Articles by Al Griffin, Senior Editor Home Entertainment, US

Al Griffin is Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, US at TechRadar. Previously the editor of Sound & Vision magazine, he brings nearly three decades of journalism experience to the position, and has contributed to a wide range of print and online outlets including Wirecutter, ProjectorCentral, The SoundStage! Network, Popular Science, and HD Guru. An ISF-trained video calibrator, Al specializes in TV and projector testing and has also written countless audio equipment reviews ranging from speakers and subwoofers to integrated amps. An avowed movie fanatic, he spends his free time holed up in his home theater, and is also an avid cyclist.

Articles by: Al Griffin

I tried JBL’s 15-channel soundbar and it’s Dolby Atmos done right

By Al Griffin published 13 February 23

JBL's new 11.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos soundbar may be pricey, but it doesn't cut any corners in delivering immersive sound.

Is Netflix’s pricey Premium plan a bad deal for movie fans?

By Al Griffin published 12 February 23

Netflix Premium is one of the more expensive streaming options out there, but what does it offer for movie fans?

Super Bowl LVII Chiefs and Eagles helmets on gren gridiron

Super Bowl 4K TV tune-up: get the best picture for the big game

By Al Griffin published 10 February 23

Super Bowl LVII may be happening this weekend, but there’s still plenty of time to optimize your TV’s picture for game day.

Black Atlantic Technology TWS1 earbuds on white background

These cheaper AirPods Pro 2 competitors have a High-Res Audio advantage

By Al Griffin published 10 February 23

Atlantic Technology’s new wireless earbuds offer active noise-cancelling and aptX Adaptive for High-Res Audio, for less than the price of the high-end competition.

Samsung S95C OLED TV with yellow flowers on screen

Samsung’s stunning new 77-inch OLED TV is now available to pre-order

By Al Griffin published 7 February 23

First announced at CES 2023, Samsung’s new, larger OLED TV has arrived for pre-order in the US, and at a fairly substantial price.

Super Bowl LVII graphic showing Eagles and Chiefs logos on gray background

Super Bowl LVII will screen in 4K and Dolby Vision, but only on Comcast Xfinity

By Al Griffin last updated 6 February 23

Dolby Vision HDR has come to TV sports, but limited distribution means watching it in that format won't be easy.

STR-AZ7000ES AV receiver on table with curtain in background

Sony’s new AV receivers with PS5 & Sonos support are the future-proof option we need

By Al Griffin published 3 February 23

After a five year hiatus, Sony has launched a range of fully decked out receivers, and the results look – and sound – worth the wait.

Philips Fidelio S1 speaker on black table with green background

I tried Philips’ Sonos-style wireless speaker – good sound and it’s lit

By Al Griffin published 30 January 23

The Philips Fidelio S1 is a versatile wireless speaker that can be paired as a surround with one of the company's soundbars. Oh, and it has Ambilight .

NAD CS1 music streamer on a hi-fi console with integrated amp and speakers

NAD’s new wireless streamer is a cheap high-res audio upgrade

By Al Griffin published 27 January 23

The new NAD CS1 is one of the least expensive options available for adding high-res streaming to an existing music system.

Home theater with beige furniture and large screen

More 8K projectors are coming, but after seeing them I'm not sure I care

By Al Griffin published 24 January 23

CES 2023 marked the debut of 8K projectors from Samsung and Hisense, but they were easily upstaged by other cool TV tech on display.

Hands holding phone with Spotify mobile app

Spotify price hike looks more likely than ever after CEO comments around layoffs

By Al Griffin published 23 January 23

Spotify is the latest tech firm to announce mass job cuts, and the company’s pain could result in higher streaming costs

Apple TV 4K 2022 and Siri remote on white background

Apple TV 4K (2022) review: the best streaming device is now better and cheaper

By Al Griffin published 21 January 23

The latest Apple TV 4K isn't a big leap from the previous version, but a few new features and tweaks make it a worthy successor.

LG’s smart projector is the square cousin of Samsung’s cool The Freestyle

By Al Griffin published 20 January 23

Portable projectors are being used more than ever for entertainment, and with its new compact offering LG is getting in on the game.

Hisense TVs will be all mini-LED in 2023, and Samsung needs to do the same

By Al Griffin published 19 January 23

With mini-LED making a big showing in new TVs announced at CES 2023, all eyes are on Samsung to migrate it to lower-cost sets.

Denon AVR-X4800H receiver on white background

Denon’s 8K-ready receiver is the perfect match for your PS5

By Al Griffin published 18 January 23

AV receivers in recent years have shipped minus up-to-date video features, but Denon’s new model arrives fully loaded

Retail store display of Taylor Swift's album Midnights in LP and CD formats

The vinyl revival is coming to a crashing halt – but don't blame Taylor Swift

By Al Griffin published 17 January 23

Vinyl record sales ended a 17-year upward skyrocket in 2022, and there's plenty of blame to go around for it.

Imagine Dragons band performing onstage at the Dolby Live theater

I watched a live concert in Dolby Atmos and it sounded like a movie

By Al Griffin published 15 January 23

CES 2023 With ticket prices soaring through the roof, concertgoers deserve better sound, and Dolby Live delivers that.

ATSC 3.0 is our 4K TV broadcasting future, so why don’t more sets support it?

By Al Griffin published 13 January 23

2023 was supposed to be the year ATSC 3.0 support went mainstream in TVs, but it's now looking more like a 2024 thing.

The best Dolby Atmos soundbars of CES 2023

By Al Griffin published 11 January 23

CES 2023 TVs may have been the main AV highlight at CES, but new soundbars also made a splash at the show.

The best projectors of CES 2023

By Al Griffin published 10 January 23

CES 2023 CES is the top venue for new TV launches, but this year's show also featured an impressive number of projectors.

Hisense ULED EX TV in CES tradeshow booth

Hisense’s all mini-LED TV lineup for 2023 is topped by its brightest set yet

By Al Griffin published 9 January 23

CES 2023 The mini-LED TV lineup Hisense unveiled at CES 2023 ranges from an ultra bright 85-inch screen with an astonishing number of dimming zones, to an ultra-affordable 50-incher.

JBL 4329B speakers in room with Bluetooth turntable on stand

I tried JBL’s retro-cool wireless active speaker, and it rocked

By Al Griffin published 8 January 23

CES 2023 JBL's new speakers join a family of retro-looking audio components outfitted with modern amenities like high-res wireless streaming.

The world’s first fully wireless OLED TV is completely off the hook

By Al Griffin published 7 January 23

CES 2023 Displace TV's CES 2023 debut shows that wire-free TV isn't just possible, it's now ready and waiting to be vacuum-sealed to your wall.

Samsung’s 77-inch OLED is the best TV I’ve seen at CES 2023

By Al Griffin published 6 January 23

CES 2023 Samsung is showing its second generation of QD-OLED TVs at CES 2023, and the improvements are easy to see.

TCL’s CES 2023 TV launches: QD-OLED TVs, plus even better mini-LED QLED

By Al Griffin published 4 January 23

CES 2023 TCL's new mini-LED TVs feature a record-setting number of local dimming zones, but the bigger news is the company's first QD-OLED models.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
View Archive

Other versions of this page are available with specific content for the following regions: