List of Digital Home Theater Receivers - Page 19

Spoonfed,

Thank you for checking it out with your panny. Just a couple of questions for you:

Are you holding in the in/out button on the bfd until the button blinks then monitoring input signal strength? Without holding that button in until it blinks the bfd will only show you output levels not input signal levels.

What do you think of the bass compared to the other receivers you have tried?

Btw, I am running two modded xr50's with tremendously good results. My front tower speakers have come alive! The only draw back is I can't run any hi-res audio using this bi-amped configuration

Cheers,

Jesse

you could "split" your analogue cables and hi-res into each.... probably more a negative but hehe

Good point on the "defeat" mod/button thingy on the BFD, i did not try this, will again tonight.

I only have a single 45, does two really give that much improvement (my mains are bookshelfs (Quad 12L's).?

The bass of the unit is good (output to speakers), the sub output as u say is perhaps a touch muddy compared to the Denon 3805 and AVR300 arcam i demoed, but not any worse than my 1602, so perhaps its the $$$ processing in higher end AVR's that helps here?

I'll try to remember to test again later (just got home from work)

D

csi:

I tested using Attack of the Clowns (oops Clones )

Using chapter 3. With XR45 on 25 (volume) and sub setting to +10 the BFD did clip into the red when the ship came over.

If i set the sub to 5 on th XR, then try again it stays in the green and just bumps the organge when the ship blows up on the landing pad.

I have now set the XR to 6 in the sub so should not see clipping now (well maybe on rare occation if i crank it abit more). But i do have to have the VTF2 cranked right up (pretty much 100%) which is really odd.

So long ago i played with the BFD, can u just simply "raise" the entre output volume simply?

Hmmm you definitely are not experiencing the same issue as me! At 5 on the panny the bfd clips like crazy according to the lights when in input signal mode ( holding in/out button until it flashes). I guess I will not worry to much about the few huge bass scenes in existence and calibrate for more " usual" bass scenes

The bfd can not raise output volume of the sub- rather only reduce it through the filters you setup. You need to raise the subs volume control knob to correctly output more volume. I tend to get the filters setup and then change sub out levels through the panny anyway- this is not the correct way to raise sub output but what the hay I dont have to get up to do it!

When setting up sub out levels from the panny I switch off the subs and put the bfd into bypass mode by holding in the in/out button. After that the bfd will show you input signal strength. Then I raise the panny volume until it is the loudest I would ever play it (Through the rest of the speakers) and adjust sub out from panny until it just flashes the red or orange lights for a split second. I stop playing any input and turn the sub back on. I then set speaker levels with the sub +5 db higher then the other speakers. Next, I begin playing test tones and setting up filters to alter the frequency response. MAYBE I AM DOING SOMETHING WRONG THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

I am going to let my ears decide if I have a problem or not.

The difference between one or two pannys is pretty noticeable. I have large semi-efficient speakers that love the two pannys over just one. They really do come alive with two pannys running them.

Thanks for looking into this for me. I never thought I would find another person to bounce these questions off of

Thanks!

Ahh, a classic quantity vs. quality tradeoff. : \\

At least your teamed receivers are loud. What?!

Hi All,

Spoke with Panasonic customer service this am ( a painful experience ), regarding when the xr-70 would be available.
Once again, they were unable to provide me with a firm rollout date, but they did provide a lead. they gave me the number to "servicecenter.net", a retailer out of Mississippi (electronics mecca ). Gentleman on the phone there told me they expect to receive/ship the unit next week.
Hope it will finally actually ship.

Happy waiting,

Michael Sabadish

After this much delay if the the XR-70 has any bugs Panasonic will be in deep sh&@.

wouldn't it be funny if they had paid attention to the threads on modded XR45's and implemented similar improvements in the XR70.

What would the "main" and MUCH MUCH higher end AVR makers do? haha
(ie why pay $2000+ when sound is going to be worse)

Yeah, and then also increase the price accordingly in the same amounts that some people are paying for those mods....

Then sales and reviews of them would also take a major hit for the worse.

