Yamaha YMC-500BL NeoHD Media Controller/AV Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this system on sale somewhere else. I couldnt find a bunch of reviews about it so I decided to share with everyone my experience. The price I got it for was too good to be true so I decided to take a chance. Its a nice little system. When I say little, the receiver is very small in comparison to other receivers, almost half the size of the receiver I previously had. My primary concern was size as I needed it to fit in a certain space in my cabinet so this worked out nicely.
I have it hooked up in 5.1 mode and sounds really good. I think it is neat how you turn it on and it turns all of your other equipment on and you tell it what you want to do (watch tv, watch a movie, play music). I think for the price I paid and the features it offers it was a great buy. Now if I had to pay the regular price, I would have had to think twice about that.


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Yamaha YMC-500BL NeoHD Controller

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Pyle Home PD1000A 1000-Watt AM-FM Receiver with Built-in DVD/MP3/USB Review

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(More customer reviews)The Pyle PD1000A seemed a good idea. Build in the DVD/CD player into the receiver. One would expect Pyle to be innovative given their good reputation in the Pro Audo field. So I ordered one to upgrade my current TEAC Receiver. I could eliminate the DVD/CD player and pick up extra space on the audio rack.
Out of the box the PD1000A is impressive to view and comes with a set of rack mount ears. Its weight indicates the heavy power transformer required for the high wattage outputs. The USB/MP3 inputs are a good idea and the bass, treble,volume and input controls were easy to use. I do not see why they included a Karaoke capability with two microphone jacks. The controls for same take up much of the lower part of the front panel and the utility of Karaoke is lost on the avereage audio buff.
A major drawback are the blue LEDs that light up behind each control button. So bright are these lights you can't read the labels the panel. They need a dimmer control. As the unit plays, the noise from two built in cooling fans do not add much to the ambiance of the listening room.
The DVD/CD player functioned well and the video was crisp and well defined. Where the PD1000A falls down is the major reason most people would buy one-audio quality.
The unit received has a terrible hiss of white noise in the audio no matter what input was in use. Turning down the treble did not help, indicating poor output stage design. The overall audio quality was also poor. The bass was thin, even with the control at max and what treble that could be heard above the white nolise was not very brilliant. I wondered why the on line specs did not include the amplifier response. It is listed in the manual at 40 to 15KHz, hardly what would have passed for high fidelity in 1949, much less 2009.
The Pyle PD1000A is definitely not suitable for home audio use. Its best application would be in the rack of a commercial AV system or a DJ system.
I'm staying with my current system until someone come up with a good audio quality all-in -one DVD/CD receiver. Pyle missed the mark with the PD1000A.


