Tag Archives: 5.1

Netflix says its new high-quality audio is equivalent to a master

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Netflix announced today that it's bringing "studio quality" sound to its audiences. The company is increasing its audio bitrate up to 640 kbps on devices that support 5.1 surround sound and up to 768 kbps for Dolby Atmos -- though you'll need to be a...

$500 Lenovo Phab2 Pro is the first Google Tango phone

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The second generation of Lenovo's Phab phones are here already, headlined by the first ever 'Project Tango' equipped smartphone with sensors and cameras that can map its surroundings. The Phab2 Pro is special because it fulfills the promise of demos...

Orb Audio celebrates 10 year anniversary with Mod1X speaker, subOne and subMini subwoofers

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DNP Orb Audio

Orb Audio clearly subscribes to the "do it right the first time" school of thought: Since 2003 it has released exactly one product, the Mod1 speaker. That changes today, because the funky modular audio system is getting both a refresh, and pair of subwoofers to celebrate the firm's 10-year anniversary. The Mod1X satellites sport a new aluminum driver the company says can handle higher power and has improved midrange and high frequency performance. For aesthetics, they're available in black, white, "hammered Earth," polished steel and antiqued copper and bronze finishes.

If you like your bass down low, Orb has you covered here too. The subONE is a 200-watt subwoofer squeezed into a cabinet measuring less than 12 inches on each side, and it features anti-clipping and thermal overload circuits as well as auto voltage-sensing tech -- just in case you use it abroad. A small room doesn't mean you don't need big sound, so it's nice to see Orb address that with the 100-watt subMINI that's tucked into a dual ported 9-inch cabinet. Sure, an $889 starting price for surround sound is a little pricey, but, unlike other aspects of your home theater, good speakers can last a lifetime.

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Vizio’s 42-inch 5.1 soundbar setup available now, costs $330

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Vizio's 42-inch 5.1 soundbar setup available available now, costs $330

Vizio trotted out a new line of soundbars back at CES, and true to its word, they're starting to materialize out in the real world. It's the middle-child, 42-inch unit we're seeing become available today. As a refresher, the 5.1 system comes with a wireless subwoofer, Dolby Digital, DTS Digital Surround, Bluetooth, and a pair of rear satellite speakers. If that gap under your TV was calling out for this, then you can expect to see it at Amazon, Costco, and Walmart online, or Best Buy on both sides of the digital / physical realm (although it won't be in stores until May 27th). Wherever you get it from, expect to lay down $330 for the honor.

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Bang & Olufsen intros Beolab 14 surround speakers, considered ‘entry-level’ at $3,995

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Bang & Olufsen intros Beolab 14 surround speakers, considered 'entry-level' at $3,995

Bang & Olufsen has been known to occasionally lower the price floor on its line of A/V gear. Continuing in that direction, the company just unveiled its Beolab 14 surround sound speakers, an entry-level offering starting at $3,995 for a 4.1 setup. The rig centers around a petite cylindrical tower that houses a 280-watt amp for its eight-inch down-firing bass driver and connections for up to five individually powered (140 watts) and equalized 2.5-inch satellite speakers. The circular drivers can be wall-mounted or set on stands, and those aluminum enclosures act as heat sinks (in addition to looking dapper). While B&0 anticipates that the soundbars on its existing TVs will act as a center channel, a 5.1 setup will be available for $4,395 if you need an independent middle speaker instead. The Beolab 14 will come in black or white when it launches in June and additional grille clothes will be an extra $99 per set, should you want to change the colors. You can find more details in the press release after the break while you start saving up.

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Turtle Beach XP Seven Series headset review: a new era of tournament-grade gaming audio

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Turtle Beach XP Seven Series headset review: a new era of tournament-grade gaming audio

Get out of your seat -- okay, you don't really have to do that. Turtle Beach, however, is certainly hoping its new headset won't have you stuck there. After months of teasing, it's finally here. This is the Seven Series, the company's first set officially bred for Major League Gaming tournaments. It's a contractual title that's already been bestowed upon Astro's well-performing Mixamp and A40 systems. But for Turtle Beach, this is a first: we've never seen the company go after a demographic quite this wide, one that demands not just cross-platform gaming support, but a design versatile enough for everyday listening.

