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Matthew Morrison: "Where It All Began"
- Details
- Category: CD music
- Written by Rad Bennett
June 2013
Suave Vocals and the Ghost of Billy May
222 Records 222RO1
Format: CD
Musical Performance
Sound Quality
Overall Enjoyment
I’m a great fan of TV’s Glee and have admired Matthew Morrison and his character, Will Schuester, from the first episode. But musically the show has sometimes gone off the rails as far as I am concerned, but then it miraculously gets back to center with Morrison and the cast doing what they do best -- show tunes. Remember that tribute to “Make ‘Em Laugh,” from Singin’ in the Rain? One of the most entertaining bits on television in a while.
DarbeeVision Darblet DVP 5000 Video Enhancer
- Details
- Category: Feature Reviews
- Written by Rad Bennett
June 2013
Just when you thought you had a state-of-the-art video system, along came 3D. Now we hear regular rumblings about 4K video. It’s hard to keep up, so many of us turn to black boxes to tweak our systems into something a little better than they were starting out. Of course, the best thing you can do is to have your set professionally calibrated -- or purchase one of the excellent calibration Blu-ray Discs and do it yourself.
Through having my various monitors professionally calibrated over the years, I’ve learned to back off on the sharpness control. In fact, my current Mitsubishi 65” DLP screen has the sharpness backed off completely. I’ve learned to be wary of video processors. But I’d heard such good things about DarbeeVision’s Darblet DVP 5000 ($349.99 USD) that I was finally temped to try it. After a month with it, I’ve decided that I very much appreciate what it does, yet I see how a purist videophile might find objectionable what its maker calls “an HDMI accessory that will add intense depth and clarity to any video -- enabling ultra-immersive visuals.”
"Things to Come"
- Details
- Category: Blu-ray movies
- Written by Rad Bennett
June 2013
Utopia According to Wells
The Criterion Collection 660
Format: Blu-ray
Overall Enjoyment
Picture Quality
Sound Quality
Extras
H.G. Wells (1866-1946) wrote his most important science-fiction novels early in his career. The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, and The Island of Doctor Moreau were from that period -- the fiction that led to Wells being called “the father of science fiction.” Jules Verne had previously been accorded the same honor. But Wells wrote much more than science fiction; he authored contemporary novels, histories, essays, and social commentary. And in 1936 he authored the screenplay for Things to Come, based in large part on his book, The Shape of Things to Come.
Thisbe Vos: "Under Your Spell"
- Details
- Category: CD music
- Written by Rad Bennett
June 2013
Impeccable, Sophisticated Singing
Prime Productions
Format: CD
Musical Performance
Sound Quality
Overall Enjoyment
The title of the first album by Thisbe Vos was Sophistication, and that might well describe the mood and manner of Under Your Spell, her second CD. As she sings five timeless classics and seven new tunes that she authored, Vos gives the impression of a singer-songwriter who has arrived at the top and who needs only more exposure to comfortably stay there. I can't imagine anyone who loves music not loving Vos. And that's both as singer and songwriter.
Music Everywhere: Jabra Revo Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
- Details
- Category: Music Everywhere
- Written by Rad Bennett
June 2013
The market for commuter headphones -- less than full size, but more substantial than earbuds -- continues to grow. Recently, Jabra has added two headphone models that can keep up with other leading brands due to innovative design and good craftsmanship. The Revo comes in wireless ($249.99 USD) and wired ($199.99) models. Here I review the wireless model.
Description
The Revos’ plastic box promises “massive wireless sound” and ensures the buyer that the headphones within are “engineered with solid materials.” The box also contains a USB cable, a 1.2m audio cable with a 3.5mm plug, a quick-start guide, and a code for activating the Jabra app. There’s also a soft, flimsy case; headphones of this quality deserve better.
The Revos’ design is simple yet striking: black and gray with orange highlighting. The headband is of shatterproof plastic with steel hinges, and adjustable aluminum calipers that hold the solid plastic-and-foam earcups. The headband is comfortably lined, and the earcups are cushioned with memory foam. The finely braided cables have solid connectors at either end, and are orange to match the accents on the earcups.
Everything about the Revos feels solid, from the ’phones themselves to the cables. Jabra claims to have dropped the headphones from a height of 6’ 6”, fold-tested the hinges 3500 times, and bend-tested the headband 10,000 times. They also tested the cables to withstand a pull force of 33 pounds, and tested everything for resistance to dirt, temperature, and humidity. Built to last, the Revos felt as if they’d do just that. Jabra says they were “designed to be used and abused.” I’ll take their word for it.