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Onkyo TX-NR3008 9.2-Channel Network Home Theater Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a cross post of my review on AVSforums, a discussion thread is also over there about this AVR and my experiences thus far. Also, there are some pics of my install and of the OSD for this device (which I could not find anywhere), including the HDMI overlay:
[...]Unfortunately, the first one I purchased from Amazon (warehouse deals) was bad, it has a hiss/click in the 2 front speakers. They were great doing the return, and sent me another one that; so far, has been perfect..
To begin, here's a list of my gear:
Epson 8500
Axiom M60v2, VP150, and QS8s for surround, surround backs (7 channel)
Epik Castle subwoofer
Dedicated theater, ~20X17
Room treatments (NO bass trapping, just for highs)
HTPC w/5500 series video card (HD bitstreaming)I'm coming from a Pioneer 1018, a ~500 dollar AVR that's ~2-3 years old. This is a good AVR, and I've been happy with it. The biggest reasons for my upgrade is to get OSD (all my gear is behind me in a closet; I can't see what mode/volume/etc I'm in on the Pioneer on screen, and it's driving me nuts), better room correction, and dual sub balancing EQ correction. The Pioneer also supported HD sound, so that's consistent between the systems; as well as the speakers (everything is the same).
First off, for those who have been reading the 3008/5008 thread, I'm on my second 3008; the first one sent had a "hum/buzz" in the front two speakers (L/R). So my initial impression was "how about some QC!". 2nd AVR seems fine so far, the buzz/hum is gone..
As soon as I got the AVR I upgraded the firmware to the most recent available. I did it once via USB, and once via network. Both times it took a long time to finish (30+ minutes), but went without a hitch. As such, I can't comment on the "old" firmware or what the upgrades "fixed".
After running the FW updates, I then ran through Audessey. Easy process, took about 1-1.5 hours to measure 8 positions and calculate the results. The calculation took much longer than I expected (10 minutes or so), on the Pioneer the room calculation was much faster (but much less sophisticated). As you can see, I mounted the Audessey mic on my photography rig using some blue painters tape. I think that the tape adds a nice "color" and "transparency" to the final EQ calculations.
Anyway.. On to listening. I setup the default audio modes, a feature I didn't know I wanted, but man, I couldn't live without it now. For those who don't know, it allows you to select the default mode for different types of audio; stereo is output as 2.1, TrueHD is output at 7.1 in THX Cinema mode, etc. Once you set this, all the switching between modes is fully automated. Really nice when you have one source (HTPC) that can play tons of different types of audio/video files! I set stereo to 2.1 and the HD audio codecs to 7.1 THX Cinema mode.
First thing I played was music. Bass was significantly/dramatically better (depending on the source material). From the main listening position, it was tight, clear, and very easy to listen to. Also, stereo separation was better; there's a much higher "sense of space" with the new AVR. Not sure how to explain it, but I'm very happy with the results. Set the sub volume a little higher (apparently I'm a bass head, I like it louder than reference) but that was my only listening tweak. Music was much "easier" to listen to; probably because some of the ringing or smearing is being processed out by the room correction software in the 3008. Regardless, very happy with the music results!
On to video.. I've watched a few movies since the install (I haven't slept very much), and all of them were "improved" to "much improved" over the Pioneer. Again, the bass is SO much better that it's really hard to say if that's causing everything else to "sound better" too. The surrounds are much more noticeable (not in a bad way, just more ambient sound), and the system sounds better "blended" than it did with the 1018. I'm in love with the immediate OSD, for folks with gear in a closet (or out of sight) it's exactly what the doctor ordered! I haven't been through all the listening modes yet; I'm stuck on THX Cinema because I like the results so much! Overall, again, very happy with the video results.
General stuff.. This thing runs MUCH hotter than my Pioneer did (driving the same speakers and at the same volumes). It's not "dangerous" hot (IMHO), but much, much hotter than it's predecessor, that's for sure. Also, this thing weighs a TON compared to the Pioneer.. A TON! It's hard to move with one person (you can do it, but don't put in into a glass rack (which is what I have) without help!). The rear of this device is laid out really nicely! I'm very happy with it; easy to connect the speakers (takes bananas securely) and the source component(s). Audessey was easy to run, and correctly detected all my speakers and room layout both times.
The OSD (overlay and full menu) is pretty snappy (it could be better), much faster and nicer to look at the the older Pioneer. However, it's nothing "great", it's still mostly text; it get's the job done, but isn't going to wow you with graphics (I'd much prefer simple and fast over pretty and slow, so this works well for me).
AVR seems to be able to handle high volume just fine; I played some music at 5 under reference and it kept right up. Didn't hear any clipping or distortion; but, to be honest, my Pioneer was just as good at this volume and didn't get as hot..

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Once again upping the ante for high-end A/V receivers, Onkyo packs the TX-NR3008 with an extremely generous selection of cutting-edge home theater features. This 9.2-channel networking behemoth has the flexibility to handle the latest high-def and surround formats from DTS, Dolby, and Audyssey, while also giving you the scope for powered audio in two extra rooms. Among the connectivity highlights are an analog PC video input, a front-panel USB input, and eight new HDMI 1.4a inputs providing compatibility with 3D video content. All video sources can be upscaled via HDMI and HQV Reon VX to breathtaking widescreen 1080p, with ISF calibration ensuring optimal video performance. PC-based audio and internet radio come into play too, thanks to DLNA 1.5-compatible network streaming. The key to the TX-NR3008's dynamic home theater performance is its high-end amplifier design: proprietary VLSC for all channels, a massive transformer, and two separate transformers for audio and video processing. So sit back, strap in, and prepare to be amazed.

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Pyle Home PD3000A 3000-Watt AM-FM Receiver with Built-In DVD/MP3/USB Review

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(More customer reviews)Product does as expected. Overall, works great! "Good power on my 150wrms bookshelf speakers!" The negative is that it is not 300wrm x 2 at 8ohms. It is really 150wrms x 2 at 8ohms or 260wrms x 2 at 4ohms and should be labeled as such instead of using false wattage for advertising. This is the reason why I have not gave it 5 stars. Sorry, I am an audiophile and am critical. For the money, you can't beat it, but do not get 300wrms speakers or they will be underpowered!

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DVD DVR VCR Wall Mount Bracket DSS Receiver Cable Box Wall Holder 3KF Review

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(More customer reviews)i received the first one that was torn to shreds.....not sure what happened there but it looked like someone fed it to a pitbull and then threw it in a box. i contacted amazon and they sent a new one out
FAST! the 2nd one was in excellent condition. we ordered this along with a couple other items to mount my 2 1/2 year old daughter's 32" tv, dvd player and dvds. installation was very easy and unlike other people have said, the wire cover does stay on if you do it right. so if you need a quick,cheap, sturdy fix then this is for you. i also liked that there is no glass because this is being used in a playroom.

