Harman Kardon, Inc., announced today that its AVR 7550HD 7.2-channel audio/video receiver has won the prestigious 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Best of Innovations 2009 Design and Engineering award in the Audio Components category. Sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and endorsed by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), the Innovations 2009 awards honor exceptional product and engineering design.
The 7.2-channel Harman Kardon AVR 7550HD is the brand’s flagship A/V receiver, designed to deliver the ultimate home-theater experience. The AVR 7550HD (SRP: $2,799, available winter 2009) provides HDMI (V.1.3a with Deep Color) capability and can pass video signals to 1080p. The receiver employs Faroudja DCDi Cinema digital-video processing utilizing the leading-edge Torino chipset, providing extraordinary upscaled and enhanced 1080p image quality from all video sources. The AVR 7550HD is also compatible with HDMI (V.1.3a with Deep Color) devices.
The receiver is among the first to include Dolby Volume technology, an innovative approach to delivering consistent volume levels across a wide variety of content, channel programming or input sources. It is also the first receiver to utilize the latest-generation Texas Instruments Aureus DA710 audio digital-signal processor in a dual-DSP implementation to deliver unsurpassed sound quality.
The AVR 7550HD incorporates a Harman Kardon-exclusive newly developed high-definition full-color on-screen menu system that utilizes both pictures and text to guide users in setting up their home theater system, and provides unprecedented ease of use.
The receiver offers a host of additional versatile features, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding; a built-in USB port to accommodate a USB memory stick or streaming audio from a computer; an Internet radio tuner; EzSet/EQII automated room-equalization and system calibration; multiroom audio and video capability with A-BUS connectivity; XM Ready* capability; and more. It is supplied with the Harman Kardon The Bridge II** docking station for iPod at no extra charge. The Bridge II enables enhanced audio and video playback and remote-control capabilities when a compatible iPod model*** is connected.
About Harman Kardon, Inc.
Harman Kardon, Inc., is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com). Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG, Audioaccess, Becker, BSS, Crown, dbx, DigiTech, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon, Mark Levinson, Revel, QNX, Soundcraft and Studer. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE: HAR.
*Optional XM antenna module and subscription to XM service required. Hardware and service sold separately. XM service is not available in Alaska or Hawaii.
**The Bridge II is compatible with the Harman Kardon AVR 7550HD, AVR 3550HD, AVR 354, AVR 47 Series, AVR 146, AVR 45 Series and AVR 40 Series receivers, the HK 3490 stereo receiver and the DMC 1000 digital media center. Not compatible with other Harman Kardon products, or with other brands of audio/video equipment.
***Compatible with iPod models with docking connector, including iPod touch and all Click Wheel models; not compatible with iPod shuffle.
