It been a while since we’ve touched on the Onkyo home AV product range and so when (as these things do) I cycled back around to having a look at whets they are currently doing I realised that some of the stuff on of their best sellers lists had completely evaded my attention. So lets see if the Onkyo HT-S7409 5.1-Channel Network A/V Receiver/Speaker Package lives up to its top sales position.

First things first Onkyo have really tried to make things as easy as possible for the newbie to enter the home cinema arena with this package, not only is the Onkyo HT-S7409 extremely competitively priced but the package received comes with a full compliment of the THX certified receiver, 4 surround speakers, one centre channel speaker and of course the subwoofer & all the wires, plugs, etc you require for setup of a basic 5.1 surround system. This being said its actually interesting to note that even though the system supplied is 5.1 the receiver itself (a TX-NR609) leaves room for expansion to a 7.1 system on its back panel which was a nice little bonus as far as I’m concerned. The look of the system is pretty much standard Onkyo fare, the receiver is fairly large bit a well appointed and solid feeling front panel the speakers themselves are actually very attractive and modern looking and are for the most part solid and well built with the exception of the 4 satellites which feel slightly flimsier than the other units but not exactly what one would call low quality. The supplied remote is well appointed and can perform all day to day functions but as seems to be becoming common with newer gear it’s not up to the design standards or build quality of the rest of the system.

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Specifications wise the Onkyo HT-S7409s Receiver is a pretty standard mid range affair with a very respectable 130 Watts of power per channel @ 6 Ohms and with a good level of connectivity including 6 HDMI inputs (1 front & 5 back with 3 D Video Support and Audio Return Channel) & 1 HDMI out as well as a decent array of composite, Coax, Optical and Component I/O along with a single standard VGA PC Input. The Onkyo HT-S7409 is also iPod Ready via a direct USB Input. The specification is finished with the includes a Zone 2 Line Out to allow for a simple level of multi zone functionality.

Initial setup after hooking up the speakers is a little trickier than I would have liked for a unit aimed at entry level users, and while the speaker auto configuration system is actually very good indeed there are a few possible gotchas in the menu diving that may have novices opening the dreaded printed booklet and getting into RTFM territory especially when configuring the internet radio side of things.

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So on to the meat of any review the “how does it sound” bit. I’d have to say that after initially worrying that the satellites might be a little sub par in the build department I did think that perhaps they wouldn’t be able to handle 130 watts per channel and might introduce a bit of “rattle and hum” (apologies to any U2 fans out there) to the proceedings at high volume levels, but I’m glad to say it would seem that the engineering team at Onkyo have managed to match the speakers to the system extremely well and in fact have done a great job of eradication any shortcomings one might expect in a lower end system like this one. The overall tonality of the system in full flow is actually very dynamic and powerful, a real room filler. The sound stage is very well handled with extremely good separation and placement of well mixed surround material. The Onkyo HT-S7409 system manages to make loud and fast moving passages (kick ass, The Dark Knight) extremely enjoyable and punchy while at the same time keeping voices and general speech forward and very legible to the ears. If I’m being pick the top end of the signal could be seen as a little “brittle” and sibilant at high volumes but to be honest these volumes were well beyond what I would call comfortable room listening volumes. Stereo rendering of radio channels (SiriuxXM, Spotify and many others are included by default) was professional and decently managed by the system though perhaps better for speech and bass heavy modern recordings than for classical or subtle acoustic music. All in all though an extremely competent audio performance for a system in this kind of price range.

If I have any reservations about this system it would probably be the fairly minimalist specification for the zone 2 operation of the system. Though I didn’t test it, it does seem to me from reading the manual that if you want proper second zone management then perhaps this system is not for you. Apart from that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this package for a surround system newcomer who wants a very competent system at an extremely reasonable price.

Manufacturers Specifications

• 130 Watts per Channel at 6 Ohms, 1 kHz, .07%, 2 Channels Driven, FTC
• 6 HDMI Inputs and 1 Output
• HDMI Video Upscaling to 4K with Qdeo Technology by Marvell
• Direct Digital Connection of iPod/iPhone via Front-Panel USB Port
• Playback of Audio Files Through Local Network (MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, FLAC, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, LPCM)
• RRP: $799.00 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

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Although for many FM/AM still rules the airwaves more and more each year people seem to get the concept of the vast choice afforded by an internet radio the Grace Digital GDI-IRMS300 Internet Micro Hi-Fi Stereo System is one of the more well specified mid range compact internet radio hifis available right now so we thought we’d put one on test.

