That’s why I’ve held off from upgrading to an A/V receiver with HDMI, choosing instead to retain my 15-yearold Yamaha RX-V659 for audio duty and let a disc player handle video. For example, connecting my current Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player via its 7.1-channel analog output to the Yamaha AVR’s multichannel analog input lets me hear lossless soundtracks on Blu-ray, while an HDMI connection made directly from the player to my TV handles high-def video.
To continue this trend (A/V separation) in the 4K era, I am planning an upgrade to Panasonic’s DP-UB9000 Ultra HD Blu-ray player. My thought is that it will bring me completely up to date with all current A/V formats, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio, and 4K/HDR video. Here’s my question: Can I can connect the DP-UB9000’s 7.1 analog output to the Yamaha AVR (just like I currently do with my Oppo player) and hear Atmos/DTS:X? I know the player’s coaxial and optical digital ports only support output of compressed 5.1 soundtracks, so I doubt they would help here, right? RICK POAGE / FAIRFAX, VA
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The Wireless Meta-verse
WE LIVE now in the wireless world, and the major loudspeaker makers have been quick to embrace it with serious-performance, near-full-range designs. But each seems to have a different idea of what a “wireless speaker” should entail. Some simply connect to an existing component stack via a supplied small wireless transmitter. Others incorporate the whole smart-speaker thang, with full multiroom audio system and Alexa-Google-Siri voice control integration.
Masterclass Acts
The Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp changed its tune during the pandemic from offering in-person seminars with stars to streaming Masterclass sessions. In many ways, the shift broadened the scope of what the Camp has to offer.
Sonos Roam Portable Wireless Speaker
Roam on the Range
A Garden Oasis in The Heart of Pittsburgh
This custom-installed outdoor A/V system sets the mood for parties, sports, or just chilling out and enjoying a City of Bridges sunset
Faceoff - 10 Wire-Free Bud Options That Block Noise So You Can Hear Music
Noise-canceling true wireless earbuds
TV TRENDS OF CES 2021
THE ANNUAL CES trade show put on by the Consumer Technology Association was an “all-digital” event for 2021. On the plus side, that allowed us to report on the show from the comfort of our homes dressed in hoodies and sweatpants instead of suits.
Mini-LED Made Affordable
IN LATE 2019, TCL flew me to the company’s U.S. offices in California to spend an afternoon with its new flagship, the 75Q825 8-Series Roku LCD Ultra HDTV, a 75-inch 4K model.
Monolith by Monoprice M-TWE True Wireless Earbuds
Noise Cancellation Customized Monoprice is an affordable direct-to-consumer brand, and its Monolith product line features sophisticated A/V gear including speakers, amps, surround sound processors, and now the new Monolith M-TWE earbuds.
The End of Analog
Q Over the years, I’ve discovered that sound and vision are two distinct camps in the home theater realm, and it’s best to keep them separated due to constantly changing video formats.
HEADPHONES AT CES 2021
Once upon a time, CES was a huge show for audio but those days are long gone and showed no signs of returning in the virtual world that was CES 2021, with one possible exception: wireless headphones, a category that has made incredible strides in just the past year or so.
LOSSLESS: APPLE MUSIC PREMIERES DOLBY ATMOS, SPATIAL AUDIO
In an effort to better compete with the likes of Spotify, Apple Music has announced plans to introduce industry-leading sound quality, as well as Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support.
J-Tech Digital 4x1 HDMI switcher: An HDMI switch so nice, we reviewed it twice
Monoprice markets this very same gadget, which handily solves the problem of having too many HDMI sources and not enough inputs.
I SPY…MIX AND MATCH ARPEGGIOS
Hey there, bass players! We’ve recently dedicated two columns to arpeggios, and for good reason. Whether you’re creating a groove or walking through changes, we do our jobs better by gracefully outlining the notes of the chord and clearly defining the harmony.
If You Can't Join ‘Em… Stream ‘Em
This fall, Ricky Gervais was living his best lockdown life. Hollywood was on pause, but the actor and comedian kept in full stride. Binging fans had made his Netflix series After Life the most watched British comedy for the second year in a row while he stayed home writing a third season.
RAPTORAZOR IS LIGHT, SHARP AND AGILE
THE IDEAL SOLUTION FOR PROCESSING GAME AND FISH QUICKLY AND EASILY
WAX CONTINUE TO HEAT THINGS UP
BY MOST people’s reckoning, Wax (not be confused with the Andrew Gold/Graham Gouldman group of the same name) could be considered a decidedly obscure ensemble, having little to show for their three years of activity, from 1969 to 1971. Yet given the talent they nurtured early on, that claim could be considered overstated.
Captain Hook
Peter Hook gets his own signature Yamaha BB bass.
Asia's Battery Giants Go Global
Leaders of the electric-car era are moving to cement their dominance
GOOGLE MUSCLES UP WITH FITBIT DEAL AMID ANTITRUST CONCERNS
Google has completed its $2.1 billion acquisition of fitness-gadget maker Fitbit, a deal that could help the internet company grow even stronger while U.S. government regulators pursue an antitrust case aimed at undermining its power.
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