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Friday, February 10, 2012

In the world of equipment racks and accessories no company offers residential and commercial electronics professionals more products and support than Middle Atlantic.

The Fairfield, N.J.-based company's latest product series taps into the growing trend of space-conscious electronics installations by offering installers a choice of products that fit into small locations. Middle Atlantic's new HRF Series Half Rack Systems are engineered to provide electronics professionals with a line of products that comply to the Electronic Components Industry Association's (ECIA) increasingly relevant half rack size standards.

Middle Atlantic says the racks utilize the standard's proposed dimensions, as well as an offset cable tie area that keep the products' overall width under 11 inches. The HRF Series products are constructed with welded frames, and they are manufactured in a choice of eight or 12 rack space options with companion mounting holes and slots.

Thursday, February 09, 2012

With headphones now one of the top selling categories in consumer electronics the market has adapted and the audiophile community has latched onto this trend, which was initially driven by neophyte audio listeners.

HiFiMAN, a manufacturer of headphones, high-performance portable audio devices and other components recently introduced its EF-6 headphone amplifier, which it says enables audiophiles and music fans in general to utilize low-efficiency headphones to listen to their favorite tunes.

The 24 pound, robustly built amplifier is made of brushed aluminum and steel with aluminum heat sinks, and internally it provides users with a 5 watt, Class A circuit and a hand-built step attenuator with matched resistors that contribute to its symmetrical output. The EF-6 is stated to produce a quiet 95dB signal-to-noise (s/n) ratio, and HiFiMAN says that as a result of the engineering behind the EF-6, users can enjoy a warm, relaxing sound with lots of detail no matter what headphone it is driving.

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

For decades NAD has been lauded by audiophiles for its high performing and affordable product line. Over the past few years the company has put a considerable amount of effort into updating its product line through new industrial designs, proprietary technologies and other innovations that are ahead of the market's technology curve.

One of the company's latest product releases is the Masters Series M51 Direct Digital DAC. This new digital-to-analog converter (DAC) employs the same digital processing circuitry as its M2 Direct Digital Amplifier and it is engineered to provide electronics professionals with a solution that enables them to bridge their clients' existing A/V systems into the world of digital audio. NAD says the product is designed to perform with low noise levels, low levels of distortion, low levels of digital jitter; overall signal linearity and a wide dynamic range.

NAD says the product accepts PCM data rates up to 24-bit/192kHz, and it includes a choice of inputs such as USB, HDMI and optical, as well as balanced (XLR) and single-ended (RCA) outputs.

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

A couple of years ago the Riverside, California A/V manufacturer Proficient introduced its first wireless audio solution it called AirFlex. Recently the company released its latest wireless audio system it calls Zero.

Proficient says the new wireless audio system builds upon the capabilities of the AirFlex and the company says the solution is capable of broadcasting audio signals as far as 90 feet to enable electronics professionals to offer existing home clients whole-house audio solutions that can be tailored to their exact requirements.

Some of the new features Proficient has built into the Zero wireless audio system include the ability to expand up to eight receivers per transmitter, and with the transmitter's three broadcast channels installers can dial in a level of performance that is consistent and reliable. The transmitter also incorporates an optical input that can be transmitted simultaneously with the analog inputs. Proficient says that transmitting all of the inputs allows a transmitter to send "left and right" audio for zone two or rear surrounds, as well as audio for a subwoofer in a home theater. The Zero receiver features a 2x35 watt-per channel amplifier and an LED display that shows system status.

Monday, February 06, 2012

Meridian has earned a reputation within audiophile circles for producing some of the consumer audio industry's finest digital components.

At the recently completed Consumer Electronics Show (CEA) the British A/V company announced its new 818 Reference Audio Core preamplifier that it says will enable its dealers to easily combine its flagship 800 series components with its Sooloos line of digital audio components. The preamplifier incorporates the latest in standard consumer electronics technologies such as XLR (balanced) and RCA (unbalanced) connections, as well as proprietary technologies that include advanced digital signal processing (DSP) and the company's SpeakerLink outputs to facilitate connections to its active DSP line of loudspeakers.

With the 818 Reference Audio Core preamplifier and a choice of Sooloos series components Meridian says that electronics professionals can create a customizable, state-of-the-art audio system for their clients, or they can use the component with standard A/V components to create a system that utilizes the best traditional and digital electronics.

Friday, February 03, 2012

Runco has established its top level, 73d projector as arguably one best performing 3D projectors in the entire residential market. The company's latest projector, the newly announced LS-12d maintains many of the 73d's performance characteristics, but at price levels that are considerably lower than its flagship product.

