6/19/2012

Marantz PM8003 Integrated Amplifier Review

Marantz PM8003 Integrated Amplifier
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I bought this about six months ago, and I haven't regretted this purchase! I only do two-channel even with video, and use this to drive B&W 683 loudspeakers. I was unsatisfied with my Denon 2807 AV receiver, so I began auditioning integrated amps. WOW. At 70 watts/channel, this baby rocks! It blows away the Denon which had 110 per channel, and sounds much better while doing it. It controls the B&W speakers like a much larger amp. The PM8003 has excellent detail, clarity, and slam. I can't distress this amp, no matter what I play! And movie soundtracks have so much impact, I question the need for a subwoofer. In my cabinet, the Denon receiver ran rather hot, but this Marantz runs quite cool. Compare this unit to amps rated at 100-125 watts per channel, and you will appreciate how underrated this amp is. You will enjoy this little integrated amp!

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Stereo Integrated Amplifier

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6/18/2012

Cables To Go - 40018 - Coaxial to Optical Digital Audio Converter Review

Cables To Go - 40018 - Coaxial to Optical Digital Audio Converter
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This product is very simple and strait forward. Please note that it only works in one direction (Coaxial to fiber in this case). Also, it does require power to work.
The build quality does not seem to be the best but at this price I can afford to have a spare (or two).
If the manufacturer was going to make any improvements I would ask for channels to make it easier to ziptie excess cables to or near the device (Warning: if looping optical cable do not make the bends too small or you will crack the fiber inside and destroy the cable, make a circle with the loops 4 to 6 inches in diameter and put a ziptie at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions)

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Allsop Camden TV Stand Large, Dark Walnut Review

Allsop Camden TV Stand Large, Dark Walnut
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We were looking for a stand to sit on top of a bedroom dresser for a 37" flat panel LCD DVD to sit on, and to store our DVD and Roku players underneath. This fits the bill perfectly!
To address other reviewers concerns about it being scratched during shipment - ours was flawless upon delivery. It was inside a plastic bag, and the bag was inside a form fitted cardboard box, and that box was inside a shipping box packed with packing paper so it wouldn't move around during shipping. Perfect. Maybe they addressed the concerns previously mentioned on here since I don't see how they could have packaged it any better.
Also, we ordered on the weekend and actually received it on Monday! Talk about fast shipping!
The stand also looks nice, and fits in well with our decor. It is not "cheap looking" in my opinion.
Thanks Allsop!

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6/17/2012

Yamaha HTR-5760 7.1-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver Review

Yamaha HTR-5760 7.1-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver
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Oh Boy ! Prices have come down on quality receivers. Not only do you get more ... but you pay less than the previous version. This one has everything a picky home theater enthusiast is look for:
1 - 7.1 ch amplification
2 - 7.1 preouts (to connect a robust poweramp)
3 - Dolby ProLogic IIx (don't watch movies without it)
4 - Microphone Calibration (not parametric as the name suggests) ... better than an SPL since this measures spkr delays etc.
5 - Adjustable SUB Crossover (down to 40hz)
5 - Construction and overall quality
For Home Theater and Movies ? 5 STARS (Audio in a movie disc is not audiophile grade, so this receiver is just fine for that)
As an audiophile 2-channel receiver ? 3 STARS (get a external good quality poweramp for this)
Suggestions to Yamaha:
1 - Upgrade firmware to allow receiver to use a specific setting as te default for all signals. For instance, if you have a 7 speaker setup ... you should be able to make the player default to Dolby Prologic IIx for any and all signals.
2 - Remove the TUNER and reduce the cost. If you want to listen to the radio ... use that clock radio ! or go out for a drive in your car.
3 - Give us a lighted remote. Any Home Theater component ought to have a lighted remote. I am sure you know why. Right ?
Overall a very good receiver. Good work Yamaha. Bye Bye overpriced Denon.

