Pioneer
The Pioneer PD-C7 portable Compact Disc player weighs only 1 1/2 pounds and measures 5 x 5 1/4 x 1 1/2 inches. It can be used in a battery-pack/carrying case or, with an a.c. adaptor, in a home music system. The player can also be plugged into one of two Pioneer portable music systems, the CK-W700 (shown) or the CK-R500, which have special "docking" compartments for it that automatically make the proper signal and power connections.
The PD-C7 features high-speed scanning with the program audible as well as track-search controls. The LCD screen can be switched to show either the cur rent track number and elapsed time or the total number of tracks and time remaining on the disc. Frequency response is rated as 20 to 20,000 Hz +1,-3 dB, dynamic range as greater than 90 dB, and harmonic distortion as less than 0.008 percent. Prices: PD-C7 CD player, $299.95; OR-C300 battery-pack/ carrying case, $50; OR-C200 a.c. adaptor, $15. Pioneer Electronics, Dept. SR, 5000 Airport Plaza Dr., Long Beach, CA 90815.
Nakamichi
The CR-7A from Nakamichi is a direct-drive, three-head cassette deck with Dolby B and Dolby C noise reduction. The deck features manual play back azimuth tuning, asymmetrical dual-capstan transport, auto calibration of azimuth, level, and bias, and wireless remote control. The display shows remaining time, elapsed time, or a four-digit counter reading in all transport modes including fast-forward and re wind. Other features include auto re peat, memory stop, timer recording/ playback, and a two-speed master fader control. Frequency response is given as 18 to 21,000 Hz ±3 dB or 20 to 20,000 Hz ±2 dB. Price: $1,350. Nakamichi USA, Dept. SR. 19701 South Vermont Ave., Torrance, CA 90502.
Denon
Denon's VA-1000 VHS Hi-Fi VCR has four video heads and two VHS Hi Fi audio heads as well as a normal longitudinal stereo audio head. The VA-1000 includes a 133-channel cable-ready tuner with eighty presets and skip memory. A multiplex output is pro vided for connecting a stereo TV adaptor. The VCR can also be used as an audio-only recorder. A built-in timer allows recording up to four events over a two-week period. Visual search, still frame, and frame advance are possible in all three VHS speeds. Price: $1,000. Denon America, Dept. SR, 27 Law Dr., Fairfield, NJ 07006.
Shure
The Shure HTS5000 Surround Audio Processor is designed to re-create the ambience effects of Dolby Stereo sound in movie theaters. The Dolby-licensed Home Theater Sound (HTS) system de codes the Dolby Stereo information included in the soundtracks of most video discs and tapes and some stereo TV broadcasts. The HTS5000 provides up to six channels of audio output-left, center, right, two rear surround channels, and a subwoofer channel-but can operate effectively with only four channels. A surround-channel Acoustic Space Generator simulates the effect of an array of rear sound sources to create the sonic illusion of a large concert hall or movie theater.
A user-adjustable digital time delay customizes the system to a particular room. A switch selects either Dolby Surround mode for Dolby-encoded sources, stereo ambience recovery for conventional stereo sources, or stereo synthesis for mono sources.Price: $599. Shure Brothers Inc., Dept. SR, 222 Hartrey Ave., Evanston, IL 60204.
Sony
The current "world's smallest Com pact Disc player" is the portable Discman D-7 from Sony, measuring 5 inches deep, 4 7/8 inches wide, and less than an inch high without its clamp-on battery pack. Up to sixteen tracks can be programmed to play in any order, and the player will repeat the entire disc, one track, or a defined phrase. A Shuffle Play feature plays tracks in random order. The D-7 comes with a rechargeable battery pack, good for 5 hours of play, a soft case and carrying strap, an a.c. adaptor, and a cord for connection to a home stereo system. Weight with battery is about 2 1/4 pounds. Price: $299.95. Sony Corporation of America, Dept. SR, Sony Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656.
Klipsch
The Klipsch Forte is a three-way speaker system that stands 36 1/4 inches tall but occupies little more than a square foot of base area. Both the tweeter and midrange are compression drivers mated to horns. The woofer is 12 inches in diameter, and a passive radiator for very low bass is mounted on the rear of the cabinet. Frequency response is rated as 32 to 20,000 Hz ± 3 dB, sensitivity as a sound-pressure level of 96 dB at 1 meter with a 1-watt input. Cabinet is oak or walnut veneer finished in oil or clear lacquer. Price: $1,100 per pair, higher with other veneers. Klipsch & Associates, Dept. SR, P.O. Box 688, Hope, AR 71801.
Accuphase
Twelve FM stations can be programmed into the memory of the Accu phase T-107 FM tuner. A meter indicates the strength of incoming signals and the amount of multipath interference. It has a multiplex noise filter to reduce noise on weak stem) broadcasts, switchable muting, and an output level control. Total harmonic distortion is rated as 0.04 percent at 20 and 1,000 Hz, 0.08 percent at 10,000 Hz. The signal-to-noise ratio with a 80-dBf input is 85 dB. The tuner is finished in black or champagne gold. Price: $700. Imported by Madrigal Ltd., Dept. SR, P.O. Box 781, Middletown, CT 06457.
Ultrx
The Ultrx UDR100 is a 15-watt-per-channel car receiver/cassette player with multiple-function controls. Electronic rocker switches adjust volume, bass, treble, fader, and balance levels. The quartz-locked frequency-synthesis tuner has presets for up to eighteen stations. Auto scan samples all available stations, auto seek the presets.
The autoreverse cassette deck features dbx, Dolby B, and Dolby C noise reduction. Any selection can be programmed to repeat, and the player can scan a tape for a desired selection. Tape standby allows radio listening without removing the cassette. Price: $550. Ultrx, Dept. SR, 1200 West Artesia Blvd., Compton, CA 90220 USA.
Magnat
The Magnasphere Delta is an omnidirectional speaker system from Magnat that features unenclosed, spherical mid range and high-frequency driver units. Each unit consists of a back-to-back pair of freestanding drivers with hemi spherical housings that curve away from the diaphragms. The pairs of drivers are said to radiate nearly perfectly in phase over a full 360 degrees. The cross over frequencies are 3,000 and 800 Hz. The range from 32 to 800 Hz is handled by six 5 1/4-inch woofers in an enclosure below the spherical drivers.
Overall system frequency response is given as 32 to 27,000 Hz ± 3 dB. The speaker can handle up to 140 watts and produces a sound-pressure level of 88.5 dB at I meter with a 1-watt input. Price: $2,200 per pair. Magnat America, Dept. SR, 247 Lynnfield St., Peabody, MA 01960 USA.
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Source: Stereo Review (USA magazine)