Does anyone have a reliable release date on the Cambridge SoundWorks 850HD tuner? (As distinguished from the 820HD table radio.)

Cambridge SoundWorks originally announced that the 820 and 850 both would be available last November, but later they told me it would be December, then January before the tuner hit the market. I search their website daily, but the only "850" that comes up is a Monster cable.

Early descriptions of the SoundWorks tuner promised several features that are lacking in the current Sangean model, although the company is slow to release details.

BSW is saying March and $299.99

(sorry, I can't post a link yet) :o

OK.... Now I can:

http://www.bswusa.com/proditem.asp?item=850HD


:)

This looks like an interesting tuner, with more features than the first generation Sangean. I look forward to seeing the specs and more details! And it is only a few weeks until March!

The Cambridge 850 HD Tuner is rack mounted. It would appear to me that most people would me more interested in the standard sized HD component such as the Sangean and Rotel.
Richard

Like many manufacturers, Cambridge SoundWorks seems to be targeting the home theatre crowd with the 850HD. However, in jr_tech's link, the picture of the product indicates that it also has "feet" -- a concession to us mere audiophiles? I hope it will have features lacking in the HDT-1, such as HD defeat, brightness control on the display, etc.

The picture shows the feet and the rack mounts-I'm wondering if the rack mounts come off easily and the size is a standard component unit. As for myself I would only consider it if it satisfied those two criteria.
Richard

If you take a close look at the enlarged picture, it appears that the rack mount brackets are separate pieces. My guess is that they are just screwed onto the sides of the box. If they can be easily removed, the 19" rack-mount unit should end up being about 17" wide, same as my Sangean HDT-1.
We have come a long way... just 2 years ago, we were cutting holes in blank rack panels so that $900+ (first gen) auto radios could easily be mounted in racks at transmitter sites. Now a suitable monitor is only $300! :)

The Cambridge 850 HD Tuner is rack mounted. It would appear to me that most people would me more interested in the standard sized HD component such as the Sangean and Rotel.
Richard

From the photo, it is obvious that the rack mount "ears" are removeable, making this unit a 17" 'standard sized component'. And it seems to have feet.

I have auditioned the Rotel, but at $900, it is out of the question!

Looks like BSW is taking preorders with an expected ETA of 3-10, and free shipping. If we could get a few details, I would likely be pulling out the plastic.

I contacted Cambridge SoundWorks last October, shortly after they announced the 850HD, requesting specs and additional details. Their P.R. department promised to send material as soon as it became available. Several days ago, I e-mailed them about BSW's estimated delivery date and asked whether they might now have specs. No response so far.