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Marantz SR6005 Audio Video Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I received a Marantz 6005 a few days ago and have been auditioning it since then. I've also auditioned, over the last four weeks, the Yamaha RX-V667, Marantz SR5005, Denon 3310, Pioneer 1120, and Onkyo 808. So how does the 6005 compare to the others? Here are my thoughts:
Sound Quality: No surprises here. Having loved the sound quality of the 5005, the 6005 performed equally as well. As noted in a prior post, I had never listened to anything powered by a Marantz prior to auditioning the 5005, having previously used either Denon or Yamaha receivers. There's just something special about the Marantz sound that sets it apart from the others. It has a full-bodied, life-like sound that gives it a pleasing depth and range. Perhaps this is what others refer to as "warm." Whatever it is, it's absolutely wonderful. I'd rank (subjectively) the Onkyo and Yamaha second and third, respectively, in the sound quality department, with Denon and Pioneer bringing up the rear.
Video Quality: As noted in a prior post, the 5005 seemed to add a slight purple tinge to video images. The 6005's higher quality ABT chip appeared to fix that shortcoming, with no noticeable degradation in video quality (whether it improved the quality, I couldn't discern). By comparison, the Onkyo 808 appeared to give images a slightly greener hue.
GUI: The 6005 also overcame the 5005's GUI shortcomings. While the 5005 had a black & white on screen display that didn't overlay on images, the 6005 has a much easier to use color GUI that overlays. While the 6005's GUI isn't quite on par with Yamaha's (which has the best GUI I've encountered), I really have no complaints.
Remote: The 6005's remote is essentially the same as the 5005's, with a small LCD window at the top that indicates the source being controlled. It won't win any awards, but certain third party remotes are clearly much better than any stock remote provided with a receiver.
Other Features: I encountered no issues when plugging in my iPhone to the USB connection. Worked just fine. And if looks are important, the Marantz's understated, brushed aluminum facade is nothing short of classy.
Overall, I rank the Marantz 6005 as the best receiver I've auditioned. And after enduring a range of comments from my wife regarding why I have been purchasing so many receivers, the 6005 will also be the last receiver I'll audition for at least the next few years. This one's a keeper. Granted, the 6005 doesn't win any awards in the value department and it was the only receiver where I paid full price. But I confidently believe it is worth it.

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Yamaha RX-A1000 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)As I write this review, I am listening to my favorite music DVD (Eagles, hell freezes over), and I have the volume cranked to about 70% to match the listening volume of the Yamaha HTR 5790 (50% volume) that this RX-A1000 replaced. The 5790 had 110 watt vs 105 watt per channel for the RX-A1000. It was time to replace my 5790 because I recently purchased a Samsung 8000 series LED TV and wanted to pass 1080p signals from my BluRay player to the TV via the Yamaha receiver. The 5790 did not have any HDMI ports and you can't pass 1080p signals through component cables. The old Yamaha could not process Dolby True HD either. One of the nice features on this new receiver is the ability to pass video and audio to the TV via the HDMI cables even when the receiver is off. How cool is that? We don't always need 735 watts, especially when we are only watching a news channel. Another cool feature is the NET Radio. I connected the RX-1000's LAN jack to my router (via a gigabit switch)and 24 hours later (I could not get it to work imediately), I am listening to 15,000 radio stations. It took 24 hours for the receiver to figure out it was connected to a computer network? I don't understand why it didn't work right away. I checked all my settings over and over and then turned it off when my patience started wearing a little thin. The next day when I turned it on, the NET radio was working. This unit is about a $200 step up from my old receiver, but in my opinion does not match the sound of my older Yahama unit. Gosh, did 5 watts make the difference? Yamaha spent 2 years designing and building the Aventage series from the chassis up. This was not a redesign, (building and improving on an existing chassis), it is a complete new design including the number of feet (5) on the bottom. Well all in all I like this unit, but if I had it to do over, I would have waited a month and bought the RX-A2000. The RX-A2000 has video processing and upscaling that would improve the picture quality of whatever you are jacking into it, as well as 130 watts per channel.

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AVENTAGE is a dramatic, inspired step forward in audio/video component design. AVENTAGE brings studio-grade sound and sophisticated video enhancements to the home as a result of unparalleled attention to detail in design, engineering and fabrication. Details that, at first glance, would not seem to affect the quality of sight, sound, and control, when brought together within an AVENTAGE component produce a work of visual and acoustic art.The RX-A1000 A/V Receiver supports 3D and Audio Return Channel, with 8 in/2 out HDMI, new GUI, new YPAO, network functions, and control via web browser.

