AUDIO * VIDEO * NEWS * BUYER GUIDES * REVIEWS http://www.canadhifi.com/ canadahifi.com HD Guru got an exclusive chance to test Panasonic’s TC-P50VT20 3D plasma TV and DMP-BDT300 3D Blu-ray player at the Panasonic NJ headquarters.  The TC-P50VT20 is a 50-inch plasma, exclusive to Bestbuy, which will retail for $2499 US.  This is essentially a repackaged TC-P50VT25 model which will be available at other retailers for $2599 US starting next month (there are some very minor differences). The great news is that HD Guru finds the picture quality to be very good for 2D watching and excellent for 3D content (although http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=896 Onkyo announces its first 3D-Ready home theater receivers and home theater in a box (HTiB) systems. The new models consist of three A/V receivers and three HTiB systems ranging in price from $299 to $599 (MSRP, USD), all which support the new HDMI v1.4 connectivity standard for new 3D video displays and Audio Return Channel capabilities. All these new receivers and HTiBs now decode lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio bitstreams, and include new 192-kHz/24-bit Burr-Brown PCM1690 DAC's that are highly resistant to clock jitter and provide a remarkable 113-dB dynamic range. The lineup includes a new easy-to-setup overlaid onscreen graphical display that lets the user watch the program in the background while using the function menus. http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=894 A modern AV receiver is a marvelous piece of machinery that's responsible for some of the key performance aspects in a home theatre, in both the audio and video domains.  Today's AV receivers are available in a wild range of prices, from entry-level models starting at just a few hundred dollars to flagship models that retail for several thousand dollars. Click here to continue reading this review http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=893 A little over two months ago, users first started posting on forums regarding Panasonic plasma TVs and their changing black levels. Typically, plasmas have an edge over LCD HDTVs with regard to viewing angle and black levels (since many LCDs cannot turn off their backlights, they cannot achieve truly dark black tones). After considerable outcry, Panasonic has finally released a statement stating that "background bright will increase" but that it is automatic and part of adjustments the plasma TV makes to maintain optimal picture quality over the entire lifespan of the TV. Unfortunately, this statement is http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=892 These are the single greatest headphones in the history of the world. That is of course a bit unfair to all the headphones I've never tested. I also had to upgrade the stock headphone cable with a new one from Cardas Audio before I could make such a statement, but now that I have your attention, read on. Click here to continue reading the review http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=891 Pioneer Electronics has just unveiled two entry-level 5.1 channel A/V receivers that are compatible with the new Blu-ray 3D standard.  The Pioneer  http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=890 My Harmony 890 Pro has greatly simplified control of my home theatre. Everything from the media centre PC, PlayStation 3 and every single component, including a switch from MonoPrice.com is controlled by this single remote. It makes operating everything so much more unified and simple. Unfortunately, many Harmony remotes have been out of reach due to their prices. Logitech recognizes this and is now remedying the problem with their latest 600 series remotes, all price under $100 USD. The Logitech Harmony 600 and the Logitech Harmony 650 will be priced at $79 USD and http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=889 Parasound - the name sounds familiar. They make a wide range of HiFi down there in California, right? Nearly. Their products are designed and engineered in San Francisco and manufactured to their specifications in Taiwan. They are a California-based company, and they've been around for close to 30 years. Click here to continue reading this review http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=888 Over the years, manufacturers have used exotic materials, abstract shapes and anything else they could find in the quest to create better and better speakers. SW Speakers new “Magic Flute” speakers are a testament to thinking outside the box. The speakers claim to alter surrounding air pressure to allow them to create a truer sound wave. Since sound travels faster through denser air, there is some merit to this claim. However, theory and reality seldom agree so hopefully there will be a review of these soon. The speakers feature a chassis made of carbon fiber and aluminum and are handmade. The fo http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=887 Hot on the heels of their home stereos, Philips has updated their HDTV lineup with LED-backlit for the 9000 and 8000 as well as a refresh of the 7000 series. The king of the hill, 3D-ready 9000-Series feature 400Hz technology and boast a 0.5 ms response time both of which will come in handy for the alternate frame 3D system. There's also been upgrades to Philips' "Pixel Perfect" processor offering 500 million pixels per second power and a better Ambilight system with Spectra 3, which now brings more sections of wall-bouncing light for a more accurate atmospheric halo