Music Reviews – November, 2008

Jason Victor Serinus

It's easy to dismiss Bach's six Brandenburg Concertos assonic wallpaper. Their presence on classical FM, internet radio, iTunes, andconcert programs around the world is virtually as ubiquitous as Vivaldi'snot-always-evergreen Four Seasons. Most recordings, however, are dismayingly routine, with modern instrument players sawing and blowing away as if executing these babies was just another gig on the calendar.

Hold on to your harpsichord, partner. If you think you know Bach's six Brandenburg Concertos inside and out, take a listen to this award-winning two-CD set.

CD Music Reviews
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General

Denon AVR-689 7.1 A/V Receiver

Gabe Lowe
It amazes me that what passed for a premium feature in A/V receivers two or three years ago can now be found on entry level models.  That is the beauty of progress!  Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the Denon AVR-689.  At an MSRP of $399 it is hard to believe that this unit is so jam packed with bells and whistles. Now this is what I call an affordable - and good - receiver. Read our review to see more.
Receivers

Hsu Research ULS-15 Subwoofer and HB-1/HC-1 MK2 Speakers

Ross Jones

Hsu Research is an A/V company selling only online, and which continually produces superb products at affordable prices. Until recently, Hsu sold nothing but subwoofers. I bought one of the original Hsu Research VTF-2 subs, which had incredible performance for a $500 price tag. I've since upgraded to the VTF3-HO with Turbocharger. Like the rest of the Hsu's line, those subs had a ported design.

Now comes Hsu's first sealed-box subwoofer, the Hsu Research ULS-15. It's one of the first subs to hit the market with wireless connections (RF), and it has four separate channels, so you can have several discrete wireless subwoofer channels if you like (e.g., front left, right, and LFE).  Along with the ULS-15, Hsu also sent their newly redesigned HB-1 Mk 2 bookshelf speakers and HC-1 center channel speaker, for a complete 5.1 system. I had heard good things about the HB-1's, but never had a chance to audition them in person. Plus, I was very curious to see how Hsu's experience with subs would translate into full range speakers.

Surround Sound Speaker Systems

Movie Renter’s Guide – November, 2008

John E. Johnson, Jr.
Tinker Bell (Blu-ray), Sleeping Beauty (Blu-ray), Transsiberian (Blu-ray), Hellboy II (Blu-ray), The Strangers (Blu-ray), Magagascar (Blu-ray), Wall•E (Blu-ray), Tropic Thunder (Blu-ray), Wanted (Blu-ray), The Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian (Blu-ray), TV Series - Hannah Montana (SD DVD), Prison Break (Blu-ray), Lost (Blu-ray), Grey's Anatomy (Blu-ray)
Movie Reviews

JL Audio Fathom f212 Subwoofer

John E. Johnson, Jr.

JL Audio's new Fathom f212 subwoofer is an astonishing product. Their years of building car audio subwoofers that you can hear a block away have paid off in this subwoofer meant for audio and home theater applications. It is expensive, but notwithstanding, even just one of these subs will satisfy the most critical of home theater aficionados. The f212 is one of the finest subwoofers in the world.

Subwoofers
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THIEL Unveils Signature Edition CS2.4SE Loudspeaker

wirc media

October 30th, 2008 ( Lexington , KY ) â€" US loudspeaker company THIEL Audio (HUwww.thielaudio.comUH) has announced the introduction of the CS2.4SE loudspeaker, a limited production version of THIEL's popular CS2.4 floor-standing speaker.  The THIEL CS2.4 has been the loudspeaker of choice for thousands of audiophiles worldwide and has received much praise by both audio critics and enthusiasts since its unveiling over five years ago. The CS2.4SE (Signature Edition) raises this already beloved loudspeaker to an absolute apex of both visual beauty and sonic performance. 

Press