Onkyo Cable Amplifier

Class leading 10-Inch subwoofer produces extra-ordinary bass from heavy-duty down-firing woofer and precisely matched 450 watt digital amplifier

Amazon Sales Rank: #15444 in Speakers Color: Black Brand: Klipsch Model: SW-450 Released on: 2009-07-15 Number of items: 1 Dimensions: 17.00" h x 14.00" w x 19.50" l, 35.50 pounds 10-inch high-excursion driver produces class-leading bass with low distortion Built-in digital amplifier delivers 450 booming watts of dynamic power Sleek, modern design complements today?s HDTVs An ideal partner for our Quintet 5.0 home theater system Features line-level (RCA) inputs and speaker-level inputs, Auto-on/off, 0-180 Phase adjustment, variable low-pass filter and level adjustment.

From the Manufacturer Klipsch SW-450 Subwoofer: Clean, Chest-Thumping Bass Great sound begins with a great bottom end. The SW-450 subwoofer delivers the two lowest octaves of the ten humans can hear, intensifying your listening and viewing experiences. Delivers 450 Booming Watts of Dynamic Power L/R line-level RCA jacks, L/R high level speaker binding posts

Most helpful customer reviews 11 of 11 people found the following review helpful. Great Subwoofer By John Padgett I am a frequent poster over at the AVSForum and most people in their will absolutely tell you that HSU, SVS, etc. are better subs than Klipsch. While that may be true, there are some of us that support our local B&M stores or prefer the convenience of being able to get in the car and return it and be back out the door with a new one within an hour. I am one of those people who likes the ease of B&M stores. Initially I had a Martin Logan Dynamo 500 and it sounded great, except for the fact that it couldn't get the couch shaking before bottoming out. The ML was very musical, but for Home Theater use it just didn't do the trick. My BluRay test for subwoofer extension is the pixar shorts, Jack Jack Attack (where the baby does CAMPFIRE) and Lifted (where the man is first being lifted before he bumps into the wall). The ML made clapping noises during both of these scenes which clued me in that this wasn't the sub for me. I took it back and got the Klipsch SW-450 at my local B&M store. I took it home and plugged in Transformers Revenge of the Fallen and it sounded pretty good. I then went to my test BluRay Pixar shorts scenes and I was happy that it didn't bottom out. It didn't have the musical punch that I had with the ML, but it extended low without bottoming out and that was good enough for me. Having been a basshead most of my life, I knew that the sub would need some burn in time before sounding it's best so I played some 120hz down to 25hz test sweeps for about two days while I was away at work. I went back to my same test BluRay Pixar scenes and I was amazed at something...not only could I hear the bass, I could feel the low tones that aren't audible. I was absolutely impressed with this. Still I felt it was missing the punch of the ML so I moved it from one corner to the opposite and sure enough that corner gave me the punch I wanted. Unfortunately it also took away the feeling of the lower HZ frequencies. My options were have it in corner for music and the other for home theater. This isn't very realistic so I decided that I loved the SW-450 so much that I would just buy another one which would even out the bass response in my home theater. I can say that two are better than one and I can hear, feel and be mesmerized by the bass these two put out. The speaker is well built and the amplifier is a Class D 450W MAX and 200W RMS. If your on the fence about the Klipsch, take an opportunity to hear for yourself and decide if it's for you. If not you can always return it and buy one from and ID, but at least give it a listen!!! 5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Good subwoofer By blask06 This woofer sounds great. Lots of power and clarity for a reasonable price. It's got enough power to get the cops at my house. 5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Awesome subwoofer. By Nick Velez I purchased two of these subwoofers to complete a 7.2 setup. I play Call of Duty and wanted enough speaker power to crack heads. When a grenade blows up next to me, I want to feel it! These subwoofers definitely deliver! I am very pleased and highly recommend Klipsch products. I own the following and have had no problems with any. 2 - VF-36 Floor Standing Speaker 1 - VC-25 Center Channel Speaker 2 - VS-14 Surround Sound Speaker (pair) 2 - SW-450 Subwoofer See all 6 customer reviews...

