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AVRic
AVRic's stats
- Review count5
- Helpfulness votes17
- First reviewSeptember 4, 2014
- Last reviewAugust 2, 2016
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.8
- Review comment count3
- Helpfulness votes1
- First review commentNovember 25, 2013
- Last review commentAugust 12, 2016
- Featured review comments0
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- Last questionNone
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- Answer count2
- Helpfulness votes0
- First answerNovember 25, 2013
- Last answerOctober 21, 2014
- Featured answers0
- Best answers0
AVRic's Reviews
Connect up to 2 microphones and an auxiliary device to this Alto Professional Trouper PA system, which delivers clean upper bass and vocal output thanks to its trapezoidal enclosure. Three 6.5" woofers and a 1" compression driver deliver balanced tones.
Posted by: AVRic
from Prior Lake, MN
I was looking for a small but powerful powered speaker system that had multiple inputs for mic's, iPod, etc. to use with my mobile DJ business for ceremony sound reinforcement type of applications and this Alto Trouper fills the need perfectly.
Add that it also does Bluetooth streaming and it's a real winner in a small portable package with surprisingly good sound and yes - it will get loud!
I like that you can add a second unit and link the Bluetooth and get full 2 channel stereo streaming. 2 of these would also work well for a small room DJ gig along with my mixer rack where my twin 18" sub/15" mains system would be overkill.
Guess I need to buy a second one. Well done Alto!
Add that it also does Bluetooth streaming and it's a real winner in a small portable package with surprisingly good sound and yes - it will get loud!
I like that you can add a second unit and link the Bluetooth and get full 2 channel stereo streaming. 2 of these would also work well for a small room DJ gig along with my mixer rack where my twin 18" sub/15" mains system would be overkill.
Guess I need to buy a second one. Well done Alto!
My Best Buy number: 0532354756
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This Sennheiser XSW 65-A wireless vocal system features a handheld transmitter with a supercardioid condenser capsule for clear sound. The True Diversity receiver delivers crisp reception.
Customer Rating
5
Awesome Wireless HH Mic System
on September 30, 2015
Posted by: AVRic
from Prior Lake, MN
I needed to replace an aging AKG handheld wireless system that was non compliant to the new FCC frequencies and started to have a lot of issues holding a clean signal due to that and didn't work more then it did. So time for an upgrade.
I did my research and always liked Sennheiser products so I ordered the XSW 65-A system. As a mobile DJ I need to have a reliable wireless system that can work at different venues every weekend and so far I used it in 5 different locations and it's worked great! No drop outs or interference of any kind, just clean clear output. Great investment.
I did my research and always liked Sennheiser products so I ordered the XSW 65-A system. As a mobile DJ I need to have a reliable wireless system that can work at different venues every weekend and so far I used it in 5 different locations and it's worked great! No drop outs or interference of any kind, just clean clear output. Great investment.
My Best Buy number: 0532354756
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
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Sony 2.1-Channel Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer: Add booming bass, extra voice clarity and captivating virtual surround sound to your home theater. The soundbar is easy to mount on the wall, and the wireless subwoofer offers multiple placement options around the room. Plus, control the sound system and stream your music library or favorite Internet radio stations right from your devices.
Customer Rating
4
Pretty Darn Good For The Budget Minded
on December 29, 2014
Posted by: AVRic
from Prior Lake, MN
I bought the system as a Christmas present for my son who lives in a condo. He's never really liked the sound of his TV speakers but he has neighbors so can't really crank it up too loud and get the full effect of a full-blown 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system but wanted something better then the horrible internal TV speakers.
This Sony soundbar fits the bill perfectly! With its three HDMI inputs and one output, DTS HD-Master Audio and DolbyTrue HD decoding, Bluetooth, wireless sub & usable sound presets all rolled together into an inexpensive package that delivers surprisingly good punch for it's size.
I'm not sure about some of the other reviews here that say this thing doesn't supply enough volume. The system is set up in a living room/dining room combination that is roughly 15x25 with 8ft ceilings and it fills the area very well for both music movies and so far we have not needed to turn up past about halfway to enjoy it, although I had to adjust the subwoofer volume a number of times and "voice" settings to find just the right balance between music and movie playback, but all that is accomplished by a few simple button pushes of the remote control (or smartphone app). Sure kicks the pants off the TV speakers.
Does it replace a good standalone AVR/speaker surround sound system? Well no of course not, but for those with limited space and/or a limited budget this is a vast improvement over built-in TV speakers. It offers a lot of flexibility with multiple HDMI inputs, HDMI pass-through output, Bluetooth streaming (and a cool & convenient available for free smart phone app), ability to decode DTS-HD & Dolby THD audio from Blu-rays and the wireless subwoofer make it a really nice & usable set up!
