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Audio News for March 28, 2017

by Audiophile Audition | Mar 28, 2017 | Audio News

Denon S Series AV Receivers for Home Theater – Denon will have a new series of AVRs for from $279 to $579 next month. The idea is to make home theater easier now. The entry level AVR has 4K with HDR compatibility, Bluetooth streaming, and 140 watt per channel. The top of the line includes built-in HEOS, object-oriented surround sound processing, Wi-Fi and 185 watt per channel, along with several additional features. Electronics All Over Your Home Could Be Spying on You – A Canadian sex toy manufacturer handing over $4 million in settlement of a privacy lawsuit last week when a customer discovered that its Bluetooth-controlled, app-connected vibirator secretly collected highly sensitive personal data on the person. WikiLeaks has claimed that powerful surveillance tools once only deep inside the CIA could be designed to turn any connected device into a tool to spy on its owner. Hackers have been targeting so-called smart devices for years. They often use the webcam attached to a device to spy on their victims. One DIY trick users have employed is to cover their computer or gaming system’s built-in webcam with a piece of tape, so the hackers aren’t able to see much of […]

Audio News for March 13, 2017

by Audiophile Audition | Mar 14, 2017 | Audio News

Wolf Cinema Announces Series of 4K Video Projectors for the Home – This maker of high-performance home cinema projectors has announced the release of four 4K imaging home projectors. Three use the sixth-generation three-chip D-ILA light engine technologies; plus there is a flagship laser/phosphor 4K/UHD projector. All may stand alone or by mated with two Wolf Cinema eternal 4K video processors. They start at under $10,000 and the first three are traditional lamp-based editions, plus the high-output Blu-escent laser/phosphor flagship projector. Each model delivers the imaging prowess the company has become known for, on home theater screens up to 18 ft. in width. They all have full 18Gbps Ultra HD HDMI 2.0 inputs with HDCP 2.2 compatibility and increases in peak white performance up to 3200 ANSI lumens. The series delivers some of the most revealing black level performances in its class, full HDR10 imaging compatibility, multiple aspect ratio memories, custom factory gamut and gamma calibrations, and an all-metal chassis for improved thermal coefficients. Battery-Powered Speaker for Echo Dot Launches – Ninety7, a technology lifestyle company, has launched a unit to elevate Dot’s home automation capabilities. The VAUX allows second-generation Dot owners to set their Dot free and enjoy portability […]

Audio News for February 28, 2017

by Audiophile Audition | Feb 28, 2017 | Audio News

Home Electronics Spying on You? – The convenience of your Amazon Echo and Google Home could come at a cost, according to some security experts. The “wake word” is either “Alexa” for the Echo or “Hey, Google” for Google Home, but in order to recognize those words, the two devices are, by definition, listening to everything you say, even when you think your are out of earshot. That’s just a bit scary. And it’s not just those two companies who can access your devices. Somehow outside your home can access your machine and potentially use these items to spy on you. One security expert says “Make sure you have a firewall, and certainly use antivirus and malware software on your computers.” Google Home Adds Voice Shopping – You can now order everyday items just by asking Google Home. You’ll have to set up a default address and payment method, of course. Just to the Google Home app More Settings and select Payment under the Google Account Setting section. Agree to the terms, enter your card information and billing address under Payment Method. Follow the on-screen prompts and select your delivery address. Over 50 retailers already participate and thru April 30 […]

Audio News for February 10, 2017

by Audiophile Audition | Feb 10, 2017 | Audio News

New Astell&Kern AK70 Supports aptX HD Hi-Res Streaming – The hi-res digital audio player is an improvement over the AKJr. iPod nano-like digital music player which had a sluggish user interface and Spartan feature set. Now they have an almost perfect price-performance champ that is not their flagship player, but seems to right from every angle, and is $600. The 3.3-inch touchscreen user interface is slick and fluid. There’s a large numerical prompt of the volume, so you are never confused by it. The track you are playing is displayed with all the information on it. It weighs only 132 grams and is natural to hold in your hand. But if you also purchase their own leather-style case, you will have a hard time swiping the top of the screen accurately or cleanly. It is also obviously designed for right-handed users. Cinegy Introduces Cinescore Video Encoding Benchmark – Up to now there has not been a relevant way to measure video encoding performance for commonly used broadcast and professional video formats for SD, HD or UHD. Now Cinescore has free software on their website at cinegy.com. The commercial-off-the-shelf technology uses CPU-accelerated and graphic-card-equipped commodity machines, powered by Intel processors. A […]

Eight Christmas CDs for the 2016 Holidays

by Audiophile Audition | Dec 8, 2016 | Special Features

Eight Christmas CDs of Note, Holidays 2016 “Song of the Nativity” – The Sixteen/ Harry Christophers – Coro COR16146, 73:58 (10/14/16) [Distr. by Naxos] *****: This wonderful Christmas offering comprises some of the best modern carols and choral works of the modern age, sung to absolute perfection by a noted and very reliable ensemble. The sound is first rate and the dynamic range of this group never fails to astound. Fortunately, there are also seven traditional carols thrown into the mix, and they are taken, as directly as possible, from the classic Oxford Book of Carols from 1928. After all the Christmas albums that turn these gems inside out with never-ending permutations and cleverly assembled variances, hearing them in this form, sans ego and overly-stoked imagination, is a real and very genuine pleasure. This album will serve as a balm to over-jaded holiday sensibilities, and help to recapture the real meaning of the season. TrackList: Bullard, A: And all the stars looked down Chilcott: Shepherd’s Carol Davies, Walford: O Little Town of Bethlehem Gardner, John: When Christ was born of Mary free Ireland: The Holy Boy Jackson, Gabriel: The Christ-child Lauridsen: O magnum mysterium MacMillan: The Strathclyde Motets: O Radiant […]