Acclaimed micro-sized Home Theater surround speaker package perfect to frame around today's flat panel TVs.

Amazon Sales Rank: #6303 in Speakers Color: Black High Gloss Brand: Energy Model: RC Micro Number of items: 6 Dimensions: 4.70" h x 3.50" w x 3.50" l, 2.00 pounds Micro 5.1 Home Theater surround speaker package of critical acclaim delivers high performance sound in elegant and unobtrusive package. Features 2.5-Inch Aluminum woofer and 1/2-Inch Hyperbolic Aluminum tweeter for accurate sound and expansive soundstage Subwoofer, center channel and four front & rear speakers all finished in beautiful High Gloss piano black lacquer. Mini subwoofer in High Gloss Black features 8-Inch woofer with Patented Ribbed Elliptical suspension and 240W amplifier for deep Several mounting options with Integrated key-hole mount or 1/4-Inch-20 insert, floor stands optional.

Lifelike Sound from a Compact Home Theater System RC-Micro is Energy's most compact collection of high-tech components—satellites, subwoofer and center channel. Though tiny, this system packs a big wallop inside their great looking high-gloss black cabinets. The RC-Micro proves beyond doubt that small can still be powerful. And it shatters any illusions about small, packaged home theater systems; you won’t get better performance, or better looks, even if you buy individual pieces.  This system delivers lifelike performance from your favorite games and movies, with precision balanced mids & highs compliments of the Convergent Source Module, to the massive bottom end provided by a specially matched 240 watt 8” compact subwoofer, which features a Ribbed Elliptical surround for great bass detail and extension.  The hyperbolic aluminum dome tweeter on the satellites and center channel focuses sound for clearer dialogue and stirring music.  Keyhole slots and threaded inserts allow wall and stand mounting, letting you choose how and where to place your speakers.  The RC-Micro Center and satellite speakers are magnetically shielded to eliminate interference with CRTs or televisions.  Gold plated push connectors ensure positive connection for top-flight performance.Convergent Source ModuleThe Convergent Source Module, or CSM, is the heart of an Energy speaker.  It provides wide dispersion, low distortion and amazing midrange performance.  The speaker’s midrange and tweeter are designed to perfectly integrate with one another and are housed closely together to maximize driver integration, providing accuracy and excellence imaging.  Ribbed Elliptical SurroundThe patented Ribbed Elliptical Surrounds that encircle our products’ woofers are unlike any other.  By changing the shape of the speaker surround to an ellipse, rather than the traditional “half roll,” distortion is reduced dramatically.  Benefits also include increased excursion and a larger piston area, allowing for greater efficiency and greater dynamics than conventional designs.   Flat On-Axis Frequency Response with Wide BandwidthSpeakers should reproduce the entire audio range in a uniform manner. By ensuring that no one frequency dominates any other, Energy ensures that every note is the way it was intended to be--and the sound as natural as possible.Wide and Constant DispersionSound at all frequencies radiating from the speaker should be in an even pattern, in all directions throughout the room.Low Distortion and ResonanceNo speaker system is distortion- or resonance-free, but Energy has achieved a significantly lower distortion level, a clearly audible improvement. What Critics Are Saying About Energy RC Micro "What sets the RC-Micro apart from other offerings is both the clarity of the presentation, and the width of the soundstage. The RC-Micro is a very attractive set of home theater speakers, and have substance behind the flash. The same cannot always be said for other products in the space…it performed very well, and provides a great home theater experience.” --Andrew Yang, Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity, October 29, 2009 Technical Specifications Frequency Response: Sat: 150Hz-23kHz; Subwoofer: 36Hz-180Hz +/- 3dB Crossover Point: 3.5 kHz Sensitivity: 88dB Power Handling: Sat and Center: 240 Watts Recommended Amplifier Power: 20 - 100 Watts RMS (Continuous) Impedance: 8-ohm compatible Subwoofer Variable Low Pass Filter: 40Hz-150Hz Tweeter: 0.5-inch (12.7mm) hyperbolic aluminum dome Midrange: 2.5-inch (63.5mm) high-excursion aluminum cone Woofer: 8-inch (20 cm) Injection molded cone with Ribbed Elliptical surround Dimensions: Sat: 4.7 x 3.5 x 3.5in; Center: 3.5 x 5.9 x 3.5in; Subwoofer: 12.7 x 10.5 x 12.3in Weight: Sat: 1.6 lbs; Center:  1.9 lbs; Subwoofer: 16 lbs Maximum Performance TipsThe center channel speaker needs to be centrally located so that the dialogue appears to be coming from the center of the screen. It needs to be above or below the monitor, as closely to it as possible. If you’re using a rear projection television, the most likely option is to place it above the screen. If you have a front projection system, you have choices--stand mounting, or placement on furniture, for example. It is important, though, to place the speaker so that its front edge is even with the edge of the shelf or stand supporting it. Unwanted diffraction occurs when the center channel is too far back into a cabinet or other surface with edges that could impede sound dispersion.For left or right front channels, the distance between the speakers should be 6-8 feet at minimum for the best stereo imaging. The optimum room shape is rectangular, with the speakers along one of the shorter walls, facing the opposite side. If possible, do not place speakers against a wall or at rear of a bookshelf; corner placement is usually the worst option. Try to keep the speakers--especially rear vented models--at least two feet from the surface behind it, unless you use a vent plug. For best results mounting on a rear wall, position the speakers so they flank the main listening area and point toward the front of the room. They should be raised to a height of approximately six feet and should ideally have a space of six feet between them.The three most common subwoofer locations include corners (which can result in boomy or exaggerated low frequency response), placement along a wall, away from the corner (producing moderate bass performance with increased fidelity over corner placement), or beside a front speaker (creating a better blend with the front speaker, but sacrificing overall volume). Experimentation with subwoofer placement is highly encouraged; slight adjustments can create big differences in sound reproduction. To test subwoofer placement, install it temporarily in your main listening position and walk around the listening room while playing a familiar piece of music until you find the best sounding position.

