A Good Front
The RDC-7's front panel is a model of simplicity. The controls most often used (Power, Input selection, Volume) are large and easy to find, with lesser buttons hidden behind a motorized door. The Input buttons are lined up beneath a large operational display: six audio and six video. The audio inputs are labeled Tape 1, Tape 2, AM, FM, Phono, and CD. The only video input with a specific name is DVD; the rest are labeled Video 1 through 5.

The operational display can be switched off or set to one of three brightness levels. It shows the input name and surround type in large blue letters, along with a numeric volume indication. This display is very useful during everyday operation, as the default input name can be replaced during setup with a more appropriate descriptor—for example, the Video 1 input can be relabeled TiVo. Each press of the Display button on the unit's face or remote cycles from the input and surround screen through the current digital input and format, and then to the bass and treble adjustments, before returning to the input and surround names.

In the perimeter of the display, in small print, the unit indicates the type of audio signal (analog or digital) and the coordinated video input. These small indicators are helpful, because the RDC-7 has very flexible digital and video signal routing. Each input button can have a certain audio and video input assigned to it during setup, although the three component-video inputs can be associated only with the video input buttons. Audio inputs can be linked only to composite or S-video sources.

The component inputs are rated to more than 40MHz bandwidth, so they will not degrade the highest-resolution sources. Many competitive units have component inputs of lower performance quality. While these might be fine for simple NTSC DVD-Video component signals, their limited video frequency response can significantly soften the image from HD tuners and video processors, obliterating fine image detail.

One minor shortcoming of the RDC-7 is that its 7.1-channel analog throughput doesn't have its own input button. Rather, one of the other input buttons must be assigned to this use during setup. But there are more than enough inputs to satisfy most users. Those rare individuals who fill up the RDC-7 could easily configure the least important source input (e.g., the cassette deck) as the multichannel input and toggle back and forth between multichannel and the cassette deck in the service menu as needed. It's not hard to scroll within the service menu, although I wouldn't want to do it regularly. Because the phono input is the most likely to remain unused, it might have been helpful had the phono input button been made reassignable to access the multichannel analog throughput—a disappointing limitation to an otherwise smart design.

What a Box
The RDC-7 has the most populated rear panel I've ever seen. The connections are so plentiful that I just had to count them; after losing track a few times, I finally came up with 106! They're lined up logically and labeled clearly, with just enough room to actually reach them all. There are the usual audio, video, and digital connections, the DB-25 multichannel throughput (eight channels directly routed to the volume control, bypassing all of the preamp's internal processing), professional XLR jacks for balanced audio output, three wide-bandwidth, high-definition-compatible component inputs, infrared remote repeaters, and 12 triggers for custom applications (switching motorized screens, blinds, and lifts, for example).

Because Integra Research's matching power amp, the RDA-7, wasn't available, I borrowed the venerable Theta Dreadnaught and hooked it up to suitable high-resolution speakers: the NHT VT/VR-3 combination reviewed in January by MF. I thought that my usual demo system of lesser NHT speakers might not be up to the task of revealing all that the RDC-7 could offer, and my B&K amplifiers don't have balanced XLR inputs. One thing I discovered during this exercise: the higher-end the equipment, the heavier it is.

Surrounded by Formats
If rear surrounds are not chosen during setup in the speaker configuration menu, the 7-channel surround modes are automatically removed from the list of choices. I did not have the two additional amplifier and speaker channels to evaluate the 7.1-channel THX EX surround feature on the RDC-7. When Integra Research provides the 7-channel RDA-7 amplifier, I'll analyze the RDC-7's THX EX and proprietary Enhanced 7 surround modes in a future "Take 2."

Like most surround-sound processors, the RDC-7 contains multiple surround-sound modes for video and music sources—for processing the sound into the various speakers for a wide variety of synthesized sound spaces. When configured for a 5-speaker system, the RDC-7 has 13 modes, including the 2-channel Stereo and Direct (without bass and treble). The Integra Research has an official THX Ultra Cinema mode, which includes automatic re-equalizing of the upper frequencies in the front speakers. In addition, there are two settings to get simulated stereo from old mono television shows or movies, and 5-channel stereo for loud parties (where the rear speakers get the same, full-strength stereo signal as the fronts).

Of the remaining seven options, Studio Mix is the only surround simulation mode that I found worthwhile and enjoyable. It creates a soundstage resembling that of a professional mix-down station—clear, im-mediate, and with precise localization of all sounds. The most bizarre mode is TV Logic, which puts a twangy reverb into the rear channels, making everything sound like a bad, old television science-fiction show. I got some enjoyment from the Unplugged and Studio Mix settings, but tended to stay with Pro Logic for most music listening.

I can't wait for Integra Research to make the recently released Pro Logic II surround format upgrade available. After experiencing Pro Logic II a few weeks ago, I expect the new format to be a hit. Pro Logic II is the result of continuing surround-sound research by Jim Fosgate, one of the fathers of surround sound. It creates a surround effect very nearly like Dolby Digital from stereo sources, improving on the original Pro Logic's mono rear sound.

Digital Delight
The RDC-7 contains eight proprietary 24-bit/192kHz digital-to-analog Vector Linear Converters, co-developed by Apogee Electronics Corporation using Apogee's superb low-jitter clock. A low-jitter clock maintains perfect timing during the D/A conversion process; this keeps very fine sonic information from being lost and yields more realistic playback of digital recordings.

PCM digital sources sampled at data rates of 44.1kHz and 48kHz can be upsampled by the RDC-7 to 88.2kHz and 96kHz, respectively. This reportedly yields improved sound. Some folks maintain that because the source data remain the same, there will be no measurable difference between standard and upsampled waveforms. I think human perceptions are more complex than any measurement device we can invent.