Audio Reviews

If you're looking for a nice, compact, retro, simplistic 'throwback' table radio - this is the one. Perfect for a kitchen or bedroom - simple enough for mom to use and enjoy. The sound- while not Bose quality - is very clean and crisp. FM sensitivity for a tabletop is excellent. Add in the AUX input and headphone input - and they have a WINNER. The only drawback is the AM sensitivity - which isn't nearly as good as the FM. Buy one !

This dvd/cd rack is pleasing to the eye and structurally sound. It is a breeze o put together, and will even hold up very well without using the gle supplied to secure the joints. I suggest this dvd rack as an economical and overall good choice.

I just finished my first package of these labels and am here to order some more. I just love them, they go on so nice and smoth and look alot better then any other ones that I have used. The only problem I have found is the fact that you can see through them makes it impossible to cover up any writting you may have put on the cd to mark it. But that's a very small problem in compared to how nice they look and how easy they are to use. I just peel and stick, I don't have any kind of kit that they recomend. I do find it helpful to put the cd in the jewel case while you apply the label for some reason it's just easier that way. Hope this helps you decide.

Listen People I just bought this tv and its a great tv. Its clear and it has good sound and everything. So people By this one if your looking for a good 32 inch tv with clarity and great sounding crisp sound. Trust me on this.. You wont regret it!

I own a Harmon Kardon CD recorder which I like very much. I have tried a number of different name-brand blank disks, in hopes of finding one that would record every time, and more importantly, play in all of my five CD players. My 2000 Buick Park Avenue is particularly discerning when it comes to home-recorded CD's. Only about 25% of my home-recorded CD's would play in the GM CD player. Since switching to these Fuji blank disks, I have made over 75 CD's without a single failure to "burn" properly or play properly.

This amp brought life to my pioneer 12's. they have never sounded so good this amp stays cool and pounds with the tunes.

I have heard many great things about Griffin Technology products but only sampled them recently when I upgraded my computer. This is a fantastic hub that confirms Griffin's great reputation.

I purchased this hub along with Griffin's PowerWave; they recommend that you use this hub with the PowerWave and the iMic. I'm told that most hubs are asynchronous (irregular) but the USB-Audio hub is isochronous (at regular intervals) -- a must for USB-audio devices.

The hub works as advertised (but two tips: if you are using a Mac and OS 9.1, you should update to 9.2.2; and if you are using the PowerWave or iMic, you should download the PowerWave Control at ...

BONUS: I have a thumbnail drive made by Lexar; it did not work in my old hub (yes, it was a powered hub). But it does work with this hub -- so I don't have to plug it directly into the computer's usb port.

SIZE: you may not be able to tell, but this thing is smaller than most hubs. The four ports are along the back, but the USB upstream connection and power supply are on the side -- so that gives you a sense of scale. The footprint is much smaller than my old hub.

If anyone had told me I'd be excited enough about a hub to write a review, I'd have said they were crazy.

I've had this receiver for about 3 months now, and I LOVE it.

Cool things about the AVR 220 relative to others I researched are:
1. "EzSet": When setting up a home theatre, it's critical that you independently adjust the volume of each of the 5 speakers (left, center, right, rear left, rear right) so that the sound that arrives at your customary listening position is balanced. To balance most systems you need to make manual adjustments and rely on your ear, or go out and purchase a sound level meter, to determine when you have it right. Major Pain. The AVR 220 has "EzSet": You set the receiver to a main volume level of -15DB, hold down a button on the remote for 2 seconds, and it enters auto setup mode. A test signal is sent to each speaker independently, and the remote detects the level using its built-in sound meter and automatically sends the appropriate adjustments. Voila - instant, near perfect balance. WAY COOL!

2. Full use of all speakers: Many of the cheaper home theater receivers only use the center and surround speakers when processing a true 5.1 input, e.g. from a DVD video. When processing traditional stereo inputs, e.g. from CDs/TV/VCR, they use just use the two front speakers. The AVR 220 can drive all 5(.1) speakers from any input source in a variety of ways. My favorite for CDs is Dolby Pro Logic II Music. When listening to a trumpet concerto, it puts the trumpets front and center and the strings off to the sides! Amazing!

3. Default surround modes by input source: You can set the AVR 220 to automatically switch to, say, Pro Logic II Music whenever you switch to your CD player, and Pro Logic II Movie when you switch to your VCR. This saves much button pressing.

4. Lots of ins (7 + 6-channel) and outs (2 + TV): I have everything I want connected, and I still have 3 extra ins. About the only feature missing from the 220 is component video ins and outs - it only has composite and S-video. But component video would've added another $100+ to my price, and I didn't want it that badly at the time.

5. 6-channel input: This is the major difference between the AVR 220 and the 210. It allows you to add new surround technology to your system without scrapping your receiver. In particular, once I discovered the joy of surround sound, I purchased a DVD player that supports the new(ish) DVD Audio format. Since the DVD player determines what signal goes to what speaker for DVD Audio, you need a way to just "pass thru" the signals. That's what 6-channel input is for.

6. Great on-board decoding, including DTS: Since I have 6-channel in, I can compare the Dolby decoding on the DVD player to that on the receiver. The receiver's decoding always sounds better. [BTW, DTS (Digital Theater Sound) rocks! I seek out DVDs that have a DTS soundtrack.]

Notes:
1. Plan to dedicate some room to the receiver. It stands 7" high, and needs another 2-3" above it, 'cause it runs hot.

2. For those of you who evaluate a sound system by wattage, get over it. This receiver is rated at only 45-55 watts per channel. Nevertheless, it can fill my 15'x25'x12' main room with painfully loud sound.

3. The instructions read like, well, stereo instructions. It will take time to figure out how to get maximum benefit from the receiver. But it's worth the effort.

This is a fabulous receiver. I'm delighted, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

I purchased this unit and received it yesterday. The controls took a little getting used to, but it seems to work quite well. I was able to load music and transfer it with other files from my desktop the my notebook. MP3 playback was excellent, and today, I rcorded a lecture with ease. Playback of the recording was easy, and downloading it to the computer was a snap. I don't really care about playlists, so I have not installed the included software. I simply plug the unit in and work with it as a removable drive.
According to other sources, the unit can hold 180 minutes of music or 512 minutes of digital recordings. I have not tested this.
There are some things to note.
1) The unit is too bulky to plug directly into a USB port that is tightly packed with other accessories and cables.
2) The LCD display is a bit small. I have trouble reading the small text and resorted to memorizing menus from the manual. (an extreme case as I am nearly blind)
3) The unit's FM tuner is a feature of the included earbuds. They work great but are not for those who have trouble with this type of headset.

The box includes:
The MP3/Recorder/USBDrive
1x AAA Battery (supposed to last 12 hours)
1x (watch-type battery for headset)
1x FM Tuner headset
1x USB Cable
Software

The unit is light and has met all expectations. AND it seems significantly cheaper than other comperable products.

I have tried quite a few cables over the past months with my HD setup, and this is by far the best cable I have used. The quality of the picture is amazing with HDMI, but you need a cable of this quality to make it worth it!!