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2024 End-of-Year 4K Blu-ray Blowout | Sound & Vision
For reasons known only to them, the studios have been saving some of their absolute best and most interesting 4K releases for the waning days of 2024, among them the most hotly debated movies of the past 12 months, as well as cult favorites and a few outright classics. In between the egg nog and the champagne, we pulled together this list of must-see-in-Ultra-HDs for your consideration as we toss another calendar into the recycling bin.
Best TV of 2024 for Picture Quality Purists? Quantum Dot OLED | Sound & Vision
When shopping for a top-tier TV, picture quality is the big deal. You want enough brightness to make HDR content pop, plus deep blacks and accurate colors—otherwise, it’s just not going to feel like the cinematic experience you’re paying for. Right now, Quantum Dot OLED (QD-OLED) technology leads the pack on those fronts. Let’s talk about what makes QD-OLED so compelling. Understanding QD-OLED Technology
Top 5 Dolby Atmos Tracks of 2024 | Sound & Vision
It’s almost impossible to keep up with the sheer volume of new-to-2024 Dolby Atmos tracks available on streaming services/online listening portals like Apple Music, Tidal, and Immersive Audio Album these days—not to mention the encouraging, increasing number of physical Blu-ray-with-Atmos options that are also out there, for us completist/collector types—but it’s one holy heck of a problem to have for those of us who truly cherish the immersive listening experience.
GoldenEar Joins Forces with Paradigm, MartinLogan, and Anthem | Sound & Vision
GoldenEar, which is known for making high-performance loudspeakers, is joining the Canadian parent business PML Sound International. This is a big deal for the high-end audio world. The audio industry already has some big names in this group: Paradigm, MartinLogan, and Anthem. Starting January 1, 2025, GoldenEar will operate under its new identity, GoldenEar Studio Inc., marking a fresh chapter for the brand. As someone who's reviewed GoldenEar products for over a decade, this is an intriguing development.
Epson’s Fight for Accurate Projector Brightness Specs Leads to Major Settlements | Sound & Vision
Epson reinforced its longstanding commitment to accuracy and transparency in the projector market this week, announcing key settlements with JmGo and AWOL Vision over disputed brightness claims. According to Epson, holding these manufacturers accountable reaffirms its dedication to industry standards, ensuring that consumers receive trustworthy information when comparing projectors. JmGo Updates Brightness Specs to Reflect ISO Standards
Gentex Scoops Up VOXX (and Klipsch and Onkyo) for a Song | Sound & Vision
In a move that says as much about the state of the audio industry as it does about VOXX International’s strategic ambitions, Gentex Corporation is snapping up VOXX—including its crown jewels, Klipsch and Onkyo—for a mere $178 million. That’s not just VOXX, the company: that’s Premium Audio Company, VOXX’s high-end audio division, home to two of the most storied names in the audio world. Let’s break that down.
Onkyo’s Next Verse: A Storied Audio Brand Rewrites Its Tune | Sound & Vision
We've got an especially interesting tidbit of brand news to share: Onkyo—one of the classic names in consumer electronics since 1946—just announced a brand identity refresh, setting the stage for what it calls a modern era of design and innovation. This update isn’t just window dressing; it’s part of a rebranding push that aims to engage music lovers, movie buffs, and avid gamers alike, showing that the company’s looking firmly forward. From Bicycle Shop to Audio Pioneer
Apple TV 4K's tvOS 18.2: A Cinematic Leap for Home Theater Enthusiasts | Sound & Vision
Apple’s upcoming tvOS 18.2 update for the Apple TV 4K brings a key enhancement for cinema enthusiasts: expanded aspect-ratio support, most notably 21:9. As reported by multiple sources, this update allows users with compatible projectors to view widescreen movies at their intended cinematic proportions. Expanded Aspect Ratios for Apple TV 4K
T+A elektroakustik’s Pulsar S 130 Loudspeakers Debut | Sound & Vision
German high-end audio specialist T+A elektroakustik has unveiled its new Pulsar S 130 loudspeaker, a floorstanding model priced at $7,490/pair. As part of a broader initiative to revamp its speaker lineup, T+A states that this design incorporates technologies and concepts drawn from its flagship Solitaire and Criterion series, pulling that engineering pedigree into a more accessible price bracket. At the core of the S 130 is T+A’s Symmetric Directivity Design, which the company says aims to minimize unwanted reflections and tonal distortions.
Dynaudio Debuts Products at "From Heritage to Confidence" Event in NYC | Sound & Vision
Dynaudio and Innovative Audio invite you to join us on Thursday, December 12, 2024 for an evening of music and the introduction of some exciting new Dynaudio products at Innovative’s final ‘Meet the Innovators’ event of 2024, ‘Dynaudio: From Heritage to Confidence’.
