Showing posts with label quality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quality. Show all posts

5/31/2012

Acoustic Research AW-871 Wireless Stereo Speakers Review

Acoustic Research AW-871 Wireless Stereo Speakers
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Even though my experience with wireless headphones were universally poor -- I once overheard my neighbor's cell phone conversation while listening on wireless headphones -- I was very impressed by the plentiful good reviews for this product and decided to give it a try at Amazon's wonderful low price. Amazon sells this product for up to $75 below the price stores ask.
However, once I got it home, hooked it up and turned on my stereo, my experiences with this set of wireless speakers was an exact replay of my expereince with wireless headphones. I set these up as the rear surround speakers in my living room as part of on my 5.1 system, fixing the speakers only about 25 feet from the transmitter. Even in that brief distance with almost no physical block between them, the left speaker consistently spit out static. The rightt speaker played fine all the time but had an annoying tendency to click while the music was turned off.
This is not what I had in mind for my home stereo! I moved the speakers around (as far as the power cords would go, anyway) and re-situated them, trying to gain greater proximity to the transmitter. This did nothing to improve matters. The transmitter indicated the signal was strong, yet that left speaker continued it staticky way throughout my experiment.
These speakers are easy to set up and easy to get working. You really don't need the instructions if you've had any experience with anything wireless. Still, I consulted the booklet to see if there was anything I was doing wrong. At one point I had the setting on both speakers at "right", so I changed that. No change in the outcome. I also re-set the transmitter from "1" to "2" and even to "3". No change. I moved the speakers again. No change. I consulted the booklet and listened again. Same thing.
Perhaps my experience has something to do with my neighborhood, my home or my neighbors, but my experience was not nearly as good as those reported elsewhere on this page. On the plus side, these speakers sound pretty good for something that barely costs $100 and they are easy to use.
They are portable and can be set up anywhere a power source is near or set up anywhere using battery power. The transmitter is supposed to be good up to 300 feet and I know the speakers in my house received the signal. I simply was not going to pay for a product that resulted in my SACD signal being converted to static.
While the sound the speakers produced was pretty good for something so inexpensive, I was not impressed with them as surround sound speakers. With independent volume controls, they seem like just another set of speakers to me. Compared to the sound I get from my wired surround speakers in another room from my front three speakers, these did not sound much like surround speakers regardless of the amnount of fiddling I did with the volumer controls and transmitter.
Even though this experiment was a failure at my house, I am grateful Amazon accepted my return; not every company on the Web will take back electronics. I wish you better luck with this product than I had.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Acoustic Research AW-871 Wireless Stereo Speakers


Anyone who has installed a speaker system knows the worst part is figuring out how to hide the unsightly speaker cables, especially if your speakers are located across the room from the receiver. Enter this pair of Acoustic Research stereo speakers, which resolves the dilemma by eliminating speaker wires altogether. The system's powerful transmitter broadcasts its 900 MHz signal through walls, floors, ceilings, and other obstacles, giving listeners a wide array of installation options.


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3/19/2012

Yamaha YHT-495BL Complete 5.1-Channel Home Theater System Review

Yamaha YHT-495BL Complete 5.1-Channel Home Theater System
Average Reviews:

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I am very much enjoying my new sound system. The set-up was easy and intuitive. The sound is clear, the base is booming, and the system gets very loud. I was debating between a system like this or a sound bar, and I am sure glad I went with this system. I paid a little more, but it was well worth it. The only think I didn't like was that the owners manual comes on a CD which I think is less convenient to use.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha YHT-495BL Complete 5.1-Channel Home Theater System

The Yamaha YHT-495 5.1-channel home theater system is a quality entry-level HTiB system with a 100-watt, 5-channel A/V receiver, 1080p-compatible HDMI inputs, iPod and Bluetooth compatibility, 4 SCENE buttons, and a powerful 100-watt subwoofer. Supports the latest high-definition audio formats including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital Plus, and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio. Add your iPod or iPhone by connecting optional compatible Yamaha docks like the YDS-12 or Yamaha Bluetooth Wireless Audio Receiver (sold separately).

