Kenwood Excelon Reference Series DMX958XR Monitor with Receiver Review

When it comes to electronics, you can always count on advancement. The features get better and better, year to year. Kenwood gives you a great bang for the buck. And it doesn’t get any better than Kenwood’s Excelon Reference Series. Up for review is their Kenwood Excelon Reference DMX958XR, which is big bang for the buck at only $849 MSRP.

 

Features and specs:

6.8" High Definition Monitor with Capacitive Touch Panel

Android Auto™ & Android Auto™ Wireless

Wired and Wireless Apple CarPlay®

High-Resolution Audio Wireless

Wireless Mirroring for Android

USB Type-C

13 Band EQ & Digital Time Alignment

4 Camera Inputs / HD Rear Camera Ready

3 Preouts 5.0V

 

Capacitive Touch Panel

Clear glass display with swipe functionality that provides superior picture and touch panel control.

 

Wireless Mirroring for Android

Solution for seamlessly displaying and controlling your smartphone apps on a screen without cables on select Android devices.

4 Camera Inputs

Optional camera connection method for up to 4 cameras in various configurations.

 

HD Rear Camera Input

HD Rear Camera (CMOS-740HD) can be connected for High Definition viewing.

 

Parking Guidelines

Parking guidelines (requires installation of compatible backup camera) that enhance the effectiveness of a backup camera.

 

Music Mix

Up to 5 Bluetooth® devices can be paired to the receiver at the same time. You can enjoy audio streaming just by switching the devices with your friends or family.

 

Dual Phone Connection

While you are connected through Bluetooth, with a touch of a button you can switch between two phones.

 

High Quality Sound Parts

High quality sound parts (custom-made or carefully selected capacitor, etc) are adopted to provide superior sound quality.

 

Graphic EQ / Digital Time Alignment

13-Band equalizer and DTA gives optimal tuning enhancements for listeners.

 

USB Type-C

USB Type-C cable and USB Type-A adapter are included to the set.

Rapidly charge your compatible Android smartphone with the USB port, up to a maximum of 3.0A

 

Short Chassis

With receivers shorter in depth than any of our previous models, installation is made easier in a wider range of cars than ever before.

The Kenwood Excelon Reference DMX958XR came in a great looking color printed box with photos and specs for the receiver. Opening the box revealed a well-protected receiver, held in place by custom Styrofoam. Materials used in the construction was metal and plastic, as is typical for car receivers. The frame is metal, with a plastic face, and controls. Quality of construction, as well as the fit and finish, was excellent. Also included was the wiring harness, USB extension cables, GPS antenna, microphone with bracket, RCA adapter cable, removal tools, mounting screws, trim ring, and quick start guide.

 

I really like the design of the Kenwood Excelon Reference DMX958XR. For some it could take some getting used to, as it’s mechless. This means there is no DVD/CD player. If this makes you hesitant, ask yourself when the last time was that you actually listened to a CD. If you already have a music streaming service, this mechless model will save you some coin over the alternative. And while it doesn’t have navigation built-in, thanks to Android Auto, you can use google maps for your on-screen navigation. Or for you Apple users, it’s got Apple CarPlay.  And the provided GPS antenna makes sure you have a strong satellite signal for your navigation.

 

While the Kenwood DMX958XR doesn’t have a CD player or built-in navigation, it still has all of the features found on Kenwood’s top of the line Excelon Reference Series. These include feature such as Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless, Android Wireless Mirroring, dash cam capability, parking guide line, and HD camera input. New features also include multiple camera inputs, USB-C input and rapid charging. There are also the other features that we have come to enjoy from Kenwood with HD Radio, time alignment, 13 band EQ, Drive EQ and 5-volt pre-outs, and DSP, to name a few.