Oppo Digital BDP-105 Blu-ray Player
- Details
- Category: Feature Reviews
- Written by Roger Kanno
June 2013
In 2006, when the Blu-ray Disc was introduced, the player of choice for many A/V enthusiasts was Sony’s PlayStation 3, for its many features, frequent firmware updates, and reasonable price. That all changed when Oppo Digital released their first Blu-ray player, the BDP-83, which built on the reputation of their universal DVD players. For $499, the BDP-83 offered a speedy and stable user interface (something that couldn’t be said for many early BD players), support for SACD and DVD-Audio, and state-of-the-art video processing. Ever since then, Oppo players have been the standard for high-performance BD players at reasonable prices.
Oppo has continually advanced the performance standards of first their DVD players and now their BD players. Their latest product, the BDP-105, is the premium offering in their third generation of Blu-ray products. Priced at $1199 USD, it costs a little more than its predecessor, the BDP-95, but adds some useful and unique features, including upgraded video processing.
Mustered Courage: "Powerlines"
- Details
- Category: CD music
- Written by Rad Bennett
May 2013
Virtuoso Bluegrass from Down Under
Self released
Format: CD
Musical Performance
Sound Quality
Overall Enjoyment
Folk music will never die. It will be revisited and reinvented by each new generation. Mumford & Sons are the latest and most recognizable incarnation, mixing rock and a few drum sets in with the banjos and guitars, resulting in sold-out arenas. Miley Cyrus has even touched on country and folk lately, and the result might surprise you. I believe there's folk music in the heart of every great performer. America is so rich in it that it's hard to ignore.
Denise King & Olivier Hutman: "Give Me The High Sign"
- Details
- Category: CD music
- Written by Rad Bennett
May 2013
Bold Singing from Denise King
Cristal Records CR 209
Format: CD
Musical Performance
Sound Quality
Overall Enjoyment
Talk about successful hands-across-the-sea unions! Denise King was born in Philadelphia and got her first singing experience in clubs in the City of Brotherly Love. Olivier Hutman was born in France and has quite a lengthy resume as bandleader, sideman, and film-music composer, having made over 200 recordings. The two met, toured together, and now have released Give Me the High Sign, their second album together. It sounds like they have known each other for a long time when actually their association has been very brief. But based on what I hear on this dynamic CD, their partnership should go on for a very long time.
Arcam rBlink DAC-Bluetooth Digital Converter
- Details
- Category: Feature Reviews
- Written by Jeff Fritz
May 2013
Usually, when signing up to evaluate audio products, reviewers know what to expect in terms of how to integrate a new component into an audio system. A pair of speakers? You set them up and listen. A power amp? Pretty straightforward stuff.
Then along comes a product like Arcam’s rBlink ($250 USD). I’d read all the information about it that Arcam had sent me before I received the review sample, so I had a general idea of what it was. What I didn’t know was how I would interact with it from day to day, and how it would change some of my listening habits.
What it is
The rBlink is actually two components. First, it’s a wireless device that connects to compatible partners via Bluetooth. For technology-deprived souls, Bluetooth is a wireless protocol developed in 1994 by Ericsson, the Swedish telecommunications giant, that permits the exchange of data between equipped devices, fixed and mobile, over short distances. The rBlink allows products such as smartphones and computers to connect to it using BlueCore, the latest Bluetooth-embedded technology from CSR. The result, without getting too technical, is that the rBlink uses the very latest hi-fi-friendly tech for better connection between audio devices, the improvement due, in part, to lower noise.
"Richard III"
- Details
- Category: Blu-ray movies
- Written by Rad Bennett
May 2013
A Classic Restored to Glory
The Criterion Collection 213
Format: Blu-ray
Overall Enjoyment
Picture Quality
Sound Quality
Extras
The recent discovery of Richard III's skeleton has called into question past assessments of his character and appearance. A facial reconstruction shows a young man of almost feminine beauty. There has been lots of speculation, but two things are certain: Richard III reigned but two short years and died a violent death at Bosworth Field in 1485. The wounds on his skeleton show that he was struck with many blows, including two extremely severe knocks to the head, lending credence to Sir Laurence Olivier's portrayal of his death, which shows dozens of soldiers pummeling the downed monarch.
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