GoldenEar SuperCinema 3: How big can a little 5.1 speaker system sound? (eng)

GoldenEar Technology ups the ante on lifestyle speakers sound quality.

The GoldenEar Technology SuperCinema 3 systemGoldenEar Technology

Sandy Gross was one of the founders of two major speaker companies, Polk Audio and Definitive Technology, and now with GoldenEar Technology he's going for one more. I recently spoke with him about his new venture, and he didn't seem the least bit concerned about entering a rather tough retail market. He is in fact off to a good start and already has 100 brick-and-mortar U.S. dealers, and he will have overseas distributors coming aboard in the near future.

As soon as I heard Gross' SuperCinema 3 I understood why he's so confident. It's a lifestyle-friendly satellite/subwoofer system that sounds remarkable.

It comes with four SuperSat 3 satellites ($249 each), one SuperSat 3C center channel speaker ($249), and a ForceField 3 subwoofer ($499). The gloss black speaker cabinets feel extremely well-built, which is because they're fabricated from injection-molded marble powder infused polymer, a big step up from the more typical plastic, medium-density fiberboard or metal cabinets. That said, the wedge-shape, textured black finished sub is made from MDF, but it also appears to be well-built. GoldenEar Technology speakers are only available in black.

At 12 inches by 4.75 inches, the SuperSat 3 isn't tiny, but it's a mere 2.7 inches deep. The gently curved cabinets are decked out with two 4.5-inch mid/bass drivers, and one high-velocity folded ribbon tweeter (similar in operating principle to a Heil tweeter). Ribbon tweeters are the hot ticket for lots of high-end speakers, including my two personal references, the Magnepan 3.6 and the Zu Essence, but ribbon tweeters are rarely seen on speakers in the SuperSat 3's price range. The tweeter really does play a big part in the speaker's extraordinary sound quality. The SuperSat 3C center speaker sports the same driver complement, but the 3C's drivers are oriented for horizontal speaker placement.

Both speaker models can be wall-mounted via keyhole slots on their backsides, or used with the included table stands. GoldenEar Technology will offer floor stands for the speakers sometime in 2011.

The ForceField 3 subwoofer's underside reveals the quadratic planar infrasonic (passive) radiator woofer.GoldenEar Technology

The ForceField 3 subwoofer features a proprietary 1,000-watt digital amp with digital frequency shaping electronics; a front-firing 8-inch active driver; and a special 9.6-by-11.4-inch quadratic planar infrasonic (passive) radiator on the bottom panel. Connectivity options include a direct RCA input as well as speaker-level inputs and outputs. GoldenEar Technology will have an optional wireless kit for the sub for $130 early next year. The sub measures a tidy 11.5 by 15.75 by 11 inches.

We've all heard promises about great sound in a sleek, lifestyle-friendly design before, but this time it's for real. The SuperCinema 3 sounds a lot bigger and better than you'd have any right to expect from something this small. The five SuperSats projected such a seamless, room-filling surround field I almost thought I was listening to seven SuperSats.

The ForceField 3 sub's blend with the SuperSats was perfect (with a 120 Hertz crossover set on the Denon AVR-1911 receiver). The sats and sub together had the poise of a much larger system, and I'd credit some of that to the ForceField 3's extraordinary bass prowess. I've never heard a sub this small go that deep, without forfeiting definition.

The SuperCinema 3's home theater skills were obvious as I played through all of my favorite demo discs, "Master and Commander," "House of Flying Daggers," and "Black Hawk Down." There was an ease to the sound, even when played fairly loud, and at levels beyond the capabilities of most small systems. "Black Hawk Down's" fierce helicopter crash over the SuperCinema 3 may not have fully communicated the brutality you'd get from a full-size tower and large sub based system, but the sound was still more than respectable.

I next checked out Phil Collins' new "Going Back" concert Blu-ray, and there the sound was fully up to snuff. Collins' band has a sweet-sounding brass section, and the drums had tremendous impact and snap. The sense of being at a live concert was excellent, and the applause sounded realistic. I did note some treble softening when I stood up; so it appears that the tweeter's vertical dispersion is limited.

