I just wanted to post a comment/review on these speakers. They are great speakers but when you see the price know that they're sold as EA. not PR.Get more detail about SpeakerCraft OE5 Outdoor Elements One Speaker (White).
Monday, November 30, 2009
SpeakerCraft OE5 Outdoor Elements One Speaker (White) Decide Now
I just wanted to post a comment/review on these speakers. They are great speakers but when you see the price know that they're sold as EA. not PR.Get more detail about SpeakerCraft OE5 Outdoor Elements One Speaker (White).
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Audiovox XM XVSAP1V1 SkyDock with Built-In XM Tuner (Black) Right now
This is one of the best technical toys out there. There is no need to plug your i-Pod into a power outlet to charge it and you can listen to whatever content you want. Installation is a breeze and takes less then 10 minutes, incoming calls display and you can still use your phone. NO MORE COMMERCIALS and when I get to work my phone is fully charged. Thank you Sirius!Get more detail about Audiovox XM XVSAP1V1 SkyDock with Built-In XM Tuner (Black).
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Lowest Price Audio Unlimited 900MHz Wireless Add-on Speaker (Black) (SPK-VELO2)
Used these at an outdoor wedding reception. Lasted only about an hour on batteries. Range was okay until a lot of people were there and then it began to cut out.Get more detail about Audio Unlimited 900MHz Wireless Add-on Speaker (Black) (SPK-VELO2).
Cheapest Yamaha YST-SW216BL Advanced YST II Front-Firing Active Subwoofer
I bought this because of the high ratings others gave it and the Yamaha name. It's far too boomy when in a corner which is ok. That's typical for a subwoofer. I put it about 3 feet from the corner and the response evened out.
This speaker seems to suffer from doubling. I can locate it from the sound when watching Tomb Raider. Other movies aren't as problematic. When I listen to music with it, the bass sounds muddy. If I turn the subwoofer down so it's not muddy, I can't hear it at all.
It's OK for cannon shots and car crashes, but don't expect any kind of sonic fidelity.
I'm using it with a Pioneer Elite KURO PRO-111FD.
I've replaced it with the Energy ESW-8 that's on Amazon for $148.58. Energy ESW-8HG 8" 200 watt Take Classic subwoofer The bass is tighter and much deeper. The Energy is good for music and much better for movies. You pay $50 more and get a subwoofer that's twice as good.
With the Energy subwoofer, even classical music sounds great with the speakers that came with the TV.
It's too late for me to return this, plus Adorama's return policy wasn't that liberal. I'll be selling the Yamaha.Get more detail about Yamaha YST-SW216BL Advanced YST II Front-Firing Active Subwoofer.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Cheap Boston Acoustics TVee Powered Soundbar Speaker System with Wireless Subwoofer (Black)
Not long ago I bought my second HDTV, a 52-inch Sony Bravia. Fine picture, but the sound wasn't as good as my 5-year-old Hitachi that it replaced. In particular, I frequently couldn't understand the dialogue in movies. I figured I needed some auxiliary speakers. I had no interest in a big surround-sound home theater system, just wanted clean clear sound. The speaker bar configuration looked like it would fit well in my setting, so I researched all the popular models, and listened to a bunch of them at my local Best Buy. The Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two was the smallest of the good ones, and one of the least expensive, and had as good sound as any of the others, so I bought one, and have been very happy with the results. I no longer have to replay dialogue segments several times to figure out what people are saying on the screen. The overall sound is richer and fuller than the TV speakers provide, also, thanks in part to the wireless subwoofer that accompanies the speaker bar (yes, it does look like an upside-down wastebasket, but where I have it it fits right in). Setup, including programming my existing TV remote to control the volume and muting, was maximally simple and error-free. The subwoofer has its own independent volume control, so it's easy to get just the right balance of bass and midrange sounds.
This is not a speaker system for serious sound geeks. It will only take an analog signal from the TV speaker out ports. Controls are minimal, just power, volume, and muting. But for someone who wants an order-of-magnitude improvement over the puny speakers that come with today's flat-screen TVs, for under $300, it will fill the bill very nicely.
There seems to be some confusion on Amazon about model names for this product. The product advertised and sold under this name is actually the Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two. I entered this review on the web page for that model name, noting that no new ones were offered for sale. Then Amazon informed me that the product on this page was what I had bought, even though the "Model Two" moniker doesn't appear on this page. Whatever.Get more detail about Boston Acoustics TVee Powered Soundbar Speaker System with Wireless Subwoofer (Black).
