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65.119.184.3
Model: SA-XR50 Category: Receiver Suggested Retail Price: $300 Description: Digital HT Receiver Manufacturer URL: Panasonic Model Picture: View
Review by JimOfOakCreek (A) on December 09, 2004 at 09:06:18
IP Address: 65.119.184.3Add Your Review
for the SA-XR50I've owned this HT reciever for 4 months now. I use the "A" speaker channel as a 6.1 HT driving inexpensive Polk Audio speakers plus a Dayton Subwoofer. It also drives a pair of Maggy MMGs on the "B" channel in 2-speaker stereo mode only, plus the sub.When brand new, the Panny was very bright/too bright. That has improved considerably after 4 months. I would still consider the sound on the bright side but very detailed and dynamic. This reciever sounds better at very low volumes than any other amp I've heard. The amp is a class "D" digital amplifier. The way that works (as I understand it) is the data in the signal triggers the amplifier stages in "pulses" of 200khz, which is too fast for the ear or the speaker to notice as "on-off" pulses. When inputting an analog signal it's converted to a digital signal. A digital signal (i.e. CDP) stays digital until it triggers the amp. There is no DAC in the conventional sense. When there is no data (no signal) the the amplifier is dead silent...black. I can turn the volume up to the max and there is no hiss or hum.
The strengths of this reciever: I like the coax and optical digital inputs for CDP, DVD, etc.. I like all the HT options. The tuner is considerably above average for a receiver. The amp is detailed and dynamic but on the bright side. This makes it sound more dramatic on movies. For serious stereo music, I find myself turning down the treble 1dB-2dB at times on some recordings. But it's very very clean and noiseless. Acoustic recordings and vocals come through my Maggies very detailed and spooky-real. The unit itself is small and lightweight. It has a huge amount of connection options and much functionality for the price. The remote is damn nice too!
The negatives of this reciever: It's just a bit brighter than I like. On some rock recordings I find myself turning down the treble 1-2dB. The digital menu is annoying at best. You have to go thru the digital menu to access the Tone controls. The speaker connection on the back of the unit are about as cheap as it gets. The wiring gets VERY VERY crowded back there as well. The instruction manual sucks. There are some functions on the remote that have no explaination that I can find.
The Panasonic SA-XR50 is a tremendous value at my cost, $265. The digital amp is a fantastic performer. I get all the functionality of a HT receiver plus a damn good 2 channel stereo amp. This unit is a keeper until I figure out how I want to upgrade it ;)
Product Weakness: The amp is a bit too bright on some recordings, the electronic menu sucks, speaker connections are plastic junk, crowded wiring, Instructions/manual are damn poor and incomplete, massed produced consumer product. Product Strengths: All the HT functionality, Digital connections, subwoofer RCA connection and output control, VERY good tuner, excellent detailed and dynamic amplifier, low profile design, 100 Watts/ch EASILY drives Mag. MMGs
Associated Equipment for this Review: Amplifier: Panasonic SA-XR50 Reciever Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): None Sources (CDP/Turntable): Onkyo CDP - FiberOptical Connection Speakers: Maggy MMGs Cables/Interconnects: 10 ga Lamp cord Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz, Rock, Zappa, 1970's ECM Anything But Rap!! Time Period/Length of Audition: 4 months Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
Follow Ups:
Has anyone tried this receiver with a stereo pair of Monitor Audio Bronze B2's?
Good review, but I don't find the amp bright. I use a good power cord (with adapter) and power conditioner, and this has made the amp nicely balanced. Also, LOTS of break-in is required to get rid of the initial glare and confusion. On the plus side, the amp sounds about as transparent as any I've heard (I replaced over $5000 of amp/preamp with this receiver). And yes, you are correct, the manual is among the worst...don't ever lose it if you plan to change anything on the setup. Even with the manual, plan on some serious concentration to change any settings.
I found the top end smoothed out quite a bit and the overall refinement improved by running the transport into a Monarchy 48/96 DIP upsampler first. Although it almost doubles the cost, it takes this unit pretty close to high end sound, still for relative peanuts. Your comments on the setup complexities and the absurdly obtuse manual are very well taken, and are probaly the worst aspects of this unit, IMO.
Thanks for the review. I plan on getting a HT receiver for my son to go along with his new 27" HDTV / X-box gaming setup.I just picked up a HSU VT-12 speaker set at CompUSA the other day, (for only $130!) to go along with the HSU sub he already has.
After reading the reviews on their web site, they recommend a receiver on the bright side. Sounds like the Panny would work great.
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