 A/V Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . $1,100
knowing you’re covered makes you considering separate audio components,
Yamaha DVD-S657 Universal Disc Player . . . . . $300 more comfortable, then you need to purchase premium speaker wires, because
Klipsch RB-10 Speaker System . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,094 decide how much up-front cash that they can maximize audio performance if
Total Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,494 comfort is worth to you. chosen carefully. A step or two above
Video: Sharp LC-37DB5U AQUOS 37-Inch what comes packed with your new gear
LCD HDTV with HDMI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,599
Total system price. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,093
Important Accessories is a good place to start, depending on
You will be presented with lots of acces- your system goals. Once again, decide
2. $10,000 home theater system: sory choices, but, in my opinion, the ahead of time what your accessory budget
Denon AVR-4306 7.1-Channel A/V Receiver . . . . . . $1,999 most important accessories are room- will be. It’s easy to spend vast sums of
Denon DVD-2910 Universal Disc Player. . . . . . . $739 acoustic treatments, speaker wires, and money to obtain slight, if even tangible,
Polk Audio RTi12 Speaker System . . . . . . . . . $3,350 connection cables. Room-acoustic treat- improvements that may or may not be
Total Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,088 ments consist of various materials important to you. Then again, if money
Video: Sony KDS-R50XBR1
designed to absorb or diffuse undesirable is no object, go for the gusto!
50-Inch LCOS HDTV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,000
Total system price . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10,088
54 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
 Premium video connection cables can range
up to several hundred dollars each and are
important for good picture quality. As with
almost anything, there are values to be found
if you search them out. How far you go
depends on what you’re comfortable with, but
always be aware of your chosen dealer’s return
policies in case you’re not as impressed as you
think you should be for your investment.
High-quality speaker cables are available
from several manufacturers, including
Monster Cable, AudioQuest, Kimber Kable,
Liberty Cable, and many others. You can also
make your own with a roll of bulk cable,
some connectors, and a few tools.
Where to Cut Corners (If You
Must)
Home theater is one of my favorite pas-
times, so there are few places where I would
recommend cutting corners. However,
if necessary, I would choose a smaller
display—for example, a 42-inch display
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instead of a 50-inch one—if the difference
meant I could afford better audio perfor-
mance. Although some people believe that
a big picture is the most important part of
home theater, I think audio performance is
more critical. A good home theater audio
system enhances the experience by drawing
the viewers into a movie, making them part
of the action on the screen and arousing their
imaginations. Don’t underestimate the
importance of audio in a home theater.
Geting the Best Performance
From Your New Home Theater
Now that the toughest part is over, take the
final steps to get the best performance from
your system. Correct speaker and sub-
woofer placement is the key; it’s just as
important as the components you purchase.
Although there isn’t enough space here to
elaborate on speaker placement and room
acoustics, here are a few guidelines that will
help you get the best sound.
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Proper speaker placement involves some
experimentation. Avoid placing the system in
a room with bare walls and floors. Use
acoustic treatments on the walls, carpet, or
rug, and/or use bookshelves on one or more
walls to break up the sound reflections.
Experiment with subwoofer placement by
putting the subwoofer at your listening posi-
tion (including height) and moving around
the room to find where the bass sounds the
best. When you find the best spot, put the
subwoofer in that location.
These guidelines barely scratch the sur-
face of room acoustics and proper speaker
placement. Many online resources offer
more information. Visit our Website at
www.hometheatermag.com/bootcamp/28/index.
html for our technical editor’s guide to speaker
placement. But, simply stated, a moderately
priced system will sound very good in a
room with good acoustics, while a high-end
system will disappoint the listener in a room
with poor acoustic characteristics.
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 Klipsch: Celebrating 60
Years of Innovative Engineering

Steve wishes his Brooklyn apartment was as quiet as Klipsch’s anechoic chamber.

BY STEVE GUTTENBERG Klipsch VP Jim Hunter shows off a prototype horn design.

Like a devoted Elvis fan’s pilgrimage to Graceland, my trek to Klipsch Audio Technologies’ home base in
Indianapolis, Indiana, had a certain spiritual resonance. I’ve always wanted to go, and, when I realized that Klipsch was celebrating

their 60th anniversary, I could procrastinate no longer. Paul Klipsch founded his company in 1946, when high fidelity was a strictly

monophonic pursuit. Over the decades, the brand successfully transitioned to stereo, home theater, pro audio/cinema, custom

installation, multimedia, and, most recently, to high-performance iPod speakers. Paul Klipsch first made his mark in 1926 design-

ing radios for General Electric, but then he changed course and headed south to maintain locomotive engines in Chile. He went

on to earn 23 patents, ranging from firearm design and oil-prospecting technologies to a slew of speaker and acoustic designs. Paul

Klipsch was a man of many passions, but he remained involved with his company until 1999. He passed away in 2002.

56 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

 Klipsch: Celebrating 60
Years of Innovative Engineering
My day began with a tour of the
sprawling Klipsch Technology Center
hosted by Klipsch’s vice president of
design engineering, Jim Hunter. He’s a
27-year Klipsch veteran and a cura-
tor of the Klipsch Museum in Hope,
Arkansas, where the company main-
tains manufacturing and distribution
facilities. We met in the Technology
Center lobby in front of a statuesque
Klipsch movie-theater speaker with
horns big enough, I could poke my
head inside. My first rather impertinent
question for Hunter struck at Klipsch’s
raison d’etre: “What’s so great about
horns?” Hunter just smiled and said,
“Step this way,” and we were soon
standing in front of a huge horn sculp-
ture illustrating the four core principles
of Paul Klipsch’s design philosophy:
high efficiency, low distortion, con-
trolled dispersion, and flat frequency
response. Hunter further explained,
“Horns are part of the company’s
DNA, and they’re prominently fea-
tured in every speaker we make.”
But, if horns are such a great idea,
why don’t more speakers have ’em?
Hunter volunteered that horn speak-
ers are more challenging to design
than conventional direct-radiating
box speakers. Despite their rarity on
the home front, I’m pretty sure you
already know what horns sound like.
After all, everyone who has ever
attended a rock concert or the local
cineplex has heard horn speakers—
pro sound systems almost always
A driver mounted in the anechoic chamber’s door.
58 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
rely on horns. They’re
the de facto sound of
popular commercial
entertainment. And
all Klipsch speakers—
ranging from the teeni-
est GMX A-2.1 multi-
media speakers to that
mighty, 521-pound
A larger-than-life sculpture of Klipsch’s horn driver.
KPT-MCM-4-T Grand
professional movie-
theater speaker I gawked
at when I met Hunter
in the lobby—feature
horn-loaded drivers.
One of the little fac-
toids I picked up on my
visit is that Klipsch is
the largest supplier of
loudspeakers to Regal
Cinemas, the world’s
largest cinema chain,
These La Scala II speakers rocked Steve’s world.
and to more than
100 Hard Rock Cafes in 36 countries. sound dramatically more alive than
Klipsch is definitely on a roll. more conventional speakers.
In a marketing-driven industry that
Back to the Future churns through technological trends
Klipsch’s high-efficiency speakers can every couple of years, the longevity
rock out with low-powered electron- of some Klipsch designs may be the
ics or play even louder with higher- firm’s most remarkable achievement.
powered ones. Higher efficiency offers Take the original Klipsch speaker, the
more than a mere theoretical Klipschorn. It has remained in the line
advantage—efficient speakers let your for 60 years, and I have the feeling it
receiver coast through even the most will still be around when the company
special-effects-packed DVDs. The celebrates its 100th anniversary in
horns also let the tweeters coast. Their 2046. There have been hundreds of
diaphragm’s back-and-forth motion, incremental design improvements to
known as excursion, is generally far the Klipschorn over the years, but the
smaller than that of a conventional fundamentals are unchanged. It was
dome tweeter at a given level—so the Klipsch’s original home theater
horn-loaded tweeter can theoretically speaker five decades before the advent
produce lower harmonic distortion. of DVD—the Klipschorn can more
The horn’s controlled dispersion also fully replicate the sound of a cineplex
focuses the sound toward the listening than just about any home speaker I
position, minimizing floor, ceiling, and can think of. It was Paul Klipsch’s ulti-
side-wall reflections as compared with mate design statement. In fact, he
conventional, dome tweeters. These viewed every succeeding model as
design advantages aren’t subtle, and no a compromise—that’s why he called
one type of speaker is for everyone. To his first center speaker, introduced
me, though, Klipsch speakers can in 1957, the Heresy. The man had
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 Klipsch: Celebrating 60
Years of Innovative Engineering
a sense of humor. In the 1950s,
speakers were all fairly huge, but, by
the 1960s, the competition’s speak-
ers were getting a lot smaller. Paul
Klipsch downsized some designs, but
his speakers were still pretty
darn massive. A specially finished,
commemorative 60th-anniversary
Klipschorn model ($11,000 per pair)
will be available in a limited produc-
tion run of 200 pairs.
Up Close and Personal with
Speaker Designers
My mission at Klipsch had an ulterior
motive: I wanted to find out what’s
involved in designing a speaker. It is,
after all, just a box with some dri-
vers, so what’s the big deal? The first
thing I learned was that speaker
designers always face a rather daunt-
ing challenge—they’re clueless about
the potential customer’s room
size and acoustics. That’s why the
Technology Center has a number of
listening rooms—some small, some
large—many of which were designed
to replicate the acoustics of average
rooms. I noted that, in some of
the rooms, the speakers are
placed behind dark curtains for
“blind” testing—the listeners can’t
see the speakers they’re listening to.
The engineers use these rooms to
compare prototypes to previous-
generation models and to compare
Klipsch speakers with the competi-
tion’s speakers. The company even
laid down hard cash and bought a set
Prototypes that didn’t make the grade.
60 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
of a competitor’s $10,000 speakers
to have an external, state-of-the-art
reference. They’re not about to fall
prey to the “not invented here” syn-
drome and only judge one Klipsch
against another Klipsch.
There are arguments, discussions,
and debates among the various mem-
bers of the Klipsch design team, but,
in the end, they’re all searching for a
new speaker that they can honestly
say is an improvement over the exist- Klipsch makes products of all sizes.
ing model. Kerry Geist,
a principal engineer for
the consumer-products
division, tells me that,
when he develops a new
loudspeaker line, the
process star ts with
the individual woofers,
midrange drivers, and
tweeters. That’s where
the designers invest
most of the engineering Jim Hunter waxes poetic about founder Paul W. Klipsch.
hours. “You can spend as much time require more internal bracing to
with the drivers as the entire speak- maintain stiffness. And remember,
ers,” he says, but he points out that too, that taller, slimmer speakers
the cabinet also exerts a major have more audible problems with
influence over the speaker’s sound. internal standing waves, so designers
Speaker designers are always juggling have taken steps to build nonparallel
a mix of parameters: size, aesthetic internal surfaces to break up cabinet
design, manufacturing tolerances, modes. That adds expense, so, while
and, the big one, cost constraints. the higher-end models may not look
That last one impacts entry-level all that different on the outside from
models more than high-enders, and their more affordable brethren, their
the budgetary limitations first restrict cabinets may be built to a more com-
what the designer can build into the plex, robust standard.
speaker’s crossover network (which, Klipsch’s new Reference IV line
in its basic form, directs high fre- includes 14 speakers and six sub-
quencies to the tweeter and bass woofers to cover a wide range of
frequencies to the woofer). After price points and sizes. Geist admits
all, many models in the line may that some of the models came
share the woofers and tweeters, together pretty quickly, and some
but the crossovers are unique to required a lot more time. The big
specific speakers. Economies of scale towers have larger woofers and larger
are limited when parts are unique horns, but what does the larger horn
to specific models. provide? Geist put it this way:
For full-size models, the trend is “Larger woofers have more limited
skewing to taller and slimmer tower high-frequency response, so the
speakers, and those longer sides tweeter has to reach down lower to
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 Klipsch: Celebrating 60
Years of Innovative Engineering
blend with the woofer. Larger horns
help accomplish that.”
I was surprised at the number of
labs that are clustered around the
facility. Some are employed to
design and fabricate drivers. There
are wood shops for building speaker
cabinets and paint booths for finish-
ing prototypes, and there are two
anechoic chambers that serve as
“acoustically sterile environments”
where technicians take and evaluate
precise speaker measurements.
You’d be surprised to know how
many big-name speaker companies
don’t have even one chamber. Like a
proud poppa, a beaming Jim Hunter
showed off the rapid prototyping
labs that let the engineers fabricate
prototype speaker parts. The spe-
cialized systems are very expen-
sive but dramatically reduce each
project’s development time. Five or
10 years ago, the engineers would
only get to build one or two proto-
types for a given model before
committing to full-scale tooling and
production. Now they can pop out a
test part in a matter of hours, and
the acoustic engineers can pains-
takingly measure and listen to
a number of prototypes, which
inevitably leads to further design
Steve’s souvenirs—he wishes!
62 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
refinements. One of the last labs
Hunter showed me hosts environ-
mental testing to measure the
effects of heat and humidity on the
sound of speakers and their long-
term durability. So, whether you
live in Fairbanks, Alaska, or the
Everglades, your Klipsch speakers
will keep on performing.
I was also treated to a preview of
the new, fourth-generation Reference
IV speakers. The new speakers have
skinnier front baffles with smaller
woofers—but more of them than the
third-generation models they replace.
I watched Cream’s Royal Albert Hall
2005 DVD and listened through some
of the bigger towers in the line, the
RF-63 and the RF-83. I felt the band’s
raw power as much as I heard it.
The new speakers can easily deliver
high volume levels without strain.
The new Reference IVs are incredi-
ble, but the high point of my listening
session was auditioning a pair of La
Scala speakers ($3,750 each). Klipsch
first introduced this model in 1963
and has tweaked it over the years, but
it’s really pretty much the same as it
ever was. Unlike the newer Klipsch
models that only use horns on their
tweeters, the La Scala is a three-
way (bass, midrange, and tweeter)
horn speaker. A Patricia
Barber CD sounded
awfully good. The bass
was super taut, articu-
late, and vivid, Barber’s
voice reach and touch
were realistic, and
the cymbals were crisp,
delicate, and clear.
Paul Klipsch’s designs
have withstood the
test of time.
It’s a Family Affair
I met with chair-
m a n and owner Fred
Klipsch, who was a
A 1920s-era Western Electric horn.
second cousin of Paul Klipsch. Fred
has headed the company since 1989
and slowly changed the primary
emphasis from stereo to home theater
and to smaller, more lifestyle-
oriented speakers. The market is
now changing so fast that Fred Klipsch
has switched over from three-year
plans to one-year forecasts. So, while
iPods are hot right now, and Klipsch
has responded with two accompany-
ing systems, the iGroove and the iFi,
home theater speakers will likely
remain the prime focus. Klipsch has
achieved a compound annual growth
rate of 18 percent over the past eight
years and is, according to its pres-
ident, Mike Klipsch, the number-
one consumer speaker brand in
all channels of U.S. distribution.
That momentum is still accelerating;
Klipsch has recently acquired Jamo,
one of Europe’s largest home theater
speaker manufacturers, and they’re
joining forces with GN Mobile, a
leading provider of mobile audio
accessories, to develop headphones
and headsets. So, it’s safe to say that
the company Paul Klipsch founded
60 years ago is definitely maintaining
their vaunted efficiency.
 trio

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 Five surround sound channels.
One speaker. Zero clutter.
Introducing The Polk Audio SurroundBar™
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T he Polk Audio SurroundBar™ will
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works with any surround sound receiver.
Polk’s patented SDA® Surround technology
means you won’t need to install rear speak-
ers. What you hear is a completely immer-
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and a patented combination of signal ears to create your own 5-channel surround
processing and acoustical geometry serve sound environment from a single front speaker.
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from the

66 74

91 104
Our Test Gear OUR RATINGS
SYSTEM
SPOTLIGHT SYSTEM PG 66 >Audio Precision System Two 2532
Each product is
Vienna Acoustics Grand Speaker System, Dual Domain
rated on a scale of
REL R-305 Subwoofer, and Optoma >Fluke 189 multimeter
50 to 100 in five
HD72 DLP Projector >Leader LT-446 HDTV test generator
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
categories: build
>Leader LV5700A waveform monitor quality, value, fea-
tures, performance,
HIGH PERFORMANCE PG 74 >LG OS-9020A oscilloscope
and ergonomics. The
Revel Performa F52 Speaker System >LinearX loudspeaker measurement
overall rating is an
Sonic revelation. system
average, with each
>Minolta LS-100 luminance meter
MIDRANGE PG 78 >Photo Research PR-650 SpectraScan
category receiving
the following weight:
Mirage Omnisat v2 Speaker System colorimeter
Sometimes it’s better to be indirect.
>Staco variable transformer Performance: 35%
3PN2210B (22-amp)
Westinghouse LVM-42w2 LCD Value: 25%
HD Monitor >TecLab TWS-1510 test benches
Features: 15%
A true HD monitor.
Build quality: 15%
Thiel SmartSub SS1 Subwoofer Ergonomics: 10%
Woof smarter, not harder.
We also color-code
ENTRY LEVEL PG 100 each ratings box to
reflect a certain
ZVOX Mini Sound Console Amplified
Audio System price class:
A lot of sound from a little box. PURPLE > High end ($$$–$$$$)
BLUE > Midrange ($$–$$$)
CONVERGENCE PG 104 Visit the “How We Test” link on our
GREEN > Entry level ($–$$)
Website for a detailed explanation of
Samsung SyncMaster 244T our ratings system and a list of our
LCD Monitor reference gear.
Start clearing room on your desktop. www.hometheatermag.com
www.hometheatermag.com > Home Theater / May 2006 65
 from the
test bench
Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby Grand
Speaker System, REL R-305 Subwoofer,
and Optoma HD72 DLP Projector
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
BY DARRYL WILKINSON
Say your Great-Aunt Edna died
and left you $10,000 or so in her
will with the stipulation that you
had to spend it on a home theater
system (that’s why she always was
your favorite great-aunt). You and
I could while away the better part
66 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
SPOTLIGHT SYSTEM
of an evening arguing the partic-
ulars of what gear to buy—and
especially how the money should
be divided between the audio and
video parts of the system.
Like a lot of people, you might
(sadly) lean toward pairing the
largest, most expensive plasma TV
with the cheapest, most basic
home-theater-in-a-box. In a more
$$$—$$$$
reasonable approach,
you might split the
system budget down
the middle with half
on the video and half
on the audio. For
audio-oriented guys
like me, though, even
that seemingly sensible
route is painful to con-
template. (Hey, we all
have our biases.)
Although I don’t
claim to be able to
communicate with the
dearly departed, I think
Great-Aunty Edna had
Cordero Studios
in mind something
eerily similar to the
Spotlight System for
this month. It has a
full-bore audio system
built around Vienna
Acoustics speakers,
an REL Sub-Bass
System, and a Primare
processor/integrated amp. The
lean, mean video package includes
an Optoma DLP front projector
and a Primare DVD player.
I reviewed the Primare gear as
part of the Spotlight System in our
October 2005 issue, so I’m not
going to dwell on it in depth, other
than a brief recap. Primare’s SPA21
is a five-channel (100 watts each)

from the test bench
integrated amp with a seriously
sweet-sounding onboard proces-
sor. Its strong points are extremely
musical and exquisitely detailed
sound processing, loads of stan-
dard inputs, and exceptional ease
of use. Its weak points are a mini-
mal remote control and limited
HD switching (two component
inputs only—no HDMI or DVI).
Primare’s DVD26 is a top-notch
progressive-scan DVD player that,
alas, isn’t compatible with DVD-
Audio or SACD. These two pieces
of Danish gear make a high-end
electronics combo that’s long on
performance but short on glitz.
Requiem
Several years ago, I had the chance
to live with a set of Vienna
Acoustics speakers and fell in love
with their open, airy character, as
well as their gorgeous aesthetics.
Vienna Acoustics has the habit of
naming their speakers after famous
Austrian and German composers.
It sounds a little presumptuous, I
know. But the company is actually
located in Vienna—imagine that—
and is steeped in the city’s musical
sensibilities. ( Just be glad they
didn’t decide to name the speakers
after varieties of sausage.)
Vienna Acoustics has since
reworked the models I was familiar
with—“outstanding” wasn’t good
enough praise, I guess. To both
acknowledge their heritage and yet
distinguish the new versions, the
company has attached the “Grand”
surname to the composers’ names.
For this month’s system, Sumiko,
the North American importer for
Vienna Acoustics, sent me a pair of
Beethoven Baby Grands, a Maestro
Grand center-channel speaker, and
a pair of Bach Grands for the sur-
round channels. (So “Maestro”
wasn’t a specific composer. Get over
VIENNA ACOUSTICS BEETHOVEN BABY GRAND SPEAKER SYSTEM,
REL R-305 SUBWOOFER, AND OPTOMA HD72 DLP PROJECTOR
AT A GLANCE VIENNA ACOUSTICS BEETHOVEN BABY GRAND
SPEAKER SYSTEM AND REL R-305 SUBWOOFER
> SUBWOOFER: REL R-305
Connections: Speaker-level, line-level, and
LFE inputs
Enclosure Type: Sealed
Woofer (size in inches, type): 10, paper-cone cast frame
Power Rating (watts): 300
Crossover Bypass: Yes
Available Finishes: Hand-rubbed Piano Black
These listings are based on the manufacturer’s stat- Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 14.25 x 12.5 x 13.5
ed specs; the HT Labs box below indicates the gear’s Weight ( pounds): 41
performance on our test bench.
Price: $1,595
>SPEAKER Beethoven Maestro Grand Bach Grand
Baby Grand
Type: Three-way, tower Two-way, center Two-way, monitor
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 1.1, silk dome 1, silk dome 1, silk dome
Midrange (size in inches, type): 6, X3P cone
Woofer (size in inches, type): 6, XPP cone (2) 6, XPP cone (2) 7, X3P cone
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 4 4 4
Recommended Amp Power (watts): 40–250 30–200 30–200
Available Finishes: Maple, Cherry, Piano Maple, Cherry, Piano Maple, Cherry, Piano
Black, Rosewood (extra) Black, Rosewood (extra) Black, Rosewood (extra)
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 38.9 x 6.7 x 12.9 6.77 x 23.2 x 11.45 34.6 x 7.4 x 9.8
Weight ( pounds): 65 30 40
Price: $3,500/pair $1,195 $1,995/pair
HT Labs Measures: Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby Grand
Speaker System and REL R-305 Subwoofer
at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input and
scaled for display purposes.
The Beethoven Baby Grand’s listening-window
response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree
horizontal and vertical responses) measures +3.19/
–6.97 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB
point is at 36 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 30 Hz. Imped-
ance reaches a minimum of 2.98 ohms at 94 Hz and a
phase angle of –33.95 degrees at 4.6 kHz.
The Maestro Grand’s listening-window response
measures +1.73/–7.04 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz.
An average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal
responses measures +2.26/–6.88 dB from 200 Hz
to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 53 Hz, and the
–6-dB point is at 42 Hz. Impedance reaches a mini-
> L/R Sensitivity: mum of 4.29 ohms at 197 Hz and a phase angle of
88.0 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz –42.93 degrees at 3.7 kHz.
The Bach Grand’s listening-window response mea-
> Center Sensitivity: sures +1.53/–7.67 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB
89.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz point is at 39 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 34 Hz.
Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.94 ohms at 148 Hz
> Surround Sensitivity: and a phase angle of –49.85 degrees at 3.6 kHz.
86.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz The REL R-305’s close-miked response, normalized
to the level at 40 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB
This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing point is at 25 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 20 Hz. The
close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the upper –3-dB point is at 66 Hz with the LFE input. Note
Beethoven Baby Grand L/R (purple trace), REL R-305 that, due to the incorrect high-frequency rolloff using
subwoofer (blue trace), Maestro Grand center channel the LFE input, I was unable to reference the frequency
( green trace), and Bach Grand surround (red trace). response to our usual 80 Hz as the response is already
All passive loudspeakers were measured with grilles –7 dB at that point.—MJP
 VIENNA ACOUSTICS BEETHOVEN BABY GRAND SPEAKER SYSTEM,
from the test bench REL R-305 SUBWOOFER, AND OPTOMA HD72 DLP PROJECTOR

^ Darryl loved the
Optoma HD72’s bright, col-
it.) Sumiko also sent a new REL
orful image. Hopefully, he
R-305 Sub-Bass System.
didn’t do any permanent The first thing I noticed about
damage to his vision here.
the new speakers was that Vienna
Acoustics has upped the ante on
the fit and finish. These speakers
are even more refined, with an
heirloom-furniture look and feel.
Unless you have a wood-related
phobia, you’ll be hard pressed
not to find their subtle yet obvi-
ous beauty irresistible. Tall and
slender, the front and surround
speakers create the optical
[
front baffles, with
their curved edges,
have the added sonic
benefit of minimizing
early reflections and
diffraction effects—
perhaps that’s part of
why they sound so
open and natural.
The sophisticated
design of the speakers’
thin, sturdy grilles has
both auditory and
visual benefits, too.
The aluminum grille
frame contains a V-
shaped phase diffuser
down the center that
helps control disper-
sion. Vienna Acoustics says, as a
result of the unique design, you
can leave the grilles on for every-
thing but the most critical listen-
ing by the most finicky listeners.
The V-shaped diffuser creates a
groove, visible on the front of the
grille, that adds an additional ele-
gant visual touch.
One of Vienna Acoustics’
strengths is designing drivers.
Their proprietary midbass and
bass drivers have cone materials
that share similar sandwich-style
HIGHLIGHTS
Vienna Acoustics Beethoven
Baby Grand Speaker System
and REL R-305 Subwoofer:
 Finishes and appearance nicer
than most fine furniture
 Sub provides a foundation of bass
for the speakers to build upon
harder polymers (configurations
referred to as XPP and X3P).
The process creates an especially
stiff cone that’s self-damped and
resists breakup. The Beethoven
Baby Grand and the Maestro
Grand include bass drivers with
additional spider-web-like rib-
bing that’s claimed to provide
extra rigidity. For tweeters,
Vienna Acoustics uses hand-
coated silk domes specifically tai-
lored for each model.
All three models are ported
designs. The three-way Beethoven
Baby Grand is actually a hybrid;
only the ultralow-frequency
driver is mounted in a ported
chamber. But the port design in
the Bach Grand is even more
interesting. Not only is the

93
illusion of appearing smaller designs in which a softer polymer smaller of the two floorstanding
than they really are. The narrow is sandwiched between layers of speakers ported in the front and

VIENNA ACOUSTICS BEETHOVEN BABY GRAND SPEAKER SYSTEM AND REL R-305 SUBWOOFER OVERALL RATING
Build Quality Value Features Performance Ergonomics
> Gold-and-silver-alloy > These are great- > Beethoven Baby > Holographic sound > The speakers are
terminals directly con- sounding and great- Grands include ultra- with height, width, and beautiful but should be
nect to crossovers looking speakers—a stable aluminum-spike depth out from the wall for
two-for-one deal assembly best performance
> Heirloom-furniture- > Extreme low bass
quality finish > Who can put a price > Subwoofer has inputs extension without boom > You can remotely
on sound this good? for low and high level that locate the REL sub’s
you can simultaneously control box This system is pleasing on so

97 90 90 97 89
adjust and operate many levels. It’s exceptional for
music, movies, and simply as
part of your living room.

