Marantz have two new “Slim-line” audio/video receivers, the NR1402 ($780) and NR1602 ($1080), both priced very competitively. For the extra money the NR1602 gives you a host of features flowing from its “network connected” capability, and seven channel amp.

The NR1402 is a five channel amp and leaves out the network capability, so is ideal for those people who have no need for those features while still seeking a great item at a great price. With their stylishly sculpted front-panel designs, both receivers feature Marantz’ sleek “Slim-line” chassis design (just 105mm high), making them more placement-friendly in the modern setting.

Both the NR1402 and the network-capable NR1602 build on the foundation of Marantz’ 2010 receiver line, and add features such as multiple HDMI 1.4a inputs (with 3D pass-through capability), Dolby Pro Logic IIz featuring Front Height Effects Channels and Bluetooth connectivity via MX-Port.

The stunning JVC DLA-X9 3D projector.

There has been continual chatter in the popular press, on forums etc about the relationship between pricing in Australia and overseas. While I am not looking to get into a lengthy discussion here on the subject there are a number of reasons why we will never reach parity with overseas prices on the vast majority of products:

1) Our buying power. We are a country of just over 20 million people, and constitute between 2 – 3% of the worlds economy.

2) The tyranny of distance – it is expensive to ship product to Australia (and within the country).
 
3) Most importantly, in many cases there is a third party involved. If you are a Musical Fidelity dealer in the UK you buy Musical Fidelity from the factory. In Australia there needs to be a third party, a distributor that organises shipping, local distribution, advertising, service etc, and hopefully along the way makes enough profit to make it all worth while.

There are many other contributing factors. However the fact remains that we are living in a contracting world, and local pricing needs to reflect this. We have been working closely with our suppliers on this subject for some time, some have been sympathetic, others not. We believe that the market can justify a 15 – 25% premium above overseas prices. By the time and individual pays freight, duty and GST (provided the goods are over $1,000) you have almost added this amount to the purchase price anyway. Plus you get local warranty and support service. However I have seen cases where products have a recommended retail price on the local market of 50 – 100% above overseas prices. These are unrealistic and unsustainable expectations.
 
While we are on the subject please keep in mind that while it is the retailer who gets the flak for high prices, in most cases they are purchasing from a local distributor, and paying for the goods in Aussie dollars.

However there are the occasional bargains to be had on the local market. I have just returned from the CEDIA show in the USA, and while I was there got talking to the local distributors for JVC – who as many of you know manufacture our favourite mid-priced projectors. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that not only are we competing with USA prices on this product, but on one model we are selling it for well below their prices.

The DLA-X3 retails for $4,495 in both countries, but we offer it for $3,999. However the real value is in the stunning DLA-X9. This retails for $11,995 in the US, compared to $9,995 in Australia. Even better news is that we currently have this unit on special for only $7,995 – including two pair of glasses and an emitter. That is a saving of over 30% compared to US pricing.

Does this mean that these items are overpriced in the US? It appears not to be so – I understand that even at $12,000 the DLA-X9 is the biggest selling projector in its class.

Marantz has two new 7-channel networking audio video receivers that bring consumers and professional custom integrators a host of exciting options for creating ultimate-quality home entertainment systems. The 110 watt-per-channel SR6006 (RRP: $1,970) and the 100 watt-per-channel SR5006 (RRP: $1460) both provide consumers with leading-edge feature sets, while delivering heightened levels of performance, convenience and flexibility.

Notably, both new receivers allows users to stream their iTunes music from their Mac or PC, as well as music stored on their iPad, iPhone or iPod touch with optional Apple AirPlay®. With an aesthetically pleasing elegant design featuring the recognisable Marantz® star and porthole display, they feature multiple HDMI 1.4a inputs (6 in the SR5006, 7 in the SR6006), Bluetooth capability and more. Thanks to the network connection, these AV Receivers can easily be controlled through a free Marantz Wizz App for Apples iDevices.

