Stereo Advantage is gearing up for their big move to 1955 Wehrle Drive, so the Girltronics team stopped over to see how the packing was coming along. As we arrived, Jake was packing up a TV to move to the new location…he wasted no time asking us for some help.

After struggling with a huge tv for quite some time while Jake enjoyed a cold one…we were definitely ready to give up. As we were ready to leave the TV, we decided it would be better to have a Showroom sale-our customers would get amazing discounts on electronics from all of the best brands, and Emily and I wouldn’t have to help move anything heavy.  We’ll be offering items for up to 70% off until the day we move [May 24th], everything must go, so hurry in soon!

Canon Discovery Day is back by popular demand! There are two classes available for all camera-lovers; basic and intermediate.

Basic: Enter the world of the digital SLR and learn about your camera, and how to make great pictures with it. We’ll take you out of “automatic”, but we won’t overload you with too much detail.

You’ll see many examples of great photography, and learn techniques to use exposure, composition, flash, and a variety of lenses to get the same types of results. Our Basic Discovery Day class is a three-hour investment in your EOS digital SLR that will pay dividends over and over as you grow with your camera system.

Intermediate: If you’re a more experienced SLR user, this three-hour session is your ticket to learning about the more sophisticated features of your EOS camera. We’ll take you to the next step in crafting great photographs, with details about the advanced controls in your camera and how to use them in real-life situations.

Many examples of great images bring the camera’s features to life in this event. We’ll demystify your camera’s histogram, give details about lighting and exposure control, and show the power that the right lenses and EOS Speedlites can bring to your photography.

These classes are perfect for the customer who likes to take great photos on their vacation, to the experienced photographer. All are welcome!

These classes take place June 8th and will be at our new location on Wehrle Drive.

Please call us today to reserve your spot, 632-8038.

Today we again discuss a Bluetooth device. I feel, as does the electronic industry, that Bluetooth is the wave of the future. Virtually every cell phone has it, as does ipods, ipads and many other devices. Every Bluetooth device, has the ability to store music, thus making it available for streaming to another device. So enters the Bluetooth speaker. They come in all shapes and sizes, colors and styles.  Each one of these speaker systems has a different sound quality. Some sound like a small radio, while others replicate a decent stereo system.

Klipsch KCM3 Speaker- The unit we are discussing today is very interesting as it sounds much larger than it actually is. I have heard many Bluetooth speaker systems in my time, however, I was compelled to discourse on this unit, as it truly stands out among the pack. Upon first examining the speaker, I thought it was made very well, but will it be any different from so many others I have listened to. I was soon to find out that it was indeed different.

Before we get in to the sound, let’s paint a brief picture of this piece of equipment. It measured about 18 to 20 inches in length, 10 inches high and 5 inches in depth. It was made of plastic which in my opinion had a very sturdy feel. This unit can run on 8 d cell batteries or with it’s a.c. adapter, which is included. I thought this was particularly a nice touch as this unit could be used when on the go. Ergonomically, this piece was designed with portability in mind. The unit was not light, in fact it had substantial weight to it. The carrying handle with it’s rubber grip that your hand rested on circumvented the weight and made it extremely easy to carry and transport. The controls were all touch pads, which I would rather had them been a tactile pad, that is raised slightly for discern ability, especially in my situation. Though the touchpad’s were just a smooth surface, I found them easy to get used to. Within a minute or so, I was able to judge their location and use them quite easily. There were volume up and down, power, and Bluetooth paring.  We pared the unit quickly and easily with an iphone.  Then we put the music through and what a surprise. We tried the same tracks as we always do. The jazz fusion was more than excellent. The bass rivaled that of a good sound system. If you would close your eyes, you would think that you were listening to floor standing speakers instead of a small unit. I have indeed heard large bookshelf speakers who’s bass didn’t compare to the bass out of this Bluetooth speaker. I then tried a older funk track with horns. Surprisingly enough, being an old track still didn’t detract from the bass, it was great. As for the treble, that was excellent as well. Many times when the bass is strong, the treble gets pushed aside. Not so with this speaker system. The trebles came through surprisingly clean and crisp. This was accentuated in our classical track, as you could hear the breathing of the flutist. If you love big, powerful sound, this unit is for you. Speaking of power, I really cranked the volume and there was no distortion. When I say I cranked the volume I certainly did. This system can take a lot of abuse.

