Sony Media-slinging Blu-ray Player – The new Sony BDP-N460 plays Blu-ray discs and DVDs – while enhancing the latter using its Precision Upscale HD – but also streams several sorts of pay and free video content from Sony’s BRAVIA Internet platform, including content from YouTube and Slacker. Later this fall it will also get Netflix streaming movies. The player, at about $250, is now available and is compatible with the latest lossless audio codecs, BD-Live and external storage. Sony’s Precision Drive technology helps detect and correct any wobbling discs in the drive.
Klipsch and Polk Do Most Print Advertising – IFR Monitoring Print Advertisement Tracking shows that the Klipsch and Polk Audio speaker brands are seen more often than any others when it comes to print advertising. Both accounted for a combined share of 50% or higher during five months over the past year. Other brands with large advertising shares were Mirage, Yamaha, Bose and Definitive Technology.
Krell Slim-line Series Amps – High-end Krell Industries (named after the absent, advanced civilization in the movie Forbidden Planet) has introduced a pair of new S Series amps designed with modern day space constraints in mind: the S-275 (275 watts) and S-150M. The 275is a half-wide design allowing two amps to fit in the same space as a normal-sized amp. Both amps are discrete Class A with Krell Differential Current Mode circuitry. All circuit board traces are gold plated. Available in silver or black finish, the amps are priced at $5500 and $2500 respectively.
New HD Display Technology from Sharp – Sharp has developed a new photo-alignment technology called UV2A (Ultraviolet-induced Multi-domain Vertical Alignment) for LCD flat panels to precisely control the alignment of liquid crystal molecules in a simple LCD panel, and to dramatically improve the quality of images. Sharp calls the new line of hi-res LCDs ASV (Advanced Super View) and says they will be introduced as early as next year. The company calls the process pico-technology, saying it goes beyond nano-technology in controlling the tilt angle of liquid crystal molecules (around 2 nanometers size) with an accuracy measured in picometers. The technology eliminates light leakage from the backlight, allowing for the display of deep blacks – which has been a problem with most LCDs – and saving energy by making the most efficient use of light from the backlight. Sharp says it will also be ideal for enhancing the performance of both 4K and 3D TVs, which are expected to be the next generation of TVs.
Denon 9.3-channel AVR with Integrated Universal Player – The audio industry is finding an increased demand for integrated receivers, and Denon is leading the way with their new 9.3-channel AV receiver, due out in time for the holidays. It includes an integrated Blu-ray player, digital radio and DLNA connectivity. The AVR has Audyssey DSX post-processing technology, which adds soundstage-widening front channels plus front-height channels to the normal 5.1-channel setup. [Bravo! Much more sensible than the standard 7.1-channel setup…Ed.] It also has Dolby ProLogic IIz’ front-height signals, and Anchor Bay’s video technology upscales analog video to 1080p/24 HDMI. The new AVR has Wi-Fi, a second AM/FM tuner for HD Radio, 2.35:1 CinemaScope mode on video, Internet radio, Rhapsody and Napster streaming. The Blu-ray player also handles SACD and DVD-Audio discs and is the first to feature IP control, Web browser capability, DivxHD playback and remote access. An opportunity to get it all in a single package. (Wattage was not revealed.) [Can’t imagine what that rear panel must look like…Ed.]
