Introduction Just as I finished reviewing the Krell TAS 5 channel power amplifier, Krell released their newest home theater product, the Home Theater Standard 7.1 AV preamp. The $8,000 Home Theater Standard 7.1 is the big brother to the Home Theater Standard 2 AV preamp, which I used in my review of the Theater Amplifier Standard. Owners of the Home Theater Standard 2 who bought one new from an authorized dealer can upgrade their units to the Home Theater Standard 7.1 at the Krell factory for $1,500. People who bought and HTS2 secondhand will need to pay $2,500 for upgrades. The new Home Theater Standard 7.1 is Krell’s third-generation AV preamp, designed with the hopes of being both "future proof" and true to Krell’s high standards for audio and video performance. While unpacking the Krell Home Theater Standard 7.1, I noted that, from the front, the new Krell looks almost identical to its predecessor, ...

Introduction Receivers are better today than they have ever been; yet their reputation continues to be plagued by memories of low quality mass-market products of the past. A decade ago Japanese electronic manufactures had the reputation of churning out low quality inexpensive garbage-in-a-rack, a reputation that the better Japanese manufacturers have since worked hard to overcome. Today’s top performing receivers are substantial collections of advanced electronics that perform near the ultimate level, and provide convenience, excellent sound quality, and the most state-of-the-art features the industry has to offer all in a convenient compact package. The Kenwood VR-5900 Audio/Video surround receiver resides at the top of the Kenwood line. It measures 17-5/16 in width, 16-3/8 inches in depth and seven-and-one-half inches tall with a net weight of 44 lbs. The retail price of the Kenwood VR-5900 is $3,000. The Sovereign series is Kenwood’s reference line of components, a product line that provides consumers with a high performance option. Taking ...

Introduction In my early years of stereo, there were few brand speakers that were coveted as much as Klipsch. At that time in my life, I felt it was the best speaker on the planet for playing rock 'n' roll. Every time I heard them, I knew that I would have to figure out a way to own a pair. I managed to buy a new pair of the Heresys, which set me back a pretty penny, yet I was never disappointed with my purchase. When I found out that the new Klipsch RF-5’s were coming my way for review, I was excited to see how far Klipsch had come in the 20 years since I called them my reference speakers. The RF-5 ($1,500 a pair) is second from the top of Klipsch's new Reference Series, with the RF-7 ($2,200 a pair) at the top of the heap. The RF-5 sports some of Klipsh's ...

Introduction Krell has updated their home theater line, along with the rest of the KAV series, resulting in new products such as the Theater Amplifier Standard. The new Krell Theater Amplifier Standard ($7,500) is the only five channel amplifier in the line, designed to be used in conjunction with the newly released Home Theater Standard 7.1 AV preamp. The Theater Amplifier Standard is the largest multi-channel amplifier I have ever had in my system, measuring 17.25 inches wide, 9.75 inches high and 17.25 inches deep. This hefty amplifier weighs in at a solid 100 pounds. The Theater Amplifier Standard, like the rest of the new KAV series, features an attractive new and modern exterior design. The Theater Amplifier Standard is made out of a heavy gauge, brushed aluminum including the polished and rounded corners. The top panel is heavily perforated, with slots that allow heat to escape from within the amplifier. The front panel features the ...

Introduction Since its spectacular debut in the mid-1990’s, the price of DVD players have steadily dropped while the quality and features that these players provide have continued to amaze even jaded AV enthusiast. With home theater sales booming like never before as movie-lovers discover the joy of bringing the theatrical experience into the comfort of their home, manufacturers are offering more and more high quality options for the most discerning consumers. The Kenwood DV-5700 is a perfect example being a five-disc DVD-Video/Audio player that comes with key features including 5.1 analog audio outputs for playing discs encoded with the exceptional DVD-Audio format and a progressive scan output for sets that can accept this superior video source. The DV-5700 comes in black and measures 17-5/16 inches wide, five inches tall, and 16-1/8 inches deep, with a retail price of $1,500. To start, DVD Audio is a high-resolution multi-channel capable audio format currently entangled in a format war ...