Kenwood Sovereign Unveils First Receivers To Earn THXÆ Select Certification

Universal Videoô HD, RS-232 Interface, THXÆ Surround EXô Are Highlights

14-Jun-01

Introducing the company's first home theatre receivers under the premium branded Kenwood Sovereignô line to earn the prestigious THXÆ Select certification from Lucasfilm, Kenwood USA Corporation unveiled the Kenwood Sovereign VR-5090 and VR-5080 audio/video receivers. Rounding out the line of four new Kenwood Sovereign full digital home theatre receivers, the VR-5090 and VR-5080 offer many exclusive features to improve performance, simplify installation and operation, and permit easy integration with networked control systems.Both units come with RS-232 ports (for network connectivity), All Channels Drivenô surround power, an Ultrasonic Response Amplifierô with K-STATô output devices, 32-bit D.R.I.V.E.ô III distortion reduction, HDCDÆ decoding, Kenwoodís two-way Pointlessô RF/IR preprogrammed/learning remote, and audio/video dual-room/dual-source operation. Additional features include six-channel inputs for DVD-Audio/SACD, THX Surround EXô decoding, and Universal Videoô HD.ìThese two THX Select receivers, in addition to the two new THX Ultra receivers we introduced, round out the new Kenwood Sovereign line,î said Bob Law, Kenwood Vice President of Sales and Marketing, ìKenwood Sovereign provides dealers with a variety of high performance features and Kenwood exclusive technologies to satisfy every customerís needs.î The VR-5090 and VR-5080 are serious contenders in the high performance, mid-priced receiver market. Both receivers deliver 110 watts x 2 FTC (20 Hz - 20 kHz, 6 Ohms, 0.03% THD) and 80 watts x 5 when all channels are driven simultaneously. For high quality reproduction of DolbyÆ Digital and DTSÆ soundtracks and music, the receivers incorporate 96 kHz/24-bit DACs.Kenwood Sovereign Exclusive FeaturesKenwood is the first to equip its THX Select 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 also decode 7.1-channel THX Surround EX, DTS-ESô Matrix 6.1, DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, and DTS Neo:6ô surround modes.The VR-5090 offers Universal Videoô HD, Kenwoodís exclusive video transcoding technology, which is 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 to make one connection from the receiver to the video monitor. No receiver from any other company offers this feature.Both receivers have the Pointless RC-R0911 remote control. This one-way RF/two-way IR preprogrammed/learning remote does not require line-of-sight range like IR-only remotes. The RC-R0911 is capable of executing three macros, and the LCD screen guides sets up and displays system information, including DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, and CD titles (when connected to a compatible Kenwood DVD or CD player).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 Kenwood 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 using Entreís Internet radio station capability, via on-screen GUI, and also allows for control of some receiver functions.While the back panel provides flexibility for current and future connectivity (including component video switching), the front panel maintains its clean, industrial design and midnight black finish.Exclusive Kenwood Technologies: Ultrasonic Response Amplifier, 32-bit D.R.I.V.E. III, And K-STAT Kenwoodís proprietary Ultrasonic Response Amplifier, featured in the 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 performance that maximizes the full potential of these high resolution audio formats. The upper frequency of DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD approaches 96 kHz, versus the maximum 22 kHz response achievable with conventional compact discs. Kenwood has 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 improve musical detail and definition, provide more consistent sound at all volume levels and temperature conditions, and eliminate the need to ""warm up"" the receiver to achieve optimum amplifier performance.  Each receiver has built-in HDCD 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 Kenwood Sovereign VR-5090 and VR-5080 is available at authorized Kenwood dealers as of June, and have suggested retail prices of $1,500 and $1,200, respectively.  For more information about Kenwood USA Corporation, visit www.kenwoodusa.com.

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