Most helpful customer reviews 41 of 41 people found the following review helpful. Awesome sound quality By D. Boisvert The Energy RC-Micro 5.1 surround sound speakers pack awesome sound in small and rather stylish design. I am not an audiophile, but I used to have large Infinity speakers that sat on the floor, and these Energy speakers have sound quality far superior to them. The powered bass rocks the house and can deliver plenty enough bass to fill my 13 x 20 foot room and more. The surround speakers have a uniquely crisp sound so that your home feels as though it was part of the original video and music making experience. Although these speakers can belt out over 100 watts per channel without a problem, I wouldn't recommend these speakers for the person who wants to listen to their music at deafening levels. The bass can deliver but the unique qualities of the surround speakers are somewhat lost at maximum power . . . or my ears can't adequately process all of the noise. I find these speakers excellent for surround sound TV and movie watching, excellent for music at normal listening levels (where the neighbors in the next house are not complaining), and good for the times when you want to make neighbors listen to your music. 39 of 40 people found the following review helpful. GREAT LITTLE SPEAKERS By C. L. Gerow I got these here on Amazon for $599. Now to a lot of you that might not sound like a lot of money, but to me this was a major purchase. But after researching for a long time I finaly decided on the Energy RC-Micro speakers over the Orb speaker system. I will never know how I would have liked the Orbs but it would be nearly impossible to be any happier than I am with these speakers. The package arrived very quickly, 4 days after I order and that was with the standard free shipping. Two corners on the box were flattened in a couple of inches, but Eneregy did a nice job with the packaging and everything inside was in perfect shape. I matched these speakers up with my Onkyo TX-SR507 and Omnimount Surround Sound System Mounting Package for Micro Speakers (Both of which i also recommend, especially the Omnimount brackets that came with an adapter that fit these speakers perfectly). After installation I am like a little kid at Christmas and spent the whole weekend in front of the TV trying out everything I could think of to test these babies. I pop in my blu-ray of Transformers. Oh boy what a way to start off. I put the volume to about 60 percent of maximum and the room was rocking. Great clean crisp highs, bass that I could feel in my seat, and voices that were clear even as the world seemed to be falling apart all around the people. Everything I listened to that weekend sounded great. A couple of other highlights: Encore was showing the new Rambo movie. About a half hour into the movie it starts raining. I swear that it sounded so realistic that I muted my sound because I thought it was raining outside (It had been earlier). Another movie I was watching has 2 neighborhood dogs barking at each other. My dog has never paid any attention to anything on the TV before and when this started up he suddenly sat up and started following the dog barks from left to right depending on which dog was barking. He even barked back once. The only thing I can see that might not meet everyone's expectations is the bass. I am more than happy with the bass performance but it is not a window shattering bass that some people want. I don't see how, but they say that these are going to sound even better after they are broke in for 50 - 60 hours. I know there are better systems out there for a lot more money, but unless you need or want more bass, I do not believe anyone will be unhappy with these. 13 of 13 people found the following review helpful. Excellent sound and convenient size By alrampa After reading several positive reviews about these speakers in the internet I recently purchased them for my home teather system (my room is 12" X 14"