 

Although one of my favorite features that I have come to love from the Kenwood Excelon Reference Series is the HD display. At 1280x720 resolution on a 6.75” display, the image is pure eye candy. To say that the display is breathtaking, doesn’t come close to the quality of images displayed. It doesn’t matter the color: reds, greens, blues; they are all well saturated but not overly so, and dynamic, with deep blacks and excellent contrast. With our reference system comprising of a fully active system, using top of the line components, such as Audio Control processors and German Maestro M-line 3-way speaker system hand-made in Germany, we are accustomed to high quality sound. We have reviewed previous Kenwood Excelon Reference Series receivers that have delivered in spades. Let’s see how this one performs.

 

Thanks to the built-in MOSFETS for the amp, there is enough power to sufficiently drive your speakers. As I went through my favorite tracks, I heard what I expected to hear. Highs were sufficiently clean, mids were smooth, vocals had good resolution and texture of the timber. The midbass from the mids had better dynamics than expected. The built-in amp overall was more transparent than expected as well.

 

Now don’t get me wrong, this is just an internal amp. The resolution and dynamics that the additional power, and motor control that comes with significantly more power from an external amp, was not there. But for an internal amp, it did great. And the HD Radio and Hi-Res audio also sounded great.  Switching gears, and tapping into the RCA’s to use my reference system, the Kenwood DMX958XR not only shined, it was stellar! It provided a high voltage transparent signal to my amps for my fully active system to shine as normal. My reference Kenwood DNX997XR has been a reference receiver giving the level of performance that I get from the rest of my reference gear, and the DMX958XR gave the same level of performance.

 

While the Kenwood DMX958XR doesn’t have built-in Navigation, and is mechless, I haven’t missed those features.  The HD Radio and Hi-Res Audio have been great through streaming. And Android Audio has worked great to be able to pull up google maps with all the directions on screen and thru the speakers.  And the eye candy the high res display gives, will make you as giddy as an 8 year old school boy in a candy store with a $20 bill, and no parents at his side.  The DMX958XR is an Excelon Reference Series product, and it shows!

 

When it comes to Kenwood’s product line, their Excelon Reference Series is their best of the best. In the past, the Reference Series models we have reviewed proved that they are the best. It’s easy for companies to ride on a name, but I’m glad to see that the Excelon Reference Series continues to perform to its name’s reputation. I am unsurprisingly unsurprised at the performance the new Excelon Reference receiver from Kenwood provides. The Kenwood DMX958XR is a well-made product that performs in spades. With an MSRP of $849, it’s not cheap yet provides a big bang for the buck for what you get. It’s a receiver you can’t go wrong with. Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the Kenwood Excelon Reference Series DMX958XR has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info and complete specs, check out it’s website at www.kenwood.com. Reference gear: AudioControl DM-810, AudioControl In-Dash Epicenter, JL Audio XD600/6 Class D amp, Vibe Audio LiteBox Stereo4 CLass GH amp, Massive Audio Nano BLU BL1 Class D amp, German Maestro M-Line 3-way components, Alpine Type-X 2-way components, Image Dynamics subs. 

Kingston Technology Server Premier DDR5 4800MT/s Registered DIMMs Receive Validation on 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processor

Kingston Technology Server Premier DDR5 4800MT/s Registered DIMMs Receive Validation on

4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processor

 

 

Fountain Valley, CA – January 23, 2023 – Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced its 64GB, 32GB, and 16GB Server Premier DDR5 4800MT/s Registered DIMMs have been validated on the 4th Gen Intel® Xeon® Scalable Processor (formerly codenamed Sapphire Rapids).

For over 35 years Kingston has been the memory brand trusted by leading server manufacturers and the world’s largest data centers. Server Premier is Kingston’s industry standard memory solution sold by specification for use in white-box servers, and is platform validated and qualified by leading motherboard/system manufacturers. Featuring a locked BOM (Bill of Materials) to provide a consistent brand and revision of primary components (including DRAM, register, PMIC, SPD hub, thermal sensors, and PCB), all Kingston server memory solutions are 100% tested and undergo a rigorous dynamic burn-in process designed to catch early-life failures at the factory.

