Monitor Audio Bronze 2

The latest generation of MA’s entry standmount is very affordable and sounds anything but cheap

The ability of British loudspeaker companies to make over-achieving little speakers with cut-throat pricing always used to be a thing of wonder among those overseas. They just didn’t get how the likes of Mission, Wharfedale, KEF, Tannoy and Mordaunt-Short managed to squeeze so much sound out of foot-high boxes many of which sold for around £100 a pair.

Marantz SR7010 A/V Receiver

The Marantz SR7010 is the fifth Dolby Atmos receiver I’ve reviewed. However, to be frank, it’s only the second one that matters to me. Most of the Atmos receivers occupying my rack’s guest berth have been seven-channel models limited to 5.1.2-channel Atmos, with just a single pair of height channels in the front. Only the nine-channel Pioneer Elite SC-89 and this Marantz have provided what I deem the minimum acceptable Atmos experience utilizing 5.1.4 channels, with height channels in both front and back.

Definitive Technology W Studio Micro Soundbar System

The soundbar is one of the fastest-growing market segments in recent years, and that’s no surprise. As consumer demand grows for ultra-thin TVs with virtually zero bezel, display manufacturers are in the quandary of where to put the built-in speakers. The answer for most has been placing shallow speakers behind the screen, firing away from listeners. Obviously, these sonic compromises make it increasingly difficult to understand dialogue—let alone actually enjoy the wider dynamics of movies or music—and the simple solution is adding a soundbar.

Sennheiser HD 598 Headphone

The Motley Crew that lives in my headphone drawer was getting long in the tooth when I decided to add a widely acknowledged classic to the collection. The new acquisition was the Sennheiser HD 600, now more than 20 years and umpteen generations old, and he’s become my go-to guy when I want to spend an evening kicking back with headphones that guarantee total physical and listening comfort. Lately I’ve had a chance to try the HD 600’s little brother, the HD 598. At $250, it lists for $150 less than the HD 600, though as of mid-November it was widely available at major online e-tailers (Amazon, Best Buy, B&H) for $150 to $175.