Kris Deering

Anthem gave the show a sneak peek at their updated Statement D2 processor. Dubbed the D2 v2, it features 8 HDMI inputs and 2 HDMI outputs. Guess an outboard switcher is a thing of the past! The new HDMI inputs are all 1.3c compliant for full 7-channel 192kHz support and deep color capabilities.

Triad decided to give their renowned Platinum line of speakers a new big brother. Though they weren’t being demonstrated at the show, their new flagship will be available later this year. Pictured here is the top of the line offering with massive drivers and a folded horn tweeter. I plan on taking a trip to their factory down the road in Portland early next year to get a listen when they’ve revamped their demo room with them. At $15,000 each they aren’t for everyone but they should be able to deliver massive sound to even the largest custom home theater room.

No matter how much you pore over the layout of your home theater and its dimensions, you’re going to need acoustic treatments if you want to experience your system’s full potential. Chair and speaker placements only do so much to counteract natural obstacles such as standing waves, modal peaks/nulls, and reflections. Even the best audio equipment and speakers can’t fully compensate for them; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Bad room acoustics can make the very best gear sound horrible.

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/watchmen.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT><i>Someone's killing our super heroes. The year is 1985 and super heroes have banded together to respond to the murder of one of their own. They soon uncover a sinister plot that puts all of humanity in grave danger. The super heroes fight to stop the impending doom only to find themselves a target for annihilation. But, if our super heroes are gone, who will save us? </i>