General information
Beethoven Baby Grand Loudspeaker, $3,500/pair; Maestro Grand Center-Channel Speaker, $1,195; Bach Grand Loudspeaker, $1,995/pair
R-305 Subwoofer, $1,595 > Sumiko, ( 510) 843-4500, www.sumikoaudio.net > Dealer Locator Code SUM

68 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

 VIENNA ACOUSTICS BEETHOVEN BABY GRAND SPEAKER SYSTEM,
from the test bench REL R-305 SUBWOOFER, AND OPTOMA HD72 DLP PROJECTOR

[
the back—a design Vienna where the driver and porting
Acoustics claims stabilizes the interact—but the tweeter is
cone’s movement at the frequency mounted on a wedge assembly HIGHLIGHTS
Optoma HD72 DLP Projector:
AT A GLANCE OPTOMA HD72 DLP PROJECTOR
 Its performance is unbeatable
> CONNECTIONS for $1,999
Inputs:  Uses a DarkChip2 DLP chip and
Video: HDMI (1), DVI-I w/HDCP (1), TI’s BrilliantColor technology
S-video (1), component
 Has a native resolution of 1,280 by
video (1), composite video (1)
Audio: None 768 and is plenty bright and sharp
> FEATURES
Type: DLP Outputs:
Native Resolution / Aspect Ratio: 1,280 by 768 / 16:10 (and 16:9) Video: None
Lamp Life: 3,000 hours Audio: None
Different Lenses Available? No located directly over the front
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 3.72 x 13.56 x 9.67 Additional: RS-232 (1), IR receiver (2),
12-volt trigger relay (1)
port. As with past Vienna
Weight ( pounds): 7
Price: $1,999
Acoustics models, rake—the tilt
of the speaker—is very impor-
HT Labs Measures: Optoma HD72 DLP Projector tant. It takes a little extra effort
to get the angle just right, but it’s
worth it for the additional trans-
0.7
9000
Optoma Green
parency and focus you’ll hear.
8500 0.6 Green
Focus is the number-one charac-
8000 0.5 teristic you’ll discover when you
Color Temperature

7500 0.4 listen to the system. The tweeters

Optoma Red
7000
Color Temp - Before
Color Temp - After 0.3
D6500 K
Red
exhibit exceptional resolution and
6500
can produce frequencies lower
0.2
DTV Phosphors
6000 Optoma Blue
D6500
than what you’d find with a more
0.1
5500 Blue Color Temp - After
typical tweeter. This lets it blend
20 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65
IRE
70 75 80 85 90 95 100 0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
better with the midbass driver for
a smoother overall tonal balance.
0.012 9.855 0 color-temperature mode and the Cinema gamma This is especially evident with a
> Full-On/Full-Off Contrast Ratio—821:1; ANS mode, measures cool with dark images. It gets warmer
but is still rather cool with brighter images. After making
high-resolution recording such as
Contrast Ratio—395:1
adjustments using the Photo Research PR-650, the gray you’ll find on Bucky Pizzarelli’s
> Measured Resolution with the Leader LT-446: scale measures within 310 Kelvin of D6500, the accurate Swing Live multichannel SACD
480: 480 (per picture height) color temperature, across the entire range. The 20 IRE (Chesky). The openness and trans-
720p/1080i: Out to the limits of the was too dark to measure but looked somewhat cool.
1,280-by-768 chip The right chart shows the gray scale (or color tem- parency in the upper frequency
perature) relative to the color points of the display’s range allowed the smallest details
> DC Restoration ( poor, average, good, excellent): red, green, and blue color-filter-wheel segments. These of room ambiance and the subtlest
Excellent are off those specified by SMPTE. Red and green are
slightly oversaturated. Blue is very slightly oversatu-
audience noises present in this live
> Color Decoder ( poor, average, good, excellent): rated and very greenish-blue. recording to come through clearly,
Average After calibration, and using a full-field 100-IRE locked into a three-dimensional
white (9.855 foot-lamberts) and a full-field 0-IRE black
> Measured Color Points:
(0.012 ft-L), the contrast ratio was 821:1. Using a 16-box
space. Larry Chernicoff’s “created”
Red Color Point: x=0.650, y=0.335 spatial envelope on his October mul-
checkerboard pattern (ANSI contrast), the contrast
Green Color Point: x=0.299, y=0.641
Blue Color Point: x=0.145, y=0.104
ratio was 395:1. The best contrast ratio was achieved tichannel SACD showed off the
with the Image AI on. The best black level was achieved ability of the Bach Grands to blend
with the Image AI and Bright Mode off. In this mode,
The left chart shows the HD72’s gray scale relative with the Beethoven Baby Grands
the HD72 produced 6.928 ft-L with a 100-IRE field and
to its color temperature at various levels of inten-
sity, or brightness (20 IRE is dark gray; 100 IRE is bright
0.009 ft-L on a 0-IRE field. This comes to a contrast and the Maestro Grand to create a
ratio of 770:1 (as measured on an 87-inch-wide, swirl of sound around the listener.
white). The gray scale as set by the factory, in the
1.0-gain Da-Lite Da-Mat screen).—GM
Those Beethoven Baby Grands, by

70 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

The Pure Sound of Life

1 8 F u l l e r P l a c e , B r o o k l y n , N Y 1 1 2 1 5 , U S A , Te l 7 1 8 7 8 8 4 4 1 1
 VIENNA ACOUSTICS BEETHOVEN BABY GRAND SPEAKER SYSTEM,
from the test bench REL R-305 SUBWOOFER, AND OPTOMA HD72 DLP PROJECTOR

that extends already-good bass some of the tightest, most con-

down to “Damn, I didn’t know trolled cannon shots I’ve ever heard
that was in the recording” per- from a system. It wasn’t one of
formance. A good example is in those “Ooh, that was cool”
Sara K.’s acoustic rendition of moments. Instead, it caused a
“Brick House” (Hobo, Chesky), jaw-dropping reaction, due to
during which the R-305 brought the overwhelmingly realistic
out the barest dynamics of her reproduction—from the opening,
foot tapping out the beat high-frequency attack of the
during the otherwise quiet cannon shot, to the throaty follow-
moments of the song. through. It was a tour de force of
Visually, the R-305 is a system blending and
the way, are capable of extreme stunner. It’s a black box, integration. I can say
^ The Optoma’s clean,
uncluttered back panel delicacy, as with McCoy Tyner’s yes, but with a hand- the same for the
still offers connections “Miss Bea” from the New York rubbed piano-black lac- system’s perfor-
aplenty, including HDMI
and DVI inputs. Reunion SACD (Chesky). quer finish (with no less mance with Master
than eight layers), an offset and Commander’s early
Six Feet Under grille, and machined lines sneak attack scene,
The Vienna Acoustics floorstanding on the lacquered surface. as well as the Shinto-
speakers are quite good at creating Mounted underneath the bean-flinging, circle-
bass on their own. Depending on cabinet behind a frosted- of-drums scene in
your musical sensibilities, you glass security panel is the House of Flying
could easily get by without a sub- sub’s control box, which Daggers. I could pick
woofer. But, for movies, really, you can locate remotely if out every piece of
who can live without one? desired. As with all REL shrapnel and every
REL’s new R-305 definitely Sub-Bass Systems, you flying bean, even as
isn’t one of those “more boom can adjust the high- and the room was being
for your room” subwoofers. This low-level inputs indepen- flooded with low
British company makes Sub-Bass dently and operate them frequencies.
Systems—a type of speaker engi- simultaneously.
neered to provide a foundation I’m not sure what I Mine Eyes Have
of bass for your main speakers to expected to hear with Seen the Glory
build upon. As such, the R-305 Telarc’s Tchaikovsky 1812 Now that we’ve
creates a perfect substructure Overture multichannel blown the bulk of
for the Vienna Acoustics system SACD, but what I got were your inheritance on

92
OPTOMA HD72 DLP PROJECTOR OVERALL RATING
Build Quality Value Features Performance Ergonomics
> Small and light- > Excellent picture for > Has HDMI and DVI > Vibrant color; bright > Limited throw ratio
weight the money connectivity display
> Backlit remote does
> Minimal light leak- > Two-year warranty > Plenty of basic and > Exceptionally sharp not have much range
age from chassis advanced adjustment image for the price
capabilities > No lens shift but
small amount of digital
> Front and rear image shift
adjustable feet

88 96 89 92 88 Although it’s not too flexible

when it comes to physical loca-
tion and setup in your theater,
it’s hard to think of a projector
General information that offers a better value for
the money in terms of picture
HD72 DLP Projector, $1,999 > Optoma, (888) 289-6786, www.optomausa.com > Dealer Locator Code OPT quality at this price.

72 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

audio gear, we have to scramble to
find a cheap TV, right? Fortunately,
video-display manufacturers are
currently relentless in their pursuit
of market share, with each one
working toward better performance
at lower prices. One of the more
aggressive companies is Optoma,
and their new HD72 DLP front
projector is a force to be reckoned
with at its $1,999 price.
The HD72 uses a single 0.65-inch
DarkChip2 DLP chip and a seven-
segment color wheel. The chip
has a 1,280-by-768 native resolu-
tion. The projector also uses TI’s
BrilliantColor technology. More
importantly, I found it to have
remarkably bright, vivid colors
with an exceptionally sharp picture
that was much more than I
expected with such a relatively
inexpensive projector. Fan noise
was about average, but, when the
HD72’s Image AI circuit is engaged,
the fan speeds up or slows down,
depending on how bright the bulb
is at that moment. If you’re sitting
close to the projector, this can
become a little distracting. The
HD72 isn’t quite as flexible in
terms of room-placement options
as some projectors, but, in my
room, the physics worked perfectly
with an 80-inch Stewart screen.
High-definition sources looked
beautiful, and I was also pleasantly
surprised to see how good plain
old NTSC looked. Overall, I was
quite smitten by this little power-
house of a projector.
If you’re an image-quality
fanatic, you can certainly find
better projectors—although it’s
highly doubtful you will for
$1,999. You’ll have to spend more
on a projector—skimming off the
audio budget—and then we’ll go
back to that evening-long discus-
sion we started with.
When There’s a Will…
Thanks in large part to the spectac-
ular affordability of the Optoma
HD72, you can put together a
system with a great picture and still
focus on phenomenal audio perfor-
mance. I have to say that this setup
is about as perfect as an audio-
oriented guy can get. You might
even say that it’s truly a system to
die for. Thanks, Edna.
(By the way, to put your mind
at rest, no actual Great-Aunt
Ednas were harmed during the
writing of this review.)

See and Hear the New CSA

We’ve completed our move into a new facility showcasing
the finest Home Theater and Audio equipment on two
floors! After over 30 years in the same location, we now have
plenty of beautiful space for you to check out the latest Flat
Screen displays, top of the line components and world-
class speakers. To learn about our Custom Installation
services, come in to discuss your Home Theater or Multi-
Room Audio dream. Discover a new level of service, the
best brands and an attentive, knowledgeable staff that
loves music (and movies!) as much as you do.

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from the
test bench
Revel Performa F52 Speaker System
BY ROGER MAYCOCK
When the assignment came in
to review Revel’s Performa system,
I was more than just a little bit
excited. After all, spending time
with a Performa F52, C52, S30,
^
Roger Maycock wires M22, and B15A setup is akin to
the 7.1-channel Performa
F52 speaker system.
driving a Mercedes-Benz CL600
coupe with every conceivable
option when you’re accustomed to
commuting in a Honda Accord.
There’s nice, and then there’s, “Give
me the keys, and get out of the
way!” Yes, this would be fun.
74 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
HIGH PERFORMANCE $$$—$$$$
Sonic revelation.
Revel enjoys a stellar maple veneer, with black rear
reputation in the panels and black, fine-mesh cloth
audiophile community. grilles in front—creating a very
People recognize their sleek look designed to blend
products as tools for the nicely into a variety of living
discriminating audio spaces. The B15A subwoofer
enthusiast, and, with shared a similar aesthetic, and the
the support of parent S30 surround speakers were fin-
company Har man ished in black. The S30 is available
International, Revel only in black or white, with
enjoys the financial sup- matching grilles. All of the other
port required to remain models are available in black ash,
on the cutting edge. Of natural cherry, or maple.
particular note, Revel is
one of just a few select A Closer Look
companies with mem- The F52 is a five-driver, three-way
bership in the far more design that includes three 6.5-inch
elite Harman Specialty woofers that utilize the company’s
Group. Make no mis- proprietary Organic Ceramic
take: Revel is a cream- Composite (OCC) cone technol-
of-the-crop brand. ogy for rigidity and low weight.
Cordero Studios
These are coupled with a 5.25-inch
Initial Impressions OCC cone midrange driver housed
For this evaluation, I in its own subenclosure within the
configured a 7.1 system F52 tower. A proprietary 1-inch
with the C52 center- aluminum dome tweeter, housed
channel speaker, flanked on the left in what the company calls the
and right by the F52 tower speak- Constant Acoustic Impedance wave-
ers. Positioned on the left and guide, reproduces high-frequency
right sides were a pair of
S30s, while the M22
loudspeakers served as the
left and right rear chan-
nels. I also placed a B15A
subwoofer along a side
wall on the floor.
The Revel Performa
F52 system makes quite a
statement in terms of
visual impact. The F52,
C52, and M22 enclosures
were finished in a lustrous
content. The enclosure is ported at
the rear. There are two sets of
gold-plated binding posts mated
with shorting straps to facilitate
single-wire, biwire, and biamped
connections. There are also provi-
sions for adjusting low-frequency
compensation (Normal, Contour,
and Boundary) and tweeter level
(–1, –0.5, 0, 0.5, and 1 decibel).
Floor spikes are included.
The C52 center-channel speaker
is equally comprehensive. It has
dual 8-inch OCC cone woofers, a
5.25-inch OCC midrange driver,
and a 1-inch aluminum dome
tweeter housed in a Constant
Acoustic Impedance waveguide.
The rear input panel is essentially
a duplicate of the F52’s but differs
in the inclusion of a placement-
compensation switch, which offers
flush-mount, stand-mount, and
on-top-of-monitor settings.
Designed for wall-mount instal-
lation, the S30 enclosure features
a high-output 6.5-inch woofer and
a 1-inch metal dome tweeter on
its largest panel. There are also
two 4-inch full-range drivers on
the enclosure’s side panels. You
can configure these enclosures
for either dipole or monopole
operation. I selected dipole, as I
find this setting works best for
most program material in many
listening environments.
While I was using the M22s for
rear surrounds, these enclosures can
certainly function as front speakers
in a somewhat more modest setup.
The driver compliment uses a two-
way design that includes a 6.5-inch
cast-frame OCC cone woofer
mated with a 1-inch titanium dome
tweeter. There’s a single pair of gold-
plated binding posts, complimented
by a placement-compensation
control (flush or stand mount) and
tweeter-level control.
AT A GLANCE REVEL PERFORMA F52 SPEAKER SYSTEM
> Subwoofer: B15A
Connections: Left and right balanced and unbal-
anced line-level inputs and outputs
Enclosure Type: Sealed
Woofer (size in inches, type): 15, metal cone
Power Rating (watts): 1,000
Crossover Bypass: Yes
Available Finishes: Natural Cherry, Black Ash, Maple
These listings are based on the Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 20.06 x 17.75 x 18.31
manufacturer’s stated specs; the HT
Labs box below indicates the gear’s Weight ( pounds): 110
performance on our test bench. Price: $3,295
SPEAKER: F52 C52 S30 M22
Type: Three-way, tower Three-way, center Two-way, monitor Two-way, monitor
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 1, aluminum dome 1, aluminum dome 1, aluminum dome 1, titanium dome
Midrange (size in inches, type):5.25, composite 5.25, composite
cone cone
Woofer (size in inches, type): 6.5, composite 8, composite 6.5, poly cone 6.5, composite
cone (3) cone (2) cone (2)
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 6.5 6 6 6.4
Recommended Amp Power (watts): 50–350 50–350 50–120 50–150
Available Finishes: Natural Cherry, Natural Cherry, Black or White Natural Cherry,
Black Ash, Maple Black Ash, Maple Black Ash, Maple
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 44 x 9.5 x 17.5 10.8 x 24.6 x 10.5 12.5 x 14.1 x 8.3 14.5 x 8.6 x 11.8
Weight ( pounds): 88 40.75 18 24
Price: $6,498/pair $2,499 $2,295/pair $2,200/pair
HT Labs Measures: Revel Performa F52 Speaker System
grilles at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input
and were scaled for display purposes.
The F52’s listening-window response (a five-point
average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and verti-
cal responses) measures +1.44/–2.37 decibels from
200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 41 Hz,
and the –6-dB point is at 25 Hz. Impedance reaches a
minimum of 4.10 ohms at 2.2 kHz and a phase angle
of –40.85 degrees at 208 Hz.
The C52’s listening-window response measures
+1.53/–2.03 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of
axial and +/–15-degree horizontal responses measures
+1.68/–1.68 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point
is at 67 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 56 Hz. Impedance
> L/R Sensitivity: reaches a minimum of 3.44 ohms at 351 Hz and a
87.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz phase angle of –19.23 degrees at 48 Hz.
> Center Sensitivity: The M22’s listening-window response measures
89.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz +1.25/–2.42 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point
is at 44 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 39 Hz. Imped-
> Monopole Surround Sensitivity: ance reaches a minimum of 5.23 ohms at 177 Hz and a
85.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz phase angle of –71.17 degrees at 80 Hz.
The S30’s three-face averaged response in dipole
> Dipole Surround Sensitivity: mode measures +1.29/–5.30 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz.
86 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz The –3-dB point is at 81 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at
69 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 3.89 ohms at
This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing 186 Hz and a phase angle of –48.87 degrees at 96 Hz.
close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the The B15A’s close-miked response, normalized to the
F52 L/R (purple trace), B15A subwoofer (blue trace), level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB point is at
C52 center channel (green trace), M22 monopole sur- 20 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 18 Hz. The upper –3-dB
round (red trace), and S30 dipole surround (brown point is at 270 Hz with the filter switch set to out and
trace). All passive loudspeakers were measured with the contour switch set to Music.—MJP
from the test bench REVEL PERFORMA F52 SPEAKER SYSTEM

The Performa line’s B15A sub-
woofer is, without a doubt, one of
the most highly configurable sub-
woofers available. The system pro-
vides comprehensive control over
equalization (frequency, bandwidth,
and level) with EQ in/out, plus
high- and low-pass contour control
with master in/out. There are set-
tings for automatic-on/standby
operation, as well as external
trigger operation, whereby the
subwoofer will switch between
film and music contour-response
settings—dependent upon whether
it detects a steady 12-volt DC volt-
age (from elsewhere in the system).
Furthermore, the B15A ships
with an LFO test-signal CD to aid
in the setup process.
Performance
For my evaluation, source playback
equipment included an Onkyo
DV-SP800 SACD/DVD/DVD-
Audio player, Parasound’s Halo C2
controller, and Sunfire’s Cinema 7
amplifier. Kimber Kables fed the
front and center-channel speakers,
while Monster Cables fed the S30s
and B15A subwoofer. XLO Electric
cable provided signal to the M22s.
[
I auditioned my classical-music
selections strictly in stereo—
without the subwoofer. The first
movement (Allegro) of Beethoven’s
Concerto No. 5 in E Flat, Opus 73
(Emperor) was delightful. I was
particularly impressed by the
F52’s ability to handle vast
dynamic changes. From pianis-
simo through fortissimo, the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra’s perfor-
mance was vibrant and highly
detailed, and the subtlest nuances
of the piano were evident.
Similarly, the first movement
(Allegro non troppo) of Lalo’s
Symphonie espagnole, Opus 21, was
inspiring. The solo violin exhibited
a presence that is rare in all but the
best-performing systems. The
system presented the subtleties of
Jascha Heifetz’s bowing technique
with aplomb. Pizzicato string pas-
sages sparkled—with just the right
amount of bite to the pluck.
On both pieces, stereo imaging
was highly detailed and exhibited an
almost three-dimensional quality—
enabling me to identify placement
of various instruments quite easily.
Center imaging was particularly
impressive. On both the piano
HIGHLIGHTS
 Great imaging, with superb ability
to handle wide dynamic contrast
 B15a subwoofer is highly config-
urable and exhibits extended, con-
trolled bass response
checking to make sure I had not
accidentally engaged the center-
channel speaker.
Switching my configuration to a
2.1 setup for R&B, I listened to a
number of tracks from Stevie
Wonder’s A Time to Love and Anita
Baker’s My Everything. The B15A
subwoofer delivers what I consider
to be an incredibly articulate, nat-
ural bass response right down to
the lowest depths. This subwoofer
is a terrific compliment to the
F52s. Together, the system deliv-
ered vocal tracks that were big and
highly intelligible, and the low-
mid background vocoder tracks on
Wonder’s “Positivity” rang clear as
a bell. Similarly, Baker’s lush, soul-
ful style came through as if she
were right there in the room.
Simply put, this loudspeaker com-

95
The system was calibrated at 75 dB concerto and the Heifetz violin per- bination gave new meaning to the
with a C weighting. formance, I twice found myself term “smooth jazz.”

REVEL PERFORMA F52 SPEAKER SYSTEM OVERALL RATING

Build Quality Value Features Performance Ergonomics
> Excellent build qual- > The Performa Series > Dual sets of gold- > Smooth, enticing > All enclosures have a
ity with lustrous maple, represents a consider- plated binding posts performance throughout solid, hefty feel to them
cherry, or black-ash able monetary commit- with support for multiple entire frequency range
veneer finish ment, but you certainly wiring configurations on > B15A sub is highly
get what you pay for F52 and C52 > Natural-sounding, configurable and ships
> Black front and back extended bass response with LFO test-signal CD
contrasts beautifully > This system requires > Balanced (XLR) and for proper setup
with veneer wood an equally capable power unbalanced connections > Has great imaging The Revel Performa F52 speaker
amplifier to achieve opti- on the B15A subwoofer capability system benefits from first-rate

96 90 96 98 94
mum results components and painstaking
attention to detail in their con-
struction, providing a wealth of
configuration options for maxi-
mizing system performance.
General information While you can certainly spend
F52 Loudpeaker, $6,498/pair;C52 Center-Channel Speaker, $2,499; S30 Surround Speaker, $2,295/pair more for a system, the socin dif-
M22 Surround Speaker, $2,200/pair; B15A Subwoofer, $3,295 ference would most likely be
Revel, ( 781) 280-0300, www.revelspeakers.com > Dealer Locator Code REV marginal, if apparent at all.