The LS-12d is an active-shutter, three-chip DLP projector that Runco says can be used situations in which homeowners want a high-performance projector that aesthetically doesn't detract from their home's interior design. To ensure the projector's visual compatibility with today's modern home designs, Runco dresses the projector with its LightStyle industrial design and backs it with its FinishPalette color program that allows consumers a full choice of exterior color choices.

Runco ships the LS-12d projector with is 2U outboard DC-300 controller unit, which provides authorized installers with a convenient means to setup and calibrate the projector, and three pairs of active-shutter 3D glasses.

Thursday, February 02, 2012

Over the past several months the momentum behind the HDBaseT transmission technology has grown with several manufacturers adopting the format and releasing new products into the marketplace.

The latest company to launch a new HDBaseT product into the professional electronics market is Audio Authority. The Lexington, Kentucky-based manufacturer's new HBT200KIT is a HDBaseT solution that electronics professionals can use to address long-range signal transmission issues in commercial and residential system environments.

Audio Authority says the HBT200KIT is capable of sending uncompressed HD video, lossless audio, IR and RS-232 control signals distances as far as 330 feet with a single Cat-5e/Cat-6 cable. The company says the kit includes a transmitter and receiver and the components are compliant with HDCP/EDID protocols to ensure the system's compatibility with a variety of displays and source components.

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

In the world of networking it's not too often that a custom installer can say that there's a networking component specifically for the custom electronics industry.

In the case of the newly released Pakedge S8W 8-port gigabit switch however, electronics professionals will find a networking device with home theater, security and traditional networking in its DNA. Pakedge says the switch is equipped with eight auto-sensing 10/100/1000Mbps ports and it can be implemented without any preconfiguration. The Foster City, California-based company also says the high-speed, compact switch is compliant with all of the latest networking protocols to ensure its compatibility with all of the latest networking technologies.

Pakedge ships the 8-port gigabit switch with a wall-mounting bracket and it incorporates custom installation features such as the ability to automatically negotiate network speed and duplex mode with connected devices. The company adds the switch is made with a metal enclosure that can be placed on a table, in a rack or hung on a wall.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Ludacris is one of the sharpest and most successful entertainers in both the world of music and in movies. The entertainment mogul's latest venture is SOUL by Ludacris, which is a line of headphones and other audio accessories, and recently the line was upgraded with a new pair of headphones that are as sharp as the man they are named after.

The newly released SL150CS chrome silver Limited Edition headphones build upon the basic feature set of the company's SL150 products with the addition of a sharp chrome finish. The headphones are trimmed with black padding on the headpiece and gloss black accents along the ear pieces to provide music lovers, DJs and sound engineers with a stylish sound solution that also rocks.

SOUL by Ludacris has engineered the speakers to produce a balanced, full sound and the headphones can be used for a variety of applications. The headphones work with Apple's iPod, iPhone and iPad products, as well as other portable devices, including Android products, and the SL150CS headphones ship with two cables and 1/4-jack accessories to allow music fans to use the headphones with traditional stereo components.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Beyond the obvious attraction of the four major sports leagues (NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA) it's surprising that Americans can get their competition fix through seemingly innocuous activities such as eating or video games.

Oddly enough however, there are competitive eating leagues and video gaming leagues. Unlike the competitive eating events which could be potentially messy and hazardous to the participants' health, competitive gaming doesn't burden those athletes digestive tracks. All gaming participants need are nimble thumbs and state-of-the-art computer displays. BenQ's new XL Series monitors can't help competitive gamers improve their gaming controller clicks-per-minute times, but these new monitors can help them resolve the action better. The company's XL2420T and XL2420TX are designed to provide users the highest levels of performance with features such as 120Hz refresh rates, 2ms GTG response times and dynamic contrast ratios as high as 12M:1.

BenQ worked with famous gamers such as Emil "HeatoN" Christensen, Abdisamad "SpawN" Mohamed and Michael "ahl" Korduner to engineer the products to meet the requirements of the competitive gaming community. The monitors incorporate BenQ's proprietary color engines, unique display modes and customized memory settings to store specific calibrations for specific games. The XL240T is NVIDIA 3D Vision 2 ready for those that want an upgrade path to 3D and the XL2420TX offers an embedded 3D IR emitter and two pairs of active 3D glasses.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Mark Levinson is one of the most famous names in high performance residential audio and recently at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) the respected American manufacturer announced several new products.

Arguably the most interesting of these products is the No.585 integrated amplifier. The No.585 marks a return to the integrated amplifier category, and according to Levinson, the new integrated amp is part of the company's 40th Anniversary Collection of products, which also includes the No.52 Reference Dual-Monaural Preamplifier, the No.519 SACD and the No.560 Digital Audio Processor.