Now when Grace Digital say compact boy do they mean it, the GDI-IRMS300 is very small. So much so that pretty much all the controls excepting the LCD display have been moved to the top of the unit (So no putting anything on top of the GDI-IRMS300 then). The overall look is compact and efficient in fact perhaps too much so. It to some degree looks a bit like apiece of ham radio receiver equipment rather than consumer level hifi gear. Having said that the build quality is very good, the casing feels seriously solid and the buttons and dials have a decent feel and responsiveness. The remote is fine in terms of operation but is a little bit of a let-down in the looks & feel department being a fairly cheap plastic & rubber unit.

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So on to basic features. You can tell from the outset that the GDI-IRMS300 is designed primarily with the at least moderately tech savvy and internet literate user in mind. Thought you can use services like pandora and also stream from your locally network attached storage (stream songs from your PC using windows media player) it is definitely primarily oriented towards internet radio use. The reason I say that the GDI-IRMS300 seems to be designed for the more tech savvy user is because in al honesty the initial setup and configuration of the unit is a bit of a rigmarole. There are several not insignificant gocthas and the menu diving required to get things exactly how you want them may make some throw their arms up in despair. Im not exaclty a newcomer to this kind of configuration and even I found it too significantly longer than similar units by other vendors to configure. Perhaps part of the problem is that there are just so many things you can choose to do with the GDI-IRMS300, it has more options available than many other vendors offerings. Personally I think that if Grace want the GDI-IRMS300 and its followups to be more successful then they seriously have to improve auto configuration options and the GUI in general, also perhaps the manual could do wit a bit of a “clear English” brush up.

Ok so once the pain of initial setup and configuration has been dealt with how does the GDI-IRMS300 sound? Well to be honest a lot better than I was expecting at this price point. The amp is rated at 32 watts per channel and so isn’t going to be breaking any anti noise laws but is perfectly capable of driving the supplied speakers to a decent small room volume. It will be perfectly fine in a kitchen bedroom or small living room but isn’t really suitable for a larger open plan room. The base end is a tiny bit flabby to my ears and at higher volumes could perhaps be perceived as baffling the other audio ranges. The mid range is quite flat and easy on the ears (as it should be). Finally the top end is moderately well balanced but I found with occasional sibilant notes noticeable again at high volumes. This will be perfectly suitable for talk radio or rock and pop music listening at normal volumes, though I would not recommend it for those who enjoy a lot of jazz, acoustic or classical music or those who like to belt out their music a high volumes. All in all though a decent enough unit with a great feature set at a very reasonable price.

Manufacturers Details
Bookshelf Internet radio with Pandora, Live365, iheartradio, Sirius and over 16,000 internet radio stations
Built in 32 watt high powered class D digital amplifier with 2 wood speakers to provide warm deep base, mellow mid range, and crisp highs
4-line display with 30 micro backlight adjustments to view artist name and song or set one of the 5 alarms
Built in 802.11n for superior wireless range, audio quality and WPS for easy network connectivity
Play your music direct from the internet without a computer or music files direct from your PC or Mac
Connects To Pc/Mac Music Library
High Performance Class D Digital Amplifier
Internet Radio Stereo Shelf System With Integrated Pandora Remote
Listen To Over 50,000 Radio Stations and On Demand Content
Plays Pandora and Live365.Com
RRP: $249.99 (Check Amazon For Current Pricing)

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We recently got our hands on a LG 42LK520 42-Inch HDTV for review from on of our suppliers, its been out for a little while and not a top of the line model but dont let that put you off, the LG 42LK520 has a lot to offer to the discerning AV fan. Here is the lowdown…

The LG 42LK520 build quality is pretty much what you expect from on of the big manufacturers the enclosure is hard plastic with an internal metal frame to harden everything up and attach it solidly to the weighted base. Assembly is reasonably simple and not too strenuous (it weights in at about 34Lbs including the stand) afterwards the unit stands firmly on most surfaces pushing on the front results in little wobble though a solid nudge form behind makes the LG 42LK520 teeter a little so not leaving any room behind for kids to run about is probably a good idea. The unit looks good, with a solidly modern design style and a relatively thin bezel surrounding the screen. The as regards inputs its pretty much as you’d expect with 2 hdmi inputs on the back panel and 1 more for good measure on the side a similarly side mounted USB slot for media playback from memory keys etc (The 42LK520 handles MP3,JPEG & DivX Formats) there is also a VGA computer input and several s-video and component inputs, the only thing that’s missing is an Ethernet RJ45 port for media streaming which is a shame but can be forgiven considering that this is the lowest spec 42″ TV in the LG range.