Compact subwoofer produces powerful, deep bass from 8-Inch heavy-duty down-firing woofer and precisely matched 350 watt digital amplifier

Amazon Sales Rank: #6561 in Speakers Color: Black Brand: Klipsch Model: SW-350 Released on: 2009-07-15 Number of items: 1 Dimensions: 15.50" h x 12.50" w x 17.00" l, 27.00 pounds 8-inch high-excursion driver produces amazing bass response with low distortion - outperforms some 10-inch subs! Built-in digital amplifier delivers 350 booming watts of dynamic power Sleek, modern design complements today?s HDTVs An ideal partner for our Quintet 5.0 home theater system Features line-level (RCA) inputs and speaker-level inputs, Auto-on/off, 0-180 Phase adjustment, variable low-pass filter and level adjustment.

From the Manufacturer Great Sound Begins With a Great Bottom End When it comes to adding deep, driving bass to your stereo or home theater system, our SW-350 subwoofer is ready to take on all the heavy lifting. After all, this intelligently designed powerhouse lets you hear—and feel—your music, movies and video games. A Heavy Hitter in a Small Package L/R line-level RCA jacks, L/R high level speaker binding posts

Most helpful customer reviews 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Bang, literally, for the buck By HT_amateur I purchased one of these from Amazon about 9 months ago, to replace an old Polk 150w sub. Even though this was a smaller size driver/cone, it significantly out-performed the Polk it replaced. I liked it so much, that I wanted a second one to have a less "directional" bass. In my house, I can't position the bass where it's location audibly isn't obvious. So I waited for another 'sale', and added a second one. This rounded out the room, and the positional nature of the bass source(s), is no longer apparent. It simply rounds-out the room. The directional nature of the bass, is not a subwoofer issue -- it's a placement issue.For the price vs. performance, for my 7.1 Home Theater environment, this was a wonderful addition.I will note, that both units sit on hardwood floors, and even with the rubber pads (that come with it) underneath the smallish feet, it will 'walk' a bit if you really crank it up -- especially for music, etc... Hasn't bothered me enough to figure out a better solution -- will probably see if adding some additional rubber pads (like the ones that go under sofas) will solve the 'walk'. I docked 1 star (4 out of 5) because of the walk and the design issue that leads to it.Again, I'm not an audiophile -- so those who want to spend 3-4 times as much, to get that "little bit more" out of a subwoofer, sonically speaking, then that's great. I'm a cost-conservative person, and this - on sale - really fit the bill, twice ;)Also, one of my requirements was downward firing -- I have cats, and anything with a face grill would not survive. This also works well for those with that 'unique' situation. 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Very happy! By S. Davis Deeper base than my old Bose 321 system. For an 8 inch speaker makes a deep base sound. I have heard better but from larger, more expensive subwoofers. 1 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Gift for music lover. By toya20 My husband wanted this. Great online reviews. He has used it and is very pleased with sound and performance. See all 6 customer reviews...