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SHERWOOD RD-5405 5.1-Channel 70-Watt A/V Receiver with HDMI Switching Review

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(More customer reviews)Even for the money this receiver should be off your list. There is NO SUPPORT for DTS Surround sound. At this day and age this is inexcusable. Since virtually all Blu-Ray discs and many DVD movies and concerts come with DTS, why bother. Find something else with DTS support (even the older DTS standard is better than none). That being said, if you are going to use this in a non-home theater application and will not use surround, then it is not bad at all. The sound quality is descent and at least you can install a powered sub-woofer to use with it.

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DEXIM AV Dock Station with Remote Control for iPhone 4/iPhone 3GS/3G/iPod Touch/iPod (Grey) Review

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(More customer reviews)great item, the video out doesnt work, I have a 3GS, with 4.1, I had to install an app to be able to take the video out to my tv.


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Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K 7-Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I finally received my Pioneer 1019 last night. I ended up staying up way too late last night setting this up. I purchased the Pioneer 1019 after a lengthy decision process between the Denon 1910, Onkyo 607 and Yamaha 765. I needed 4 HDMI so the earlier models wouldn't work and I was also limited in footprint depth so it was these 4. I went with the Pio because I've always been a fan of the sound and quality and each of the others had one or two things wrong (Denon not available, Onkyo quality issues (?), Yammy no assignable inputs). My one concern with the Pio going in was the revamped amps and the decline in weight. Would it impact quality of sound and power? Based on my early tests, NO. This unit has a great, clean sound with lots of detail at low levels and high. I did not hear any hint of strain.
Design
While the unit is smaller and lighter than the 1018 it doesn't look `cheap' and it still has enough bulk to it to make you think it has power. It looks great in the rack. Remote is a bit confusing but I won't use that much after setup and the Harmony database had all the relevant codes, a nice surprise for such a recent release.
The Setup Process
It was pretty easy to get all of the speakers and components hooked up. The manual stinks but I had spent a fair amount of time with the manual online in advance and after a few reads you can fill in the blanks. It took me about an hour to get all of the old equipment out and the new equipment in. Assigning the inputs was relatively straightforward. Renaming inputs was awkward due to the way they handle text input but it was very flexible. I had a little trouble assigning the Optical audio signal from my Macbook along with an HDMI input. I first tried to assign the optical directly to an HDMI input but you can't do that. Instead I had to assign both the HDMI and Optical to an entirely different Input Name (I chose DVR). It worked fine but I suspect that means I really lost a video input since I can't send anything else to the original HDMI input. Not a huge deal as I don't use all the inputs but it was still annoying.
I haven't done MCACC yet but I did use the manual speaker setup and my speaker settings from my old Sony AVR and input those here. That was pretty easy and even with this rudimentary setup the sound was great. Even my wife (who is happy with TV speakers alone) commented on the improvement in quality.
I ran though some of the DSPs and effects but I prefer to set everything to DIRECT, especially on BDs but it was nice to use the Extended Stereo for my iPod and get sound from all of the speakers.
Video
I had lots of questions on the video scaler. I agree with most posters that you should not buy an AVR for this capability. Most TVs will do a better job than any $500 AVR. My TV is a 2006 model though and it has pretty average scaling so I wanted to see how it would look. I hooked up my Comcast DVR with both HDMI and with Component/Optical to gauge the difference. HDMI looks great (and no scaling, of course) but there was no impact on visual signal. I did not have any annoying audio lags either. Component also looks really good for HD signals. I could not tell the difference between the HDMI and Component signals on HD channels.
I then tried it on some SD channels with the scaler set to 1080p. The AVR did fine but it wasn't any better than my TV. No worse either but then I already mentioned my scaler is pretty average. So, as I said earlier, don't buy the unit for the scaler but it's not a negative either. Just try it for your sources and TV and it may or may not generate any improvement in PQ.
The good news is that it does a very good job of upconversion (switching analog signals to digital) which means you can have 6 HD sources (4 HDMI and 2 Component) which is nice.
The one odd thing I found was in the aspect ratio settings for 4:3 signals. The default is `Through' which would make me think it sends the signal untouched but it is actually for stretching the signal (and it does a bad job of that). I switched the signal to `Normal' and it then just passed the 4:3 signal untouched - a definite improvement.
All other sources looked great. Panny BD35 looks and sounds great and I was relieved to see that my Macbook was able to pass a clean signal through the AVR to the TV.
Audio
So the real question is about how this unit sounds. As I mentioned earlier, I am really pleased with the quality and balance. Everything sounds warm and detailed. I expect it to improve even further with the MCACC adjustments. I've listened to quite a few units over time and this has all of the Pioneer sound and quality you expect from them. I don't think anyone will be disappointed with the sound or the power (Of course, if you are willing to spend 3x the $$ then you can get better quality from the Elite series. If you have the cash, definitely buy one of those. If you are looking to spend

