Though when I first started hifi-reviews.com my intention was to generally review mid range consumer hifi and av gear over time its become obvious to me that a lot of our readership is actually looking at the lower priced end of the home consumer spectrum. With this in mind I unpacked our latest delivery to the lab (IE: My dining room) a freshly delivered Sony CMTMX700NI. The CMTMX700NI is marketed squarely as a basic home use Music System with the added bonus of Wi-Fi Internet Radio and so I wasn’t expecting it to be anything too amazing in terms of sonic clarity or feature set. As you’ll read I was in fact happily surprised with the CMTMX700NIs performance, with a few minor oddities.

On unpacking the Sony CMTMX700NI the first thing I noted was its surprisingly retro looks with a fairly simple front panel combining a black clear plastic upper LCD display and a brushed aluminium look lower half. Its a not unattractive unit at all though one of the CMTMX700NIs main selling points is the built in iPod dock which is hidden away in a fold down hatch on the left hand side. The iPod dock is fairly solid in feel and seems to fit snugly with the 2 devices I tried it with (an iPod nano & iPhone 3gs) though the drop down nature of the dock does mess with the look of the CMTMX700NI in my humble opinion.

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Initial setup is a pretty simple affair with the internet radio facility being a simple matter of scanning for local wifi signals selecting your network and entering your wifi security details. You can similarly use the supplied rj45 port on the rear if you don’t have a wifi router available. The Sony CMTMX700NI is also DLNA compliant and so its an easy enough job to configure streaming from your PC or other DLNA compliant network devices. Setup of FM radio is similarly easy with the usual auto scan feature finding and storing all sufficiently powerful signals with ease DAB was left untouched during my testing and so Ill leave that up to others to look at.

So features and ease of use wise the CMTMX700NI is a winner, but how does it perform? Well I have to say I was positively surprise with the general sonic characteristics of the CMTMX700NI. Its actually shockingly good for such a low end and compact model. Considering the compactness and simplicity of the 2 cone speakers sullied with the unit I wasn’t expecting to be too impressed by the CMTMX700NI, but it would appear that sonys engineers have worked hard on the quality of these and as a result have managed to keep the overall sound very controlled and well moderated. The mid range is extremely flat in response and gives nice articulation to pretty much all the audio sources I tried the top end is similarly nicely controlled and lacking in nasty colouration, to my mind everything from acoustic guitar music to classic rock was well handled by the CMTMX700NI on its normal settings. Some may find the CMTMX700NI a little too bass light for certain types of bass heavy music (the CMTMX700NI might not be ideal for the Skrillex & Deadmou5 fans amongst you) but for most “small room” purposes the CMTMX700NI is an audio treat and punches way above its weight.

So are there any downsides? Being a SONY product the streaming services available are perhaps not a wide as some other manufacturers (Sony seem hell bent on pushing their subscription service right now) though the vTuner service has a lot of stations available from all around the world. As previously mentioned the CMTMX700NI is by no means a bass beast though the 50w RMS you do get is going to be fine for most users. Finally if you are the kind of person who likes to listen with headphones you will be a little disappointed as for some bizarre reason SONY neglected to fit one on the CMTMX700NI. All in all though if you are in the market for a compact hifi system suitable for a kitchen, bed or dorm room the CMTMX700NI is well worth having a look at. Its a quality product at a very decent price.

Manufacturers Specifications

• Internet radio music services from Slacker and vTuner
• Stream songs stored on your computer, wirelessly
• Compatible with iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch® 1st & 2nd generations, iPod nano® 1st-5th generation, iPod classic®, iPod® 4th & 5th generation, iPod mini®.
• Single Disc CD Player; CD, CD-R/RW, and MP3 Playback
• 50 Watts (@6ohms) per channel with 2-way Bass reflex speaker system
• RRP: $299.99 (Check Amazon For Current Pricing)

On first opening the box that the Onkyo C-7030 CD player is shipped in you may think they have sent you the wrong package for a second or two. The Onkyo C-7030 is on first inspection not only extremely well built but man is this thing “professional” looking. To my mind the front plate has that certain simplicity, seriousness and dare I say it class, that you really don’t expect in stereo components at this price point. The Onkyo C-7030 to my mind looks and feels great, the buttons are all satisfying to push and the knobs are sturdy and feel reliable. So a great first impression and a solid, hefty and reliable feel, a good start from Onkyo.

