Podcast #1042: Sub $400 Tower speakers, Ads on Netflix, and a new SmartTV Paradigm

This week we explore a world where Netflix uses ads to support it's massive hunger for content and consider an approach where smart TVs are replaced by a mechanism that lets set top box manufacturers integrate their software with the TV. We also explore the sub $400 tower speaker world. All this plus your emails and the week’s news on this week’s show.

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Today's Show:

News:

• Is Google fortifying its audio plans?
• Disney+ will introduce ad-supported tier at lower price
• The Beatles’ Biggest Hits Turn 3D on Apple Music
• Amazon Launches Standalone IMDb TV App for Samsung Smart TVs
• Apple and Major League Baseball to offer “Friday Night Baseball”
• Hulu to Lose Next-Day Streams of NBC Shows, Shifting to Peacock Instead

Other:

• Join the Neat Exchange - Social Media for Whiskey Drinkers
• Ara's Woodworking
• Join the Flaviar Whisky Club and get a free bottle

Netflix CFO has no plans for advertising but 'never say never'

A senior Netflix Inc executive said on Tuesday the company had no current plans to offer a streaming option that included advertising but declined to rule it out in the future. Full article here…

Roku CEO Wood: Samsung, LG and Vizio Will Eventually Give Up on Their Own OS

The major smart TV makers who supply their own operating system will eventually give up and license a third-party OS from either Roku, Amazon or Google, Roku CEO Anthony Wood said. Full article here…

Inexpensive Tower Speakers

We saw a post over at AVS Forum where someone was asking about which sub $400 tower speaker would make a good addition to his theater. The poster was asking other members to chime in on the merits of the Klipsch R-820F vs the JBL Studio 590. Both are highly rated by users. Well this got us wondering about other quality sub $400 tower speakers.

Before we get into the list, why would you want floor standing speakers? 

• Loudness - Floor standing speakers typically get louder than satellites so if you have a larger room or simply like your music and movies loud, Towers are the way to go.

• Full Range - Tower speakers have better frequency range and can typically go to lower frequency lessening the reliance on a large subwoofer. We are not saying you don’t need a subwoofer but the Klipsch can reproduce sound down to 35Hz.

• Higher Sensitivity - This is a spec that many people ignore because we have such big amplifiers. But the higher the sensitivity the less your speakers have to work to create sound. A typical bookshelf speaker has a sensitivity of 85db. That means that it speaker produces a level of 85dB when driven with 1 watt of power and measured 1 meter in front. The JBL has a sensitivity of 92db. The translation is that your amplifier doesn’t need to work as hard which will extend it's life. The Klipsch has a sensitivity of a whopping 97db!

• They Sound Better - This is a general statement and needs further context. There are plenty of bookshelf speakers that will sound better than tower speakers. However, within a manufacturers line the tower speakers will sound better than the same model’s bookshelf version. 

Of course there is the pesky issue with size. Tower speakers don’t fit easily in some rooms and typically cost more than their bookshelf counterparts. Which finally brings us to our list of some fantastic tower speakers that won’t break the bank.

Klipsch R-820F ($399 each)

• Frequency Response 35Hz - 21kHz +/- 3dB

• Sensetivity 97 dB @ 2.83V/1M

• Power handling (cont/peak) 150W/600W

• 1" Aluminum LTS tweeter

• 90x90 Square Tractrix Horn

• Dual 8" Spun-Copper IMG Woofers

• Bass-Reflex via Rear-Firing Tractrix® ports

• Strong, Flexible Removable Magnetic Grille

• Dimensions: 43" x 10.9" x 17.5" (1093mm x 277mm x 443mm)

• Weight 54 Lbs (25.5 Kg)

JBL Studio 590 ($399.99 each)

• Frequency Response 35Hz - 40kHz +/- 3dB

• Sensetivity 92 dB @ 2.83V/1M

• Power handling 25 - 250W

• 1" (25mm) compression driver with neodymium magnet and one-piece Teonex diaphragm on a glass-filled ABS Bi-Radial horn, magnetically shielded tweeter

• Two 8" (200mm) PolyPlas cones with Symmetrical Field Geometry magnet structures, cast frames and rubber surrounds, magnetically shielded woofers

• Dimensions: 49.75" x 12.7" x 16.25" (1263mm x 322mm x 413mm)

• Weight 69.5 Lbs (31.5 Kg)

Debut 2.0 5.25″ Floorstanding Speaker – DF52 ($399.98 each)

• Frequency Response 42Hz - 35kHz +/- 3dB

• Sensitivity 86 dB @ 2.83V/1M

• Power handling 140W

• 1″ Cloth Dome tweeter

• Three 5-1/4″ Aramid Fiber woofer

• Dimensions: 40" x 7" x 9.2" (1016mm x 178mm x 233mm)

• Weight 69.5 Lbs (31.5 Kg)

Monolith by Monoprice Encore T6 Tower Speaker ($399.99 Each)

• Frequency Response 37Hz - 20kHz +/- 3dB

• Sensitivity 87.8 dB @ 2.83V/1M

• Power handling 50-180W

• 1″ Silk Dome with Waveguide tweeter

• 6.5" Long Fiber Pulp Cone with NBR Surround mid woofer

• 2x 6.5" Long Fiber Pulp Cone with NBR Surround woofer

• Dimensions: 40" x 7.9" x 13.8" (1016mm x 201mm x 351mm)

• Weight 49.2 Lbs (22.3 Kg)

Download Episode #1042

Comments

[DP - San Diego]

My OLED is in a garden room with, obviously, no curtains nor shades. Now with DST in force, I have to wait another hour before I can watch movies with dark scenes, In my experience, DST is anti-HDTV.