Pro-Ject Xtension 10 Superpack Turntable System

Jim Clements

This beautiful turntable from Pro-Ject Audio Systems is dubbed the Xtension 10. This new model is a smaller version of the highly acclaimed Xtension 12. Pro-Ject retained most of the design features of the Xtension 12 to include a built-in precision speed control, a balanced sandwich platter, adjustable magnetic feet and a precision inverted ceramic main bearing. The over-designed Xtension 10 weighs in at a healthy 48-1/2 lbs net! It comes with a heavy record clamp and acrylic dust cover included.

TurntablesTurntables

Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 5020UBE 3D LCD Projector

Chris Eberle

Recently I reviewed Epson's new Home Cinema 3020e projector and found it to be a tremendous value in the under $2000 class. It offers killer 3D, wireless HDMI, and superb image for less than the price of a 60-inch TV. It was only natural that I should also check out its big brother, the Home Cinema 5020UBE.

Projectors

A Collection of New Vinyl for the Audiophile – June, 2013

Jason Crawford

Big Jack White was ambassador for this year's Record Store Day.  I don't know what that means except that he had a video of some sort that I never watched on the official RSD website.  I think the word's pretty much out about this guy by now.  He likes analog.  In fact, there's a note in the Elephant liners explaining that "No computers were used during the writing, recording, mixing or mastering of this record."  And Elephant is why we're here.  The White Stripes classic was reissued for RSD on double vinyl.  Double crazy super vinyl, that is.  I'll try my best to explain...

 

Vinyl Music ReviewsVinyl Reviews

Surround Sound Systems: 5.1 or 7.1?

Jared Rachwalski

I'm going to be in the market for my first surround sound system. I was wondering if you know if what I'm looking for exists. I'm looking for a surround sound system that can be expanded to more speakers. Like a system that is a 5.1 surround that has ports to add an additional two speakers to make it a 7.1 surround. A kind of modular surround sound system. I'd love to get the 7.1 right away but if I can save some money right away with a 5.1 and maybe in 6 months or so add a couple speakers that would be the best.

- Bill Russell
Bismarck, ND

SECRETS Home Theater Q&A

Dune HD – Base3D and TV-303D High Definition Media Streamers

Ofer LaOr

Streamers have been around for quite a few years. It took them quite a while to reach maturity. When this field was at its infancy, HD was just starting to get popular and Streamers offered a way to play back a DIVX or TS file without requiring a Home Theater PC in your living room. The beginning was very slow and tedious, early streamers were buggy and often had serious image, sound and build quality issues. Typically, you had to place your content in a hard drive inside the unit, or even burn a DVD containing your desired content - not exactly something that most people are prone to do.

HDTV

SVS SB13-Ultra Subwoofer

Jim Clements

The SVS SB13-Ultra powered subwoofer features a 13.5" driver with 50mm peak excursion.  It is driven by a 1,000 watt RMS Class D amplifier (3,600 watts peak).  This amp has a dual band parametric equalizer and a unique limiter circuit that retains dynamic shadings even when pushed hard.  The sub is a sealed box design with tight and clean bass.  In fact, my nearfield (1 foot) THD+N measurements were all under 0.33% from 28 - 100Hz at 100dB!

Subwoofers

Axiom LFR1100 Omnidirectional Speakers and ADA-1500 Power Amplifier

Chris Eberle

About a year ago, Ian Colquhoun, founder of Axiom Audio, contacted me to talk about an exciting new design he was working on. It was the LFR1100 omnidirectional tower speaker and it represented a radical departure from not only their other products, but from traditional speaker construction. Needless to say I jumped at the chance to review them, but tremendous customer demand prevented me from getting a pair right away. When a surprise phone call came recently asking where I'd like the speakers delivered, I couldn't help but get excited!

Floor Standing Speakers

Home Theater Movie Renter’s Guide – June, 2013

The SECRETS Movie Review Team

 Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy lead an all-star cast in this hilarious comedy. Unlimited funds have allowed Diana (McCarthy) to live it up on the outskirts of Orlando. There's only one glitch: she's financing her shopping sprees with an ID stolen from Sandy Patterson (Bateman), an accounts rep who lives halfway across the U.S in Denver. With only one week to hunt down the con artist before his world implodes, the real Sandy Patterson is forced to extreme measures to clear his name.

Movie Reviews
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Decoding Audio Formats

Written Brian Florian

I have a Panasonic DMP-BD655 Blu-ray player connected to an Onkyo TX-SR805 receiver, with DefTech Mythos STS speakers for the fronts. I know that the Onkyo is capable of decoding losses HD audio formats sent via bitstream from the Panasonic.

My question - For best sound quality, should I have the Panasonic bitstream lossless audio and have the Onkyo do the decoding? Or, will I get better sound by having the Panasonic do the decoding?

- Venkat Iyer
Chicago, IL

SECRETS Home Theater Q&A