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Red Ferret: This Primare SPA22 Amplifier is the first one we’ve seen that offers PC type upgrade functionality.

The object is to let you upgrade the components as more, different, better, sweeter technologies come on to the market.

The Swedish designers have come up with a clever plugin board option, which means you should be able to keep the amp much longer before consigning it to that great big scrap heap in the sky.

Such flexibility costs, of course (but you knew that right?) so prepare to shell out £3000.00 (€3,200) for the privilege of saving the planet.

The SPA22’s innovative open architecture looks beyond the latest fad or next format war by providing an easy way to upgrade entire audio, video and control sections as new technologies arrive. As with PC upgrades proprietary video, DSP and communications boards, incorporating optimised versions of the latest digital processing, are simply plugged-in to replace the previous ones.

In a single step, Primare has ‘built-out’ waste and obsolescence and secured long- lasting satisfaction for lovers of film and music…

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Gizmodo: Onkyo’s new TX-SR607 receiver goes where no sound component has ever gone before by providing Dolby Pro Logic IIz, which gives you vertically-oriented sound in addition to the normal surround sound.

The vertical sound field is created by two speakers which sit above the television, and will provide a noticeable effect in situations where something like an airplane flyover is on screen.

The 7.2 system features 90 watts of power per channel, Dolby True HD and DTS-HD support, plus HDMI switching with 1080p support for Deep Color and x.v.Color.

Onkyo also launched the TX-SR307 and TX-SR507, which are only 5.1 and lack the Dolby Pro Logic IIz. They have 65 and 80 watts per channel, respectively, but feature the same HDMI support as its more sophisticated sibling.

The 307, 507 and 607 will all be out in April for $300, $400 and $600 (€232, €309, €464) , respectively.

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AVRev.com: When it comes to receivers and preamps we always think of names like Anthem, Pioneer, Yamaha and Sony.  However, Cambridge Audio has demonstrated that they are ready to stand with the big boys. 

At CES they displayed their version 2 of their Azur 640R AV receiver. Many viewers were quite impressed.

The version 2 receiver employs the long-awaited Cirrus Logic/Crystal chipset. There are twin 32-bit DSPs with full support for all the latest uncompressed audio codecs. 

The V2 can also transcode analog video into digital to output via HDMI. The receiver contains seven 100Watt outputs at a nominal 8ohms. The direct stereo mode delivers 1200Watts per channel for audiophile listening. 

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TFOT: The California based company SiRF and the Swiss company U-Blox recently announced a new generation of GPS chips which will be cheaper and have improved reception under difficult conditions, such as in tunnels, canyons andd nearby high-rise buildings.

SiRF recently unveiled a new technology called SiRFDiRect, which aims to boost the accuracy of portable navigation systems when GPS signals are weak or blocked.

According to the company, the new technology will allow seamless transitions between combined GPS/DR and dead-reckoning-only operation without operator intervention.

The new GPS module will come either inside a stand-alone unit or embedded inside a device.

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