Audio News for November 15, 2016

by Audiophile Audition | Nov 15, 2016 | Audio News

Battle Between Amazon Echo and Google Home Device – The artificial intelligence home platform is the place where the two gadgets are duking it out. The Echo ($179) is larger but the two sound similar, but both are only mono unless you plug them into a stereo system. The Google Home is $129 and looks like a solid deodorizer. Both have female voices to speak to. They can give you news, check your daily schedule, play games, tell corny jokes, play music, answer questions and control certain home devices. The Google device works best with Android smart phones, and you have to have a home Wi-Fi system. The Echo can only play millions of ad-free tunes if you belong to the $99-a-year Amazon Prime. If you have two Google Homes, you can sync the music so it plays thruout your home. HTC Bolt Multimedia Smartphone Introduced – It uses the Sprint LTE network and can reach up to 450 Mbps download speed. It has capabilities for hi-res audio (with a 24-bit DAC) and UHD video, a 5.5-inch Gorilla Glass 5 display and comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It is also water resistant and allows for a […]

Audio News for Tuesday, November 8, 2016

by Audiophile Audition | Nov 8, 2016 | Audio News

75% of Japanese Want Hacker Protection for Devices – Japanese consumers are very concerned about hacker attacks on the smart electronics in their homes. Most want an automated update service that prevents unauthorized access to data in devices over the Net. Electronica Trend Index 2020 surveyed 7000 consumers in seven countries and the Japanese consumers were the most aware of the data risks associated with smart electronics. But many Japanese also see smart electronics as a way to reduce risk in many areas of their lives. 79% favor alert systems making it safe for older people to stay in their own homes longer. And 74% want a car that autonomously alerts police and reports its location when stolen. New Google Home is a Winner – It competes with Amazon’s Echo and may be a better deal, but the sound from it is terrible. It is a Wi-Fi speaker that reacts to voice commands like Echo, but with shocking accuracy. The vast Net knowledge of the search giant is part of its free Google Assistant app that comes with their Pixel smart phone. It is a personal and customized helper. It’s very small (smaller than the Echo), looking like a futuristic […]

Papa Hemingway in Cuba (2016)

by Audiophile Audition | Oct 29, 2016 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews

A fine film biopic of Hemingway in Havana. Papa Hemingway in Cuba (2016) Cast: Giovanni Ribisi, Joely Richardson, Minka Kelly, Adrian Sparks Studio: 20th Century Fox (10/25/16) Video: 2.40:1 or 16:9 screens, color Audio: English & Spanish DD 5.1 Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish Extras: Theatrical trailer, Previews of other films Length: 110 min. Rating: **** This is an excellent biopic in the life of literary legend Ernest Hemingway. It’s based on a true story. Young Miami journalist and aspiring writer Denne Bart Petitclerc (who is Ed Myers in the film) has his girlfriend send a letter to Hemingway about his idolization of him, a letter which he had not brought himself to send. He gets a phone call from Hemingway who invites him to his home in Havana, and a fascinating and unexpected friendship develops. Hemingway introduces the young reporter to deep-sea fishing, drinking, and finding his literary voice. He sees Batista soldiers hunting down rebels in the streets. The Cuban Revolution is beginning, and one scene has Hemingway and his young friend hurriedly throwing arms for the rebels overboard as a coast guard cutter with Batista people approaches them to board the boat and search for arms. The pointing […]

Hunt for the Wilder People (2016)

by Audiophile Audition | Sep 28, 2016 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews

Hands-down one of the best films of year! Don’t miss it! Hunt for the Wilder People (2016) Cast: Julian Dennison, Sam Neill, Rhys Darby Director: Taika Waititi (New Zealand) Studio: Orchard/ Sony Pictures 48158 (9/27/16) Video: 2.35:1 for 16:9 screen, color 1080p Audio: English DD 5.1 Dubbed: French Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish Extras: Commentary track with director, Neill & Dennison, Behind the Scenes, Blooper Reel Length: 101 min. Rating: ***** B01IGFGG2G The defiant little 12-year-old kid Ricky Baker is getting a new start in a foster home in the New Zealand countryside. He tries to run away but Aunt Bello gets him back with her loving attention. There is a lot of attention given to the “hottie,” which in NZ language is a hot water bottle to sleep with. Unfortunately, she dies and the father (who has been in prison in the past) and the child take off for the jungle with their dog. Ricky doesn’t want to be shipped to another home, and so he and the man go on the run in the NZ bush. Their manhunt is in all the papers and they become a national concern, branded as outlaws. The book on which this […]