The only thing I really wish it had it was an on-screen display for audio controls, input settings etc. but bottom line: my son is loving it!
This Sony soundbar fits the bill perfectly! With its three HDMI inputs and one output, DTS HD-Master Audio and DolbyTrue HD decoding, Bluetooth, wireless sub & usable sound presets all rolled together into an inexpensive package that delivers surprisingly good punch for it's size.
I'm not sure about some of the other reviews here that say this thing doesn't supply enough volume. The system is set up in a living room/dining room combination that is roughly 15x25 with 8ft ceilings and it fills the area very well for both music movies and so far we have not needed to turn up past about halfway to enjoy it, although I had to adjust the subwoofer volume a number of times and "voice" settings to find just the right balance between music and movie playback, but all that is accomplished by a few simple button pushes of the remote control (or smartphone app). Sure kicks the pants off the TV speakers.
Does it replace a good standalone AVR/speaker surround sound system? Well no of course not, but for those with limited space and/or a limited budget this is a vast improvement over built-in TV speakers. It offers a lot of flexibility with multiple HDMI inputs, HDMI pass-through output, Bluetooth streaming (and a cool & convenient available for free smart phone app), ability to decode DTS-HD & Dolby THD audio from Blu-rays and the wireless subwoofer make it a really nice & usable set up!
The only thing I really wish it had it was an on-screen display for audio controls, input settings etc. but bottom line: my son is loving it!
My Best Buy number: 0532354756
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Wall [CD]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/4769/4769994_sa.jpg)
Posted by: AVRic
from Prior Lake, MN
Pink Floyd - 'The Wall'
(Immersion Box Set, 2012 EMI Records)
(Immersion Box Set, 2012 EMI Records)
So, can we build a better 'Wall' that brings us something we haven't heard before?
Oh Yes! ...
Overall it's far better then my original CD version with a clean detailed presentation with a solid low end and an opened up midrange that's especially reveling on David Gilmour's acoustic & electric guitars. Richard Wright's keyboards have a fuller body & weight to them and I actually heard parts here (more of) of both keys & guitars that were more 'back of mix' on the old CD. Roger Waters bass is more ominous and resonant while not overblown. Nick Mason's kit provides the right amount of thud on the bass drum and a nice woody tone on the toms and a snappy snare and clear cymbals.
Vocals hover delightfully at stereo midpoint as well as pan nicely between channels and have very good timbre. Treble has added aire & breath, soundstaging is very good for both width & depth, and again the resonance of the low end is extremely pleasing to my ears with an exceptionally low black noise floor (thank you James and...Oppo BDP-83, Pioneer Elite AVR, B&W CM9 mains & 2 JBL powered subs).
Overall it's far better then my original CD version with a clean detailed presentation with a solid low end and an opened up midrange that's especially reveling on David Gilmour's acoustic & electric guitars. Richard Wright's keyboards have a fuller body & weight to them and I actually heard parts here (more of) of both keys & guitars that were more 'back of mix' on the old CD. Roger Waters bass is more ominous and resonant while not overblown. Nick Mason's kit provides the right amount of thud on the bass drum and a nice woody tone on the toms and a snappy snare and clear cymbals.
Vocals hover delightfully at stereo midpoint as well as pan nicely between channels and have very good timbre. Treble has added aire & breath, soundstaging is very good for both width & depth, and again the resonance of the low end is extremely pleasing to my ears with an exceptionally low black noise floor (thank you James and...Oppo BDP-83, Pioneer Elite AVR, B&W CM9 mains & 2 JBL powered subs).
So in a nutshell - James Guthrie’s remastering is again exceptional, bringing out the details in the band’s intricate playing as well as the production of Bob Ezrin, Roger Waters and David Gilmour.
A thoroughly enjoyable music & sonic adventure & a welcome addition to the other 2 Immersion Box Sets of DSOTM & WYWH and TDB Anniversary Box in my collection.
Yeah, I'm a Floyd Fan!
Yeah, I'm a Floyd Fan!
My Best Buy number: 0532354756
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
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Learn moreabout Magnolia PremiumInstallation Enjoy an amazing audio performance with this 3-way, floorstanding speaker that features dual 6-1/2" cone woofers and a 1" aluminum dome tweeter for powerful sound.
Posted by: AVRic
from Prior Lake, MN
I moved from 25 year old B&W DM640 towers (which still sounded very good in their own right) to these Black Beauties and all I can say is WOW! These CM9's are just stellar, they took an already rockin' 7.2 system and just opened up the soundstage that much more.