Definitive Technology's new ProCinema 600 System is their new entry-level 6-piece home theater system. Its surprisingly affordable price belies its remarkable sophistication. The ProCinema 600 System incorporates the same new technologies and advancements, including BDSS drivers, pure aluminum dome tweeters, planar medite passive radiators and a 250-watt SuperCube technology powered subwoofer. Sonically, the new ProCinema 600 System is a revelation in terms of achieving incredible sound at an affordable price. Their imaging is absolutely boxless, spacious and three-dimensional while delivering pinpoint specificity and localization when called for. They are velvety smooth with a you-are-there presence which is unique at any price and unheard of in this price range. The 600 system is dynamic but capable of great subtlety so it excels equally with music or movies.

Color: Black Brand: Definitive Technology Model: QDVA Dimensions: 15.00" h x 27.00" w x 23.00" l, 45.00 pounds Complete 5.1 speaker system System consists of four ProMonitor satellite speakers, one ProCenter center channel speaker, and one ProSub subwoofer BDSS driver design produces efficient, tightly-controlled sound All ProCinema series speakers are voice-matched for easy future expansion or upgrades The high quality finish is available in gloss black or gloss white

Enjoy a superior home theater audio performance without investing in expensive and space-consuming loudspeakers with the six-piece Definitive Technology ProCinema 600 system. It includes four ProMonitor 600 satellite speakers, a ProCenter 600 center channel speaker, and a 250-watt ProSub 600 subwoofer that's powered by Definitive's SuperCube technology. The ProCinema 600 is a compact, entry-level home theater system with a surprisingly affordable price that belies a remarkable sophistication. Mid/bass radiator on top of the satellite delivers stronger lower-midrange response for more natural sound Satellites can be shelf-mounted with their unique tri-lobed base ProCinema 600--An Affordable Miracle The ProCinema 600 System is Definitive's most affordable 6-piece home theater system, incorporating 4 identical easy to place satellite speakers for front and surround channels, a matching center channel loudspeaker, and a robust powered subwoofer. But don't let its small size and affordable price fool you--the ProCinema is a remarkably sophisticated system with huge sound. The system's components incorporate many of the same technologies as Definitive's top-of-the-line models including Balaned Double Surround System (BDSS) drivers, pure aluminum dome tweeters, planar pressure-coupled mid/bass radiators, and a 250-watt powered subwoofer for home theater sound quality that will astound your friends and family when they hear your system for the first time. The ProCinema 600 is available in black or white to match any home theater design. The Secret to A Big Sound Competing satellite speakers of this size usually have weak lower-midrange response; that part of the audio range that contains the "warmth" and "body" of voices and musical instruments. The ProCinema satellites avoid this critical problem in the key vocal range by pressure-coupling an exclusive BDSS technology driver to an equal-sized mid/bass radiator cleverly placed on the top of the satellite. This technique doubles the lower-midrange radiating area of the speaker without increasing the size of the enclosure. You'll enjoy the kind of rich, warm and life-like sound quality that you thought was only possible with big, hard to place speakers. The ProCenter 600 features two BDSS drivers, allowing it to play loud and clear Adjusting the ProSub 600 output is easy with side-mounted volume control Center Channel Muscle As much as 75% of a movie's soundtrack is played by the center channel loudspeaker, making it arguably the most important speaker in a home theater system. It's the key to getting intelligible dialogue and true-to-life sound effects, so extra attention was lavished on the ProCinema 600's center speaker. It features two of the same BDSS drivers as the satellites along with two mid/bass radiators on the sides of the enclosure, allowing it to play loud and clear with high tonal accuracy. Big Beefy Bass The Low Frequency Effects (LFE) of a movie's soundtrack bring excitement, realism and just plain fun to action, adventure, and sci-fi movies. Worry not, Definitive has bass down pat. The ProCinema 600's subwoofer features a 250-watt amplifier driving a high-excursion 8-inch woofer that is pressure-coupled to an 8-inch Low Bass radiator on the bottom of the enclosure. The net radiating area of the 600's subwoofer is 27% greater than a conventional 10-inch woofer but with better speed, pitch definition, and control. Easy to Place, Easy to Use Small enough to disappear in a room but beautiful when in plain view, the 600's satellites can be shelf-mounted with their unique tri-lobed base, wall-mounted using the built-in keyhole mount, or using the optional ProMount 80 pivot mount or stand with optional floor stands (sold separately). The center channel speaker has an adjustable foot for shelf mounting or can be wall-mounted using two optional ProMount 80 articulating brackets. The sub volume control is placed on the side of the subwoofer's enclosure to make adjusting the subwoofer's output as easy as possible. The Sound Sonically, the ProCinema 600 System is a revelation in terms of achieving incredible sound at an affordable price. The imaging is absolutely boxless, spacious, and three dimensional while delivering pinpoint specificity and localization when called for. They are velvety-smooth with you-are-there presence which is hard to find at any price and unheard of in this price range. The ProCinema 600 system is dynamic but capable of great subtlety, so it excels equally with music or movies. Technical Specifications ProMonitor 600 satellite speakers Dimensions: 4 by 7 by 4.25 inches (W x H x D) Frequency response: 65 Hz to 30 kHz Efficiency: 88 dB Driver complement: One 3.25-inch bass/midrange driver coupled to one 3.25-inch pressure-driven planar low-frequency radiator; One 1-inch pure aluminum dome tweeter Recommended amplification: 10 to 150 watts Magnetically shielded: Yes Finish: Gloss black ProCenter 600 center channel speaker Dimensions: 10.5 by 4 by 4.25 inches (W x H x D) Frequency response: 55 Hz to 30 kHz Efficiency: 89 dB Driver complement: Two 3.25-inch bass/midrange drivers coupled to two 3.25-inch pressure-driven planar low-frequency radiators; One 1-inch pure aluminum dome tweeter Recommended amplification: 10 to 175 watts Magnetically shielded: Yes Finish: Gloss black ProSub 600 subwoofer Dimensions: 10.38 by 13 by 13 inches (W x H x D) Frequency response: 22 Hz to 150 Hz Driver: One 8-inch woofer with polymer cone; one 8-inch infrasonic radiator Built-in amplifier: 250 watts RMS Speaker-level high-pass filter: 6 dB/octave (100 Hz) High-level low-pass filter: 24 dB/octave continuously variable (40 Hz to 150 Hz) Finish: Black