Call me with any questions, 632-8038 or come in and try it for yourself!

Most of the time when you purchase a pair of headphones you look for sound quality. Well I admit sound quality is important, but a headphones not a speaker; what I mean is, you don’t wear speakers on your head. Headphones need to be comfortable too. For me, comfort is probably the most important feature to every headphone. Around the office they call me “jughead”. Mainly because I have a giant disproportionate head, and also because they think its filled with nothing but air. But in my defense I just used the word “disproportionate” correctly in a sentence, and its got more than 5 syllables; not to be ostentatious or anything Anyway, it’s always been hard for me to do 2 things, the first one being sit-ups, and the second one being that I can never find comfortable headphones. My heads been giant ever since I was little, if that makes any sense. I used to struggle just to do one sit up, I still do, but for a different reason. Finding comfortable headphones however, that’s something I can do. I’ve compiled a list of our newest and most comfortable headphones. So lets dive in:

Monster N-Tune On-Ear Headphones:
Monster’s the brand that brought us Beats, the biggest headphone wave, well, ever. And with good reason. Monster’s headphones are incredible, whether it be sound quality, comfort, or even looks, monster brings it all to the table; and Monster’s N-TUNE headphones are some of the best headphones I’ve ever heard in the $150 dollar range, and being an on-ear headphone they way much less than any other high quality headphones on the market. Monster brags that these headphones introduce “real bass” in a much more convenient and comfortable design. And they have a right to brag, these headphones have more real bass than some twice their cost. Monster really knows what they’re doing when it comes to quality headphones.

Bose SIE2I:
Its seems these Bose headphones find a way into almost every one of our blogs. There’s definitely a reason for that; every employee either owns them, or is on their way to purchasing them. Its true, Bose is a synonym for “magic”. The sound that comes out of these headphones is that of a set SO much larger. And thats not even the best part, the Bose sport headphones are designed for incredible comfort, whether it be for gym or leisure use. I personally use them while I snowboard, they’re the perfect headphones for the slopes. They’re 100% waterproof and come with a weather resistant armband. They also have a unique earbud shape that Bose has made to increase comfort. And they really are that much more comfortable than every other earbud on the market. They fit perfectly in your ear, whether you’ve got small ears like mine, or you look like baby new year; you’ll be able to get a perfect fit with these Bose sport headphones. They’ll even stay comfortable under your hat or helmet, and at the same time, you’ll get that crystal clear Bose sound. The new shape to the earbud actually helps to give them more bass and resonance, making the illusion of a sound system on your ears.

Monster N-PULSE:
Monster’s newest addition to the “Ncredible” headphone line-up. The N-Pulse headphones use technology similar to beats pros. (At half of the price I might add) They use great quality leather cups to keep outside noises, well, outside. The new Monster N-Pulse are some of the best headphones I’ve heard in awhile, and there also some of the most comfortable.  They even feature swivel hinges, for even more added comfort. The N-Pulse headphones are monsters stab at the professional world, and although we may not all be DJ’s, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t enjoy the same quality out of our headphones. And monsters newest headphones give us the best of both worlds. They definitely earn the jughead seal of approval.

-Tyler

Today we discuss one of my favorite topics, speakers.

I’m a person that goes back to the old school, I always loved the component world with great speakers and great receivers. We will be discussing 2 different pairs of bookshelf speakers today.

Bookshelf speakers are a great alternative to floor standing speakers and are a great space saver. Don’t let the size be deceiving as a good pair of bookshelves can put out some serious sound. Smaller doesn’t necessarily mean less efficient. The bookshelf speaker also lends itself to another aspect of audio listening. One side note that I would like to mention is one of my favorite combinations is a good pair of bookshelf speakers coupled with a powered sub woofer. Even if the bookshelves have great bass, when a powered sub is added, it enhances it by enriching the bass in a special way. I tend to like this combination better than floor speakers. There is something about a good bookshelf speaker that delivers a true clean sound. With this being said, lets discuss the two pairs of speakers we listened to today.

