Integra Research Announces Deliveries of High-End Theater Components Developed in Partnership with US Firms
Friday, June 02, 2000
Integra Research Announces Deliveries of High-End Theater Components Developed in Partnership with US Firms
The newly formed Integra Research Division of Onkyo Corporation has introduced three high-end theater components that were jointly developed with several US companies. These components offer audiophile quality performance suitable for crucial music listening, with professional grade video to match.
The lineup consists of the Integra Research RDC-7, a 7.1-channel THX Surround EX audio/video preamplifier/processor; the RDA-7, a US-designed seven-channel THX power amplifier with each channel rated at 150 watts; and the RDV-1, a premium DVD player with a broadcast-quality video section. All three models are THX Ultra certified. The A/V processor and DVD player are IEEE-1394 capable, and the processor�s operating system and surround formats are upgradable via software that can be uploaded from a PC. This allows the product to be easily upgraded so it will not be rendered obsolete by the introduction of new surround formats.
These components were jointly developed in partnership with a trio of US audio and video technology firms: Apogee Electronics Corp., Balanced Audio Technology, and LucasFilm THX. The company also worked closely with a team of custom installers to ensure the product meets the needs of that customer base.
Integra Research has now licensed the Apogee Low-Jitter Clock, and have integrated it into the 192-kHz/24-bit DAC that is used in the RDC-7 processor and RDV-1 DVD player.
Balanced Audio Technology is known for producing superbly engineered, meticulously crafted audio products that recreate music with unmatched fidelity and accuracy. The engineer behind this unique equipment is Victor Khomenko, co-founder of BAT and now the chief designer of the Integra Research RDA-7.
Last, but certainly not least, LucasFilm�s THX division played a key role in several aspects of these products. The company�s THX Ultra certification process insures these components are correctly calibrated and tested to meet or exceed LucasFilm standards for THX soundtrack reproduction. Indeed, the RDA-7 is the world�s first seven-channel power amplifier to earn THX Ultra certification.
These are also among the first products to incorporate 7.1-channel THX Surround EX. Inspired by Gary Rydstrom (director of Creative Operations for Lucas Digital�s Skywalker Sound and seven-time Academy Award-winner), this new cinema format was born from the joint collaboration of LucasFilm THX and Dolby Digital Laboratories. While present 5.1-channel configurations allow for sound from the sides, they provide little from behind of above the listener. By providing an additional surround back signal, THX Surround EX enables sound designers to create dramatic 360-degree surround sound effects that fly over and around listeners, pan from front to back, conveying a sense of realism never before achieved in the theater.
For more information, contact Integra Research Division of Onkyo Corp. at 201-825-7950.