Has anyone heard of the Sherwood Netboxx A/V Receiver R-904N? - Page 4

marc@soundscape,

Dressing up a post like this is unnecessary, really. Even if you would have something very exciting to say (which is IMHO not the case with your post), it still would be just too much. But hey, this is your first post, right?

BTW, are these your thoughts? I am asking because I am ready to buy one at MSRP if you promise to buy it off me at $1000...

I just did a search on Sears, and this thing is apparently available in a few stores on the East Coast.

For instance, the Sears site claims that there are "Only Two Left" at:
BROOKLYN/BEVERLEY RD - A
718-826-5800
2307 BEVERLEY RD
BROOKLYN, NY 11226

Just curious, if anyone laid their hands one and what are the first impressions....

This article is from a few months ago...


Sherwood Enhances Receiver Versatility with Verismo's Internet TV Platform


The VuNow platform is sitting a lot prettier, as it has grabbed an OEM deal to be included in Sherwood's upcoming line of receivers. Already making an appearance as the Netgear ITV2000 standalone unit, now high end amps and surround sound systems will have access to a variety of internet video sources without additional hardware. Verismo's said it will be pursuing many different opportunities for its technology, we'll wait and see where the YouTube / CNN / ESPN and more streaming hardware shows up next, though your cable box would appear to be a safe bet.

With Verismo's Internet TV technology, Sherwood audio receivers double as an Internet TV set top box, enabling customers to watch Internet videos right on their television

Mountain View, CA, June 16, 2009 – Verismo Networks and Sherwood announced the integration of Verismo's award-winning Internet TV solution into Sherwood's popular line of receivers. By leveraging Verismo technology, Sherwood significantly expands the versatility of its receivers - giving consumers the ability to watch millions of Internet videos directly on their TV.

This OEM agreement enables Sherwood to tap into the explosive popularity of online video as a powerful way to differentiate their products. End users not only add an award-winning audio receiver to their home theater, but when connected to the home's broadband network, the receiver brings the world of Internet video as well as personal media such as photos, videos and music from their home network directly to HD and SD televisions.

"Consumers are looking for a new breed of appliances for home entertainment that can bring the rich media assets available on the Internet directly to the TV," said Jeff Hipps, EVP at Sherwood America. "We evaluated the available solutions and were impressed with Verismo's open Internet TV platform - both in terms of the breadth of content that is supported, and as ease of integration into other consumer devices."

Through Verismo's strong content partner network, Sherwood's end users are able to watch the widest selection of online content right on their TV without an additional set top box or computer. Verismo's intuitive interface lets users browse and search for videos from popular web sites, live TV channels from around the world, Live Internet radio, and movies with a click of the remote.

"Sherwood is taking the lead in redefining the market for next-generation audio-video receivers," said Dhaval Ajmera, EVP of Verismo Networks. "This partnership expands the concept of what an audio receiver can do, by combining Sherwood's award-winning audio hardware with Verismo's leading Internet TV platform to give consumers an unparallel entertainment experience."

Verismo offers an open platform that enables OEM partners to rapidly bring to market differentiated versions of its Internet TV platform, including private labeling, hardware licensing for high-volume manufacturing, content integration and the embedding of Verismo technology into consumer appliances.

Interesting. I can see this being useful to many, but since I already have a dedicated HTPC and use extenders, I am set for streaming stuff.

But, I wish Sherwood would do the same box, digital amps and non-internet features, with the Trinnov EQ. Then I'd be all over it.

Still curious how well the included EQ works, though.

So, nobody has bought one yet?

If someone wants to be a guinea pig, and tell us all about it, it says that it's in stock here:

http://www.a1components.com/itemdisp...spx?item=12525

OK, just ordered one from a1components to replace my aging TX-SR604. Searching Google cache it looks like they actually had it on sale back on Nov. 30 for $579. Too bad I missed it. Nevertheless, even though their site currently shows it listed at $649 when I added to my cart it showed up as $629... Better than no discount, I guess!