After spending $80 at the local electronics supply house for 16 decent gold plated binding posts on clearance ( they even except up to 8 gauge wire), gold plated iec power input receptacles and 12 gauge power cord with hospital grade power connectors I love my pannys. Even my tin ear can hear the improvement.
I will leave bybees, better caps, silver wire interconnects and power supply improvements to the truly afflicted

I'm not calling you a liar, but I called one of Panasonic's main distributors, Video Direct, back in May to inquire about the SA-XR70. The guy told me that the receivers were on their way from Japan to his warehouse. Well, if he told me the truth, that's one hell of a long journey.

What would be the better option:

Get two XR25/50s and bi-amp them, or get one
XR70. Also, what is the actual speaker connection
in a bi-amp setup? I don't understand the "highs
to one amp and the lows to another" part.

Get two XR70s and bi-amp them.

But if that's not possible, I'd just wait and get one XR70. If it sounds too underpowered to you, then you can get another XR70 and bi-amp them. The XR70 should have some nice upgrades over the XR25/50, such s a better amp, DPLIIx support, and HDMI. It'll probably cost about $100 more than an XR50.

Going to be worse, it already was

Earz........ ah you smartarse you hehehe

You need speakers that are either externally bi amapable via two sets of posts or internally bi ample whith seperate x overs for the highs/lows in order to bi amp.


Greg

Congrats, I too did the better posts at one time and it made a bit of a difference....just don't listen to a Pany whith the wiring,caps and silver digital bybee on the digital in, or you too will become one of the truly afflicted.

Actually, there are Bybees that you can slip on to your coaxial digital cable whithout any modification at all.
You may find a used one even at www.audiogon.com to try out.

Greg

Im getting a IEC adaptor shipped so i can try out one of http://www.eichmanncables.com/ac_enhancer/index.html

Hopefully such may be a noticable improvement. I'll proceed from there

Only negative i "hear" on my XR45 is that sometimes in movies voices seem somewhat "wooden", with sort a boomyness (hard to explain) but its only in some movies. Maybe its the sound track and the 45 is just showing it up more. "Troy" was the last movie i watch and noticed it in.

Hi All,

Finally a reply from Panasonic Customer Service as of this afternoon:

"Dear DR SABADISH

Thank you for your inquiry. The SAXR70s will be available in the last
week of November. There is no specific date yet but it would definitely be
released before this month ends. You may visit this website to locate the
dealers near you where you can purchase the unit when it is released in
the market.

http://www.prodcat.panasonic.com/dealer

We hope this information is helpful to you.

Thank You,
Panasonic Consumer Support"


Hard to believe, but it looks as if it actually might be released! Can't wait to hear DVD-A's the way they were meant to be heard.

Happy listening,

Michael

Hehehe I NEED NO ADDITIONAL AFFLICTIONS! I couldn't be happier with what I have currently (I will keep telling myself this as long as I can). I look forward to watching tons of movies this winter until my eyes pop out or my ears fall off. I also plan on getting together with other local ht people so I can check out their systems. It's been all year to get where I am at. I am gonna watch movies and game until something breaks



**edit**

Anyone know of any higher output pure digital amps coming in the near future?

lol j.k.

I believe it when I see and hear it. Panasonic has promised so many times to release the SA-XR70, only to have a set back.

SA-XR70 AVAILABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just ordered one from OneCall.com!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally! I see they're selling it for $360 shipped.

Let us know when you receive it and how it sounds.

Ill have mine on Weds this week. Cant wait.
Looking forward to comparing it to the Kenwood.

I'm looking for a receiver that has the ability to delay the audio, to correct AV sync issues with some digital display devices. Does the new Panasonic have this ability?

Wes

I ordered my SA-XR70 from onecall on Friday, and it arrived today (LA delivery). Big props to onecall for shipping so quickly and giving their usual high level of excellent customer service.

I'm going to hook it up later tonight and try to post my impressions over the next couple of days.

I'm looking forward to your comparison!

buddyhinton, congrats on your SA-XR70. Hope you enjoy it.

im keen to how it compares to a std XR45.

Id guess a modded XR45 will still be fair way ahead, but if the 70 is a noticable improvement std, it will be a great bargin for anyone looking for decent sound from an AVR (hang on, the XR50 etc already is.... hmm hehe)

Folks .. if you can run the XR70 in biamp mode with two sets of cable that will be great feedback.

If someone can confirm the sound from an HD Tivo will come over HDMI to the Panasonic, that'd be a dream piece of info for me. If true, I am in for one -- with the DVD player.