SpeakerCraft announced the introduction of two A/V receivers. A first for the company best know for its custom installed loudspeakers, these two receivers are part of a larger overall focus on electronics.

"Many of our dealers have expressed a desire to be able to support us in additional categories and this was a perfect opportunity to expand our offering and allow them to do just that," remarked Jeremy Burkhardt, SpeakerCraft's president. "The closer we come to being a complete solution provider the better we can service our dealer base."

The first model, the SCR710, is an 80-watt stereo receiver with a high current output stage capable of driving low impendence loads with authority. This is critical when dealers are trying to do more with less and reducing the number of components to power a multi-room audio system can be a real cost saver. A high quality, stable receiver is a powerful tool for any custom installer.

The second model is a full-featured 7.1 channel receiver with all of the options one expects from a home theater product at this level. From its solid 130-watt per channel power rating to complex audio/video switching and upconverting functions to the numerous surround-sound modes that consumers demand, the SCR910 will stand up next to any of the finest receivers in the business.

"We didn't want to get into the receiver business unless we could do it right," said Jeff Francisco, SpeakerCraft's V.P. of product development. "These first two models reflect all of the build quality and performance our dealers expect from a SpeakerCraft product."

The SCR710 and 910 will ship in Q4 with a $425 and $1,250 M.S.R.P. respectively.