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So how about features? Well Onkyo seems to have kept to the “less is more” philosophy here. An extremely simple front panel, standard audio outs along with optical I/O and a pair of simple remote plugs are pretty much all you get in terms of back panel connections. the unit is also specced to play MP3 CDs & CD-R/CD-RWs which is pretty much standard these days, so nothing to write home about. The remote is simple and easy to use, but doesn’t have the design or construction class of the main unit itself which is a bit of a shame.

The Onkyo C-7030s remte is pretty much the only let down in this package though. Sonically the C-7030 can hold its own with pretty much any unit you care to mention in this price range (and a few that are a lot more expensive). The Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry (VLSC) keeps the signal extremely quiet and the DAC is a 24 bit 192 KHz model, this would appear to have done the job as the C-7030 to my ears sounds clear, with a very neutral mid range and an extremely good stereo image. I A/B’d the C-7030 with a Cambridge Audio Azur 650C and was suitably impressed, the Azur 650C has a subtle edge in the mid highs that the Onkyo C-7030 cant quite match in terms of clarity but at this price I’d be happy to recommend the Onkyo C-7030 as a good cheaper alternative. Sterling work from the Onkyo team. Keep up the good work.

Manufacturers Specifications

Shuffle/Random Play
Direct Track Access: by remote
Digital Output (Optical/Coaxial): 1 Optical/1 Coaxial
Analog Output (Fixed)
RI Remote Control
Plays MP3 CDs, CD-R/CD-RWs
Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry (VLSC)
Wolfson® 192 kHz/24-bit DAC
Repeat and Random Modes
2 digital outputs (optical/coaxial)
Headphone Jack w/ Volume Control
High-rigidity, anti-resonant chassis

Frequency Response 4 Hz-20 kHz/+1 db, -3db (DSP bypass)
THD (1 kHz) 0.0029 %
Dynamic Range 100 dB
S/N Ratio 107 dB
Dimensions (W x H x D) (435 x 101 x 306 mm)
Weight 15.9lbs (7.2 kg)
RRP: $249.00 (Check Current Pricing on Amazon)

The specs for the Sony CMTBX20i Micro Hi-Fi Shelf System at first glance seem pretty much what you’d expect for something aimed squarely at the low end home consumer market. CD with mp3 playback, AM/FM radio with presets memory and the now ubiquitous iPod dock. So how does it fair when put up against the other name brand competitors in this market? Well I have to say it really comes down to what you are after form a system like this.

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The first thing to not is that it is not a single piece system (a main unit and 2 wired speakers) and so it not exactly portable in a boombox sense, but it will easily fit on bedroom or kitchen shelving. The build of the unit is decent but not exactly inspiring. I can imagine a knock off your shelf causing this unit to die in short order. Aesthetically it is very presentable and to my eye is modern and attractive looking, the digital display is clear and very legible the finishes are nice even though some of the parts are a little plastic feeling to the touch. The top mounted iPod dock gives a feeling of solidity, your iPod slides in nicely and feels like its being held confidently. No menu diving here the design is such that everything is obvious and you will be up and running with most of this units functions in a matter of minutes. The remote is similarly well designed and very easy to get to grips with.

Sound wise the Sony CMTBX20i is about what can be expected for this kind of money, a slightly obvious mid range (accentuating vocal frequencies) and a definitely digital sounding top end. Having said that the Sony CMTBX20is bass end is quite nice and doesn’t go for the often over the top accentuation of bass frequencies that less expensive mini systems seem to go for. I’ve seen some complain about the lack of bass, but I’d actually say the bass is the most natural and unaffected area of the sonic palette on this unit. You can of course customise the units minimal EQ (simple bass & treble) to deal with this. The actual power handling of the CMTBX20i is capable and will easily fill a medium sized room such as a bedroom or kitchen with no audible distortion. So maybe not one for the Hip Hop or techno fans out there, but it handles more sonically balanced music like jazz and acoustic music well but with a noticeable peak in the vocal frequency area. This of course means that the Sony CMTBX20i is great for listening to talk radio and the like.

So would I recommend the Sony CMTBX20i? For the audiophile user certainly not, the sound is definitely not “natural” or “sincere” and for the bass fiend this unit wont handle your hip hop or dubstep low end well. But for the average radio listener, old school rock, jazz or acoustic fan who wants a decent little compact for the kitchen or bedroom? Certainly, you be hard pushed to find a unit at this price that can do the job better and look this good doing it.