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1/26/2012

Yamaha YHT-393BL 5.1 Channel 500 Watt HTiB System (Each, Black) Review

Yamaha YHT-393BL 5.1 Channel 500 Watt HTiB System (Each, Black)
Average Reviews:

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When I saw this receiver in the store, and then looked at the price (when compared to other "comparable" systems), I assumed it was going to sound like a tin-can. I'm so glad I was wrong...!
The receiver itself has a wealth of features, bells, and whistles. If you will be listening to your iPod through the system, go ahead and spend the money on the dock. The sound quality is excellent and you can control the iPod via Yamaha's excellent remote. One of my favorite features (being a classical musician/pianist) is that you can choose a sound mode that makes your music sound as if it's being heard in two of the best concert halls in Europe (Munich/ der Musikverein in Vienna), and some famous/typical American venues (The Roxy Theatre, The Bottom Line, Chamber, Cellar Club, etc...). It's really a neat effect!
I like that I can run all the HDMI signals from my DVD player, TV box, etc... through the receiver, so I never have to switch inputs on my TV, or run 10 different cords up behind the wall! The receiver does all the work of switching inputs-- you can even select a different audio input to pair with your HDMI signal just in case (like with a DVI to HDMI cable from your computer) there is a separate audio source.
If I had to brag on just ONE thing about the system, It would be: The subwoofer. The speakers that come with the system give a clear upper range, but if you were relying on them for the bass frequencies, you'd return the whole system the same day you bought it. Enter: the subwoofer... This speaker can punch out the lowest lows, even at the lowest volumes. Don't let the size fool you, either! It will fill your whole room with great, booming, clear bass!
To conclude this glowing review: If I were adding another TV in my den, I would buy another one of these systems to complete that home theatre as well!If you're looking for a great quality product that works and sounds even better than you'd expect, just hit the "Add to Cart" button now...

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha YHT-393BL 5.1 Channel 500 Watt HTiB System (Each, Black)

Yamaha's YHT-393BL 5.1-Channel HTiB System is the easy way to enjoy the cinema experience at home. Featuring 500 watts of power (100Wx5), the latest HDMI specifications, and popular Yamaha technologies like SCENE and CINEMA DSP, you'll be sure to get the most out of your high-definition movies and music.

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12/22/2011

Square Perfect SP3500 Complete Portrait Studio Kit - 3 Studio Flash/Strobe, 2 softboxes, 3 backdrops, wireless Review

Square Perfect SP3500 Complete Portrait Studio Kit - 3 Studio Flash/Strobe, 2 softboxes, 3 backdrops, wireless
Average Reviews:

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I wasn't sure what to think of this when I first saw it but felt that it was worth a shot. I was tired of sacrificing my more expensive equipment when on location and wanted something that would allow me to have what I needed when I needed it. For the money (keep that in mind!!) this is a great system. I'm more than an amateur, but a little less than a pro, but have managed to make several of my clients very, very happy while using this setup. Oh, the softboxes are a pain in the neck to set up and the stands are a little wobbly but all in all, I found this to be a terrific deal. I still need one more light and would just as soon not have the gels since I never use them, but everything else works find. The reflectors are a good size, the backdrops will do in a pinch (my old stuff is far better so I haven't given them much of a test).
If you are looking for an inexpensive (all things being relative, of course) break into the world of studio photography, I think you would be hard pressed to find a better bang for your buck. Will this set last you forever? No. But it will help you hone your skills so that as you start to make the big bucks you can start upgrading without doubting your abilities.

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12/13/2011

Tivoli Audio RadioCombo CD/AM/FM Stereo System Review

Tivoli Audio RadioCombo CD/AM/FM Stereo System
Average Reviews:

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I was stunned by the difference it made to add the satellite speaker to the Tivoli Model One, confirming the findings of Consumer Reports, which rated the Model One plus satellite speaker the best sound quality of the high end radios tested. Moreover, it's a compact unit with full-frequencied sound at both loud and low volume levels. The iPal, on the other hand, is an overpriced novelty, putting out appealing sound until the gain is advanced beyond the mid-point, at which point distortion is unacceptable. Don't even consider the Tivoli sub-woofer. This unit already has ample bass (sometimes too much); if anything, I wouldn't mind having a treble control to bring out ride cymbals a bit more, though on the whole Tivoli's engineers have done a nice job of balancing frequencies.
If you're serious about sound, and especially stereo separation, you won't want to use this as a bedside clock radio (though the separation is effective even when listening to it in bed with a speaker on each night-stand). Moreover, as some consumer reviews indicate, the clock radio mechanism is very basic. For two hundred more you can get Tivoli's top unit, combining stereo with clock radio and CD player, but you're sacrificing stereo separation, since both speakers are mounted in a single, comparatively small cabinet.
The CD player is a quality unit for those who don't load up discs willy nilly in changers, inviting jamming. Moreover, unlike most portable disc players that I tried, this one doesn't slip, stick, or quickly wear out. It will occasionally balk at discs it doesn't like, and at first I thought I had another irritating jam problem and repair bill on my hands. Simply unplug the power cord for a few seconds, replug, and it will regurgitate the disc.
The price isn't necessarily the smallest, but the unit is, even with all three pieces. Simply put, you won't find a bigger, more satisfying sound anywhere in a more compact system, and face it: even if you're not a wood connoisseur, it looks classy.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Tivoli Audio RadioCombo CD/AM/FM Stereo System



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