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The VSX-1019AH-K represents the pinnacle of the Pioneer receiver line.This hub for your home entertainment center allows you to enjoy your favorite movies on Blu-ray disc, DVD or VHS on your flat-panel television like never before. With standard features that include a phenomenal ability to upscale and convert analog video signals to 1080p when transmitted through HDMI to your high definition television, the VSX-1019AH-Ks video scaler presents you with nothing but the best quality possible today regardless of what video source it receives.

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Yamaha HTR-3063BL 5.1 Channel 500 Watt AV Receiver (Each, Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)This receiver sounds good, is very reasonably priced, but it's not quite what I was expecting.
Reading the description of this unit, and looking at its back panel pictures, left me with the impression it probably can output video to an HDMI TV, regardless of the input source selected ("upsampling"). It cannot. It does not upsample, and cannot send, say, your component video input source to your HDMI TV. Yamaha support (who got back to me quickly, I must admit), says "it does not do any up converting of video sources, you would have to run the component video out to [a component input] TV as well."
I also found the setup less than intuitive; others have commented on the lack of a printed manual, and I must agree that I found myself missing it as I tried to determine how best to configure my speakers and resolve my upsampling question.
So, bottom line, be aware of its limitations, but if you're fine with what it does and doesn't do, it seems to be a nice value.

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Yamaha HTR-3063BL5.1 Channel 500 Watt AV Receiver is a great value-priced receiver to help take your home theater experience further. It features the latest HDMI specifications (4 inputs/1 output) with 3D-readiness (with firmware upgrade), 1080p HDMI repeating, and renowned Yamaha technologies like SCENE and CINEMA DSP. Expand your options even further with optional docks (sold separately) to add your iPod, iPhone, or Bluetooth sources.

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Composite AV Video/USB Cable for Apple iPod, iPhone, iPad (6 feet) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this in the hope that it would work with an iPad. It works like a charm to play movies or to use Netflix or YouTube.
It won't work to display your general iPad so don't try. Make sure you plug it in before you start Netflix or the movie or it won't work.

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Belkin F8V235-12 12-Foot Y Audio Cable Review

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(More customer reviews)i bought this cable to connect my laptop to my home theatre receiver, eliminating the need for computer speakers whcich could never match up to the sound of my home theatre system. the 12 ft cable is plenty long enough and it is surprisingly high quaality for the price. i don't give the cable 5 stars because i know there are higher quality cables out there with 24 karat gold connectors which will give you a cleaner sound. don't buy the 12ft version unless you need the length because the longer the cable, the more signal loss there is. this is perfect for the average guy who just wants to listen to his mp3's or play PC game audio through home theatre system.

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This Y Audio Cable from Belkin connects multimedia devices (such as stereo speakers and CD-ROMs) to your PC's sound card. You can also use it to easily connect mini-stereo components to stereo equipment. Just connect the mini-stereo plug to your mini-stereo sound-card jack or device. Then, slide the RCA plugs into the appropriate jacks on your multimedia devices or stereo equipment.