Technical Specifications

Speaker Dimensions: 1.6″ (4cm) Tweeter
Speaker System: Full Range
Woofer Size(s): 5.9″ (15cm)
Antenna System: AM: Loop Antenna, FM: Lead Antenna
CD Play Mode(s): Program, Shuffle, Repeat
Digital-to-Analog Converter: 1 Bit
Format(s) Supported: CD-DA, CD-R/RW, CDs with MP3
Frequency Range: AM: 530-1710kHz; FM: 87.5-108.0MHz
Station Preset(s): 30 (10 AM, 20 FM)
Display Type: LCD
Tuner Type: FM/AM Superheterodyne Tuner
Analog Audio Input(s) (Total): 1 (Rear, Stereo Mini)
Antenna Terminal(s): 2 (Rear)
Headphone Input(s): 1 (Front, Stereo Mini)
Dimensions (Approx.): Speaker: 5.51″ x 9.64″ x 8.26″ (140 x 245 x 210mm); Main Unit: 7.87″ x 5.19″ x 11.73″ (200 x 132 x 298mm)
Weight (Approx.): Speaker: 4 lbs 2 oz (1.9kg) (each x 2); Main Unit: 7 lbs 7 oz (3.5 kg)
RRP: $129.95 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

The Sony STR-DN1020 7.2 3D Blu-ray Disc A/V Receiver has been getting some serious hype in AV circles and now Ive had a chance to play with it first hand I can certainly understand why. On paper the spec is second to none, but anyone around AV gear for a decent amount of time knows that you often see amazing specs on products that turn out to be less than stellar in the final analysis. So does the Sony STR-DN1020 deserve its hype? Lets find out…

The Sony STR-DN1020 is on first appearance pretty solid and “brick like” in appearance. Its a hefty piece of gear weighing in at just over 24 pounds, the faceplate mounted controls are satisfying to the touch, solid and with satifying clicks on the buttons and smooth movement of the dials just as I’ve come to expect from SONY products at this level.

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The spec sheet for the Sony STR-DN1020 sports pretty much all the same features as the other STR models (STR-DH720, STR-DH520, STR-DH820) but it has a few extra bells and whistles not least of which is its excellent 7.2 discrete amp channels each of which handles 110 watts, and handles that power very well producing less than 1% THD for a very smooth and clear signal even at very high volumes. Some of the other things I should probably point out are the STR-DN1020 video pasthrough feature which works not only for traditional HDMI signals but also for the laterst generation of 3d video, a real boon if 3d is your thing. The unit also has second zone handling not only for audio but for video too, this is really an excellent idea and a cut abouve most receivers at this price point. Audio return channel (ARC) support is also included allowing you to keep the cabling clutter in your AV system to a minimum. The STR-DN1020 also has all the usual back panel features weve come to expect from an AV Receiver of this calibre (Ethernet, 4 HDMI ins, iPod/iPhone compatible USB port, etc) all in all it can handle pretty much any signal format or device type you care to connect it to, with the odd exception of THX.

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Setup for the Sony STR-DN1020 is while not 100% obvious still made fairly simple by a well designed graphical interface and menuing system, there are no real bloopers here and the STR-DN1020 features the now obligatory auto speaker configuration & adjustment menu (Sonys own DCAC) which does a solid job of getting the systems acoustic right for your room size and shape.

In operation I found the STR-DN1020 to be both easy & pleasing to use, the menuing system and remote have a nice design and overall “feel” in use. Sonically the STR-DN1020 is extremely strong, channel separation and power handling on the STR-DN1020 are such that you receive a truly immersive home cinema experience I found the soundstaging on the STR-DN1020 to be particularly good and the overall sound quality on Blu-Ray and other AV media is excellent, maintaining a very solid and controlled bass end with a smooth and natural mid range even at high volumes. Playback from stereo music sources (iPod,CD,etc) is not to my mind as well handled as you would get from a dedicated stereo audio system but to be honest this is a very minor niggle and the stereo reproduction you will receive is likely to be solid enough for most.

Visually the STR-DN1020 is clear and colourful on modern sources, managing to be bright but without ever seeming over the top, blacks are deep and natural colours are lush and well handled. Streaming from PC and the other sources we tried was very well handled and kept the lush quality of locally connected sources (No mean feat). It would appear that the team at sony have also refined their up-scaling algorithms over the last few years as the STR-DN1020 will definitely breathe new life into your DVD collection. Honestly the STR-DN1020 really impressed me in its ability to make older sources seem better than they are. All in all the Sony STR-DN1020 is an excellent product and as long as you don’t absolutely positively have to have THX I have no reservations in suggesting you check it out. Great work from Sony.

