TV & Home Theatre

Last weekend I was driving in the sunshine when a song from the early ‘90s came on the radio. Within seconds I was transported back in time to a summer when my entire existence revolved around a certain boy. That boy is no longer in my life, but the fact that he was the first thing I thought of when that song started playing got me thinking about the crazy relationship between music and love. So with that in mind, here are some ideas for amping up your love life with music this summer, no matter where you might fall on its elusive spectrum.

Home theatre systems are never really complete without an excellent sound system. The kind that will deliver surround sound that makes you feel like you are right in the middle of the scene you are watching. Although the visual experience is the most important element of a home theatre, a dynamic sound system can add another incredible dimension to that experience. To make that home experience really pop, an excellent receiver isn’t enough. You need to match the quality of speakers with the quality of receiver to get the most out of your system.

2015 is the first year where there are more 4K TVs being introduced than HDTVs, and Sony is following suit. Sony has just launched their X series TVs, which are 4K Ultra High Definition that are also some of the first sets that come with the Android TV operating system. Sony delivers some of the best technologies to enhance picture quality and have done great things for improving the sound using their innovative wedge design. The X series of 4K UHD TVs has something for everyone.

I have a confession to make. I don’t own a Blu-ray disc player. In fact, I don’t think I’ve even powered on my DVD player in well over two years. It’s not that I don’t love movies. It’s just that I’ve become far too reliant on good ol’ Netflix and its overabundance of chick flicks and ocean-related documentaries to bother with anything else. Needless to say, I was a little concerned when I was sent two new Sony Blu-ray Disc players to review. Was I the right person for the job? I don’t even own a Blu-ray disc! Turns out I had no reason to worry. It also turns out that I want one of these little guys for myself.

I put the new Energy Connoisseur CS-30 Sound Bar and Wireless Subwoofer up against my four-year-old quad speaker system to see if the new generation of home theatre surround sound systems will make me want to upgrade.

I was fortunate to be one of the first people to test out the new Android TVs that Sony is about to launch. Android media streaming boxes came out last year, but these are the first TVs that I have seen with an Android platform built right in. The Android operating system has become a well-developed platform for Smartphones and Tablets, but it still needs a bit more development to become a solid TV platform. With the availability of thousands of Android apps and the ability to seamlessly integrate with Android mobile devices, Android TV has plenty of potential.

I love it when new TVs come out as the technology just keeps improving. The value for the dollar keeps getting better, even if the new TVs aren’t a big step up in features and technology. LG just introduced a new line of TVs for 2015, the LF Series, that I had a chance to get a closer look at even though I wasn’t able to test them out. Two of them were 32” models and the other comes in a 43” and 49” sizes. LG’s LF series, at least so far, are smaller sets than I am used to seeing being introduced.

Kiss speaker wire and built-in speakers goodbye! The Sonos music system is the future of fully integrated in-home music, and it couldn’t be easier. The fully wireless but amazing sounding system is a snap to set up in any room in your home, and with its smart app, you can control your entire music library (and the internet’s!) right from your phone.

Pioneer has been a household name in electronics for quite some time, particularly for audio equipment. They introduced their Elite series of audio receivers several years ago as their premium product, but recently upgraded it a big step up from previous generations. They’ve improved both the audio performance and the feature set so these Elite receivers can fill your home with music as well as deliver surround sound that will really enhance your home theatre experience. Here is a taste of why they are so good.

I have always said that the most important features of a TV are size and clarity. I recently had the opportunity to review a new UHD TV from LG and it fit both of those criteria beautifully. At 65” a very big screen and a 4K UHD TV with picture clarity that is outstanding. It is also a 3D TV, and with the added clarity of 4K plus other picture enhancing technologies make the 3D images feel like you can reach out and touch them.