Buying Olympus WS-331M Digital Voice Recorder and WMA Music Player
I hadn't used this recorder consistently since I bought it over 6 months ago and being as how the semester was going to be difficult taking Calculus III and University Physics II, I decided to break out my very much unused $100 piece of equipment for the Fall semester.
It's been a very solid recorder for recording my class lectures so far. I'll throw a few disclaimers out there though before I start the review for the recorder for my school lectures. My classes are about 30-40 people as I'm at a community college so there's not a huge auditorium to compete against or 200 other talking people. I also don't sit as close to the teacher as the first row. I'm usually in the 2nd or 3rd row back out of 4-5 rows. Those two things being said, the recording is amazing even if you don't real real close to the teacher. I do have to turn up the volume on my speakers when I download the recordings via USB, but that's about the only thing that I have to do to hear my lectures well when I'm reading over my notes again.
The features are pretty standard I suppose. This is my first time owning a recorder like this with no tapes and a 2 GB usb storage mechanism. The one thing I really love about it is that it's EXTREMELY light weight and compact. The pictures on here almost don't do it justice as to the portability of this device and for a college student looking to not be loaded down with 80 pounds of books and other items, it's a huge plus for me. Battery life is about a good solid 8-10 hours depending on which setting you use. It is best to use rechargable batteries for this kind of thing though since two 3 hour lectures in one day on the high quality settings can tend to run down the battery by the end of the day (although it always makes it through both of my classes with a few hours to spare).
I haven't bought any others like this except for an old micro-tape recorder that my dad used to have, but from my experience with this recorder alone, I won't be purchasing anything else until this sucker finally plays out on me! (fingers crossed) :)
-TravisGet more detail about Olympus WS-331M Digital Voice Recorder and WMA Music Player.
Buy Yamaha YAS-71BL Front Surround System (Black)
This Yamaha sound bar system, although it doesn't have that true 5 speaker surround sound, it is the next best thing. I honestly have never heard any sound bar system with that true 360 degree surround sound, even the more expensive ones. However, this is a great product and is a wonderful and very noticable improvement over the tinny sound that those terrible flat screen TV speakers have. Nice rich sound with decent bass from the subwoofer and the volume adjusts pretty high. A plus that it has an ipod dock. Very stylish looking with a nice piano black finish that complements my 40 inch Samsung TV. Great choice when you don't want to spend a ton of money, don't want all those unsightly wires around your room or just don't have the ideal room set up to place back speakers. For about $250, you can't go wrong with this sound bar system. Great product for the price. Get more detail about Yamaha YAS-71BL Front Surround System (Black).
Purchase SpeakerCraft AIM Wide One In-Ceiling Speaker
I have a 5.1 home theater setup in my basement living room. Full range tower speakers for the mains, and a full range center channel. I originally had the Speakercraft AIM5 ONE in the ceiling for the Left and Right Surrounds. Those are great speakers and I was very pleased, but felt like I could use a wider, fuller sound from my surrounds. The AIM WIDE is exactly what I hoped for. The sound dispersion is very wide, and it really fills the room, but still has enough direct firing characteristics that it works great with the latest digital surround sound formats from Dolby and DTS. Ideally you want your surrounds wall mounted a little above and behind the listening area, but Wife constraints make that difficult at times. These speakers create a wall of sound that you can angle in toward the listening area with the pivoting driver that I believe is the next best thing to having wall mounted surrounds.
Pick up the speaker and you can tell the construction is durable and in a whole different zip-code that most in-wall/ceiling speakers you find for bargain prices. This thing is a solid 6 inches deep or so, and that is a good thing. It virtually has it's own enclosure and you can tell just by the size of the magnet on the woofer that this thing means business and will sound great. Mounting is straightforward, involving cutting a hole with the supplied template, attaching the speaker cable to heavy duty gold spring loaded connecters, positioning the speaker in the ceiling and turning 4 screws that tighten solid built in securing claws. Due to architectural limitations, I was not able to line up the tweeters on one speaker exactly how they recommended, but have noticed no sonic difference from the other. In reality, the sound dispersion is designed to be pretty wide so it probably doesn't matter which way the tweeter assembly is rotated. With the grills on they are almost flush with the ceiling and you visually forget they are there.