76 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

 For my surround music
evaluation, I listened to
a n SACD sampler of
f i l m c o m p o s e r Je r r y
Goldsmith’s Movie Medleys.
While my system was con-
figured for 7.1 surround,
this is a 5.1 disc—so the
side (S30) and rear sur-
round (M22) loudspeakers
received the same signals.
During all of the selections,
the entire frequency range
was evenly represented—
with crystal-clear defini-
tion at the high end, a full
midrange presence, and
low-frequency response
you could easily feel. The
Performas handled sweep-
ing orchestrations from
side to side and front to
rear beautifully. By the
time I concluded with “The
Generals,” I was ready to
stand up and salute.
My surround movie
experience was equally
e x c i t i n g. I a u d i t i o n e d
selected scenes from The
Incredibles—also in 5.1.
This was where the C52
center-channel speaker,
along with the S30 and
M22 loudspeakers, really
shined. The C52 did a
wonderful job with dia-
logue and exhibited a real
theater-type presence.
Meanwhile, the S30 and
M22 side and rear sur-
rounds did wonders with
the ambient effects. I heard
echoes from seemingly
everywhere, while nature
sounds abounded. During
the film’s “Missile Lock”
scene, filter sweeps danced
throughout the entire
soundfield with dizzying
speed; and, when bombs
exploded, the B15A sub-
woofer shook the room
with conviction.
Final Thoughts
I’ve gushed about sound
quality throughout this
entire review, and, quite
f r a n k ly, t h i s s y s t e m
deserves every bit of
praise. Like that CL600
coupe, however, perfor-
mance has its price, and,
with an MSRP of $17,583,
this Performa setup is
clearly not for the
economically challenged.
Aside from the price,
there is an additional issue
to consider.
These are demanding
loudspeakers that require
an equally capable power
amplifier to do the system
justice. When I backed
down on the master level,
I felt as though the system
really wanted more juice.
Thankfully, the Sunfire
Cinema 7 had the muscle
to handle this—although I
could have probably bene-
fited from more power. If
in doubt, it’s always best to
h ave m o re p owe r a s
opposed to not enough.
My recommendation:
Don’t cut corners on your
choice of amplifier.
With dramatic visual
appeal, beautiful work-
manship, and performance
that offers a rich, natural
sonic presentation with
superb dynamic contrast
and imaging, the Revel
Performa F52 system deliv-
ers the goods. I say, if
you’ve got it, flaunt it!
from the
test bench
Mirage Omnisat v2 Speaker System
Sometimes it’s better to be indirect.
BY MARK FLEISCHMANN
Mirage has been, ahem,
reflecting on the influence of room
acoustics for nearly two decades.
In the process, this distinguished
Canadian speaker maker has birthed
some unorthodox designs. The
common thread running through
all of them is a determination to
78 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
MIDRANGE $$–$$$
make room reflections work for
loudspeakers rather than against
them. That determination bears
fruit in the second-generation
Omnisat series.
Reflections can help or harm
musical perception. A bad room
(or bad speaker positioning) can
cripple good equipment. However,
the absolute elimination of all
reflected sound seems shockingly
unnatural. Just ask anyone who has
ever set foot in an anechoic cham-
ber—speaker designers value these
nonechoing test chambers because
they divorce room acoustics from
measurements, but they’re terrible
places for listening to music.
Divorcing room acoustics from
music would be a mistake, as the
room is an integral part of instru-
mental sound. A violin needs the
reverb of a good concert hall to
soften its stridency. Even an acoustic
guitar strummed in a bedroom is
enriched by tiny reverberations,
although they’re so short that you
perceive them as part of the instru-
ment’s tone. Home theater buffs in
concrete-floored spaces have been
known to construct raised wooden
Cordero Studios
floors to enliven bass—as we did
in our listening studio. The laws
of acoustics rule an audiophile’s
life, and our understanding of
them is still evolving.
Most speakers deliver a high ratio
of direct sound versus reflected
sound. Mirage’s contention is
that real-life concert halls deliver
70 percent reflected sound and
30 percent direct sound—and that
speakers should do the same.
Although it isn’t a wholly original
idea, it’s definitely the path less
often traveled, and the Omnisat v2
system put my listening room to
work in a most unusual way.
New Players, New Shapes
The original Omnisat model was
a compact satellite speaker that
served all channels except for
the sub. However, the second AT A GLANCE MIRAGE OMNISAT V2 SPEAKER SYSTEM
generation adds a horizontal > SUBWOOFER: OMNI-S12
center and a tall, slender tower Connections: Speaker- and line-level inputs
model to the line. The satellite Enclosure Type: Vented, two down-firing ports
Woofer (size in inches, type): 12, poly-titanium-deposit-hybrid cone
has taken on a slightly different Power Rating (watts): 300 FTC
and more attractive rounded- Crossover Bypass: Yes
triangular shape. And each model Available Finishes: Black
has moved from plastic enclo- Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 19.2 x 15.7 x 19.4
Weight ( pounds): 51
sures to classier extruded and Price: $800
brushed aluminum, available in a These listings are based on the manufacturer’s stated specs; the HT Labs box below
indicates the gear’s performance on our test bench.
light or dark finish.
You’ve never seen speakers like SPEAKER: OMNISAT V2 FS OMNISAT V2 CC OMNISAT V2
Type: Two-way, tower Two-way, center Two-way, satellite
this. Pop off the magnetically Tweeter (size in inches, type): 1, pure titanium- 1, pure titanium- 1, pure titanium-
attached grille, and you’ll find a hybrid dome hybrid dome hybrid dome
4.5-inch woofer at the top inclined Midrange (size in inches, type): 4.5, poly-titanium-deposit- 3, poly-titanium-deposit- None
forward at a 25-degree angle. hybrid cone (quasi midrange) hybrid cone
Woofer (size in inches, type): 4.5, poly-titanium-deposit- 4.5, poly-titanium-deposit- 4.5, poly-titanium-
Hovering over it is a flying-saucer- hybrid cone (6) hybrid cone (2) deposit-hybrid cone (1)
like Omniguide, which has a Nominal Impedance (ohms): 8 8 8
rounded teacup bottom that dis- Recommended Amp Power (watts): 10—175 10—175 10—150
perses the woofer’s output mostly Available Finishes: Brushed Aluminum Brushed Aluminum Black, Platinum-Black,
(Black or Silver) (Black or Silver) Silver, White
to the front and sides. Atop the Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 45 x 5.5 x 5.9 5.2 x 17.8 x 4.6 8.1 x 5.5 x 5.9
teacup is the tweeter. Above that Weight ( pounds): 21.75 5.4 4.8
is—appropriately enough—a Price: $500 $400 $250
teaspoon-shaped structure that dis-
perses high frequencies equally in HT Labs Measures: Mirage Omnisat v2 Speaker System
all directions. Mirage describes the loudspeaker to that of a conventional monopole loud-
dB spl < Magnitude > Sound Pressure Level < Phase >

tweeter as a pure titanium hybrid. 95

speaker is tricky at best. Due to the inherently differ-
It is a titanium dome with a cloth 90 ent radiation pattern of these loudspeakers, we can
expect that the listening-window response will appear
surround. The “polypropylene- 85

to droop in the higher frequencies, pulling the sensi-

titanium-deposit-hybrid” woofer
consists of polypropylene sprayed
with a titanium vapor.
I reviewed the Omnisats with my
5.1-channel reference system,
which features a Rotel RSX-1065
surround receiver (100 watts per
channel, the five-channel equiva-
lent of the more current seven-
channel RSX-1067). New to my
system is the Integra DPS-10.5, a
2004-vintage universal disc player
that’s built like a tank. I also used
Monster 1.4S and 1.2S speaker
cables, with BetterCables.com
Silver Serpent digital and analog
interconnects. An LG LCD front
projector with Tributaries HDMI
and component video cables
rounded out the system.
80
tivity rating down with it.)
75 The Omnisat v2 FS’s listening-window response (a
five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal
70
and vertical responses) measures +3.52/–6.21 deci-
65 bels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is
60
at 58 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 54 Hz. Impedance
C
reaches a minimum of 4.68 ohms at 403 Hz and a
55
20 Frequency 100 500 1k Hz 5k 10k 20k phase angle of –45.86 degrees at 129 Hz.
The Omnisat v2 CC’s listening-window response
> L/R Sensitivity:
83 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz
measures +1.75/–10.38 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An
average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal responses
> Center Sensitivity: measures +1.74/–10.92 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The
83 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz –3-dB point is at 111 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 90 Hz.
Impedance reaches a minimum of 3.96 ohms at 1.8 kHz
> Surround Sensitivity:
and a phase angle of –71.51 degrees at 120 Hz.
82.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz
The Omnisat v2’s listening-window response mea-
This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing sures +1.71/–8.05 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB
close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of point is at 114 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 97 Hz. Imped-
the Omnisat v2 FS L/R (purple trace), OMNI-S12 sub- ance reaches a minimum of 11.07 ohms at 257 Hz and a
woofer ( blue trace), Omnisat v2 CC center channel phase angle of –47.68 degrees at 137 Hz.
(green trace), and Omnisat v2 surround (red trace). All The OMNI-S12’s close-miked response, normalized
passive loudspeakers were measured with grilles at a to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB
distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input and scaled point is at 24 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 22 Hz. The
for display purposes. (Please note that comparing the upper –3-dB point is at 109 Hz with the filter switch
measured response and sensitivity of any multipole set to off.—MJP
from the test bench NUVISION
MIRAGE NVX32HDU
OMNISAT LCD HD MONITR
V2 SPEAKER SYSTEM
For the first time ever, at least in
a formal review, I also installed a
spare pair of the smaller satellites
in the multimedia system on my
desk, which consists of an old Onix
OA-21s integrated stereo amp
with 50 watts per channel and a
Rotel RCD-965BX special-edition
CD player—they’re both worth
collecting, even if you have to
Google them. My desktop system
also includes a 10-month-old IBM
ThinkCentre and a brand-new iPod
nano. I used 12-gauge zip cord and
generic interconnects (shock!).
Don’t even get me started on the
turntables in each system.
The desktop system allowed me
to hear how the Omnisats would
interact with the wall. Like every
speaker I’ve ever used on my desk,
they sounded clearer at the edge
(2.5 feet from the wall) than they
did when flanking my monitor (a
little more than 1 foot from the
wall). The superior positioning
wasn’t possible during the day, but
it did get me through a couple of
pleasurable evenings. Low-level
resolution was better with the
grilles off—the Omnisats’ bubble-
like grilles are a thick plate of honey-
combed plastic covered with fabric
and are not quite acoustically trans-
parent. Keeping the grilles on
allowed higher volume levels with-
out fatigue, though.
Even close to the wall, where
most speakers turn to mud, the
MIRAGE OMNISAT V2 SPEAKER SYSTEM
Build Quality Value Features
> New brushed- > Original thinking and > The dispersion
aluminum enclosures high-quality materials devices send sound
improve over original count for something in all directions
Omnisat
> If you want broader > Sub has front-panel
> Drivers are made room coverage, these controls and crossover
of unusual titanium speakers are worth the bypass
composites price
96 94 95
General information
Omnisat v2 FS Loudspeaker, $500; Omnisat v2 CC Center-Channel Speaker, $400; Omnisat v2 Surround Speaker, $250
OMNI-S12 Subwoofer, $800 > Mirage Loudspeakers, (416) 321-1800, www.miragespeakers.com > Dealer Locator Code MRG
satellites were highly intelligible.
[
Although they were never more
than 3 feet apart on the desk—and
I did much of my listening on the
opposite end of the room—they
tossed out a soundstage that was
well proportioned and, to borrow
a visual metaphor, brightly lit.
Directional information was plen-
tiful whether I sat, stood, or
walked around the room. In fact,
it was in generous supply even
when I lay down on the floor (not
something I resort to often during
a speaker review). The only way
to really inhibit the speakers was
to step behind the five-drawer
filing cabinet to the left of the
desk—basically obstructing them
with a large object.
Big Speaker, Little Speaker
Beautiful glass stands support the
45-inch-tall towers. Added to the
top-mounted 1-inch tweeter and
4.5-inch “quasi midrange” woofer
are six more matching drivers on
the front. Two function as normal
woofers, and the other four are
passive radiators. Evidently, Mirage
wants to get as much oomph as
possible out of the Omnisat v2 FS’s
slim, graceful enclosure.
The freestanding speakers were
more sensitive to changes in
height—mine, not theirs. All those
extra woofers made a difference as
I did slow-motion squat-thrusts in
front of the speakers (my legs are in
Performance Ergonomics
> A refreshing antidote > Aluminum enclosures
to the beamy quality of make for a great visual
conventional speakers impression
> I recommend > Towers have glass
matched sats for best bases
results
> With grilles off, they
look stunning
93 96
HIGHLIGHTS
 The top-mounted drivers
increase ratio of reflected
versus direct sound
 They turn the sweet spot into a
sweet room
 And they’re just adorable
great shape now).As I moved lower,
the two men in a six-voice chorus
became noticeably more prominent.
The towers, directly at ear level,
were easier to localize than the
satellites, which sat several inches
below ear level. I was more con-
scious of where the big guys were
in relation to me, whereas the little
guys on my desk just seemed to
disappear into the woodwork. In
retrospect, my long-wall speaker
placement probably had me sitting
too close—about 7 feet away—
to allow the front-mounted
woofers to integrate fully with the
top-mounted drivers.
After I carried the disc with the
choral test track back and forth
between the desktop stereo and
reference surround systems, I con-
cluded that the satellites sitting on
my desk had the advantage in con-
sistency. Eventually, I moved the
94
satellites from the desktop system
into the front left/right positions
OVERALL RATING
Wow! With the second generation
of their unique Omnisat, Mirage
improves aesthetics and broadens
form factor appeal without losing
sight of their key design goal—
broad dispersion that makes every
seat in the house a good one.
These speakers would serve
extremely well in both family
rooms and designer showcases.
of the surround system and kept
going. Incidentally, I have a pro-
nounced bias toward the use of
identical satellites in a surround
system, so perhaps I merely
remained true to form.
A supplied right-angled bracket
adapts the satellites for easy wall
mounting. Mirage recommends
that mounting follow the “6-foot
rule.” If the Omniguide housing
holding the tweeter and main
woofer goes above 6 feet, mount
the speakers facing downward.
Below 6 feet, keep them facing up.
Never one to poke holes in walls, I
just plopped them onto 21-inch
stands. That left the top-mounted
drivers about 5 or 6 inches below
the level of my ears.
From the Soundstage to
the Soundfield
Up to this point, I’d been listening
solely in stereo—which is notewor-
thy in itself. Many speakers sold
today flunk the two-channel test,
but the Omnisats were relatively
immune to the dreaded hole-in-
the-middle effect. The soundstage
didn’t collapse when the center and
surrounds shut down. In Dolby Pro
Logic II’s music mode, the Omnisat
v2 CC gave voices a different feel,
presumably due to its unique (in
this system) 3-inch midrange driver
and associated crossover.
My favorite surround music
recording is the multichannel
SACD of Gary Burton’s Like Minds.
Burton’s vibes have the place of
honor in the center of the sound-
field, with the rhythm section
behind him, Chick Corea’s piano
suspended between left front and
surround, and Pat Metheny’s guitar
between right front and surround.
The Omnisats were directionally
specific enough to place each player
where he belonged (especially after
www.hometheatermag.com > Home Theater / May 2006
I fine-tuned the channel levels).
At the same time, the speakers’
dominant reflectivity achieved a
beautiful blend of the instruments.
Some speakers soften the album’s
vibes, blurring its sensuous bloom,
but, with the Mirages, each instru-
ment was subtly outlined and
delicately shaded, like bubbles
blown by a child.
The graphic-novel-inspired Sin
City includes several film-noir-like
scenes with rainfall—always a beau-
tifully subtle way to use the sound-
field.A car that whooshed from the
center-channel speaker to the right
surround perfectly complemented
the onscreen action. Dialogue was
not just clear but frighteningly
profound—the center’s midrange
driver really came into its own with
the movie’s ominous narration.
The OMNI-S12 subwoofer’s
12-inch driver delivered the
movie’s biff-bam-oofing and other
low-frequency effects, without
working up a sweat. The sub not
only provides a crossover-bypass
switch—allowing proper integra-
tion when using the crossover in
your receiver—but mounts it on the
front panel, along with volume, fre-
quency, and phase controls.This is a
bass tweaker’s paradise.
Mirage has done great stuff with
the Omnisat series. The speakers
look better than ever.They function
unusually well in stereo, which
should please the lonely audiophile.
But they also spread sonic data to
every seat in the house, which
should please large gatherings of
movie or sports fans.That union of
solitary and family interests will
make these slender speakers sell as
big as they sound.
* Audio editor Mark Fleischmann is
also the author of the annually updated
book Practical Home Theater
(www.quietriverpress.com).
81
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ly identify how you can relate the principles and ideas
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and lifestyle.

AUDIO VIDEO INTERIORS

TABLE OF CONTENTS / MAY 2006

84 DIY HOME
THEATER >
One reader creates an
impressive media room, EASY The Beginning
on a budget. by Dave
Curlee

86 TOTAL
ISOLATION
How one couple pulled
ADDITION
If you think that a
home theater sys-
tem will be an
overbearing addi-
I am an avid do-it-yourselfer, thanks to my father.
We did everything around our home together, from
electrical to plumbing to construction. I purchased
my first home theater receiver in college back in 1989.
It was a Kenwood with big and loud Cerwin Vega speak-
off a home theater that tion to your family
is completely indepen- room, think again.
ers. For the next several years, I pieced together this
dent from the house With the right fur-
system as best I could with what money I had.
where it resides. After I graduated from college, I got married, and
niture, you can
By Ford Gunter
make it work. my wife and I decided to build a larger home to grow
89 ASK THE our family in. One item I definitely wanted for our new
EXPERTS home was an updated, nondedicated home theater
What you need to know
system for our family that would play music and movies.
about working with an
interior designer on your My wife, Krisi, was not too sure about the idea at first.
home theater. She did not want an overbearing system. I assured her
by Nancy Klosek that it would be family functional, easy to use, and
would blend in nicely with our great room. We also
wanted a secondary system upstairs in our bonus room
and a complete home-security system. We knew if we
were to put in what we wanted, we would have to do a
lot of the work ourselves.
HOW IT WORKS FOR YOU
CORRECTIONS
We mislabelled Jon Sandberg’s photo as Phil Mulligan • Start Small. If you don’t have a budget to build a theater all
in the March 2006 Ask the Experts column. In December at once, don’t worry. You can start out small by buying one
2005 “The Balancing Act,” we mistakenly listed the or two components and building your system over the
interior designer of this project as Modern Interiors. It course of several years.
is, in fact, MCID, Inc. The gorgeous work here was • Buy Appropriate Gear. Remember, there is a wide variety of
done by the principal designer of MCID, Monica Bodell. gear available at all price points. You don’t have to go with the
Please contact her at: (310) 372-6898, www.mcidinterior-
top-of-the-line equipment for every component. Choose what
design.com, or see this month’s Ask the Experts for
details on her work. We apologize for any confusion
is important to you and then budget more for those items.
these mistakes may have caused. • Get a Good Remote. Don’t be one of “those” with three or
four remotes on your coffee table. Get a good universal
remote, and learn to use it!
84 Audio Video Interiors / May 2006 • www.audiovideointeriors.com
Getting Started
We took the blueprints and started deciding where the DVD player. I was not
the home theater system would be located and how too sure which one to pick,
we would use it. We wanted a 7.1-channel system so I consulted my sales rep,
with speakers in the dining room and kitchen for music. Jason, at my local Ovation retailer.
I also laid out the locations for the alarm system master Jason was very instrumental in
panel, keypads, and sensors. Once we’d determined piecing together my old system,
where the home theater would be located within the great and I knew I could rely on his
room, I met with the builder and added a dedicated recep- knowledge. He recommended the
tacle with a 20-amp breaker for the main theater system. Pioneer Elite DV-47Ai. He also
My wife and I both work full-time jobs, so we ran all the priced all my other equipment.
wiring on evenings and weekends. In the evenings, my Since I knew what I wanted, he
wife would hold the lights while I climbed in the rafters was able to give me very good
pulling the wire. On the weekends, my father and pricing. Our equipment was under
brother-in-law, Joe, helped to get all the wiring complete budget, which left enough for a
by our deadline. We ran the wiring for the in-ceiling Monster Power HTS3600 surge
speakers and took accurate measurements of the locations protector. When you’re spending
before we installed the drywall. That way, I would know money on high-quality equipment,
exactly where to cut the drywall in the future to it is important to protect your
install the in-ceiling speakers. I stapled all the wiring every investment with a surge protector.
6 inches and insulated behind the main theater system to I decided to use the Philips Pronto
minimize any vibrations. In order for the main system to Pro remote from our old system
blend nicely, we needed a nice cabinet. We did not find for a few months until we did our
any we liked in our local furniture stores, but we stumbled first main system upgrade and
across one online at www.furniturefind.com. added the secondary system in the
bonus room. We ordered all the equipment and let Jason PERFECT FOR TYKES
Selecting Our Equipment know when we would need it. Our home theater was A second bonus-room

After we’d pulled all the wire and orderied the cabinetry, finished within a couple of weeks of the projected date, system upstairs helps
keep the little one
we started the research to choose our equipment using and all of the equipment arrived on schedule.
entertained.
Home Theater magazine. We started with the television.
After poring over the many available models and sizes, For the rest of this story and additional images, go to
we had narrowed it down to two Mitsubishi models. We www.AudioVideoInteriors.com/readerqa/0506diy.
debated on whether to buy a 65-inch Platinum Series YOU CAN DO IT!
model or the 55-inch Diamond Series model. A Platinum My Budget Dave Curlee and his
would have been over our budget, so we decided to go Couch and Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,000 wife, Krisi, did the wiring
for the Diamond Series’ higher quality and smaller size. Entertainment Cabinet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,000 themselves after work
It is a beautiful set with a high-gloss finish. The size is per- Mitsubishi WS-55908 Diamond HDTV. . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,500
Denon AVR-5803 THX Ultra-2 A/V Receiver . . . . . . . . $4,000
and on weekends.
fect for the room—any larger would be overbearing. The Polk Audio RTi200i Front, CS400 Center, FX500i Surround, and
next equipment to decide on was the receiver and speak- RC60i Rear Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,000
MartinLogan Descent Subwoofer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,000
ers. I remember how I wanted a Denon and Polk Audio Pioneer Elite DV-47Ai DVD/SACD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,000
system back in college but could not afford it. That still Monster Power HTS3600 Surge Protector . . . . . . . . . . . $500
has not changed much, but we allocated a little more to Sony CDP-M555ES 400-Disc CD Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . $700
Monster Cables and Speaker Wiring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $550
our budget for the receiver and speakers. I wanted pow- Lutron Dimmers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $350
erful, high-quality sound, but separates were out of our Columns, Plants, Paint, and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . $500
Polk Audio Atrium Outdoor Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $450
budget, so we opted for the top-of-the-line Denon Polk Audio RC60i Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300
AVR-5803 A/V receiver and Polk Audio RTi series Niles SPS4 Speaker Selector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100
speakers with a MartinLogan Descent subwoofer. For Niles VCS2D Imp Volume Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $200
DVDO i-Scan HD Processing Scaler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,250
our music collection, we chose the Sony CDP-M555ES Escient Fireball DVDM-100 Disc Manager . . . . . . . . . . $2,250
400-disc CD changer. The last component to add was Sony DVPCX777ES DVD Changer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $950
Universal Remote Control MX-3000 Remote. . . . . . . . $1,000
TOTAL $29,600
 T OTAL ISOLATION
How one couple pulled off a home
theater that is completely independent
from the house in which it resides.
BY FORD GUNTER

