Anthem AVM 50 A/V Preamp/Processor
October

When Anthem released the THX Ultra2-certified AVM 30 preamp/processor a few years back, its wide array of surround processing modes (including Dolby Digital EX and DTS ES), along with a six-channel analog input with full bass management, made it the must-have product for home theater. Now, with the AVM 50 ($4,699), the company has pulled off the impressive feat of adding broadcast-quality video processing to the package. Its hefty sampling of video jacks — everything from four HDMI inputs to component-, composite-, and S-video plugs — can accept video in any format you care to feed it upconvert the signal to a crisp 1080p-rez picture. And the Gennum VXP pixel-based, motion-adaptive processing ensures that images retain clarity even during fast-motion movie scenes. I could go on endlessly barking about the benefits of Anthem's amazing preamp, but there's no need to. This component essentially sells itself.
anthemav.com
— Al Griffin