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Filed under: Home Entertainment

Not content with sneaking a dedicated Blu-ray player into CEDIA, Cambridge Audio has just taken the plastic off of two new HiFi systems in Milan. The Sonata, aimed squarely at audio junkies, consists of a 2.1-channel DAB receiver (£299; $547), which offers 40-watts of amplification per channel and your choice of an upscaling 1080p DVD player or a Wolfson-DAC-loaded CD unit for another £179 ($327). The all-in-one Fusion (£300; $549) includes 30-watts per channel, an integrated CD player, DAB / FM tuner, USB port, an SD slot and a customized iPod dock (which is also bundled with the aforementioned Sonata). Both units are slated to hit the UK in silver and black, though the November-bound Fusion will get a jump on the Sonata, which hits in February 2009.

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Networking

Sony’s got a smorgasbord of new kit comin’ atcha from the heart of Denver, so we’ll get things started with two new ES-series receivers. Just when you thought you’d seen the last of Sony’s 2008 ES lineup, along comes two more making their US debut. Both the STR-DA6400ES and STR-DA5400ES offer up second room high-def video / audio distribution via CAT5e wiring, meaning that you can zip along HD content over your existing home network. Additionally, the former unit packs two CAT5e inputs and is DLNA-compliant. Wondering what that means for you? It means that Sony now has an AVR that can stream music, photos and video from a DLNA-compliant PC while accessing online music content from Rhapsody and Shoutcast sans a PC. Beyond that, there’s the Faroudja DCDi Cinema chips, support for x.v.Color / Deep Color, Direct Stream Digital decoding, BRAVIA Sync and a 120-watt x 7 internal amplifier in each device. Catch the full release after the jump, and catch whichever unit suits your fancy within the next month for $2,500 / $2,000.

Continue reading Sony’s STR-DA6400ES and STR-DA5400ES receivers do HD streaming over CAT5e

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: CES, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Pioneer is expanding its CES lineup with four new audio-video receivers, one of which supports the new high-definition audio codecs found in Blu-ray and HD DVD. The VSX-518-K, VSX-818V-K, VSX-918V-K, and VSX-1018TXH-K A/V receivers all feature Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration with an included microphone for tweaking acoustics in the room, three 1080p-capable component inputs, and Auto Level Control for equalizing volume between sources. The VSX-518-K, 818V, and 918V all feature P.H.A.T (Pioneer Hybrid Amplifier Technology) power sources and support for WMA9 Pro over 5.1 channels, with the 518 dropping support for XM and Sirius satellite, iPod, and HDMI inputs. The big news is the VSX-1018TXH-K, with its support for 130 watts over 7.1 channels using a Direct Energy power supply, HDMI upscaling to 1080p, six digital inputs, and support for the lossy Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution, and lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio codecs. The VSX-518-K is priced at $199, the VSX-818V-K at $249, the VSX-918V-K at $349, all releasing in April, and the VSX-1018TXH-K will come to market in June for $599.

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Source: Erik Hanson

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

Samsung’s delivering the perfect receiver coming to add some wattage to your volume-deprived home entertainment system: the AV-R720. Clocking in at a massive 850-watts, the home-theatre-ready box should add a little kick the next time you’re watching Bad Boys II or Animal Planet. The receiver can rock 1080p video, features 7.1 surround sound, and has two HDMI ins and outs, plus component, composite, digital coaxial, and optical jacks. As of right now, the AV-R720 is only available in Germany (for around €659), but hopefully it will make its way Stateside.

[Thanks, Tony C]

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Source: Joshua Topolsky

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

Normally home theater receivers aren’t considered anything special, content to switch inputs and power speakers, letting the plasma flat-panel take all the glory. But Yamaha has thrown all the goodies and features into the RX-Z11 receiver, with THX Ultra2 Plus certification for quality assurance, five HDMI 1.3a inputs and two outputs, four component inputs and two outs, and support for five audio and two video zones. It also supports the newest audio codecs, including Dolby TrueHD, and DTS Master Audio. To finish off the features, the receiver also supports terrestrial HD and XM satellite radio, network capabilities and internet radio, and includes an iPod dock for external media. The RX-Z11 comes out in November, for an undisclosed (but surely expensive) price.

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Source: Erik Hanson

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

Shortly after Sony unveiled its newly revamped ES lineup of AV receivers, along comes Yamaha with a powerful new duo of its own. The RX-V3800 (140-watt x 7) and RX-V1800 (130-watt x 7) each support lossless Dolby Digital TrueHD / DTS-HD and feature Yamaha’s Cinema DSP processing engine, video upscaling to 1080p, HDMI 1.3a, and an Ethernet connection that enables consumers to “access internet radio stations, music files stored on a PC, and the company’s MusicCAST audio system server.” Furthermore, the units are also compatible with your iPod and XM radio via optional adapters, include Burr-Brown 192kHz/24bit DACs, and will be on display at next month’s CEDIA expo. As expected, neither of these devices can be classified as cheap, as the less powerful RX-V1800 will demand $1,299.95, while the higher-end RX-V3800 rings up at $1,699.95.

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Source: Darren Murph

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