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On to the real meat of the LG 42LK520 review. Considering that LG 42LK520 is the entry level model of the range its picture quality is pretty stunning its full HD output is very impressive running at the standard 1920 x 1080 resolution it’s hard not to be impressed images are sharp and the 120mhz refresh rate provided by LGs TruMotion technology is impressive in its rendering of fast moving scenes and sports (The UFC really came to life on this TV). Tonally the balance is very good and colours seem vibrant and lifelike but never garish or overpowering, though on certain dark scenes we felt the blacks could have been a little darker. If there is one weak point with this TV it is probably the internal speakers which are not particularly powerful though I imagine will be perfectly adequate for most non home cinema fans needs. We tried the LG 42LK520 in conjunction with a Onkyo SKS-HT540 7.1 speaker system and found the sound when amplified with this mid range system to be excellent and more than a match for the units excellent picture.

So in summary the LG 42LK520 is a very decent performer, not cutting edge exactly but if you are in the market for a very decently priced 42″ LCD HDTV and arent worried about built in streaming you should definitely check this TV out.

Manufacturers Specifications

• Full HD 1080p gives it superior picture quality over standard HDTV. You’ll see details and colors like never before.
• Resolution 1920 x 1080
• Response Time2.4ms
• Viewing Angle178°/178°
• Life Span (hr)50,000 hr
• TruMotion 120Hz technology lets you see sports, video games and high-speed action with virtually no motion blur
• HDMI Ports: 3 In, 1 Out
• Energy Star qualified so your entertainment experiene uses less energy
• Picture Wizard II allows for self-calibration with on-screen reference points to ensure terrifc black, color, tint, sharpness and backlight levels
• An incredible contrast ratio of 150,000:1 delivers incredibly vibrant colors and deeper and darker blacks.
• Screen size 42″
• Display Type LCD
• RRP: $1,110 (Check Amazon For Current pricing)

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When you first unpacks the Marantz NR1402 AV Receiver you could be forgiven for thinking you had been sent a compact audio amp rather than a full blown home theatre receiver. This piece of excellence the now famed Marantz design team managed to pack pretty much everything we’ve come to expect from an AV receiver into half the standard size of its competing units. Over the last few years I’ve commented several times on my liking for the somewhat “future retro” look of a lot of the new Marntz product line in the case of the NR1402 AV Receiver this is perhaps not as prominent as say for example the Marantz SR7005 but it does manage to cram a whole lot of control into a front panel that looks both easy to use and stylistically pleasing, this in no mean feat on an AV unit so small.

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Even though it is compact the NR1402 manages not to scrimp on connections it has a decent smattering of 4 in and 1 out 3d ready HDMI 1.4 ports. Also incuded are 3/1 composite in/outs and 2/1 component i/o’s along with 4 analogue in as well as digital optical and coaxial ins to finish with. Initial setup and room EQing was both easy and quick to perform (Though to be honest the manual can be a little on the obtuse side of things for my liking). But lets be honest what is most important with a unit like this isn’t necessarily it’s specification on paper or even its ease of use but its basic sound characteristics. I’m glad to report that the Marantz NR1402 is on a basic level even without its bells and whistles (Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD decoders and Dynamic EQ) an extremely competent performer. We tested it with our previously reviewed Energy 5.1 Take Classic Home Theater System and found it to be a nice match. The NR1402′s signal (50-watt @ 8 ohms per channel) drove the Energy systems speakers and sub easily and even at near top volume never showed any signs of boomyness or distortion.

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It manages to fill mid sized rooms in a controlled and powerful manner it has very good soundstage when working with fast transitions in action scenes but never feel overly bombastic, the mid range is quite smooth feeling with competent if not overly sparkling top end. Good news for the music lovers amongst you too, the Dolby Pro Logic II makes excellent work of rendering stereo recordings though a 5.1 system as a man with a ludicrous music collection this made me smile. Overall the availbale featureset for tinkering is pretty deep on the Marantz NR1402 allowing the tinkerers amongst you to play with pretty much every aspect of your speaker dynamics and signal EQ you would care to.