The SuperSat 3, without grille.GoldenEar Technology

Listening to acoustic jazz CDs in stereo and Dolby Pro Logic II surround I preferred the SuperCinema 3's sound in surround, if only because the sound was a touch too thin in stereo. Piano isn't the easiest instrument to get sounding right on small sat/sub systems, but the SuperCinema 3's sound was spot on. The ribbon tweeters' exceptional clarity really does trump other small speakers I've heard. Hard rock can highlight weaknesses in sat/sub systems, but again, the SuperCinema 3 didn't falter, which amply demonstrated just how well balanced the design really is.

The SuperCinema 3 is the smallest, most affordable system from GoldenEar Technology; the company also offers larger satellites, a tower speaker, and a larger sub. I can hardly wait to hear what the higher-end models can do.

The SuperCinema 3 System won the Best of Innovations Award as the top product in the Home Theater Loudspeakers category in this year's CES Innovations Design and Engineering competition.

sursa: cnet.com

The Easiest Way to Tell Which Streaming Service Has the Show You Want (eng)

From Netflix to HBO Now, Google Play to PlayStation, trying to work out where you can see your favorite movies and TV shows on the web isn’t always easy. JustWatch is a slick and simple interface for searching through everything available on these services, and finding out where it’s playing.

You don’t need much in the way of common sense to navigate around JustWatch, which is a relief when you’re crashing down on the sofa ready to unwind. The front splash screen shows what’s popular at the moment—you can click on any of the titles to see more details, or use the search box up at the top to find something specific.

Here’s how it works. Use the filter box to narrow down your search by content type, release year, genre or service, or click on the New button to see films and programs that have been recently added (it’s a neat way of keeping track with Netflix’s constantly changing line-up, for example). Streaming services and on-demand platforms (like iTunes) are covered, and there’s even a watchlist feature that lets you bookmark items for future reference.

Everything You Need to Know About ARC (Audio Return Channel) (eng)

   Smart TVs are great, right? The ability to access services like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, and VUDU directly from the TV, without the need for an additional set-top box, is very appealing to people who desire the cleanest, easiest setup. But there's one glaring problem with this approach: those pesky TV speakers, which offer mediocre quality at best and downright awful quality in many instances.

   The average consumer--the one who doesn't own an external audio system at all--listens to everything through their speakers anyhow. But I'm curious to know how many of our readers who own home theater systems listen to smart TV apps through the TV itself, instead of running sound to that perfectly good AV receiver and 5.1 (or higher) speaker system sitting just a few feet away. I confess, I do it far more than I should. Is anyone else willing to admit the same?

   Granted, in my case, it's often due to the fact that, as a TV reviewer, I'm constantly swapping out review samples, and I need to test the audio quality of those internal TV speakers. But even when my reference TV is back in its position of honor, I find myself reaching for the TV remote's volume buttons rather than taking the time to properly set up the Audio Return Channel feature.

What Is Audio Return Channel?
   Audio Return Channel (or ARC for short) is a feature of the HDMI specification (first appearing in v1.4, released in 2009) that allows you to send audio "upstream" from your TV's HDMI inputs back to your audio system's HDMI output in order to listen to the TV's internal audio sources, like smart TV apps and tuned over-the-air channels. Most TVs include analog and digital audio outputs for this purpose, but that requires running another cable between the TV and sound system, while ARC allows for a clean, single-cable solution.

   ARC can also be beneficial to those who own a soundbar or other audio system with limited HDMI inputs. You can feed your various sources (Blu-ray, cable/satellite, gaming console) into the ARC-supported TV's HDMI inputs and route all of the audio signals out via one HDMI cable to an ARC-capable soundbar. However, we must point out that this particular approach may limit the audio from external sources like Blu-ray to stereo only. Some TVs will pass multichannel audio over ARC only from internal sources like the apps and tuned channels.

   The arrival of Ultra HD streaming makes the value of ARC even greater. At this moment, the UHD streams from Netflix, Amazon, M-Go, and UltraFlix are only accessible through smart TVs, not standalone set-top boxes like Roku or Apple TV. So, if you want to enjoy surround sound along with your UHD resolution, you have to get the audio out of the TV either through ARC or the digital audio output.

