Recent content by Doug Hess

I'm glad it was helpful, Sam. I was happy for the opportunity to install and evaluate these, and I'm always happy to be writing about anything audio. :-) -Doug

You have to feel a little bad for in-wall speakers. They can be made with the highest-quality components and yet will never sound as good as their boxed brethren for two reasons: Almost nothing about the “speaker cabinet” they’ll be put into is known when the speaker is being designed. The...

Hi, Josh. That's a reasonable rule that I've heard/read many times. For your system and your needs, I would say that a good-quality 16awg wire is just fine. I think you'd get little return on any additional investment. Banana plugs--or any connectors--can be a tad contentious. It seems every...

Hi, Josh. I'd recommend going with something specific to subs, since they'll typically have better shielding and conductors. That said, you don't have to spend a fortune to get something good. For burgeoning audiophiles on a budget, I recommend monoprice.com. -Doug

Hi, Josh. Congrats on your new receiver and system! I think you'll be impressed. As for what you'll need to connect everything, well, that depends on what all you have in your system. Just connecting your Pioneer speaker system, though will require just some good speaker wire (paying attention...

Happy to help, Josh. I used to manage an AV forum for a national retailer, so this is a blast from the past. All things being equal, more power is better than less. That said, the difference between 85 watts and 115 isn't a lot. A 3dB increase in volume requires twice the power, so you can see...

Oh, and I'm glad I didn't put any money on your age either. :) -Doug

Josh, the new version of the 6-series has a different (better? worse?) version of room EQ. I think Onkyo may have gone proprietary this year, rather than using Audyssey's version. The new version also gives you a version of HDCP that's compatible with 4K--something you may or may not ever use...

Hi, Josh. I've always been a big fan of Onkyo receivers, though they're part of a class that includes brands like Yamaha, Denon, Marantz, and, some would say, Pioneer. The problem your brother was having, it sounds to me, was one of connections rather than features in a receiver. Running a set...

More than happy to help, Josh. Sounds like you made a smart and economical choice and I'm sure you'll love 'em. Enjoy! Also, since you read this review before buying the speakers, you're legally required* to post a review after you've broken them in. -Doug *Okay, so it's less of a "legal...

Hi, Josh. It sounds like you may have the means to get something better than these, which is great. These are a great value, which is why they've gotten as much attention as they have. They're remarkable sounding for their price. But there is better out there. The real question, then, is whether...

Hi, Josh. So, what are the other speakers you're considering? These have a lot going for them, but there really are a lot of good speakers out there right now. -Doug

Thank you, Ty. I'm really glad to be back to reviewing audio gear again, and these were a lot of fun. -Doug

Is this the Perfect “Friend Package”? You and I are here because we’re different. Our parents and our friends often don’t understand our predilection for this stuff. And unfortunately, we live among people who think MP3 (or AAC) is indistinguishable from uncompressed sound, and who can’t...

Sounds like both of you got a great deal on a set of speakers that were already a great deal. That's awesome. I really was impressed with these, and stunned at what they could do at the price. My memory of them (over two months old by now) is that they were remarkably transparent and open. I...