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Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity has posted a review of Outlaw Audio’s newest preamp/processor & 7-channel amplifier combo.

At $1,099 for the 990 and $999 for the 7125, the two Outlaw units both represent excellent bargains in their respective markets. All of the processors and amplifiers I could find with comparable, and in many cases inferior feature sets, cost significantly more than the Outlaw units. In addition, I feel these two units together represent a better value than the receivers that they would compete with on a cost basis.

View Secrets of Home Theater and HiFi Review

Outlaw Audio has released information on their new budget preamp/processor, the Model 970. From the looks of it the Model 970 is the Model 1070 Receiver without the amplifier section. The model 970 has the following features:
•Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic IIx fully adjustable, Dolby Virtual Speaker, Dolby Headphone
•DTS-ES Discrete and Matrix, DTS-96/24, DTS NEO-6
•192 kHz 24-bit DAC’s for all channels
•Performance Matched Op Amps in the Critical Path
•Analog Bypass mode for all inputs
•Quadruple Crossover Control (Separate settings for Front L/R, Center, Surround L/R, Surround Back L/R)
•Upgradeable via RS-232
•Transcoding between composite, S-Video and Component Video Inputs
•4 Optical and 4 Coaxial Digital Inputs
•Optical and Coaxial Digital Output
•Lip Synch Delay
•On Screen Display (via composite, S-Video and Component)
•32-Bit CS-49400 Crystal Processor
•7.1 channel direct input with full digital bass management, analog bass management and pure by-pass
•2-channel subwoofer offset
•7.1 RCA pre-amp outputs
•High performance tuner
•Direct access station tuning via remote control
•30 Station Presets
•IR control with 1 inputs and 1 output
•2 Video Record Out Selectors
•12-Volt Trigger
•3 HD capable Component Video Inputs
•2 DVI Inputs 1 DVI Output
•5 Audio/Video
•4 Audio Inputs
•Channel Level Memory
•Sleep Timer
•Aluminum Front Panel
At an MSRP of $699 this gives those with a receiver budget the ability to make the jump to seperates. Outlaw should have some excellent budle deals with the Model 970 Preamp/Processor and one of their multi-channel amplifiers.
View Model 970 Preamp/Processor Product Page
View AVSForum thread

GR-Research has begun distributing a new line of budget DACs by Liteaudio; one DAC will feature a solid state output stage while the other two will use a tubed output stage. Modifications from Sonic Craft will be available for each of the three DACs. Here is some information on the three models:

DAC-AH

The DAC-AH uses CS8414 as digital input receiver, 8 pcs of TDA1543 in parallel (matched). EL2044 OPAMP, On board with three separate rectifier and regulators provide power to digital and analog circuit. Optical and Coaxial input selectable (Ready plug in and play). There is an input selector switch on the back panel next to the IEC input connector.

DAC-72

The DAC-72 has tube output, 20-bit 96kHz DAC using BB 20-bit PCM 1702 U-K DAC, digital filter using DF1704, Receiver using CS8414, two 6922EH tubes output with sampling frequency display board, optical and coaxial input, Dale resistor, OS-con, etc, tubes are new and using audio grade components with two R-core power transformers.

DAC-60

The DAC-60 has a tube output with a 24bit 96kHz DAC D/A chip using BB famous 24-bit PCM1704U-K, DIF CS8414, digital filter is DF1704, VCO for low jitter, optical and coaxial input selectable with input frequency display. Two 6922EH tubes with sampling frequency display board, optical and coaxial input, Dale resistor, OS-con, etc, tubes are new and using audio grade components with two R-core power transformers.

View Liteaudio DACs Product Page
View Audiocircle thread

Ascend Acoustics has released information on their upcoming updates to CBM-170, CMT-340m and CMT-340c; the Signature Edition (SE) moniker has been added to reflect the changes. All three speakers include a new tweeter built by SEAS of Norway; each speaker uses the same 27mm tweeter dome but the CMT-340m and CMT-340c include a larger ferrite magnet while the CBM-170m uses a smaller neodymium magnet. The new tweeter offers cleaner more detailed highs while eliminating the harshness of the original CMT-340m tweeter at high volumes. All three speakers sport upgraded woofers while the CMT-340m SE adds a larger cabinet tuned 10hz lower (40hz) than its predecessor. David Fabrikant of Ascend Acoustics mentions that the upgrades to the 340m allowed him to revise his recommendation that the 340m requires a subwoofer to sound its best. With the larger lower tuned cabinet regarding the new CMT-340m SE David Fabrikant says, “Something I have been wanting to say for a while now.. go ahead.. run them full-range all day long if you wish.” These new speakers will begin shipping in mid-January at a price of $568 for the CMT-340m SE, and CMT-340c and $348 for the CBM-170m.