If you are after a compact good looking and sonically competent 3d capable mid range reciever you would do yourself a disservace to not put the Marantz NR1402 AV Receiver on you list of “Must Test” components.

Manufacturers Specifications

• NR1402 5.1 Home Theater Receiver
• At a Glance: Slim design with half the height of traditional receivers
• Four HDMI 1.4a inputs for added connectivity and 3D support
• On-Screen Wizard for easy setup
• Supports the latest hi-definition audio formats
• M-XPort allows audio playback from Bluetooth-enabled devices
• three-year warranty
• RRP: $399.99 (Check Amazon For Current Pricing)

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When it comes to home theatre systems not everyone has either the cash or the space required for a full 5.1 or 7.1 surround system with its full compliment of speakers wiring and receiver so over the last several years the major manufacturers have started to wise up and try to supply decent products to this market sector. The Yamaha YHT-S400BL Home Theater System is one such offering that as it tuns out is actually a very solid choice for those strapped for cash and/or space.

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The overall look of the unit is quite minimalist with the receiver being very simple and modern in general appearance with a pretty solid feel to its build quality one interesting feature of this system is the fact that the subwoofer is actually built directly into the receiver which while a little odd looking at first is in actuality quite effective and powerful, this is assuming however that you like your receiver front and centre in your room. If you tend to put your black boxes off to the side this may be an issue and you may find the Yamaha YHT-S400BL is not a great match for your needs. Anyway on from there the second item supplied in the box is the extremely compact and nicely designed sound bar this is a 3x50w affair which is actually very easy to configure and place, I pretty much had it directly on front of the Sony BRAVIA KDL46BX420 I was testing it with with no problems.

Connections wise the Yamaha YHT-S400BL has all the basic connectors you would expect. 3 HDMI inputs, 1 analog in and an option for iPod input via the Yamaha Universal Dock (YDS-11). Setup is extremely easy taking less than 10 minutes form start to finish the only issue being receiver placement and sound bar height adjustment dependant on where your TV has its IR port you may need to remove the legs of the soundbar to get it lower. The menuing and configuration is easy to use and well designed (not too much sub menu diving on this unit) and the remote allows easy function access to everything you’ll need to adjust on a day to day basis.

One thing I was ever so slightly worried about was how the YHT-S400BL would deal with loud sounds and rattling issues since the sub is built into the units reviver, I needn’t have worried though as this has obviously been dealt with well by the Yamaha engineers as even at high volumes I found no such issues. So overall how is the sound? Well for a full sound bar based system that’s list price is less than $600 and in actuality sells for far less I wasn’t expecting a massive sound stage or pin point accurate placement of sounds and effects but I was actually very pleasantly surprised. The Yamaha YHT-S400BL has a very refreshing and punchy if a little “upfront” sound. If you plan to use your system for a lot of quieter passages, things like watching acoustic or orchestral recordings then perhaps this system will be a bit too unsubtle for your ears. Its bass handling though is excellent and will fill up most small to medium sized rooms with aplomb, it handles pseudo surround well and gave a decent feel of immersion if perhaps not standing up to the feel of a well configured mid range 7.1 system. Overall I’d hartily recomend the Yamaha YHT-S400BL Home Theater System to anyone working with a smallish room who is planning on using the system for mostly TV and up tempo action and adventure type movies.

Product Specifications

Output power: 250W total: 50w x 3, soundbar / 100W, subwoofer
Decoding processing: Dolby Digital / dts Digital Surround
Soundbar (NS-BR300): Three 1.5″ x 3.75″ cone drivers
Subwoofer (SR-300): 5.0″ woofer integrated into receiver unit / Bass-reflex
Best video connections: 3 HDMI inputs, 1 output
Digital audio connections: 1 optical input
Other connections: 1 analog audio input
Remote control: Included
Additional Specifications
UniVolume keeps volume during TV programs and commercials at the same level
Yamaha Air Surround Xtreme virtual surround sound
Yamaha 24kHz Head Related Transfer Function
Yamaha Extended Stereo
iPod compatible via optional Yamaha Universal Dock YSD-11
Bluetooth compatible via optional Yamaha Bluetooth Wireless Audio Receiver YBA-10
Compressed Music Enhancer
RRP: $599.95 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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Look at many current “best in category” or “bestseller” AV receiver lists and you will see the Pioneer VSX-1020-K 7.1 Home Theater Receiver featuring prominently. This is not without reason, not only is the Pioneer VSX-1020-K feature heavy and very capable power wise but there are also some incredible deals around on this unit right now. With this in mind I though Id give you a rundown of why you should put the Pioneer VSX-1020 on your “under consideration” list.