Manufacturers Specs & Features
3D video pass-through with analog video upconversion (Faroudja DCDi Edge)
iPhone/iPod video and music playback via USB
Graphical user interface
4 HDMI Inputs
Upconvert/Upscale from analog to 1080p via HDMI (Faroudja DCDi Edge)
HDMI standby pass-through allows access to all HDMI connected devices without having to power on the receiver
BRAVIA Sync Capable
24p True Cinema (pass-through)
DLNA certification + PC and external HDD streaming
Digital Cinema Auto Calibration room correction system
second zone audio and video
RRP:$499.00 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

Connections
4 HDMI In
1 USB (Front)
1 HDMI Monitor out
1 Component Video Out
1 HDMI out
1 Ethernet Port
3 analog A/V in
5 Component Video in
2 Pre Out(Subwoofer)
2 Analog Audio In
1 Coax.
2 Optical In/Out/TV

The Onkyo TX-8255 Stereo Receiver is a bit of an odd little beast, Im not really sure what section of the market its aimed at. At the bottom end are those who dont really see the need for or the reason to have any kind of separates system and they are perfectly happy with radio built into their stereo system. On the other end are the power users who want a well specifed separate tuner for their system. So where then does a mid spec stereo receiver like the Onkyo TX-8255 stand? Who will buy it? What kind of home will it be used in? Well after playing with it for a little while it becomes obvious that it may not have an obvious market amongst those who are interested in “Hi Spec HiFi” but it certainly should find a home amongst those who appreciate quality stereo sound at a very moderate price.

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Removing the Onkyo TX-8255 from its box one could be mistaken for thinking one had just received a simple hifi amplifier rather than a fully speced receiver, the unit has a very “no frills” look with the very solid casing mounting bass, treble and volume controls on the right hand side. The tuner controls are mounted in a very unassuming manner on the right of the units display in a very simple and I have slightly delicate looking way. The keys are not very solid feeling and I thought that after extended use might be come a bit dodgy. Having said that most of the channel hopping is likely to be done via the simple and easy to use remote supplied.

Initial setup and tuning was pretty easy, no convoluted menus or anything obtuse to deal with plug in the unit, connect the antenna, hit the auto tune option button and away it goes finding all available channels. The Onkyo TX-8255 can store up to 40 of your favourite channels in its memory for easy access. The system is also RDS enabled so you can read off any information (station name, song name, etc) the station might be transmitting along with the AM/FM audio signal. As well as the amplifier the TX-8255 also has stereo inputs for CD, Tape (in and Out), Phono turntable, DVD, and a second spare input for any other analog unit you might want to use. The back also has two sets of outputs for connecting 2 sets of stereo speakers with appropriate control buttons for each speaker set on the front left of the unit and on the remote of course. This nice little added extra makes it easy to wire up 2 separate rooms with ease. Finally the back panel includes a Remote Interactive port which allows you to connect your iPod using the optional Onkyo DS-A2 iPod dock.

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Now though the TX-8255 is actually very good in terms of features I have to say that sonically is where the unit really shines. I really was not expecting such quality from such a budget unit. The TX-8255 manages to be both natural sounding and polished at the same time, bass is well handled up to quite loud levels of amplification. The units 50W per channel at 8 Ohms drove the Mission MV-8s we were testing with easily and with excellent results. Clarity was maintained throughout and I never had a sense that bass or treble was getting out of control or rough. Stereo placement was well handled and gave several CDs I tried the system with appropriate breadth. Kaki Kings excellent “Until we saw red” proved the TX-8255 to be a great performer with acoustic music. The only minor niggle was a slight bit of a peak that can be noticed on some more modern heavily compressed recordings at about the 1-1.5 khz range, weather this will be an issue for you depends entirely on the type of music you will be playing and your room acoustics. Overall though a very polished sound with a surprising amount of presence and finesse for such a meagre price. All in all if you are in the market for an integrated receiver/amplifier I’d highly recommend you check out the Onkyo TX-8255.

