CES 2013 has been all about 4K and UHD so far, but don't let that fool you into thinking that the audio side of the home theater market has rolled up the carpet and gone home.
It is far easier to sell consumers on the need for a large, fancy HDTV; it's an easier demo as people are more visual and can quickly wrap their heads around a fantastic image versus sitting down and listening to a surround system for 20 minutes. Yes, soundbars are everywhere in Las Vegas and based on the explosive growth of the segment, it is not hard to understand why. Soundbars are affordable, easier to install, and certainly more family-friendly than a complicated multi-channel setup. But what about the consumer who doesn't buy into the quasi-surround aspect of the soundbar and really wants a flexible and reference quality 7.1 setup that'll be good for many years?
Krell Industries brought its Foundation 7.1 A/V processor to the 2013 International CES and it's safe to say that companies like Anthem, Marantz, SimAudio, and Meridian better shift their eyes and take a look at this beast in the sideview mirror. Krell has never been inexpensive, so it's not shocking to see a sticker price of $6,500 on this high-end processor. That said, will it offer enough to sway the type of customer who is more than willing to spend $10,000+ on the pre/power section of their home theater? The competition in this segment is very tough and established, so the Foundation is going to have to offer reference-quality switching, sound quality and flexibility.
In addition to 10 HDMI 1.4a inputs, the Foundation has two HDMI outputs, both of which feature Audio Return Channel. With ARC, a display device is able to send audio back down the HDMI cable to the processor. This is beneficial for those with televisions that have built-in web streaming services like Netflix or Pandora, so the streaming audio can use the full home theater system instead of just the TV's speakers.
The Foundation passes video signals directly without any video processing, ensuring bit-for-bit accuracy of the signal, up to 1080p/60. However, to simplify cabling, installation, and use, there is full transcoding of the two composite and three component analog video inputs to the HDMI outputs.
There was no mention of 4K/UHD support, so until we can get out hands on a unit, we don't know if the Foundation supports the new format.
The Foundation includes a new Krell development, Intelligent HDMI switching. Intelligent HDMI switching is a combination of circuitry and innovative software that optimizes HDMI operation. Various parameters including the monitor's electronic ID and source video resolution are stored in non-volatile memory. All 10 source inputs are always active, so source, channel, video resolution, and audio format changes are instantaneous.
To allow full integration into a home automation system, the Foundation has Ethernet control, RS-232, four 12v triggers (2@0.5A and 2@60mA), and RC-5.
The Foundation will be available at Krell authorized dealers in February 2013 for $6,500.
Features/Specs
Combined with one of Krell's outstanding multi-channel amplifiers, the Foundation could be the heart of your home theater for many years to come. Of course, $6,500 isn't cheap, when you could buy a comparable A/V processor from Anthem for less and have more funds left over for a more powerful multi-channel amplifier. However, Krell is certainly a brand to try if you can swing the high price tag.
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