The Pioneer VSX-1020-K has a very modern look right down to the digital style text on the display, they design of the unit itself is quite nice but a little busy on the front panel for my liking with a plethora of switches and various front mounted ports (including the iPod dock) being clearly visible. Not really to my taste but if you like having everything easily accessible it may be for you. Build wise most of the fixtures and fittings are reasonably solid with the exception of the front port cover which feels slightly on the cheap side to me. The supplied remote is easy to use with nice glow in the dark keys but with perhaps one or two of the main functions being a little small for my meaty fingertips.

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The feature set of the Pioneer VSX-1020-K is extensive and very much oriented towards current sensibilities. It covers all the basics nicely, sporting 6 HDMI 1.4 ins (1 front/5 back) and a single rear 1.4 out, multi zone audio with 7.1 or 5.1 + 2 configuration possible and most of the standard audio codecs supported (TS-HD Master Audio, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Pro Logic IIz) the VSX-1020-K covers most peoples needs well. The Ethernet port allows for easy access to internet radio services and also allows wireless control of the system with the free iContolAV iPhone app which is a rather cool bonus, though I found it couldn’t control the internet radio right now which is a shame, perhaps something worth sorting out in an app update?

Initial setup of the VSX-1020 is not exactly a breeze (this is quite a complex unit after all) but neither is it over complex. The menuing system is well designed and with few glitches or oversights and the auto assist system is pretty intuitive to use. If you have previous experience with setting up surround systems you shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes or so to be up and running.

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So how does it sound? To my ear it is has a very pleasing overall tone, in 7.1 configuration I found the overall feel of the system to be both powerful, immersive and controlled. The VSX-1020-K handled everything I threw at it with grace and subtlety especially handling the high end well when used in conjunction with the Onkyo SKSHT750 system we paired the VSX-1020-K with. In loud passages it managed to stay 100% in charge of the sonic impact of a scene, never burying speech or more subtle sounds behind loud barrages of effects or music. In quieter more subtle soundscapes you can really pick out the positioning of each track or instrument. One nice bonus with the VSX-1020-K is that even when powering a full 7.1 setup at quite loud levels I found that the unit ran quite cool with no discernible fan noise.

So overall the Pioneer VSX-1020-K is a very competent mid range receiver, it is user friendly for the most part, its HDMI switch speed is quite fast, it has a very solid feature set a good level of power handling (7x 110 w per channel) and its overall sound quality is extremely good. As I said at the start of this review if you are inthe market for a new 7.1 receiver right now the VSX-1020-K is well worth giving a listen especially with the amazing deals on this unit right now.

Manufacturers Specifications

• Power: 110×7 watts
• HDMI Specification: v. 1.4, 3D, Deep Color and X.V. Color
• HDMI Ports: 6 in (including 1 front in), 1 out
• Component Ports: 2 in, 1 out
• Audio Codecs Supported: DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Pro Logic IIz with pre-out
• Video Modes Supported: 1080p and below
• Audio Modes Supported: Multi-zone (7.1, 5.1 + 2)
• Digital Formats Supported: JPEG, MP3, WAV, WMA
• “Works with iPhone”-certified
• RRP: $649.99 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

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Occasionally I asked to suggest a decent all-round entry level speaker system for home theatre, the Polk Audio RM6750 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System is without a doubt one of the best recent offerings at this price level. Polk Audio are renowned for their more top end speaker systems such as the ATI R7 or the AM1805 SurroundBar so it may surprise some to see them making such inroads to the budget end of the home theatre market but I for one am glad they did.

The Polk Audio RM6750 system arrived nicely over packaged, it took a little longer than I usually expect to get things out of the box but this is some ways makes you feel psychologically like things are going to be better protected in transit, not that the speakers really seem to need it. The speakers are reasonably attractive especially the 4 dinky little satelite speakers which seem especially small next to the to my mind overly large subwoofer, all 6 pieces are pretty solid in construction have a reasonable heft and look to be built to last.

