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Reviews

$6,910 buys world's best headphone sound

Lucky me, I've reviewed most of the world's very best headphones, including the Audio Technica ATH-W5000, Denon AH-D7000, and Sennheiser HD 800. But now there's something even better: the Woo Audio WES headphone amplifier ($4,500) and Stax SR-007Mk2 headphone ($2,410). The complete review can be found on the Home Entertainment Web site.

Yeah, it's a lot of dough, but the Woo/Stax combo creams the other contenders for world's best headphone sound, and the pair goes for less than the price of a world class, high-end camera, like the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III. The camera's great now, but in a couple of years it'll be hopelessly out of date. Great audio is simply a better long-term investment.

Stax headphones use a very different operating principle than dynamic headphones (pretty much every headphone from lowly earbuds to full-size headphones are dynamic designs). Stax has been making electrostatic headphones since 1960 in Japan, and the company's current flagship model, the SR-007Mk2, is what I'm using with the Woo WES amplifier. The Stax is a big and comfy design.

The Woo WES is an all-triode tube drive, fully balanced design; the prototype unit I'm reviewing has a total of 10 tubes (four EL34 power tubes, four 6SL7 drive tubes, and two 5AR4 rectifier tubes), but production models will have 11 tubes. It works with Stax and Sennheiser electrostatic headphones only. The machined, all-metal dual chassis is beautifully crafted.

The WES, like all Woo amps, was designed by Wei Wu, and handcrafted in Woo Audio's factory in New York City. Each WES will be built to order over a four-day period; it's slated for release in October 2009. The preintroduction price is $4,500, and full retail is expected to be $4,990. Woo prices start at $470 for the WA 3. All Woo Audio electronics are sold direct from the factory, the waiting list is three to four weeks.

A look inside reveals no circuit boards; all wiring will be "point to point." That's a very expensive way to manufacture amplifiers, but Woo Audio thinks point-to-point wiring makes for better-sounding amps. The amp also features handmade inductors, and even the machined cone feet are designed specifically for the WES.

The clarity of the Woo/Stax combo with acoustic jazz mimics the way live, unamplified music sounds in a good concert hall or club. The Woo/Stax is the closest thing to being there I've heard to date.… Read more

NHL 10 improves on an already winning formula

Ask any diehard hockey fan out there and he'll tell you that last year's NHL 09 was close to being the best hockey game ever made. After countless critical acclaim and 19 sports-game-of-the-year awards over the past two years, the EA Canada team is back with NHL 10.

Along with Chicago Blackhawks young superstar Patrick Kane as this year's featured cover athlete, the game promises plenty of improvements, from board play to first-person fighting.

We sat down and played a full three periods in Stanley Cup Final fashion, Penguins versus Red Wings, to find out what's new in NHL 10.… Read more

Madden 10 in real time, and it's slow: Scott and Jeff face off

In just a few weeks, John Madden will unleash his annual iteration of a yearly purchase obsession for NFL fans worldwide. For some, this matters little. For die-hard fans like Scott, though, it's an addiction that must be tempered with some sense of restraint. While Jeff enjoys Madden but prefers NHL, Scott has a year-long addiction to endless New York Jets franchise seasons that borders on complete OCD.

In previous years, we had gotten a chance to play Madden a little earlier on. This year, however, our enthusiasm (or at least Scott's) had to wait until EA's Holiday Showcase this week in New York City, where Madden 10 lay waiting, along with a sofa. We had a promise to each other: Jeff would take on Scott for half of Madden, and Scott would try to keep up with Jeff in NHL 10 afterward.

How did it play? This is our story.… Read more

RunKeeper + iPhone: Better than Nike + iPod?

Can I gush? RunKeeper is the coolest freakin' iPhone application ever. OK, maybe not for everyone, but it's definitely the coolest for runners, hikers, bikers, and anyone else interesting in tracking their outdoor activities.

Let me explain. This summer the running bug bit me hard, and I'm now running farther and faster than in years past. Consequently, I've grown interested in determining my pace, distance, total run time, and so on.

My first thought was to get Apple's Nike + iPod, which is reasonable at $29--but incompatible with my iPhone 3G. Plus, I didn't want to … Read more

HP Pavilion dv6-1030us

Note: We haven't reviewed this specific 16-inch laptop from HP, but we have put together a roundup of several other 16-inch laptops. We consider these slightly larger screens to fit into the "mainstream" category, which also includes 14 and 15-inch displays, rather than the 17-inch desktop replacement category (which also includes a handful on 18-inch and larger systems).

Rounding up 16-inch laptops

Energizer AP1500 powers, recharges iPhones on the run

Planning a long trip? iPhone battery not lasting as long as it used to? Want backup power for emergencies? Whatever the situation, you need a battery pack.

Energizer's Energi To Go AP1500, which I tested on a recent trip, promises to double your iPhone battery life. I have a few minor quibbles with it, but I'll never again leave home without it.

Slimmer and sleeker than Energizer's original Energi To Go for iPhone and more case-like than products like the iPWE SuperPack, the AP1500 cradles your iPhone on the bottom and backside, with textured grippers on either … Read more

Samsung PNB450 series Quick Take

The Samsung PNB450 series of plasma HDTVs was introduced in the spring of 2009. It consists of the 42-inch PN42B450 and the 50-inch PN50B450.

CNET did not review either of these models, but we did review the Samsung PN50B650, which offers some features similar to the PNB450. The PNB450 is Samsung's entry-level plasma series and lacks some of the step-up features found on the PNB650 series. The step-down features of the PNB450 include a 720p native resolution, only three HDMI inputs, and it lacks both a USB port and networking capabilities. For more information, refer to the full review … Read more

Samsung LNB550 Series Quick Take

The Samsung LNB550 series of LCD HDTVs was introduced in spring 2009. It consists of the 32-inch LN32B550, the 37-inch LN37B550, the 40-inch LN40B550, the 46-inch LN46B550, and the 52-inch LN52B550.

CNET did not review any of these models, but we did review a similar product, the Samsung LN40B650, which may give you an idea of how the LNB550 will perform. The LNB550 series has a significantly lower contrast ratio (100,000:1 vs. 70,000:1) than the LNB650, so it will probably display brighter black levels. The series also has one less USB input and lacks picture-in-picture, networking … Read more

Sony Bravia KDL-46S4100 Quick Take

The Sony KDL-S4100 series was introduced in June 2008. It consists of the 40-inch KDL-40S4100, the 46-inch KDL-46S4100, and the 52-inch KDL-52S4100.

CNET did not review any of these models, but we did review a similar product, the Sony KDL-46W100, that may give you an idea of how the KDL-S4100 will perform. The 40S4100 and the 46S4100 have a slightly lower contrast ratio (3,000:1 vs. 2,500:1) than the W4100, so it will probably display brighter black levels. The 52S4100, however, does have a contrast ratio of 3,000:1. The series also has one less HDMI … Read more