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Sony STR-DN1010 7.1-Channel A/V Blu-Ray Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)Introduction:
So, I finally found myself in a position to upgrade my home audio. For many years I used and rather enjoyed my 5 dic DVD changing home theater in a box (Sony DAV-HDX500/i BRAVIA Home Theater System) but still didn't feel like I was getting the full audio experience out of my movies and music. Since I recently purchased a new 3D TV Samsung UN55C7000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV (Black) and I already had a PlayStation 3 160 GB I figured my best option was to find an A/V receiver that would make the most of the 3D Blu-Ray functionality of the PS3 and the Samsung UN55C7000. After much research, and slowly piecing together a 7.1 collection of quality speakers, I decided to take a gamble and purchase the Sony STR-DN1010.
Initial Setup:
When the STR-DN1010 arrived via UPS I was excited. Upon unboxing, I immediately noticed the sleek and contemporary design and was pleased that it went so well with the decor in the family room. Having already run the speaker wires all I needed to do was; connect the wires to the appropriate receiver ports; connect the PS3, DVR/cable box, and TV; and plug the receiver's power in.
I open the user manual and it takes you through the usual inital setup steps I previously accomplished, so I flip to the speaker calibration section. Included in the box is a Auto-Calibration microphone which works surprisingly well. All I needed to do was plug it into the front of the receiver and follow the steps in the manual. This is where it gets a little complicated. I wanted to manually adjust my speaker but was having trouble navigating the on-screen GUI (graphical user interface). Response from the GUI had slight latency issues (as in it wasn't a 1:1 response from the remote commands). The manual seems to be made for above average tech consumer but I managed to figured most of it out and everything worked flawlessly.
Audio and Video Performance:
After everything was tweaked to my liking I first tested the audio performance from the cable box. Sound was great for the most part but after cycling through the numerous sound modes I noticed that in Sports mode audio sounds like someone speaking into a plastic tube, this was a minor complaint. Sports in general look and sound phenominal.
Next I tested Blu-Ray performance via the PS3. I checked the audio quality using The Matrix Blu-Ray on the scene where Neo and Trinity break into the building where the agents have Morpheus held captive. From the booming shotgun fire to the loud thud of guards getting kicked to the high twinkling of expended shells hitting the floor, I was in awe of the clarity of sound not to mention the crisp quality of video. Next I checked out the 3D video quality of Despicable Me 3D. Absolute perfection I couldnt find a thing to complain about here.
Since I had a Sony TDM-IP1 Digital Media Port iPod Dock from my previous home theater in a box I connected it to the receiver and plopped my ipod onto it to test my digital audio collection. Since I like The Roots (hip hop band) and they use live instrumentation in most of their music, I decided to use the album "How I Got Over" as my test material. Bass guitars sounded smooth and organic, percussion was precise and thumping, and vocal sounded live. Basically it all sounded like I was right in the studio with the artists. Great reproduction from the receiver, once again no real complaints here.
Conclusion:
In closing, this A/V receiever was everything I was looking for. I purchased an open box item here on Amazon so I only paid a little over $300 USD for it with free super saver shipping. Considering the price and performance I got this receiver, I feel like I got a hell of a deal. As far as gripes and complaints they're minor. The plastic speaker terminals used to connect the speaker wires to the receiver are a little cheap but sturdy enough to get the job done. I suggest you buy banana plugs to offset this. Another drawback is the lack of HDMI inputs this receiver has compared to comparable receivers of other brands (this has 4 in and 1 out, most others have 6 HDMI inputs). And lastly, not so much a problem for me but if you dont have a Sony Ipod dock you have to shell out roughly another $100 just to get on screen control of your Ipod through the receiver. Of course, you could always just use a 3.5mm audio cable to connect your ipod/mp3 player but you miss out on the on screen control. The manual requires a Rosetta Stone to decipher it, nuff said. I hope this review was helpful and if it was please vote up for me. Thank you for taking the time to read this.7.1 Home Theater Speakers:
-Sony SS-CN5000 Dual 5.25" Center Channel Speaker (each, black)
-Sony SSF-7000 Floor-Standing 4-way Speaker with 8" Woofer (Pair)
-Sony SS-B3000 Bookshelf Speakers with 8-Inch Woofer (Pair, Black)
-Sony SS-B1000 5 1/8-Inch Bookshelf Speakers (Pair)
-Sony SA-W2500 Performance Line 100 Watt SubwooferBy the way, check out the images above to get an idea of the STR-DN1010's scale

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Take your high-definition surround sound experience to the next level with the STR-DN1010 7.1-channel Blu-ray Disc A/V receiver. Enjoy 3D images while hearing sound closer to the way it was captured, plus improve image quality of non-HD video sources to HD using one convenient cable. Offering plenty of connectivity options for your expanding lifestyle, this A/V receiver features 4 HDMI inputs, 3 component inputs and is SIRIUS Satellite Radio-ready. You can also share your music in multiple rooms with wireless 2nd zone technology.

