First Look: Preamps/Processors

• Price: $6,699
• Output channels: 7.1-channels, single-ended and balanced
• Decoding: DD, DD EX, ProLogic IIx, DTS, DTS-ES Discrete/Matrix/Neo:6/DTS 24/96
• Ins and outs: Seven coax and three toslink digital audio, one AES/EBU, four HDMI and four component video, one 5.1-channel analog, RS-232, eight S-Video, three 12V triggers
• Highlights: HDMI ver. 1.1 switching with Gennum video processing with transcoding of composite and S-Video and component video to HDMI, 24/192 A-D and D-A conversion, dual DSP engines, AV sync delay, multi-source/multi-zone, learning remote (not backlit!)

Anthem's flagship controller is indeed a Statement, one that says everything about this component goes beyond the "me too" controllers that litter the market. The D2's audio section upsamples incoming signals to 24/192 for processing, and the Statement's video processing section reads like the spec list for a top of the line scaler. Powered by the Gennum processing we've seen and admired in Marantz's VP-12S4 and VP-11S1, the D2 can transcode to and from component video and HDMI for simplified switching, and can scale any incoming signals to full 1080p resolution for output. It has an AV sync delay with a startling range, and much, much more. I'd say that this reads like the bio for a megabuck, $10K+ controller, but the fact is I haven't read of any other controller at any price that's outfitted like the Statement D2 and it costs $6699. Available now.