Parasound A/V Tuner-Preamp Makes High End Home Theatre Easy to Use

Parasound has introduced a high-end home theatre processor that the company says offers an unprecedented combination of features, outstanding ease of use, fully-automated system set up, and state-of-the-art sound quality. The Parasound AVC-2500 dual-zone AV tuner preamplifier is said to deliver no-compromise sound quality from DolbyÆ Digital, Dolby ProLogic and DTSÆ Digital Surround sources, and it incorporates THXÆ Ultra processing. This flagship product, which has a very clean and uncomplicated appearance, was developed by Parasound, and engineered and built in Scandinavia. The advanced home theatre processing engine was designed in Scandinavia by a technology firm whose board includes Dr. Matti Otala, a name revered in audio engineering circles since the 1970s. The processing engine employs three, powerful 24-bit Motorola 56000 Series DSPs with 130 MIPS of processing power. Separate DSPs are dedicated to the Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround processing, and third handles the THX processing and other functions. To further nurture the sound quality, it uses the same discrete analog line stages used in the company's acclaimed D/AC-2000 Ultra digital/analog converter. The AVC-2500 has a fully automatic set-up and calibration system, plus source-sensing that optimizes control settings to suit whatever media is played. The user can, of course, override these settings manually. The initial set-up is simplified by the use of an included calibration microphone to automatically set both the channel levels and time delays for each individual speaker...including the subwoofer. The AVC-2500 automatically memorizes each setting for each speaker and for each source and processing mode. The user can assign names to each of the inputs from a menu of possible names. This allows the user to select ""DVD Player"" instead of having to remember ""Video 2."" The AVC-2500 has more than enough inputs and outputs for any conceivable combination of home theatre components. It has six audio/video inputs with composite and S-Video connectors; six separate audio only stereo inputs; a 5.1 channel analog audio input for forward compatibility with DVD-Audio; two component video inputs; eight digital inputs including four coaxial, two optical, one AES/EBU and a connection for an external RF demodulator; and finally FM and AM antenna inputs. Any digital input can be assigned to any source. There are the usual 5.1 channel line outputs, 2 subwoofer outputs, audio and video recorder outputs, monitor outputs, component video output and two digital record outputs. This is also a dual-zone preamplifier, with audio and video connections for a second zone. It also has assignable ""Main"" and ""Zone"" 12-Volt DC trigger lines, two external IR connectors, an RS-232 data port, and a fixed level L+R audio trigger out. The AVC-2500 has many other features that make it desirable as the control center for any system. These include a party mode which puts a summed mono signal on every speaker; a sleep timer; automatic volume ramp-up; digital attenuator that detects and eliminates overload in the digital domain: and a high quality AM/FM stereo tuner with 20 presets. The AVC-2500 has alpha numeric on-screen displays and a vacuum fluorescent front-panel display that is attractive and very easy to read. The Parasound AVC-2500 will be available in the first quarter of 1999 with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $3,295. Founded in 1981, Parasound is a privately owned U.S. company that specializes in providing affordable audio and home theatre components to the critical listener. For more information contact Chuck Kittelson at 415 397 7100 or 800 822 8802.