Las Vegas – A trio of Onkyo-brand THX-certified audio components, shipping sometime in the first quarter, include the brand’s first multichannel preamp-processor, first nine-channel amp, and first THX-certified Blu-ray player.
The amp and pre-pro are the brand’s first multichannel component-audio separates, a spokesman said. The brand has offered stereo separates before, and it already offers Blu-ray players.
Pricing and detailed specs haven’t been released, but the products were displayed at CES.
The products are the BD-SP807 Blu-ray player, PA-MC5500 9.2-channel channel amp, and networked PR-SC5507 preamp-processor.
The Blu-ray player features Profile 2.0 compliance for BD Live capability, front-panel SD Card slot, 192kHz/24-bit audio DACs, HDMI 1.3a output, 7.1-channel analog outputs, and decoding of Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential. It also features 10-bit 1080p upscaling of DVDs and 297MHz/12-bit video DACs.
The player will join only two other announced THX-certified BD players, one from Pioneer, and the other from Lexicon, THX said.
The 9.2-channel PR-SC5507 preamp processor, certified as THX Ultra2 Plus, features HDMI 1.3a connection, decodes all authorized Blu-ray surround formats, and features Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) certification. It streams audio from a networked PC and Internet radio directly from the Internet. Other features include 1080p upscaling over HDMI, two USB inputs, U-port to connect and control such add-ons as Onkyo iPod docks and HD Radio tuners, and Audyssey’s Dynamic Surround Expansion (DSX) post-processing technology. DSX adds front-height speakers and a pair of image-widening left-right speakers to traditional 5.1-speaker setups. Three-zone capability includes component-video output to remote zones.
The 9.2-channel amp, rated at 9×220 watts into 6 ohms, feature’s the brand’s WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology).
The products have been introduced in Europe and will be available in the U.S. with a black chassis.