Most helpful customer reviews 24 of 24 people found the following review helpful. These are the speakers to buy! By J. Gomez Let me start by saying I research everything extensively before I buy it, especially home audio. I initially thought I wanted bose acoustimass, but all the reviews were mixed. My biggest criteria was small speakers. I previously had tower Sonys and bose surround, but was ready for a more hidden look. I whittled the research down to mirage nanosats or these. I was skeptical spending $600+ without hearing them and went to the local best buy where I could listen to both. They both sound great, but the definitive sounded a bit fuller and I couldn't get used to the nanosats. Setup is a bit odd, but well worth the sound. Plenty of tight bass, but not too boomy and the mids and highs are clear and lifelike. 19 of 19 people found the following review helpful. Buy these speakers!! By Concession Card Fantastic sound, you won't be upset with this purchase!! Great sound, very attractive, nice solid weight to the speakers, definitly not cheap flimsy crap!! Easy to set up although they recommend your front speakers plug into the Sub and not straight from your receiver. Nice seperation of sound, very impressed. Would buy these all over again!! Get the floor stands, very solid and worth the $99 a pair. All speakers come with Bannana type plugs that plug in or you can unscrew and feed wire in. I found a great deal on Amazon for gold plugs by Dayton and made my own cables with 14 guage wire, much cleaner install than straight wire. 14 of 16 people found the following review helpful. So far, so good! By L. Smallwoo I'm no audio/stereophile, but these speakers sound great in my small-medium sized room. The packaging was really well done (they fit everything in there nice and tight) and the speakers themselves are good-looking and discreet. The subwoofer has a lot of power and a very easy to reach volume control. These plugged right in to my Denon receiver and sounds great! I'd recommend. See all 12 customer reviews...