These are now on show in the store, and further details will be up on our Product pages as soon as possible. Marantz have delivered two very advanced products at very competitve prices, and we expect them to grab a good share of the surround receiver market.

There was an article posted yesterday on channelnews.com.au which really piqued my interest. It was headed ‘Plasma Still the Superior Display Technology’, which is something that we have been preaching, often in the wilderness, since the whole LCD/LED/Plasma argument raised its head. As it turns out this was based on the writings of an organisation with a vested interest in the technology. However this is a statement which is becoming much more common amongst industry reviewers, commentators and experts.

Its’ interesting what impact marketing can have on perception. The marketing reach and prowess of the large LCD manufacturers, who have vast sums at their disposal to preach the superiority of their product, is (or was?) enough to convince the public, and in the past many of the press, that what they were saying was gospel. What I always found to be amazing is that it was not even necessary to read what people had to say to form an opinion on the subject, all that was required was to stand in front of the two technologies, side by side, and look for yourself. I recall once being asked by a journalist for my feelings on the subject, and I suggested that instead of sitting behind a desk and ringing people with vested interests for their opinion to go out and have a look for himself. To his credit he did so, and was one of the first journalists to suggest that Plasma was the superior technology at a time when the LCD juggernought had successfully convinced the marketplace to the contry.

This controversy once led to what I consider to have been one of the more ridiculous statements made in this industry. When asked of which technology he thought was better the CEO of one of the largest Electronics chains in this country stated that it was not up to the dealers to decide which technology was superior, but that decision would be made by the public. What a load of crap! No wonder people are turning to the internet if the people who market and recommend the product do not have the guts (or the ability) to make informed decisions on behalf of their clients.

Lyndon Hughes from CNet summed the comparison up pretty well. ‘Plasma is the superior technology. It (unfortunately) got a bad rap in it’s infancy due to burn-in issues and short life span. BUT THESE PROBLEMS ARE COMPLETELY GONE!!!! It is up to people like me and other plasma owners to let the world in on what we are experiencing. LED refresh rate, response time, black level, side angle viewing and color accuracy can’t compete with plasmas. Period. They are making great strides, but are still trying to catch up and mirror the picture quality of a plasma.’

Yes, these comments were written over a year ago, and yes LCD/LED performance has improved since then. However, so has Plasma, in fact possibly more so. If you don’t believe me go out and have a look at the recently released Panasonic THP50ST30A. Forget the 3D capability and its IPTV connectivity (these are bonuses). This is one hell of an image for a 50” screen selling for less than $2,000 (and surely it’s all about the picture quality.)

To rub salt into the wound Panasonic has recently released a less expensive version of this screen. It does not do 3D, but it still boasts IPTV connectivity. The picture quality is not as impressive as its bigger brother, but it sell for less than $1,000. This is a very, very impressive 50” TV for very little money.

There have been numerous positive reviews on this product, but the British ‘Trusted Reviews’ coverage (http://www.trustedreviews.com/JVC-DLA-X9_Projector_review) is probably the most comprehensive, and their conclusion (keeping in mind that the unit sells in the UK for a staggering 9,500 pounds) was ‘The X9 is a stunning tour de force from JVC that delivers the closest match yet – for under 10 grand, anyway – to the experience of actually going out to the cinema.’

To make it even more attractive we have some packages on offer at very special prices (not including installation) as follows:

1. JVC DLA-X9 3D DLIA projector, with 2 x pr. glasses and 1 x emitter: $7,999. Save $2,507.

2. JVC DLA-X9, with above, plus 110″ fixed Screen Technics CinemaSnap screen, plus ceiling support: $8,999. Save $2,790!

3. JVC DLA-X9, with all above, plus Yamaha RXA1000 A/V Receiver, Yamaha BDA1000 Blu-ray player, Focal 716/CC700/SR700 front/centre/rear speaker package and wireless Wi-Connect10 Velodyne sub, with 2 x 1mtr and 1 x 7mtr HDMI, plus up to 30 mts QED Silver Anniversary speaker cable: $15,699. Save $4,174.

