D+M Group announced that it is rolling out an Auro-3D firmware upgrade ($199) for some of its latest Denon and Marantz audio/video gear.

For more information visit: www.usa.denon.com ; www.us.marantz.com ; www.auro-technologies.com

Unedited press release follows:

D+M Announces Upgrade to Support Auro-3D

Mahwah, NJ (December 16, 2016) D+M Group, a global company dedicated to enhancing life through inspired sound solutions delivered anytime anywhere, today unveiled an upcoming upgrade to support the cutting-edge Auro-3D® Immersive Sound format from Auro Technologies, which adds an additional height sound layer creating a true 3-D immersive sound experience at home. Expected to be available on January 5, 2017, the upgrade will be available on three recently introduced premium home theater AV receivers and one AV pre-processor. Customers can purchase an Auro-3D® firmware upgrade for $199USD for the Denon® AVR-X6300H, Denon® AVR-X4300H, Marantz® SR7011 AV receivers and Marantz® AV7703 AV pre-processor.

The unparalleled Denon and Marantz upgrade service can easily be done by every owner at home through the model’s built-in online feature upgrade function. More details will follow soon on the official Denon and Marantz websites.

A next-generation, three-dimensional audio standard, Auro-3D® provides a realistic sound experience via added “height layers” in sound reproduction. The format creates an immersive lifelike sensation through acoustic reflections, generated and heard similarly to how they are produced in real-life—capturing the sense of sound originating from both above and around the listener. Auro-3D®’s unique and consistent “coherent vertical stereo field” not only creates one of the best screen sounds on the market but also a very natural experience for the listener.

Once upgraded with the Auro-Codec Decoder, all four models can easily decode the original Auro-3D® mixes from available content. The decoder allows seamless playback on an Auro 9.1 or 10.1 speaker configuration, both of which incorporate Auro Technologies’ unique approach to create an immersive home entertainment experience. An extra amplifier is needed for the AVR-X4300H and the SR7011 to drive the top surround channel for 10.1 configurations while the 11.2 channel AVR-X6300H supports a 10.1 channel configuration without extra amplification. The AV7703 pre-processor will need external amplifiers.

The height information, captured in recording or created during the mixing process, is mixed into a standard 5.1 PCM stream that comes with a regular Blu-ray. Moreover, its proprietary AuroMatic® algorithm enables seamless playback and upmixing of legacy mono, stereo, 5.1 surround formats, and creates a natural 3D immersive sound experience with audio quality on par to native mixed versions, allowing consumers to have an all-encompassing home entertainment system with full compatibility across all formats.

“D+M Group is all about innovation, and we’re always on the lookout for improvements to our hardware to offer a cutting-edge audio experience,” said Yoshinori Yamada, global business team leader for the company’s A/V receiver category. “This is our 3rd year of offering the Auro-3D firmware upgrade to our Denon and Marantz AVR lineup. We are having more and more customers asking for the upgrade. We are happy to be able to continue to deliver this technology and share the excitement with our customers.”

“Auro-3D® has seen significant momentum in 2016 with rapid growth within the home entertainment, digital cinema, mobile, music, automotive and gaming fronts,” said Wilfried Van Baelen, CEO of Auro-Technologies and inventor of the Auro-3D® format. “This latest collaboration with D+M Group is testament to our vision of providing true-to-life three-dimensional sound to as many people as possible. With Auro Technologies’ unique format and D+M Group’s premium line-up, we can offer the perfect package for home theater enthusiasts looking for a truly immersive listening experience. This support from D+M Group marks the end of a momentous year for us and heralds an even more exciting 2017”.