W
A LONG STRANGE TRIP hen Bob and Nancy Malone broke ground on their
Bob and Nancy Malone
dream home in Lake Arrowhead, California, in 2002,
waited three long years for
they had no idea just how challenging it would be.
their theater to be com-
pleted, but, once it was
Nancy’s lifelong desire to have a home theater called for the help of
done, it was an acoustic Aaron Andrew of Audio Video Design (AVD), based in Mission Viejo,
dream come true. California, to design a home theater within, but structurally independent from, the 14,000-square-foot house. Aside
from the three-hour round trip between Mission Viejo and Lake Arrowhead, Mother Nature threw her best at them,
as well. After “the old fire” of 2003, which destroyed 350 houses in nearby Cedar Glen (and approached within feet
of the back of the Malone house before a wind shift sent the flames east), the Malones faced a tremendous flood in
December 2004, and then snow. As if that wasn’t enough, the house’s location on a mountainside presented a whole
new set of logistical problems. After all was said and done, the project took three-and-a-half years to complete.
86 Audio Video Interiors / May 2006 • www.audiovideointeriors.com
 The theater, which is structurally independent of the
rest of the house for acoustic purposes, seats eight in
DreamLounger Sport recliners by Theater Design
Associates out of Chicago. “In doing research for the
theater,” Malone said, “it came to our attention that there
were some very comfortable theater seats made in
Chicago, and we happened to be going there that year.”
Interior designer Sam Cavitt of Media Environment
Design said, “Making the eight seats fit comfortably in
the space with good sight lines and traffic patterns”
was one of the biggest challenges of the project.
The size of the room also presented problems for Aaron
Andrew and his team from Audio Video Design. “It is a
smaller room, and we went into very detailed construc-
tion,” he said. “We used materials to isolate acoustics, to
create a completely isolated shell. The whole house is not
connected to the theater by any support structure.”
“Acoustic-isolation construction maintains a very
good, low-noise environment,” Cavitt said. “A com-
bination of absorptive and reflective acoustic substrate
was used to create a balanced sound.” Cavitt’s Paradise
Photography by AG Photography
Theater, (a division of Media Environment Design),
also used a stretch-fabric track system for a clean fit
to the installation, a dark-red, motorized Austrian
shade in front of the screen for drama, and custom
millwork details for an elegant finish.
But, to Cavitt, the coolest feature is what’s above. “I
like the coffered ceiling and how we used the soffit as a
chase to house lighting in an acoustically isolated envi-
ronment,” he said. “The room is a real fine line between
function and aesthetics,” Andrew said.
One of the more challenging elements of Andrew’s
job is interfacing with everyone involved in building the
house, including architects, builders, tradesmen, crafts-
men, and designers. In this instance, however, AVD
only worked in one room. “Usually, we’re basically the
electric contractors, wiring the whole house,” he said.
“We do security, lighting, sprinkler systems, back-
ground sounds, plasmas, audio, the pool….”
For the Malone house, however, it was a collabora-
tion between Andrew, Cavitt, the construction con-
tractor, and the Malones. “The aesthetics match the
homeowners’ desires, but we didn’t compromise any
acoustics or sight lines,” Andrew said.
“The Malones communicated well what they were
after, and we were able to re-create that,” Cavitt
said. “The theater is in a traditional style, with just
a hint of Greco-Roman detail, featuring custom
wood moldings and oak to match what is going on in
the rest of the house.” Just outside the theater, a TAKE A SEAT
mock ticket window and a fully functional bar greet DreamLounger recliners by
moviegoers, and, inside, all components are taste- Theater Design Associates,
fully hidden behind the rear wall. covered in red velvet (left),
“Cavitt was just a delightful man to work with,” are inviting and comfort-
Malone said. “He instructs, and he teaches, specifically able but don’t affect sight
in the sound component of the theater.” lines. The component rack
(above) hides behind a wall.
 User-friendly components are essential when non-
GET YOUR TICKETS technophiles are responsible for operating complicated,
(AND DRINKS) integrated systems, and one wrong button push can
A ticket booth outside the
mean hours of confusion. “In a system with several dif-
theater (above) is a throw-
ferent sources—DVDs, satellite, etc.—we want to
back to classic movie
palaces, while a bar (above
make sure the clients can hit one button on the touch-
right) lets audience members panel to have the system discretely go to that com-
relax with a drink before mand,” Andrew said. “We used a Crestron control,
the show. because it allows us to give the clients a very intuitive
interface, and we can do updates remotely and make
changes without having to go on site.” In the theater,
the Crestron ST-1700C 1-Way RF color touchpanel
communicates with the Crestron CP2E control
processor with Ethernet functionality behind the wall.
In front, behind the Austrian curtain, is a 100-inch-
diagonal Stewart Filmscreen Custom ScreenWall 4-Way
ElectriMask FireHawk screen. Behind the rear wall, a
Marantz VP-12S4 HD DLP projector offers high qual-
ity at a reasonable price. “The Marantz projector only
displays 720p but has a better picture than any other
projector in its price range,” said Ty Meyer, presi-
dent of AVD. “The projector
HOW IT WORKS FOR YOU
Communicate with Your Team
If they don’t know exactly what you are looking for, the out-
come will likely be unsatisfactory. If you communicate effec-
tively with the installer and the interior designer, they can
manage your expectations to deliver an end result you will love.
Choose User-Friendly Components
For the non-techy folks out there, Aaron Andrew of Audio Video
Design advises using gear that is user friendly. Here, Andrew chose
a Crestron touchpanel that performs at the touch of a button.
88 Audio Video Interiors / May 2006 • www.audiovideointeriors.com
automatically calibrates to ISF standards, assuring the
client they will receive the best possible image.”
For their many VHS tapes, a Marantz MV8300
high-definition VHS player sits in the rack, so the
Malones can “record videos onto tape in the highest
quality available to date,” AVD’s Andrew said. The
Sony DVP-CX777ES 400-disc changer coupled with
an Escient DVDM-100 manager are more than capa-
ble of handling the Malones’ 130 DVDs.
For audio, AVD stuck with their usual prearranged
JBL Synthesis systems based on room specs. For the
Malone house, Andrew and company chose a JBL AV1
THX digital sound processor, an AVA7 seven-channel
THX amplifier, and a JBL SDEC-2500A THX digital
equalizer. Two JBL HTPS400 THX powered sub-
woofers support seven configurable flush-mount loud-
speakers: four S4As, one S4HC, and two S4VCs. “The
JBL Synthesis system allows us to create the most real-
istic listening experience possible in any size room,”
Meyer said. “The system sounds great out of the box; it
sounds incredible once the system is calibrated.”
In the end, the Malones are thrilled at the possibility
of high-quality, high-intensity viewings of Gone with the
Wind, Singin’ in the Rain, The Wizard of Oz, Calamity Jane,
and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
And the architects are happy, as well. “I’m most proud
of the fact that the Malones are delighted,” Cavitt said.
“We not only offered a good-looking room but a
good-performing room,” Andrew said.
WAIT! THERE’S MORE!
Log onto www.AudioVideoInteriors.com/interior-
ideas/0506malone to continue reading about this
family jewel.
 ASK THE EXPERTS
D ESIGNING FOR TECHNOLOGY
How designers work hand in hand with integrators for the ultimate home
theater aesthetic. BY NANCY KLOSEK
a logical and specific way,

T he tug of war between interior design and technology is a battle dating

back to the earliest days of TV. Even in the 1950s, tubes and tulle didn’t
mix easily. Fast-forward 50 years. While TV technology has evolved expo-
nentially in that time, and flat panels may have revolutionized the “look o’ the
box,” striking a balance between aesthetics and performance still isn’t easy.
it should run smoothly
and get done as it should,
in an ideal world.
JP: From the get-go, I
That’s why the relationship between custom integrators and interior design- need to know the size of
ers has become one of the more pivotal ones in the process of home theater the space. It will deter-
creation. Our forum this month belongs to three interior designers who have
made a point of learning how to work around technology—and, with the peo- mine the kind of equip-
ple who specify and install it—for the greater good of their clients. Here, ment and seating we can
Monica Bodell, principal of MCID Inc. in Manhattan Beach, California; Julie fit in these home theaters.
Porter, principal of Julie Porter Associates in Las Vegas, Nevada; and Anna Sometimes, the owner
Shay, president of Solanna Design in Newport Beach, California sound off.
thinks, “Oh, I can get
14 or 15 chairs in there.”
Q: What are some things you need to take into account Well, maybe he can get 14 or 15 stackable
when designing a home theater and working together with chairs in that are about 18 inches wide, but Anna Shay
custom integrators? the question I put to that client is, “Do you
MB: There are many people who participate in getting want to relax when you’re using your home theater?”
the job completed—the contractor, the architect, the Some of them have misconceptions about what they
designer, the A/V people. Then, subcontractors, like the can do in an 18-by-28-foot space.
tile people and the electricians, are added. I respect all AS: Seating is an area that can overlap with integrators,
the relationships, but, in essence, I work hand in hand since both the interior designer and the integrator can
sell the products. You want to make sure that the seat-
ing they sell, if it’s from them, works with the room’s
aesthetics. But, regardless of who sells it, it absolutely
must work in terms of the spatial relationships within a
room and also in terms of a client’s comfort. And you
need to discuss it openly at the beginning of the project.
Also, knowing what the acoustic considerations are
is important. It’s very important for designers to learn
something of the basics of the science of
Photo by Dani Brubaker

acoustics, or integrators will get frustrated

Monica Bodell
with the architect on the vision, the theme. He does the
drawings, and I spec the materials. I might suggest, say,
“Let’s do red velvet, or a French art-deco scene.” The
technical person handles things that are quite separate
from the aesthetic—because the technical aspects in a
movie theater, as you know, are hidden. That’s where
custom integrators do their magic. They’re the ones who
give us all the parameters for the theater, and then we do
our end of it. If all the people involved are overseen in
with a gorgeous room that doesn’t “perform,”
no matter how much they tweak the gear.
Q: How do you work with things that offer little
leeway in placement, such as loudspeakers or the TV?
JP: One can always find a way to incorpo-
rate technology. I understand the necessity
of the placement of speakers in a room for
optimal sound in a system. These people
have spent a lot of money on their systems,
so the installer wants to put the sound where
it needs to be. But I can always camouflage
them in some way or another.
Julie Porter
ASK THE EXPERTS
Q: Is it easier to work with an integrator on a dedicated home
theater room, or a room that’s used for multiple purposes?
MB: Most people don’t have the luxury of space, so
it usually has to be shared with something—a rec
room, a guest room, a home office. A/V people are
very technical and are looking to create a situation
where absolutely nothing can interfere with sound.
[Being a purist is] a wonderful thing, but I remind
people that the average person is not George Lucas.

Screen image courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Most people, soundwise, don’t pick up that extra 10 or
15 percent of “ooh-la-la.” If you’re in the movie busi-
ness, it is going to be important to you, but that’s not
the majority of the population.
AS: Lots of the rooms that I do are multipurpose.
For an L.A. producer, I did a screening room that was
also his living room—there is no sign whatsoever of
speakers. You just push a button, and down comes
Interior design by
Monica Bodell AS: There are some fabulous speakers out there now, the screen, all of the windows are covered, and the
and it’s kind of a trend, I find, to make them seen, if movie starts playing. When we have a dedicated room
they’re well designed. I just did a family room for a and know from the ground up what it will be, there’s
young couple who want all the equipment shown. lots more we can do to maximize its acoustic perfor-
They wanted cabinets as a backdrop against this gor- mance. We can place it underground. In that case,
geous equipment in shocking lipstick red—against the acoustics can be amazing, and you have lots more
dark woods. It’s a very minimal look. And what’s control over sound and light. We can isolate that type
interesting is that the room is not a dedicated home of room much more easily.
theater—it’s a multipurpose room.
MB: Usually, speakers are in the walls and are ideally For the rest of Ask the Experts, go to www.AudioVideo-
hidden by upholstery. With new construction, it’s easier Interiors.com/askthexperts/0506ask.
to anticipate space. With pre-
existing construction, you have to “Hid-eo”: The Art of Hiding Video
go in after the fact and say, “Now, Following are some quick takes from Bodell, Porter, and Shay on how they cam-
we’ve got this space—what are ouflage sets and projectors when they’re turned off:
we working with?” Those jobs Anna Shay: Hiding TVs? It’s the battle of the sexes there. Men don’t care.
require a lot more thought, They don’t mind the big screen. Lots of times, people just frame them with a
beautiful frame or hide them with something like an oil painting that rolls
because you don’t necessarily right in front of the TV when it’s not in use. Also, if there’s enough space to
know what’s behind the walls. do it, some companies make mechanisms allowing an actual framed painting
With older construction, the ideal to slide over and in front of a TV. And then there’s always the drop-down
wall for the screen may not be screen and the drop-down projector that can conceal those two elements.
Those are good for multipurpose rooms.
where the most accessible electri- Monica Bodell: Sometimes, the more you try to hide things, the more obvi-
cal outlets might be. Vents for ous it becomes. My experience is not to try to hide the TV—to let it be what it is.
kitchen hoods, for bathrooms, for And, because they’re so good looking and so streamlined nowadays, you should
air conditioning, and even for the just leave them as they are. But, if you have a living-room situation and have
the space to do remote panel coverage [where the panels flank the TV and
plumbing create challenges. You close over it], that works well—or coverage with a beautiful piece of art, if the
may have to lose 3 feet to create client is a collector, is a wonderful way to go, too.
another wall, because you have to Julie Porter: I have a cabinetmaker I work with who does custom cabinetry
put the equipment somewhere— for any electronics brought in. You can always inset a projection screen in crown
molding with some art lights on it. I actually have done designs where we’ve
ideally, behind the screen. But if hidden the projector in a coffee table on the floor and had it project out of the
you don’t have the space, you have front—making the coffee table dual purpose.
to create the area.
90 Audio Video Interiors / May 2006 • www.audiovideointeriors.com
from the
test bench MIDRANGE
Westinghouse LVM-42w2 LCD
HD Monitor A true HD monitor.
BY ADRIENNE MAXWELL
Some of you may think that I
call the LVM-42w2 a “true HD
monitor” because I’ve finally acqui-
esced to the HDTV conspiracy
theorists who insist that only
1,920-by-1,080 displays like this
one should be labeled HDTVs.
Don’t worry—I plan to support
1080i and 720p a bit longer.
No, I’ve used the description
“true HD monitor” for two rea-
sons. For one, the LVM-42w2 is
indeed a monitor, not a television.
This LCD has neither an ATSC nor
$$–$$$
an NTSC tuner, so don’t bother
looking for an RF connection or
onscreen program guide.They are
of no use here. It also lacks a
CableCARD slot or any bonus
connections, such as a card reader
or USB port. At least the monitor
has built-in speakers and a sub-
woofer, discreetly hidden within
the small frame, and they’re capa-
ble of surprisingly robust audio.
Secondly, this monitor isn’t
meant to ease you into the HDTV
era the way some TVs do. It was
built for HDTV, and its input panel
reflects that.The LVM-42w2 has a
www.hometheatermag.com > Home Theater / May 2006
mere two entry-level video inputs
(one composite, one S-video), but
it’s loaded with HD-capable inputs:
one HDMI, two DVI, two compo-
nent video, and one VGA.
The remote control has pseudo-
dedicated buttons for the various
inputs. By that, I mean it has dedi-
cated buttons for VGA, S-video,
and composite, plus one to toggle
through HDMI and DVI and
another to toggle through compo-
nent video. It also has up/down
buttons to scroll through the
sources and an input button to
move through them sequentially.
I’d say that pretty much covers the
input-selection process. There are
only two screen sizes (standard and
Cordero Studios
fill) to choose from and no auto-
matic aspect-ratio detection.
Where It Counts
Obviously,Westinghouse chose to
make the above sacrifices in order
to offer this 42-inch 1080p LCD
for the low price of $2,799. Just
be glad they chose to sacrifice
peripheral features and not the
necessary staples to produce a
higher-quality image, like an
adjustable backlight and 3:2-
pulldown detection. Although the
display’s internal processor didn’t
pick up the 3:2 film sequence
on Video Essentials, it did pick it
up on the Silicon Optix HQV
Benchmark test disc and did an
excellent job with my demo
91
from the test bench WESTINGHOUSE LVM-42W2
NUVISION NVX32HDU LCD
LCD HD HD MONITOR
MONITOR

scenes from Gladiator and The on the test discs but looked more One feature that’s surprisingly
Bourne Identity. Likewise, it did a than respectable with real-world absent from the first crop of 1080p
poor job with video-based signals video-based signals. displays is the ability to actually
accept a 1080p source. Many can
AT A GLANCE WESTINGHOUSE LVM-42W2 LCD HD MONITOR only accept 1080i and 720p and then
> CONNECTIONS upconvert them to 1080p.That’s not
Inputs: the case with the LVM-42w2,
Video: HDMI (1), DVI (2), VGA (1), component video (2), which can supposedly accept 1080p
S-video (1), composite video (1) through all of its HD-capable inputs.
Audio: Stereo analog (6), minijack (1)
Outputs:
To test this, I fed a 1080p signal
Video: None from the NeuNeo HVD2085 DVD
Audio: Stereo analog (1) player to the monitor’s component,
Additional: None DVI, and HDMI inputs. The pic-
ture looked great with DVI and
> FEATURES
Type: LCD component; however, with HDMI,
Screen Size (diagonal): 42 inches I saw noticeable picture errors
Native Resolution / Aspect Ratio: 1,920 x 1,080 / 16:9 (blue, Matrix-like lines) in dark
Lamp Life: 60,000
colors.We also tested the monitor’s
Wall Mount or Stand Included?: Stand
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 28.3 x 41.3 x 8.9 digital inputs with our reference
Weight ( pounds): 57.3 HTPC.Again, the DVI signal looked
Price: $2,799 great, but we did not get an image
through HDMI.Westinghouse says
HT Labs Measures: Westinghouse LVM-42w2 LCD HD Monitor that the HDMI input accepts 1080p,
but we were unable to verify this
7500 0.7
with our equipment.
I also tested whether or not this
0.6 Westinghouse Green
7000 Green monitor passes the complete
Color Temperature

0.5
6500 1080i interlaced signal or cheats
0.4 Westinghouse
D6500 K
Red by only passing 540 lines and then
6000 0.3 Red
upconverting them. (See Gary
Color Temp - Before
5500 Color Temp - After
0.2 DTV Phosphors
D6500
Merson’s article in the March
Westinghouse