Bluesound Ships the NODE ICON, Its New Benchmark in Wireless Hi-Fi Streaming | Sound & Vision
Bluesound has announced that its new flagship wireless music streamer, the NODE ICON, is now available at a price of $999. According to the company, this latest model is intended to build on the success of earlier NODE streamers, introducing what it characterizes as advanced engineering, design enhancements, and new features that it says set a new standard in high-resolution audio performance.
Saweetie: “I Want You This Christmas” and “Big Santa” in Dolby Atmos | Sound & Vision
Saweetie ain’t known as “Icy Grl” for nothing. Not only is that the name of her double-platinum debut single from 2017—not to mention it sharing half the title of her way-hot 2019 EP, Icy—but it also defines the character of her enticing, rat-a-tat brush-off flow to an “ice” T. But now, the Bay Area rapper has set her hot-but-chill sights on reveling in the holidays with a new double-stockinged single under the Dear Big Santa mantle, which was released by Warner Records in late November 2024.
Rising Above: Auro-3D’s Next Act in Immersive Audio | Sound & Vision
In the world of immersive audio, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X tend to hog all the headlines. Everyone’s always talking about them, and if you’re not tuned in, you might think they’re the only games in town. But then there’s Auro-3D. If the audio industry were a soda aisle, Auro-3D would be kind of like RC Cola—never the top seller, rarely a household name, but still hanging around, offering its own flavor for the folks who appreciate something a bit different. Recently, Auro-3D’s story took a new twist.
A Pair of B&W Gems from Criterion: Seven Samurai and Paper Moon 4K | Sound & Vision
The Criterion Collection has added new 4K editions of two very different period pieces: an American production from the 1970s that takes us back to the Depression era, and an epic Japanese adventure set in the country’s feudal 16th century. New to the label is director Peter Bogdanovich’s Paper Moon, introducing us to recently orphaned nine-year-old Addie (Tatum O’Neal) who hits the road with a crooked Bible salesman (her real-life father, Ryan O’Neal) and takes to the grifter life almost instantly. It’s a very unusual, very special relationship, full of unexpected turns.
Big Screens, Big Decisions: Finding the Right TV | Sound & Vision
Here's the deal with buying a new TV: it’s easy to fixate on just one thing—maybe you want the biggest screen possible, or the absolute best picture quality, or maybe you're just hunting for the best deal. But the real trick is finding the sweet spot between screen size, picture quality, and cost that fits your space and needs. A bigger screen is tempting, especially if you're dreaming of that home theater vibe. But bigger doesn’t always mean better, especially if you end up sacrificing picture quality.
Festive Favorites: Where to Stream the Best Holiday Movies | Sound & Vision
Finding where to stream your favorite Christmas and holiday movies can feel like a treasure hunt. Movies no longer stay with the same service indefinitely as licensing rights frequently expire. Comparing last year’s list of holiday movie locations, many titles have moved to different platforms. This year, we’ve organized the list by streaming service. If you’re considering trying a new app or even subscribing for the season, you can check which holiday movies are available. Many streaming players now offer global search functionality for titles.
Shaking Up Savings: SVS's Seismic Black Friday Audio Blowout | Sound & Vision
SVS, the undisputed heavyweight champ of bone-rattling bass and crystal-clear sound, has dropped its Seismic Black Friday Event—and trust us, this sale hits harder than its subwoofers. With jaw-dropping deals on their legendary speakers and subs, this isn’t just a discount; it’s your VIP ticket to sonic bliss without annihilating your bank account. Unprecedented Deals on Top-Tier Audio Gear
Here's Your 2024 4K/Blu-ray Holiday Gift Guide! | Sound & Vision
Disc aficionados like us are stalwarts in the face of continued seismic shifts in the physical media landscape, so perhaps the greatest gift the studios can give us is another season filled with their finest offerings. The past few months have brought us some of the most enjoyable releases of the entire year, from back-breaking boxes and single-movie deep-dives to multimedia indulgences that defy simple explanation. So read on, dear collector/gift-giver, and be inspired. Frank Capra at Columbia Blu-ray/4K (Sony)
Shaboozey: “Good News” in Dolby Atmos | Sound & Vision
Shaboozey continues to capture that good ol’ country-tinged lightning in a bottle with his latest single, “Good News,” which was released by American Dogwood/Empire in multiple formats on November 15, 2024. Chances are, you just might see and hear Shaboozey perform this hopeful new track as part of his headlining performance during halftime at this Thursday’s Thanksgiving NFL game between the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears.
