Sunfire's New Theater Grand
Sunfire Corporation has introduced a new home theater processor/pre-amp/tuner with what the company describes as performance and features, which make it one of the premier components available for the home market. Incorporating sophisticated microprocessors, the new model, called ""Theater Grand,"" provides Dolby Digital, Dolby ProLogic, and DTS Digital Surround processing, delivers three additional DSP modes, includes a versatile AM/FM tuner, serves as an automatic switcher and sequencer and - via its RS-232 port - can be easily connected to even the most sophisticated room control systems, such as those from AMX or Crestron, or to a computer. Sunfire's new Theater Grand provides features and performance at the very high-end of the home theatre spectrum, according to Randy Bingham, the company's Vice President of Sales and Marketing. ""At under $3,000, the Theater Grand delivers performance of components costing twice as much,"" Bingham said. ""It's an ideal companion component for Sunfire's Cinema Grand amplifier and easily complements other similar performance multichannel amplifiers or a series of single-channel power amps."" First and foremost, the Theater Grand is a high quality pre-amplifier, processor and switcher. It uses upgradable microprocessors to provide instantaneous, logical, and sequential activation of source components and amplification. Ease of use is a hallmark of the new model. Says Bingham, ""Today's home theatre systems are complex, with a variety of interconnected components from audio and video sources, to processors, switchers and amps, to monitors and screens. The Theater Grand makes operating an elaborate system simple. For example, to watch a DVD, power up the DVD player via the Theater Grand's touch-pad remote, and the Theater Grand automatically activates, switches to DVD, selects the proper surround format ñ Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby ProLogic - turns on the amplifier, and can lower the screen and turn on the projector"" The learning remote control pad features a large LCD touch-panel and has a ""macro"" feature to provide one-touch sequential operation. The unit is discreetly backlit for operation in a darkened home theatre environment. With balanced audio outputs and a variety of analog and digital inputs - including five AV inputs, four audio-only inputs, and two component video inputs - the new model is designed to be the control center for even the most complex and varied high-end systems. Co-axial and optical digital inputs and S-Video and composite video inputs are provided for DBS/DS and LD/DVD and coaxial digital inputs are furnished for VCR, CD, and DAT. Conventional analog inputs are also provided for all sources. Via its analog inputs, it can handle three VCRs or other AV sources. It also has provision for an analog output tape deck and even a phone input with a high-quality equalization stage. Sunfire has not skimped on packing processing power into the Theater Grand. Newly designed crystal semiconductors handle Dolby Digital, DTS, and Dolby ProLogic processing. In addition, the new model delivers three DSP modes - Cathedral, Jazz Club, and Stadium. And 20-bit crystal semiconductors perform the crucial digital-to-analog conversion chores. Sunfire's Theater Grand incorporates Holographic Imaging, created and patented by Sunfire's president and chief engineer, Bob Carver. Holographic Imaging processes the stereo signal and electronically cancels interference that naturally occurs when using two loudspeakers. The result is the most dramatic and transparent soundstage possible in a two-channel format. Sunfire has built a sophisticated AM/FM tuner into the Theater Grand. It features easy direct access from the front panel as well as up/down scanning, and can handle up to 40 presets. Other features of the Sunfire Theater Grand include gold-plated input and output jacks, bass and treble controls, mute feature, and display dimming. Sunfire's Theater Grand processor has a suggested retail price of $2,995. Legendary audio designer and engineer Bob Carver founded Sunfire Corporation in 1994, shortly after leaving Carver Corporation, a company he founded in 1978, and took public in 1985. Mr. Carver's innovative design and engineering as well as his insight into the consumer and professional audio markets have been responsible for a string of successful product introductions beginning with amplifiers designed for Phase Linear more than 25 years ago. His ""Magnetic Field"" power amplifier design became a standard for the high-end consumer and professional market. At Carver Corporation, Mr. Carver continued to develop technologies such as ""Sonic Holography,"" Digital Time Lens,"" and the '""Tracking Downconverter"" power supply, all developments on which he holds patents.