effect. The LED Pro system promises dynamic contrasts of 10,0 http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=886 Philips has updated their micro systems with SoundSphere speakers. The new range includes a model with “Streamium” technology so you can wirelessly store, stream and enjoy online music or music from your computer. Philips SoundSphere speakers have a uniquely positioned tweeter and woofer with rigorous audio crossover engineering that minimizes interference and produces a more natural sound. The free-floating tweeter is outside the speaker box, meaning sound radiates in all directions to give a deeper, wider sound impression, similar to the tones you would hear during a live performance or in a recording studio. The speakers use a http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=885 Denon has long been associated with high performance audio/video gear both in the two channel and home theatre domains, providing cutting edge technologies in the majority of its products.  Earlier this fall, I spent a couple of months playing around with the Denon AVR-4310CI AV receiver, one of the company's higher-end receivers, priced at $2699. Click here to continue reading this review http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=884 At CANADA HiFi we generally put highly complex audio and video gear to the test.  Well, this isn't one of those times.  In fact, this time we're looking at a home theatre accessory that's so simple yet so useful - you might ask yourself - why didn't I think of that? Click here to continue reading this review http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=883 There's a commonly repeated axiom among many AV enthusiasts which says that even the most cutting edge TVs and playback components become obsolete every 5 years or so.  Good quality AV receivers and speakers on the other hand can last for decades.  Technology in the former areas moves so fast that what is cutting edge today can often be surpassed by budget oriented offerings only a few short years down the road, while the basic design tenets and operating principles of the latter haven't changed since long before I was born. The role of the AV receiver has evolved much over the years. From humble beginn http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=882 To accompany the new 3D-capable Blu-Ray player, Sony announces a 3D-capable receiver for under $500 USD, the STR-DN1010. Featuring HDMI v1.4 3D pass-through technology, full-HD connectivity and compatibility with all of the latest Blu-ray Disc audio formats, the new STR-DN1010 A/V receiver is designed to create a simple solution for controlling any HD or 3D-capable home theater. The 7.1 channel STR-DN1010 A/V receiver (110W power per channel @ 8-Ohms, 1kHz, 1% THD) features full high definition 1080/24p support and seven HD inputs in total (four HDMI and three component) allowing for connection to a wide variety of HD devices. The receiver's HDMI 3D pass-throug http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=881 If you're a home theatre buff, you've surely read articles or reviews about Optoma projectors.  The company has earned a well respected reputation among enthusiasts for delivering some of the best price-to-performance ratios in the projector business.  Optoma also offers some of the most attractively priced DLP-based projectors available today. Click here to continue reading this review http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=880 Hot on the heels of the demonstrations of its 3D HDTVs in retail SonyStyle stores, Sony announces the new BDP-S470 stand-alone Blu-ray 3D-ready player.  The model can be upgraded to play Blu-ray 3D disc content with a firmware update available this summer. When connected to a broadband Internet network, the new BDP-S470 instantly streams movies, videos, music, and more from YouTube, Yahoo!, DailyMotion, Sony Pictures, Sony Music, and other total providers through the Sony BRAVIA Internet Video platform. The BDP-S470 also features Sony's Entertainment Database Browser using Gracenote technologies that allows users to browse details like actor and production in http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=879 A few US online retailers are taking pre-orders for Samsung’s LED LCD 3D ready 1080p HDTVs, expected to ship later this month.  The new C7000 series will launch with two models this February: the 46-inch (UN46C7000) and 55-inch (UN55C7000).  A 40-inch model will follow in late March.  Amazon.com lists the 40, 46 and 55-inch models for $1999.99, $2599.99 and $3299.99 respectively (prices are US and include shipping). http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=878 Choosing a flat panel LCD TV has recently gotten a little more complicated - for those who care about performance anyway.  Since LCD TVs were first introduced, manufacturers have strived to achieve the same level of performance that plasma technology is capable of.  Perhaps the biggest Achilles' heel for LCD technology has been the inability to display deep blacks.  