Server Premier features include:

• Locked Bill of Materials (BOM)
• Part Change Notifications (PCN) – 90 days
• 8Q roadmap visibility
• Server platform validation
• Leading server motherboard manufacturer qualification
• Limited Lifetime warranty
• Industry-leading service and support

 

Intel’s 4th Gen Xeon Scalable Processor is their first to support next-generation DDR5 server-class memory and features eight memory channels, arranged in up to two DIMMs per channel, or 16 DIMMs per CPU socket. At 4800MT/s, each DDR5 Registered DIMM provides a peak bandwidth of 38.4GB/s, which when grouped in multi-channel configurations provides a marked increase in performance over DDR4-based servers. DDR5 introduces advanced features for a more reliable and more efficient memory subsystem, including on-die ECC (ODECC), double the number of banks and double the burst length, improved refreshes, inclusion of a power management circuit (PMIC), additional temperature sensors, decision feedback equalization (DFE), and dual independent 32-bit subchannels (40-bit for ECC).

“We’re excited to announce the validation of our next-generation server memory parts on Intel’s 4th Gen Xeon Scalable processor,” said Mike Mohney, Sr Technology Manager DRAM, Kingston. “Validation is always the first step for memory manufacturers to demonstrate the quality and compatibility of their memory solutions. DDR5 delivers the technology to scale in bandwidth and capacity to meet the performance requirements of tomorrow’s data centers.”

                The following modules are available now:

KSM48R40BD4TMM-64HMR	64GB DDR5-4800 ECC Registered DIMM x80 CL40 2Rx4 1.1V
KSM48R40BS4TMM-32HMR	32GB DDR5-4800 ECC Registered DIMM x80 CL40 1Rx4 1.1V
KSM48R40BD8KMM-32HMR	32GB DDR5-4800 ECC Registered DIMM x80 CL40 2Rx8 1.1V
KSM48R40BS8KMM-16HMR	16GB DDR5-4800 ECC Registered DIMM x80 CL40 1Rx8 1.1V

 

For more information visit kingston.com.

 

Kingston can be found on:

 

YouTube              Instagram

Facebook             LinkedIn

Twitter                 Kingston Is With You

 

About Kingston Technology Company, Inc.

From big data, to laptops and PCs, to IoT-based devices like smart and wearable technology, to design-in and contract manufacturing, Kingston helps deliver the solutions used to live, work and play. The world’s largest PC makers and cloud-hosting companies depend on Kingston for their manufacturing needs, and our passion fuels the technology the world uses every day. We strive beyond our products to see the bigger picture, to meet the needs of our customers and offer solutions that make a difference. To learn more about how Kingston Is With You, visit Kingston.com.

Hubble Connected Focuses on the Importance of Quality Sleep With Award-Winning Smart Baby Movement Monitors

Hubble Connected Focuses on the Importance of Quality Sleep

With Award-Winning Smart Baby Movement Monitors

- Hubble Connected Showcased Its Next-Generation Guardian Family and
Dream+ Smart Baby Movement Monitors at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show -

Las Vegas, NV, January 17, 2023 –At CES, Hubble Connected, the world leader in emotional tech and creators of the “connected nursery,” demonstrated its leadership in the “smart baby movement monitor” category by showcasing its impressive range of movement monitors. The products focus on helping parents establish healthy, long-lasting sleep routines, as well as providing a way for them to monitor their baby safely and securely from anywhere.

These baby movement monitors provide parents with valuable insights for understanding their baby’s sleeping patterns. Parents have access to data about their baby’s breathing, heart rate, as well as room temperature and body temperature change, even how much they move around – all factors which can significantly help with sleep quality.

Scientific studies have shown that good sleep routines have positive effects on a baby’s development all the way through adolescence and adulthood. By helping parents better understand their child’s sleep patterns, Hubble Connected’s range of movement monitors provide greater peace of mind and less worry for parents. Once a baby turns four months old, the smart monitors can assist with sleep training and create optimum sleep schedules, eliminating the need to purchase additional equipment, while utilizing the same interface and HubbleClub app that parents are already familiar with.