5000
0.1
Blue
Color Temp - After
2006 issue for more information.)
Blue
20 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65
IRE
70 75 80 85 90 95 100 0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
Happily, the LVM-42w2 passes the
full signal; combine this with its
57.19 dark images and cooler with brighter images. After
excellent detail, and you’ll be able
0.064
making adjustments using the Photo Research PR-650, to enjoy all of the information in
> Full-On/Full-Off Contrast Ratio—894:1; the gray scale measures within 57 Kelvin of D6500, the the HDTV signal.
ANSI Contrast Ratio—712:1 accurate color temperature, across most of the range.
Darker images were still warmer than the rest of the
I should note that the monitor’s
> Measured Resolution with the Leader LT-446: HDMI and DVI inputs didn’t work
gray scale, and the brightest images were slightly
480: 480 ( per picture height)
720p: 720 ( pph)
cooler than the rest of the gray scale. well with my Motorola HD cable
The right chart shows the gray scale (or color tem- box, which has a DVI output. I got
1080i: 1080 ( pph)
perature) relative to the color points of the display’s
> DC Restoration ( poor, average, good, excellent): red, green, and blue color filters. For the most part, no picture through DVI, and the
Excellent these are fairly close to those specified by SMPTE. Red HDMI input consistently lost the
is pretty much spot on. Blue is very slightly oversatu- picture when I first powered up the
> Color Decoder ( poor, average, good, excellent):
rated and very slightly greenish-blue. Green is slightly
Excellent
undersaturated and somewhat bluish-green.
monitor or changed channels. I
> Measured Color Points: After calibration, and using a full-field 100-IRE tried multiple cable types and
Red Color Point: x=0.642, y=0.330 white ( 57.19 foot-lamberts) and a full-field 0-IRE lengths with the same result. I had
Green Color Point: x=0.271, y=0.585 black (0.064 ft-L), the contrast ratio was 894:1. Using
Blue Color Point: x=0.145, y=0.060 a 16-box checkerboard pattern (ANSI contrast), the
no such problems with any of the
contrast ratio was 712:1. The best contrast ratio was DVD players I used, so it may just
The left chart shows the LVM-42w2’s gray scale relative
to its color temperature at various levels of intensity, or
achieved with a backlight setting of 0. The brightest be an issue with my cable box.
image was achieved with a backlight setting of 100,
brightness (20 IRE is dark gray; 100 IRE is bright white).
which produced a blinding 158.3 ft-L with a 100-IRE
The gray scale as set by the factory, in the Color 1 color-
field and 0.192 with a 0-IRE field. This makes a con-
temperature mode, measures somewhat cool with
trast ratio of 825:1.—GM
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from the test bench WESTINGHOUSE LVM-42W2
NUVISION NVX32HDU
LCD HD
It Performs Well, to Boot
The LVM-42w2 looked quite
good right out of the box. It offers
three picture modes, vaguely
labeled Color 1, Color 2, and
Color 3. The default Color 1 set-
ting is also the most accurate.
Within this mode, I only had to
make minor adjustments to the
contrast, brightness, color (called
saturation), and tint (called hue)
using Video Essentials’ test patterns
to render a pleasing, natural
image. When we measured the
monitor in our lab, the results
confirmed that the color temper-
ature tracks close to 7,000 Kelvin
across the board, with excellent
red and blue color points. The
green color point is more greenish-
blue, but it’s not oversaturated,
so it doesn’t throw the overall
color balance off in a notice-
able way. Calibration isn’t a
necessity; however, should you
choose to have it done, we were
^ Westinghouse’s
remote provides dedicated able to calibrate the LVM-42w2
buttons for VGA, S-video, to track right at 6,500 K through-
and composite.
out much of the range.
You can adjust the LCD’s back-
light in increments from 0 to 100.
We measured the monitor’s black
level and light output at the 0, 50,
and 100 backlight settings; much
to our surprise, the contrast ratio
was excellent in all three (894:1,
824:1, and 879:1, respectively).
This gives the LVM-42w2 some
valuable flexibility in terms of
suitable viewing environments.
If black level is your primary
WESTINGHOUSE LVM-42W2 LCD HD MONITOR
Build Quality Value Features
> It weighs less than > 1080p for $2,799! > Six HD-capable
some 32-inch panels inputs
we’ve reviewed > 42-inch LCD for
$2,799! > No internal tuners
> The remote lacks but several PIP options
backlighting > Great performance
for $2,799
84 95 83
General information
LVM-42w2 LCD HD Monitor, $2,799 > Westinghouse Digital Electronics, (866) 287-5555, www.westinghousedigital.com
Dealer Locator Code WES
LCD
HD MONITOR
MONITOR
concern, this display bests many
of the LCDs we’ve reviewed, pro-
ducing 0.064 foot-lamberts at the
0 backlight setting. If you want a
bright monitor for a bright room,
it puts out a ridiculous 158.3 ft-L
at the 100 setting. If you’re look-
ing for a monitor to take with you
to the park on a sunny afternoon,
this is the one.
Like most LCDs, viewing angle is
an issue, as the black level rises
when you move even 45 degrees
off-axis.The picture is still watch-
able but loses depth and color satu-
ration.This is especially true when
you view it from below, so you
don’t want to mount this LCD too
high on the wall. On a positive note,
the screen does not suffer from
light- or color-uniformity issues.
As for my favorite test, Video
Essentials’ quantization test pattern,
the light-to-dark ramp was one
of the smoothest I’ve seen in an
LCD flat panel, be it through
the component, HDMI, or DVI
input. I did see some slight band-
ing, but there were no large jumps
in the grays, which means that the
LVM-42w2 is capable of produc-
ing most of the needed steps
between white and black to render
a clean, noise-free image.
All of these positive perfor-
mance characteristics combine to
create excellent TV and DVD
images. Maybe a third reason to
call this a true HD monitor is that
HDTV in particular looks so good
on the LVM-42w2. Yes, that
Performance Ergonomics
> Excellent detail, > Viewing angle is lim-
color, 3:2 pickup, and ited, and stand does not
light-to-dark transitions swivel
> Accepts 1080p sig- > The transparent
nals through DVI and onscreen display is
component video easy to maneuver
96
[
HIGHLIGHTS
 A noise-free, highly detailed
1080p image
 A ton of HD inputs
1080p resolution has something to
do with it, bringing out every bit
of detail in the picture; but let’s
not forget about good color bal-
ance, excellent depth, and the
nondigital nature of the image.
They all work together to produce
a beautiful picture.
Its screen size puts the monitor
in an interesting market position;
42 inches is usually a plasma
screen size, while LCDs reside at
either 40 or 45 inches.This moni-
tor is certainly less expensive than
any 40- or 45-inch LCD on the
market, most of which are still
720p, but it’s also comparably
priced with many 42-inch plasmas,
again at 720p. That’ll certainly
make the plasma-versus-LCD
battle more interesting.
Regardless of where your loyal-
ties lie, it’s difficult not to be
impressed by the LVM-42w2’s per-
formance. Just make sure you’re
ready now to enjoy all of the bene-
fits of high definition. Get yourself
an HD cable or satellite package,
an upconverting DVD player, and
an Xbox 360.Then your only con-
91
cern will be what to do with all
those extra HD inputs.
OVERALL RATING
88
The LVM-42w2 may lack many
features found in LCDs by the big-
name manufacturers, but it under-
stands its purpose: Render HDTV,
and render it very well. The fact
that it costs just $2,799 makes
that HD image look even better.
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from the
test bench MIDRANGE
Thiel SmartSub SS1 Subwoofer
Woof smarter, not harder.
BY MARK FLEISCHMANN
Even if Thiel hadn’t given
their new subwoofer line the slick
name of SmartSub, I’d still say
most subwoofers are stupid. Make
that stoopid. Granted, I’ve had
some good ones in the last few
years, and that’s no accident, since
no reviewer would willingly
96 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
$$–$$$
submit to stoopidity. But, in an
electronics marketplace where
everyone’s looking for a deal, the
quality of the average sub that
moves from a chain store into the
home of some unsuspecting sap is
dreadful.The average sub is a one-
note gas box that loads up bass
pitches with layers of spurious
overtones and distortion. You
needn’t be a golden-eared audio-
phile to find it oppressive.
As Jim Thiel started work on the
SmartSub series, three design
imperatives sat on his drawing
board. One problem he wanted to
resolve was poor integration of
subs and speakers. His solution,
though not reviewed here, is a
series of active and passive
crossover products—if you’re
buying an all-Thiel system or inte-
grating Thiel subs with other man-
ufacturers’ speakers, ask your
custom installer about these.
Another problem Thiel identified
was room interaction. This prob-
lem is showing up on lots of radar
screens, if the growing number of
room-equalized subs and receivers
is any indication. However, full-
spectrum room EQ sometimes
creates more problems than it
solves.Thiel focuses on bass-related
problems—the area where most
rooms are deficient.They diagnose
them not as room resonances,
which are hard to solve without
a bulldozer, but as boundary-
compensation problems, which
are more predictable.The result is
a pair of boundary-compensation
controls, one for the side wall and
one for the back wall.
Finally,Thiel zeroed in on what
he described as output, distor-
tion, and uniformity problems. In
other words, most subs just can’t
carry a tune (or focus a detona-
tion). Among their responses are
an aluminum driver, large mag-
nets, high-excursion surrounds,
and a short voice coil operating in
a long gap. The SmartSub SS1 is
designed to deliver pitches, not to
flap, rattle, or bleat.
Beneath the Veil
Thiel SmartSubs have a unique
appearance. The pale metal driver
is visible behind a translucent black
Cordero Studios
metal grille and seems to hang in
space.The red (off) or green (on)
glowing LED is also positioned
well behind the grille surface,
making it appear like a little col-
ored specter. My review sample
came in the amberwood finish, a
rich dark brown wood veneer, with
rounded corners and gold screws
securing the front panel.
The back panel includes RCA-
type mono line-level inputs and
outputs and two XLR jacks for use
with the Thiel passive crossover
and SmartSub Integrator. Absent
is any crossover-frequency or
phase control. As I mentioned
above, Thiel prefers to handle
these functions in a separate box,
although the sub will work with
the built-in crossover functions
in the surround processor or
receiver. If you have Thiel speak-
ers, Thiel’s passive crossover
would tailor the sub to the speak-
ers. The company also offers a
SmartSub Integrator that can
provide either augmentation or
crossover with any other brand of
speakers. I stuck with the 80-hertz
crossover in my reference
receiver, a Rotel RSX-1065. How-
ever, if I were using an all-Thiel
speaker-and-sub array in a dedi-
cated theater, I probably would
opt otherwise.
There are three controls on the
back panel. I blindly stumbled
across the uniqueness of the
volume control when I cranked it
with a test tone, finding that it
took a larger-than-usual per-
centage of volume range to fill my
19-by-14-foot room. I asked about
it and got the following e-mail
from Jim Thiel (you know you’re
in the big leagues when you get
e-mail from Jim Thiel):
“You have done nothing wrong. I
have intentionally made the func-
tionality of the gain controls on
our subwoofers a little different
than most others. I have taken
pains to make our control accu-
rately logarithmic so as to make
level setting more easily and accu-
rately tunable. This means that a
particular amount of turning, say
50 degrees, causes a particular
amount of gain change, in this case
10 decibels, regardless of whether
you are at the bottom or the top
end of the control’s range. By con-
trast, many subs’ gain controls are
linear instead of logarithmic;
therefore, the control is far more
sensitive at the low end of the
range than at the high end.
“With these controls, the range
from the 12 o’clock position to
maximum makes only a 6-dB
difference in level and, when set at
10:30, is only 10 dB below maxi-
mum.This makes it tricky to make
a setting of, for instance, 15 dB
below maximum. In comparison,
our control covers a 25-dB range
from 12:00 to maximum and the
–10-dB setting is at 2:30. Your
usual setting of one-third of max is
about –10 dB of max on a linear
control. The same –10 dB on our
control is at about 2:30. I believe
you will have enough gain available
to achieve the level setting you
desire.” And, of course, I did.
Smart Woofin’
I experimented only casually with
the SmartSub SS1’s boundary-
compensation controls, having
already been satisfied enough with
the bass response (rated down to
17 Hz with an LFE input) with
both of them off.They’re designed
AT A GLANCE
These listings are based on the manufacturer’s
stated specs; the HT Labs box below indicates
the gear’s performance on our test bench.
HT Labs Measures: Thiel SmartSub SS1 Subwoofer
to correct both level increases and
cancellations at certain frequencies.
Until now, I’ve always assumed that
my room had a standing wave—an
acoustically magnified midbass
hump—despite my almost reli-
gious avoidance of any placement
near a corner or wall. With the
SmartSub SS1 replacing my usual
12- and 8-inch subs, somehow the
standing wave ceased to exist.
Anyway, I pumped a 40-Hz tone
into the sub at a low volume, sat on
the floor next to the sub, tried the
boundary compensators, and lis-
tened. I could hear the tone chang-
ing in character, as well as volume.
Low tones often signal excite-
ment in movie soundtracks, but the
quality of the tone affects the expe-
rience. In Kontroll, the story of
beaten but unbowed ticket inspec-
tors in the subway system of post-
communist Budapest, the roar of
THIEL SMARTSUB SS1 SUBWOOFER
> SUBWOOFER: THIEL SMARTSUB SS1
Connections: Line-level inputs and outputs
and XLR outputs
Enclosure Type: Sealed
Woofer (size in inches, type): 10, aluminum cone
Power Rating (watts): 500 RMS
Crossover Bypass: Yes (no internal crossover)
Available Finishes: Amberwood, Cherry, Maple,
Oak, Walnut
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches):20 x 11 x 17
Weight ( pounds): 55
Price: $3,000 amberwood,
$2,900 other finishes
This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-
miking of the woofer) frequency response of the Thiel
SmartSub SS1 subwoofer (blue trace).
The SmartSub SS1’s close-miked response, normal-
ized to the level at 80 hertz, indicates that the lower
–3-decibel point is at 11 Hz and the –6-dB point is at
10 Hz. The upper –3-dB point is at 156 Hz using the LFE
input with the distance controls set to off.—MJP
C
from the test bench NUVISION
THIEL NVX32HDU
SMARTSUB LCD HD MONITR
SS1 SUBWOOFER
the trains impressed me less than a
synthesized tone that kept kicking
the musical soundtrack into high
gear. Instead of the blurred blare
I’d expect from a brute-force, big-
box sub, I heard a precise pitch. It
didn’t pound—it hummed threat-
eningly, giving chase scenes a dif-
ferent emotional feel. It created
less anxiety and more excitement.
Toy Story has a few great little
subwoofer-borne moments, from
the simple blam of a backyard fire-
cracker to the bass parts of Randy
Newman’s cheerful score. The
SmartSub SS1 didn’t overplay any
of them, and I appreciated that.
Tony Levin was the focus of my
musical demos.What better way to
celebrate first-class bass than with a
first-class bassist? I’ve always loved
his part in “On the Air,” from Peter
Gabriel’s second album. As I ran
through it again for the first time in
years—on vinyl, no less—the famil-
iar sound of Levin running like a
panther in a pack of wolves was just
as I’d remembered it, but I’d forgot-
ten about his supple playing beneath
the song’s midsection. His bass lines
swoop up and down a fair amount,
and the SmartSub SS1’s disciplined
aluminum driver assisted by holding
it all together, preventing the higher
pitches from swelling out of propor-
tion to the lower ones.
THIEL SMARTSUB SS1 SUBWOOFER
Build Quality Value Features
> My, what a big magnet > Clearly not posi- > Boundary compensa-
you have tioned outside the high- tion circuits for rear and
end market side walls
> Short voice coil, long
gap prevents distortion > Proprietary technol- > Logarithmically accu-
ogy worth the price rate volume control
> Disciplined aluminum
woofer
98 89 95
General information
SmartSub SS1 Subwoofer, $2,900 > Thiel Audio, (859) 254-9427, www.thielaudio.com > Dealer Locator Code THI
98 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
That gig helped get him a job in
King Crimson. On Discipline, the
first Levin-enhanced Crimson
album, he switches on some
tracks from bass guitar to Chapman
Stick. The Stick is a long, hollow
fret board that a musician taps
rather than plucks.The shimmer-
ing solo Stick introduction to
“Elephant Talk” is as good as any-
thing anyone’s ever played on the
instrument, and, despite the
absence of a Thiel crossover, it
made the jump between the Thiel
sub and my main speakers quite
coherently. Just as impressive was
the Stick’s majestic growl on “The
Sheltering Sky.” Because the
Stick’s richly woody hollow-
bodied harmonic signature is so
different from that of a bass
guitar, the SmartSub SS1 was
influential here, as well. My cat
endorsed this track by lying down
in front of the sub.
Levin has made his fortune as
session man to the stars, substitut-
ing sensitivity for anonymity. His
touch transforms songs like
“Watching the Wheels,” from
Double Fantasy by John Lennon and
Yoko Ono, and again the Thiel sub
maintained its proportion when
those powerful hands moved
momentarily from the lower
strings to the higher ones.
Performance
> This sub can carry a > Beautiful Amberwood
tune finish among cosmetic
options
> Movie sound effects
are less oppressive and > Driver and LED lurk
more fun behind translucent grille
> Once you’ve heard an
honest, deep pitch, it’s
hard to go back
96
[
HIGHLIGHTS
 Delivers clean, low pitches,
and, in a sub, that’s what it’s
all about
 Substitutes subtlety for brute
force
 Corrects for some room-
acoustic problems
Back to Unreal Reality
Occasionally, a product comes
along and sweeps away all expec-
tations, and the Thiel SmartSub
SS1 did just that. It reminded me
how crucial a player the sub-
woofer is in a home theater
system. Even if you can’t spend
$2,900 (or more) for a sub-
woofer, you should still find your-
self a Thiel dealer, audition the
SmartSub SS1 or one of its larger
brothers, and hear what genuinely
deep-pitched and taut bass sounds
like.You might find your expecta-
tions for bass performance slip-
ping up a notch. Maybe the first
step toward attaining the system
of your dreams is to dream a
better dream.
* Mark Fleischmann is the author of
94
Practical Home Theater, available
through www.quietriverpress.com.
OVERALL RATING
Ergonomics
Deep subwoofer-borne bass is one
of home theater’s major advan-
tages over two-channel audio,
94
but it’s a promise rarely fulfilled.
Thiel’s SmartSub SS1, though
expensive and slightly small, deliv-
ers on that promise with impres-
sive low-frequency performance.
Not everyone can afford it, but
everyone should hear it.
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from the
test bench
ZVOX Mini Sound Console
Amplified Audio System
A lot of sound from a little box.
BY CHRIS CHIARELLA
As I speed-dial my cell phone
to reach my wife in the kitchen, to
ask her to bring me another Dr.
Pepper, it hits me: People want it
easy. Too often, however, “easy”
and “home theater” don’t mix,
unless, for example, you have the
means and the know-how to hire a
good custom installer to hook up
your gear and configure your uni-
versal remote. ZVOX clearly
understands the critical anti-work
ethic of home entertainment.
Their original 315 Sound Console
(in our April 2005 issue) connects
to a TV or audio source with a
comforting “Set it, and forget it!”
philosophy, previously applicable
only in the realm of Ron Popeil’s
famous rotisseries. ZVOX’s goal is
to deliver spacious home theater
100 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
ENTRY LEVEL $–$$
audio with only one cable con-
nected to a single box.
Earlier this year, ZVOX went all
shrinky-dink and introduced the
Mini. As the name suggests, the
Mini is a more compact version
of the original sound console. It’s
less than half the size but maintains
the same basic design and full
amplifier power. Each of the three
main loudspeaker drivers is now
2.5 inches in diameter, and
the three split 20 of the system’s
40 total watts. The remaining power
is reserved for the new 4-by-6-inch
subwoofer. Another improvement is
the addition of an idiot-proof
remote control with only two
buttons: volume up and down.
Z Secret
If you’re new to ZVOX, or if
you’ve had a few too many
memory-eroding Boston lagers
since our first sound console
review, the technology inside the
big and little iterations is the same.
The proprietary PhaseCue virtual-
surround circuitry and drivers
work in tandem. The medium-
density fiberboard box houses three
full-range, single-driver loudspeak-
ers and a rear-firing, slot-ported
subwoofer. The left speaker plays
L–R, or left minus right. This con-
sists of the standard left-channel
signal plus out-of-phase informa-
tion from the right channel that the
PhaseCue circuitry creates. You can
control the amount of out-of-phase
Cordero Studios
information—essentially, the
extent of the soundfield-widening
effect—via the PhaseCue knob.
Set it lower for a more traditional
sound or higher for more process-
ing and a wider effect. The large
quantity of available bass further
conveys the illusion of size. The
right speaker in turn combines the
right signal with R–L info, while
the mono center speaker plays an
L+R signal. This same L+R infor-
mation that, once filtered, also
feeds the subwoofer. Power is dis-
tributed to the three individual
speakers according to the dictates
of the current PhaseCue setting.
Interestingly, when PhaseCue is
fully turned down, the Mini does
not default to a 2.1 role with a
mute center and no processing.
Instead, the left and right drivers
from the test bench ZVOX MINI SOUND CONSOLE AMPLIFIED AUDIO SYSTEM

receive no signal, and only the Mini’s more petite footprint.

mono L+R center driver and sub-
woofer are active.
A key benefit of the product
design and its internal audio
processing is the freedom to place
the unit in a variety of different
locations and still hear clear, pow-
erful sound. You get even greater
placement freedom thanks to the
AT A GLANCE ZVOX MINI SOUND CONSOLE AMPLIFIED AUDIO SYSTEM
[
There are no vents on the top or HIGHLIGHTS
the bottom, so you can place the
 Drastic improvement over most
Mini on top of other gear, and you
onboard TV audio in about two
can stack components atop it with-
minutes
out leading to excessive heat
 Compact new styling allows place-
buildup. I prefer to leave the rear-
ment in even tighter spaces, or
panel subwoofer-level knob at about
on the go
90 percent. This is ideal for most
 User-friendly design tweaks,
listening situations, as the bass can
though naturally not quite as
big sounding as a full 5.1 system

> FEATURES
Enclosure Type:
Left/Center/Right: Acoustic suspension slightly overpower the other chan-
Subwoofer: Bandpass nels when turned all the way up.
Speaker Type: Full-range driver
(size in inches, type): 2.5, paper with
Also on the back panel is a three-
neodymium magnets ( 3) position power switch. If you leave
Subwoofer this switch in the standby position
(size in inches, type): 4 x 6 (oval), bandpass rather than on or off, you should
Amp Power (watts): 40
These listings are based on the manufacturer’s stat- Available Finishes: Black, White, Silver
never need to fuss with it.
ed specs; the HT Labs box below indicates the gear’s
performance on our test bench. Dimensions The Mini’s instructions fit in
(H x W x D, in inches): 3.3 x 13 x 10 their entirety onto a single sheet of
Weight ( pounds): 8.8 paper, and the setup was an
> CONNECTIONS uneventful two-minute process. I
Inputs: Stereo minijack (2) simply connected the included
Outputs: Subwoofer output via minijack number 2 analog stereo-to-miniplug cable
from my TV’s variable audio
HT Labs Measures: ZVOX Mini Sound Console Amplified Audio System
output to the Mini. Or I could have
This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close- just run the mini-to-mini cable out
miking of all woofers) frequency response of the center of the TV headphone jack. The
channel (purple trace) and subwoofer (blue trace). The
loudspeaker was measured with the grille at a distance
sight was refreshingly minimalist,
of 1 meter and scaled for display purposes. with only an audio input and an AC
The center channel’s listening-window response (a power cable to worry about.
five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal In all of my demos, PhaseCue
and vertical responses) measures +1.97/–2.41 decibels
from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at gave a definite goose to the dia-
254 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 205 Hz. logue. It was certainly not as dis-
The subwoofer’s close-miked response, normalized tinct as a dedicated center channel,
to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB
point is at 63 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 57 Hz. The
but it created a convincing phantom-

90
upper –3-dB point is at 156 Hz.—MJP like effect. The evident detail in the
surrounds during Master and

ZVOX MINI SOUND CONSOLE AMPLIFIED AUDIO SYSTEM OVERALL RATING

Build Quality Value Features Performance Ergonomics
> Sturdy MDF cabinet > Same power, cable > T h e Independent > A truly enjoyable > Shrunken footprint,
stands up to rigors of setup, and price as its PhaseCue and sub- full-range, faux-surround front-panel knobs, and
out-and-about use big brother, now with a woofer controls cus- experience for smaller remote are all welcome
remote control tomize the sound spaces refinements

91 90 90 90 92 Think of the ZVOX as a conve-

nience product with that rare
fringe benefit of dependably good
sound quality. It won’t blast the
General information paint off the walls of your enor-
Mini Sound Console Amplified Audio System, $200; PortaParty Carrying Case, $50; Rechargeable Battery, $50 mous home theater, but it won’t
ZVOX Audio, LLC, (866) 367-9869, www.zvoxaudio.com > Dealer Locator Code ZVX make much of a dent in your bank
account or your free time, either.
Commander also seemed to be
enhanced, while the overall sound
took on a much more room-filling
quality versus simple L+R. Curi-
ously, certain individual surround
effects in The Patriot sometimes
sounded a little thin relative to the
fullness of the other channels, as
rendered by the PhaseCue process.
This occurred even though the front
channels were more expanded and
illusion of the surrounds was even
more pronounced here than on
Master and Commander. Both titles
had a palpable front-to-back depth
that really suited the big sound-
tracks. Distortion was minimal,
audible only in the highest highs and
lowest lows, due in part to the new
driver design’s long throw and
strong magnets. As is to be expected
with the abridged cabinet space and
the psychoacoustic manipulations
involved, the size of the perceived
sweet spot is reduced, and the sound
seemed to emanate from a slightly
more specific location than I’m used
to. I would also recommend placing
the Mini as close as possible to your
display as the most realistic experi-
ence, especially if you intend to use
the PhaseCue at lower levels.
HT in a Briefcase?
Another benefit of the redesign is,
believe it or not, portability. The
Mini is still intended primarily as a
home audio product, but the optional
PortaParty carrying case lets you
transport the unit safely. It also allows
you to use it on the go with a
portable MP3 player or another
source, thanks to another option: a
sealed lead-acid battery. To para-
phrase ZVOX founder and CEO Tom
Hannaher, the words “lead” and “acid”
conjure up negative images, but, if
you must have both, at least they’re
sealed. The heavy-duty nylon bag has
special pockets for the remote,
cables, that mega battery, and more,
tipping the scale at about 15 pounds
when fully loaded. There are differ-
ent packing configurations for listen-
ing to and for simply carrying the
Mini. Finding the proper positioning
for all of the contents and arranging
all of the flaps was far more challeng-
ing than the home setup.
For a short while, I was the coolest
person in the world, with my Sony
PSP blasting through the Mini’s for-
midable drivers, flaunting mobile
movies, games, and music like the
world has never heard. I considered
taking this underarm über-rig onto
my commuter train, but that’s just
the excuse that the men in the New CAPTIVATION
Jersey Transit hats have been looking
for to eject my technology-enabled
butt. The PortaParty is reminis-
cent of the boom boxes of old for
its sheer size and power, but it has a
dramatic edge in performance,
High-Definition Video Processing That
style, and versatility. Will Change the Way You Look at Everything
Arriving back in the living room,
I paused one last time to savor the
feng shui of that uncluttered rear
panel. The clear dialogue makes the
Mini a handy add-on for casual flat-
iScan ™ VP30 is the next generation high-
screen users who want to make sure resolution video processor and A/V switcher
that they can hear every word. It’s a that sets a new standard for up, down, and
good alternative to the often poor cross-converting all of your video sources.
Whether it’s your 480i cable feed, 480p DVD
reproduction of the tiny, limited- player, or 720p or 1080i HD set-top-box signal
performance speakers inside many — the iScan VP30 scales your video output
sets. Plus, the adoption process is to perfectly match the optimum resolution of
absolutely painless. The Mini offers your display, up to 1080p! Plus, it’s HDCP
compliant over each of the 4 digital HDMI
outstanding sound quality, but, inputs, and accepts any legacy 480i/480p
much like midget wrestlers, its iden- analog sources.
tity is ultimately defined by its size. Serving as your complete A/V hub, the iScan
This new ZVOX console is great for VP30 provides simultaneous audio/video
small rooms and is a fitting comple- switching with “any rez in — any rez out”
video conversion and one clean wire to
ment to more diminutive equip- your display. Add the iScan VP30 to your
ment, such as a music micro system. home theater today and prepare to be visually
You could set a notebook computer CAPTIVATED!
on top of the Mini for a complete
DVD playback solution in scarcely
more space than a Manhattan phone
book. See? Sometimes big ideas do
come in little packages.
See the difference!
www.DVDO.com/captivation
Toll Free 866.423.3836
from the
test bench CONVERGENCE
Samsung SyncMaster
244T LCD Monitor
Start clearing room on your desktop.
BY CHRIS CHIARELLA
Video editor Geoffrey Morrison
is a car guy. Me, I drive a Camry. It’s
10 years old, and it does everything
I need it to do. But I certainly appre-
ciate the difference when I sit behind
the wheel of, say, a BMW. That’s
kind of how I felt when I test drove
Samsung’s latest SyncMaster LCD
monitor, the 244T.
The SyncMaster 244T specs out
more impressively than any com-
puter display I’ve tried. It’s HD
ready with a 16:10 aspect ratio—
more common in the computer
realm than home theater’s 16:9 rec-
tangle. It has a maximum resolu-
tion of 1,920 by 1,200 and is easily
104 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
$$$—$$$$
capable of displaying high-
definition resolutions, includ-
ing 480p, 720p, 1080i, and
1080p. Just as importantly, it
supports HDCP to allow
playback of protected HD
content. Samsung claims it
has a quick 6-millisecond
response time, a 1,000:1 con-
trast ratio, and an extremely
wide 178-degree horizontal/
vertical viewing angle.
The array of video inputs is
more akin to a digital televi-
sion than a computer monitor,
led by the DVI I used most
extensively. Also provided are
ports for VGA, component
video, S-video, and compos-
ite video. Unlike some previ-
ous Samsung monitors I’ve
reviewed, this one offers no audio
options whatsoever. The back end of
the monitor is a good deal thicker
than other LCD flat panels I’ve seen,
likely owing to the new aesthetic of
an integrated AC power adapter. It
requires only a standard cord out the
back, versus an external brick. The
SyncMaster 244T’s slim bezel means
that the image truly dominates: Buy
several and sync your SyncMasters
to form a video wall! Tiny, distinct
buttons along the lower-right edge
allow access to the onscreen menus
and picture-in-picture functions.
Somewhat surprisingly compared
with SyncMasters past, the 244T
does not include a remote control.
The elegance of this new monitor
combined with the many menu
options made this a very noticeable
omission. Switching between the
Photography by Cordero Studios / Screen image courtesy of 20th Century Fox
numerous inputs also demands a
remote control, in my opinion.
Convenience features include a
built-in USB 2.0 hub, two down-
stream ports for connecting exter-
nal devices, and a third upstream
port for connecting the monitor to
the computer. Both of the high-
powered downstream ports are
capable of charging an iPod. The
left-side placement of the ports is
handy for quick connects and dis-
connects, but all of those cables
dangling for any length of time
defeat the display’s style intent. As
it will surely be a source of envy, the
SyncMaster 244T supports the secu-
rity of the optional Kensington Lock
with a small rear-side hole. A sturdy,
simple stand with integrated cable
management arrives pre-affixed, but
you can detach it by removing four
screws. A standard VESA-compliant
wall-mounting interface is also
available separately.
Adjust My Monitor? What,
the Height?
Most people I know spend exactly
zero seconds tweaking their com-
puter monitors’ image quality, so
Samsung’s extensive calibration
tools stand in stark defiance of the
mainstream. Onscreen menus put a
wealth of information and control
 from the test bench SAMSUNG SYNCMASTER 244T LCD MONITOR

at your fingertips, and you can nav-
igate via the up, down, and select
buttons along the lower-right edge.
In addition to reporting statistics
like current resolution and any
custom picture settings, the menus
invite you to choose handy names
for the various inputs from a drop-
down list: DVD, D-VHS, VCR, and
so on. Here, you can also make the
most of the PIP window, specifying
AT A GLANCE SAMSUNG SYNCMASTER 244T LCD MONITOR
> FEATURES
Type: LCD
Screen Size (diagonal) 24 inches
Native Resolution / Aspect Ratio: 1,920 by 1,200 / 16:10
Lamp Life 20,000 hours
Wall Mount or Stand Included?: Stand
Available Finishes: Silver, Black
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 14.4 x 22 x 3.6
Weight ( pounds): 21.1
Price: $1,699
HT Labs Measures: Samsung SyncMaster
244T LCD Monitor
7500
7000
Color Temperature
source, size, and position. There is ing the monitor to the user’s specific
also a nifty split-screen configura- needs, be they work, play, or a com-
tion, made possible by the screen’s bination. MagicTune 4.0 provides
16:10 canvas. While the extent of basic tabs for picture, color, and
the possible customization is really more, with sliders to adjust bright-
inspiring, I also longed for a remote ness, contrast, color tone (aka
control, especially on features such temperature), gamma, and the sat-
as PIP, which are familiar from, and uration of six different colors. There
much easier in, the living room. is also a five-step color-calibration
A suite of nifty new software on tool, although it lacks any sort of
the bundled CD is all about tweak- onscreen instructions and is
therefore difficult to use. Even so,
MagicTune 4.0 was where I spent
most of my time, as it is the most
> CONNECTIONS comprehensive of the tools and
Inputs: is typically more friendly and
Video: Component (1), S-video (1), interactive than most TV calibra-
composite (1), DVI (1),
tion menus. MagicColor and
VGA (1)
Audio: None MagicColor Pro are also accessible
via the onscreen menus. They offer
Outputs: further options, such as Color
Video: None
Weakness for those with special
Audio: None
viewing concerns. The now-
Additional: USB 2.0 (2) streamlined Natural Color 2.0
color-management system is much
easier to use. It helped me perfectly
balance my reds, greens, and
blues in less than two minutes,
compensating for factors such as
room light and eye-to-screen dis-
0.7
Samsung tance. Happily, after you’ve installed
0.6 Green Color Temperature
Green
the software, you don’t need the

