First Kenwood Sovereignô THXÆ Ultra Receivers Boast Latest Advances In High-End Home Theatre Performance And Control

HDTV-Ready Universal Video, RS-232 Interface, PowerTouchô III Are Highlights

14-Jun-01

Kenwood USA Corporation introduced its first two home theatre receivers under the new premium branded Kenwood Sovereignô line featuring THXÆ Ultra certification. The new models offer many exclusive features to improve performance, simplify installation and operation, and permit easy integration with networked control systems. The VR-5900 includes the PowerTouchô III, an intelligent RF/IR touch-screen controller with fully-customizable menus and cloning capability.  ìThese two models showcase the best technologies Kenwood has to offer, including exclusive features not found on other receivers,î said Bob Law, Kenwood Vice President of Sales and Marketing. ìAddressing the needs of the U.S. market, these units provide unparalleled performance and power, as well as user interface and custom installation options to please consumers, dealers, and custom installers.î The VR-5900 is literally a heavyweight contender in the high-performance receiver market, weighing in at more than 43 pounds. Built on Kenwoodís newly designed super-ridged, low resonance steel chassis, the VR-5900 incorporates a high current power supply delivering 130 watts x 2 FTC (20 Hz - 20 kHz into 6 ohms, 0.03% THD) and 130 watts x 5 with all channels driven simultaneously. The receiver provides full independent dual-source, dual-zone operation and is equipped with two 12V relay outputs (one selectable). The VR-5900 features Perfect Macroô via the PowerTouch III controller, an exclusive Kenwood technology that ensures flawless execution of macro commands. The VR-5700 weighs in at 40.1 pounds and delivers 120 watts x 5 channels with all channels driven simultaneously, and in stereo, 120 watts x 2 FTC (20 Hz - 20 kHz, 6 ohms, 0.03% THD). The VR-5700, also a dual-source, dual-zone receiver; comes with a hard-key universal remote control with LCD display. The remote uses both RF and two-way IR signals to communicate with the receiver and other system components. Industry Firsts And Exclusive Features Of Kenwood SovereignKenwood is the first to equip its THX Ultra certified receivers with Dolby Pro Logic II decoding, a new technology designed for playing back stereo and Dolby SurroundÆ recordings through a 5.1-channel sound system. In addition, these receivers decode 7.1-channel THX Surround EXô, DTS-ESô Matrix 6.1, DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, and DTS Neo:6ô surround modes. Both receivers come with HDCDÆ and MPEG decoding and eight 96 kHz/24-bit D/A converters.Both units offer Universal Videoô HD, Kenwoodís exclusive video transcoding technology, which has been upgraded this year with more bandwidth (40 MHz at -3 dB) to accommodate HDTV signals from an outboard digital TV tuner. With Universal Video HD, the receiver automatically converts and switches the input video signal (composite, S-Video, or component) to the monitor - users need only make one connection from the receiver to the video monitor. No receiver from any other company offers this feature.Network ConnectivityIn another first for Kenwood, the new receivers are equipped with an RS-232 port. This allows for easy installation and integration into higher-end custom installations that use control systems from companies such as Panja and Crestron.The RS-232 port also allows all Sovereign receivers to integrate seamlessly with the new Kenwood Sovereign Entreô entertainment hub. Connecting the receiver to Entre allows traditional AM/FM radio stations to be integrated with Entreís Internet radio stations on the on-screen GUI, and also allows Entre to control some functions of the receiver.Designed for flexibility and system expansion, Kenwood has provided enough audio/video inputs and outputs for even the most extensive systems. Audio connections include 14 digital audio inputs (seven Toslink, seven coaxial), two digital audio outputs (one Toslink, one coaxial), 11 analog inputs, five analog outputs, and six-channel analog inputs for DVD-Audio/SACD playback. For video connections, each unit includes two component video inputs, six S-Video inputs and two outputs, six composite inputs, and one monitor output each for the component, S-Video, and composite connections.While the back panel provides flexibility for current and future connectivity, the front panel maintains its clean, industrial design and midnight black finish. Exclusive Kenwood Technologies: Ultrasonic Response Amplifierô, 32-bit D.R.I.V.E.ô III, and K-STATô Kenwoodís proprietary Ultrasonic Response Amplifier, featured in Kenwood Sovereign receivers, offers flat frequency response to 100 kHz while maintaining stable operation. This is particularly important for the DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD) formats, providing audio playback that maximizes the full potential of these new high resolution audio formats. The upper limits of the receiver frequency response approaches 96 kHz, versus the maximum 44.1 kHz response achievable with conventional compact discs. Kenwood has also included its exclusive digital distortion reduction technology, the 32-bit D.R.I.V.E. III in the Kenwood Sovereign line. D.R.I.V.E. IIIís new software-based architecture provides ideal sonic performance characteristics for any type of digital stereo input signal, increasing resolution beyond what was possible with earlier, hardware-based versions of D.R.I.V.E. Kenwood's exclusive K-STAT power transistors used in the receiverís amplifier section improves musical detail and definition, provides more consistent sound at all volume levels and temperature conditions, and eliminates the need to ""warm up"" the receiver to achieve optimum amplifier performance. The Kenwood Sovereign power supply has been improved over earlier Kenwood products by adding two 24,000 µf Elna Audio Grade capacitors with TonerexÆ technology, along with some of the worldís largest E-Type transformers. The result is a power supply providing instantaneous current reserves for load speakerís power during the most demanding source materials, such as movie soundtracks. Each receiver has built-in HDCDÆ decoding to preserve the high resolution sound of the specially-recorded discs, giving the consumer the full benefit of HDCD decoding from any CD or DVD player that is connected to the receiver via a digital cable.The Ultimate In Remote ControlThe VR-5900ís PowerTouch III can also control X-10Æ and Lutronô lighting systems, and the Makitaô drapery system. These accessories can be controlled by the receiverís ""macros"" that automatically open/close drapes/shades, turn on/dim or turn off lights at the touch of a button. The Kenwood Sovereign VR-5900 and Sovereign VR-5700 are available through authorized Kenwood dealers as of June with suggested retail prices of $3,000 and $2,000, respectively.For more information about Kenwood USA Corporation, visit www.kenwoodusa.com.

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