Sherwood Newcastle R-972 A/V receiver

At CES 2007 Sherwood Newcastle announced one of the most features rich A/V receivers TPV has yet seen: the 7 x 100 Wpc R-972, which will sell for $1499.95. Intended as the flagship model in Sherwood’s performance-oriented Newcastle range, the R-972 includes a raft of audio and video processing features rarely seen in competing AVRs at any price.

A Sherwood spokesman told TPV, “we created a list of ‘dream features’ we felt would make for an ideal AVR, and then built the receiver to fit the list.” And an ambitious list it is. For starters, The R-972 will be be able to scale incoming analog video signals to 720p, 1080i, or 1080p, and will include the powerful Faroudja “Cortez” chipset. Next, the R-972 will support HDMI 1.3 and will provide decoder chip-level support for Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio HD meaning the receiver will be able to support the most advanced audio options planned for HD DVD and Blu-ray Disk.

The receiver will also support Neural Surround–a new multichannel encoding/decoding scheme that will soon become a THX-licensed technology. Completing the picture, the R-972 provides an RF remote (meaning the receiver can be controlled by the remote even if located in a cabinet with opaque doors), XM support, and Audyssey Laboratories auto-setup/room EQ functions.

The R-972 should appear on the market in the July/August 2007 timeframe, and TPV hopes to report on the receiver shortly after it enters full production.

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