As a result LCD TVs have never been able to match the black levels, contrast ratio and overall colour reproduction that video enthusiasts enjoy on their plasma TVs.  http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=877 Every year, while New Years resolutions are still being attempted and you've finally read through the manual and figured out how to use all the functions on your new electronics, along comes the Consumer Electronics Show to make everything look obsolete (again). CES, held in Las Vegas, the convention capital of the world, is the venue where the latest technology, gadgets and electronics make their debut to North America, and often, the world. It's the equivalent to the Detroit/Frankfurt auto shows but for electronics. To put in perspective how important CES is to manufacturers, Sony and Vizio introduced thirty-eight new TVs while LG introduced thirty-nine. In a move that should be matched by other manufacturers, Vizio' http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=876   In the August/September issue we provided an introduction to do-it-yourself (DIY) audio and touched upon several DIY ideas - one of them being system tweaks.  In this issue we well take a closer look at some simple and common system tweaks that can be applied to your analog setup.  When it comes to turntables there are several accessories and tweaks that can be applied, some of which can be inexpensive to implement and yet can provide startling improvements. http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=875 Hot on the heels of CES 2010, Panasonic has officially released information on their 3D HDTVs, albeit only in Japanese. What's the latest in TV technology going to cost you? At today's exchange rate, approximately $6,000 CAD. OUCH! That'll get you the 54", 3D-capable Viera TH-P54VT which will begin shipping by the summer. If that's a little heavy on the wallet, Panasonic will also be releasing a 50" version. Specifications: a (native) contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1 VIERA link http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=874 The Beatles CDs first appeared in 1987 in disappointing sound, vastly inferior to the original vinyl pressings from the 60's. That's what we've been stuck with for over 20 years. Until now that is. Finally a full remastering project gives us the music we love, in Technicolor. Click here to continue reading this article http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=873 Sony is capitalizing on all the 3D hype and is the quickest to move, post-CES. They are now the first company to show off 3D HDTV technology to consumers in retail stores in Canada. Sony debuted its latest 3D-ready LCD HDTVs at select Sony Style stores yesterday, starting with Toronto's Eaton Centre store. 3D is very much on consumers' minds with the runaway success of Avatar in IMAX 3D, but it is the firsthand experience with an HDTV that you can take home that will convince those on the fence of 3D's merits. With 3D content at the recent Grammy Awards, consumers were able to experience the 3D phenomenon in their own homes. In the near future, events such as the FIFA World Cup in June will be broadcast in 3D as wel http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=872 Montreal-based Dimexs is one of Canada's premier importers of audio brands from around the world.  The company is responsible for the Canadian distribution of brands including Naim, PS Audio, Nagra, Avid, Verity Audio, Atoll and Acoustic Energy.   Cl http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=871 Canada has an illustrious past in speaker and audio component design.  Earlier this year, we highlight http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=870 Naim is introducing a full-featured radio & digital media player, the UnitiQute. It is a high-end remote-controlled all-in-one audio player that can handle practically any source material: FM radio & Internet Radio (plus DAB in available markets), MP3s through its iPod connection, and streamed audio (through a network) and audio files off a USB memory key. UnitiQute's network streaming capabilities are what set it apart from other digital media players. It can stream music from any UPnP networked devices, including 24bit/96kHz WAV or FLAC (lossless) files. With its onboard 24bit/192kHz DAC, UnitiQute maintains the highest fidelity and remains true to its source. http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=869 Bowers & Wilkins has updated its 800 Series by upgrading to Diamond dome tweeters in every speaker throughout the seven-model range. The updated 800 Series will be available in February. The Diamond dome tweeter is now a "quad-magnet" design, which is supposed to increase efficiency and improve the dynamic range at the high frequencies, while a new surround material aids dispersion characteristics, and provides a more stable stereo image. Bass has also improved via a new dual-magnet motor system using neodymium that improves the linearity and reduces harmonic distortion. http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=868 The benefits of watching a movie or listening to music in a 5.1-channel home theatre are undeniable.  A well mixed movie soundtrack can make you feel like you're part of the on-screen action.  A well mixed concert disc can place you right in the audience.   Click here to continue reading this ar http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=867 Whether traveling by plane or train, travelers now have the option of switching off from the surrounding bustle anytime thanks to the PXC 250 from Sennheiser, which follows-on the heels of the successful PXC 250 travel headphones. Because its improved NoiseGard technology effectively reduces engine noise, rumbling train sounds and other ambient noise, all that is left is perfect sound quality emanating from the headphones and an opportunity to relax completely.   http://canadahifi.com/comments.php?id_entry=866