Manufacturers Specifications

• Stereo RMS Power: 50W per channel x 2, into 8 ohms
• Dynamic Range: 135W per channel x 2, into 2 ohms, 105W per channel x 2, into 4 ohms, 70W per channel x 2, into 8 ohms
• No. of Channels: 2
• Speaker Selector: Yes
• AM/FM Tuner: Yes, with 40 presets
• Input Analog Audio: – x5 Sets (RCA)
• Input Phono: – x1 Set (RCA)
• Input FM Antenna: – x1
• Input AM Antenna: – x1
• Output Analog Audio: – x2 Sets (RCA)
• Output Headphone: – x1 (1/4″ Phone)
• Output Speakers: – x4 Sets (Binding Post)
• IR Input/Output Port x1 (Mini)
• RI Port x1 (Mini)
• RRP: $249.00 (Check Amazon For Current Pricing)

Sony have a solid reputation as one of the best companies in the home consumer electronics market for audio visual and computer products, one of their quite well thought of AV receivers of the last few years is the Sony STR DH810. It has been seen as a solid performer in the AV receiver market for a while now and so I thought it was about time I gave on a thorough once over.

Appearance wise its not bad at all, not super modern more simple and understated in the classic Sony style the STR DH810 doesn’t try too hard, keeping the front panel simple and to the point all the buttons and display elements you would expect on a receiver in this class are there. The unit has a decently solid feel with the knobs having a nice glide to them and the buttons being decent enough though perhaps not ideal if you have kids who are likely to give them a bashing. Grubby infant fingers notwithstanding the unit has an overall quality feel to it and doesn’t in any way feel plasticy or frail. The supplied remote is well laid out if a little busy but to be fair they have a lot of features to cram on to a single remote so Sony can be forgiven for that.

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Looking to the back panel the Sony STR DH810 is extremely well endowed, all the usual bases are covered with a complement of 4 inand 1 out HDMI 1.4 (2d compatible) ports available for use with your various devices as well as a number of component and composite ins and outs for older gear. The HDMI facilitys on this unit also have standby pass thru for easy use of your PlayStation (or whatever) to your TV without need to turn the receiver on, though this is becoming more and more standard on higher end models its nice that Sony have included this feature here. One other stand out feature from Sony on the STR DH810 is the inclusion of their DIGITAL MEDIA PORT (DMP) interface for connceting various devices such as Sonys walkman or Apples iPod mp3 players.

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Physical set up was fairly simple with easy to access bi amplified speaker connectors being solid and easy to use. Room adjustment was very easy using the Sony STR DH810s built in audio configuration system and the initial results were very impressive. After a few minor adjustments to the Sony STR DH810s EQ I had my room just how I like it. I was very impressed with the power the STR DH810 was supplying for such a moderately priced unit, the 7x100w amplifiers configuration came into its own at higher volumes and kept my smaller set of Onkyo SKSHT750 speakers well driven throughout testing.

The overall impression the STR DH810 gave me over the last several weeks is one of class and power. The bass is well handled with a sense that while action sequences are booming out the bass is never going to distort or give you and unwanted rumble, handling of the vocal range is extremely good and the STR DH810 manages to keep speech clear even in very busy or loud scenes. The STR DH810s sound staging is excellent and gives a real sense of positioning and presence to individual tracks and instruments during playback. Though the system is maybe not 100% crystal clear and audiophile neutral on some sources like high quality acoustic music CDs giving perhaps too much emphasis on the low end frequencies, this is a fairly minor failing and it still does a very decent job on most stereo music sources.

In terms of visual reproduction the Sony STR DH810 produced no noticeable glitches or colouration taint I could notice, the colours were crisp and blacks were reproduced nicely. The STR DH810 is a very solid performer when it comes to DVD upscaling and produced very reasonable results even when playing back second rate media (Frasier series 2 DVD Im looking at you here). The STR DH810 handles a large number of formats and outputs them with grace and ease. All in all I wouldn’t hesitate this unit to anyone who is looking for something to be the core of their system and drive a 7.1 100w per channel or so surround setup. Its an incredibly well rounded product and is extremely good value, go to your dealer and have a listen to this one today you really wont regret it.

Manufacturers Specifications

• Display: 10 digit dot matrix
• Panel: Mold, Black
• Power Consumption: 240W
• A/V In/Out (S-Video I/O): Including Front AV: 4/1(0/0)
• Analog Audio In (Inc TV CEC)/Out (excl. tuner)/TV(CEC): 2/1/Yes
• Coaxial: 1/0
• Component Video In/Out (Pass through): 3/1
• DIGITAL MEDIA PORT: 1
• Digital Input Assign: Yes
• Front Input: AV(Gold)
• HDMI In/Out: (Front input): 4/1
• Monitor Out (S-Video Out): 1(0)
• Opt. In/Out/TV(CEC): incl Front input & TV (CEC): 3/0/Yes
• Pre Out: SW x1
• SPDIF UPDATE: Yes
• Receiver Dimensions (WxHxD): 17″ x 6-1/4″ x 12-3/4″
• Receiver Weight: 17 lb 7 oz
• RRP: $359.88 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

From time to time we like to review lower end kit around here (actually we like to try to review everything we can beg, borrow or steal eventually)  but just because something is in a budget price range doesn’t mean it should be given an easy time. So when I got my hands on a Panasonic sc-hc20p-k to review I did my best to get into my “nasty picky reviewer” mindset. Luckily the SC-HC20P-K is such a fine bit of budget kit I didn’t have much call to flex those particular muscles.

