What is it? Simply put, Kaleidescape is the manufacturer of the highest quality AV storage and playback platform available and the only digital provider of movies with lossless audio and full reference video quality.
For the past two decades Kaleidescape was a luxury entertainment technology and the best kept secret of the Hollywood elite. The cost of entry was high, with systems routinely ranging above the $10K price point and often found on yachts, private jets and screening rooms of the likes of Martin Scorsese and Ben Affleck.
What’s new? In July of 2024, they announced the next generation of movie player technology – the new Strato V. Providing stunning 4K Dolby Vision playback with lossless audio, Strato V works on its own and as part of a larger Kaleidescape system. Priced just under $4K with the same quality as their more expensive options, with the addition of features like Dolby Vision and lossless player-side decode for high-bitrate audio codecs to provide flexibility to maximize sound quality with a range of downstream components. Strato V is housed in a modern black anodized aluminum and glass chassis, delivering a sleek and stylish design.
Who’s it for? Audiovisual enthusiasts who want the best. People who have invested in high-end audio and visual gear and want to realize the potential that they have invested in, which you cannot do through streamers and other constrained sources.
Our impression:
We tested this device with two systems, one a JVC NZ7 Projector with a Monitor Audio Gold speaker system, the other an LG OLED with a Martin Logan speaker system. The picture quality was outstanding, and the audio was exceptional. Depth was unlocked across the board, which I had not experienced over my years of using and testing devices on these systems.
As a standalone system, Strato V is a single playback zone and stores approximately 10 reference 4K movies on an internal, solid-state drive. It features a new streamlined interface, optimized for navigating a small movie library. Strato V can download a Kaleidescape 4K movie in as little as 10 minutes over Gigabit Ethernet, during movie playback, without sacrificing performance. Downloads become a candidate for automatic deletion 48 hours after playback, making room for more movies.
Strato V has access to the Kaleidescape movie store, the world’s only digital movie provider with lossless audio and full reference video quality. The movie store offers thousands of 4K and HD titles, including movies, TV series, and concerts, with over three hundred currently available in Dolby Vision, with more to come. Movies are available with lossless multichannel and object-based audio, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
An added benefit is storage may be added to Strato V by grouping it with Terra Prime movie servers. This returns Strato V’s interface to the full Kaleidescape experience. Any number of Strato V movie players can be grouped with one or more new or existing Terra movie servers, scaling to the needs of the installation.
This device delivers on its promise to deliver the best quality. You get updates to movies you’ve purchased when they are released, and you do not have to venture out the door to purchase discs or worry about scratching them over time.
Learn more about Kaleidescape with this exclusive SWAGGER interview with chairman and CEO, Tayloe Stansbury.
For more, visit Kaleidescape’s official website.