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Initial setup is easy, I found that the sub needed a slight cut in output volume on my receiver in order to take away some of the boomieness I was perceiving on louder passages of music and movie soundtracks. Once I cut 3 or so dB I sound that the sound quality was very reasonable, while the bass was a little over emphasised the top end was nicely balanced and in control and the mid range is slightly effected compared to higher end speaker sets. While not exactly silky smooth or 100% natural the RM6750 system still managed to be very listenable and especially kept speech very understandable even on loud passages and during action sequences. In terms of sound staging the RM6750 coped very well, giving a real feel of movement and solid placement for each track. Overall I would say that the Polk Audio RM6750 system is probably best suited to a purely AV role as its unlikely to give you top end response in use as part of music playback system, not a top end product but but extremely capable and very good value for money for use as part a primarily movie oriented system.

Manufacturers Specifications

• Six piece surround sound package that includes 2 front and 2 surround speakers, 1 center-channel speaker, and 1 subwoofer
• Satellite and center-channel speakers can accommodate 6.1 or 7.1 channel systems
• Front and surround speakers: Single 3-1/2-inch polymer composite cone woofer; single 1/2-inch silk/polymer composite dome
• Surround and front speaker dimensions: 6-1/2 x 4-1/16 x 5 inches (HxWxD)
• Center speaker: Dual 3-1/2-inch polymer composite cone woofer; single 3/4-inch silk/polymer composite dome
• Center speaker dimensions: 4-5/16 x 11-3/16 x 5-13/16 inches (HxWxD)
• Subwoofer: 8-inch subwoofer
• Subwoofer dimensions: 15-7/8 x 11 x 13-1/2 inches (HxWxD)
• RRP: $599.95 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

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Every once in a while I read a review Ive written and I have to re-edit it because it seems to be too “fanboyish” or sycophantic in tone. The first draft of my review for the Marantz SR7005 receiver was such a document. Hopefully this rewrite will be a little more professional in tone, but don’t be surprised if the fact that I’m utterly in love with this receiver shines through 

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On initial inspection the Marantz SR7005 appears to be almost retro styled, with a very simple looking front panel with an on button a rotary input selector and a volume knob being the only visible controls (there are far more options hidden under a slide down fascia), the thing that stands out on the front panel though is the circular blue lit display which somehow manages to be both understated and extremely visually appealing. The SR7005s controls all have a well built appeal and a satisfying glide and solidity to them. Of the larger receivers I’ve seen in the last year the Marantz SR7005 is the most attractive Ive seen, while it is substantial in size and extremely solidly built it still manages to remain sleek and most definitely not “brick like” which is something you could unfortunately say of several other receivers in this category.

As you would expect of a receiver in this price bracket the Marantz SR7005 is not just a pretty face, the specifications on the unit are pretty incredible and cover pretty much any eventuality I can think of, I wont list every input, output bell or whistle or this review could quite quickly become a boring list of port names and numbers but needless to say it has all bases covered in spades, including 6 HDMI ins & 2 HDMI outs all 1.4 3D compatible spec, the HDMI on this unit can also do passive HDMI pass-through so the unit doesn’t need to be turned on if you wish to use it as a HDMI switch. The tuner if the unit has a lot of options form AM, FM and HD Radio through to internet stations & sites (via the integrated RJ45 port). The front of the SR7005 also sports a USB input for media streaming from iPods and USB memory sticks, giving high quality results. There is also an Ethernet connection allows for firmware updates, and streaming of media from your PC. If you want to have a look at the full compliment of ports available click on the photo of the SR7005s rear panel below for a close up.

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So as one would expect on a unit at this price point the setup is an automatic and internal microphone assisted affair, its pretty easy in my humble opinion but then Ive been doing this kind of set-up for quite some time, the menuing system is not exactly child’s play but neither is it the minefield Ive seen on some less user friendly devices. The results achieved in the end with the auto setup system were in the end very good though and so Im giving the Marantz SR7005 a B+ as regards ease of setup.