The SC-HC20P-K is fairly pedestrian in appearance, going for a demure simple grey and black look with a slight nod to Bang & Olufsen styling, the CD player and iPod dock both being hidden away on initial observation. The SC-HC20P-K is by no means ugly though and the build quality is reasonable for a unit of this price though I wouldn’t recommend dropping it or knocking it off a shelf as it doesnt look built to withstand that level of stress. One odd thin we did notice is that for such a compact unit the SC-HC20P-Ks remote is extremely large and to be honest not exactly easy to use either.

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The main feature a lot of buyers for this unit will be looking at will be the universal iPod/iPhone dock, this pops out form its front hiding place with ease and will accept any current apple iPod or iPhone with ease. I found that the 3rd gen iPhone we used to test slid in the dock easily and felt like it was being held secure and snugly. The CD player is a fairly standard pop out model and was easy to use and felt reliable enough. The radio is a fairly basic autotuning AM/FM model without much in the way of bells or whistles other than the decent amount of preset storage.

Now its time to get down to the nitty gritty how does the Panasonic SC-HC20P-K sound? Well to be honest I was fairly pleasantly surprised, ok so it is only specified to 10 watts @ 6 ohms so you wont be banging out sounds at a loud volume on this unit but if you intend to use the SC-HC20P-K in a kitchen, small office or similar it shoudl give plent of bang for the buck. The bass end is quite smoothe and gives a decent reproduction of older recordings (Thelonious Monks Underground) at lower volume levels but some more modern compressed and bass heavy tracks (EG: James Blakes – Limit To Your Love) were evidently over stressing the SC-HC20P-Ks speakers at anything near top volume. The top end also became raspy in the top 1/4 of the volume dial, the 4 preset EQ didn’t really help mitigate this in any way which is a shame, though EQing off the top end helped a little. Being honest the Panasonic SC-HC20P-K performed as well as I’d expect for a unit of this price and with the stated THD of 10% which is quite high to my mind I’m not really surprised about the high volume sonic results.

So should you buy this unit? Well if what you are after is a way to amplify your iPod/iPhone in smaller rooms and perhaps listen to some FM radio then it gives decent enough results for the non audiophile home user. If you are used to higher end equipment in other rooms you may well find the shortcomings of the Panasonic SC-HC20P-K start to annoy you a little after a while. But at the end of the day the unit is decent value for money and is a cheap and cheerful way to get those iPod sounds sounding out in your kitchen.

Manufacturers Specification

• Total output power: 10 watts (1kHz, 6ohms, 10% THD)
• iPod dock: Yes, Universal Dock for iPod/iPhone; playback and recharge
• Radio: AM/FM (15 AM presets, 30 FM presets) with auto tuning
• Disc playback formats: CD audio, CD-R/RW, MP3
• Programmable time: Yes (sleep, play
• Surround sound: Yes
• Preset EQ: 4 (Heavy, Clear, Soft, Vocal) + Flat
• Bass and treble controls: Yes
• Bluetooth: No
• Remote control: Yes (IR wireless)
• Wall mountable: No
• Speakers: Full range, bass-reflex; 3-1/8-inch (bamboo paper cone speaker)
• Dimensions: 8-7/16 x 15-1/8 x 4-13/32 inches (HxWxD)
• Weight: 4.6 pounds
• RRP: $99.95 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

Occasionally Im hit by the fact I’ve never gotten around to trying out certain units that have been receiving universally positive reviews and no end of plaudits from the hifi community, the Yamaha RX-V667 Receiver is one of those pieces. Its been hovering in the back of my mind since its release but Ive never managed to get my hands on it until now. So with no further ado let me proceed to my feelings on the Yamaha RX-V667.