The No.585 integrated amplifier's amplification section is rated to deliver 225 watts into an 8-ohm load, and it offers a choice of three line-level analog inputs, as well as a moving-magnet (MM)/moving-coil (MC) phono input. Levinson also includes a choice of HDMI 1.3, USB, AES/EBU, and coax S/PDIF inputs, along with USB and S/PDIF digital outputs. Internally the integrated amp incorporates 24-bit/192kHz digital-to-analog converters (DACs); on-board bass management with high-pass filtering, low-pass crossover controls for use with a subwoofer and the company's SSP mode that supports the unit's integration into a home theater system.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

It doesn't matter if you are a die-hard two-channel enthusiast or a home theater lover when it comes to owning McIntosh gear. The company makes products that satisfies the demands of both markets without compromise.

Adding to its home theater legacy, the Binghampton, N.Y.-based company introduced its latest product to the home theater category: the MC8207 home theater amplifier. McIntosh says the new amplifier is engineered to provide the luxury, high-performance with a product that performs to the highest levels. McIntosh says the seven-channel amplifier incorporates its proprietary Dynamic Power Management circuit that allows for full power delivery into 4- and 8-ohm speaker loads. Aesthetically, the amp features the company's new "theater style" LED watt meters, which allows users to monitor the amount of power sent to their system's front three speakers.

McIntosh says the amp is rated to deliver 200 watts per channel, and it can be used with the company's line of A/V controllers to form a complete home theater electronics solution.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

With the vinyl format bigger than ever, long-time category supporters such as Audio Technica (AT) are benefiting through the increased interest in their respective products now that consumers are spinning records again.

One product that is receiving a lot of interest from Audio Technica is the AT 150ANV moving-coil phono cartridge. The product was released to celebrate its 50th anniversary as a company, and AT says the cartridge combines traditional phono cartridge design elements with new technologies to provide music lovers with a product that taps into the best qualities of yesterday and today. According to Audio Technica, the AT150ANV employs a Micro Linear stylus tip that's mounted to a solid boron cantilever. The cartridge also uses a machined-aluminum housing and dampening materials to eliminate resonances to ensure musical clarity and resolution.

Audio Technica states the AT150ANV's frequency response is 10Hz to 23kHz, and its output is rated at 4mV. In addition, the company says its vertical tracking force is 1.2 to 1.8 grams, and its recommended load impedance is 47k ohms.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

A couple of years ago the suburban Boston-based company Atlantic Technology played a trick on the assembled press corp during its CEDIA news conference by playing its then new set of speakers next to a subwoofer. Later during the press conference company president Peter Tribeman revealed that the sub was never on and the bass output from the system was reproduced by the small footprint floorstanding speakers that were on display.

Using the same technology from its small footprint floorstanding AT-1 speakers Atlantic Technology recently launched its AT-2 bookshelf loudspeakers. Standing about 16 inches tall the AT-2 employs the company's H-PAS enclosure technologies, which it says are completely unique when compared to the industry standard acoustic suspension, ported and transmission line designs, and because it implements the H-PAS technologies it can play down to 41Hz. Handling the speaker's top end is a single Atlantic Technology Low-Resonance Tweeter (LRT), and in tandem with the cabinet technologies, 51/4-inch woofer and crossover network the speaker can create a frequency response of 41Hz to 20kHz.

The speaker can be used for a variety of residential sound applications, and Atlantic Technology says the 6-ohm speaker is 88dB sensitive, which means it can be used with a majority of A/V receivers and amplifiers.

Monday, January 23, 2012

When top dealers such as Nick Tamburri of AHA Design consistently laud HAI for its line of home control, home automation and security products, it says the company must be doing something right.

Validating those opinions are actions such as the New Orleans-based company's recent announcement that it is releasing a software update to enhance its control and security systems' usability. Just after the start of the new year HAI revealed that it is updating its controller software to allow for the two-way integration of ZigBee and Z-Wave wireless door locks. HAI dealers that install Omni and Lumina home control systems will be able to utilize wireless door locks from top manufacturers such as Kwikset, Yale and Schlage, and the company says that with the update homeowners can lock and unlock as many as 16 doors using HAI tuchscreens and keyfobs, and they can control these solutions remotely via HAI's Apple iOS and Android apps.

HAI says that installers should make sure the Omni Pro II, Omni IIe, Lumina Pro and Lumina controllers are running software version 3.10 or later, and that Z-Wave integration requires Leviton RF+3 Serial Interface Module part number VRCOP. In addition ZigBee integrations will require HAI's ZigBee Interface Module part number 81A00-3ZB running firmware 14.08 or greater.