It’s been a while but this summer I’ve been watching a LOT of different movies; some for work, some for play, but all have been enhanced greatly thanks to my killer 66-inch LG G6 OLED TV that makes any viewing like being in the Cinema.

All of these films of varying genres look and sound amazing thanks to functions like “Perfect Black” to give me the sharp contrasts I crave in movies and “Filmmaker Mode” so I feel like Im getting the filmmakers vision unencumbered by any picture limitations other TV’s have. 

Here’s a glimpse at some of the movies in the last few weeks I’ve watched on my LG G6 OLED TV: 

-Wes Anderson’s THE DARJEELING LIMITED!

-Tobe Hooper’s THE FUNHOUSE!!

-Milos Forman’s THE PEOPLE VS LARRY FLYNT!!!

-Frank Tashlin’s THE GIRL CAN’T HELP IT!!!!

What are you watching for your Summer Screenings? 

Keep that screen glowing, 

Joe

Been itching to check out Scream Factory's new 4K UHD scan of Night of the Comet, and I'm absolutely stunned by the way it looks on the G6 with Dolby Vision. Directed by Thom Eberhardt, it still evokes the teen spirit of the mid-80s, with gorgeous neon lighting, characters in colorful wardrobes, and action scenes drenched in a moody red haze that establishes the apocalyptic sci-fi horror vibe. I opted to watch it in Cinema Home, and as always, LG OLED's tonal range feels leagues ahead of my old setups. I'm continually impressed by how well this TV reproduces such saturated color grades with rich hues and depth like this one!

What are the best neon-forward flicks to check out on my OLED next?

Created in partnership with LG OLED Movie Club

Full disclosure: I received the LG xboom Stage 501 for free through an LG trial program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The LG xboom Stage 501 is one of LG’s larger portable Bluetooth speakers, and it offers the volume and sound quality you should expect from a speaker of its size. It also has a few neat features that help separate it from some competing options, particularly its karaoke controls and ability to double as a guitar amp.

I already owned the smaller xboom Stage 301 before receiving the xboom Stage 501, so I’ll compare the two in a few areas where the differences are especially noticeable. Hopefully, those comparisons are useful for anyone deciding between them or considering an upgrade from the Stage 301.

Size and Portability

When standing vertically, the Stage 501 and Stage 301 take up roughly the same amount of floor space, but the Stage 501 is about twice as tall. It weighs roughly 11 pounds more, bringing its total weight to around 26 pounds.

I think the Stage 501 is just about the perfect size. It’s certainly large, but it isn’t so large or heavy that it becomes cumbersome to move around. It also has three built-in handles, giving you several ways to grab it depending on how it’s positioned or where you’re moving it.

Sound Quality

The additional size is immediately apparent once you start playing music. The Stage 501 puts out up to 220 watts when plugged into an outlet and 160 watts on battery power. It gets seriously loud either way, but plugging it in gives it even more volume and headroom.

The clearest difference between the Stage 501 and Stage 301 is the bass extension. The Stage 301 already has impressive bass for its size, but the Stage 501 reaches noticeably lower and has much more weight behind it. I’d say this is the most important difference between the two.

The Stage 501 uses two 5.25-inch woofers and two 2.5-inch full-range drivers, while the Stage 301 uses one 6.5-inch woofer and two 2.5-inch midrange drivers. The Stage 501’s dual woofers, larger enclosure, and additional power all seem to contribute to its deeper low end and larger overall sound.

I’ve also noticed better separation in the higher frequencies. Vocals, cymbals, and smaller background details sound like they have more space between them.

The Stage 301 still sounds excellent, especially for its size, but the Stage 501 simply sounds deeper and more spacious overall, which makes it a better fit for larger outdoor spaces.

Positioning and Design

The Stage 501 can be placed vertically or horizontally, with rubber feet on both the bottom and right side.

One of the smaller details I noticed while taking it out of the box was that the chrome xboom logo in the center of the metal grille can rotate, allowing it to remain upright regardless of how the speaker is positioned. It’s a small touch, but it’s neat nonetheless.