Both pairs were of the larger variety of bookshelf speakers. The first pair was about 4 inches taller, approximately 15 inches tall.  The second pair about 11 inches in height. Both speakers had about the same depth. The first pair had an unusual design as the front grill was about a half inch out, so there was a gap between the cabinet and the grill. The second speaker had a standard grill design. We used a Yamaha RS700 stereo receiver to power the two sets of speakers. Treble and bass were set to flat for testing purposes. We used our same three treks, jazz fusion, funk with predominant horns and classical with flute.

Polk Audio RTIA3 The first speakers sounded excellent. Every instrument was completely separated which was a plus. The fusion track was tight and clean but every instrument had it’s own place. A lot of speakers tend to sound good but instruments are pushed together in a sense which detracts from good instrument separation. I don’t mean separation between channels, but instrument separation with in each speaker. These speakers were very efficient as well. The receiver didn’t have to be turned to loud to produce a good listening volume. The funk track with horns sounded great. The horns were very bright and crisp. As this was an older recording, the bass was not as strong as the fusion track. Again, every instrument was picked out perfectly. These speakers were doing just what they should do. Every perfection and every imperfection of the recording was noted by this pair. The classical track came through just as clean. These speakers made this track sound very full indeed. The strings had a wide sound and separated very well. The flute came through extremely good as each push of the valves could be picked out. This is especially important in a classical track as listeners are frequently acutely aware of every instrument part if they know the piece of music thoroughly. . On the whole, this speaker pair sounded excellent for all three tracks. It had great treble, great bass and extremely clean sound.

Definitive Technology SM45 The second pair was a different story however. Upon first playing the first track, that being fusion through them with the same receiver, the bass blew me away. After listening for a time, I noticed that this was a more colored bass rather than a natural one. Notes weren’t as pronounced as was the first set. I did like the strong bass as less adjusting had to be done on the receiver if a particular track lacked bass. The bass notes were not a pronounced, but muddied a bit on this pair of speakers. The trebles were much weaker on this pair, too. I had to turn the treble all the way up on the receiver to compensate for it whereas on the first pair, settings were left at flat. The volume on the receiver had to be turned up considerably when using the second pair to get the same level of sound. Don’t misunderstand, as these speakers sounded excellent, though not I didn’t think as good as the first pair. This pair of speakers would be more suited in a party type setting rather than serious listening. This is not a bad thing as the bass was very strong or made to sound that way. If you turned your receiver loud enough, you would get the allusion that you were getting a lot of bass, whereas, the first set was true bass and this was not. These speakers would be good for group listening as strong bass is a plus in a setting such as this.

Speakers are a funny thing. They are very specific to listener’s preferences. They interact with the type of receiver you are using, therefore, adjustments can be made with the particular receiver you have. Overall, I felt that my favorite was the first pair from Polk Audio. It did the instruments significantly more justice. The Definitive Technology speaker may be suited for a more basic receiver as all of the tones and nuances were not reproduced as well. In a dance setting for example, The Definitive Technology speakers would do very well, though you would have to turn the receiver up much louder as they were less efficient. Don’t underestimate the quality of the Definitive Technology speakers as every pair of speakers has their place in the audio realm.

Come in and listen for yourself or call me with any questions, 445-3280.

Last night I was watching a movie at home and was constantly adjusting the volume on my television. The dialog would be so low so I would crank it up, but then the music track would kick in and I would be blown away. I was so concerned with the audio levels I couldn’t fully enjoy my movie. I knew this had to be an issue others were experiencing, so I went to Jake first thing this morning.

Jake explained that without a proper speaker, the audio coming from my television cant’t come through properly. I have a flat screen (like most people in the 21st Century…) and the flatter the screen, the flatter the internal speakers.

