Receiver and Processor ReviewsReceiver and Processor Reviews
Pioneer SC68 9.1 A/V Receiver
- Written by Chris Heinonen
- Published on 16 January 2013
Pioneer has been revising and refining their Class D amplifier technology inside of their Elite receivers for a few years now. The performance has kept improving, as it is one of the few receivers out there that actually delivers its rated power output into all channels at once. Pioneer's SC68 is a 9.1 receiver, and yes, there are nine power amplifiers in there, rated at 140 watts each. It weighs only 39 pounds. How do they get that much power in a 39 pound package? The Class D amplifiers.
Classe SSP-800 Surround Sound Processor
- Written by John E. Johnson, Jr.
- Published on 25 October 2012
Classé is considered one of the finest audio product manufacturers in North America. They market preamplifiers, power amplifiers, and surround sound processors (SSPs). The SSP-800 is their current processor. It's been around for awhile, and they have no plans to replace it with a new model in the near future, but there have been some firmware updates along the way. So, I decided that Secrets should have a look and listen to what I was sure would be a fine product. Was I right?
Pioneer SC-57 9.1 A/V Receiver
- Written by Chris Heinonen
- Published on 30 January 2012
I've reviewed a fair number of receivers, and owned a fair number of them myself as well. The unit that I was the most sad to part with was the Pioneer SC-27 a couple years ago. With its Class D amps, it was fast and powerful, but not harsh. The new SC-57 is a 9.1 receiver, with Class D amplification, but Pioneer has built the amplifier modules themselves rather than using ICEPower modules. Was the sound different? Read on . . .
Integra DTR 50.3 THX Select2 Plus 7.2 A/V Receiver
- Written by Ross Jones
- Published on 23 July 2012
Integra has produced a high-quality, high value product in the DTR 50.3 7.2 receiver. It has all the bells and whistles you could ask for in a modern receiver, and still has that clean, neutral Integra sound. Read our review and find out why we say, "Definitely recommended!"
Onkyo TX-NR809 Wireless Network 7.2 A/V Receiver
- Written by Gabriel Lowe
- Published on 09 January 2012
Having both reviewed and owned several Onkyo receiver models over the last few years, I have come to expect an excellent product that is both packed with features and performs extremely well. The Onkyo TX-NR809 network receiver was announced in May of 2011, and right away, it made me salivate. So, here is the review.
NAD T 187 7.1 A/V Processor & T 975 Seven-Channel Power Amplifier
- Written by Chris Eberle
- Published on 01 June 2012
NAD, which stands for New Acoustic Dimension, was founded in 1972 with one simple goal: to reproduce sound as faithfully as possible. Eschewing bells and whistles, NAD products are all about simplicity, value and performance. From their earliest components, like the legendary 3020 integrated amplifier, to today’s multi-channel amps and preamps, they have never wavered from this mantra. Here, we review separates: the NAD T 187 7.1 A/V SSP and the T 975 seven-channel power amplifier.
Anthem MRX 300 7.1 A/V Receiver
- Written by Cory Potts
- Published on 14 November 2011
Anthem is a company that is well-known in audiophile circles for cost-no-object separates and excellent separate power amplifiers. Anthem is the parent company to Paradigm, whose Studio 20 v.3 monitors were used in conjunction with the Anthem seven-channel MRX 300 AV receiver for this review.
Integra DTR-80.3 9.2 A/V Receiver
- Written by Robert Kozel
- Published on 09 May 2012
The Integra name always makes my short list of leading companies in the receiver and processor market space. While Integra is a premium manufacturer of high-end A/V equipment catering to custom A/V installers, their products offer a great mix of leading-edge technology along with outstanding performance at an attainable price. At CEDIA 2011 this past September, Integra introduced their latest product updates, including the flagship DTR-80.3 receiver, which I cover in this review.
Anthem MRX 500 7.1 A/V Receiver
- Written by Jim Clements
- Published on 13 October 2011
Anthem released their highly-anticipated line of surround receivers in late 2010. Right out of the gate, Anthem's three entries into the surround receiver market really turned the audio world on its "ear" by essentially acing some of the most salient qualities for receivers; just some minor little aspects like build quality, sound quality and features. The Anthem MRX 500 is their newest 7.1 receiver, and it's very affordable at $1,499.
NAD T757 7.1 A/V Receiver
- Written by Kevin Lichterman
- Published on 02 February 2012
Like most people I have some pet peeves. When I shop for televisions, I am always hoping to find one without speakers. I have a dedicated theater with speakers and electronics that are leaps and bounds ahead of what I could possibly get in a TV. I don't need speakers; I'll never turn them on. I don't want them! Simply having them adds cost, complexity, and size to my TV. I don't want to pay for what I won't use! So, instead of TV's built-in speakers, a receiver will deliver much better quality sound, and surround sound at that. NAD's new T757 is reviewed here, and it does the job well.
Yamaha R-S700 Stereo Receiver
- Written by Kieran Coghlan
- Published on 26 September 2011
5.1, 7.1, 9.2... even 11.2 and beyond. Yes, I'm talking about the numbers of channels available in multi-channel home theater systems. It seems to be getting out of control, don't you think? Well, Yamaha may have the prescription for your multi-channel nausea: good, affordable, old-fashioned 2-channel stereo, done right. In this review, we take a look at their R-S700 Stereo Receiver. For many folks, two channels is enough.