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Denon AVR-2311CI 7.2 Channel A/V Home Theater Multi-Source/Multi-Zone Receiver with HDMI 1.4a Supporting 1080p and 3D (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Right after the warranty expired on my Onkyo TX-SR606 the HDMI ports starting acting flaky.After some research I found that this receiver did have some issues with the HDMI processing board. Instead of sending it off for service, I decided to get a new AV receiver and started the process of narrowing my choices down. As you know since you're reading this, the task can be daunting to say the least.You can read dozens of favorable reviews on certain receivers and then read a few bad ones and you're off in search of the next "perfect" receiver. Also, at this point in the year we are just months away from the 2011 models so then you wonder what you're going to miss out on if you don't wait. I decided to not concentrate on every single specification but on what is most important for any av receiver: SOUND!!! Next I wanted iPod connectivity and finally reliability since my other receiver lasted a little over two years. The problem with choosing a receiver based on its sound quality is that this subjective and can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. I listen to a lot of music and well as enjoying Blue Ray movies for their clarity and digital sound so I wanted a receiver that could handle both well. As I was researching the thing that kept cropping up about the Denon receivers was their excellent sound. I still use my 15 year old Denon receiver on the back porch and have always liked their products so Denon was definitely at the top of my list. I narrowed it down to the Pioneer VSX-1120-K and the Denon AVR-2311CI. The deciding factors in choosing the Denon were the reviews that kept saying how good this receiver processes both the digital video audio as well as music, the USB port for direct iPod connectivity and the 3 year warranty vs. the 1 year on the Pioneer (the Pioneer was a slight bit less expensive but by the time you purchased a 3 year warranty the prices were about the same.) I have had the Denon now for one week and I couldn't be more pleased! It worked flawlessly right out of the box and the Audyssey set up was accomplished without even cracking open the manual (one flaw of the receiver is the plastic cover that covers the front inputs for a digital video camera and the Audyssey mic. You press in on it expecting it to open like a hinged door. Instead it pops completely out). I have Mirage M490 bookshelves as my fronts and a Polk RM85 surround system (using 5.1 with no rear since almost no Blue Ray HD audio processes 7.1 channel), a Polk PSW110 powered subwoofer and a Panasonic DMP-BD55 Blueray. My TV is a Samsung LN52A630. The first Blueray disk I tested was The Lord of the RIngs The Fellowship of the Rings and I must say I was blown away!!!! My Onkyo sounded good but the overall sound quality of the Denon was unmistakable!! I was hearing things I had not heard before and the surround separation was superb. When I plugged in my iPod I was disappointed in the sound so I know I had some adjusting to do so I grabbed the manual. Some reviews of this receiver indicated that you had to be a true Audiophile to accomplish some of the more nuanced features of the receiver and this is true to an extent. If I had not had previous experience with my Onkyo some of the setting would have been difficult. The manual assumes a lot in my opinion but in many respects it is very thorough which is a good thing. Believe it or not, the most complicated task was getting the remote set up for it to control all my other components. The only component I couldn't get it to control was my PS3. Other than that, I now have only one remote (it easily set up to control my Disk Network DVR)!!! The remote could use some updating as the buttons are small and not intuitive in many cases (e.g. you press the "Standard" button to switch between the different Dolby Digital outputs). One plus on the remote are the three Quick Select buttons that you can easily set up to access your TV, Cable/Sat and Dock with the touch of a button. There are separate surround modes for video and music output which, when set up, makes the music come alive!! In the music mode, you can adjust the surround depth "forwards and backward" the sound coming from the center out towards the fronts left and right to give a more full sound for music. There are also treble and bass adjustments under "Tone". Once I got this set up the music from the iPod was exceptional!!!! The Graphical User Interface is very good and easy to use. When the iPod is attached, you can navigate all the menus on the iPod on TV screen using the remote. Other functions such as switching from surround video to music are easily accomplished. Video upscaling to 1080 is excellent as well. The display on the receiver gives you all the information you need.
Overall I couldn't be any happier with this receiver and the sound it is producing and its overall look and performance. I highly recommend!