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On pulling the Yamaha rxv667 from its box one is not greeted with anything too amazing in terms of styling or visual flair, the build quality of the Yamaha rxv667 is decent but not exactly anything to write home about, stylistically the front panel design is pretty standard with a fairly simple and modern layout including zone control, scene tuning and program buttons and a single HDMI in, along with a largish and pretty solid volume knob. The front panel display is done in the quite common pseudo digital style which is one of the fairly standard choices a lot of manufacturers are making these days. The supplied remote is as you would expect on a unit with this specification quite cluttered and probably the least appealing part of the package, if I were to keep the rxv667 for a long time I’d probably replace this.

The back panel is very well appointed sporting amongst other things 5 HDMI 1.4 ins and a single out, a large number of component av outputs (See image below for full details) an antenna in section, iPod dock connector and adequate speaker outputs for both available zones. The back panel is well laid out and I found it easy to attach my devices and speakers without it becoming too spaghetti like. Initial setup is easy enough using the built in mic assisted system and streight out of the box didnt need much in the way of manual adjustment, the menuing system is easy to use and well thought out with a nicely modern and sharp look.

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So how does the Yamaha rxv667 actually sound? In a word “excellent”, the rxv667 manages to provide power (90W x 7) and subtlety at the same time while always keeping a very good soundstage. The imaging produced by the Yamaha rxv667 is extremely good, with instrument and sound effects placement being handled with finesse. The bass is well controlled and rounded without any sense of boominess you can sometime hear in more budget receivers. In fact during testing it became apparent that the louder we played back heavy and action packed passages the more in control the Yamaha rxv667 seemed to be of the low ends if you like a defined sound that keeps subtleties very evident even at high volumes you will find the Yamaha rxv667 to be extremely satisfying to listen to. Overall the characteristics I would use to describe the Yamaha rxv667s sound are crisp, controlled and subtle.

The nice thing about the rxv667 is that it is one of those units that seems to keep on giving, it sports some great extra features that not everyone will use but are still nice to have. For example the phono input may not be on everyones “must have” list these days but it is quite nice that Yamaha have not only thought of it but it actually sounds very decent. In fact stereo music in general on the Yamaha rxv667 has not been given short shrift, Yamahas engineers have obviously worked long and hard to assure very solid stereo performance. Another nice aspect is the fact that the video upscaling is amongst the best I’ve seen on a unit in this price range, DVDs look sharper than they have any right to, this unit definitely keeps things crisp and bright when it comes to making your legacy media look good.

So overall I have to say Im glad I (eventually) got around to testing the Yamaha rx-v667 out, I have been extremely happy with it the results I’ve experienced it is an extremely well specified machine with an amazing sonic profile for a unit at this kind of price. If you are in the market for a sub $500 7.2-Channel Home Theater Receiver you should definitely but the Yamaha rx-v667 on your “Must listen” list. You will not be disappointed.

Manufacturers Specifications
Output Power: 630W (90W x 7)
Dynamic Power/Channel (Front L/R, 8/6/4/2 ohms): 125/160/190/230 W
Frequency Response (AV5, Front L/R, Sp Out): 10Hz – 100kHz +0,-3dB
Total Harmonic Distortion (AV5, Pure Direct, Front Sp Out): 0.06% (20Hz – 20kHz, 5W/ 8 ohms)
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (AV5, Pure Direct, Input Shorted, Sp Out): 100dB (250mV)
HDMI (Audio Input Assignable/ Output): 6/ 1
SIRIUS: 1
Analog Audio (Input/ Output): 5/ 2
Component Video (Audio Input Assignable): 2
Zone 2 Audio Out: 1
+12V/0.1A Trigger Out: 1
Dimensions (WxHxD): 17-1/8″ x 6″ x 14-3/8″
Weight: 23.1 lbs
RRP: $599.95 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

HDTV manufacturers seem to have realised over the last few years that not everyone has the space or inclination to set up a full 7.1 surround system in their small suburban living room and so to address this issue many companies have started to produce alternatives one of the currently popular systems is the Sony HT-CT150 3D Sound Bar System. Now I will say that I’m used to a full surround system and that a sound bar is never going to be able to repicate that kind of feel in terms of sound stage or immersion so I didnt review the Sony HT-CT150 as such. Instead I’m looking at it in terms of overall sound quality compared to the loaner Sony Bravia KDL32BX300 I used it with. Be aware that the Sony HT-CT150 works best with tvs that have sonys proprietary BRAVIA® Sync, so your results with another manufacturers TV may not be as good.