Though not really pictured, the AIM WIDE ONE speaker I received has the ambient/wide switch that is pictured on the Three and Five series. I spoke with a Speakercraft tech on the phone and the best way he could describe the settings was that Wide is the "normal" setting giving you the naturally "wide" sound dispersion this speaker was designed for, while the Ambient setting makes the dual mid/high speakers a little out of phase so that the soundtrack/effects are not so directional, or makes the sound a little more diffuse and is very good for the older non-discrete surround formats like Dolby Pro-logic. If you have a newer receiver and are playing movies with a Dolby Digital/DTS soundtrack, these were engineered using discrete surround channels and the Wide setting would be your best bet in my opinion. Especially if you are playing multi-channel music, you want the Wide setting, as you do not want music audio out of phase. Again this is IMHO.
I think it's worth paying the premium for Speakercraft, for the sound quality, and especially the way they back up their product and treat you right. Call their customer support any time and you'll see what I mean. Top notch.Get more detail about SpeakerCraft AIM Wide One In-Ceiling Speaker.
Order Acoustic Research AW877 900 Mhz Indoor Wireless Speakers (Black)
I purchased the preceding model of these speakers AW871 - They performed as expected for nearly two years, then the transmitter unit just quit. The unit is out of warranty now. I contacted AR customer service, they are now owned by Audiovox (that should be a clue). The advise was sorry, no repair available, no parts available. "Buy a new unit" and offered me a link to their online sales page. Why would I replace crap with crap? Get more detail about Acoustic Research AW877 900 Mhz Indoor Wireless Speakers (Black).
Monday, November 23, 2009
Shop For Denon AVR-1609 7.1-Channel Multi-Zone Home Theater Receiver
Was just looking for a basic receiver to replace an old one that died. It was just for some speakers I have outside & in a formal dining area. I've already got 2 pretty nice Denon's for the 2 home theater areas in my house, and love them. Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this one on sale for just over $200 with free delivery.
Delivery was quicker than promised and it came in perfect condition. Crutchfield was excellent. They even provided their own guides on hookup & tips.
Haven't really cranked it yet - it really just runs 'background music' - but I think it would be OK. Has a ton of options / inputs / outputs on it, including the Denon Multi zone, an ipod connection (controller sold separately), and satellite radio connection, so I would think it would have enough variety & capabilities for the average user.
And again, for the price, I don't think you can beat it.
Would definitely order from Crutchfield again, too.
Get more detail about Denon AVR-1609 7.1-Channel Multi-Zone Home Theater Receiver.
Sonos ZonePlayer ZP120 Add-On Player
After owning a Sonos for 4+ years I wouldn't want to own a home without one. It is a must have if you have a large digital music collection. The add-on zone players are a necessity for those wanting to have extra sets of speakers in other rooms. Get more detail about Sonos ZonePlayer ZP120 Add-On Player.
Panasonic SC-PT670 1000W 5DVD 5.1 Channel Large Speaker Home Theater System with Built-in iPod dock Review
The only thing it doesnt do is DVIX/.avi files. If this doesnt interest you in purchasing then I highly recomend this unit!!Get more detail about Panasonic SC-PT670 1000W 5DVD 5.1 Channel Large Speaker Home Theater System with Built-in iPod dock.
Audiovox XMEXT50 Indoor/Outdoor XM Antenna 50-Foot Cable Extension Top Quality
If you don't like exposed wires running around your house, you will probably need an extension for your XM antenna. This product works just fine, but it sure seems expensive for a 50' wire! I bought this as a replacement of an identical item - the connection to the base unit ended up breaking from being accidentally unplugged, so treat it carefully. As usual, great Amazon service.Get more detail about Audiovox XMEXT50 Indoor/Outdoor XM Antenna 50-Foot Cable Extension.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Polk Audio RM6750 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System (Set of Six, Black) This instant
We decided to get a new TV and place over our Fireplace which also meant up-grading everything else to go along with it-
So off to the local big box store we go... i was offered a Klipsh Surround system (went there for advertised Polk Audio which was sold out)-the Klipsh set was "open Box" -but was convinced that it would be a good choice because the Speakers came with the mounts !
Got the set for the same advertised price as the Polk Audio...
Anyway; installation day arrives and my Electrician and i tried and tried to figure just how we could safely hang those Speakers on the Ceiling..needless to say -this set was not going to work for us.
