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AV Rant #633: Almost Better

March 8th, 2019

Our Listeners of the Week are Travis, Mark, Gary, and Juan for their donations, as well as our 84 Patreon Patrons.

GIVEAWAY: James C. has kindly offered to give away a Philips Hue 2-Bulb Starter KitDonate $5 or more to AV Rant before March 11, 2019. We will randomly select one donor’s name and put you in touch with James. If we receive $200 or more in total donations by March 11, James will also include an Echo Dot.

Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmBk9W8z

In the news, Sony is replacing their professional BVM-X300 OLED mastering monitor with the “Light Modulating Cell Layer” dual LCD BVM-HX310, similar to the Hisense dual LCD consumer TV shown at CES. And the BenQ CinePrime HT3550 is a $1,500 4K DLP projector claiming 95% DCI-P3 color capability.

Nathan D. shared a laugh over the $1,300 RELAXA 530 Anti-vibration platform. Moanis shares his experience importing a Panasonic UB420 Ultra HD Blu-ray player. And Derek F. explains why the NVidia Shield and Apple TV 4K can’t play HDR videos on YouTube.

0:19:48 Michael I. wants to know how important bass below 20Hz really is, and what we’re looking and listening for when measuring and comparing subwoofers.

0:32:55 Infinite Gary asks why some disc players break down over time, and why some are able to play discs that other players fail to read.

0:37:20 Nick B. gets us to speculate about future Micro-LED screen sizes and prices.

0:44:42 Rob W. can either increase his screen size by switching to a projector, or upgrade his audio system. We suggest the combo of a Denon X1400H from Accessories4Less, RBH Impression Series speakers, and one or two RSL Speedwoofer 10S subwoofers.

0:56:21 Jordan B. gets our thoughts on putting a subwoofer inside his closet.

0:59:13 Karl R. sparks a discussion about physical media after reading Sound & Vision’s Is This the Videodisc Apocalypse? article.

1:06:51 Gary W. asks how he would physically connect a pair of self-powered KEF LS50 Wireless speakers along with a pair of subwoofers to use as a stand-alone system, as well as being part of a 5.2.2 Atmos setup. We suggest a Marantz SlimLine Receiver as an option with the necessary outputs.

1:14:03 Billy would like to add side Surround Klipsch speakers that take up as little room as possible, but without them being in-walls, so we recommend the RP-140SA Atmos Modules that can also be wall-mounted as regular Surround speakers.

1:17:09 Matt C. gets our recommendations for Sanus speaker stands, and ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2 Surround speakers, along with confirmation about his dual subwoofer placement, and some ideas for free or cheap ways to further improve his setup.

1:24:26 Juan F. asks about Anthem Receivers vs. Denon, Marantz, or Yamaha. Then we talk about external amps, buying (gasp) a smaller subwoofer when your significant other approved a larger model, but you know the smaller one will make them happier. And we recommend the Samsung 82″ Q6FN for his budget, seating distance, and well-lit room.

1:36:36 Mark T. gets confirmation that he got a good deal on a used JVC RS67 projector.

1:39:58 Jorge S. asks about placement options for a pair of Monoprice SSW-10 slim subwoofers, and we mention the very similar Dayton Sub-1000L that comes with optional feet to stand it vertically.

1:42:25 Anthony O. is thinking of trying Atmos, but mostly planning for a couple of years in the future. We advise to buy what he will actually use right now. And then we talk about the challenges of sound isolation.

Thanks for listening. Now, don't forget to:

  • Check out the AV Rant YouTube channel to watch our show videos.
  • Download Tom’s FREE superhero-themed ebook Bob Moore: No Hero.
  • Visit Tom's website for download links as well as links for the two full-length follow-ups -  Bob Moore: Desperate Times and Bob Moore: Hostile Territory.
  • Check out AVGadgets.com where Tom is the new Editor-in-Chief!
  • Download Tom's NEWEST book, Touch of Pain from Amazon now!

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