I'll post my impressions here when it arrives. I'm new to PlayOn, what is required for that? Will it work on my Linux HTPC/PVR? If it's Windows only my Linux HTPC box also doubles as a VM server (it's pretty beefy) but is the PlayOn server (or whatever) something that will work in a VM? Thanks!

It is now on their http://www.sherwoodusa.com/ web site.

Manual: http://sherwoodamerica.com/site/serv...ENG_Manual.pdf
"Quick Guide": http://sherwoodamerica.com/site/serv...ck%20Guide.pdf

The manual contains a diagram of the rear connections on page 5.

Uh oh. I just read the manual and despite this being a $650 device and it being almost 2010 this thing doesn't have equalizer settings? Are you kidding me? Apparently there's just treble (10KHz) and bass (100Hz) adjustments and that's it! It doesn't even have those crappy preset EQ modes that low-end devices have. Wow really, Sherwood? Is this a serious A/V receiver or a toy?

I'm hoping that the "Room EQ" feature actually can make finer adjustments (the manual doesn't say it if so) and that it doesn't suck. So maybe you just have to use that feature if you want to adjust things for your room? That doesn't please me even if it is true because I'm normally someone who likes to adjust the frequency response manually.

Maybe I won't die because my current speakers (JBL Control 1 monitors-- the real ones not the consumer 1x model) give a reasonably flat response in my room.

I guess I'll just have to see how it sounds for myself when I receive the unit on Thursday... (I'm the same guy as clipcarl above who ordered it.)

This receiver sure looks interesting but really no (setup) OSD on a $650 AVR? Is the front panel display at least nice and big such that it can be read from a distance?

Why, in this day and age of roomEQ, do you need an additional equalizer? Are there any high quality AVRs today that have such a function where it does not automatically defeat the roomEQ?

Because room EQs suck. You can get much better results doing it yourself.

Really? I have yet to see an EQ on any AVR (even ones much more expensive than this) that was even close to adequate for room correction. Fancy tone controls.

Kal..
Why argue..
You know how well those 10 band BSR equalizers work..
Just dial the LED slider in..
More control than those later DSP based S/W Room EQs..

Just my $0.01...

I doubt it. It's less than 3" tall, I think.

I am hoping clipcarl posts a review soon.

I wonder how well the Sherwood Room EQ works, and if it has separate settings for Zone 1 and Zone 2?

Nope..
Only has EQ settings for the Main Zone (1) system..

Just my $0.01...

It looks like (unlike my current Denon) they don't try to squeeze two lines of tiny text on there so there's still hope. If someone ever gets a hold of one of these I would be interested in how readable it is. Also, I didn't see in the manual if you can have it always display the current surround mode instead of input (having it display "Video 1" all the time would be pretty useless for me).

I suppose this is O.K., as long as it doesn't apply the settings for the mains in Zone one to the speakers in Zone 2....

clipcarl, has it arrived yet?

No. It arrives tomorrow.

Ah, didn't see your earlier post.

Well, maybe start a new thread with the review..., sort of a new leaf, so to speak....

OK I got it a couple of hours ago and I'm testing it now. I'm not anywhere near finished testing it but here are some random thoughts...

• Normally when I buy electronics over the internet the item comes double-boxed. In this case it didn't. It just came in the Sherwood box with a shipping label slapped on. The box didn't get too terribly beat up in shipping so I guess that's OK. (I purchased from a1components.com.)
  
