Pacific Microsonics Announces HDCDÆ For All New Kenwood 4000 Series A/V Receivers

18-Apr-00

Pacific Microsonics announced that Kenwood has incorporated Pacific Microsonics' high resolution HDCDÆ digital audio technology in Kenwood's new 4000 series Home Theater Receivers. The product line-up includes models VR-4080, VR-4090, VR-4700 and VR-4900. ""We're very pleased to be launching the first audio/video receivers to incorporate HDCD decoding from Pacific Microsonics,"" stated Petro Shimonishi, Marketing Strategy Manager for Kenwood USA. ""We believe that incorporating HDCD decoding into our new high-end A/V receivers will provide consumers the ability to benefit from the advanced sound quality of HDCD-encoded CDs when using a digital connection from a CD or DVD player that does not have the decoder."" Connecting a DVD or CD player's digital output to a Kenwood 4000 series AVR enables all of the HDCD encoded information to be passed to AVR for full HDCD decoding and filtering. Standard CDs will also sound better when played through an HDCD-equipped AVR because the HDCD decoder also contains the HDCD precision digital filter. In addition to HDCD decoding and digital filtering, all models are also equipped with DolbyÆ Digital and DTSÆ. ""Pacific Microsonics is very pleased to have contributed an important technology to Kenwood's new top-line of A/V receivers,"" said Andy Johnson, Vice President of Marketing for Pacific Microsonics. ""Consumers can now add the superb fidelity of HDCD to their audio systems without having to buy a new CD or DVD player,"" Johnson continued. About Pacific Microsonics HDCD Developed by Pacific Microsonics, HDCD (High Definition Compatible DigitalÆ) is a patented family of technologies that deliver the full richness and detail of the original performance through all digital audio release formats. By correcting distortions found in current digital recording technology, HDCD A/D conversion, dynamic digital filtering, dither and amplitude encoding/decoding provide extended dynamic range, a focused 3-D sound stage, and extremely natural musical timbre. HDCD CD, DVD or Internet distributed digital recordings offer improved sound quality with any playback system, and when reproduced on HDCD equipped systems, have the potential to provide 20-bit or greater sound quality from all digital audio release formats. Pacific Microsonics' HDCD technology is licensed to leading semiconductor companies supplying audio IC chips including Analog Devices, Burr Brown, Sanyo, Crystal, Motorola, and Oak Technology. Over 4,500 different HDCD CD titles have been recorded and over 250 million HDCD CDs have been sold. HDCD encoded CDs are available at all music retail stores including Tower, HMV, Virgin, The Wherehouse, and from Internet music stores like Amazon.com, CDnow.com as well as Pacific Microsonics' Internet Music Store (www.hdcd.com). There are more than 100 different HDCD-equipped CD players, DVD players, and A/V receivers now available from world-leading consumer electronics companies including Toshiba, Denon, Harman Kardon, Kenwood, Linn, Madrigal (Mark Levinson), Marantz, Rotel and Arcam.

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