Audio world mourns passing of Jim Thiel

Audio enthusiasts the world over were saddened this week to learn that Jim Thiel, co-founder of Thiel Audio Products and its chief engineer for all of the company's 33-year history, has passed away. Thiel was known as one of the world's most talented and knowledgeable designers of high-end speakers. His creations have won so many Best of the Year awards from so many magazines and websites that it's probably impossible to count them all.

Although Thiel possessed the quiet, focused personality common to many engineers, he was known as a great conversationalist, and I found him to be a generous and valuable teacher.

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Denon's one-two punch: Blu-ray and receiver

Fresh after CEDIA, Denon has announced a pair of new home theater devices, the AVR-4810CI A/V receiver and the DBP-4010UDCI Blu-ray Disc player. These two new high-end products pack some impressive features, and equally impressive price tags.

The AVR-4810CI is a 9.3-channel receiver, capable of adding height or expanded width channels to a 5.1 or 7.1 set-up with Dolby Pro Logic IIz or Audyssey DSX. It can pipe video and audio out to a secondary zone, audio to a third zone, and more audio to a fourth zone with its Audyssey DSX pre-outs. It features built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet networking, and can directly access streaming music services like Napster and Rhapsody. It also includes two AM/FM radio tuners, one of which is HD Radio-compatible and XM/Sirius satellite radio-ready. For custom installers, the receiver offers remote set-up and maintenance; after it's installed, the installer can log into it via Denon's secure web site and change or correct any settings. All of these features come at a price, though; the AVR-4810CI will cost $2,999 when it ships.

Boston Acoustics + iPhone = Duo-i Plus

Boston Acoustics is adding iPhone support to its Duo-i iPod dock. The new Duo-i Plus is "Works with iPhone" certified, so it can play music on iPhones as well as iPods. Granted, the auxiliary audio inputs on the original Duo-i could play music on iPhones, but having your phone tucked neatly into its dock is far nicer than having it dangling from a cable.

Besides the iPhone compatibility, the Duo-i Plus's upgrades are completely aesthetic. It's available in glossy black or white, a bit shinier than the Duo-i. Besides those two changes, it's basically the same iPod dock as its predecessor. It pumps out music through its dual 3.5-inch drivers, and incorporates dual auxiliary inputs, dual sleep/wake alarms, and an AM/FM radio tuner.

HD Deals: Blu-ray Discs On Sale

If your Blu-ray library is lacking some 90's classics like Total Recall we have a perfect deal for you here. More HD and gadget deals* after the jump.

10 Giant HD Screens Around the World

Getting a TV that's the right size for your space is essential. But, when your space is a stadium, the bigger the better. By now, you are probably more than familiar with the huge punt-blocking screen in Cowboys Stadium, but it's not the only game in town. Here's a list of other enormous displays we wouldn't mind doing a little gaming on.

Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium

Its nickname pretty much sums up why it’s on this list: “Godzillatron”. Joining the new Cowboys stadium as the two objects in Texas astronauts are most likely able to see from space, this screen is mammoth. At 134’ x 55’, this $8 million video board gives people from the Lone Star State one more reason to say: “Everything’s bigger in Texas.”

Game We’d Most Like To Play Here: NCAA Football 2010

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Blockbuster to close 960 stores by end of 2010

Talking about the economy is like talking about the weather at this point. It's chit-chat, conversation padding that everyone knows about. It's also the reason Blockbuster is closing almost a thousand stores by the end of next year.

According to CNET, Blockbuster has filed plans with the SEC to close 960 stores by the end of 2010. The filing states that a whopping 18 percent of the company's stores are unprofitable, and will be shut down. Blockbuster plans to close up to 685 stores by the end of this year, and the remaining 275 by the end of 2010.

HD Deals: Klipsch Reference Series RW-12d Powered subwoofer

If you've been looking for some great deals on subwoofers you are in luck as we found this Klipsch Reference Series RW-12d Powered subwoofer with built-in equalizer for $689.00 (normally $800). More HD and gadget deals* after the jump.

Bose debuts $599 SoundDock 10 iPod sound system

The original SoundDock was a big seller for Bose and they're hoping that will carry over for their newest iPod sound system. It clocks in at a relatively hefty $599, but Bose is swearing up and down that it sounds great. It has two "twiddlers," which they claim produce a mixture of high and mid sounds. The low-end is provided by a rear-facing woofer. All of that speaker means that the new unit is bigger than its predecessor, checking in at almost 20-pounds. Inside, you'll also find the "waveguide" tech meant to channel the sound outward and cut down on size. One of the cooler features is that you can swap out the iPod dock for a Bluetooth receiver for an extra $150. Of course, that means sacrificing even more audio quality, but it sure is nifty. It heads to retail on September 21, at which point you can get your ears on it. Until then, you can feel free to argue in the comments. We know you will.