View CMT-340m Ascend Forum thread
View CBM-170m Ascend Forum thread

For those of you hoping to replace your progressive scan dvd player with the xbox 360 you may have to reconsider. A review on Arstechnica concludes that the xbox 360 dvd player does not even compare with budget (< $100) progressive scan dvd players.
Ben Kuchera of Arstechnica writes:

On the other hand, this is something that is designed to be hooked into people’s home theaters, and frankly on a large high definition screen the 360’s DVD player simply doesn’t keep up. The colors are murky, and in many scenes it’s easy to notice dithering and artifacts in the deep black areas of the picture. Considering the picture the system cranks out for games is so sharp and clear, a DVD player this mediocre is a head scratcher. Did Microsoft just not care enough to put the time and money into making sure the DVD player had a great picture? It seems as if they were more interested in a bullet point on the back of a box than having something that people would actually want to use on a day to day basis.

It looks like Microsoft dropped the ball on this one; hopefully some improvements can be made through a software update.
View complete review on Arstechnica

 

Harman Kardon has released the long-awaited firmware update for their AVR 635 Receiver. The update resolves the following issues:

*If the incoming data stream is stopped while a digital audio source is playing, the AVR will now remember the last used surround mode and return to that mode when the stream resumes.
*Text messages have been updated for improved ease of use.
*Other enhancements have been made to improve system operation, and performance.

I will be interested to see some user feedback on the 3rd item in the list which hopefully includes updates to the EZSet/EQ operation.
View Firmware update page

Pioneer posted information on their website regarding their new top-of-the-line Elite DVD player, the DV-79 AVi. It includes a few important upgrades over the previous flagship DV-59AVi: upgraded chroma bug free MPEG decoder, HDMI 1.1, upgraded 10-bit VQE9 deinterlacer, and dual iLink ports.
View Product Page
View AVSForum thread

AV123 has recently added information on their website for the upcoming speaker that replaces the venerable Rocket RS750, the Rocket RS760. The Rocket RS760 is a 3-way floorstanding design with an upper MTM arrangement which includes the well-regarded Vifa ring radiator tweeter flanked by two 5.25in aluminum woofers; two lower 6.5in woofers fill in the bass. The crossover which was designed by Danny Ritchie of GR-Research features a crossover point of 1750khz from the tweeter to the 5.25in woofers and 180hz from the 5.25in woofers to the 6.5in woofers; this results in a frequency response of 38 Hz to 20 KHz (± 3 dB), a sensitivity of 87dB (@ 1 watt / 1 meter), and a nominal impedence of 8 ohms.
View Product Page
View AV123 forum thread

DIYCable has begun offering a kit based on the Hypex UCD-180 amplifier modules. The basic kit will be priced at $495 and will include:
* Pair of UCD-180 Modules (AD or ST version).
* Hypex ST or HG Power Supply
* 330VA Transformer x2 115VAC Primaries & x2 30VAC Secondaries.
* Exodus 2U Black powder coated chassis. Dimensions 12.5″ x 16.75″ x 3.5″.
* Schurter IEC with internal fuse holder.
* Exodus Binding Post.
* Exodus Female RCAs.
* Neutrik XLRs
* x2 Hypex Input cables
* Canare 14AWG Cable for internal power supply & speaker output wiring.
There also is an upgraded kit that includes Softstart, UCD-180AD & the HG power supply upgrades which will retail for $750.
View Audiocircle thread
View Product Page

Dusty of CIAudio has posted a thread on audiocircle with pictures and information of his new DAC, the VDA•2. It seems to be a significant upgrade from the VDA•1.

VDA•2 is a higher-end converter using a mild “slow roll-off” digital filter, and no analog filtering. Unlike NOS types, this reduces the sampling noise to inaudible levels without the harmful effects of brick-wall type filtering found in conventional oversampling DAC’s.

The differential current outputs use a unique single transistor design for I/V conversion and voltage gain (no op amps) to insure the purest signal quality.

The output configuration allows for maximum versatility by having all four outputs on individual RCA jacks, and can be used as two sets of single-ended outputs, or a single pair of true balanced with our optional VRX•1 cables

The CIAudio VDA•2 24/192 DAC will be priced $599 with the option of upgrading the wallwart power supply to the VAC•1 for an additional $159.
View Audiocircle thread