I went on Amazon to look for a different set -and came upon this Polk Audio set -priced about $30 less than "Big Box" - and purchased.Plus this set came with the Sub !!!!
It is such a great set! The sound is perfect. My family room is about 27ft long and 18ft. wide -so a lot of space to balance sound. But it was not an issue at all -the sound is well rounded throughout the entire space and the Stereo is just as good as it was with our Floor Speakers.
I was and still am amazed i got this for the price i paid -it truly feels like high end!
Dont hesitate to buy -you will not be dissapointed!Get more detail about Polk Audio RM6750 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System (Set of Six, Black).
Crosley CR49 Traveler Portable Turntable, Tan Immediately
This phonograph player does just what I intended it to do - play old LPs from the fifties and sixties! It produces a great sound that is true to the era and so much fun to hear again! The nostalia factor throws this product over the top! I highly recommend it for those who want to take a step back in time!Get more detail about Crosley CR49 Traveler Portable Turntable, Tan.
Pioneer GEX-P920XM XM Satellite Tuner Best Quality
I have had numerous XM radio devices in the past few years and this by far is the easiest interface I have used with an aftermarket CD receiver. It is plug and play with very few wires to connect to the Pioneer head unit. The antenna is fairly small and receives excellent reception from within the vehicle.
I have previously owned the GEX-P900XM tuner with an older unit and it did not do half of the things this one does. This will display the channel logo, song title, station name, and artist (at least on the AVIC Z110BT).
GREAT product and much easier to use than the Sirius unitGet more detail about Pioneer GEX-P920XM XM Satellite Tuner.
Boston Acoustics HSOLOMDNT Horizon Solo AM/FM Radio With Auxiliary Input (Midnight) Get it now!
I HAVE A PROTON CLOCK RADIO WHICH IS ALMOST 20 YEARS OLD. AFTER BEING SPOILED SO MANY YEARS WITH THE PROTON I STARTED TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING SIMILAR IN SOUND QUALITY AND FEATURES. I CAME ACROSS THIS CLOCK RADIO AT A LOCAL STORE IN MIAMI FLORIDA AND AFTER PLAYING WITH IT; WITHOUT HESITATION I BOUGHT IT !!!
THE SOUND EVEN IN MONO IS SUPERB. THE AUTO-DIMMING FEATURE IS VERY HANDY FOR PEOPLE WHO PREFER TO SLEEP IN TOTAL DARKNESS.. I ONLY HAD IT FOR A WEEK SO FAR; NO PROBLEMS.I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE PEOPLE WRITING REVIEWS HERE AND COMPLAINING SO MUCH ABOUT EVERY LITTLE THING THE RADIO HAS OR HAS NOT. IT'S A CLOCK RADIO PLEASE!!
CAN'T BE ANY BETTER !!!Get more detail about Boston Acoustics HSOLOMDNT Horizon Solo AM/FM Radio With Auxiliary Input (Midnight).
Pioneer VSX-519V-K 5-Channel A/V Receiver (Black) Buy Now
The Pioneer VSX-519V Receiver was on time and Worked Great after Installation. It has all the inputs and output for all My Home Entertainment Units and Sounds Great! I would recommend purchasing from this Vendor and the Price Is Right!Get more detail about Pioneer VSX-519V-K 5-Channel A/V Receiver (Black).
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Panasonic SC-PT770 1000W 5DVD 5.1 Channel Home Theater System with Built-in iPod dock and front-to-rear-Wireless Rear Speakers Order Now
I bought this system a couple of weeks ago for use in my 800 sq. foot apartment. Bottom line--it rocks!
At first, I was mightily peeved that it only had one HDMI port. I thought FOR SURE it had two of 'em. Well, I just assumed that it would, as nowadays, all you need to do to hook up a kickass surround sound system is to run an HDMI cord from the Cable box to the home theater system, and then one more from there to the TV.
Nope, Panasonic went cheap and added a degree of difficulty.
So, in order to use this system to it's maximum, I ran a fiber-optic audio cable from the Cable TV box into the Panasonic unit, and an HDMI cable from the Cable TV box to the TV (I've got a 40" Sharp Aquos TV). Then I ran an HDMI cable from the Panasonic unit to the TV, also. Works like a charm! And the sound is really amazing. I am blown away by how good it is (maybe because I went without for almost a year!). But the subwoofer really gets the job done, and the other speakers have excellent, crisp sound.
