European Custom Installer

System Integration for the Connected Home

Home Theater

Sony Intros Budget UBP-X500 4K Blu-ray Player

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Sony announces a Blu-ray player option for customers on a budget-- the UBP-X500, a lower-cost alternative to the likes of the UBP-X800 and UBP-X700 capable of playing 4K UHD Blu-rays as well as regular Blu-rays, DVDs, CDs and Super AudioCDs.

Sony blu-ray playerIt even has a hidden talent in the shape of built-in intelligent upscaling, allowing it to scale 1080p images to 4K. It can also play media stored on USB stick in a variety of audio or video file formats, including DSD, FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AAC and MP3 on the audio side, and Mpeg 2, Mpeg 4, Xvid and WMV on the video side.

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Marantz Intros SR6013, SR5013 AVRs

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Marantz launches a pair of Dolby Atmos AV receivers-- the SR6013 and SR5013, both offering HEOS multiroom audio support, as well as Amazon Alexa voice control via appropriate HEOS Skill.

Marantz 6013The SR6013 is a 9-channel model, with processing for 11 channels through additional amplification. It is rated at 185W per channel, and features the Marantz Current Feedback design and HDAMs, plus separate DACs for each room. Room calibration comes through Audyssey MultEQ X32. The AVR handles all 4K video formats, with 4K/60 Hz full-rate passthrough, 4:4:4 color resolution, HDR and BT.2020, plus Dolby Vision compatibility and Hybrid Log Gamma. Connectivity comes through x8 HDMI inputs, and eARC support is included.

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Denon Intros 13.2-Channel AVC-X8500H

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Denon launches what it claims is the first 13.2-channel AV amplifier-- the AVC-X8500H, featuring Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro 3D surround capabilities, with no external amplification required.

Denon The AVC-X8500H has 13 channels of inbuilt amplification, as well as 13.2-channel processing. It delivers a 9.1.4 setup or a 7.1.6 Dolby Atmos system, with support for as many as 6 overhead speakers, and handles a variety of audio formats including DSD, WAV, ALAC and FLAC. Video connectivity cones through x8 HDMI inputs and x3 outputs, all with support for eARC, HDCP 2.2 and HDMI specification such as 4K UHD, HDR and 3D.

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Aqipa Buys Onkyo, Pioneer Europe Assets

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Aqipa GmbH takes acquires Onkyo and Pioneer Europe in a €140 million deal that sees the distributor taking over all activities involving the Pioneer, Onkyo, Integra, Teac and Esoteric brands in Europe.

Onkyo AVRThe transfer takes effect from 1 October 2018, and sees the transfer of all  business activities relating to sales, marketing, after sales service, customer care, finance, spare parts and distribution for the brands Pioneer, Onkyo, Integra, Teac and Esoteric in Europe to Aqipa.

“We are really excited that Pioneer & Onkyo Europe and all its related brands, including Integra, Teac and Esoteric, as well as all their European employees, will be joining the Aqipa family," the distributor says. "The brands will will continue to bring great products to market  while we will deliver heightened brand awareness, together with first-class value-added distribution, sales intelligence and market-leading IT systems."

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Pioneer Unveils 4K Blu-ray Player

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Back in April 2018 Pioneer teased what it has now confirmed to be a 4K UHD Blu-ray player-- the UDP-LX500, a device the Japanese company says builds on its long legacy of VHS and DVD players.

Pioneer 4K playerPioneer is still to properly detail the UDP-LX500, even if one can safely assume at least some basics. A UHD Blu-ray player requires support for 4K resolution playback and HDR10, even if the addition of either HDR10+ or Dolby Vision support remains an option. Also guaranteed is support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, since the two technologies form part of the BDA standard.

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Dolby Atmos Offerings from Lexicon

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High-end US AV brand Lexicon has a range of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D-capable home cinema components consisting of the MC-10 AV processor and a pair of 7-channel AV receivers, the RV-6 and RV-9.

Lexicon AVRThe MC-10 carries a 24-bit/192kHz DAC with Dirac room equalisation and 11.1-channel decoding (Dolby Atmos 7.2.4). Aimed at audiophile customers, it promises high-quality dynamics with low distortion together with balanced XLR and RCA outputs, Spotify Connects, a zone 2 with audio, 4K video, IR control and 12v triggers.

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Amazon Takes on 4K Streaming With Fire TV Cube

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Amazon combines 4K streaming with Alexa voice-based control as it launches the Fire TV Cube-- a shiny cube-shaped sequel to the Fire TV box featuring a built-in Echo Dot speaker and IR blasters.

Fire TV CubeThe Fire TV Cube carries x8 far-field microphones laid in a front-facing pattern, allowing users to call out controls just as with any Echo device. However it does not handle any communications, meaning no texting, messaging or video calling from the TV. However it does handle most of the other Alexa "skills," allowing for smart home control, and can even play music (if poorly, with the same audio quality as the Echo Dot).

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