TCL Projector A1: A Portable Big Screen Experience | Sound & Vision
Alright, folks, gather around because TCL just dropped something interesting into the already crowded portable projector market: the TCL Projector A1. If you’ve been waiting for TCL to step up its game beyond gigantic TVs (because who needs a 100-inch screen in every room, right?), with this baby step from the Chinese TV giant your wait is over.
Sound & Vision's 2024 Holiday Gift Guide | Sound & Vision
This season, there are a lot of ways to bring joy to A/V enthusiasts. Movies and TV shows on disc are a great start, so much so that they get their own separate guide, whereas here we take a look at and give a listen to the gear, accessories, and music—particularly on vinyl—that are destined to bring a little warmth to the winter months.
Bose Buys McIntosh Group | Sound & Vision
Bose Corporation has announced its acquisition of the McIntosh Group, the parent company of high-end audio brands McIntosh and Sonus faber. This strategic move positions Bose to expand into the luxury and high-performance audio markets. Both companies will maintain a focus on existing product lines and market niches. Bose will continue its work on headphones, speakers, and soundbars, while McIntosh and Sonus faber will remain dedicated to high-end products like amplifiers, receivers, loudspeakers, and turntables.
The Worst Thing I Watched This Year: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson | Sound & Vision
I signed up for Netflix for the first time in a year just to catch the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match. Having previously canceled my subscription due to lack of use, I shelled out $23 for the top-tier plan that includes 4K streaming. I had high hopes for a big, entertaining event—and, well, hopes were all I got. To be fair, the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano fight that preceded the Tyson-Paul matchup was worth the price of admission. It streamed in high definition with so many camera angles it felt like a movie.
The Police: Synchronicity Super Deluxe Edition Box Set | Sound & Vision
The first time I became aware of the word synchronicity was when I saw it being used as the title of The Police’s fifth and final studio album released on A&M in June 1983. My then-bookwormish self was not yet up to speed on Carl Jung’s hypotheses about meaningful yet seemingly random intersectivity, nor the parapsychology principles laid out in Arthur Koestler’s 1972 book The Roots of Coincidence—but The Police’s ever-erudite bassist, vocalist, chief songwriter, and former schoolteacher Sting hipped me to Jung and Koestler’s philosophies right quick.
David Gilmour: Luck and Strange in Dolby Atmos | Sound & Vision
Immersive music, thy name be David Gilmour. Though Pink Floyd may be a semi-distant active memory, lead guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour has seen fit to issue some quite intriguing solo projects here and there over the past five or so decades.
Breaking Free: New FTC Rule Fights the Hidden Costs of Subscription Traps | Sound & Vision
It has undoubtedly happened to all of us. We find ourselves subscribed to a service that we have no interest in or didn’t realize we had signed up for in the first place. The new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) "click-to-cancel" rule states that canceling a subscription should be as easy as signing up. While most users would celebrate this decision, many cable and entertainment companies aren't happy about it, and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) is already filing lawsuits to stop it. Complaints to the FTC about recurring subscriptions continue to increase.
Premium Audio Company Announces Firmware Updates for AV and Hi-Fi Receivers | Sound & Vision
Premium Audio Company (PAC) has unveiled a series of firmware updates aimed at enhancing audio playback, functionality, and room correction on select models from Onkyo, Integra, Elite, and Pioneer. The updates are set to roll out on October 28 and November 18, 2024. Firmware Release Schedule October 28, 2024: Onkyo: TX-RZ50, TX-NR7100, TX-NR6100, TX-NR6050, TX-NR5100 Integra: DRX-5.4, DRX-3.4 Elite/Pioneer: VSX-LX505, VSX-LX305, VSX-LX105, VSX-935 November 18, 2024: Onkyo: TX-RZ70, TX-8470
4 on 4K from Severin | Sound & Vision
Some independent home entertainment labels excel at rescuing obscure titles and reinventing them as deluxe editions, far beyond even what the majors do with their blockbusters. That’s the deal with Severin Films, serving up a slew of fascinating titles with gorgeous 4K remasters, alternate versions, deeply researched extras and next-level packaging. Some of these are movies we stumbled upon in our youth, perhaps late at night, and some so peculiar we might have wondered if we just imagined them.
Yeat: “GO2WORK” + “GONE 4 A MIN” in Dolby Atmos on Apple Music | Sound & Vision
SoCal hip-hop envelope-pusher Yeat has already had quite a busy 2024—and he ain’t done yet. February saw him drop his fourth LP—the electro-rage dystopian chronicle, 2093—with guest turns from Lil Wayne, Future, and Donald Glover, and then his good compatriot Drake wound up joining the storyline on the 2093 (P2) deluxe edition. To keep the dark narrative going, Yeat’s fifth LP, Lyfestyle, dropped on all major digital platforms on October 18, 2024—and it all gets taken to a whole other level in Dolby Atmos on Apple Music.