AV Receivers and Processor details

Denon AVR-X4300H:
Discover a whole new world of thrilling 3D surround sound with the Denon AVR-X4300H Network AV receiver, a premium 9.2-channel home theater receiver with discrete, identical amplifiers on each channel and 11.2 channel processing capability for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X to support 7.1.4 configuration with an added 2-channel amplification, plus optional Auro-3D® upgradability. With its built-in wireless network technology, the AVR-X4300H is compatible with the HEOS wireless multi-room music network, enabling you to enjoy your favorite music anywhere and everywhere around your home. Share music to other HEOS devices, and explore, browse, and play music from your own music library, from online streaming music services, and from thousands of internet radio stations – all controlled using the simple, intuitive HEOS app.

Denon AVR-X6300H:
Enjoy a superb surround sound experience with the Denon AVR-X6300H, which features Dolby Atmos®, DTS:X®, and Auro 3D® surround decoding, and is the first Denon AV receiver with 11 channels of amplification built-in. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X feature object-based surround sound with the ability to drive overhead speakers to deliver the ultimate immersive 3D audio experience, and the AVR-X6300H’s 11-amplifier design means all this can be delivered without any need for external amplification, even when running four overhead speakers in 7.1.4 configuration. Auro-3D® is also supported, via the optional firmware upgrade. Full wireless connectivity is provided via both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth®, and Apple Airplay® is supported for music streaming. The AVR-X6300H is compatible with HEOS and can be the heart of a whole-house wireless multi-room music network.

Marantz SR7011
A 9.2 channel network AV Receiver with 11.2 channel processing capability, built-in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and AirPlay, 8 x HDMI inputs and triple outputs with Marantz-own HDAMs in Current Feedback topology. The unit also comes equipped with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and optional Auro-3D® upgradability, 4K full-rate pass-through, 4:4:4 pure color, HDR and HDCP2.2 support, ISF certification/calibration for the picture. And lastly Audyssey MultEQ XT32 setup and room calibration and 11.2 channel pre-outs.

Marantz AV7703
A 11.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD A/V Pre-Amplifier with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and AirPlay, 11.2 channel XLR and RCA pre-outs, 8 x HDMI inputs and triple outputs. The unit also comes equipped with Marantz-own HDAMs in Current Feedback topology, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and optional Auro-3D® upgradability, 4K full-rate pass-through, 4:4:4 pure color, HDR and HDCP2.2 support, ISF certification/calibration for picture and Audyssey MultEQ XT32 setup and room calibration.

More information about many of these products may be found on the Denon and Marantz news pages located at www.usa.denon.com and www.us.marantz.co.

About D+M Group
D+M Group is a global company dedicated to enhancing life through inspired sound solutions delivered anytime, anywhere. With a strong belief that “Performance is everything,” D+M is focused on innovation to meet the needs of customers in an increasingly digital world. Serving the consumer markets, D+M Group brands include Boston Acoustics®, Denon®, and Marantz®. D+M Group has approximately 900 employees worldwide, with products and services marketed in more than 45 countries.

All product and brand names with a trademark symbol are trademarks or registered trademarks of D+M Holdings, Inc. or its subsidiaries except Bluetooth which is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.; Auro-3D® which are registered trademarks of Auro Technologies NV; AirPlay which is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.; Dolby Atmos which is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc; and DTS:X which is a trademark of DTS, Inc.

About Auro Technologies
Auro Technologies is a spin-off of the privately-owned Galaxy Studios Group, renowned worldwide for its state-of-the-art leadership in audio innovation for music and sound for film. After 150 years of evolution in sound recording and reproduction, Wilfried Van Baelen (CEO Auro Technologies and Galaxy Studios) revolutionized sound by bringing “Immersive Sound” (sound in 3D) as an end-to-end solution for all markets with his Auro-3D® format. The addition of the missing and final dimension in sound (height) combined with Auro-3D’s® groundbreaking technologies provides a natural immersive sound experience unlike anything you’ve heard before, creating a new emotional level of entertainment in music, movies, games, events, etc. The Auro-3D® technology suite offers easy-to-use and unprecedented levels of sound reproduction capabilities to the broadcast, digital cinema, home cinema, mobile, gaming, and automotive markets. To learn more about Auro Technologies or Auro-3D®, please visit www.auro-technologies.com .