Enough with the potatoes, now on to the meat of the subject. How does the Marantz SR7005 sound? In a word “Incredible”, in two words “Fraking incredible” (and yes I am a BSG nut). The Marantz SR7005 is such a highly capable unit in terms of its amplification qualities that I am on the verge of losing it and decaying into a froth of superlatives, but the SR7005 is truly excellent. Sonically Id rate it as the number one receiver I’ve had the pleasure to try out over the last 12 months, the SR7005 sports seven discreet amplifiers each rated at 125 Watts per channel for the kind of power output that means you are never likely to want for more. This is without doubt the best Marantz product Ive heard in a long time (perhaps ever), it has a slickness and clarity of sound in the speech range that keeps everything very easy to understand even within the context of loud action sequences or loud orchestral music swells.

The bass of the unit is punchy and tight and the top ends can only be described as sizzling, the mid range is perhaps more pedestrian and with some material ever so slightly boomy but not to the point of annoyance. The power handling of the amplifier section is very capable and quite configurable if you are not a fan of bass heavy mixes and want to keep your sub under control that is something that is easy to manage. The sound staging is very accurate and you definitely feel like you are in the environmental “bubble” of a movie when you are watching it. If I were to describe the characteristic sound of the Marantz SR7005 as a whole Id say “Accurate, Under control and natural” it doesn’t display some of the over the top surround sweeps you get with some systems but to my mind this is a very definite advantage of the Marantz SR7005.

So to summarise, I really fell in love with this unit to the point that Im seriously thinking of a trade in in the nearish future (wife permitting). The Marantz SR7005 is a truly great receiver. Its really pretty, has a great overall sound an amazing level of I/O options (including optional bluetooth streaming with the RX101 receiver add-on). With the two minor caveats firstly that the set up may be a little technical for beginners and secondly that some users may need to slightly adjust the mid range if they find it slightly boomy for their tastes. But all in all I want one!

Product Specifications

• Six HDMI1.4a inputs and 2 HDMIv1.4a outputs for digital audio and video including Deep Colour support
• High grade components. HDAMs and oversized low impedance transformer
• Multiroom video on component video to one room with multiroom audio to two rooms
• USB input for music playback with iPhone/iPod and USB memory
• Bluetooth capability with option RX10
• Network functionality including the ability to stream Internet radio, vTuner, Napster, Last.FM
• Network player function for music/photo streaming, Compatible with Windows7 and with DNLA1.5 support
• IP control or control using Apple iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad with appropriate app
• Audyssey Dynamic Volume, Dyamic EQ, DSX and MultEQ XT room accoustic calibration
• power output: 125W/channel
• Size: H: 7.4 in, W: 17.3 in, D: 16 in
• Weight: 28.7 pounds
• RRP: $1,599.99 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

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The Sony SSF-7000 Floor Standing 4 way Speakers are in some ways the big daddy of the Sony SSF-6000s we reviewed a shot while back with a couple of changes the SSF-7000 sport an impressive sounding 8 inch woofer (as opposed to the SSF-7000s 6 inchers) it is also built to handle slightly more power (up to 200 watts rms @ 8 Ohms ). In terms of looks and finish the two speakers are almost identical (the larger woofer cone not withstanding) the Sony SSF-7000 are only a few pounds heavier and about 4 inches taller.

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Sound wise the bass end is only slightly more powerful and controlled than the already excellent standard set by the Sony SSF-6000s, they manage to sound in control and have a smooth character even at extremely high volumes. The Sony SSF-7000 still display the slight sibilance I also discussed hearing at loud volumes with the Sony SSF-6000s, this isnt really all that much of a surprise, neither is it a dealbreaker for speakers in this price range. Both sets of speakers are a great buy and which you go for will really depend on two things, your room size and the likely average volume you will be using these at.

In all but the largest rooms the Sony SSF-6000s are likely to be extremely capable of doing the work required, and so unless you are planning on using these in a very large area its pretty much down to personal preference which is better for you. The Sony SSF-6000s are I’m my humble opinion better value for money but there is nothing to stop you listening to both sets and seeing which of the two you prefer. Both are solid choices for the mid to large living room.

Manufacturers Specifications
Height: 41.9 inches, Depth: 11.9 inches
Frequency Response Curve: 35.50,000Hz
Impdedance: 8 ohm
Peak Power Handling – Speakers: 200 watts
RRP: $350 per pair (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

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Anyone who has been reading hifi-reviews.com for any length of time will know we have a lot of respect for Cambridge audio products especially at the top end of the non audiophile consumer market turning out a large number of hard hitting amps & CD players over the years so with this in mind we come to the recent Cambridge Audio Azur 350A Integrated Amplifier, I have to say that with this unit the team at Cambridge have exceeded my expectations for an integrated amplifier a this price point.

