A new AVR  or AV-receiver might be on the top of your Christmas wish list. It is arguably the most important part of your AV set up and home theatre. Brands seem to launch updated version of their AVR’s just about every year. But deciding on what you really need as opposed to being pulled into the next fancy marketing thing, when it is time for an upgrade can do anybody’s head i In the end, you want to make sure you have considered every aspect so that your AVR with work in perfect unison with the rest of your set up. Nobody wants to spend unnecessary money, while at the same time, we want to get the best performance for our needs. A few weeks ago, we bumped into an excellent article on AVS forums which quick-fired 10 points to consider when shopping for AVRs. It is almost a ticking list of things to consider. We thought it was just excellent and wanted it share it with you, adding our own comments, examples and experiences.I mean, nothing beats a comprehensive (albeit a bit lengthy) overview that is specked with insider information. Right?

A headphone is just a headphone, right?  I mean, yes there are in-ears and the ones that go over your ears and some have wires and some don’t but… really how different can one headphone be from the next?There are many similar terms used to describe headphones, an everyday (almost commodity) item of technology. Categories such as noise isolating, noise cancelling, on-ear, over-ear, open-back, and closed-back seem to be pretty self-explanatory terms. You may understand the differences between all the different types, but why would you choose one over the other?  What makes one headphone better than the other? Is a $1,000 headphone really worth all that money? Why can’t I get by on a $80 pair? Which one is the best choice in your specific situation and  are the bells and whistles worth the extra spending? This blog will give you the basic rundown of the types of headphones, their variations, types of drivers, the different kinds of build-it technology and how to choose the right pair of headphones for your needs.

Most people equate subwoofers with the thump-thump they hear from other cars at stoplights. Volume at the expense of quality.  There is no sugarcoating the message: it’s called bad bass. In the world of the dedicated audiophile, this is what gave the subwoofer (and with it bass) a bad rep. But the idea with any speaker system is to accurately recreate all frequencies in the audio spectrum equally, including bass. What you want from a quality subwoofer, placed correctly in a room, is a deep realistic sound, not the thump-thump. So let’s be clear that a good subwoofer doesn’t make a boom sound, but just stronger (and lower) bass than is possible with normal speakers.

Buying a home theater projector can seem daunting. There are many models on the market at any given time. But where do you start in determining which projector is the right one for you?  The key, as with anything, is to find out what you need. What it boils down to is to determine your answer to these seven questions.