Latest Additions


  • New Top Picks section reveals the best gear HT's reviewed.
  •  

  • The Onkyo TX-NR1009 AVR offers outstanding performance and value.
  •  

  • HT's Top Picks of 2011 are the best of the best we reviewed last year.
  •  

  • GoldenEar does it again with the TritonCinema Three speaker system.
    • Podcast 98: Sean Olive
    Home Theater Geeks Podcast
    Scott Wilkinson • Feb 07, 2012 • 0 comments
    Sean Olive, director of acoustic research at Harman International, talks about the importance of training listeners to evaluate sound systems, Harman's "How to Listen" training program that's available for free online, blind vs. sighted listening tests, Harman's Multichannel Listening Lab, the lack of meaningful speaker specifications, subjective vs. objective evaluation of room-correction systems, research into sound-quality preferences of high school and college students, answers to chat-room questions, and more.

    Run Time: 45:57

    Continue Reading »
    Optoma HD33 3D DLP Projector
    3D Projector Reviews, Projector Reviews
    Scott Wilkinson • Feb 07, 2012 • 0 comments
    2D Performance
    3D Performance
    Features
    Ergonomics
    Value
    Price: $1,499 At A Glance: Among least expensive 3D projectors • Good detail and color • High black level in 2D, low brightness in 3D • No lens shift

    Like it or not, 3D compatibility is becoming nearly ubiquitous in midrange to high-end flat panels and projectors. But what about those who are looking for an entry-level projector with 3D? Are they out of luck? Not according to Optoma, whose HD33 DLP projector sells for less than $1,500, making it one of the least expensive 1080p 3D projectors on the market.

    Continue Reading »
    Toshiba 55TL515U 3D LCD HDTV
    3D Flat Panel Reviews, Flat Panel Reviews
    Thomas J. Norton • Feb 07, 2012 • 0 comments
    2D Performance
    3D Performance
    Features
    Ergonomics
    Value
    Price: $1,800 At A Glance: Crisp resolution • Bright 3D • So-so black level • Poor screen uniformity

    The last three flat-panel HDTVs reviewed in these pages averaged over $4,000 each—a figure inflated, to be sure, by one of them costing $6,000. Statement products tell us what’s possible and where the technology is going. Most Home Theater readers want to know these things.

    Continue Reading »
    SVS SCS-02(M) Speaker System
    Compact Speaker Reviews
    Mark Fleischmann • Feb 07, 2012 • 1 comments
    Performance
    Build Quality
    Value
    Price: $1,706 At A Glance: Listening fatigue immunity • Extremely solid build • Factory-direct value

    SVS Sound designs its products from the bottom up. The company got its start as a subwoofer manufacturer, fascinating point-one-obsessed audiophiles with unusual (and potent) cylinder-shaped models. Check out the company’s Website at svsound.com under products and you’ll find the subwoofer category listed above speakers and systems. If you want to add an SVS sub to an existing system, the Website’s Merlin engine lets you key in the make and model of your non-SVS speakers to obtain recommendations on compatible SVS subs. Merlin will even offer suggestions for subwoofer crossovers in both surround and stereo systems.

    Continue Reading »
    Best Settings for Sony KDL-46Z4100
    Ask Home Theater
    Scott Wilkinson • Feb 06, 2012 • 1 comments
    Do you have any recommended settings for the Sony KDL-46Z4100 LCD TV? I am presently using the factory default settings in the Cinema picture mode, which I'm told is the best mode to start with.

    Fitz Forde

    Continue Reading »
    How Often Do You Go Out To The Movies?
    Vote
    Scott Wilkinson • Feb 03, 2012 • 14 comments
    Last week, I asked about how many Oscar-nominated movies you've seen, and I was surprised that the most popular response was "none" followed by "a few." This led me to wonder how often our readers actually go out to the movies. Of course, many of you have a good home theater, which is generally quieter, more controllable, and less expensive (that is, not counting the purchase price!) than a commercial cinema. And some home theaters even provide a better audio/video experience than lesser commercial venues.

    On the other hand, if you stay home to watch movies, you don't get to see the latest titles until they are released on Blu-ray or other media. Also, there are many commercial cinemas that surpass all but the most elaborate home theaters in performance. Then there's the social aspect—maybe I'm weird (okay, maybe there's no "maybe" about it!), but I actually enjoy sharing the movie experience with my fellow humans, as long as they don't talk or text during the show and the kid behind me doesn't kick my chair.

    So how often do you go out to the movies? Why do you go—or not—in lieu of your home theater?

    Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.

    How Often Do You Go Out To The Movies?
    Continue Reading »
    Casual and Luxurious
    AV Interiors
    Kim Wilson • Feb 03, 2012 • 1 comments
    Photos Nick Woolley

    Park City, Utah, boasts three world-class ski resorts. Canyons, the largest of the three, offers ski-in and out access to The Colony, a residential area where the homeowners of this theater reside part-time. When they aren’t on the slopes, this couple likes relaxing and sharing their custom home theater with friends and family.

    Continue Reading »
    Anatomy of an Install: Your Steps To Home Theater Nirvana
    AV Interiors DIY
    Rob Sabin • Feb 03, 2012 • 4 comments
    Any room with a TV, a surround sound audio system, and a mess of wires snaking across the floor can become a home theater once the lights go down. But a truly integrated room that fits your lifestyle and makes you proud to show it off takes some work. Whether you do it yourself or bring in a pro, the steps to get there are always the same. This article will help you understand the process. Building a home theater isn’t rocket science, but it does require a broad mix of knowledge and skills, and a willingness to do your homework before you begin. If after reading this, you’re not confident you can handle the job, you should strongly consider hiring a pro who does this day in and day out.
    Continue Reading »
    Are We Clear?
    Curtain Call
    Michael J. Nelson • Feb 03, 2012 • 0 comments
    Ah, the heady days of the early ’90s. Maury Povich strode the globe like a conquering god-king, and all fell at his feet in awestruck worship. Cropped sweaters and high-waisted jeans were all the rage, and, sometimes, even women got in on the action. In pop, C+C Music Factory was up and running three shifts a day, their forges and foundries cranking out unit after unit of high-quality, low-cost dance hits for the grateful masses. (Yes, on occasion the factory line did shut down, as in the famous incident in which workers went on strike when it was discovered that there were some people defying the order that “Everybody dance now!” After some tense negotiations, the union agreed to compromise on its insistence that everybody dance now, allowing the sick and infirm to be given a waiver, provided they promised to dance at some time in the future. With passage of the bipartisan Dance Act, the workers returned and the factory line was soon up and humming again.)
    Continue Reading »
    2011 Top Picks of the Year
    How To Choose, News
    HT Staff • Feb 03, 2012 • 0 comments
    It’s always a blast around here to take a look back and see which of the hundred or so components we’ve reviewed in the last year really rose to the top. Of course, the best of these end up on our Top Picks list, but like watching a good movie whose message or performances resonate in the days and months that follow, there are always a few pieces of gear that prove themselves to be just a little more special over time.
    Continue Reading »