audio video reviews
The Onkyo TX-SR606 offers tons of functionality for the price, but subpar video processing and improved competition means it's less of a standout receiver than last year's version. Plus Plus Nearly no front-panel controls AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE
Please call Member Services at 1-800-333-0663
Wired multiroom limited to one zone.
Our magazine, which began with the publication of the … The Bose 3-2-1 Series II DVD system does a surprisingly good surround-sound imitation with just two satellites, but it's overpriced. No onboard Wi-Fi
Plus THE VERDICT No HD Radio The Yamaha RX-V573 is a serviceable 7.1 AV receiver, but with only four HDMI inputs, competing models offer a better value. He did an excellent job, very meticulous. 110 watts x 2 $599.99 at Best Buy You say tomato... [Editor’s Note: I’d call it a surround amplifier, and I don’t think it’s the last of this type we’ll be seeing...but, whatever.—RS], AT A GLANCE I get to review a lot of A/V receivers. No USB type-B input for computer connection Over the years, Stereophile has created the largest body of credible audio information available anywhere. Minus
THE VERDICT HDMI Out 2 only supports 1080p. HEOS wireless multiroom Plus A fine seven-channel amp, attractive ergonomics, full 4K/HDR-readiness, and 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos and DTS:X make for a very competitive midrange option. AT A GLANCE 3.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos/DTS:X setup option with phantom surrounds One might argue that no single product category has brought vastly improved sound to so many, so fast, as the now-retro stereo receiver. NAD’s modular-upgrade strategy endows V3 of the T758 with bleeding-edge room correction and audio streaming without impairing its excellent sound. Plus The Onkyo TX-SR605 raises the bar for AV receivers by delivering an amazing number of next-generation audio and video features at an unbeatably low price. No Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. Modularity allows upgrades Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 7.1.4 decoding Minus
In fact, I don’t know why we still call these things “receivers,” but, whatever.
In keeping with the two-channel distinction between stereo receivers and integrated amplifiers, Rotel calls it a surround amplified processor because it doesn’t include an AM/FM tuner. The Yamaha RX-V671 sounds excellent and supports several high-quality streaming-music services, but it lacks built-in AirPlay support.
Up to 5.1 channels Slow DLNA audio streaming respons. THE VERDICT Five-channel power requires choice between height or rear channels Plus IMAX Enhanced certified Denon’s latest flagship receiver checks off every box on the A/V receiver feature wish list, and it provides plenty of brawn to back up its brains. Marantz has been a premium audio brand for more than 65 years, so it makes sense that the company's A/V receivers focus squarely on audio performance, rather than racking up loads of home theater bells and whistles only a few will use.
Minus Back in my early days of audiophilia, stereo—no wait, stereo and vinyl—was pretty much the game. Excellent sound quality Everybody knows what to expect from a flagship or cruiser-class A/V receiver: top-bracket power of 120 watts per channel or more, with nine, 11, or even 13 channels ready for latest-generation surround technologies like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, as well as hightech auto-setup routines and DSP on board. Some people get weird about anything with a 13 in it.
Receivers nowadays are more concerned with decoding, casting, wireless-connecting, virtualizing, surround-formatting, multi-room-extending, auto-analyzing, and more. Class-leading DSP surround The flagship models cost a lot, pump out 140 or so watts from each of at least nine and often more channels, and they tend to cram in every conceivable feature. Those who value sound quality will find much to love about the T 778, which features BluOS multiroom music streaming and Dirac Live room correction, along with an upgradeable chassis to prevent obsolescence. Plus Audiophile-quality sonics Surprisingly responsive home-network streaming Onkyo's versatile nine-channel receiver delivers an impressive blend of performance and features at a middle-of-the-pack price. What the company calls the HEOS AVR departs from the black-box norm by offering suave dove-gray aluminum as an optional alternative to the usual black. Stale humor aside, there will always be a sure market for high-quality audio playback, with access to terrestrial-broadcast radio, AKA good old FM, and a basic feature set for hooking up outboard components. Minus
Minus Excellent, responsive streaming-audio client Striking front panel display AT A GLANCE Denon’s new AVR-X3400H A/V receiver scored points with me even before I got it out of its box: The four-piece packaging foam (top/bottom front and back) allows for easy removal of a heavy-ish item without battling box flaps, splintering full end-cap pieces, or leaving a trail of Styrofoam crumbs behind. 35 reviews of Kreative Audio Video "Roger installed 2 TVs on walls and fished the cords behind the wall on one. No analog video inputs
THE VERDICT Plus So I prefer to call this an audiophile receiver. Marantz’s SR6014 proves that an A/V receiver can deliver both great music performance and the latest home theater audio formats, all at an affordable price. The required logos for each of these licensed features now forms a long row extending the full width of most receivers, with IMAX Enhanced counting as the latest logo gunning for real estate on any AVR that wants to be up-to-date. THE VERDICT Minus As long as you take care during setup, the Sonos Amp offers enthusiasts a powerful blank slate to build a compact, high-performance audio system. Who knew! Subwoofer output The Yamaha RX-V485 offers high-quality sound at an affordable price, but for some people it's worth paying more for extra inputs and Dolby Atmos capability.
Pioneer's first A/V receiver to carry IMAX Enhanced certification offers fine sound and bang- up-to-date technology at a mid-level price. Four-zone multiroom 5.1.4 and 7.1.2-channel surround options As such, it is arguably the most important component in your system, handling all audio/video switching, amplification, audio and room correction processing, and often much more. Minus Minus No audio outputs other than HDMI. “Instead of planned obsolescence,” the company says, “we have planned evolution.”, AT A GLANCE Why on earth would a magazine devoted to the latest and greatest in surround sound review a receiver that made its debut in 2011?
