Sherwood Adds New Audio Categories

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 1/19/2009

LAS VEGAS — Home-audio supplier Sherwood, long known mainly for component-audio electronics and HTiBs, ventured into multiple new audio categories here at International CES.

The company's firsts include iPod-docking tabletop radios, surround bars, a tabletop Internet radio, stereo shelf systems and headphones. Also at the show, Sherwood launched its first iPod dock that connects to any stereo system and its lowest-priced A/V receiver, at a suggested $399, with embedded decoding of all Blu-ray surround formats.

The iPod-docking products include the $59-suggested i-2901 and $69 i-3802, both with AM/FM, dock on top, Works with iPhone certification, dual 2.5-inch stereo speakers, alarm clock and remote. The i-2901 is rated at 2x5 watts and features S-Video output. The i-3802 is a 2.1-speaker system with MDF cabinet. It's rated at 2x4 watts plus 1x8 watts.

The stand-alone DS-10 iPod dock features component-video output for playing iPod/iPhone-stored video, on-screen display and dedicated remote. It connects to any brand of audio system. Pricing wasn't available.

The tabletop Internet radio is the $209-suggested IR-2702, which features FM tuner, built-in Wi-Fi, USB port and 2x5-watt amplification.

Two low-priced surround bars are 2.1-speaker systems with built-in subwoofers and virtual surround technologies. The $129-suggested SB-3721 features AM/FM tuner, 2x10 plus 1x20-watt amplification, LCD display, touch-panel controls and remote. The $159 SB-4221i features FM tuner, iPod dock with S-Video output, touch-panel controls, dual subwoofers, Works With iPhone certification and higher power at 2x15 +30 watts.

Three new HTiB systems include two 5.1-speaker systems and a 2.1-speaker system with virtual surround. The $319 HT-4160 5.1 system features DVD-receiver rated at 5x60 watts, five bookshelf speakers, 100-watt powered sub, 1080p up-scaling and USB Host. The $499 HT-4180WL 5.1 system comes with DVD-receiver, four tall floorstanding speakers, horizontal center channel, wireless surround speakers, USB Host and 1080p up-scaling. This system will also come in a wired-surround version at $399.

The 2.1-speaker virtual surround system is the $269 VR-780 with 1080p-upscaling DVD receiver, USB Host and QBS 3-D virtual surround.

In A/V receivers, the $399 RD-7503 incorporates decoders for all Blu-ray surround formats, built-in DVD-Audio and SACD decoding, and 7x100-watt amp.

In shelf systems, the company launched the three-chassis M3CD 72 minisystem with three-CD changer and game mixing at $239. A version with subwoofer is $289. A three-CD microsystem with USB port is $199 without subwoofer and $249 with subwoofer.

The company's first headphones are wireless 2.4GHz models that deliver virtual surround sound.