Las Vegas, NV, January 6, 2005 – “Our new A/V receivers offer tremendous value, with leading-edge technologies and the features consumers are asking for”, said Dean Hutto, Vice President – Kenwood Home Electronics Division.
The four new models include premium features and very competitive performance typically found in higher priced receivers at more affordable price points. To appeal to a broader base of consumers, all of the new receivers will be available in two finishes, silver or black.
The leader in the series, the VR-9070 is the industry's first 7.1 channel receiver to offer THX™ Select Certification priced at $600. An Analog Devices 32-bit SHARC™ DSP with floating-point processing powers all decoding functions, complemented by 96kHz/24-bit digital to analog converters. Additional modes include DTS-ES™ and Dolby Pro-Logic IIx™, Dolby Headphone and Dolby Virtual Speakers among others. The VR-9070 also has a plug and play input for quick connection of a video game. The receiver is powered by Kenwood's K-STAT (Kenwood Self-Tracking Audio Transistor), discrete amplifier technology and outputs 100 watts x 7, measured at full-bandwidth from 20Hz-20 kHz, ensuring the best audio performance. All of the receivers in the new line include Kenwood's proprietary Active EQ feature, which offers the best sound quality for small to mid-sized loudspeakers. The VR-9070 is a 2-zone receiver with IR control capability for multi-room applications. To make the receiver easy to use, Kenwood has designed a new Universal Remote Control with an LCD display. The remote is learning capable and has built-in codes to control other manufacturer's components. The VR-9070 has three component video inputs with one output and up-converts composite video to S-video, simplifying connection to a television or monitor. The receiver has a sleek, uncluttered appearance with many controls concealed behind a front panel door.
The VR-9060 at $500 offers performance comparable to the VR-9070 with a very useful feature set. Using the same amplifier and processing stages the VR-9060 also employs video up-conversion from composite to S-video for improved video quality and simplified connection to a television or monitor. For connection to sources with component video output it has 3 inputs and 1 output. The receiver has a plug and play game input as well as Dolby Headphone and Dolby Virtual Speaker. A Universal Remote Control is included complete with Kenwood IR codes and codes from other manufacturer's components. Like the VR-9070, the VR-9060 has a front panel door to conceal less frequently used controls.
With a suggested retail price of $350, the VR-9050 is possibly the most competitive in the new line. Rated at 100 watts x 7, the new receiver also includes Kenwood's K-STAT amplifier technology, which instantaneously adjusts the output characteristics of each channel to achieve the best sound quality. The highly acclaimed Analog Devices 32-bit SHARC™ chip is also used for all processing and decoding, dramatically improving sound quality. A unique attribute of this receiver is the “Instant On” feature, which eliminates any thermal lag during power up. For game enthusiasts, the VR-9050 has a front panel plug and play input, which automatically selects the input, speaker settings and the best listen mode for games, and features analog audio and composite or S-video inputs. The remote is a Kenwood system remote control.
At $250 the VR-906 is far more than an entry-level receiver. With 100 watts x 6 (20Hz-20kHz), the receiver also has pre-outs for surround back left & right, making it 7.1 channel ready. Decoding formats include Dolby Digital EX™, DTS-ES™ and Dolby Pro-Logic IIx™, complemented by 96kHz/24-bit digital to analog converters. For HD sources the receiver has component video switching with two inputs and one output. A Kenwood system remote is included.
All of the new receivers will be available in April, 2005.