So out of the box the Sony HT-CT150 sound bar itself is actually quite compact if a little long (31-1/2″) it will however clip to the top of a lot of larger Bravia models without much trouble (it looked a little large on our 32″ model though). The sub woofer unit is a bit more substantial in size but nothing monstrous and it will sit happily next to most tv stands without looking like a huge toolbox somebody left lying around. Appearance and build wise the HT-CT150 is nothing amazing, it has a simple and functional design that will not have people asking “What the frak is that?” like some subwoofers I could name. The HT-CT150 system is built to match the current batch of Bravia TVs in terms of appearance and so if you have a sony setup it will fit in nicely. Build quality seemed quite good during our testing but I would probably avoid dropping the sound bar if possible as its thin build could make it a little fragile.

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I found setup was very simple, pretty much plug and play with the BRAVIA® Sync system. Though I have read others saying it was not so simple with non Sony products hence my earlier warning. Get the Right tool for the right job and all that. Unusually, the Subwoofer unit is where all the connections & I/O for the HT-CT150 system are this means that the subwoofer unit must remain out in the open unlike most soundbar systems which have the connections mounted on the bar itself. In terms of connections the system has a very decent array of HDMI I/O. 3 switchable 1.4 (3D compatible) inputs, a single HDMI 1.4 output and a number of analog and optical inputs to connect older gear. To some degree this unit acts as a receiver that isn’t a receiver, for this price I wasn’t really expecting this level of control or I/O options.

Once the sound bar was mounted atop the tv and both units were plugged in and powered I found the sound to actually be extremely good. Its decently loud and manages to produces a very reasonable soundstage for a system that is pretty much set up “Front and centre”. ok so you’re not getting full surround and you wont be looking behind yourself to hear where that noise is coming from, but for this price and with setup this compact and simple I was more impressed than I thought I would be. So In summary if you want more than the stereo speakers of your TV currently offer but you dont want to splash out on a $1,000+ reciever & speker package setup then the Sony HT-CT150 system is likely to be a great match for you, especially if you have a BRAVIA® Sync compatible TV.

Manufacturers Specifications

Audio Power Output: RMS: 75W x3 +75W Subwoofer (180-20kHz, 4 Ohm, 1% THD)
Coaxial Audio Digital Input(s): 1
DIGITAL MEDIA PORT: 1
HDMI Video Input(s): 3
HDMI Video Output(s): 1
Optical Audio Input(s): 2
RCA Audio Input(s): 2
Bass/Treble control: Bass/Treble
Night mode: Yes
Preset EQ: Standard/ Movie/ Drama/ News/ Sports/ Game/ Music/ 2ch Stereo/ Portable Audio
Dimensions (Approx.): Subwoofer: 7-3/4″ x 17-3/4″ x 16-1/4″ (196 x 450 x 410 mm); Sound Bar: 31-1/2″ x 2-9/16″ x 2-5/16″ (800 x 66 x 60 mm)
Weight (Approx.): Subwoofer: 23 lb 3 oz (10.5 kg); Sound Bar: 2 Lb 13 oz (1.3 kg)
RRP: $265 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

Polk Audio have really been pushing out the boat over the last few years in terms of providing quality hifi speakers at very reasonable prices, if you are currently looking at a new entry level subwoofer then one of the current best deals doing the rounds is most definitely the Polk Audio PSW10 Monitor Series a 10-Inch Powered Subwoofer the PSW10 looks good and has performance that far outstrips its price.

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Now despite being specified at a meagre 50w RMS this 10″ speaker is actually very capable and gives great bass reinforcement at very reasonable volume levels. The 50w RMS tag is a bit misleading an in actuality this unit sounds great and is very capable of keeping up with units rated far higher in terms of basic specs. The PSW10 is built around a basic 10-inch polymer-composite cone driver this is in turn supplemented with Polks Klippel measurement technology a laser system meant to center coil inside the magnetic field for a better and more accurate output. To be fair at extremely high volumes the sub does introduce a little distortion to the very lowest end of a signal but this is to be expected at a unit in this price range. So this unit is probably best used in smaller room configurations, so if your living room is like a cathedral perhaps you should spring for something a little more top end like the PSW505 or similar. Anyway this minor problem is pretty much un-noticeable in day to day operation and the PSW10 reproduced the bass end on our tested recordings with aplomb, keeping things deep but also controlled sounding the PSW10 also handled the central low end on bluray soundtracks with ease.

All in all you could do far worse than the Polk Audio PSW10 for subwoofer duties in an entry level system, and at Current prices its a bit of a steal. Especially if you are generally working in a small to medium room and at moderate volumes. Well worth a listen.

RRP: $239.95 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)