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Marantz SR5005 Audio Video Receiver (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I recently decided to upgrade my home theater setup, and purchased a Samsung 63" Samsung PN63C8000 63-Inch 1080p 3D Plasma HDTV, Black and wanted a home theater to match. Previously, I had just used my TV speakers (granted, my old Sony XBR had far better speakers than most TVs, but still far short of a dedicated setup). I wouldn't describe myself as an audiophile, but I can appreciate good sound ... it's just that my interest lies more in music and film than in the actual audio/video equipment. My media room is 15'x20', and I wanted a system that would be as good for music as for movies.
Because of my room layout, I decided I was limited to a 5.1 system. I ordered this Marantz SR5005 receiver along with a 5.1 speaker system from Aperion Audio, going their 5T Hybrid HD system. These particular Aperion speakers are fairly power hungry, and I was a bit worried about the SR5005's ability to power them w/o the help of an external amp. I had briefly considered upgrading to the slightly more powerful SR6005 Marantz SR6005 Audio Video Receiver (Black). The excellent technical support staff at Aperion Audio (where I ordered this receiver as well as the speakers) assured me the SR5005 would be more than adequate, and after using the system for a few days I fully agree.
I am extremely happy with the way this system sounds - the sound is simply excellent, for both music and movies. The SR5005 has the power to get plenty of room filling volume (window rattling volume) out of the speakers without any distortion. At the same time, I can hear everything clearly at lower volume as well so there's no need to turn it up unless I want to. As far as sound quality, I give the SR5005 5 out of 5 stars - it's excellent. This impression seems to be supported by other reviews - every review I've read about the SR5005 has nothing but positive things to say about sound quality.
As for the setup, I'm not the most tech savvy person in the world and I have to admit I was a bit intimidated about setting up the SR5005 - these newer AVRs have an incredible amount of setup and playback options, it can be a bit overwhelming at first. However, once I delved into it, the setup turned out not to be too difficult. In addition to the Marantz instruction manual, I highly suggest you google "Outlaw SR5005 Guide", which is a 60+ page setup guide put out by Outlaw Audio (you can also throw them a bone and buy the receiver from them as well, though I didn't) that walks you through the setup process in fairly straightforward "plain english" (or as close to plain english as you can get for a fairly complicated piece of electronics). The SR5005 has plenty of setup options, including the Audyssey auto setup but also plenty of manual options as well - do not pay any attention to the review here stating there are no manual setup options as that reviewer apparently didn't bother to read the manual, in addition to the speaker distance, crossover, and other parameters that can be manually set and adjusted with an SPL meter, the SR5005 offers a 9-band EQ for each of 9 speakers, which I believe breaks down to 7.1 plus either zone 2 or front height speakers.
When setting up my system, I first used the much acclaimed Audyssey automatic setup included with this receiver, along with the included microphone. While the results were pretty good, I wasn't blown away by them. Audyssey gave me a couple of incorrect speaker distances (especially for the sub, which Audyssey set up as way too loud) and some funky crossover points. Aperion recommended I set up the system manually using an SPL meter that they include free with any 5.1 speaker system. While this sounded a bit daunting, after reading the short instruction sheet that came with the SPL meter it proved to be almost as simple as Audyssey. I set all of my speakers with the exception of the sub to "small" (the instructions recommended setting the front towers to "large", but when I did this the SR5005 wouldn't let me set the crossover to my preferred 80Hz, so I changed it to "small"; I set my sub to "LFE+main"), set the crossovers to Aperion's recommended levels, measured the distance from each speaker, and manually adjusted the db level for each speaker while measuring with the SPL meter. This might sound complicated, but actually it's pretty easy, just take your time and read the instructions. After doing this manual setup, I was much happier with the result - in particular the sub was now at an acceptable level (there was too much bass using the Audyssey settings).
I'm extremely happy with this product. The audio quality is excellent and the video processing seems to be excellent as well, and it can be turned off. Note there are a couple of internet comments floating around out there about a "purple hue" caused by the video processor - as far as I can tell that was only a single one-off incident cited by a single reviewer (he mentions this in his review of the SR6005 here on Amazon, which is an excellent review I recommend reading), but it was echoed across the internet as other people on various forums cited that same incident. To be clear, I have no purple hue on my unit and if I did the video processing can be turned off (I'm quite happy with the video processing straight out of my PS3). All in, I'm glad I didn't spend the extra money to upgrade to the SR6005, which adds a bit more power (110w x 7), an upgraded video processor (video quality watching blu-rays on this SR5005 is excellent, so I see no reason to pay up for a better video processor), and some improved display functions (for example to see the volume on this SR5005 you have to look at the front of the receiver as it doesn't display it on your TV, this isn't really an issue for me). If interested, I also recommend the speaker system I referenced from Aperion Audio, as they sound excellent with this receiver and Aperion's customer support was very helpful in explaining the features of both the speakers as well as the receiver, as well as discussing what system would best suit my needs based on room size, preferences etc.
Overall, my rating for the Marantz SR5005 breaks down as follows:
Audio quality - 5 stars
Video quality - 4.5-5 stars
Setup options - 5 stars
Input options - 4 stars (some other receivers offer more HDMI inputs, but 4 was more than enough for me)
Features - 4 stars (displaying the volume on the TV would be nice)
Value - 4.5 stars (4 stars if you buy at the price listed here on Amazon, but you can find better out there if you look)
Overall I break this down to 5 stars as audio quality is by far the most important factor in an AVR, in my view.edit: as of mid-2011 I see Amazon has lowered the price since I purchased mine. Also it looks like Outlaw Audio also lowered the price - at the new Amazon price, this is easily a 5/5 for value and probably the best AV/Home Theater Receiver you can buy at this price level.

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Antec Low Profile AV Component Cooler for Media PC Home Theater Products Review

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(More customer reviews)Just installed two of these in our entertainment center. One is for the Denon A/V receiver and the other for a DirecTV HD DVR. Both units are behind closed glass doors and are now cool instead of blazing hot!! And, the fan sound is not noticeable.

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Antec Low Profile AV Component Cooler for Media PC Home Theater Products

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