DENON AVCA1SE

Prologic II, AAC...

Following hot on the heels of a statement by Onkyo announcing the launch of a new audio system: the TX-DS989, integrating new sound formats (see our news of 10th April 2001), their direct competitors, DENON have announced, in Japan, the launching of upgrade software, allowing owners of the first versions of the AVCA1SE to benefit from the new Prologic2 matrix format.

This latest addition, also known as DPL II, is the fruit of co-operation between the Dolby labs and Jim Fosgate, one of the best engineers around when it comes to surround decoding. The format is called “matrix based”, because, just like the DTS NEO 6, it is able to recreate a 5.1 sound space from an audio source encoded in stereo or Dolby Surround.

This new audio technology confirms yet again that the war with DTS is still raging.

Furthermore, in order to benefit from the same audio formats as its competitor, the Onkyo TX-DS989, the AVCA1SE will be able to handle, after the upgrade software, Prologic II, as well as the Mpeg AAC.

In concrete terms, it suffices any holder of an AVCA1SE, to obtain a RS232 cable to link their PC to the amplifier and upgrade the software.


Denon has not yet announced a precise launch date, but word’s out that it should happen between September and November 2001.

To be continued...