0.5
actual disc to perform any of these
0.4
6500
D6500 K
Samsung Red setups. The MagicBright function
0.3 Red

6000
provides one-button access to the
0.2 DTV Phosphors
D6500
four brightness and contrast presets:
5500
0.1 Samsung Blue
Color Temp - After
Entertain (high brightness for DVD
20 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 Blue
IRE
0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
and video playback), Internet (a
medium boost to brightness), and
0.117 109.5 The left chart shows the 244T’s gray scale relative to the Normal and Custom options.
> Full-On/Full-Off Contrast Ratio—936:1; ANSI its color temperature at various levels of intensity, or
Contrast Ratio—864:1 brightness (20 IRE is dark gray; 100 IRE is bright white).
Should Samsung’s engineers’ idea of
The gray scale as set by the factory, in the Warm2 the proper brightness and contrast
> Measured Resolution with the Leader LT-446
color-temperature mode measures slightly cool with not match yours, you can quickly
(via component):
dark images and slightly warm with brighter images.
480: 470 (per picture height) tweak both via the onscreen display.
The darkest images were bluish-green.
720p: 620 (pph) Many of the settings have auto-
The right chart shows the gray scale (or color tem-
1080i: 820 (pph)
perature) relative to the color points of the display’s matically suggested values, such as
> DC Restoration (poor, average, good, excellent): red, green, and blue color filters. These are fairly close the automatic Dynamic, Standard,
Excellent to those specified by SMPTE. Red is very slightly under-
saturated. Blue is very slightly greenish-blue. Green is and Movie picture presets. The
> Color Decoder (poor, average, good, excellent):
Excellent
slightly bluish-green. Standard preset delivers a sharp
After calibration, and using a full-field 100-IRE image under brighter circumstances,
> Measured Color Points: white (109.5 foot-lamberts) and a full-field 0-IRE black
Red Color Point: x=0.634, y=0.329 (0.117 ft-L), the contrast ratio was 936:1. Using a 16-box
Green Color Point: x=0.286, y=0.601 checkerboard pattern (ANSI contrast), the contrast
Blue Color Point: x=0.146, y=0.063 ratio was 864:1.—GM
[
HIGHLIGHTS
 Large, widescreen monitor for
serious computer entertainment
(and work, I suppose)
 Supports a variety of high-
definition standards: 1080p
resolution, DVI input, HDCP
 Gorgeous to look at, especially
after calibration
Dynamic is sharper still, and Movie
assumes darker surroundings and
provides a warmer color tone.
Again, a Custom option is also here,
and it can save and recall personal
preferences. MagicColor can run in
Intelligent mode, enhancing most
colors but preserving skin tones. Or
it can run in Full mode, enhancing
everything. It can also display an on-
the-fly demo, showing the left side
of the screen with MagicColor and
the right side without, which makes
a pretty persuasive case.
Let the Games Begin
With the SyncMaster 244T prop-
erly tuned, it was time to fire up
my HTPC rig—tricked out around
a 3.6-gigahertz Intel Pentium 4
processor with Hyper-Threading
and the new ATI All-in-Wonder
X1900 multimedia video card (see
sidebar). I relish any opportunity
to scrutinize the Windows Media
Video HD version of Terminator 2:
Judgment Day, found on disc two of
the T2 Extreme DVD. The short
answer is that the SyncMaster
SAMSUNG SYNCMASTER 244T LCD MONITOR
Build Quality Value
> Remarkably tight fit > Costs more than
and finish most people’s PCs, but
worth every penny
> Substantial heft due
largely to the integrated > DVI and component
power supply video cables included!
91 88
SyncMaster 244T, $1,699 > Samsung Electronics America, (800) SAMSUNG, www.samsung.com > Dealer Locator Code SAM
244T’s rendition of the HD
image’s precise details was ATI All-in-Wonder X1900
nothing short of magnifi- Offspring of ATI’s Radeon X1900, the world’s fastest consumer 3D graph-
cent, but this level of qual- ics processor, the ATI All-in-Wonder X1900 is an affordable, single-card
solution for high-end gaming, video capture, playback, and TV viewing,
ity is a double-edged
with both an NTSC tuner and an interactive programming guide. The PCI
sword. Yes, I noticed Express interface enables high video bandwidth, while the 32-bit, multi-
minutiae I never saw threaded shader core with 48-pixel pipelines (shaders create the often
before, like the pattern of complex surfaces of 3D objects) performs akin to more expensive dedicat-
ed graphics cards. It has a 500-megahertz clock-speed graphics engine
the screen door when the
T-1000 stops by John and a whopping 256 megabytes of super-fast GDDR3 RAM for the most
demanding games. Advanced adaptive antialiasing also drastically
Connor’s house. But I was reduces distracting jaggies, delivered via up to 1080i high-definition com-
simultaneously more aware ponent video output from the included adapter. It also has dual integrated
of imperfections suddenly DVI outs at up to 1080p. The Windows XP Media Center
exposed, like the some- Edition–compatible AiW X1900 features ATI’s Avivo technology for realis-
times-serious occasions of tic video reproduction, combined with the benefit of hardware-
assisted decoding of the soon-to-be-everywhere H.264
film grain. The range and
video codec, easing the load on your CPU.
subtlety of colors were also > $499 • (888) 974-6728 • www.ati.com
a striking revelation. I
could directly patch in an outboard on the screen that the SyncMaster
DVD deck via standard component 244T couldn’t handle with grace.
video cables and watch that in PIP The width and overall surface
while the HD version played, for area also ably fill the field of vision in
the ultimate A/B comparison. As a near-field desktop environment.
often happens with high-end gear, Of course, a drastic step-up prod-
you are limited by the source mate- uct does take a little getting used to.
rial, so traditional applications and When a predominately white Word
the streaming of smaller windows document like this article is open,
of compressed video looked fine. the SyncMaster 244T tended to
Gamewise, the SyncMaster 244T light up half my office like a
took everything I threw at it, lamp. Mousing also took on a
including some of the most new cadence, as I now need to
demanding recent games set at their cover a larger area and a different
highest resolutions. The monitor shape. The SyncMaster 244T also
also delivered the textures and takes a little longer to warm up than
light/shadow details my ATI graph- some LCDs, but such minuses are
ics card rendered in all of their almost negligible, while the bene-
glory. I saw only the most minimal fits are substantial. Priced lower
instances of ghosting, even during than Samsung’s big flat panels of
fast-action scenarios, and I saw vir- years past and better-featured to
90
tually no streaking of images, boot, the SyncMaster 244T is cer-
regardless of content. There was tainly an investment, but one you
nothing my HTPC could throw up can feel good about.
OVERALL RATING
Features Performance Ergonomics
> Exceptional connec- > An outstanding > Clean lines and a
tivity, plus HDCP performer on all HTPC well-designed stand, but
duties the USB hub is a mixed
> Has lots of easy-to- blessing
use, beneficial calibra- > Stellar picture quality
tion tools and display makes it an alternative > A remote control is
options to a traditional HDTV sorely missed Most computer monitors are too
93 90 85
small to provide a real HT feel, but
what’s too big to be practical?
The 24-inch widescreen format of
the SyncMaster 244T might be
right at the sweet spot, and the
General information multiple inputs and dazzling video
make it a clear winner.
HOME ENTERTAINMENT SHOW 2006 JUNE 1– 4
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 CRITIC’S COUCH movies and music reviewed

ON THE SHELF
APRIL DVDS ANNOUNCED AFTER LAST MONTH’S DEADLINE:
April 4th:
Blue Thunder Special Edition (Sony Pictures)
Ushpizin (New Line)
April 11th:
Unfinished Life (Miramax)
April 18th:
Breakfast on Pluto (Sony Pictures)
Herbie Hancock: Possibilities (Magnolia)
Hostel (Sony Pictures)
Klepto (Magnolia)
Mercenary for Justice (20th Century Fox)
Moonstruck: Deluxe Edition (MGM/UA)
April 25th:
Casanova (Touchstone)
Casualties of War: Extended Cut (Sony Pictures)
Crumb Special Edition (Sony Pictures)

Redemption Song The Detonator (Sony Pictures)

Everything You Want (Buena Vista)
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (Sony Pictures)
Guys & Dolls Deluxe Edition (Sony Pictures)
Walk the Line illuminates the Man in Black. By Adrienne Maxwell Match Point (DreamWorks)
The Passenger (Sony Pictures)
The Patriot: Extended Cut (Sony Pictures)
The Replacement Killers Extended Cut (Sony Pictures)
The hardest decision a filmmaker has when creating a biopic is deciding what events to Shopgirl (Touchstone)
Tristan & Isolde (20th Century Fox)
include. It may be easy to pare down the sum of my existence into a tidy, two-hour pack- The Wedding Singer: Totally Awesome Edition (New Line)
age, but I’m no Gandhi…or Richard Nixon or William Wallace or Mozart. These men Windtalkers: Extended Cut (Sony Pictures)

led complicated, dense lives, and their biopics reflect that complexity with running MAY DVDS ANNOUNCED BY PRESS TIME:
times of three hours or more. In Walk the Line, director and cowriter James Mangold May 2nd:
Baby Boom/Mr. Mom (MGM)
shows remarkable restraint in telling the story of his idol, Johnny Cash, in just over two Delicatessan (Miramax)
hours. Cash’s life was no less dense, no less complicated. But Dinosaurs: The Complete First and Second Seasons (Disney)
Eight Days a Week (Warner Brothers)
Mangold chose to focus on the events leading up to 1968, a pivotal The Family Stone (20th Century Fox)
year in which Cash recorded At Folsom Prison, kicked his decade-long Hoodwinked (Genius Products)
King of the Hill Season Six (20th Century Fox)
drug habit, and married June Carter. Up to that point, Cash lived Modern Romance (Sony Pictures)
a troubled, haunted existence, but, in 1968, he found redemption. Return to Me/At First Sight (MGM)
Ritual (Buena Vista)
That, for Mangold, was the story to tell, and he tells it very well. Syriana (Warner Brothers)
Walk the Line is available on DVD in a full-screen version, a wide- The Warrior (Buena Vista)

screen version, and a two-disc Collector’s Edition. We received the
widescreen version, which is also disc one in the Collector’s Edition.
The packaging lists the aspect ratio as 2.39:1 anamorphic, but it
measures closer to 2.23:1, leaving more black space along the
bottom of the screen than the top. This doesn’t detract from the
attractive transfer, which boasts natural colors and a fine amount of
detail. Not surprisingly, the disc’s best attributes are its Dolby
Digital 5.1 and DTS soundtracks, which do an outstanding job rendering both dialogue
and music. The simplicity of Cash’s signature guitar/bass/vocals sound will highlight
the strengths in a well-balanced 5.1 system and make for some great demo material.
The bulk of the bonus content is reserved for the Collector’s Edition: extended music
sequences, a making-of, and featurettes about the Folsom Prison concert and Johnny and
June. On this disc, you get 10 deleted scenes with optional commentary by Mangold and
a full-length commentary track by Mangold. I must say, it’s one of the more engaging
commentaries I’ve heard, especially for a solo track. Mangold’s passion for filmmak-
ing and music is clear, and his insights complement
the onscreen story without being redundant. Per-
haps DVD is what allowed Mangold to show
such restraint with the film, knowing that he
would later have a platform to tell the rest of the
story for those who want to hear it.
www.hometheatermag.com > Home Theater / May 2006
May 9th:
Big Momma’s House 2 (20th Century Fox)
Family Guy: Freakin’ Sweet Collection (UMD, 20th Century Fox)
Family Stone (20th Century Fox)
Golden Girls Season Five (Buena Vista)
Grandma’s Boy (20th Century Fox)
The Poseidon Adventure (20th Century Fox)
Puff, Puff, Pass (Sony Pictures)
Ronin Collector’s Edition (MGM/UA)
Rumor Has It (Warner Brothers)
Scrubs Season Three (Buena Vista)
That ’70s Show Season Four (20th Century Fox)
The Towering Inferno (20th Century Fox)
X-Men (UMD, 20th Century Fox)
X-Men 2 (UMD, 20th Century Fox)
May 16th:
The Big Valley Season One (20th Century Fox)
Hill Street Blues Season Two (20th Century Fox)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (Warner Brothers)
Napoleon Dynamite Collector’s Edition (20the Century Fox)
The Ringer (20th Century Fox)
Tristan & Isolde (20th Century Fox)
May 23rd:
Big Momma’s House 2 (20th Century Fox)
Boondock Saints (UMD, 20th Century Fox)
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (20th Century Fox)
The Dirty Dozen Special Edition (Warner Brothers)
Donnie Darko (UMD, 20th Century Fox)
Kingdom of Heaven Director’s Cut (20th Century Fox)
M*A*S*H Season Ten (20th Century Fox)
Tora! Tora! Tora! Special Edition (20th Century Fox)
May 30th:
109 The Bette Davis Collection Volume 2 (Warner Brothers)
Marilyn Monroe: The 80th Birthday Celebration Collection
(20th Century Fox)
 CRITIC’S COUCH
DVD: North Country—Warner Brothers
Reference CORNER In this thought-provoking film inspired
by a true story, acclaimed New Zealand
director Niki Caro (Whale Rider) offers
When Good DVDs viewers another portrait of a courageous
heroine breaking the gender barrier to
Happen to Bad overcome traditionally
male-dominated roles.
Movies, Part 1 In an Oscar-worthy
performance, Charlize
Or, Tony Scott strikes again. Theron brings unaffected
by Chris Chiarella
authenticity to her role as
The sort-of-true story about the daughter of actor Josey Aimes, an abused
Laurence Harvey who turned her back on a life of glam- young mother who sets
our and privilege to become a bounty hunter, Domino out on her own, landing
is unnecessarily complicated, often meandering, and a back-breaking job at
never as funny or as deep as it tries to be. Most an iron mine in Northern
tedious is the running “joke” involving Beverly Hills Minnesota during the late 1980s. She and
90210 alumni Ian Ziering and Brian Austin Green, and her female coworkers become victims of
the oh-so-poignant “heads you live, tails you die” quarter incessant abuse from the men who resent
stolen from a church collection plate. Even director Tony their presence. After being ostracized by
Scott’s stylistic flourishes, such as the clever subtitles, her family and coworkers for standing
which were inventive when used in his vastly superior up to injustice, she decides to fight back,
Man on Fire, here seem tiresome, redundant, and filing a ground-breaking class-action
forced. Perhaps affected by the sudden demise of the sexual-harassment lawsuit.
real-life Domino, a promising movie with some won- The film unfolds in a series of flash-
derful performances winds up a great big mess. backs with a muted color palette, reflect-
Scott’s conspicuous manipulation of color, contrast, and film grain are in full evidence here, ing the bleakness of Josey’s life. The
and these contribute to a spectacular DVD image. The 2.40:1 anamorphic frame is crystal clear 2.40:1 anamorphic picture is natural
when it wants to be—notably in those moments when the camera holds on Lucy Liu’s freckles, looking with a slight softness at times.
Keira Knightley’s peach fuzz, or the pits in Mickey Rourke’s battle-weary face. At other times, it’s An atmospheric Dolby Digital 5.1 sound-
a dance of shifting focus and obvious film-processing techniques. This disc effortlessly captures track makes subtle use of the surround
a variety of distinct looks over the course of its two hours. While halos vex some characters in speakers with easy-to-understand dia-
certain lighting situations, I would call this a stunning transfer, regardless. logue. Music by Gustavo Santaolalla
The setup screen informs us that the audio—Dolby EX and DTS ES—has been optimized for hauntingly resonates the somber mood of
home theater with no re-EQ required, a bit of virtual advice I’ve never seen before on a DVD. And the picture, with Bob Dylan, a Minnesota
this is no idle boast: With nary a tweak to my receiver, I enjoyed a perfectly balanced soundfield with native, contributing several songs.
unsullied dialogue. The surrounds were subtly atmospheric, while, simultaneously, there is a dis- Special features are scant but include a
crete directionality. Highs were remarkably crisp, and, when the bass was not conveying the mighty fascinating making-of documentary that
destruction of Winnebagos or helicopters, it was reinforcing the finer points of a raid or a shootout. highlights interviews with the real women
This New Line Platinum Series release is rather bonus-laden for a single disc. A commentary who inspired the story. A segment of
track and a secondary story-meets-audio-montage option bring together the director, the writer, deleted scenes is also worth a watch.
and the executive producer, plus actor/musician Tom Waits. A 20-minute featurette about the North Country is a powerful and beauti-
true-life Domino Harvey offers supplemental audio of the screenwriter interviewing the bounty ful film that will likely provoke a strong
huntress. Or you can sit through a 10-minute course on Scott’s visual methodology. Seven deleted, emotional response and inspire dialogue
extended, and alternate scenes are also included with optional commentary. DVD-ROM fans can on an issue that still impacts our times.
access the full printable screenplay as well as a script-to-screen feature synced to the movie. You —Corrina Jones
can even scan forward or back in the script while the movie plays in a window. A character map
on the left lights up as people in Domino’s life come and go from scene to scene.
New Line scores again with another technical stunner festooned with interactive goodies. But
I remain perplexed by the celebration of such mediocrity as Domino while worthy hits like Fox’s
Home Alone and Warner’s The Road Warrior languish in substandard editions.

110 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com

 Televisions Have Evolved.
Has Your Furniture?

• Casters
DVD: The Chumscrubber—DreamWorks DVD: Bambi II—Buena Vista
Suburban angst and dysfunction are prime “Your mother can’t be with you anymore,”
fodder for films and TV, whether it be intones the Great Prince, a regal buck, to • Removable Backs
housewives that seem desperate or disaf- young Bambi, thus setting into motion the
fected teens too heavily medicated to events of this modern-day follow-up to the • Interchangeable
even communicate with each other. The timeless classic. Voiced by Patrick Stewart, Door Panels
Chumscrubber falls into the latter category the Great Prince breaks with tradition by
and presents a world all too familiar, while taking everyone’s favorite fawn under • High Capacity
retaining its individuality in the genre. hoof, teaching Bambi the ways of the forest, Media Storage
The film follows Dean (Jamie Bell) as he while bonding with his son. Consider this
copes with the suicide of his best friend, Bambi: The Formative Year. • Internal Lighting
the major supplier of pharmaceuticals to Disney animators
the high-school community. Naturally, his returned to the com-
parents are indifferent, and his fellow stu- pany’s classical style, • Whisper Fan
Ventilation
dents just want their drugs again. The film delivering visuals that
has many diverging threads that all con- could be seamlessly
nect in the end, integrated into the • Integrated Surge
courtesy of a 1942 original. The Protection
wonderful acting emphasis is on the
ensemble that’s scenic meadows and • Articulating
too long to list. forest flora, and Bambi Cantilever Arm
The film itself and Thumper haven’t
looks fantastic, changed a bit. The detail in the 1.78:1 • R/L/C/Sub
presented in anamorphic presentation is stunning, as Speaker Storage
glorious 2.40:1, well, and it all looks comfortably familiar.
anamorphically The soundtracks, Dolby Digital 5.1
enhanced for your and DTS, are modern all the way. They • Steel Perforated
Shelves
widescreen televi- match well with 2005’s Bambi Platinum
sion. The Dolby Digital 5.1 track sounds Edition but are potentially jarring to tra-
good, even if it’s best used in a limited ditionalists used to the original’s mono • Internal Wire
amount of sequences. The animated track. But forest ambiance is nicely ren- Management
Chumscrubber bit within the film is a prime dered, and the dialogue is firmly anchored
example of how far the film pushes the in the center channel. • Fully Assembled
home theater experience. The movie As this is a made-for-DVD sequel,
looks better than most quirky films of there’s no second disc of material—nor is • Screwed and
this ilk, and it features James Horner’s one needed. But the extras you’ll find on Glued Joinery
best score in years. the disc are slim. There’s a short making-
The special features include a rather of, which includes the voice talent and
• Made in the USA
dry commentary from director Arie Posin goes into the initial intimidation the film-
and screenwriter Zac Stanford. There’s makers felt at following up on such a
also the obligatory behind-the-scenes beloved film. There’s also a visual trivia
featurette, which is far more informa- track, a rather tedious game, and a tutor-
tive, if just a bit too brief. ial on drawing Thumper. Sure, it’s not
The Chumscrubber is a worthwhile film, The Lion King, but a little more attention
comparable to Donnie Darko, without the to extras would have been welcome. Award winning home theater
sci-fi element. It’s a very good addition to —Gary Frisch furniture designed exclusively for
the genre.—Michael Prince
Plasma, DLP, and LCD TVs.
www.diamondcase.com
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 CRITIC’S COUCH
DVD: Fun with Dick and Jane
—Sony Pictures
Married yuppies Jane (Téa Leoni) and Dick
(Jim Carrey) try to keep up appearances
after Dick’s fraudulent company implodes
in this frequently hilarious romp. Laced
with underlying righteous anger at the cor-
porate shenanigans of recent years, the film
still holds plenty of laughs in the physi-
cal comedy and strong rapport between
Carrey and Leoni. The two characters
become partners in crime to pay the bills
and hold onto their house. Watching
Carrey try and fail
repeatedly to draw his
gun while robbing a
convenience store will
have you in stitches, and
Leoni more than holds
her own with scenes
like the one where she
bluffs her way through
teaching a gymnastic-
fighting class.
The picture comes in
both standard (1.33:1) and anamorphic
(1.85:1) versions, both of which are sharp,
shiny, and preternaturally sun-drenched—
a blond Leoni practically glows. The sound-
track here sometimes overwhelms the dia-
logue, forcing you to crank up the volume
to uncomfortable levels just to hear what
the characters are saying. There’s also
no choice of audio here. The DVD only
offers Dolby Digital 5.1.
You might snooze through the laid-
back commentary track by director Dean
Parisot and the screenwriting team, but the
rest of the extras are a hoot. If you don’t
watch the deleted scene where Carrey tan-
gles with a geriatric security guard during a
toy-store robbery gone wrong, you’ll be
missing one of the funniest scenes on the
disc. The gag reel where Carrey cracks up
his costars and the highlights from the press
junket are also first-rate, particularly an
impromptu Carrey-Leoni lip lock.
—Aaron Dalton
112 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
DVD: Proof—Buena Vista
A well-known, brilliant yet mentally unsta-
ble mathematician dies and leaves behind
two daughters and a lot of filled note-
books in Proof. It’s an adaptation by David
Auburn and Rebecca Miller from Auburn’s
own Pulitzer Prize–winning play that
works on every level. Live-in caretaker and
daughter Catherine (Gwyneth Paltrow,
who reprises her role from the London
stage) is a gifted mathematician, too, but
lives in fear that her father’s instability may
be a gene she inherits. Then there’s the
professor’s protégé Hal (Jake Gyllenhaal)
who is interested in Catherine. He’s obsessed
with going through her father’s note-
books and then finds one that is astounding:
a proof, a groundbreaking mathematical
discovery. The problem is, it’s Catherine’s
finding. Or so she claims.
The anamorphic 2.35:1 image, as well
as the direction by Shakespeare in Love’s
John Madden, captures the subtleties and
beauty of Paltrow and her performance.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is excellent,
but there isn’t much in the way of extras.
A director’s com-
mentary, a stage-to-
screen featurette,
and some deleted
scenes are about it.
The action in
this film derives
from words and
comes from within.
It’s less about the
proof itself than it is
a terrific character
study involving
familial greatness,
burdens both real
and imagined, as
well as trust and growth. Rich, com-
plex, and smart, the talent in front of
and behind the camera is well worth your
time.—Tony DeCarlo
DVD: Harry Potter and the Goblet of
Fire Two-Disc Special Edition
—Warner Brothers
I was so unimpressed
with the first two
Harry Potter movies
that I didn’t bother
to see the third or
this one in theaters.
Boy, did I miss out.
This and Prisoner of
Azkaban are excellent.
In this episode of the
Harry Potter serials,
Hogwarts is playing
host to the Triwizard
Tournament. Somehow, Harry’s name
gets entered, even though he’s too young.
From the little touches of the teenagers’
growing pains to the significant plot
developments in the Potter canon, you
shouldn’t miss this one. Oh, and there’s
a bunch of action, too.
The anamorphic 2.35:1 video is color-
ful, although, on some scenes, it can get
a little washed out. The only audio choice
is a Dolby Digital 5.1 track.
Overall, it is a great mix with
lots of surround and subwoofer
action. There are several great
system-demo scenes here.
There’s a wealth of extras,
thankfully all on a second disc.
First up is a series of games
that let you play through the
challenges from the Triwizard
Tournament. Then there are
several short but worthwhile
deleted scenes. Rounding out
the extras are interviews with
the cast and two behind-the-
scenes documentaries. There
is even some DVD-ROM content.
All in all, it’s a great disc for a great
movie. If you’re a fan of the series, this
is the version to buy.—Geoffrey Morrison