• The box and contents had been opened! Inside the box was a piece of paper that read "This product was opened for photographs only." Call me weird but when I buy a product new I expect it to be unopened.
• The device looks good and feels solid. Definitely slim and attractive. I love not needing a ton of space for a receiver!
• It has an easy to read display but only when the dimmer brightness is at maximum. At the low setting it's too dim too read except in near total darkness. There is also a completely off setting. If you want to be able to read it in even a dimly lit room you need to max brightness setting. (Note that when actively using the remote / controls the dimmer goes to maximum brightness no matter what setting you chose.
• There is the dimmer option for the informational display but no dimmer for the blue backlight of the power button, volume and surround controls on the front of the receiver. These controls are extremely bright and distracting. This is definitely something to be aware of if your receiver is visible in your home theater setup.
• The diagram on page 9 of the manual shows an 8.1 speaker listening setup. This is interesting because the device can't do 8.1-- it can only go up to 7.1.
• The first thing thing I noticed after hooking it up and turning it on was a whining sound. It sounded just like a tea kettle going off a couple of rooms away. Not very loud but definitely loud enough for me to hear it from my listening position and think "What's that?" It was not dependent on the volume setting. It started off in the front left and right speakers, moved to the surround left and right speakers and was gone after 15 minutes or so. I'm hoping it was a one-time thing and not something that happens every time the receiver starts up from being cold.
• When nothing is playing there is more noise (hiss) coming out of the speakers than my Onkyo had. It's low and only really noticeable in complete silence. Probably not a big deal unless you are a true audiophile (and in that case you wouldn't be considering this device).
• I listened to some music and TV with the Dolbly Volume feature turned on. You really can hear everything clearly just like they claim. Soft sounds are clear and very distinct. The volume normalization seems to work reasonably (didn't test it much). That said, to my ears it sounds slightly weird. It doesn't sound quite natural to me and I prefer to turn it off (definitely turned off for music). Maybe it's something I'd get used to. I need to try it with some Blu-Ray movies and see how it handles those dynamic transitions that make you scramble for the remote. The jury is still out on this.
• Regular "Stereo" mode as well as the "Multi Channel Stereo" mode both sound pretty good. The "Multi Channel Stereo" is actually really good. On most receivers I find listening to music in this mode to get abrasive and annoying after a few minutes after being initially pleasing. But on this receiver my ears don't rebel and I can listen to music in this mode for a sustained period.
• Surround modes such as "Dolby Prologic IIx Music" sound mediocre. OK, I guess, but it sounded better on the Onkyo. They sound a bit muffled and indistinct.
• DSP modes like "Stadium" and "Hall" are just flat-out awful. They all sound like the music is being played in a bathroom. I don't like these modes on any receiver but on this receiver they are far and away the worst I've ever heard.
• There's no way to configure the display to always show anything other than the source. There is a display button on the remote that will switch it between the source, surround mode and volume but it is only temporary. It always go back to the source after a few seconds.
• There's no way to change the name of an input source. HDMI port 2 is always called "V2/IPOD" no matter what. Why is an HDMI port labeled "IPOD" anyway?
• There's only 1 digital optical audio input (but 2 coax digital inputs) both my sources that don't use HDMI use optical so that's not enough for me.
• There are no discreet channel inputs on this device-- there's no space for them I guess.
• There are no SVideo video inputs or outputs. Just HDMI, component and composite.
• There no On Screen Display. It's all done through the front panel display. (Except network streaming? Haven't tested it yet.)
• After prolonged use the receiver is warm but not overly hot. Nice.

As I said I'm still early in the testing process. In particular, I haven't tested any of the network streaming stuff and I haven't had enough time to comment on the roomEQ. I also need more time to form a more definitive opinion on Dolby Volume.

My initial impression is that the device is stylish and compact but has some flaws. It sounds decent in regular or multi channel stereo modes, passible in surround modes and awful in DSP modes. Obviously, as I spend more time with this thing my opinions may change. Stay tuned!

Thanks for the descriptions of the front panel display. It's disappointing that it always shows the input source and you can't rename it.

What about readability from a distance? Can you read it clearly from ~15 feet away? Thanks.

It's clear and readable, but 15 feet is probably about the limit and you better have good vision. There's probably not a lot during normal operation for which you need to look at the display, though.

