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  1. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review RSL C34E In-Ceiling Speakers: Are they good at least or great Atmos?

    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
  2. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review RSL C34E In-Ceiling Speakers: Are they good at least or great Atmos?

    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...
  3. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System Review

    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...
  4. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System Review

    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
  5. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System Review

    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...
  6. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System Review

    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...
  7. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System Review

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

    Hardware Review Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System Review

    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...
  9. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System Review

    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...
  10. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System Review

    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...
  11. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System Review

    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...
  12. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System Review

    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
  13. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Fluance SXHTB 5-Channel Home Theater Speaker System

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

    Hardware Review Fluance SXHTB 5-Channel Home Theater Speaker System

    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...
  15. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System Review

    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...
  16. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Monoprice Premium 5.1-Ch. Home Theater System with Subwoofer Review

    Toy Matinee. Now there's a blast from the past. I have a few of those CDs and still use "Jenny Ledge" to demo stuff. I just don't understand why they never caught on. -Doug
  17. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Pioneer Andrew Jones 5.1 Speaker System Review

    I sold high-end audio gear back in the ‘80s and loved it. Mirage and JSE speakers, Threshold amps, Nakamichi tape decks, VPI turntables that we set up with a test LP and an oscilloscope--it was a dream job for any 20-something audiophile. Unfortunately, that job also made me a snob. My...
  18. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Aperion Verus Grand Towers: Most Likely to Succeed

    Thanks, Schan. As a matter of fact, I did pick up their latest and I've been enjoying immensely. They can get a little repetitive, but the production quality remains just stunning. -Doug
  19. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Aperion Verus Grand Towers: Most Likely to Succeed

    If life were fair, we would all have the same number of personal gifts. One could be beautiful, perhaps, but sharp as a ball. One could be intelligent, but with the social graces of an Asiatic stink badger. One could be creative, but with the common sense of a throw pillow. That is, if life were...
  20. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Fluance 5-Channel Speaker System: The Art of Value and the Value of Art

    Thanks for the comment, Chris. I don't have much experience with Fluance--other than the XL system, of course--but I did leave the door open to review some other stuff from them later. I'll probably take them up on that at some point. :) -Doug
  21. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Fluance 5-Channel Speaker System: The Art of Value and the Value of Art

    Thank you for the heads-up, and the compliment, Mike. The link has been updated and the joy can now begin. :) -Doug
  22. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Review: Axiom M60 V3 Tower Speakers

    Creative, this is the system I was talking about. The new review is up. -Doug
  23. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Fluance 5-Channel Speaker System: The Art of Value and the Value of Art

    Thank you, Sean and Gary. And Gary, I feel the same way about pants. :P But seriously, I don't know how many people like us would take the chance just because we have such specific likes and dislikes. But there's a reason I included that quote from my mentor. These may not be for you--whether...
  24. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Fluance 5-Channel Speaker System: The Art of Value and the Value of Art

    Speaker design is a study in compromise. Every speaker company wants to make speakers that people will find beautiful, great sounding, and affordable. But trying to deliver on all three is an enormous challenge that some of the greatest minds have had to face. It was NASA scientists and...
  25. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Review: Axiom M60 V3 Tower Speakers

    Hi, Creative, and sorry for the long delay in getting back to you. In the next day or two I'll have a new review that may interest you. Stay tuned! -Doug
  26. Doug Hess

    Challenging room sub placement help

    Fuzz posted a link to an article that has the advice I always give. Rather than schlepping the sub around the room to try different spots, put it where you'll be sitting and YOU move around to find the best spot. This will identify the correct acoustical relationship between you and the sub...
  27. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Review: Axiom M60 V3 Tower Speakers

    Thanks for the critique, Fuzz. It can be a tough balance, but I chose to pay a little more attention to those things because of the company's unusual (though less so these days) business model and the fact that you can't just go see the speakers in stores. But I agree that the review was a...
  28. Doug Hess

    Variable Audio Output?

    Thanks, Schan. You're right about why I want it. I have a bedroom system and want to use the TV to control the volume. I'll take a look at Toshiba! -Doug P.S. Did you know that the "tos" in "toslink" actually comes from Toshiba? It's true. :P
  29. Doug Hess

    Variable Audio Output?

    Okay, videophiles, I could use your help. The tube TV in my bedroom appears to finally be ready to ride off into the big trash heap in the sky, and I guess that means it's going to be time for a new flat panel. I've always been a plasma guy, but for the bedroom I think I'd prefer LED-lit LCD...
  30. Doug Hess

    Hardware Review Review: Axiom M60 V3 Tower Speakers

    Hi, Gary. There did come a time when I experienced ear fatigue, though it's hard to tell if it was the fault of the speakers. Some of the music, particularly as that first evening wore on, got a little loud. :-)For me, I've always associated EF (I think we've discovered a new syndrome here) with...
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