New Products - Jan. 2002
Hot gear from the world of home entertainment
(continued)
Acoustic
Research
Shield your A/V gear from power spikes with an Acoustic Research surge protector.
AR offers three protectors designed for home theater components, with such features
as outlets spaced for AC adapters and protection for satellite, cable, and telephone
lines. The top-of-the-line AR-10S shown has ten outlets and gold-plated coaxial
connectors, and it’s rated to protect against surges and spikes up to 2,163
joules. The main power cord is 10 feet long. Price: $50 to $100. www.acoustic-research.com,
800-969-2748
Clark
Synthesis
Surround sound you can feel in your bones is what’s promised by the Sensation
from Clark Synthesis — a recliner that connects to your sound system. Built
into the chair is a Tactile Sound transducer that’s said to produce vibrations
over the full range of tactile and audible frequencies, not just low bass. The
hardwood frame and wooden side panels help keep you rocking, while the plush
upholstery and padded footrest ensure you never leave the comfort zone. The
chair has a footprint of 32 x 311/2 inches, and its back is 38 inches high.
A stainless steel cup holder is the final touch for that cinematic experience,
but you’ll have to supply the sticky floor yourself. Price: $2,500. www.clarksynthesis.com,
800-898-1945
Logitech
To become totally immersed in videogame play, you’ll need a set of multimedia
speakers like Logitech’s Z-560. The THX-certified 4.1-channel system includes
four single-driver satellites on adjustable stands, a subwoofer with an 8-inch
driver, and a sleek-looking controller (shown to right of subwoofer). The amplifier
housed in the sub’s cabinet is rated to deliver 53 watts to each satellite and
188 watts to the woofer. Proprietary processing generates surround sound from
stereo sources, and system bandwidth is rated as 35 Hz to 20 kHz. The controller
has balance, bass-level, and volume controls plus a headphone jack; speaker
cables are supplied. Price: $200. www.logitech.com,
800-231-7717
Proton
If you’ve gotten used to watching DVDs on a progressive-scan player, you’d probably
like to get rid of the scan lines in standard NTSC video, too. If your TV or
monitor doesn’t include a good line doubler, you may be interested in Proton’s
outboard TB-6001. Interlaced 480i video goes in through its component-, composite-,
or S-video input, and out comes a progressive-scan 480p signal from the component-video,
RGB+H/V, or VGA output. The TB-6001 has 2:3 pulldown to compensate for frame-rate
differences between film and video and thus reduce motion artifacts and jagged
edges. The 77/8 x 2 x 81/2-inch processor also has controls for contrast, brightness,
color, tint, and sharpness. Price: $800. www.proton-usa.com,
562-404-2222



