High Performance Audio, CEDIA 2011—Part 2

Posted by: Chris Martens at 11:11 am, September 14th, 2011

Harman’s display focused, at least in part, on two compact “BDS” systems—a 2.1-channel version and a 5.1-channel version (the BDS 800). The BDS systems are, a Harman spokesman noted, in the midst of a re-design and will be released with new, improved HDMI features and (where appropriate) 3D Blu-ray capabilities, early next year.

Prices will go down when the updated BDS systems arrive, with the 2.1-channel version selling for around $900 (the current version sells for $999), while the 5.1-channel version will sell for about $1200 (the current version sells for $1499). In both cases, the aim is to provide better features, higher performance, and a smaller footprint—all at reduced prices.

Integra

www.integrahometheater.com

Integra’s primary product release news for CEDIA involved two new A/V receivers—the DTR-80.3 and DTR-70.3, which add DTS NeoX processing and incorporate both HQV Vida video processors and a Marvell Qdeo 4K upscaler. The latter processor is used specifically to upscale 1080p signals to 4K resolution levels, which may well be the practical answer to the question, “What comes after HD?”

DTS NeoX, in turn, is characterized as a multi-mode surround processing system that can provide additional width and height channels, theoretically expanding to as many as 11.2 channels, though Integra’s new DTR-80.3 and DTR-70.3 are in fact 9.2-channel models. Interestingly, though the onboard amps have “only” 9 available channels, the receivers provide 11 sets of speaker taps, allowing the possibility of having, say, multiple zones of speakers wired up, and then reassigning amplifier channels to those zones on the fly—to best fit the user’s needs.

Also figuring heavily in the Integra display was the DHC-80.3 A/V controller. The controller has similar features upgrades to those seen in the new DTR-80.3 and DTR-70.3 AVRs, but with the addition of balanced outputs to support use with high performance balanced input-equipped amps, such as Integra’s DTA-70.1 multichannel amplifier.

Final pricing on the new models is still being finalized, but should be locked down soon. In keeping with past practice, though, prices are expected to be more than competitive with those typically seen for products of Integra’s caliber.

One important, but easy to overlook, aspect of the Integra display featured, where Integra showed documentation demonstrating its exceptionally high rankings in terms of customer satisfaction as perceived by custom installers and therefore, by extension, with end-users.

Integra also showed two new 3D Blu-ray players, the DBS-50.3 and DBS-30.2, the former THX-certified, with both models supporting streaming video and providing DLNA compatibility.

JBL Synthesis (Harman Luxury Audio Group)

www.jblsynthesis.com

The JBL display highlighted the firm’s ARCOS room correction system, a new certification program for ARCOS installers and master installers, and—especially—the rollout of Harman’s new Quantum Logic surround technology (which will be featured not only by JBL but also other Harman HPAV brands, including Lexicon and Mark Levinson).