An easy way to solve this issue is by attaching a Soundbar to your television. It’s easy to install and can work with most existing remotes. It disperses the sound evenly and you never have to worry about adjusting the dialog volume on your movies ever again.
Jake is even running a deal this weekend- only $199 for a Polk Audio Soundbar, this weekend ONLY! (I swear, it’s so easy, I can hook it up.)

If you are looking for a more movie theater-type experience in your home- stop into Stereo Advantage and let Jake set you up with the perfect speaker system for your television. There are so many ways to customize your home theater and Stereo Advantage has the best solution for you.

Be sure to watch this week’s episode of Girltronics for Jake’s Special Deal at the end of our episode. See you next week!

Two weeks ago, Emily and I surprised Jake at his desk and bombarded him with questions about headphones.  The timing couldn’t have been more perfect-I was leaving for a family vacation, and Jake gave me an education on headphones, then helped me choose a great pair of noise-cancelling headphones that were great for watching movies on the plane.

I spent the week on the beach in St. Thomas far away from all electronics…I almost missed them. I returned this week ready for episode two of Girltronics.  Around here, things change quickly, but I was definitely not prepared what what I saw upon my return to Stereo Advantage.  They had the most enormous TV I had ever seen mounted on the wall next to Jake.

Jake informed me that the monstrosity is their brand new 90” LED TV from SHARP. Of course, I had no idea what LED meant. I also realized that there are many electronic-related acronyms that I don’t really have a grasp on. Jake was happy to bring me up to speed.

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode and it has replaced LCD tvs. This technology is great for watching games, playing video games, or watching movies. I also asked Jake if I should be watching movies on DVD. He looked at me like I was insane for even asking. He explained that DVD is old technology and Blu Ray has replaced DVD. He also said that streaming from services such as Netflix and Hulu or Apple TV is very popular and will save some storage space.  

Jake was really helpful and now I’ll have him help me make some upgrades to my home system. You don’t have to get a 90” LED to make your upgrade effective- awesome LED technology comes in a variety of sizes to suit your space. Come visit Jake at Stereo Advantage so he can help you upgrade your system and bring you into the 21st Century.

Bigger is not always better,  But today it is.  You just dont realize how big a 90” screen is until you are standing in front of it.  We are finally approaching a screen size similar to a home theater projector, but without any of the problems associated with that technology (poor performance in well-lit rooms, having to mount both a projector and screen, bulb issues, etc…).  Everything looks great on such a big screen, however we have found that  Interactive video games like Xbox Kinect are the most fun.

We made the big screen even better by connecting it to the best devices we could find:

Xbox Kinect – So much more than just a gaming system, with a network media player, netflix, Xbox smart glass, Amazon instant video and more!

Apple TV - A must.  Ipods, Iphones, Ipads, and Apple computers will all play audio/video wirelessly to your tv through this.  not to mention netflix, youtube, NBA/NHL.

Onkyo TX-NR1010 - HDMI switching, 4k passthrough, internet radio, beefy amps, 3 zones of audio, everything you could ask of your receiver.

Definitive Technology Mythos Speakers - Performance & elegance.  These thin versatile speakers look great and sound even better.  You’ll be shocked at how the sound that comes out of such trim speakers.

Definitive Technology SuperCube Subwoofer - Huge bass from a compact enclosure.  An 8-inch subwoofer, 2 8-inch passive radiators and a 1200 watt digital amp will shake your house, all while remaining hidden.

Come in and challenge us to a game of Kinect and get a basic installation for this screen (or any screen over 70” for that matter) free!*

*offer valid until march 1, 2013. not valid with any other offers.

Emily and I know nothing about electronics. It’s amazing that we know how to operate computers and cell phones. Any office technology malfunction means hands off all electronics and calling someone over to “FIX EVERYTHING!” It’s a little embarrassing that we work for a company with a complete electronics division and we can’t answer simple customer questions.

We decided that we couldn’t possibly be the only girls that know nothing about headphones, tvs, and surround sound, which is why we started Girltronics. Each week we will storm the Stereo Advantage staff and ask questions about a particular product or service.  We’ll make the guys break it down to the simplest form so that even girls like us can become tech savvy.

