Jon L. JacobiFreelance contributor, TechHive
Jon is a Juilliard-trained musician, former x86/6800 programmer, and long-time (late 70s) computer enthusiast living in the San Francisco bay area. jjacobi@pcworld.com
NAD Masters M10 streaming amplifier review: Great sound, Dirac room correction, and lots more
The NAD M10 streaming amplifier sounds great, is extremely versatile and offers Dirac so you can tune it to your acoustical space. But despite a large colorful touch display, setup and some other functions rely on a phone app or web browser.
Samsung Q80R 4K UHD TV review: The smart shopper's option in top-tier TVs
Samsung's Q80R is a bargain in the land of top-tier TVs. It has a great picture, but saves you money by omitting unnecessary (albeit nifty) top-of-the-line design flourishes.
Sony XBR 950G 4K UHD smart TV review: Dated technology with a state-of-the-art price tag
There's a lot to like about Sony's 950G 4K UHD TV: It has that Sony style, a new more lux remote, and good video processing. But the dated color palette and blacks can't match that of TVs costing significantly less.
Polk Legend L100 review: Higher performance than you'd expect from any bookshelf speaker
Polk's Legend L100 speakers deliver well-rounded sound with generally precise renderings.
Samsung Q90R QLED smart TV review: Samsung puts its best 4K UHD TV on a pedestal
The Samsung Q90R offers excellent color and puts out tons of peak brightness for dramatic HDR. New smart home features and image tweaks are a plus, but this top of the line 4K UHD model now plays second fiddle to the company's 8K UHD Q900.
Roku adds a soundbar and subwoofer to its audio lineup
Roku has announced the October availability of a soundbar that doubles as a streaming device, as well as a subwoofer that pairs with it and the company's existing wireless speakers.
QNAP HS-453DX NAS box review: The most powerful multimedia NAS box that money can buy
The QNAP HS-453DX is the most capable multimedia NAS box on the planet. It's very pricey and just how useful its direct audio/video output will be depends on your setup. It's also not dead easy to use.
The Sony Extra Bass WH-XB900N low-latency Bluetooth headphones sound good and effectively cancel noise, and you can crank the bass up with the phone app. They also support Google Assistant and Alexa.
By last year's standards, Samsung's RU8000 is a good TV; but this year, it's eclipsed in terms of both color and HDR performance by less-expensive competitors.
Synology DS419slim NAS box review: A low-profile, power-saving media server for the smart home
Designed for 2.5-inch drives, including SATA SSDs, the Synology DS419slim is a mighty mite with a cornucopia of media-serving features, including the power to stream 4K video.
Sony SRS-XB32 Bluetooth speaker review: Flashy lights, fun, amazing sound—and it's waterproof!
The Sony SRS-XB32 is a fun Bluetooth portable speaker with a nice amount of thump and great overall sound. And its IP67 rating means it's submersible up to three feet.
LG E9 4K OLED smart TV review: The real deal gets brighter
LG's top-of-the-line 4K OLED remains a velvety, colorful, and now slightly brighter viewing experience.
Samsung Q900 smart TV review: This 8K TV will make you forget all about 4K
Samsung's best TV yet shows what's possible with 8K video. It also upscales lower-resolution material with aplomb.
Etymotic ER4XR in-ear headphone review: Top-notch sonics and a comfortable fit
Though definitely on the pricey side, Etymotics ER4 XR's deliver the musical goods, and the flanged tips are more comfortable in the ear than the standard memory foam types.
Hisense H8F 4K UHD TV (2019) review: Better color, better blacks, and better HDR
Hisense's H8F has upped its game with array backlighting, more vivid color, and true HDR pop.