The Seven Series lineup includes the computer-focused Z, the mobile-geared M and the cross-platform XP. For this review, we'll be focusing on the XP bundle ($280), which includes a headset, a virtual 5.1 surround-sound-enabling Audio Control Unit and a console adapter dubbed the Console Interface. (For the time being, those last two pieces won't be sold as standalone products.) While the headset itself might seem like the star of the show, in our eyes the ACU and CI offer the most exciting prospects. Together, they allow for virtual surround sound and voice chat with any set of wired headphones on any platform (much like the Mixamp) while also putting Turtle Beach's tried-and-tested custom audio presets at your fingertips. So what's it like to use? Join us past the break where we'll lay it all out.

Gallery: Turtle Beach XP Seven Series headset review

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Klipsch refreshes Quintet home theater system

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Klipsch refreshes Quintet home theater system

We don't have too many bad words to say about Klipsch, so when we heard it was refreshing its Quintet home theater system, we listened up. The eponymous-ish five speaker system has been a mainstay of the Klipsch line since 1998, and this is the fifth (too many 5s?) iteration. The new goodies? This time 'round each speaker has a 90 degree by 90 degree "Tractrix" horn for expanded listening area and a new Linear Travel Suspension aimed at reducing distortion and improving dynamics -- new woofers have also been added. If the refresh sounds good, but you're wondering if it'll match your front room, you've only got a choice of a satin, brushed black finish. Already boxed your old system up? Then get ready to lay down $550 when it reaches your local store next month.

Update: As pointed out by some people, despite mentioning in the PR, this is not strictly a 5.1 system

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Klipsch refreshes Quintet home theater system originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 08:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aperion Audio Intimus 4T Summit touts uncompressed surround sound without the cords

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Aperion Audio Intimus 4T Summit touts uncompressed 51channel audio without the cords

See that little box next to those huge speakers? That's Aperion Audio's ticket to what's reportedly a no-compromise approach to wireless home theater. The Intimus 4T Summit Wireless is billed as the only system of its kind to transmit uncompressed 24-bit, 96KHz audio to its 5.1- or 7.1-channel speaker array without having to string wires across the living room. There's no interference and no more than 5ms of lag, even when that wunderkind box is processing Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio. Aperion is still touting an easy setup that can create a sweet spot in awkward spaces. If you like the idea, the only real catches are the $2,999 and $3,499 prices for the respective 5.1- and 7.1-channel systems -- although the outlay may be worthwhile to cut the clutter without sacrificing the finer details of Blu-ray movie soundtracks.

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Aperion Audio Intimus 4T Summit touts uncompressed surround sound without the cords originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Aug 2012 20:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures Blu-ray set hits shelves September 18th

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Indiana Jones The Complete Adventures Bluray set has a release date, September 18th

Fans of the Indiana Jones series already got the good news in March that the flicks are finally coming to Blu-ray this year, and now we know when. Paramount has set September 18th as the release date, and also finally revealed cover art for the set, seen above... yeah, that's really it. No matter how cartoony it is (or how mind-numbing Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was) we're sure some will still be lining up when it ships. For their trouble, they can expect a "meticulously restored" edition of Raiders of the Lost Ark, after a process supervised by director Steven Spielberg and sound designer Ben Burtt. This has included a 4K scan of the original negatives, as well as a revisiting to the original audio mix, with music tracks and sound effects that had previously only been used in mono upgraded to stereo surround for the 5.1 DTS-HD MA track. Check after the break for a press release with more details on the restoration and a trailer for the boxed set, or head to Amazon where the price is currently sitting at $90 to preorder.

Continue reading Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures Blu-ray set hits shelves September 18th

Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures Blu-ray set hits shelves September 18th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 23:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friends: The Complete Series Blu-ray set arrives November 13th for just under three bills

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Friends The Complete Series Bluray set arrives November 13th for just under three bills

The good news is that after many rumors, Warner Home Video has finally confirmed it's bringing the TV show Friends to Blu-ray this fall. The (potentially) bad news is that it's going to be an all or nothing affair, with all 236 episodes (90 hours) shoved into a 21-disc BD-50 set with the 17 hours of bonus features from the DVD releases, plus three hours of new special features. While the remastered HD episodes (in case you weren't aware, Friends, like Seinfeld, was recorded on film and has already been reformatted for HD and widescreen while airing in syndication) will feature DTS 5.1 audio, there's also a 32-page episode guide shoved into the case, which features lenticular shifting artwork that can be seen over on TV Shows On DVD. There's no price on Amazon yet but the MSRP will be $279.98 when it ships November 13th -- decide carefully how much having The Rembrandts "I'll Be There For You" video in 1080p is worth.

Continue reading Friends: The Complete Series Blu-ray set arrives November 13th for just under three bills

Friends: The Complete Series Blu-ray set arrives November 13th for just under three bills originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 20:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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