To see the quality of this projector in either 2D or 3D modes, come in for a demo in our main Theatre Room. But if you cannot, rest assured that it offers the absolute pinnacle of performance at a very good price – even better with these amazing deals.

The stunning new Velodyne DD-15.

This overcomes one of the biggest issues that we have with sub placement. All rooms treat bass differently, and due to the large wave forms involved (and their subsequent reflection off the walls, ceilings etc) you will inevitably end up with bass nodes and nulls in the room. I.E if a low frequency wave bounces from the wall and superimposes itself perfectly on another wave form you will end up with a bass note approaching twice the loudness of the initial (intended) note. If the reflected wave is ½ a wavelength out it will effectively delete the initial waveform, leaving you with very little or no bass at that particular part of the room. If you want to test this yourself simply walk around the room while some solid bass material is playing. Chances are you will find very noticeable variations in the loudness of the bass as you do so.

There are two ways around this, firstly use two (or more) subs. Secondly by physically moving the sub you move the nodes and nulls around the room, picking a spot where you get the best results while in your listening position.

This is where the problem starts. Try moving the sub from its existing spot and invariably you will find that the cable between the sub and the receiver is not long enough, it needs to drape across a doorway etc. While you still need to get power to the WICONNECT10, it certainly makes moving it a lot easier.

The WICONNECT10 is a downward firing 10″/254mm woofer (with about 75% of that being the effective piston area) with a 125w amplifier.

The WICONNECT10 is a great and very convenient subwoofer, within the restrictions imposed by its price of $899 (there are not many ‘wired’ subwoofers out there at this price which would better it). On the other hand if you are looking at a no-holds barred, hang the cost solution, have a look at their new Digital Drive (DD) series which are priced from $4999 for the 10″/254mm model up to $7999 for the 18″/455mm model. With these advanced subwoofers you are getting not just superior amplifiers, extra heavy cabinets and super-strength woofers, but very smart electronics which allow the subwoofer’s EQ to be fine tuned to suit the acoustics of the room. The analysis and correction tools are inbuilt! These subs overcome the problem above with some very sophisticated equalization technology, a supplied microphone and an on-screen display. Simple to use, and very effective, this technology will equalize the sub to the sub-placement, your room dimensions, furnishing and your choice of loudspeakers.

Couple this with copious amounts of power (1,250 watts RMS), dual tandem voice coils, massive magnet structures (the total weight of the DD18 is 54Kg.) and Kevlar reinforced cones and you have a very fight, fast, dynamic, low (the DD18 boasts a low frequency response of 14Hz +/- 3Db) impressive product. Home Entertainment magazine stated that the DD15 “……improves bass reproduction as much as the jet engine improved air travel”, and Home Cinema Choice stated “The DD-18 is loud, deep, scary, and above all, bloody lovely”.

If you’ve not experienced the incredibly solid bass these subs can do, we strongly recommend an audition

Velodyne make subwoofers. That’s all they make, so they do an excellent job of it, and they start at very affordable levels – such as a CHT-Q8 at $799. Of course their best ones like the Digital Drive (DD) series or the SPL models will set you back anything from $1899 to $5999, but these are seriously good subs, priced very fairly.

The company is in a generous New Year mood, and for a limited time (until 28/2/2011 to be precise) they will give you a guaranteed trade-in amount on any of their subwoofers for any old subwoofer of any brand, any size, dead or alive!

You’ll get $50 off any 8”/200mm subwoofer in their range, $75 off any 10”/254mm sub, $100 off any 12”/300mm, and $150 off any 15”/375mm model.

Velodyne are always very recommendable, but this offer makes them compelling. Grab your chance to plumb the depths of bass without digging as deeply into your pocket!