All Aboard!
Step into Miyazaki’s magic flying machine.
by Aimee C. Giron
If you could travel into Hayao Miyazaki’s head,
you would experience otherworldly adventures
into forests governed by spirits and fantastical
flights, and meet children who see the world
through their souls instead of their eyes. Spend
a moment in his colorful world, and you might
never see things the same way again.
It would be unjust to see his films simply as
beautiful works of art; each one bares a part of
Miyazaki’s soul, demonstrated by his meticu-
lous drawing method and high regard for the
hand-drawn art form.
Earlier this year, Hayao Miyazaki received his
second Academy Award nomination for Best
Animated Feature. In 2003, the Oscar went home
with the acclaimed Japanese filmmaker for his
animated picture Spirited Away.
Here is a look at some of the latest Miyazaki
releases procured from Studio Ghibli.
My Neighbor Totoro
Satsuki and her younger sister Mei are moving into
their new home. With their mother sick and their
father at work during the day, the girls are left
mostly on their own. One afternoon, Mei wan-
ders into the forest where she discovers a myste-
rious creature known as Totoro, a forest spirit
whom only children can see. They become friends,
and Totoro finds different ways to help the two
girls in their struggle as he takes them on an emo-
tional journey between his world and theirs.
Hailed as one of the
greatest children’s films
ever made, Totoro exhibits
Miyazaki’s attention to
detail, along with his
respect for both the ani-
mated medium and his
audience. In her book,
Hayao Miyazaki: Master
of Japanese Animation,
Helen McCarthy says that
the film’s “apparent sim-
plicity masks a depth of
IN THE S P O T L I G H T
wisdom and grace found in
few works for any medium.
It is accessible to even the
youngest child, yet it
respects the intelligence of
the most literate and culti-
vated adult.” Howl’s Moving
The visuals (in a 1.85:1 anamorphic presenta- Castle
tion) are stunning, with gorgeous color and detail. If you were fortunate
The Dolby Digital 2.0 track is equally exceptional, enough to be swept
and, for a mostly dialogue-oriented film, surround off your feet by
sound is not necessary. Special features include Miyazaki’s Spirited
the featurette “Behind the Microphone,” original Away, get ready to
trailers, and complete storyboards. take off once again in
Howl’s Moving Castle.
Whisper of the Heart Sophie is a simple
A touching story about discovering one’s per- girl with a simple life.
sonal passion, Whisper of the Heart features After a fateful visit
Shizuku, a schoolgirl who realizes her talent and from the Witch of the Waste, Sophie is cursed and
love of writing. Fellow student Seiji Amasawa turned into an old woman, and she must escape
has dreams of his own—to to the hills where she finds
become a world-class Howl, the famous wizard. While
violin maker. Both he and he is the one with extraordinary
Shizuku inspire each other abilities, Sophie ultimately
to pursue their creative bears the power to transform
endeavors amidst the con- Howl beyond his present state
ventional academic expec- of malevolence.
tations of their parents. Based on Diana Wynne
What is most surprising Jones’ novel, Howl’s Moving
about Whisper is Miyazaki’s Castle is a unique tale about
encouragement to move stories we have heard before,
toward something, even at encompassing everything from
the cost of breaking social fantasy, to self-discovery, and, of
norms. While he does not course, the search for true love.
condone total abandon of The 1.85:1 anamorphic pic-
one’s education, the film ture does justice to this exquis-
emphasizes the importance of listening to one’s ite story—the precise detailing and bright colors
heart, a message not often encouraged by a culture are impeccable. The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio is
known for its unwavering focus on academics. also praiseworthy and sure to give your sur-
Available in anamorphic 1.85:1, the video quality rounds some exercise. Special features include
in Whisper seems the least improved of the three the featurettes “Behind the Microphone,”
releases here. The picture is soft and the colors dull. “Interview with Pixar Animation Director Pete
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio is redeeming, however, Docter,” and “Hayao Miyazaki visits Pixar
and carries the film’s soundtrack magnificently. Animation Studios” and complete storyboards.
 CRITIC’S COUCH
DVD: The Dukes of Hazzard Unrated
Edition—Warner Brothers
I have a pretty low opinion of remakes of
classic TV shows. But I loved The Dukes of
Hazzard when I was a kid, and the cast
and crew on this one seemed like they
could reproduce the
stupid fun of the TV
show. Well, I think
they did a great job.
That’s right—I think
this movie is fun and
funny. To anyone
expecting more, I have
to ask, “Did you ever
see the TV show?” It
stars Johnny Knoxville
and Seann William
Scott, who have made
careers of having fun in
bad movies, and Jessica
Simpson, who allegedly has a career doing
something. The plot revolves around the
Duke boys needing to save Uncle Jesse’s
farm (duh). An oddly cast Burt
Reynolds is pretty good as Boss Hogg,
and a simply odd Willie Nelson is sur-
prisingly funny.
The anamorphic 2.35:1 picture is
pretty clean, with very little noise. It’s
not quite as detailed as it could be. The
Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is pretty loud
throughout, although the dialogue is still
audible over the music and sound effects.
The extras are almost as much fun as
the movie itself. The behind-the-scenes
documentary is great, as is the featurette
on all the car jumps (no computer graph-
ics!). There are a few other short fea-
turettes, a bunch of deleted scenes, and a
ton of gag takes. Also included is Jessica
Simpson’s embarrassing “These Boots Are
Made for Walking” video.
If you like dumb movies, or the dumb
TV show this was based on, this one is defi-
nitely worth a rental.—Geoffrey Morrison
114 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
DVD: Crash Two-Disc Director’s Cut
Edition—Lionsgate
This is a special one. The newly minted
Academy Award winner for Best Motion
Picture is set in L.A., but it could be
about all of America, warts and all. Paul
Haggis’ script (he also directed) has
such depth and insight into thoughts
that we have—sometimes fleeting,
sometimes ones that are ingrained about
race, stereotypes, and prejudice—that
it makes you question yourself. The
performances are superb. The cast
turns in Oscar-worthy performances
all around.
The 2.35:1 anamorphic picture cap-
tures the beauty and grunge of L.A., in
both its landscape and its citizens’ actions.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is a
perfect platform for the absolutely stun-
ning score by Mark Isham, which is,
simply put, one of the great ones. When
I think of Crash, I immediately think of
the music—poignant, ethereal, and so
lump-in-the-throat-inducing.
Standout extras
include featurettes
on L.A. itself and
the cultural influ-
ences thereof,
including interest-
ing interviews
with the mayor
and other com-
munity leaders.
Crash is purely
on another level.
Just when you think you understand what’s
going on, the movie turns you on your
ear. It’s a fantastic depiction of how looks
can be deceiving, how it may be right to
question initial instincts and how first
impressions aren’t always what they seem.
When all the pieces fall into place on a
film, you get art that’s thoughtful and
brilliant.—Tony DeCarlo
DVD: Lady and the Tramp 50th
Anniversary Edition—Buena Vista
Disney’s love letter to dogs everywhere,
Lady and the Tramp remains a sweet, funny
adventure. This new 50th Anniversary
Edition replaces the
1999 movie-only
release, extensively
restored, remixed,
and remastered.
The extra-wide
2.55:1 anamorphic
image is hypnotically
beautiful, first and
foremost for the
wide range of rich,
blemish-free colors.
The background details become more evi-
dent the longer you watch. You can almost
read the text on Lady’s housebreaking
newspaper. The strength of the blacks is
revealed in the effortless blend of light and
heavy shadow in many scenes. Since the
film is only 76 minutes, a full-frame pre-
sentation is also available on disc one, a
pan-scan of the widescreen and not the
reframed version of the movie that was
created by the studio for those theaters
unprepared to show CinemaScope in 1955.
The audio is typical of Disney Enhanced
Home Theater Mixes, particularly those
heard on the real classics. Surround effects
are subtle. Maybe it’s a train or bicycle bell
in the surrounds, some directionality of
offscreen voices, or music spread across
the 5.1 channels, but never distractingly
so. Purists might want to stick with the
cleaned-up mono track, which is also excel-
lent, instead of the Dolby Digital 5.1 track.
An entire second platter’s worth of
extras comes on strong for the kids, with
an onscreen board game, a Virtual Puppy
DVD-ROM feature, and the infotaining
“PuppyPedia.” There’s a making-of, some
deleted scenes, and in-depth looks at story-
boarding for us grownups.—Chris Chiarella
DVD: Serenity—Universal
Fox bungled the short run of Firefly by
showing the episodes out of sequence—
and in the worst possible time slot it could
find. What a surprise—they canceled it.
On the strength of word of mouth, the
DVD set of the series sold so well that a
movie was green-lit. Would the movie be
as good as the TV show?
Would it work on the big
screen? Would anyone see
it? Well, yes, yes, and no.
Serenity continues the story
of the ragtag crew aboard the
ship of the same name. It takes
place a few months after the
end of the series, concentrat-
ing on the story of River Tam
and her brother.
The anamorphic disc pre-
serves the movie’s 2.35:1 aspect ratio.
Image quality for the
most part is good. It’s
not quite as detailed
as some DVDs, but it
isn’t soft. There isn’t
a lot of noise, and
there are a lot of con-
trasty scenes to show
off your system’s
blacks. The Dolby
Digital 5.1 audio
doesn’t make nearly
as much use of the
surrounds as you’d
hope for a movie such as this. The center
channel can be a little quiet, but other-
wise the mix is just fine.
The extras are a bunch of short deleted
scenes, full-length commentary by the
man Whedon himself, three documen-
taries, and some outtakes.
If you like sci-fi or even just good TV,
you owe it to yourself to check out Firefly
and then Serenity.—Geoffrey Morrison
DVD: The Squid and the Whale
Special Edition—Sony Pictures
A friend’s mom had told him to see writer-
director Noah Baumbach’s The Squid and
The Whale, which is about a family splitting
apart with two boys that are years apart. I
thought her recommendation very odd
since this situation mirrored my friend’s
family in high school. But now it
makes perfect sense, as no other
film encapsulates as well the
black comedy that is divorce.
As the dad of the crumbling
Berkman family, Bernard (Jeff
Daniels) is a snobby, cheapskate
liar whose literary successes
are in the distant past. Mean-
while, his wife Joan (Laura
Linney) is getting her first
novel published. Linney deliv-
ers yet another standout performance,
while Daniels lands one of the best dra-
matic roles of his career and nails it.
But it’s the kids that really shine. Walt
(Jesse Eisenberg) is the 16-year-old who
adores his father to the point of mimicry,
and Frank (Owen Kline) is the increas-
ingly inappropriate 12-year-old. The
viewer shares their discomfort toward
their parents and bodies, bringing back
the horrors of puberty in ways that make
the humor rich and painful.
The movie features a lovely score, par-
ticularly the introductory piece, which
perfectly complements the tension. The
Dolby Digital 5.1 sound mix lets the sub-
woofer chime in when Pink Floyd’s “Hey
You” comes on, but there’s little in the way
of a surround sound design. The 1.85:1
anamorphic video does the trick with the
film’s claustrophobically hand-held camera
and straightforward shooting technique.
Special features include an insightful
director’s audio commentary, a rambling
interview with Baumbach, and a well-done
behind-the-scenes piece.—Ryan Vincent
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B&K Components B&K Intrigue Technologies / Harmony HMY Snell & Wilcox S&W
B&W Loudspeakers B&W Isco-Optic ISC Sonance SON
BDI BDI James Loudspeaker JMS SONICblue SNC
Bel Canto BEL Jamo JAM Sonic Frontiers/Anthem SFT
BenQ BEN JBL Consumer Products JBL Sonus Faber SNF
Binaura BIN JVC JVC Sony Electronics SNY
Bohlender-Graebener BGR KEF KEF Sound Advance Systems SAE
Boltz BOL Kenwood KWD Soundations SOU
Bose BOS Kimber Kable KIM Sound Dynamics SDS
Boston Acoustics BST Kinergetics Research KIN SpeakerCraft SPE
Boxlight BOX Klipsch KLI Stereostone STS
Bryston BRY Krell Industries KRE Stewart Filmscreen STW
Butler Audio BUT Legacy Audio LEG Straight Wire STR
Cabasse North America CBE Lexicon LEX Sumiko Audio SUM
Cambridge SoundWorks CAB LG Electronics LGE Sunfire SUN
Canton CAN Linn Products LNN System Audio SYS
Cary Audio CYA Lite-On LIT TacT Audio TAC
Cerwin-Vega CWV Loewe Opta, Inc. LOE TAG McLaren TAG
Channel Master CHA Lutron Lighting LUT Tannoy North America TNY
ChannelPlus CLP Madrigal MAD Tascam TAS
Channel Vision CVN Magnepan MAG TDK USA TDK
Cinepro CIN Marantz America MAR Technics TEC
Classé Audio CLS Mark Levinson MRK Terk Technologies TER
Communications Specialties COM MartinLogan MLN Theater Automation Wow! TAW
Control4 CON Maxent MAX Theta Digital THE
Creative Labs CRL MB Quart MBQ Thiel Audio THI
Crestron Electronics CRE McIntosh MCI Thomson THM
Crystal Acoustics CRY Meridian MER Tivoli TIV
Dali Loudspeakers DLI MiCon Audio MIC Toshiba America Consumer Products TOS
Da-Lite Screen DAL Miller & Kreisel Sound M&K Totem Acoustic TOT
D-Box Technology DBX Mirage Loudspeakers MRG Triad Speakers TRI
Definitive Technology DEF Mission MIS Tributaries TRB
Denon Electronics DEN Mitsubishi Digital Electronics MSU Universal Remote Control UNV
Diamond Case Designs DCD Monitor Audio MNT V, Inc. VIN
DreamVision DMV Monster Cable MON Vandersteen VDR
DVDO DVO Mordaunt-Short MOR Vantas VAN
Dwin Electronics DWI Morel Co. Ltd. MRL Velodyne Acoustics VEL
Dynaudio DYN Myryad/Artech Electronics MYY Vidikron VID
Earthquake Sound EAR NAD Electronics of America NAD Vienna Acoustics VIE
EchoStar/DISH Network ESR Nakamichi America NAK ViewSonic VWS
Edge Audio EDG NEC NEC Visual Systems Research VSR
ELAN Home Systems ELA Nikada NIK Westinghouse WES
Energy Speaker Systems ENY Niles Audio NIL Wharfedale WHF
Epos EPO niro1.com NIR Wireworld WWR
Epson EPS Nola by Accent Speaker Technology NOL Xantech XTH
Era ERA Now Hear This NHT Yamaha Electronics YAM
Extron EXT NuVision NUV Zenith Electronics ZEN
Faroudja Laboratories FAR One for All ONE ZVOX Audio, LLC ZVX
Final Sound LLC FIN Onkyo USA ONL

www.hometheatermag.com > Home Theater / May 2006 117

DEALER LOCATOR
CALIFORNIA
(southern)
Sunny’s Home
Theater
Covina, CA 91724
(626) 966-6259
www.sunnycomp.com/
theater.php
ARC, B&K, CEC, DMV, JML, LGE, MLN,
MSU, RGP, T + A, YBA
Elite Custom
Audio Video
5505 Moreno Avenue
Montclair, CA 91763
(909) 931-2835
www.elitecustomaudiovideo.com
AMX, B&W, BRY, CAN, DAL, HIT, ITG,
KRE, MON, NAD, PDM, PIO, REV, ROT,
RUN, SPE, STW, VEL, TRB, XLO
Sound Factor*
34 years of excellence in
audio and home theater.
17265 Ventura Blvd.
Encino, CA 91316
(818) 501-3548
Also Located at:
2 S. Rosemead Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107
(626) 577-4945
2936 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 264-5457
AUQ, B&W, BEL, CON, DEN,
DYN, EPS, FUJ, GRA, KRE, LEX,
LIN, LOV, MAR, MCC, MON, NAD,
NIL, NHT, PIO, ROT, SHA, STW,
SUN, TAR, THL, VEL
DELAWARE
Blink Later Home
Cinema Store
Newark, Delaware 19702
877-blinklater
www.blinklater.com
ATH, BENQ, BST, BOX, DAL, DEN,
JBL, NEC, OPT, PAN, SNY, UNV
FLORIDA
Stram Electronics’
Home Theater
Gallery
Tampa's most beautiful
showroom - Established
1988. Professional Quality
Systems with by
appointment services.
Tampa's largest AMX and
Vantage Lighting Control
dealers.
2825 S. MacDill Ave.
Tampa, FL 33629
813-831-8551
www.HomeTheaterGallery.com
AIN, AMX, ATL, ADA, CAN, EXT,
FUJ, JBL, MAR, NIL, PAN, PAR,
ROC, RUN, SON, SNY, STW, TRI,
VEL, WWR, XTH, ZEN
118 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
Audio Video
Innovations
Boca Raton, FL 33431
audio-video-innovations.com
561-338-7280
Custom theaters & more
Let AVI turn your vision
into a reality
Creative Media
Designs #
Winner of CEDIA’s
Best Home Theater Award.
4160 NW 1st Avenue #15
Boca Raton, FL 33431
(561) 392-1153
www.creativemediadesigns.com
AAS, ATL, CAN, CRE, DEN, DI-
RECTV, EXCIENT, FUJ, LUT, MAR,
MID, ATL, MSU, NIL, PNX, PAN,
PAR,ROC, SHA, VUTEC
Home Theater
Productions,
Inc. *#
Imagination...
Designed to Perfection
State of the Art Home
Theater Rooms, Multi Room
Audio & Video, Outdoor
Audio Design, Wholehouse
Automation, Fiber Optic
Designed Lighting
*Showroom by appointment
Parkland, FL 33076
Phone: 954-753-9997
hometheaterproductions.com
Audio Command
System, Inc. *#
The finest custom installation
worldwide for more than 25
years.
6590 W. Rogers Circle
Boca Raton, FL 33487
phone: (561) 997-0550
fax: (561) 997-0552
www.audiocommand.com
AIN, ADC, AMX, ACT, B&W, BST,
BRY, CAN, CLP, COM, CRE, DAL,
DWI, ESR, EXT, FAR, FUJ, JLC, HIT,
IFY, ITG, JMF, JBL, 997-5800 RE,
LEX, LOE, LUT, MAR, MR997-5800
MCI, MON, NEC, NIL, PNX, PAR,
PIN, PIO, REV, ROC, ROT, RUN,
SAM, SHA, SEL, SNE, SON, SNY,
SAE, STW, SUN, TER, ROS, VEL,
YAM
GEORGIA
The Home
Theater Store
390 Barrett Parkway, Suite #C
Kennesaw, GA 30144
(770) 792-0250
http://www.
theHomeTheaterStore.TV
STEALTH ACOUSTICS, RAVA,
DEN, ITG, SUN, ADC, MNT, TNY,
ENY, ANY, EAR, MTX, DWI, DMV,
INF, EPS, SHA, MAR, IXOS, LUT,
PNX, MON, VEL UNV, ROC, STW,
RCA, SAM, MSU, APPLE
Gwinnett TV
Audio Video Sales and Service
since 1977.
391 Killian Rd.
Lilburn, GA 30047
(770) 921-0000
www.gwinnetttv.com
DEN, ELA, FUJ, LUT, MIS, MSU,
MON, NHT, PNX, POL, RSD, SAM,
SAS, SNY, STW, TOS, XTH, ATI,
AUD, CHA, CLP, CVN, DAL, HIT, JVC,
RTI, SHA, TER, ZEN, CRE, IFY, LUT,
RCA, PAN
ILLINOIS
HTmarket.com
Home Theater Marketplace
Custom Showroom
3257 N. Sheffield Avenue
Suite 103
Chicago, IL 60657
Custom home theater sales &
installation. Visit our
showroom by appointment
and website anytime.
In State: (773) 244-1986
Out of State: (888) 764-9273
Fax: (773) 244-1986
http://www.htmarket.com
ATL, SUN, INF, NEC, Optoma,
Berkline, Audioquest, STW,
DVDO, HAR, JBL, SAM
LOUISIANA
Custom Audio &
Video by Poole#
The north shore’s premiere
retailer for high-end audio and
video equipment
1815 N. Columbia St.
Covington, LA 70433
(985) 892-4500
Fax: (985) 892-9625
www.customaudioandvideo
.com
ARC, B&K, BRY, CAN, DEN, DWI,
ENY, EPS, FUJ, JAM, JMS, MAR,
MOR, NIL, PAR, PIO, RGP, SEL,
SNE, STW, TNY, TRB, VEL, VONS,
XLO
Audio Resource #
The finest home entertainment
shopping experience in
New Orleans and the Gulf
South. Professional system
design, in-home installation
and the best equipment in
every price range.
3133 Edenborn Ave.
Metairie, LA 70002
(504) 885-6988
www.audioresource.com
ASC, B&K, B&W, Billy Bags,
CLS,CRE,FUJ,KIN,KRE,MLN,
MER, Middle Atlantic, Musical
Fidelity, NIL, PIO, RGP, ROT,
RUN, SLD, SAM, SON, STW,
Transparent Cable, TRB, VTL
* Indicates Certified Home THX Dealer
# Indicates CEDIA Dealer
MAINE
Custom Home
Theater Systems &
Automation
168 Pleasant Street, Suite 2
Route #1
Brunswick ME 04011
(207) 373-1147
www.customhometheater.biz
ADA, AER, DVO, EAR, INF, ITG, LGE,
LUT, MCI, MNT, PIN, RBH, REV, RSD,
SEL, SON, STW, SUN
MARYLAND
Applied Media
Concepts, Inc.
www.appliedmediaconcepts.com
Waldorf, MD
(866) 843-8185
DAL, CHA, CLP, CVN, EPS, DEF, DEN,
EPS, FAR, GLC, HAR, HIT, INF, JBL,
JVC, NEC, PAN, PHL, PIO, SEL, SPE,
STW, TEC
MASSACHUSETTS
New England Home
Theater, LLC
Littleton Common
23 Stevens Street
Littleton, MA 01460
(978) 952-8555
www.newenglandhometheater.com
info@newenglandhometheater.net
ARC, ART, ATL, DEN, DWI, ELA, EPS,
FIN, INF, LGE, M&K, MNT, MRL, NAD,
NHT, PAR RGP, RSD, SLD, SAS, SEN,
TNY, UNV, WRF ZVX
NEW JERSEY
Audio///////
Connection
615 Bloomfield Ave.
Verona, NJ 07044
973-239-1799
www.audioconnect.com
Audioquest, Cardas, Cary,
ProAc, Vandersteen B&W,
KIM, LEX, LNN, MAG, NIL,
PSA, PSB, ROT, SLD
Hi Def of
Freehold, Inc.
Entertainment Systems for
Every Home
3585 Route 9 N Shoprite
Plaza
Freehold, NJ 07728
(888)-HiDEF-4U
www.hidefoffreehold.com
Coming May 2005
Hi-Def of Wall, Inc.
2410 Route 35 North
Orchards at wall
Manasquan, NJ 08736
ATL, B&K, B&W, BDI, BOS, BOX,
CHA, CLP, CVN, CRE, DAL, EPS,
EXT, FOC, HIT, JVC, KRE, LOE,
LUT, MAR, MER, MON, NAK, NIL,
PIO, RBH, ROL, ROT, RUN, SLD,
SAM, SHA, SEL, SPE, STW, SUM,
TER, TIV, TOS, TRB, UNV, VEL,
VIE

