Sound Advice By Don Lindich Week 5, 2011 Q. I have a Kenwood KRV 7040 audio-video receiver. It was purchased in 1992 and I’ve been very pleased with it. I was considering upgrading to one of the $500 digital HDMI receivers you recommend (either the Onkyo or Pioneer, leaning towards the Pioneer) but after reading […]
Question: I am experiencing a frustrating situation with my audio/video system, described by my cable provider as a “handshake” issue. I have an Onkyo TX-SR606 A/V receiver, a Sony Blu-ray player and a Sony Bravia HDTV. While watching HDTV from my cable box I occasionally lose the audio/video signal for four to five seconds. There […]
Sound Advice By Don Lindich Distributed By McClatchy-Tribune Information Services Q: I’m confused as to what gauge of speaker wire to use. From my limited knowledge, the different gauge has to do with the distance and size of speaker. Is this true? I’m planning to purchase the Insignia NS-B2111 speakers for my surround sound system […]
For the very first time I have actually seen honest packaging for high priced cables!
Sound Advice By Don Lindich Distributed By McClatchy-Tribune Information Services Q: I’m confused as to what gauge of speaker wire to use. From my limited knowledge, the different gauge has to do with the distance and size of speaker. Is this true? I’m planning to purchase the Insignia NS-B2111 speakers for my surround sound system […]
Apparently Monster Cable DOES sound as good as a coat hanger- but no better! Consumerist.com: Do Coat Hangers Sound as Good As Monster Cable? This is one of the best debunkings of Monster Cable I have ever seen. In a blind test, a bunch of audiophiles couldn’t tell the difference between Monster Cable and wire coat hangers with […]
Sound Advice By Don Lindich Week 42, 2007 Q: I have a Minolta Maxxum 7000i 35mm camera with a Tokina AF 35-200mm lens. Since buying a digital camera several years ago, I have not used this film camera. I was thinking of selling it on eBay and getting a digital SLR, but a friend said […]
I’ve long said using expensive wire and connecting cables is like filling your toilet tank with Evian… it’s expensive and wasteful as tap water flushes just as well. If you buy expensive wire or cables, imagine yourself wrapping it around the figurative neck of your system and strangling the life out of it… because that […]
Audio/Video Cables from Monoprice Sound Buys Product Review by Don Lindich Would you rather spend $4.79 or $79.99 on effectively the same product? If saving the $75 interests you, read on. There’s a very good chance I am going to save you that $75, or even much more. Anyone buying electronics in a big-box store […]
Week 48, 2006 Q: I saw your recent article on receivers and have a few questions as I am buying one soon. I found two receiver I am interested in. One has HDMI, this is a Yamaha, and the other only has HDMI pass through, this is by Sony. There is a difference in price […]
Week of May 14, 2006 Q: I want to buy or make a “gunsight” viewer to fit on my camera. When taking action photos I find it cumbersome and almost impossible at times to sight through the viewfinder or the LCD screen. I propose to build, if need be, a square wire box […]
Week of April 30, 2006 Q: Will I see a noticeable difference in high definition picture quality if I upgrade from the component video connection to the HDMI connection? I have high definition cable and the newest version of their box has an HDMI output (the older ones only had DVI). I have a Sony […]
Week of October 30th, 2005 Q: I read your excellent column that was ran recently regarding speaker wire. Do you feel the same concepts hold true for connector cables? That is, that there is no perceptible difference between most connector cables (assuming we’re comparing similar connection types). Specifically, I’m wondering if the difference in HDMI […]
Week of October 2, 2005 Q: I am wondering if 12 gauge speaker wire is necessary or is 14 gauge all right? I am considering using 60 to 75 feet of wire. Also, could you say something about connectors please? What do you recommend overall? John Lindborg Rogers, MN A: .For connectors, bare wire, while […]
Week of September 4, 2005 Q: I have a surround sound receiver with speakers and a 27-inch TV with audio out jacks. How do I get my TV to play through my sound system? Brian Mattice Minneapolis, MN A: It is easy- simply connect the audio outputs to an audio input on the receiver (any […]
Q: I have a lot of Hi8 and VHS tapes I want to import into my computer for editing and burning to DVD. I have a Canon ZR70 digital camcorder that apparently can be used ti convert analog video to digital. How does one go about this? Hyunchul Shin, Pittsburgh, PA A: The camcorder works […]
Week of November 7, 2004 Q: My house is in the construction phase and I am having it wired for a home theater surround system. After researching alignment in many online discussion forums, I feel that I may not have a huge alignment error. Not being very educated with home theater, I ordered the wiring […]
Week of June 20, 2004 Q: Last fall we finally got a DVD player and surround system. We love it, but we seem to have a problem when viewing most DVD’s. The picture is way too dark. For instance, we just rented Mystic River. I saw it in the theater and it was just fine, […]
Week of May 9, 2004 Q: I recently purchased components for a Home Theater System. My receiver is a Harman/Kardon AVR330. The problem is that I have only basic cable TV service (not digital, no converter box) and I have seen that some TV programs are broadcast in surround sound. I am […]
Week of September 21, 2003 Q: I just bought a Sony DVD player and an Onkyo receiver. I connected them with a single digital connection, as the instructions for both the DVD player and the receiver show. But my Dolby Digital surround sound does not work. What am I doing wrong? […]