Introducing Hubble Connected’s State of the Art Smart Movement Monitors

Hubble Connected debuted its award-winning Guardian Family of wearable Baby Movement Monitors at CES, along with its non-wearable Dream+ Movement Monitor. The Guardian+ ($149) comes with a soft wearable strap that wraps around the baby's ankle and tracks sleep quality indicators such as heart rate, oxygen levels and body temperature change. The base unit serves as a charging station, audio monitor and smart soother. It features a nightlight and streams hundreds of sleep-sounds and offers bedtime and rise-to-wake routines. The Guardian Cam ($199) adds a high-definition smart camera with an additional nightlight, and the Guardian Pro ($299) is the first package in the category to include a movement monitor, smart HD camera and 5” touchscreen parent unit.

The Guardian family is available at leading national retailers, including Walmart and buybuy Baby, on HubbleConnected.com and expanding to additional outlets soon.

The Hubble Dream+ Movement Monitor
The Dream+ Movement Monitor ($299) is a unique non-wearable sleep monitoring mat system that gives parents insights into baby’s breathing and heart rate. When paired with the HubbleClub app, parents can access the baby’s daily sleep patterns and support healthy sleep habits. The Dream+ camera unit features a nightlight, preloaded lullabies, soothing sounds, and bedtime stories, as well as a room temperature sensor and full HD live streaming via the HubbleClub app. Dream+ is available at Amazon, Babylist, buybuy Baby, HubbleConnected.com and expanding to additional outlets soon.

The HubbleClub App: New Parenting Possibilities in the Palm of Your Hand 
The company’s smart baby movement monitors all work seamlessly with the free HubbleClub app (available on iOS and Android), offering a host of opportunities for parents to care for, entertain, educate, and stay connected to their child from their smartphone. Through the app, parents can access additional information such as baby’s sleep routines, growth, development, nutrition, and overall well-being.

Hubble Connected Founder & Chairman (and father of three), Dino Lalvani, noted: “One of the most exciting trends in infant care today is the new generation of smart baby movement monitors. With Hubble Connected’s range of products parents can find the best way to establish healthy, long-lasting sleep routines specific for their babies – that best suit their parenting style.”

About Hubble Connected
With a mission to empower parents to raise healthy and happy babies, Hubble Connected offers a full range of smart connected nursery products that aims to keep families connected and ensure child safety from birth to adolescence. Hubble Connected’s award-winning products have kept over 11 million babies’ safe and connected via its range of smart baby monitors and have generated over $1 billion in sales. Visit www.hubbleconnected.com and follow Hubble Connected on Instagram.

Klipsch Debuts Hi-Fi Speaker Capsule Collection in Partnership with The McLaren F1 Team

Klipsch Debuts Hi-Fi Speaker Capsule Collection in Partnership with The McLaren F1 Team

 

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. (January 11, 2023) — Klipsch®, a tech-driven premium global audio company, is pleased to announce the latest Klipsch and McLaren Racing partnership products. Klipsch is the official headphone and portable audio partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team. The two companies have collaborated to combine McLaren’s unparalleled design ethos and technical innovation with Klipsch’s legendary high-fidelity audio. From McLaren’s hallmark speedmark to the Papaya Orange accents, these latest products showcase these two innovative brands in their pursuit of excellence.

 

Directly influenced by Bruce McLaren’s first big win, the speakers in the Klipsch | McLaren Legends series are marked by his #5 car that he drove to victory in 1958, cinching the title of the youngest Grand Prix winner at the time. Today, we combine his triumph with the prowess of founder Paul W. Klipsch, who pushed the boundaries of audio technology.