For our first episode, we decided to learn about various types of headphones. We surprised Jake at his desk and he taught us about bluetooth headphones, noise cancelling headphones, and noise isolating headphones.

Here’s what we learned:

Bluetooth headphones work wirelessly and can be easily synced to a ipod or phone. Jake recommends the Klipsch Image One Series II.

Noise canceling headphones are designed to cancel out noise at a constant frequency, which makes them great for traveling- it will eliminate the sound of the airplane engine.  Jake recommends the Klipsch Mode M40.

Noise isolating headphones simply eliminate some outside noise.  Jake recommends the Bose SIE2i .

Well, better late than never; Winter is finally upon us. Living right next to Kissing Bridge, I know exactly how brutal winter can be every year. But I also know there’s ways make the most out of our Buffalo winters. I’ve been snowboarding since I was little, I’m still little, but I think I was under 5’ tall the first time I ever planted my feet in a snowboard. Now I’m still 5’ tall, I just weigh the weight of three of my younger self. I guess you could say I’m really “weighing in on winter” in this post. I know, stupid pun. Anyway, snowboarding’s been the only thing I can think about every winter since. As soon as the leaves start to fall from the trees, I start waxing my board. Here at Stereo Advantage we have some incredible gadgets for both skiers and snowboarders alike. Even if you’re not a skier, there’s sure to be something on this list for you. Whether it’s braving the harsh cold outside, or getting the most you can out of staying in your own home, we here at the Smart Center can definitely help.

JVC Addixxion

For that professional skier; or if you’re like me, something you can use to film everyone of your friends’ (who think they’re professionals) wipeouts. The JVC Adixxion is the perfect camera for anything extreme sports related. It’s easy and fun to use, and practically indestructible. Just ask Blake, it’ll survive any bike ride down a flight of stairs. And the JVC Adixion can be mounted to well… Anything. Want to film a road trip? A band practice? A ski trip? The Adixxion mounts to anything you want to mount it to, and is consistently clear, no matter what environment you use is in. The JVC addixxion is an incredible camera for anyone interested in filming in extreme conditions. Whether its filming a vacation with the kids, or letting the kids film in general, the JVC Addixxion will not disappoint.

Bose Sie2i Sport

Bose new in-ear sport headphones are definitely a conversation piece around our store. Every employee either owns them, or is on their way to purchasing them. Its true, Bose is a synonym for “magic”. The sound that comes out of these headphones is that of a set SO much larger. And thats not even the best part, the Bose sport headphones are designed for incredible comfort, whether it be for gym or leisure use. I personally use them while I snowboard, they’re the perfect headphones for the slopes. They’re 100% waterproof and come with a weather resistant armband. They also have a unique earbud shape that Bose has made to increase comfort. And they really are that much more comfortable than every other earbud on the market. They fit perfectly in your ear, whether you’ve got small ears like mine, or you look like baby new year; you’ll be able to get a perfect fit with these Bose sport headphones. They’ll even stay comfortable under your hat or helmet, and at the same time, you’ll get that crystal clear Bose sound. The new shape to the earbud actually helps to give them more bass and resonance, making the illusion of a sound system on your ears.
Car Starters

Love getting up 30 minutes earlier to add scraping off the outside of your car into your schedule? Then this product’s not for you. Love blinding drivers behind you as snow falls off the roof of your car as you pass them on the highway? Then this product’s not for you. Love sitting in your cold car while it takes what feels like an eternity to warm up? Then this product’s not for you. Want to actually enjoy your ride to work this winter? Then I might have a product for you. Our Compustar car starters are practically a necessity during these cold Western New York winters. Our starter models range from our basic $130 starter to crush proof and even 2-way starters capable of reaching thousands of feet. Stop in, or speak to our Smart Car Pros today!