NEW YORK
Preludeaudio.
com
Bringing you exceptional
values in audio-video cables
and accessories. For
interconnects, speaker
cables, digitals, videos, pro,
Order NOW
and more.
Headphone amps just added!
PreludeAudio.com
to subscribe (518) 382-1411
Caig, Canare, Cardas, Pelican,
Prelude Audio
at the incredibly
low rate of Audio Command
System, Inc. *#
just $12.97 for The finest custom installation
worldwide for more than
25 years.
12 issues. 694 Main St.
Westbury, NY 11590
Phone: (516) 997-5800
Fax: (516) 997-2195
Your satisfaction is guaranteed www.audiocommand.com
AIN, ADC, AMX, ACT, B&W, BST,
or your money back. BRY, CAN, CLP, COM, CRE, DAL,
DWI, ESR, EXT, FAR, FUJ, JLC,
HIT, IFY, ITG, JMF, JBL, 997-5800
RE, LEX, LOE, LUT, MAR, MR997-
5800 MCI, MON, NEC, NIL, PNX,
PAR, PIN, PIO, REV, ROC, ROT,
RUN, SAM, SHA, SEL, SNE, SON,
SNY, SAE, STW, SUN, TER, ROS,
VEL, YAM
HD
Communications
2180 5th Avenue
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
Phone (631) 588-3877
Fax (631) 588-3879
WWW.HDCOMAV.COM
BST, CAN, DEN, DWI, JAM,
KLI, LGI, NIL, PNX, RSD,
SLD, SAM, SAS, SNY, TRI,
TRB, XTH, UNV, ZEN
Sound Insight
Creating Home Theatres that
excite the senses. From
Plasmas to Projections.2
Channel to 7.1
All personnel are Custom
Installers not salesmen.
414 New York Avenue
Huntington Village, NY 11743
(631) 271-4434 HIFI
www.sound-insight.com
To order, AEN, ARC, BOS, BST, CAB, DAL,
DEN, ELA, ENY, FAR, FUJ, INF, JAM,
visit our Website at LOE, LUT, MON, NAD, NIL, PAN,
PDM, PIN, PIO, SLD, SAM, SHA,
SEL, SNY, STR, TOS, XTH, ZEN
www.
hometheatermag. NYSS HOME
com THEATER
or write to: 20 Industrial Drive
Middletown, NY 10941
P.O. Box 420235, 845-692-9000
www.nysshometheater.com
Palm Coast, FL B&W, JBL, KLI, LEX, MAR, MLN,
MRK, MCI, PIO, RUN, SHA, SNY,
32142-0235 STW, VEL, LGE, MSU, CRE
* Indicates Certified Home THX Dealer
# Indicates CEDIA Dealer
Sights-N-
Sounds #
All projects involve owners’
personal, hands-on ex-
perience. CEDIA Level 1
certified. Call today for
personal consultation.
www.hometheater.biz
784 West Jericho Tpke.
Huntington, NY 11743
(631) 673-2000
AIN, AMX, ATL, CRE, DAL, DEN,
DWI, EXT, FAR, FUJ, GLC, INF,
ITG, JMS, KWD, LOE, MSU, MNT,
MON, MOR, NIL, NHT, PIO, PLU,
RUN, SLD, SAM, SAS, SHA, SEL,
SNY, SAE, STS, STW, TAG, TOS,
UNV, VEL, XTH
Audio Video
Experience
Providing over 20 years
experience in personalized
music & theater systems
for discriminating clientele.
CEDIA-certified.
15 Island Bay Avenue
Middle Island, NY 11953
(631) 205-1410
KELVINATE@AOL.COM
www.audiovideoexperience.co
m Home Theater Concepts: Slidell• Mike’s Audio: Baton Rouge• Wright's Sound Gallery: Shreveport.
ATL, DEN, JAM, MNT, NIL, PHL,
ROT, SEL, SHB, SNY, STS, SUN,
WWR
Interstate Sight
& Sound
Custom Audio-Video Design &
Installation Specialists. 17
Years Serving The Tri-State
Area. Masters of Home Theater
and Home Automation
Smithtown, NY 11787
www.plasmaville.com
CONTROL4
BEN, CAN, CLP, DAL, DEN,
ELA, FUJ, HAR, HNS, INF,
JBL, LGE, LUT, MNT, MON,
NEC, NIL, PNX, PAN, PIN,
PIO, ROC, RSD, SAM, SHA,
SEL, STS, TRI, UNV, VID,
VWS, XTH, ACT, KLI, LNN
Sound
By Singer #
New York, NY 10003
(212) 924-8600
ARC, Barco, BEL, CRE, EPS,
Gallo Acoustics, VIE, KRE,
RUN, STW, B&K, JMS, Rel,
JM Lab, FUJ, Audio Physic
Authorized Dealers
AK- Alaska A/V: Juneau• Magnolia: Anchorage.
AL- Audio Insight: Huntsville• Cohen’s Electronics: Montgomery• Fidler HiFi: Mobile• Hooper’s:
Birmingham• Kincaid TV: Tuscaloosa• Tennessee Valley Protection: Huntsville.
AR- Custom Audio Video: Little Rock• Solutions Home Entertainment: Hot Springs.
AZ- Audio Plus: Prescott• Jerry’s Audio Video: Phoenix, Scottsdale• Magnolia: Chandler,
Glendale, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson• The Specialists: Tucson• Ultimate Electronics: Glendale,
Phoenix Metro Area, Scottsdale.
CA- Access to Music: San Rafael• Accurate A/V: S. Lake Tahoe• Ahead Stereo: Los Angeles•
Audio Concepts: Long Beach, San Gabriel• Audio Video City: San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria•
Boots Camera: Fresno• Century TV: Garden Grove• Convoy Big Screens: San Diego, San Marcos•
Creative Stereo: Santa Barbara•David Rutledge Audio: Rancho Mirage• Discount Sales: Ontario•
Magnolia: Costa Mesa, Dublin, Elk Grove, Folsom, Irvine, Los Angeles, Marin City, Milpitas,
Mission Viejo, Modesto, Murrieta, Palm Desert, Pasadena, Pleasant Hill, San Carlos, San Diego,
San Jose, San Francisco, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Torrance, Tustin, Union City,
Westminster, Yorba Linda• Magnolia A/V: Colma, Costa Mesa, Emeryville, Palo Alto, Roseville,
Sacramento, San Francisco, San Ramon, Santa Clara, Santa Monica, Santa Rosa, Torrance,
Woodland Hills• Pacific Coast A/V: Corona Del Mar• Paradyme Audio/Video: Roseville, Sacramento•
Performance Audio: San Francisco• Systems Design: Redondo Beach• Visual Sound: La Habra.
CO- Advantage Sight & Sound: Montrose• Axxis Audio: Durango• Central Electronics:
Steamboat Springs• Magnolia: Aurora, Broomfield, Lakewood, Littleton, Lone Tree•
Pro Home Systems: Grand Junction• Soundtrack: Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver &
Suburbs, Ft. Collins• Summit Electronics: Frisco.
CT- Audio Etc: Orange• Carstons Stereo/Video: Danbury• Magnolia: Danbury, Manchester•
Planet TV: Stamford• Roberts Audio Video: New London• Stereo Shop: Hartford• Westfair TV:
Fairfield.
DC & Washington Suburbs- Myer-Emco.
DE - Hi Fi House: Wilmington.
FL- Absolute Sound: Winter Park• Audio Center: Deerfield Beach• Audio Connection: Ft. Myers•
A/V in Paradise: Key West• Bill’s A/V Innovations: Vero Beach• Bob’s TV: Ocala area• Hoyt Stereo:
Jacksonville• Magnolia: Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Plantation• Palm Audio: Destin• Seagull Electronics:
Juno Beach• Solutions Enterprises: Bonita Springs (Naples)• Sound Components: Coral Gables•
Sound Ideas: Gainesville• Sound Insights: Jenson Beach• Sounds & Cinema: West Palm Beach•
Stereotypes: Daytona Beach• Tropical Video: Rockledge• Village Satellite: Isladora•
Wee-do Home Theater: Pensacola.
GA- Audio Warehouse: Savannah• Evolution Home Theater: Atlanta• FusionPoint: Macon•
Magnolia: Alpharetta, Atlanta, Buford, Kennesaw• Merit TV: Columbus• Stereo Connections:
Valdosta• Stereo Shop: Martinez.
HI- Elite Electronics: Honolulu• Magnolia: Honolulu.
IA- Audio Vision: Sioux City• Nielsens: Spencer• Sound World: Mason City.
IL- Abt Electronics: Glenview• Barrett’s Home Theater: Algonquin, Naperville• Good Vibes:
Champaign• Magnolia: Aurora, Chicago, Deerfield, Downers Grove, Kildeer, Niles• Sherman’s:
Normal, Peoria, Peru• The Shoppe: Bradley• Sound Forum: Lake in the Hills• Sound Living:
Chicago• State Line Satellite: Rockford• Sundown A/V: Springfield• Ultimate Electronics:
Fairview Heights.
IN- Classic Stereo: Ft. Wayne• Kings Great Buys: Evansville• Magnolia: Indianapolis, Noblesville•
Ovation Audio: Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis.
KS- Accent Sound: Overland Park• Advance Audio: Wichita• Audio Junction: Manhattan•
Kansas Audio Video: Topeka.
KY- Blue Grass Audio: Bowling Green• Entertainment Solutions: Crestview Hills• King’s Great Buys:
Owensboro• Magnolia: Lexington• Ovation Home Cinema & Sound: Lexington.
LA- Acadiana Security Plus: Broussard• Alterman Audio: Baton Rouge, Mandeville, Metairie•
MA- Cameras Inc.: Arlington (Boston)• Home Smart Home: North Attleboro• Magnolia:
Braintree, Danvers, Dedham, Framingham, Hyannis, North Attleboro, Seekonk, Watertown•
Nantucket Sound: Hyannis• Percy’s: Worcester• Pittsfield Radio: Pittsfield.
MD- Gramophone: Baltimore, Columbia• Magnolia: Annapolis, Columbia, Gaithersburg,
Timonium• Myer-Emco: Bowie, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Rockville• Soundscape: Baltimore.
ME- New England HiFi: Scarborough.
MI- Contemporary Audio: East Lansing• Court St. Listening Room: Saginaw• Hod’s Home Theater:
Waterford• Paragon Sound: Ann Arbor• Paulson’s: Farmington Hills• Pecar's:Troy(Detroit)•
Superior Sound: Grand Rapids• Today’s Audio: Flint.
MN- Audio Designs: Winona• Digital Communications: Rochester Dostal Electronics:
Hutchinson• Magnolia: Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Oakdale, Richfield•
Ultimate Electronics: Minneapolis & Suburbs.
MO- The Entertainer: Jefferson City• Independence A/V: Independence• Q-Audio & Video:
Cape Girardeau• Ultimate Electronics: Ballwin, Fenton, Independence, St. Peters.
MS- Ideal Acoustics: Starkville• McLelland TV: Hattiesburg• Something Southern: Oxford.
MT- Rocky Mt. Hi Fi: Great Falls• Vann’s Inc.: Billings, Bozeman, Hamilton, Helena, Kalispell,
Missoula.
NC- Anderson Audio: Morehead• Audio Designs: Raleigh• Audio Unlimited: Jonesville•
Audio Visions: Wilmington• Comtec: Asheville• Elite A/V: Lewisville• Freeman’s Stereo Video:
Charlotte• Intelligent Electronics: Raleigh• Sound Systems: Charlotte.
ND- Custom Cinema & Sound: Horace (Fargo).
NE- Custom Electronics: Omaha.
NH- Magnolia: Nashua, Salem• State Street Disc.: Portsmouth.
NJ- 6th Avenue Electronics: East Brunswick, Jersey City, Livingston, Paramus, Springfield,
West Long Branch, West Paterson, Woodbridge• Audio Video Intelligent Systems: Parsippany•
Camera and TV Stop: Medford• Hi Def: Freehold, Wall• Magnolia: East Hanover, Manalapan,
Paramus, Princeton, West Patterson• Monmouth Stereo: Shrewsbury.
NM- Ultimate Electronics: Albuquerque.
NV- Magnolia: Carson City, Las Vegas, Reno• Ultimate Electronics: Las Vegas.
NY- Aarlington Audio: Poughkeepsie• Audio Breakthroughs: Manhasset• Audio Den: Lake Grove•
Clark Music: Latham, Syracuse• Hi Way HiFi: Ithaca• JSG Audio Video: Binghamton• Magnolia:
Huntington Station, Riverhead, Setauket, West Nyack, Westbury• Media Room: Bedford Hills•
Park Ave. Audio: Manhattan• Rowe Photo: Rochester• Speaker Shop: Amherst• Stereo Exchange:
Manhattan.
OH- Absolute Theater: Powell• Audio Arts: Youngstown• Audio Craft: Cleveland, Mayfield Hts.,
Westlake• Audio Etc.: Dayton• Belden Audio: Canton• Classic Stereo: Lima• Magnolia: Findlay•
Ohio Valley Audio: Cincinnati• Ovation Audio: Cincinnati• Stereovisions: Columbus•
Threshold Audio: Newark• Unique Home System: Cincinnati.
OK- Magnolia: Tulsa• Tumble Inn: Muskogee• Ultimate Electronics: Oklahoma City, Tulsa.
OR- Kelly's Home Ctr.: Salem• Magnolia A/V: Beaverton (Portland), Clackamas.
PA- Audio Junction: Pittsburgh• Audio Lab: Fairless Hills• Audio & Video Expressions:
South Hampton• Creative Audio Video: Selinsgrove• Ed’s TV: Hatfield• Hi Fi House: Broomall,
Jenkintown• Listening Post: Pittsburgh• Palmer Audio: Allentown• Park Audio & Video: Altoona,
Duncansville• Pat’s Stereo: Greensburg• Stereo Barn: Wyomissing (Reading)• Stereo Shoppe:
Williamsport• Stereoland: Natrona Heights• Studio One: Erie• Wee Bee Audio Video: Lancaster.
RI- Magnolia: Warwick• Stereo Discount Ctr.: Providence.
SC- Audio Warehouse: Beaufort, Bluffton• Custom Theater & Audio: Murrells Inlet•
Fusion Systems: Greenville• Upstairs Audio: Columbia• Whole House Audio & Video: Aiken.
SD- Sound Pro: Rapid City• Sound Pro’s: Mitchell.
TN- College HiFi: Chattanooga• Hi Fi Buys: Nashville• Modern Music: Memphis•
Sound Room: Johnson City.
TX- Audio Video: College Station• Bjorn's: San Antonio• Bunkley's Sound Systems: Abilene•
Don’s TV: Tyler• D-Tronics: McAllen• Home Entertainment Inc.: The Woodlands•
Home Theater Store: Arlington, Austin, Dallas, Friendswood, Houston, Southlake• Krystal Clear:
Dallas• Magnolia: Farmers Branch, Fort Worth, Frisco, Grapevine, Plano• Marvin Electronics:
Ft. Worth• Matt Panter Home Theater: Waco• Mesa Home Systems: Austin• Metex: Laredo•
Mike Massey, Inc.: Odessa• RNS Sound & Vision: Harlingen, McAllen• Sound Perfection:
Frisco• Soundquest: El Paso.
UT- Alpine Communications:Alpine• Crazy Bob’s: St. George• The Theater Experience: Sandy.
VA- Audio Connection: Virginia Beach• Audio Video by Design: Williamsburg• Audiotronics:
Roanoke• Home Media Stores: Richmond• Magnolia: Fairfax, Leesburg, Reston, Springfield,
Sterling, Vienna, Woodbridge• Myer-Emco: Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church, Sterling, Tyson’s Corner.
VT- Toner’s Satellite: Milton.
WA- Bunch-Finnegan TV: Kennewick• Horizon A/V: Anacortes• Magnolia A/V: Seattle & Suburbs,
Silverdale, Tacoma• Pacific Sight & Sound: Wenatchee.
WI- Audio Video Pros: Onalaska• Barthel TV: Saukville, Sheboygam Falls• Flanner’s A/V:
Milwaukee• Hi-Fi Heaven: Green Bay• Suess Electronics: Appleton• Sound World: Wausau•
Team Electronics: Manitowoc.
WV- Mack & Daves: Huntington.
WY- Electronic Design Assoc.: Jackson.
Puerto Rico- Precision Audio: San Juan.
Canada- Adrenalin Audio: Edmonton, Alb.• Advance Electronics: Winnipeg•
Audio Video Innovations: Dartmouth, N.S.• Bay Bloor Radio: Toronto• Canadian Sound: Brampton,
Ont.• Environment Electronique: Westmount, Que.• Furniture Factory Outlets: Thunder Bay, Ont.•
Geniers: Vernon, B.C.• K&W Audio: Calgary• Kebecson: Montreal• La Boutique Electronique:
Montreal• Lipton’s Elect.: Newmarket, Ont.• Stereo Plus: Ottawa, Ont.• StereoLand: Windsor, Ont.•
The Sound Room: Vancouver, B.C.• Unifi: Waterloo, Ont.
Mexico- Contact Productos Exitosos S.A.: Mexico City.
www.definitivetech.com
 I NSTANT INFORMATION forour READERS> > > www.
HomeTheaterMag.com
www.HomeTheaterMag.com
Page # Manufacturers Page # Manufacturers Page # Manufacturers

C3 . . . . . Audio Plus Services 38 . . . . . Ethereal Cable 13 . . . . . Revel

Phone (800) 663-9352 Phone (866) 839-9187 (781) 280-0300
www.audioplusservices.com www.etherealhometheater.com www.revelspeakers.com

45 . . . . . Audiophile Systems 25 . . . . . Fujitsu 12 . . . . . Salamander

www.audiophilesystems.com www.plasmavision.com Phone (800) 350-6859

69 . . . . . Audioquest 101 . . . . Gallo Acoustics 43 . . . . . Sanus Systems

Phone (949) 585-0111 www.avspeakers.com Phone (800) 359-5520
www.audioquest.com www.sanus.com
120 . . . . Home Theater Interiors
5, 27, 59 B&W Loudspeakers Phone (800) 494-4020 99 . . . . . Schroers and Schroers
Phone (800) 370-3740 www.HTInteriors.com Phone (800) 798-2568
www.bwspeakers.com www.mstate&m-state.com
118 . . . . Hsu Research
35, 37,. . BDI Phone (800) 554-0150 36 . . . . . Signal Path
39 Phone (800) 428-2881 www.hsuresearch.com www.signalpathint.com
www.bdiusa.com
77 . . . . . Impact Acoustics 66a-f . . Sony Blu-ray Disc
31 . . . . . Bello International Corp. Phone (877)AV-EXPERT
Phone (732) 972-1333 www.impactacoustics.com 10 . . . . . Soundations
www.bello.com Phone (201) 943-2404
23 . . . . . Klipsch Audio Technologies www.soundations.com
8 . . . . . . CinemaShop.com Phone (800) KLIPSCH
Phone (866) 243-1001 www.klipsch.com 8 . . . . . Stargate Cinema
www.cinemashop.com Phone (866) 684-3843
51 . . . . . Lexicon www.stargatecinema.com
27 . . . . . Classe Audio Phone (781) 280-0300
www.classeaudio.com www.lexicon.com 57 . . . . . Stewart Filmscreen Corporation
www.stewartfilmscreen.com/reps
19 . . . . . Crutchfield C4 . . . . . LG Electronics
Phone (800)555-8347 www.LGusa.com/PlasmaDVR 15 . . . . . Sumiko
www.crutchfield.com Phone (800) 301-0799
9 . . . . . . Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. www.sumikoaudio.net/
115. . . . . Crystal Acoustics Phone (877) 258-8766 viennaacoustics3
Phone (301) 317-6326 www.lutron.com
www.crystal-acoustics.com 11 . . . . . Toshiba
63 . . . . . Mark Levinson Toshibahddvd.com
73 . . . . . CSA Audio Design
Phone (973) 744-0600 105 . . . . Monitor Audio 53 . . . . . Totem Acoustic
www.csaaudiodesign.com Phone (905) 428-2800 Phone (514) 259-1062
www.monitoraudio.com www.totemacoustic.com
120 . . . . CustomHT
Phone (800) 246-5006, ext. 00 7 . . . . . . NHT 17 . . . . . Triad
www.customHT.com www.nhthifi.com Phone (800) 666-6316
www.triadspeakers.com
103 . . . . Dali Loudspeakers 61 . . . . . Onkyo
Phone (360) 733-4446 Phone (201) 785-2600 82 . . . . . Vidikron
www.dali-usa.com www.onkyousa.com Phone 888-4VIDIKRON
www.vidikron.com
33 . . . . . Datacolor 41 . . . . . Outlaw Audio
Phone (800)554-8688 Phone (866) OUTLAWS
www.spydertv.com outlawaudio.com 34 . . . . . Velodyne
Phone (408) 465-2800
C2-3,. . . Definitive Technology, LLP 93 . . . . . Paradigm www.velodyne.com
47, 49, Phone (410) 363-7148 Phone (905) 632-0180
119 www.definitivetech.com www.paradigm.ca Home Theater (ISSN 1096-3065) May 2006, Vol. 13, No. 5. Copyright 2006
by PRIMEDIA Specialty Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Published monthly
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111. . . . . Diamond Case Designs 64 . . . . . Polk Audio 90048-5515. Periodicals Postage paid at Los Angeles, CA and additional
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103 . . . . DVDO reg. no. 87209 3125 RT0001). All other countries $38.94 per year. POST-
55 . . . . . Projector People MASTER: Please send address changes to Home Theater, P.O. Box
Phone (866) 423-3836 Phone (877)845-0042 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235.
www.DVDO.com/captivation www.projectorpeople.com Mailing Lists: From time to time, we make our subscriber list available
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95 . . . . . Elan 71 . . . . . Pure Acoustics such mailings, please send your current mailing label or an exact copy
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Information listed in this index is done so as a courtesy. Publisher is not liable for incorrect information or excluded listings. Advertisers should contact their sales representative to correct or update listing.
 CURTAIN CALL
The Channel-Seven Report
I
take a back seat to no one when it comes to being on top
of the latest technology trends. I was one of the earliest
adopters of battery-powered socks. When five-blade
razors hit the store shelves, there I was camping out in
front of the pharmacy so that I could be the first to expe-
rience the sensation of shaving my whiskers down to the
subatomic level. Clearly, I live on the “bleeding edge.”
So, it is with some embarrassment that I confess I had
not, until recently, taken advantage of the many, now-
not-so-new seven-channel formats: Dolby EX, DTS ES,
and Dolby Pro Logic IIx. (I still do not have the capabil-
ity to run Harman’s Logic 7, and, even as I write this,
my cheeks burn with the shame of it.)
Let me first say how completely cool it is to be in the
seven-channel club. I used to see all of you seven-channelers
palling around together, telling your little seven-channel
in jokes, and I was soooo jealous. But now I’m one of you!
You guys all want to get together for pizza later? Hello?
Like anything worth having, acquiring seven channels
can be difficult—but it’s not so difficult if you follow my
path. First, while eating lunch one day, suddenly decide
you’re going to clear out your afternoon schedule and
set up a seven-channel system. Under no circumstances
should you consult your spouse on this. It’s easier to
apologize than to ask for permission.
While still finish-
ing your turkey
sandwich, drive to
your local electron-
ics store and pur-
chase the necessary
equipment—in my
case, a new receiver,
two more speakers,
several hundred feet
of speaker wire, and
a bag of circus
peanuts. (Though
optional, I forcefully
recommend you
consider the night-
mare of finding your-
self in the middle
122 Home Theater / May 2006 > www.hometheatermag.com
by Michael j. Nelson
of a difficult install with no circus peanuts on hand!) Take
the equipment home, uncrate it, and hastily rip out your
beloved five-channel system, the one about which you
assured all your visitors, “It don’t get no better than this!”
The most difficult part, aside from the growing anxiety
over how you’ll sell this to your spouse (use a circus
peanut to tamp down the dread), is wiring up the two
additional surround speakers. If, like me, you have a work-
room adjacent to one side of your home theater, snake the
wire into that, then begin crawling up a shelf stacked to
the ceiling with half-used cans of paint, rusty tools, and
tasteless lamps. After you tip the shelf over, lie under a
pile of half-used paint cans, rusty tools, and tasteless
lamps, and moan for a time. Realizing you haven’t broken
any bones, crawl out from under the pile and begin actu-
ally moving the shelves to give access to the wire.
Once you have the wires strung, go ahead and drill holes
for the wires. Now measure. Discover that you were off
by 8 inches. Redrill. Then check the workroom to find
you have drilled directly into a shelf board. Re-redrill.
Mount the speakers’ bolts using the same drill/redrill
technique. Vacuum up the many small piles of gypsum
dust, and you’re ready to listen.
There remains the small matter of explaining the
broken lamps, holes in the walls, and, of course, the
extra speakers on the wall to your spouse. Here you have
several options. You can try the total denial technique:
“What? There are no extra speakers. Those have always
been there. Are you feeling OK?” Before you attempt this,
please understand that it is a very, very stupid idea.
Alternately, you can pretend that the speakers are a
gift: “Ta-da! Happy, um, Friday, dear!” But I suggest
the honest approach: “You won’t believe this, but some
crazed home theater installers broke into our house.
They tied me up and force fed me circus peanuts until
I agreed to let them put in two more speakers.”
Let me know if this works, would you?
* Michael J. Nelson is the former host and head writer of
Illustration by Joe Goebel
Mystery Science Theater 3000 and the author of three
books, most recently the novel Death Rat! (HarperCollins).
He has contributed commentary tracks for Fox’s re-release of
Reefer Madness, as well as the classics Night of the Living
Dead and Carnival of Souls.
" I’m not sure you can escape from an audition
without buying. You have been warned."
Sam Tellig, Stereophile, November 2005

New Electra 1000 Be line

A tweeter’s mechanical behavior is the key to palpable musical renderings. Today, the best tweeter is not
the one that extends the highest, but the one whose range simultaneously extends the lowest. Knowing
midrange reproduction is particularly critical to the human ear, we built a new, pure Beryllium IAL inverted
dome tweeter capable of reaching deeper into the mid-range than ever before. Its ultra-rigid and exceptionally
light (21mg) membrane is capable of incredible acceleration and retrieval of detail, from 2kHz to 40kHz. The
result is utterly disarming in it’s musicality and accuracy, full of richness, yet without any directionality or
distortion. Discover the new Electra 1000 Be at your nearest Focal retailer, or visit us at www.focal-fr.com.

US - Audio Plus Ser vices - Tél. 800 663 9352 - www.audioplusser vices.com - Canada - Plurison - Tél. 450 585 0098 - www.plurison.com