The micro-dynamics detailing these towers provide is simply awesome, from that airy treble to the trademark Kevlar midrange that is oh so smooth and clean, tuneful tight bass from the dual woofers - these things deliver a rock solid audio presentation.
While not a super large model, these towers do need some room to breathe so don't short-change the floorspace and cram them in and they will reward you with a fantastic front stage with very good height, depth & true Hi End detail. I have no trouble driving these 89dB rated speakers with the Elite's 135 WPC ClassD amps. Clean, detailed & LOUD.
I did find them a tad too rich in the upper bass/lower midrange region but after running the auto room calibration on my Pioneer Elite AVR and using the full port plugs that B&W provides it tamed a good amount of the thickness as well as allowing the top end to have more snap & focus.
Fit and finish is top notch as expected of a speaker in this price range and I love that the front baffle does not have any unslightly holes where the grill mounts as I listen to them 'undressed', it's all magnetic!
I also upgraded my center channel with the CMC-2 and it is a perfect match to the CM9 towers. Bottom line, these aren't cheap but if you have the space & the coin they are simply STELLAR!
The micro-dynamics detailing these towers provide is simply awesome, from that airy treble to the trademark Kevlar midrange that is oh so smooth and clean, tuneful tight bass from the dual woofers - these things deliver a rock solid audio presentation.
While not a super large model, these towers do need some room to breathe so don't short-change the floorspace and cram them in and they will reward you with a fantastic front stage with very good height, depth & true Hi End detail. I have no trouble driving these 89dB rated speakers with the Elite's 135 WPC ClassD amps. Clean, detailed & LOUD.
I did find them a tad too rich in the upper bass/lower midrange region but after running the auto room calibration on my Pioneer Elite AVR and using the full port plugs that B&W provides it tamed a good amount of the thickness as well as allowing the top end to have more snap & focus.
Fit and finish is top notch as expected of a speaker in this price range and I love that the front baffle does not have any unslightly holes where the grill mounts as I listen to them 'undressed', it's all magnetic!
I also upgraded my center channel with the CMC-2 and it is a perfect match to the CM9 towers. Bottom line, these aren't cheap but if you have the space & the coin they are simply STELLAR!
My Best Buy number: 0532354756
What's great about it: That Famous B&W Hi-Fi Sound, Wonderfully Smooth Kevlar Midrange, Airy Treble, Good Bass, Striking Good Looks
What's not so great: Slight Upper Bass/Lower Midrange Thickness
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
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AVRic's Review Comments
Sharp AQUOS LC-70LE755U LED 3D HDTV: Featuring an expansive screen, amped-up sound system and built-in Wi-Fi, this smart 3D TV is perfect for a home theater. The simulated surround sound and 3D technology will make you feel like you're in the middle of your favorite movie, show or video game.
Overall4 out of 5
4 out of 5Good TV with high quality
By GAJMSR
from Richmond, TX
Good TV for the money, but I am disappointed that the size of the viewing area for TV programs is so small versus the actual screen size!
AVRic
Prior Lake, MN
Aspect Ratio Issue?
November 25, 2013
You didn't give much info in your review but it sounds to me like you're watching 4x3 standard def content and not actual HD or you have some non-standard aspect ratio selected either on the TV or STB, etc., 4x3 SD would only display the picture in the middle of the screen area and have black bars on the L/R of the screen. Do you get HD content from cable, sat or even OTA (via built in ASTC HD tuner)?
Do you have a Blu-ray player hooked up and do you get full screen image with BD disc's? it still could be in letterbox format with black bars on the top & bottom depending on the aspect ratio of the BD movie).
You should also have an option to 'expand' the SD 4x3 content to a larger area of the screen via the remote control. Check these things out and you should enjoy your TV more when you have it set up properly...
Do you have a Blu-ray player hooked up and do you get full screen image with BD disc's? it still could be in letterbox format with black bars on the top & bottom depending on the aspect ratio of the BD movie).
You should also have an option to 'expand' the SD 4x3 content to a larger area of the screen via the remote control. Check these things out and you should enjoy your TV more when you have it set up properly...
+1point
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
VIZIO M-Series M492I-B2 LED HDTV: Featuring Full-Array LED backlighting and 32 active LED zones, this VIZIO M-Series HDTV provides a high-quality picture with bright, vivid colors and optimal light uniformity. The 1080p display and 240Hz refresh rate deliver crisp, clear images.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Best TV for the $$$$
By Fyrfyghtr
from Deatsville Al
This TV is great. I moved my main TV into another room. It was a 2 year old 42" Phillips which I thought had a real good picture. When I turned on this one the picture was 10x better. i bought this one on the recommendation of my daughter and I am very pleased with my purchase. For some reason the TV's on display at Best Buy do not have a HD signal to them so you cant really compare the picture quality. In short this is a great TV, but unless you trust me and know this is the one you want buy it somewhere else so you can see how much better it is.
