Cynthia Johnson

Boston Acoustics A Series 5.1 Home Theater Speakers

Brian Alvarez

Boston Acoustics has a well deserved reputation for delivery good sounding and musical speakers at reasonable prices. The very first pair of speakers I owned were Boston Acoustics. It was such a long time ago I can't remember the model number. All I recall are small bookshelf speakers in black ash. Sound wise they stood out at the time as the only speakers I could afford that sounded like music. The Boston Acoustic A Series set of 5.1 speakers is reviewed here.

Surround Sound Speaker Systems

Panasonic DMP-BDT210 3D Blu-ray Player

Chris Heinonen

Sales figures for home theater components are not something I really pay attention to. I'd much rather own something that works great than to have what's popular, or to have my opinion influenced by sales numbers. However, I'd be willing to bet that Panasonic has done pretty well with their 3D Blu-ray players this year because of one huge advantage they have over everyone else: The ability to include Avatar 3D for consumers. And now, you can get a 3D Blu-ray player for $200: the Panasonic DMP-BDT210.

Blu-ray Players

ChromaPure 2.2 Video Calibration System and Lumagen Radiance Mini-3D Video Processor

Chris Heinonen

If you've read the previous DIY calibration articles here at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity, then you've seen us cover ChromaPure and CalMAN calibration systems, and the DVDO Duo video processor. This time we're going to look at the newest release of ChromaPure, version 2.2, as well as the Lumagen Radiance Mini-3D Video Processor, both individually and together.

Video Calibration

Pioneer VSX-1021K 7.1 A/V Receiver

Stephen Hornbrook

Pioneer has consistently brought innovation and quality to the home theater market. From their famed Kuro plasma displays to its Elite brand AV receivers, Pioneer is always on the mark. Here, we review their VSX-1021K 7.1 A/V receiver. It performed about as well as could be expected at a price point of $549.

Receivers

Melody Moore: The World Premiere of Heart of a Soldier

Jason Victor Serinus

On September 10, 2011, one day before the 10th anniversary of 9/11, composer Christopher Theofanidis' first opera, Heart of a Soldier, has its world premiere at San Francisco Opera. A modern day hero's journey / love story, the opera tells the tale of Rick Rescorla, a multi-decorated Vietnam war hero who, years later, rescued over 2700 people from the World Trade Center before perishing in the Twin Towers collapse.

Musician and Vocalist Artist Interviews

Onkyo PR-SC5508 9.1 SSP and PA-MC5509 Nine-Channel Power Amplifier

Chris Heinonen

Onkyo has been on a roll with their professional line of preamps recently. Starting with their 885 model, and continuing through the 886 and 5507 they have managed to hit a previously weak area in the home theater market. Their new PR-SC5508 surround sound processor (SSP) hits a higher plateau with nine channels. Along with the Onkyo PA-MC5509 nine-channel power amplifier, let's take a look at how nine channels are configured and how the processor and amplifier combination perform.

Receivers

McIntosh MVP881 Universal Blu-ray Player

Chris Heinonen

McIntosh is one of the most distinctive, and iconic, brands in all of Hi-Fi. Sporting a look that seemingly has never changed, they are most well known for their two channel amps and preamps, but also have a full line of home theater components as well. The MVP881 is McIntosh's contribution to the world of universal players (CD, DVD-A, and SACD). At $8,000 there is a lot of less expensive alternatives as competition. How did the McIntosh compare? Read on.

Blu-ray Players

PS Audio PerfectWave Disc Transport

Jason Victor Serinus

I was in a bind. CD and product reviews were due at multiple publications, and my Theta Carmen II transport's drive mechanism had failed. I may have bought the used unit directly from Theta Digital's founder and former owner, Neil Sinclair, but that couldn't change the fact that the Carmen II's defective drive was long out of production. With no spare parts available in at Theta's Southern California headquarters, I was in trouble. Paul McGowan came to my rescue by sending a PS Audio PerfectWave Disc Transport. And, wow, does this thing transport.

CD Transports

B&W CM8 Tower Speakers

Brian Alvarez

Bowers and Wilkins (B&W) recently made the bold move to sell their products through Magnolia and Best Buy. Adding big box retailers in addition to specialty retailers is quite a step from a brand surround by "audiophile" credentials. Few speakers have as much universal respect as B&W speakers. One of their new models is the CM8 Floor-stander (tower), which is reviewed here.

Floor Standing Speakers