Denon, Marantz and Boston unveil slew of top-end audio kit

From high-end AVRs to stylised audio docks and a new push into headphones, D&M has unveiled its 2012 range

The newly rebranded D and M group showcased around 70 of its newproducts at an exclusive dealer and press event this week – some were incremental refreshes, some were brand new products. Here's what caught our eye in particular.

The Ceol Piccolo

One of the standout products of the show, the Ceol Piccolo system is designed to port a lot of the technology found in Denon's larger and more complicated sound systems into a more easily digestible form. It has Airplay, internet radio and PC/NAS music file streaming.

It can be controlled with Denon's new Remote App for iPhones, iPods, iPads and Android devices, and will also charge the units.

When it emerges in September, the network receiver block itself will set you back £399, while the speakers are £99 a pop. Not a huge price tag in the world of high end audio set ups.

Denon Cacoon

The Cacoon was on show as a type of prototype model at the Gadget Show, but the full version will be coming in August. The bulbous design and focus on quirky style is a move away from the more hardcore sound systems the firm is more famous for, and indicative of a push for less enthusiast more mainstream models.

The ergonomic remote control is made in the same 'Cocoon' shape, while double Layer woofers, full digital audio processing, wireless streaming from android, and network connection means it's got a lot under the bonnet, too.

Available in black or white, it will cost you £499when it hits the UK in August.

Boston MC 300

There's a lot going on in this stand-alone Radio/Dock/Clock. The solid looking core unit has a built-in iPod dock, Bluetooth streaming, FM (RDS) and DAB / DAB+ radio, video output, and a specialised Remote, this self-contained system can be expanded with additionalMCPlusOnes – up to a 6 if you'd like to deck the house out with them.

The base unit will be £349 when it lands in October.

Marantz Consolette

The Consolette dock is another design led product, and certainly has a striking look. It has a wooden back casing surrounded by a fabric enclosure and accented by aluminium details, and the familiar Marantz porthole display.

Marantz claims it creates a very wide stereo image, while the BMR drivers offer a 180º sound dispersion, which should give the same sound quality wherever you stand.
At £899 it will be one of the more expensive docks when it's available in September, but with the Marantz brand comes the expectation of quality.

Headphones

Denon has been in the headphone sector for a while, but by its own admission hasn't created much of a storm there. It will launch a renewed push into the area this year, with a range of cans under four main product brackets.

Globe Trotter is aimed at types that travel a lot, and had wireless and noise cancelling properties. Exercise Freak is for use in the gym or running, while Urban Raver is a stylised higher end range, and finally Music Maniac is the top of the range line for music enthusiasts. All products will vary in price wildly, and each will have specialised apps – such as a Nike Plus style sporty one to go with the Exercise Freak range.

Denon AVR-3313

This 7.2-Channel Integrated Network AV Receiver can upscale high-definition video to 4Kresolution.

There's a lot of technology behind the sleek chassis – it delivers 165 watts of power across each of its channels - and there's plenty to customise for those that like to do so when it hits the stores in July.

It's fitted with seven HDMI inputs and three HDMI outputs (two parallel for the main room and one independent for a second room) so it can source high-definition audio and video from any HDMI-compatible devices, such as set-top boxes, Blu-ray players, game consoles and media players.