Audio Briefs

Indianapolis— CEDIA built a bridge to the architect community with the development of custom-install icons compatible with a PC-based drafting system used to create architectural blueprints. The icon set can be downloaded for use with the AutoCAD program, used by architects and other design professionals. They're also available in sticker form. "As home networking soars in popularity, it is increasingly important that custom electronic design and installation professionals work closely with architects, builders and designers when a project is in its infancy," said CEDIA secretary Andy Willcox. "If we foster a working relationship between architects and CEDIA professionals early in the project, we save the customer time and money and ultimately deliver the best custom electronic designs and solutions."

Newmarket, N.H. — Russound-owned Intellinet created product kits for its distributed-audio systems to make it easier for dealers to spec out jobs. The kits include complete systems, zone-expansion packs, rack-mount kits and IR packs. In other news, the company last month also reduced prices on select products such as an IR remote.

Newmarket, N.H.— Russound plans June shipments of two new multizone/multisource amp/controllers. The $1,599-suggested CA6.41 is a six-zone, four-source model, and the $1,399 CA4.4I is a four-zone, four-source model. Models can be connected for system expansion. Features include phone and doorbell interface, 12-volt trigger to turn on zones and source equipment, learning remote, selectable fixed or line-level outputs and ability to integrate with A-Bus in-wall amplified keypads.

Westlake Village, Calif. — Legend Audio upgraded its in-wall VC-75 volume-control knob by incorporating impedance-matching and non-impedance matching in one control. It features 75 watts of power handling, 12-step soft-touch attenuation control, and impedance settings for one, two, four, or eight pairs of speakers.

Orange, Conn.— High-end audio supplier Krell has begun shipping its most affordable surround-sound preamp/processor and multichannel amps. The Showcase preamp/processor, at a suggested $4,000, features THX Ultra certification, THX Surround EX, DTS ES, Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS Neo:6, nine Krell music surround modes and 7-channel digital parametric equalizer. Flash memory allows for future software upgrades. The Showcase 5-channel amp can be expanded to six or seven channels and retails for a suggested $4,500, $5,000, or $5,500, depending on the channels, which are rated at 125 watts/channel into 8 ohms or 250 watts into 4 ohms.

Pine Brook, N.J. — Denon is shipping a replacement for its single two-channel integrated amplifier. The new PMA-2000IV, at a suggested $1,200, features upgraded components and preout/main in and a subwoofer output. It's rated at 2x80 into 8 ohms (from 20Hz-20kHz at .07 percent THD) and is stable into 4 ohms. Frequency response is 10Hz-100kHz.