   Arguably the biggest downside to ARC is that, since it was originally designed to replace the TV's digital audio output, it supports only the transmission of the same PCM, Dolby Digital, and DTS soundtracks that will pass over the SPDIF output. It doesn't currently support the passage of Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio, although a representative from the HDMI Forum told me that this support is possible and could find its way into a future HDMI version. Right now, most streamed video-on-demand content is limited to DD 5.1, but that's changing. VUDU and Netflix offer some titles in Dolby Digital Plus, for instance, and M-Go recently announced plans to offer DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks for some of its 1080p and UHD movies. While it would be preferable to get these higher-quality streams, Dolby Digital 5.1 through your HT system is still better than stereo through your TV speakers.

   The other drawback to ARC is that setup isn't quite as simple as just connecting that one HDMI cable between your TV and AV receiver. (Is anything ever that simple?) I decided to take the bold step of finally setting up ARC on my system in order to document the basic steps for you. My TV/receiver combo is a Samsung UN65HU8550 UHD TV and Harman/Kardon AVR 3700 receiver. Of course, the procedure and nomenclature may vary slightly for your specific gear, but the general concepts should hold true.

   Step one: Choose the correct HDMI input on your smart TV
Your smart TV may have four or five HDMI inputs, but chances are, only one of them supports the ARC function. A thoughtful manufacturer will clearly label which HDMI port supports ARC. In my case, the Samsung supports ARC on HDMI input #4 (see photo). If you don't see "ARC" printed next to one of your HDM inputs, check your owner's manual. If the TV was manufactured around or before 2009 when the HDMI 1.4 spec arrived, it likely does not support the ARC feature at all.

   A few things to consider: If you've had your TV calibrated and you switch to a different HDMI input to get ARC support, those picture adjustments may not be applied to the new input. Some TVs allow you to copy your picture adjustments across all inputs, but others make you set up you each input individually. Depending on how you or your calibrator handled this, you may need to port over your settings to the new HDMI input.

   On a similar note, if your system is being professionally installed, make sure to tell them that you want to use the ARC feature so that they can set up the system and program the remote accordingly.

   If you've purchased a brand new UHD TV, hopefully ARC and HDCP 2.2 exist on the same input, or else your clean, one-cable solution will go right out the window when you try to attach a future HDCP 2.2 copy-protected source.

   Step two: Choose the correct HDMI output on your AV receiver
Many modern AV receivers have two or occasionally three HDMI outputs to send AV signals to multiple zones. As with the TV, you need to make sure to use an ARC-capable output. My AVR 3700 supports ARC on both of its HDMI outputs, and both are clearly labeled on the chassis. If you're not sure about your receiver, check the owner's manual.

   Step three: Enable HDMI-CEC in both the TV and receiver
If you're familiar at all with HDMI-CEC, you probably think of it as that feature that automatically turns off your devices when you don't want it to--but HDMI-CEC isn't just about sending power commands to connected components. CEC stands for "Consumer Electronics Control," and it needs to be enabled in both the TV and AV receiver for ARC to function.

   The HDMI-CEC setting is likely located in the general settings menu, and it can go by a variety of names. Samsung calls it "Anynet+," and the menu includes separate options for control and power (see photo). The control option needs to be on, but you can leave the auto power function off, if desired.

   Likewise, in the general system setup menu of the AVR 3700, I had to enable "HDMI Control" for the HDMI output I use, then set the Audio Return Channel from off to auto.

   At this point, I had to restart both components to ensure the HDMI-CEC control was enabled properly in both devices.

   In some TVs, you may need to make a few extra adjustments within the Audio setup menu: You may need to turn off the internal TV speakers and change the "Digital output" setting from PCM to Dolby Digital.

   Step four: Switch to the correct source on your receiver
Now that your TV is officially an audio source in your home theater system, your receiver needs to treat it like one. The AVR 3700 has a source mode called TV through which the ARC audio is played. It's an audio-only source, since the video is coming directly from the TV.

   Make sure to program your universal remote with "smart TV" as its own activity and set it to switch to the appropriate source on your receiver.

   That should do it. In my case, it wasn't too painful, and it has worked well thus far.

   If you've taken the time to assemble a good surround sound system, don't shortchange your smart TV source. Take just little more time to set up Audio Return Channel and disable those TV speakers for good. It's just the right thing to do.

sursa: hometheaterreview.com