Monster Surge Protector

Okay, I understand that this obviously looks like a mediocre and possibly unnecessary item on our list. And I understand the “ay” at the end of the word “okay” is also completely unnecessary. However, believe it or not, “clean power” is a huge issue in a lot of homes. Having all your products plugged into a regular old power strip does not protect them from a power surge, nor does it protect them from noise from other appliances or components on your same breaker. To make that short story long: all the components and appliances run off of a breaker. That breaker for that room is often 15 or 20 amps. Which is fine, because most electronic products run at low voltage. But what happens when you introduce something that consumes a lot more power into that system? Well a lot of things can happen, worst of them being serious damage to your expensive tech. The main issue though is “noise” being heard or seen in your electronic products. Any high-powered appliance can cause this, an easy way to see what “high-powered” appliances you have on the same breaker is to think what appliances do you have that aren’t supposed to make “sound” or “noise” but actually do, like a vacuum, or a dishwasher, or a microwave. Appliances like these draw so much power, that when your low-powered electronic products pull from the same source, they end up getting almost “recycled” power from these appliances, and the noise made by those appliances replicates as fuzz in a picture, or fuzz in a sound system. Monster surge protectors are a necessity for anybody spending time inside watching movies or playing games on their new system. And monster actually
gives their surge protectors a unique look that actually complements your component rack. Want people to complement that rack of yours and keep it fuzz free? Then a monster surge protector is something you need.

URC/ Total Control-Remotes

Probably the favorite feature in every customers system I’ve installed. And thats not meant to be a stab at my selling ability. URC remote controls really are incredible. Most of them are completely computer programmable, and with the use of professional macros, make your components completely manageable and easy to use. With URC’s suite of components, you can control everything from your Bose system to your garage door opener. And with an easy to use picture interface, you’ll never want to set your remote down.  Turn your home into an actual “Smart” home with our URC products. Stop in and check out our total control setup in our store today.

Slingbox

I get it, you’re just sick of Western New York winters, and you want to get away. But you don’t want to miss those sabres games during your vacation. Well, slingbox can do just that. No, it won’t book your next vacation to Cancun, but it will let you take your entire cable package with you everywhere you go. Scared you won’t be able to see Miller let in 6 goals from your vacation house? Well worry no longer; by giving you access to your home cable box, slingbox gives you access to all local news programs and sports games. In crystal clear HD. And with the newest slingbox updates you can take the game with you and watch it wherever you are. On your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. There’s no more need to DVR those tv shows and wait until you get back home to watch them. Just hook a slingbox to your home cable box and thats it. Your cable package, streaming to wherever you are. The perfect addition to the home of any traveler.

Bose Cinemate 1sr

Thinking about moving date night indoors this winter? You can only go ice skating so many times. It’s cold, the skates are uncomfortable, and you’ll look like an idiot being the only one out there with a walker. So why not make movie night an actual experience this winter? Well, if you ask anyone here at the Advantage, the most important part of a home theater really is the sound. It’s what brings movies to life. And with the Bose cinemate 1sr, you can get that cinema quality sound without the need for a professional setup. The Cinemate 1sr is the perfect “wife-friendly” unit, meaning it takes almost no space in your living room. It consists of three things, A soundbar, a wireless subwoofer, and a little bit of that Bose magic that I talked about earlier. The Bose soundbar can be placed or mounted under your TV, then the wireless sub can be placed anywhere out of the way. And thats where the magic starts; the Bose Cinemate analyzes the shape of your room, and uses Bose’ patented “phaseguide” technology to deliver 5.1 surround sound out of just a single soundbar. And the best part is, it actually works. I was skeptical of Bose phaseguide technology at first, but after hearing the Cinemate 1SR I’m a firm believer in magic. It really actually feels like there are speakers behind you. Special effects seem to jump off the screen, and it will definitely liven up movie night. And even better, we’ve got it on display in our store, and you could even come and sit and listen to it with me.

Mobotix

One of our most installed systems; mobotix is the perfect way of monitoring you small business or home and keeping it secure. Mobotix makes an incredible security system because they allow you to access it from virtually anywhere. When paired with a URC total control setup, you can watch all of your cameras on a phone or tablet from halfway around the world. Its even great for little things like checking a baby monitor from downstairs. Mobotix is great for monitoring your home or office while you’re away on vacation or just for piece of mind. And with our smart squads help, we can install a mobotix system perfect and convenient for your life.

