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Featured A/V Receiver Reviews
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Denon AVP-A1HDCI 12CH Home Theater Processor Review
The Denon AVP-A1HDCI represents bleeding edge technology that only a select few manufacturers can compete with regardless of price. From its sophisticated top notch A/V processing, construction and component usage, you’re getting Mercedes level performance and refinement at Acura prices. Your high end audio snob friends may snicker at this system, especially since they likely spent 2-3 times more for hollow boxes, but I suggest humbling yourself by saying nothing. You don’t want everyone driving the same car you’re driving, do you?
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Yamaha RX-Z7 A/V Receiver Overview
Yamaha is looking to expand their top end of their receiver line with the addition of the RX-X7 - a $2700 behemoth that is touting, among many other features, near unlimited connectivity and five HDMI inputs. At 140 watts x 7, the RX-Z7 uses Vista compatible DNLA support to stream files off your computer (WAV, Mp3, WMA, AAC) and Internet radio streams (Mp3, WMA). It supports Sirius Internet Radio, Rhapsody, and, of course, Yamaha's own MusicCAST system. You can pull music from your iPod, Bluetooth device, or USB device.
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Recently Reviewed A/V Receivers
Pioneer is making four new additions to their Elite receivers with the introduction of the SC-27, SC-25, VSX-23TXH, and VSX-21TXH. With such features as ICEPower amplification, Internet streaming, iPhone control, and lots more, Pioneer is looking to entice you to upgrade whether you are ready to or not. With prices ranging from $700 to $2000, there certainly is something for everyone in this new group of offerings from Pioneer.
Denon announced their new lineup of AVRs this week. Three new high end 'CI' models were released, the AVR-4310CI and AVR-3310CI along with two more in the same line without the CI designation; the AVR-1910 and AVR1610. The retail (or home theater) line is also getting a total makeover with the inclusion of the AVR-990, AVR-890, AVR-790, and AVR-790. The prices range from $1,999 for the AVR-4310CI to $349 for the AVR-590. Think Denon isn't giving you value for your money? Every AVR in the lineup can decode the high def audio formats!
In Yamaha's continuing commitment to making your new receiver obsolete each and every year, they have released updates to their RX-V line lead by the RX-V665. The RX-V663 was the best selling receiver in 2008 and Yamaha wants to build on that success. Included in the new releases are the RX-V765, MSRP: $649.95; RX-V565, MSRP: $479.95; RX-V465, MSRP: $379.95; and RX-V365, MSRP $249.95 The RX-V665 will retail for $549.95.
The Yamaha RX-Z7 offers benchmark performance in virtually every category with the only caveat being it generates a lot of heat. Armed to the teeth with all of the latest audio and video processing features, along with a host of multi room and networking capabilities, the RX-Z7 leaves little to be desired for even the most sophisticated home theater installs. Its ability to transform your listening space into a concert venue or mega Cineplex is unrivaled. The RX-Z7 proudly lives up to the "Z" heritage and in some aspects out Z's their very own flagship RX-Z11.
At CES 2009, Pioneer’s home entertainment group is introducing four new A/V receivers. The Pioneer-brand A/V receivers continue to bring digital media content into the living room with a complete IPod (including iPhone, iPod Nano and iTouch) solution for high-quality sound reproduction in the home. To ensure quality audio reproduction, the new models are outfitted with the company’s digital sound processing technologies that promise to improve compressed and lower-quality music files to near CD performance.
NAD Electronics introduced two new AV receivers: the T 747 ($1,299) and T 737 ($799). The T 747 AV receiver features 60 watts (x7) channels and uses high-current discrete output devices. The T 747 also includes the newest lossless audio CODECs from Dolby and DTS, including TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. The T 737 delivers 40 watts to each of its seven channels. Its three surround modes automatically cater to multichannel-encoded DVDs using Dolby Digital EX and DTS ES, encoded two-channel recordings with Dolby ProLogic IIx and DTS Neo:6, and NAD's own EARS and Stereo Enhanced modes, which are perfect for creating convincing surround sound from unencoded sources like CDs.
NAD Electronics introduced upgraded HD versions of the T 785, T 775, T765 AV Receivers and the T 175 AV Tuner Preamp-Processor. Additionally, NAD premieres Modular Design Construction (MDC) in the new Masters Series M15HD AV Preamp-Processor. We'd like to formally welcome NAD to the 21st century. New features include dual 32-bit Aureus 7.1 high-speed digital signal processors (DSPs) by Texas Instruments, Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume by Audyssey; decoding for several advanced audio formats, including Dolby True HD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD Master Audio; and Sigma Designs’ VXP broadcast studio quality image processor.
Harman Kardon displayed their new AVR 7550HD 7.2-channel audio/video receiver. It features HDMI v1.3a (with Deep Color support) and can pass video signals to 1080p. The receiver employs Faroudja DCDi Cinema digital-video processing utilizing the leading-edge Torino chipset (FLI30436), providing HD upscaling and enhanced 1080p image quality from all video sources. Harman hasn't yet proved itself in the high-end receiver line-up, at least not since the introduction of HDMI and video processing, so it will be nice to see how well this new flagship product is received in the marketplace.
The Pioneer SC-07 A/V receiver is armed with all of the latest decoding and processing, making it a capable product for next generation high definition audio and video. Although the SC-07 didn't fare well on the bench when tested with 4-ohm loads, it proved to hold up quite well on real world 4-ohm speaker systems driving musical content instead of continuous test tones and only gave up some of its composure as the volume levels were increased. I found MCACC to be quite a useful tool and ease of setup and operation of the SC-07 were strong points in a sea of overly complex A/V receivers. If you're a Pioneer fan, you will probably be quite satisfied with this receiver from a performance and operational standpoint. Although it isn't class leading, it can serve well in an upscale home theater system if used within its design limits.
At $1799, this 7.1 CH A/V receiver comes with everything but the kitchen sink. Extensive networking features allow you to stream music from your PC, Internet Radio, or Rhapsody online music service. The RX-V3900 also boasts HD Radio with iTunes tagging, four HDMI v1.3a inputs and two outputs, with HDMI up-conversion and scaling to 1080p and extensive multi-zone custom installation compatibilities. It supports the latest HD Audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio (192kHz).
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