UPDATED: Denon set to launch one-box Blu-ray S-5BD receiver in March for £1999
Updated 05.02.10
Denon has confirmed that its S-5BD all-in-one Blu-ray receiver, also known as 'Cara', will go on sale in the UK this March for £1999.
We first saw 'Cara' at CES in Las Vegas in January, where it was launched with a US price tag of $1799 (£1122).
Once again UK buyers seem to be on the receiving end of the $1 = £1 exchange rate so beloved of consumer electronics manufacturers. Full technical details are outlined in our original story below.
Published 19.01.10
Launched by Denon USA at the recent CES in Las Vegas, this is the company's new S-5BD Blu-ray receiver, due in US shops in March with a $1799 price-tag.
It combines a Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player and Dolby Pro-Logic IIz receiver with full HD audio decoding, and is also one of the first products announced with HDMI 1.4 support, including Audio Return Channel.
The sleek unit hides extra connectivity behind side cheeks either end of the front panel, which open to reveal one of the three HDMI inputs, a USB socket able to accept USB memory devices or an iPod, and SD card and connections for the set-up microphone and a pair of headphones.
There's also connectivity for the company's Network Control Dock for iPod, two digital inputs – one optical, one electrical, and two stereo analogue inputs.
As standard the unit has 5x75W (into 4ohm) output, but it has preouts for the extra channels required for Pro-Logic IIz, to which an additional power amp can be connected.
A subwoofer preout is provided, and the Denon can also deliver stereo audio and composite video into a second room via preout sockets, or operate as a 3.1-channel system using Dolby Virtual Speaker surround processing while driving a stereo pair of speakers in a second room.
In addition, the internal amps can be reassigned internally to give a more dynamic sound when operating in stereo or 2.1-channel mode.
The Audio Return Channel will allow a suitable TV to send audio back to the S-5BD from its internal tuner, thus avoiding the need for extra connections for TV sound, there's Auto Lipsync, and HDMI CEC control will allow one-button start-up of system and TV, subject to compatibility.
Audyssey MultEQ set-up is used for calibration, and the unit also has Audyssey Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ, for control of level and low-level listening respectively.
Comments
Very expensive compared to the US price. There is properly a sole UK importer, so no price competition. Also no DAB radio, the FM transmitters are going to be switched off in 2015.
I don't think much would be achieved by not reviewing it, but as always we'll apply our "performance-per-pound" criteria when we do test it.
If you cared for your customers you would take a stance over this £>$ scandal. Why not headline every instance of it you come across and refuse to review things like this Denon.
For instance:
'Denon makes a new player but is ripping off UK buyers.' as a headline then one sentence outlining the price discrepancy and your statement of refusal to review it.
How can this be 78% more expensive in the UK to buy?!
Shame on Denon!
Expensive, but anyone buying it is trading in an amplifier, BD player, and probably a couple of HDMI cables?
The �-for-$ ripoff is just par for the course.
Too expensive, half the price starts to look fair.
Wow - that is a stupid price!!! I would rather buy separates!!
For £600 you could fly to New York and pick one up. Ridiculous. At that price, I'd stick with separates or an Arcam Solo with external BR player!
I think you'll find the Transformer in question was called Soundwave
I think it looks like a Transformer, I'd leave the sides open, very cool. (Didn't they have a transformer like that? "Beatbox" or whatever?)
They do - it's just that you have to add a stereo power amp to do it.
Now, if they made this with 7.1 that would be ideal!
that looks pretty cool!