I love the Sherwood R904N and the ORBS because I live in a Manhattan apartment and both fit beautifully in my limited space. The only problem I "thought" I had was with an HDMI feed through the R904N when the video/audio started to go on and off. I switched cables and inputs around and finally fixed the whole thing by re-booting the cable box.

The auto-equalization of the 6 ORB speakers works very well using an included microphone. And those little ORB sphere speakers are perfect for we apartment dwellers. They look like little space creatures perched on furniture around the apartment.

In addition to the R904N's low profile I just HAD to have the internet connection which lets me play UTube and other internet video and radio through the system. You can also rent movies on the internet but I find my local cable enough right now. And I can plug in a USB memory to play my own saved audio and video. Nice.

Since my desktop SONY PC was nearby I finally used an optical output into the R904N and it was then that I sent a suggestion to Sherwood that they include "visualizations" like those in media players as part of their system. That way ANY music I play through the system can be accompanied by some wild hippy-dippy graphics on the big old HDTV.

One final input to the AV/R was the output of my CCrane WiFi radio to hear all the rest of the audio I love from the web. It's analog but I love Old Time Radio, Pandora and archived programs over Reciva. I'm a happy camper.

nycpaull,

How is the sound quality of the netboxx?
Does it feel like a quality product?

I will find out on Monday for myself...

Jeff

Hi Slinkeey,

I can only say that it sounds good to this 70-year old who wore headphones a lot in a radio/TV career. I'm sure my ears' frequency response has suffered from that. I'll let you sound professionals pass judgment on the R904N. All I can say is that it fits my needs perfectly - especially its low profile. It's lower than the cable box as you can see in the attached photo. And the other ORB speakers look unassuming on other furniture. Perfect for my small apartment.

I am not an audiophile.. That is for the rich kids.

I personally like to listen to the music and not the equipment..
I do like the music to sound good to my ears. I can't stand when some receivers/amplifiers hiss.

Just make my Yes, Procupine Tree, King Crimson and etc sound good and I will be happy.
Make movies sound good and the Wife is happy.

I do like my stuff to last though. I am very anal about that. I guess with home theater it will go obsolete so fast I need to stop worrying about that.

Hopefully this receiver will treat me as well as my 1970's Kenwood (Not Sherwood hehe) integrated amplifier and tuner.

Jeff

Like all multi-option digital equipment today the remote pretty much runs everything on the Sherwood R904-N. But although the Manual holds everything you need to use the remote it may not present it in the order you want or are used to. Pressing buttons before knowing what's happening when you do can delay your enjoyment of the first test. Multi-purpose buttons and button sequence takes a while to learn but is quite logical when you get used to them.

I caused myself unnecessary frustration by random clicking and accidentally activating the "remote select" for the TV. So make sure when you want to run the Sherwood that you've clicked the AVR button so your clicks are sent to it.

The easiest way I found for starting to test things out was to get the radio up and running. My button sequence as this:
1. AVR - makes the remote run the Sherwood
2. Tuner - makes the tuner the input
3. Enter - starts auto-tune sequence to find local FM stations and store them.
4. - Preset + - Clicks through your preset FM stations.

5. - If you have sound by this time you feel more confident to try out the TV, DVD, etc. With those devices just be aware that you can assign the audio input used for each device including -H HDMI, c COAX, o OPTICAL, a ANALOG. The options on how those things work are multitude and may be familiar to some and challenging for others. Just keep the manual handy and learn the versatility.

OH, by the way. Most people never take advantage of the downloaded PDF versions of equipment manuals to do key word searches when they become frustrated finding the "how to" on some feature. I use them all the time and that search feature has come in handy a lot.

Here's the diagram for the remote I grabbed from that PDF version:

I agree with you 100% about PDF manuals..

I use them all the time because ketyword search can be much better then using an index. Sometimes stuff is not where you think it would be and sometimes they keyword that you think of is not in the index.

I love it for going through IBM Redbooks.

Jeff