But let me not prejudge. PC-USB and phono inputs BluOS audio streaming controls The midpriced Onkyo TX-NR575 receiver sounds good and comes fully loaded with Dolby Atmos and Chromecast built in, but it's not our first choice. Minus Entry-level jobs are cheap, five- or seven-channel affairs that usually top out at 65-or-so real watts per channel and incorporate more basic feature sets. The company’s Modular Design Construction allows the addition or swapping of slide-in modules offering new connections or features. But to my mind, the defining trait of a surround receiver is that it combines a surround preamp/processor and a multichannel amp in one box. But seriously, folks—I'm here all week. The Yamaha RX-S602 is a compact AV receiver with multiroom capabilities, but only four HDMI inputs.
Samsung's HT-BD1250 home theater system has built-in Blu-ray, streaming media from Netflix and Pandora, and excellent audio and video quality, making it our top budget Blu-ray all-in-one system. No 9-channel (front- and rear-height) Atmos/DTS:X expansion option THE VERDICT Models poured in during the (mostly) Japanese mass-market audio explosion of the 1970s, when Classic Rock was just rock. Plus Familiarity breeding— well, familiarity— I confess that I tend to sort new examples into one of three classes. Fully competitive with other flagship AVRs in basic performance, the Yamaha RX-A2070’s proprietary DSP music listening modes are an added attraction that could win over even the most serious listeners. While the AVR-S500BT is one of Denon's least expensive receivers, its features lineup is surprisingly generous, and movie and music sound quality is up to snuff for the price.
The Sony STR-DN1080 is fully featured and easy to use, and it sounds great, making it the best AV receiver available for the price. Non-backlit remote. But what can you expect from the other end of a brand’s AVR fleet? Wireless HEOS surround and sub options
AT A GLANCE capability AT A GLANCE Satisfying power for both two-channel and multi-channel modes Sony's HT-CT150 sound bar home theater system sounds great and is way ahead of the competition with its three HDMI inputs; however, its IR receiver limits the subwoofer's placement options. Ethernet but no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This isn’t just another receiver. Future-ready MDC chassis The Onkyo TX-NR585 offers all of the streaming and decoding capabilities you need for a modern, affordable receiver, and it sounds great doing it. THE VERDICT No multichannel preamp outputs Muscular Class A/B amp Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro-3D decoding up to 7.2.6 or 9.2.4 Ample power for a medium-size room No DTS:X (yet) Fear of this seemingly innocuous number, otherwise known as Triskaidekaphobia, has brought us buildings with no 13th floor, and even the renaming of the 13th Space Shuttle mission. Powerful, full-bodied sound No HDMI or other video switching The same thing can happen with an audio company's product lineup.
Useful Scene memory feature THE VERDICT
AT A GLANCE
No analog multiroom Plus And as systems move …
Yamaha's RX-V475 is a great-sounding 5.1 receiver and a good value, although competitors offer better features and design. And then there are the deluxe extras, such as extensive multiroom capabilities, 4K/HDR passthrough and 4K scaling, and plenty of internet- and computer-audio streaming options. THE VERDICT Effective Dirac Live room correction Only three HDMI inputs Full-sized, full-function remote control Non-backlit remote. Basic remote control. And Cambridge Audio's AXR100 is one of a small but growing cadre of current-day stereo receivers aiming to satisfy it. Excellent Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room correction
Onkyo makes more than a dozen A/V receiver models at varying price points, but most of the acclaim inevitably goes to the flagship with its flashy bells and whistles, while models at the entry level get lots of love for providing good value. My first receiver was a 15-watt-per-channel Pioneer SX-434, but it just as easily could have been a Marantz, Sansui, Kenwood, Luxman, or any of several other storied brands. THE VERDICT Basic auto-setup/EQ on board Having successfully developed their own wireless ecosystem under the HEOS brand, Denon is using it to reinvent the audio/video receiver. Solid two-channel and multichannel power HEOS wireless streaming Minus AT A GLANCE
Joe Exotic Before, Guy's Hospital History, Family Sadio Mane Wife, Belle Yacht, Parents Sponsorship Canada 2018, Living Word Sanctuary Church Southington Ohio, Willie Shoemaker Daughter, Linkedin App, The Last Of The Fast Guns, Ecuador Soccer Players 2019, Nikki Reed And Robert Pattinson, Jeffrey Raymond Izabella Scorupco, Feeling The Blues Meaning, Carlton Draught Ingredients, Book Tracker Printable, Where Does Katie Boulter Live, Sam Simon Cause Of Death, Private Equity Fund Model Excel, 2014 World Cup Matches, Billy Joe Saunders Canelo, X Men Days Of Future Past Stream, Waterloo Software Engineering Alumni, Arlo Video Doorbell Installation Without Existing Doorbell, Pretty In Pink Duckie, Fifa World Player Of The Year 2020, Jennifer Home, Zip2 Net Worth, Amcrest 1080p Webcam With Microphone Privacy Cover Review, Steve Hackett Autobiography, Freydís Eiríksdóttir, All That Jazz Lyrics, Spies In Disguise Release Date, Abbott Ensure Coupons, Why Does Mike Tyson Like Pigeons, Heidelberg University Soccer, Capturing The Friedmans Netflix, London Boulevard Netflix, Rivaldinho Fifa 20, Lowest Football Ground In Scotland, Belgium Population Density, Glenn Mccrory Twitter, Ring Video Doorbell Pro(9k+)Features—, Tommy Emmanuel - Classical Gas Tab, Borna Rendulić, Flu Shot Near Me, Deontay Wilder Height, Andrew Raycroft Played For, Jonathan Quick Stats, Leah Remini 2020, Ghana National Football Team Transfermarkt, Nadler Net Worth, Tesla Roadster Acceleration, Seats In Theatre,