I prefer leaving mine vertical because the bass sounds slightly fuller in that position. There is a bass-reflex port near the bottom of the speaker, and keeping it closer to the floor seems to provide some additional low-end reinforcement.

Lighting

Both the Stage 501 and Stage 301 have a ton of RGB accent lighting. The Stage 501 also adds two lights that flash along with the music, which adds some extra energy when you’re listening to something fun or using the speaker at a party.

The RGB lighting and flashing lights can be controlled independently. You can use both, use just the RGB lighting, or turn all of the lighting off. The flexibility is nice because I don’t necessarily want them on every time I use the speaker.

Karaoke and Guitar Features

The Stage 501 has two microphone inputs, allowing two people to sing at the same time. Microphone volume and reverb can be controlled directly from the top of the speaker. It can also reduce or remove vocals from a normal song and adjust the key to better match whoever is singing.

I haven’t personally tested the karaoke features because I don’t own any microphones, but I have tested its usefulness as a guitar amp with my acoustic-electric guitar. I think it’s a great match for anyone who owns an acoustic-electric guitar, or even a plain old electric guitar, and wants to play along with music while keeping the amount of equipment involved to a minimum. The Stage 301 can also be used this way.

Battery and Charging

The Stage 501’s battery life is advertised at up to 25 hours. The battery is removable, so it can be swapped with a charged spare during a longer event if needed. I tend to use the speaker at very high volumes for at least two hours a day, but the battery is large enough that I only charge it about once a week. I’ve never even managed to run it down to a low battery.

There is also a USB-C output that can be used to charge a phone or another device. It will use some of the speaker’s battery, but it could be useful in a pinch, especially while camping or anywhere else far from an outlet, which is where portable Bluetooth speakers like this are at their best.

Final Thoughts

For anyone looking or a Bluetooth speaker for outdoor use, the Stage 501 feels like the right balance between size and performance. It produces powerful sound and gets extremely loud, but it’s still easily manageable for one person to move around.

I still think the Stage 301 is a great choice when compact size and lower weight are the main priorities, but the Stage 501 makes more sense if you want deeper bass, greater output, and better battery life.

For my own needs, the Stage 501 is a great size for a portable speaker. It has plenty of power for my garage, backyard, and home gym. I generally subscribe to the idea that larger is better when it comes to speakers. There is obviously a practical limit before a speaker can no longer be considered portable, but the Stage 501 is still easy enough to move around that I’m not inclined to leave it in just one room.

[Canadian $$$!]

Hey all, just snagged this deal off of Best Buy for an open box 77” C5.

Seller says to inspect the TV as soon as I get it, so I can return it to them within 14 days.

This is my first OLED. Can you all let me know what I need to look out for, inspect, test, etc. to ensure my open box Tv is good.

Thanks!

We can still use it but it needs a lot of tuning the knob and power button on and off.

Scream 4 has always been one of my most nostalgic horror movies, but watching it tonight for the first time on my G6 65" in Cinema Home with Dolby Vision struck an extra special chord. Every other sequence features Ghostface or his red herring counterpart lurking in the dark corners of a hospital room, parking garage, or barn party at night. With Perfect Black, the notorious closet attack scene particularly popped with an infinite amount of shadow detail under the mixed lighting of the deserted suburban home environments on the anniversary of the Woodsboro Murders. My favorite thing about seeing this on an LG OLED TV is how dynamic the darker visuals look without backlight glow or the risk of compression artifacts like on my old LCD. Genuinely frightening, and the closest the film has felt since I saw it in theaters 15 years ago!

What's the next best horror movie to watch on my OLED at night?

Created in partnership with LG OLED Movie Club

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Anyone else find LG Switch kind of annoying? 😅
It’s such a strange monitor companion app. It has stuff like video calling built in, but whenever I just want to change something simple like brightness or picture mode, it takes 10+ seconds to load. Why?!
It’s been annoying me enough that I’m thinking I could probably just code something better myself 😂

Any interest here in trying it out if I actually build it? Thinking macOS only for now since I want it for work first.