Archive for category Av receives

Sony A/V receiver

A/V receiver STR-DB1010

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Sony is living up to its new “Make. Believe” tagline by filling in yet another missing piece of the 3D puzzle. This time round, the Japanese electronics giant is launching its first 3D-ready A/V receiver in the form of the STR-DN1010. This sleek 7.1-channel kit features HDMI 1.4 3D pass-through technology for supporting 3D HDTVs and Blu-ray players, on top of high-resolution Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio surround sound decoding. Another unique proposition is S-AIR with wireless 2nd zone function which enables users to set up a separate listening room without the usual snaking cables.

Slated for the US this June, the midrange STR-DB1010 is surprisingly affordable at only US$500, too. We do foresee one potential problem. The HDMI 1.4 and 3D technology contradicts Sony’s earlier claim that all PlayStation 3 consoles will be 3D upgradeable. Both the original fat and slim models are using HDMI 1.3 chipsets which are not 3D-ready officially. For the record, Sherwood already announced its 3D-ready RD-7505 back at CES 2010, slating this for May

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Yamaha Integrated Receiver

YHT-S400 Subwoofer-Integrated Receiver

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The YHT-S400 provides HD Audio compatibility, three 1080p-compatible HDMI inputs (and one output), Yamaha’s exclusive AIR SURROUND XTREME, UniVolume and Extended Stereo technologies. The YHT-S400’s sound bar stands 2″ high and fits in front of most 32 to 50″ TVs without blocking the screen. In addition, the feet of the sound bar can be adjusted horizontally or vertically, or taken off entirely, for additional installation flexibility. By integrating the system’s subwoofer into the receiver, Yamaha is able to offer users an easy connection to a full-featured receiver without adding a separate component and the ability to place the unit in a rack or on the floor in tight spaces. For optimal sound quality, the YHT-S400 accepts HD Audio signals (linear PCM transmission) from Blu-ray disc players. Three 1080-compatible HDMI inputs enable three different HDMI sources to be connected to the receiver. Yamaha’s UniVolume feature maintains a consistent volume level between different channel, programs, commercials and input sources. For instance, when watching TV, the volume of commercials will not be louder than the program being viewed. The same is true when switching sources to watch a DVD or Blu-ray movie or to listen to music on CD. This is particularly helpful for late night watching and listening when spikes in volume can disturb others in the house or apartment building.

Yamaha’s proprietary AIR SURROUND XTREME technology better delivers sound around the listener than other “virtual surround” systems. Dialogue is clearly heard from the center while ambient audio from on-screen action is clearly heard from the right, left and behind the viewer with smooth sound movement from position to position. AIR SURROUND XTREME can also deliver surround sound from 7-channel sources. Yamaha’s exclusive Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF) maintains the dynamic virtual surround sound regardless of the viewers’ positioning or direction they are facing. Yamaha’s proprietary Extended Stereo technology moves the stereo image further to the sides. With it, audio from the 31½” sound bar sounds as if it is emanating from speakers that are five feet or more apart, resulting in a wider optimum sound field. The YHT-S400 also has HDMI CEC functionality that allows the unit to automatically power on with CEC-compatible TVs. In this scenario, the TV remote can also control the YHT-S400’s volume. CEC-compatibility also provides advanced functions with other components. The YHT-S400 also supports Yamaha’s YDS-11 universal iPod dock and YBA-10 Bluetooth wireless audio receiver to stream A2DP audio from Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and pc’s , etc.

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Harman Kardon’s home theater system

Harman Kardon’s HS 300 integrated home theater system

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The HS 300 integrated home theater system is ideal for style-conscious consumers seeking a compact, high-performance all-in-one system that fits easily into the home.

Ths HS 300 includes an ultra-slim 5.1-channel receiver/DVD-Audio/Video player, a multichannel 2-way speaker package with a 10” 100 watt powered subwoofer and a system remote control that incorporates extensive video control capabilities such as picture in-picture and aspect-ratio adjustment. The integrated electronic components offer HDMI connectivity and built-in video up-conversion to to 1080i.  The HS 300 can play back a wide variety of disc types and formats, and features two USB ports that enable connection to a USB device for playback of music, movie and image files with navigation from an onboard GUI interface. This 5.1 channel speaker system is rated at 35 watts per channel.The Harman Kardon HS 300 integrated home theater system is available now at a suggested retail price of $999 CAD.  Optionally available matching extruded aluminum HTFS2 speaker floorstands are available at $149 CAD/pr.

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