AVRic
Prior Lake, MN
Correction/Clarification
August 22, 2014
Sounds like Fryfyghtr is very happy with this Vizio model but I do want to make a correction on one of the statements in the review; Best Buy DOES have an HD signal on all of the TV's on display, even way back in the day when Componenet Video was the best input available for HD they had a Componenet Video distribution system and an HD source to display demo content on TV's.
While you can see differences in picture quaility based on type of TV (Plasma, LED, LCD, etc.# and feature set #60Hz, 120Hz, 240Hz, 600Hz) - the one thing in common is that they all are getting the same HD signal throughout the store.
Just wanted to clarify this as I've seen this statement in other reviews and even from customers in stores.
While you can see differences in picture quaility based on type of TV (Plasma, LED, LCD, etc.# and feature set #60Hz, 120Hz, 240Hz, 600Hz) - the one thing in common is that they all are getting the same HD signal throughout the store.
Just wanted to clarify this as I've seen this statement in other reviews and even from customers in stores.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
Connect up to 2 microphones and an auxiliary device to this Alto Professional Trouper PA system, which delivers clean upper bass and vocal output thanks to its trapezoidal enclosure. Three 6.5" woofers and a 1" compression driver deliver balanced tones.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Great Powered Speaker
By AVRic
from Prior Lake, MN
I was looking for a small but powerful powered speaker system that had multiple inputs for mic's, iPod, etc. to use with my mobile DJ business for ceremony sound reinforcement type of applications and this Alto Trouper fills the need perfectly.
Add that it also does Bluetooth streaming and it's a real winner in a small portable package with surprisingly good sound and yes - it will get loud!
I like that you can add a second unit and link the Bluetooth and get full 2 channel stereo streaming. 2 of these would also work well for a small room DJ gig along with my mixer rack where my twin 18" sub/15" mains system would be overkill.
Guess I need to buy a second one. Well done Alto!
Add that it also does Bluetooth streaming and it's a real winner in a small portable package with surprisingly good sound and yes - it will get loud!
I like that you can add a second unit and link the Bluetooth and get full 2 channel stereo streaming. 2 of these would also work well for a small room DJ gig along with my mixer rack where my twin 18" sub/15" mains system would be overkill.
Guess I need to buy a second one. Well done Alto!
AVRic
Prior Lake, MN
And Then There Were Two
August 12, 2016
So I bought a second unit and and it's awesome to now have full stereo playback. Pairing the speakers for stereo Bluetooth streaming was a snap. Very potent portable system!
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
AVRic's Questions
AVRic has not submitted any questions.
AVRic's Answers
What is the difference between "active" and "passive" subwoofers?
Active, or as we usually call them - 'Powered' subwoofers have a amp built in. Generally the driver (speaker) is matched with the amp to provide the best sonic output of low frequency (bass) in a stereo or home theater system.
Also since most modern AVR's (audio/video receiver) only have line-level LFE outputs (RCA style cable to subwoofer) they don't provide an amp to power the sub (like they do for the other speaker channels) so it makes it very easy to add a powered sub to a system. You can still find some 'passive' models that you'd also need an amp to drive it and aren't as common as powered models anymore.
Passive subs are mostly used in car settings where you can mix and match driver size (and enclosure box), ohm ratings, wattage, etc. to a specific amp that best meets the needs of the listener & car.
Hope this info helps.
Also since most modern AVR's (audio/video receiver) only have line-level LFE outputs (RCA style cable to subwoofer) they don't provide an amp to power the sub (like they do for the other speaker channels) so it makes it very easy to add a powered sub to a system. You can still find some 'passive' models that you'd also need an amp to drive it and aren't as common as powered models anymore.
Passive subs are mostly used in car settings where you can mix and match driver size (and enclosure box), ohm ratings, wattage, etc. to a specific amp that best meets the needs of the listener & car.
Hope this info helps.
9 years, 6 months ago
by
AVRic
Prior Lake, MN
Will the Sony-SmartWi-Fi built-I Blu-ray player work on older t.v.?
My t.v. has the jacks in the back for the red,white an yellow cable. Will the Sony hook up to this?
Only if the Sony BD player supports analog AV output via composite video (the yellow cable) & L/R audio (the red (R) & white (L) cables). Many of today's Blu-ray players only support HDMI output and lack either composite or even component video (R,G,B three way cable) plus L/R audio output.
Looks like it's time to upgrade to an HDTV...
Hope this helps!
Looks like it's time to upgrade to an HDTV...
Hope this helps!
10 years, 4 months ago
by
AVRic
Prior Lake, MN