JVC have been the leading exponents of an amazing technology known as D-ILA or digital image light amplification. It is a form of LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) which sounds like but is not the same as LCD. Nor is it a micro-mirror system like DLP, although there are reflective aspects to the image formation. It is not an easy technology to master, but JVC have been so successful that their HD projectors have been the template for companies like Meridian to work on and develop further – at a much higher price.
Price is certainly not a concern with the new series of JVC full HD D-ILA projectors! Starting from $4399 for the DLA-HD250, and running up to $9999 for the DLA-X9 which sports a 100,000:1 contrast ratio, there is something in this range for everyone looking to install a projection system.

The contrast ratio is one of the most vital things in producing a convincing image, regardless whether you are using Plasma, LCD (however backlit) or Front Projection.
Plasma has the edge over LCD, even with LED backlighting. Projection has always had some limitations, made worse by ambient light. A new era has arrived with the latest series of JVC DILA projectors, which can also run in 3D mode when required. The “native” contrast ratio (not the tricked up “dynamic”) will be from 25,000:1 to as much as 100,000:1, depending on the model. That’s going to help a lot – provided you can keep ambient light under control. 3D is achieved by the Frame Sequential method, using special glasses and an emitter for synchronization. Another great feature of the D-ILA technology is the relative absence of “screen door” effect, giving a much more photographic look to the images. For convincing HD presentation, these are the projectors we urge you to have a closer look at.

The DLA-X3 at $5499 is a three device projector, full HD of course. Contrast Ratio 50,000:1, Lamp Life 3000 hours, Inputs 2 x HDMI 1.4a, Component, Motorised Zoom (2x) and Focus adjustment; New Clear Motion Drive, and last but not least a large glass (17 element, 2 ED) Lens.

The DLA-X7 ($7999) increases the contrast ratio to 70,000:1 and builds the specifications further with lens shift (+-80% vertical, +-34% horizontal). It also has a raft of colour management processes to give improved colour balance and to adapt to various original colour tones in film stock over the years – afficionados will love it!

The DLA-X9 ($9999) has the full 100,000:1 contrast ratio – and remember that’s native not dynamic – plus the other advanced features mentioned so far.
Optional Extras: 3D Glasses $179, Synchronisation Emitter $149. Replacement lamp: $499

At the same time, JVC are not forgetting those customers with a tighter budget. The DLA-HD250 ($4399) has 25,000:1 contrast (still good!), full HD resolution 1920×1080 up to 1080p, V-stretch for CinemaScope; vertical and horizontal lens shift, 2x Zoom, 2 x HDMI 1.3 inputs (yes, that means no 3D) and Component video. If you are going to the trouble of installing projection for that big cinema feel, you owe it to yourself to at least go for this model if you can’t make it to the others above. But remember, each step up will yield visible improvements!

The first e-newsletter covers varied topics such as: Peachtree amplifiers (Nova, iDecco and Decco2), Yamaha Specials, Kaleidescape Media Server, Sennheiser HD800 Special Offer, Loewe Modus L 32 TV special, the Olive 03HD (more stock just in time for christmas), and our latest CEDIA Award winning project!

Consider these three things. Firstly, there are a lot of variations in screen aspect and source video types these days – a bewildering array. Secondly, with the growth of large screens (60″/150cm and upwards to beyond 100″/250cm) video quality must be as good as possible, since imperfections become more visible as the screen size grows. And thirdly, there are lip-sync gremlins waiting to pop out and spoil your evening when you least expect it. One good black box can solve all these issues while being a neat source switch too.

The Edge is a high quality video processor and intelligent A/V hub that converts standard definition, high definition and PC signals from up to ten sources to any HDTV resolution up to 1080p. EDGE has complete aspect ratio control that allows you to watch the way that you want, with or without the “black bars”. Edge will also automatically sync up the audio with the video, eliminating the AV lipsync problem. Using renowned Anchor Bay technology, the Edge is at the forefront of video processing for hometheatre applications and professional presentations.

You can get the DVDO Edge for $850. Add it to the InFocus SP8602 HD projector, since it’s reduced by $1300 from $5699 to $4399 at present.