My only gripe, besides only having one HDMI port, is that the rear 'wireless' speaker wires (the ones that go to the wireless receiver) are only 10 feet long--12 feet would've been much better. I can't put the wireless receiver unit between the two speakers, due to the configuration of my living room and furniture, so the proprietary speaker wires kind of hang limp and look ghetto-ish behind my couch.
Otherwise, for the price, it's an unbeatable system. It would get five stars if it had another HDMI port and the rear surround wires were a bit longer. Get more detail about Panasonic SC-PT770 1000W 5DVD 5.1 Channel Home Theater System with Built-in iPod dock and front-to-rear-Wireless Rear Speakers.
Sony AIRSA10 S-AIR Speaker System - Black Decide Now
This item came with the Sony 589 home theater that we purchased a few weeks ago. After installing the 589 along with the Sony AIRSA10 (Air) I was amazed at the quality of the sound and what I heard coming from Air. It almost blew my socks off. Good thing I had shoes on. Altogether the 589 makes a super yet inexpensive home theater especially if your ear is as uninformed as mine is. I guess it's sorta like art. I do not know good art from bad. I know what I like and that's the way it is with the 589. Curiosity got the most of me and that is the purpose of reviewing this separately. What would the Air sound like without the 589. I disconnected the Air from the 589 and reinstalled Air in another room with another setup. The Air added so much more to the audio that I had to beat me up and eliminate my ordering ability capability. Otherwise I would have two of them. One other but somewhat insignificant element is that I used the tall speakers that came with the 589 instead of the small ones. Not one problem. All works beautifully.Get more detail about Sony AIRSA10 S-AIR Speaker System - Black.
Coby DVD938 5.1-Channel DVD Home Theater System with Digital AM/FM Tuner (Black) Right now
This is with out a doubt one piece of useless junk, DVD tray is so flimsy I am surprised it will hold a DVD disk. When playing a DVD movie the picture has a green tint and was unable to adjust the picture color using the TV Picture control. The Am/FM radio is barely acceptable. Maybe I just got a lemon but I have never been so dissatisfied with a product. Going to spend more and buy a name brand unit. Get more detail about Coby DVD938 5.1-Channel DVD Home Theater System with Digital AM/FM Tuner (Black).
Lowest Price Sony SRSTP1PK Passive Travel Speakers (Pink)
I know you can't expect home stereo quality from this tiny speaker, but I wish it could be at least louder than my laptop. It seems loud enough when I play audiobooks and pop music. But when I use it to play classic music, even the relativaly loud piece like four season, it just doesn't sound any louder than my laptop speaker, which is a bit disappointing.
It's definitely not for playing music when you are working around a big room. Studio maybe. I use it on my desk when I was working on my computer.
Overall, it's cute, very cute. It's the size of two compact makeup powder. For this price and the convenience of not using batteries, I'm not complaining too much. Get more detail about Sony SRSTP1PK Passive Travel Speakers (Pink).
Friday, November 20, 2009
Save Sony HT-SS2300 Component Home Theater System
System worked great for 5 months. Then all of the sudden it stopped sending the video signal to the tv (SONY 52" Bravia HD LCD). It continued to send the audio signal. Sent it to SONY service center in Laredo, Texas at my expense ($51). They sent it back two weeks later with a note that stated that the unit was not broken. Same problem still exited. Called 800 222-SONY and spoke with supervisor in El Salvador (Yes, the country in Central America!!!!!!!!!) who told me that there are no call centers in the US and that she could not authorize a replacement.
I still have the broken unit, which is under warranty for another 14 months.
Thanks SONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get more detail about Sony HT-SS2300 Component Home Theater System.
Discount Plantronics M22 Amplifier
It's rare that a product actually accomplishes the exact opposite of what it purports to do, but here we have just such an item. The Plantronics website has an excellent presentation of the product features that this product is supposed to generate. If only it were so! Instead of creating a pleasant environment on the telephone line for business communication, this product creates a such a loud humming racket that regular conversation is impossible! The product is so bad that it is calling out for a letter to the FTC as the product claims are exactly opposite of the product's actual performance! This product is a stain on Plantronics otherwise solid reputation. Please, Plantronics, take this one back to the lab and "Do Over". Meanwhile, I say to prospective purchasers: "Forewarned...Forearmed".
Get more detail about Plantronics M22 Amplifier.
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