Introduction When investing in a new receiver, your should look for a unit that not only has all of the features and inputs that you need today, but should also be thinking about where you think your system will be in several years. New sound formats come along faster than “Police Academy” movies did in the ‘80s. The best way to protect your investment is to assure that you have as much of the future features that you can afford. As the story goes, you rarely regret over-purchasing, but always regret under-purchasing. Enter the $1,850 Kenwood Sovereign VR-5700 Audio/Video Receiver. This THX Ultra certified receiver features 5 x 120 watts of power, a Universal Video HD video format transcoder, HDCD decoding and supports Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Pro Logic II, THX Surround EX, DTS ES (matrix and discrete), and DTS Neo 6 decoding audio formats – in other words, in nearly every current decoding ...

Introduction NAD has long been known as a source of quality, reasonably priced audio components, providing performance and value without unnecessary and costly bells and whistles. Although NAD has been around for 30 years, you might say their reputation really started with the legendary, no-frills sonic gem, their 3020 integrated amplifier, about 25 years ago. Although I have had many positive experiences with NAD components over the years, I have not had my hands on one of their pieces since home theater burst onto the scene in earnest in the 1990s. So it was with a great deal of curiosity that I opened the box containing the NAD T762 Surround Sound Receiver a few months ago. The T762 is NAD’s top-of-the-line surround receiver, with six channels of amplification rated at 100 watts per channel, and is priced at a reasonable $1,299. Description As you would expect from a flagship surround sound receiver, the NAD is a ...

Introduction Bob Carver, the creative force behind Sunfire Corporation, has been rocking the audio world for the better part of three decades. Originally known for his amplifiers, and later as the inventor of the first mini-cube subwoofers, Carver now is shepherding the introduction of Sunfire’s first A/V receiver. It seems like a natural for Sunfire to develop a packaged brother to the widely-respected Theater Grand III A/V Preamplifier and Cinema Grand Signature Amp. What better name for such a product than the Ultimate Receiver, but can it live up to its own hype? The Sunfire Ultimate Receiver is a seven-channel audio/video receiver, designed to perform at the same level as the better separates on the market at a price tag of $4,195. I unboxed the Sunfire Ultimate Receiver and was immediately impressed by its beautiful finish and impressive metal work. I was surprised by its size or rather its lack thereof. Considering its rated power of ...

Introduction Onkyo actually produces two separate lines of consumer audio equipment. Like Panasonic and Technics, Onkyo has an eponymous line and a higher-end line sold under the Integra name. But this should not give the impression that the regular Onkyo products are anything less than high quality – in fact, the TX-DS989, the top of the Onkyo receiver line at around $3,500, is an excellent component all round. Since the unit was originally reviewed in AudioRevolution in the fall of 2000, the 989 has lived up to its “future-proof” promise, initially with the addition of DTS-ES, Neo 6 and Dolby Pro Logic II decoding in 2001 and now with version 2 firmware and some hardware updates -- which are available to existing owners as well as being provided as standard on new units -- offering THX Ultra2 and DTS96/24 capability. At the heart of the TX-DS989 is a beefy seven-channel power amp offering up to 130 ...

Introduction At a suggested price of just $849.99 US, the Marantz SR7200 AV Surround Receiver offers excellent value for money, with impressive power (six channels x 105 watts into eight ohms), high-resolution D/A converters, and a wealth of surround features,- plus an excellent sound almost indistinguishable from the company’s more expensive offerings. Installation and Setup Modern AV receivers are getting more and more complex. As this receiver can handle a 6.1 surround system with dual zone/dual source capability, the Marantz SR7200 has more ins and outs than most. But once you’re armed with the 30-page (per language) manual, and a clearly labeled rear panel, installation and configuration are entirely straightforward. There’s a fold-out rear panel diagram in the book, and a list with good descriptions of where everything’s supposed to go. Loudspeaker connections, of which there are several, six main (system A) outputs including surround (rear) center for the main system and a stereo pair of system B ...