Essential Install | Products
Savant is looking to give its installers an edge with new IP switching functionality
Savant Switches Things Up
Designed to give Savant integrators an advantage by enabling them to deliver distributed AV content to residential and commercial clients , Savant has unveiled its ‘ ultra-high-performance ’ ‘ pixel-perfect ’ 4K video over IP switching platform .
Shipping in Q3 , the new product line delivers 4K / 60 4:4:4 HDR video distribution over IP with zero frame latency and Savant is confident that installers will appreciate the convenience of a centralised 10GbE switch , enabling Ethernet connectivity throughout the project with both fibre and copper options .
According to the manufacturer , the video and audio distribution capability of the switch cost effectively meets the demand for the highest quality experience across any job size , with the added advantage of scalability only limited by the size of the network , allowing installations from 2-128 zones or more .
A transmit chassis for centralised sources and distributed receivers has been designed with ease of installation in mind , while audio down-mixing capabilities and audio breakout options make the new switching platform ideal for use with Savant ’ s recently released Pro Audio 4 IP-based switch with unlimited audio zone support and access to streaming services via Savant Music . Video processing features supported include multi-video / video tiling , video wall and multiswitching applications .
“ In prior ventures with Excel Switching , we led the telecom industry ’ s evolution to IP-based switching systems ; today Savant is leading a similar evolution in video switching ,” states Savant CEO , Robert Madonna . “ These new best-inclass 4K switching solutions deliver the same advantages to the AV integration professional within a complete suite of products that give them a competitive advantage in the luxury home and commercial markets .”
More Information : Savant Systems Europe + 44 ( 0 ) 1488 73366 , www . savant . com
The Mark Levinson No 519 Audio Player will retail for around £ 21,000 ( inc VAT )
Make Your Mark !
Karma-AV has announced the availability of the versatile Mark Levinson № 519 Audio Player . The № 519 has the ability to play virtually any digital audio format and provides wired and wireless digital audio inputs from USB asynchronous streaming and mass storage , Gigabit Ethernet , Balanced , Optical , Coaxial , Wi-Fi , aptX Bluetoothm and an integrated slot-loading CD player .
The unit also includes high-performance headphone connectivity and integrated digital volume control , allowing it to serve as a fully integrated digital music source .
The product also offers high-resolution digital decoding up to 32-bit / 192kHz from PCM and double-speed DSD , while its Precision Link DAC , ( with three selectable filter settings ) incorporates an ESS Sabre32 Reference converter for musical accuracy with what the maker describes as exceptional resolution and dynamic range . The № 519 houses an embedded Precision Stream Linux computer running a custom Mark Levinson version of the operating system , designed to deliver high-quality no matter which configuration is needed . Spotify Connect , TIDAL , QOBUZ , Deezer , Rhapsody and Napster are all built in , plus Internet radio .
For libraries which contain older or lower resolution content , the unit has ‘ Clari-Fi ’ music restoration technology , which has been created to improve older less detailed files .
Digital volume control enables usage as a standalone music playback device connected directly to a power amplifier or active loudspeakers , while selectable lowpass filtering enables the unbalanced outputs to be used for subwoofer integration .
The product can be controlled from its front panel , by its own remote or via iOS and Android Apps .
More information : karma-av + 44 ( 0 ) 1423 358846 , www . karma-av . co . uk
70 | February 2017