Q: I just read the review of the ZVOX AV855 home theater soundbar. We currently are using the ZVOX AV120. Is the AV855 better enough to warrant the upgrade? The ZVOX website is showing it sold out. How will I know when it is available again?
A: It is absolutely worth the upgrade. Not only does the AV855 have the kind of sound quality one associates with a hi-fi home theater soundbar, it also has the best implementation of AccuVoice that ZVOX has ever offered. When used with a compatible television (which is most TVs), the HDMI-ARC connection provides easy and seamless operation. It makes the soundbar an extension of your TV, turning off and on automatically and controlling the volume with the television remote without any extra programming.
Combining pristine sound, the best vocal clarity available, high-quality construction and ease of setup and operation seems to be the package much of the viewing public is looking for, given how quickly the AV855 sold out after launch.
If you go to the AV855 product page at zvox.com there is a link to a form where you can sign up to be notified when it is available again. ZVOX said they will be repeating the $100 off promotion for those who missed out the first time. Though there may be some delayed gratification because you can’t have an AV855 delivered right now, I do think it is worth the wait.
Replacing a classic
Q: I am looking for your recommendation to replace a Bose CD player that stopped working. We liked the high-quality sound from the Bose, but I have heard they have reliability problems (as we experienced) and that they aren’t making them anymore.
The last CD player recommendation I found on your site was for a Technics model at about $1,000. I’d prefer to pay less, but if I must I will pay $1,000 to get good sound quality like the Bose CD player had, and hopefully get better reliability, too.
A: You are referring to the $1,099.99 Technics SC-C70MK2. I have recommended it for almost seven years without a single reader complaint about reliability and a lot of praise for how fantastic it is. Though it is not much bigger than your Bose radio, it sounds like a very high-quality, full-sized component system with tower speakers.
It also does much more than play CDs and radio. When I first heard it I expected a price between $3,000 and $5,000. It is hard to imagine a compact system for $1,099.99 being a bargain, but that is the case with the SC-C70MK2. (us.technics.com)