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First impressions of the unit is that it is extremely solid in construction with the volume, tone and balance knobs all having an assured smoothness to their glide and a general feel of quality. The brushed aluminum case is both attractive and well constructed. The back of the Azur 350A sports all the standard inputs (mp3,CD, Tuner/DAB, BD/DVD & Aux) a Tape in and 1 Record Output as well as 4 sets of easy to use speaker terminals (This unit does not come with a built-in phono preamp). There is also a second mp3 input at the front of the unit for easy plugging in of your iPod or other portable mp3 player. The remote supplied with the Azur 350A is reasonably attractive and can control both the unit itself and the iPod touch we tried it with.

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As with most Cambridge Audio where this unit really shines is the quality of the output, the Azur 350A is an excellent performer, I found the bass end to be punchy, but controlled. It never feels like it is about to loose its clarity or heft even at high volumes. The highs are extremely well managed keeping any harsh edges lesser units may throw out in check and allowing a very relaxing listening experience even with material that packs a lot of high end. One very minor complaint is that the unit could be said to be slightly hollow in the mid range on very quiet acoustic passages, but this is a minor niggle and didn’t actually impact on my enjoyment of the music. Overall the Cambridge Audio Azur 350A overall has a smooth detailed and very powerful but controlled sound which manages to never sound sterile and to my mind stayed musical throughout our testing.

So in conclusion, this unit scores highly both in looks, build quality and where it really counts audio quality it is verging on audiophile territory in summary if you are looking for a quality, solid home use stereo amplifier for less than $1,500 the Cambridge Audio Azur 350A should definitely go on your list of “listen to” amps.

Manufacturers Description

The new 350A is truly an amplifier to be reckoned with. Separate high quality integrated circuit amplifier modules eliminate all possible crosstalk and guarantee excellent stereo imaging. Very close attention has also been paid to the quality of passive components selected and their performance potential. In particular, a very high quality ALPS black box film volume pot has been specified for its superior sound quality and excellent channel balance. This is particularly noticeable at low volumes when your awareness of left and right channel balance is most acute. The power supply is a critical component in any power amplifier and here, we’ve stretched our budget to the limit to bring you an oversize toroidal transformer. Selected for its very low external magnetic field and much lower noise than laminate type amplifiers – as are more commonly specified in entry-level amplifiers – power and refinement are palpable from the moment the music starts. Tone controls further enhance your listening experience giving subtle control of the frequency response and enable compensation for ‘difficult’ room acoustics. And for the true audiophile touch, they can be defeated using the Direct switch to ensure the shortest possible signal path. Indeed, the performance of every single component specified in the 350A has been maximised to the last degree by the engineers at Cambridge Audio’s London-based R&D centre to guarantee that every last drop of your music is realised. Connect just about anything! Just as importantly, in terms of connectivity, the 350A offers a plethora of inputs and outputs to accommodate sources of all types. iPods and MP3 players get the VIP treatment and can be connected directly to the front panel via a dedicated 3.5mm jack and matching source control. In addition, the supplied Navigator remote features iPod command codes enabling control of any iPod (except Shuffle) when connected to a suitable dock such as Cambridge Audio’s new iD50.

• Power Output: 45 watts (into 8 ohms)
• THD (unweighted): <0.02%@1kHz, 80% of rated power
• <0.15% 20Hz – 20kHz, 80% of rated power
• Inputs: 5 inputs, 1 Tape Input, ¼’’ headphone input, 3.5mm MP3 input
• Outputs: Speaker A & B outputs, 1 Record Output
• Frequency Response: (-1dB) 5Hz – 50kHz
• S/N ratio (ref 1w): >92dB (unweighted)
• Input Impedance: 47k ohms
• Max. Power Consumption: 320W
• Bass/Treble controls: Shelving, ultimate boost/cut +/-10dB @ 20Hz and +/-6dB @ 20kHz
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 86 x 430 x 340mm (3.4 x 16.9 x 13.4’’)
• Weight 6.0kg (13.2lbs)
• RRP: $449.00 (Check Amazon for Current Pricing)

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