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For incredible quality and setup flexibility at an amazingly affordable price, it's hard to top Yamaha's high-current HTR-5760 audio/video receiver. With the HTR-5760 you get the convenience of DVD-Audio/SACD-ready eight-channel analog inputs alongside the latest 6.1- and 7.1-channel surround processing, multiroom control, and premium Yamaha sound technologies.When hooked up with the digital-audio output from a DVD-Video player or digital satellite receiver, the 95-watts-per-channel HTR-5760 handles 5.1-channel surround decoding for both major formats, Dolby Digital and DTS. In addition, the receiver processes Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, DTS Neo:6, and DTS 96/24. The extended-surround formats create even more expansive soundfields through a center-rear surround channel, for which THX suggests using two separate speakers. The result is seven discrete full-range channels in addition to the LFE (low-frequency effects) channel: front left/right, surround left/right, front center channel, and a pair of rear-center channels.A key benefit from a Yamaha receiver, of course, is Yamaha's proprietary signal processing, including Cinema DSP (digital soundfield processing), which creates aural "imaging" that not only makes your home sound like a theater, but also sounds better than most movie theaters. Based on a wealth of measured data in real studios and halls, Cinema DSP is designed to bring out the full potential of movie sound mixes, reproducing them the way directors and sound engineers intended.And, when you're listening to multichannel presentations late at night, you'll appreciate Silent Cinema, which simulates 5.1-channel listening through a pair of ordinary 2-channel headphones (not included). Silent Cinema uses unique parameters for each soundfield to ensure accurate headphone representations of each soundfield.The receiver comes with YPAO (Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer) and a dedicated microphone to help you establish the best possible sound at your primary listening position. The optimizer uses the microphone to "listen" to the sound from the speakers and determine, based on its test-signals, how best to equalize the sound for your room. Corrections include speaker/subwoofer phase relationships, speaker/subwoofer distance measurements (corrects for differences down to 5 cm), frequency response (measures and optimizes each speaker's response using a parametric equalizer), and speaker level (measures and aligns the relative volume levels of all speakers).Then there's the eight-channel DVD-Audio/SACD-ready inputs mentioned above. Due to anti-piracy measures, DVD-Audio and SACD players perform their own digital-to-analog conversion, passing high-resolution analog signals on to your amplifier. (And analog, after all, is what your amp feeds your speakers.)DVD-Audio and SACD can each deliver up to six channels of discrete, full-frequency sound at greater-than-CD resolution (in the case of DVD-A, that means 24 bits, 96 kHz sampling rate versus 16 bits, 44.1 kHz for CD). In stereo or surround, the sound from DVD-Audio and SACD is packed with detail, yet smoother and sweeter from than the sound from even the best standard CD players. The HTR-5760 accommodates decoded DVD-A/SACD signals and routes them to the appropriate speakers in your surround system.The receiver offers five audio/video input connections (all with composite-/S-video, two with component-video), eight fixed and assignable digital-audio inputs (great for DSS, CD, laserdisc, gaming consoles, or minidisc), and front-panel input connections with digital-audio jacks for your camcorder or other spontaneous hookup. The receiver's video circuitry is high-definition ready, too (60 MHz bandwidth), and it will upconvert composite-video to an S-video signal to simplify TV hookup.Last, but certainly not least, the HTR-5760 benefits from Yamaha's Digital ToP-ART (Total Purity Audio Reproduction Technology) build philosophy. The culmination of the best digital engineering and design possible, it brings together several key elements to create the best-sounding, easiest-to-use A/V components available.What's in the Box Receiver, remote control, four AAA batteries, microphone for YPAO, an AM loop antenna, an indoor FM antenna, a warranty card, and a user's manual.

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6/16/2012

Onkyo TX-NR905 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

Onkyo TX-NR905 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black)
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After a lot of research, I purchased the 905 last year. Onkyo had some production issues (strong demand) and so I waited MONTHS before one became available. On paper, the specs look very good.
Ultimately, Onkyo bought-back my receiver from me because of several design flaws that firmware updates could not fix. For example, the DSPs are poorly designed such that there is a delay of 2-3 seconds when locking onto and audio stream. So every time I fast-forward through a commercial, the video plays for 2-3 seconds with no audio. Changing audio streams on Blu-Ray movies had the same delay.
In addition, there is a significant audio delay that causes a mis-sync between audio and video. Again, Onkyo says a firmware update cannot fix the problem. I bypassed the Reon video processor to help with the problem, but then you lose the built-in scaling feature.
Only service centers are permitted to do firmware updates. In my case, there was a 2-3 week backlog. Thankfully, one update leaked to the internet and I was able to do it myself. However, Onkyo found out about the leak and was not happy.
Onkyo also makes no mention of any firmware updates on their web site. So unless a consumer calls in regarding a problem, they will never know an update is out there. They should clearly state on their product support web site an update is available and to call their service center for more information.
If they can fix these and other defects in the 906 model (due mid 2008), then it would be a winner. But the 905 has so many issues that I switched receivers and now own a Denon. For more insight to the problems, check out the avsforum site where there is a large discussion on this model.

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Meet the standout leader of Onkyo's new range of home theater heroes. The TX-NR905 7.1-channel home network receiver has a number of advantages that propel it into the home theater super league. Look to the TX-NR905's network (interfacing with Windows Media Player and Windows Media Connect) to open up a huge reservoir of Internet and computer-based audio resources. Enjoy the edge in high-definition 1080p video processing from the world's first receiver to incorporate HQV Reon VX. In-line with Onkyo's impeccable track record, under the hood of the TX-NR905 you'll find an innovative power supply, remarkable amplification design, and high-performance parts from the likes of Texas Instruments. "Complete" is a tag not given lightly, but the TX-NR905 earns it in style.

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Yamaha MCR-330BL Micro Component Receiver CD Player Unit (Black) Review

Yamaha MCR-330BL Micro Component Receiver CD Player Unit (Black)
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We were looking for a system to play our iPod music and went to the store to review slightly cheaper models, including Bose. They were all disappointing and generally started to sound tinny once the volume was turned up slightly. We wanted a warmer "fuller" sound and were ready to give up when I saw the Yamaha. It was more expensive than we had originally planned to pay, but it is worth every extra cent. I have an eclectic range of Cd's from Led Zep to Bach and I really enjoy listening to my music and I have a background in amateur recording . My wife is more into Jazz. We haven't found a piece of music that doesn't sound great on this system, it really is hi fi quality. I would have no hesitation in recommending this equipment.

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Yamaha MCR-330BL Micro Component Receiver CD Player Unit

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6/15/2012

Yamaha RX-V995 Surround Receiver with Dolby Digital and DTS Decoding Review

Yamaha RX-V995 Surround Receiver with Dolby Digital and DTS Decoding
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This is such a feature-ladened high quality Dolby Digital Receiver that is blows the others away! My last receiver was a Denon, but I will tell you that this is heads and tales above the Denon. This Yamaha receiver is able to accurately reproduce the Dolby 5.1 format in all of its glory fully enabling the expressive power of Dolby Digital!

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