 

The all-new Klipsch Nines McLaren Edition powered monitors deliver high resolution 192kHz/24-bit decoding, room-filling sound without taking up much space thanks to built-in ultra-low noise amplifiers that have been custom designed to maximize performance without external amplification. Proprietary Tractrix^® technology along with 8” long-throw ported woofers deliver precise, efficient sound and powerful bass no matter the volume. Bluetooth^® 5.0 wireless technology effortlessly syncs to preferred devices, the Nines McLaren Edition also come equipped with an integrated phono preamp, HDMI-ARC, digital optical, analog RCA and USB inputs, allowing you to enjoy superior stereo sound from any source. The free Klipsch Connect App provides EQ customization, over-the-air firmware updates, quick setup guide videos, one-tap support, and product registration. Available now (US MSRP $1,899 ea.).

 

The Klipsch Forte McLaren Edition floorstanding loudspeaker hosts a three-way design utilizing a K-702 horn-loaded midrange driver mated to a modified Tractrix^® horn (featuring Klipsch patented Mumps technology), a 1” titanium diaphragm high frequency driver, and a 12” woofer with passive a 15” sub-bass radiator. The premium aluminum input panel accommodates large speaker cables while the strong, high quality binding posts provide the capability for bi-amping. The Forte McLaren Edition features grain-matched wood veneer panels hand crafted in Hope, AK and wrapped in papaya colored vinyl. These high efficiency full range loudspeakers will be available January 2023 (US MSRP $10,998 pr.).

 

The portable Klipsch The One II McLaren Edition tabletop speaker embodies the luxurious Formula 1 style without compromising on sound quality. This powered 60-watt 2.1 stereo system is biamplified with two 2.25” full range drivers and a 4.5” woofer. Featuring Bluetooth^® wireless technology, it can pair with devices in just a few clicks or connect via 3.5mm analog audio cable through the additional input. The One II McLaren Edition will be available March 2023 (US MSRP $349 ea.).

 

 

The largest of the series, the all-new Klipsch MCL-905 McLaren Edition speaker delivers unbridled dynamics and intense realism akin to movie theater performances. In fact, this is the first time this Klipsch professional cinema speaker has been tailored for home use. A 3” titanium diaphragm compression driver mated to a K-691 horn handles high frequencies while dual 15” K-45 composite woofers provide bass punch from the cabinet which is hand built in Hope, AK. Advanced Tractrix^® horn technology creates a large soundstage fit for any paddock, man cave, or garage. Only 25 pairs of the Klipsch MCL-905 McLaren Edition will be made and are available March 2023 (US MSRP $15,998 pr.).

 

The new Klipsch McLaren Edition products are available through authorized retailers and at Klipsch.com. To learn more about the Klipsch brand and its products, visit Klipsch.com.

 

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About Klipsch Audio

In 1946 Paul W. Klipsch, inventor, acoustics pioneer and maverick, founded Klipsch Audio with the sole purpose of bringing the power, detail and emotion of the live music experience into his living room. Through the use of highly efficient speaker designs, handcrafted cabinetry and a thirst for real engineering breakthroughs – Klipsch, the great American loudspeaker company, was born in Hope, AR. Today, our diverse range of quality audio products includes speakers and headphones for almost any consumer and professional application – including cinema, whole-house, wireless, home theater and portable offerings. Honoring our founder’s legacy, Klipsch continues to be the legendary high-performance brand of choice for audiophiles and aficionados around the world. We are the Keepers of the Sound®. 

Klipsch® and Keepers of the Sound® are registered trademarks of Klipsch Group, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Klipsch Group, Inc. is a VOXX International Company (NASDAQ: VOXX).

About McLaren Racing  

   

McLaren Racing was founded by racing driver Bruce McLaren 60 years ago in 1963. The team entered its first Formula 1 race in 1966. McLaren has since won 20 Formula 1 world championships, 183 Formula 1 grands prix, the Indianapolis 500 three times, and the Le Mans 24 Hours at its first attempt.   

  

McLaren Racing competes across five racing series. In 2023, the team will compete in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship with McLaren F1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with Arrow McLaren drivers Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with NEOM McLaren Formula E Team drivers René Rast and Jake Hughes, and the Extreme E Championship with NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team drivers Emma Gilmour and Tanner Foust. The team also competes in the F1 Esports Pro Championship as McLaren Shadow, having won the 2022 Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships.