EAD processors ever going to be 7.1 comp?  

7.1 aka THX Surround EX is an established industry standard. As for when EAD will make this capability announced....

Hmmm.. Wait and see. I think it'll be sooner rather than later. Upgradability from an earlier chassis? That's another question that I
can't answer at this time.

This is a non-answer, but also the best I can do for now.

Regards,



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Contributing Writer,
Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity

Visit the EAD Users Site at http://eadiusers.cjb.net

7.1 product & upgrades are slated to be available in March.
The cost is outrageous ! EAD is notoriously slow.

- Andy

[This message has been edited by Andy Lammer (edited 01-14-2001).]

Define outrageous. Severel hundred? Several thousand?

Andy, you must have info that dealers do not have about the upgrades because the prices have not been set or even discussed. It really bothers me when people start posting things based on rumors and not facts. All your doing is hurting EAD and its dealers.

Chris, The new Theatermasters should be rolling out by March and will include and will include 8 channel plus analog bypass (same channels). The DTS ES and DD ES will come later on due to new board requirements.

If you need more info please email me or visit the EAD users forum.

Jay

I am not out to hurt EAD, though I am a very disappointed customer when it comes to there slowness. I LOVE my EAD PM2000 and can't see ever selling it ! I have been a loyal EAD follower for 2 years.

The definitive source for EAD info is not from your dealer, not EAD's web-site, but through the user site at http://eadusers.cjb.net
Go check it out and monitor it regularly if you want to know what's going in. This site is 98% fact and maybe 2% rumour !

I would say that most dealers are not in the know. Your dealer has 20-30 other product lines to worry about. It is the enthusiastic end-user who can't sleep at night who wants the answers and "has-to" seek them out. Believe it or not, I am the one informing my local dealer as to what EAD is up to. I am the one telling them of previous price increases. That is is why I bought my PM2000 when I did, before they went up $2K US. My dealer gets a little frustrated as I know more than him. I consciously seek out answers, whereas a dealer waits to hear something from the distributor.

Some of the particpants at the EAD users site, who include a dealer or two, are often in contact directly with EAD, and/or have had discussions with EAD at CES. I am not professing insider information of any sorts, only referring people to the EAD user site, as that is the FRIST place you will here info about EAD's ongoings, whether it be good or bad.

There are many very loyal EAD followers at this site who also are regulars at the EAD Users Site. Actually, you can pick up the phone and call EAD and you will find they will answer most any question you have.

- Andy

Andy,

I know you have been a loyal EAD user and that they have been disappointing at times and also that many dealers are not in the loop with news from EAD. I know the EAD users forum very well as I am one of the moderators (its me Crank) and a loyal EAD dealer. I talk to EAD at least twice a week and even had the opportunity to meet with and have dinner with them at CES. I am even on their newly formed National Dealer Committee.

Never once was an actual price set for upcoming upgrades. I can tell you that the five dealers that were invited to the meeting discussed a lot but really concentrated on what our customers wanted in these future upgrades and how EAD could service them better. A key concern was pricing on new products and upgardes. EAD's management is very aware of the company's short comings and have instituted many key initiatives to resolve these in 2001. I am very confident that you will be pleasantly surprised when all of upgrades and new products are set.

I am really sorry that your local dealer either is too busy or just doesn't care to get the info. You should let EAD know this and maybe they will direct you to a dealer that cares about the product.

If you want to discuss this futher please give me a call at 626-676-1687.

Jay

Jhong:

I didn't know you were "Crank" !
I do thank you for your inititiatives with EAD to improve their products, dealer network, and end-user feedback.

My dealer is actually very very good and probably moves some of the most EAD product here in Canada. He gets his EAD news from the Canadian distributor, who may not be up to speed. I now have them tuning into the EAD Users Site for late-breaking info.

So, I guess we wait and see what is the official word from EAD.
Unfortunately, existing customers think upgrades should come cheap because we have been loyal EAD supporters. However, engineering and production cost real money, and we all want EAD to be a successful & strong company.

... to put things in prespective, does anyone know how much the Theta Casablanca to Casablnaca-II upgrade cost ?