Today we have a very exciting and interesting review. This time, the blind guy got fooled. I was told I was demoing 2 sets of bookshelf speakers. Staying with that premise, let’s describe the review. I was told to sit down as I would be listening to two different sets of speakers. I wasn’t allowed to touch the speakers while reviewing them, either. I thought this was rather unusual, but that is what makes life interesting. Then my listening experience began.

I tried the same 3 tracks, jazz fusion, funk with a predominance of horns, and a flute classical track. The fusion track sounded great on the first set. The bass was extremely tight and strong. I actually thought that the bookshelf speakers had a sub woofer attached to them. The treble was excellent as well. Instrument separation was perfect as each instrument could be picked out of the mix. Then I tried the funk track with horns. For an older recording, it came through better than I would have expected. The horns were very clean and again, the bass was very strong. You could discern each instrument perfectly. Upon playing the classical track, the flute valves could be heard flawlessly. The strings were very clean and other orchestral sounds were very tight. There was a nice sound to the bass for a classical track as well. Many classical tracks are recorded with minimal bass in my opinion. Very often we have to turn our bass up on our receivers to compensate this type of recording. Not with these speakers however. The bass didn’t have to be adjusted at all.

Then I move on to the second set of speakers. Again, I wasn’t permitted to touch them. I just sat and listened. The fusion track was very clean and clear. This time the bass was rather weak compared to the first set of speakers. The highs were a little crisper but you couldn’t discern each instrument as well compared to the first pair. When I listen to jazz fusion, I like a good strong bass. I get this from playing synths and using key bass which is a sub bass envelope. This set of speakers didn’t pick up this nuance. The highs were very crisp but again I tend to like a tighter sound when I listen to recordings. The funk track with horns were very clean as well, though not as tight as the first set. Instrument discerning was not as pronounced as the first pair either. This set did however have a wider sound than the first pair of speakers. Vision if you will separating the musicians more instead of clustering them together. This was a nice feature I liked on the second pair. The classical track is where the second set truly shined. The orchestra and flute   sounded full and wide just like a symphony with the accompanying orchestra. Again, the bass was a little weak. I would have liked a stronger bass in this track.

 Now I will reveal the secret. I was then told that I wasn’t listening to 2 sets of speakers at all. It was in fact a set of klipsch rb81-ii’s and 2 different receivers that were used to change the sound. You would swear that it was 2 completely different pairs of speakers.

Denon AVR 1913- Let’s now describe the 2 receivers.  The first receiver that I liked that had the tight sound was a 7.1 surround receiver with a compliment of imputs and outputs. There were Hdmi in and usb on the front which was a nice touch. The buttons for scene selection and imput source were in a single horizontal row on the front as well. One nice touch for the visually impaired is that some, but not all of the menus default when going into them with the remote. By the way, the remote was laid out very nicely, too. That is a plus as many surround receivers and TV’s never default back to a point of reference, they just scroll continuously. The receiver ran very cool which is a nice touch if in a cramped component rack with other units. The power output was 95 watts, and I mean 95 true watts.

Onkyo TXNR 616- The second receiver was very well made as well. The case structure was some what heavier duty than was the first. One feature I liked was the double line of buttons on the front. The bottom row were dedicated buttons such as DVD etc which was nice as it was very accessible, meaning you didn’t have to scroll through them. They were directly accessed. This receiver had a full compliment of inputs and hdmi’s on the front, too. I did notice that this receiver got much hotter than the first. It had approximately the same wattage as the first. It was 90 rather than 95 watts per channel. Don’t get me wrong, but both receivers were excellent, though the first one definitely had a much tighter sound and much better bass.  Though I have to admit, the second sounded great for classical music. If I had the choice, I would clearly enjoy listening to the first receiver more, it was a real kicker. Call me or come on in and sample them for yourself. And who says the blind reviewer can’t get fooled. I’m Ray and I sure got fooled this time. I swore they were two different sets of speakers. Instead it was two receivers plugged in to the same set of speakers.

Again, this is Ray’s blind review hoping to be back with you soon for some more exciting audio news.