- Andy

I'm not sure if it's fair to compare the CB-CBII upgrade. From what we've heard, the EAD upgrade sounds like a hack, with other upgrades following shortly. If they were going to 'turn the unit around', I'd pay a little more.

Not sure whats involved in the CBII upgrade.

Rob

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Migliore Theater

One has to keep in mind that the EAD Theatre Master lineup is a rather old design, dating back at least 3 years now. EAD did what it thought was best at the time as to how it would handle "futures". EAD developed the T.M. lineup using a rather small elegant chassis design. This too was part of its appeal, and also part of its current expansion limtations.

If you look under the hood of a T.M. you will see its board layaount. The main motherboard can be swapped to provide the Encore to Ovation upgrade. The DAC board can be easily swapped to bring an Ovation up to a Standing Ovation. This was probably very leading edge back 3-4 years ago.

Could anyone really foresee the proliferation of DVD, SACD, DVD-A, future multi-channel, DPL-II, THX-EX, DTS-ES Discrete ?

Now Sim Audio took the basic Ovation and kicked it up a notch, by offering Balanced ins & outs, and I think a better power supply. The chassis is also much larger than the EAD to compensate for the added extra features.

I do not believe there is enough space on the back-panel of the EAD T.M.s to allow for extra inpputs and outputs. Hence, some outboard "box" may need to be tethered to the main chassis. If EAD came up with something elegant and matched like the Switchmaster, than I don't think anyone could complain. But this type of quality upgrade cannot be offered on the cheap.

As much as we may not like it, EAD cannot offer upgrades at little profit. There needs to be some real profit in the upgardes to pay for the R&D and manufacturing. I think EAD would be better off with a completely new modular chassis design and do it right. Nobody wants a hack job, regardless of the price. You will always find someone who will be happy with our previous generation EAD hand-me-downs. It always costs to have the latest and greatest - no way around that.

- Andy

EAD announces trade-up for TV-P owners. They will give 100% of the purchase up to $2950 to trade up to the Ultra DVD-A.

Also, know available is the TV withou progressive for those who don't need it but want a kickass music for $2500.

Jay

If the upgrades are difficult to implement, perhaps EAD can offer a trade in program like Lexicon does with their processors.
Rich

Andy- Your right, it costs money to make changes to existing designs, notmention parts costs and software royalties. EAD is working very hard to make its products competitive both in technology and pricing. As soon as word comes out I will be posting it on The EAD Users Forum. Hang in there.

Rob- What does "Hack" mean?

Rich- That maybe a reality down the road.

Jay

So what is EAD doing with the old TVP units that are traded in?? I want one... http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif

BTW, The E->O upgade is a DAC upgrade - they add a DAC board and add some 0-ohm resistors to switch some signal paths. Other stuff too. Since the S has a teflon circuit board, I believe it gets the whole new motherboard.

The sim unit uses the 1702k series, so I think it is based off the ovatio+.
I don't think the power supplies were touched, just the analog section was tweaked. I'm not sure that the inside of the chassis is that much bigger.

They should redesign the unit, and then offer current owners to trade in for 80% of retail or something. If they completely obsolete my unit, and I have to buy a whole new one, my old one is likely to be worth squat, and I'm likely to go w/ another company. I think the point that crank makes is that EAD is very much trying harder to have better customer service. We'll see how it pans out. (Though I've been waiting for a week to speak w/ a tech about getting my pm2000 xformer replaced..)

BTW, hack is the fact that I think the analog bypass won't be volume controlled - it will be a real bypass, and the ULTRA will control the volume. But I'm not sure. Some things are still unclear. Like, will there be 6 or 8 24/96 DACs in the TM upgrade. And why have them if the ULTRA is connected via analog bypass. You may want them in the future, but ..

Rob

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Migliore Theater

Rob,

I will try to post info as I get it.

Strange but I hear a lot of EAD users are going direct to EAD instaed of their dealer for Tech questions and problems.

Rob-Why aren't you going through your dealer for transformer issue?

Jay

My salesperson switched to another dealer, and the product line stayed behind. The other folks don't know the difference between an amp and a pre-amp.

Rob

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Migliore Theater