The Harman Kardon HKTS 18 is a beautiful black lacquer speaker system with a powerful 200 watt 10" subwoofer. It is a 5.1 speaker system which can be expanded to 7.1 with the optional HKS-9 satellite speakers. It has a 3/4" tweeter for excellent high frequency response. It is magnetically shielded so it can be put next to your TV. It comes with all the speaker cables and shelf stand and wall mount brackets for the satellites.

Amazon Sales Rank: #30523 in Speakers Brand: Harman Kardon Model: HKTS 18 Released on: 2006-12-29 Dimensions: 19.20" h x 19.20" w x 28.00" l, 58.00 pounds 200W amplifier power (RMS) 10" woofer, bass-reflex enclosure 8 ohm nominal impedence 3/4" dome, video-shielded tweeter Dual 3" drivers, video-shielded

From the Manufacturer Harman Kardon HKTS 18--Designed to Entertain For more than 50 years, Harman Kardon products have been engineered, through extraordinary industrial design, innovative technologies and meticulous engineering, to deliver the ultimate listening experience. From the world's very first high-fidelity receiver in 1954 to today's advanced high-definition A/V receivers, the Harman Kardon brand has led the way in the pursuit of the finest audio and video quality possible. In fact, the brand originally introduced many of the technologies associated with the world's best amplifiers. One example: high-current, ultrawide-bandwidth amplifier design, which is still used today to deliver an exciting high-definition listening experience. With the goal of delivering a complete package of performance, design, flexibility and ease of use, Harman Kardon products are perfect for enjoying everything that today's digital high-definition content has to offer. So treat yourself to the ultimate at-home listening experience – one that only a Harman Kardon system can provide.

Most helpful customer reviews 57 of 58 people found the following review helpful. Wonderful speakers! By Peter A. Oliphant I'll just confirm and add a little bit to what everyone else has said about these truly great speakers. They sound great, first and foremost. They feel very solid, like they are made entirely of metal (a good thing!). In fact, while many systems sport satellite speakers weighing around 2 pounds (USA), these weigh closer to 3 pounds. The image on the Amazon page for these speakers does not do them at all justice! The base speaker is very big, looks like a fine price of furniture, and could possible sub as a side-table (but don't do it...hehe)! I have mine connected to a Denon AVR-1908 receiver. I mention this because it took me a few days to figure the best setup for these speakers, and I want to mention some pointers. My receiver allows choosing between 'small' and 'large' when it comes to the front, back, and center speakers. For these speakers, set them all to 'small'. But, most importantly, be sure the sub-woofer is turned on on your receiver! I used the system for a couple of days before I realized the bass speaker was not on! That's because the front speakers were set to 'large', so they took up the task of filling in the missing bass (so it was hard to notice the bass wasn't on). I figured out how to turn the bass on in the receiver, and - WHOA! - the entire room shook! Which brings me to a special pointer - you can tell if the bass speaker is getting a signal by the COLOR of the light on top! If it is off, there is no power. If it is yellow, it is on, but no signal (or too low a signal to register if low volume). Blue means on and there is a signal! So, in conclusion, these speakers are awesome for the price! Speaking of which, the price of Amazon fluctuates for this item more than the stock market! I have seen it go up and down on the same day as much as fifty or even two hundred dollars! So monitor the price and strike when it is low (I got mine for LESS than four hundred dollars!). 56 of 60 people found the following review helpful. Fabulous Sound and Looks By Craig B. Little The HKTS 18 speaker system has been producing magnificent sound in my living room since I installed it about a month ago. It is the most important element among the components I selected after much research to go with the Pioneer PDP-4272HD TV I bought last year. Here's what I've learned from the shopping experience, the set-up and the audio results. 1. Don't skimp on speakers!! Originally I looked at Home Theater in a Box systems, did my homework, and fortunately decided on the HKTS-18s. In a 15'X15' room they sound simply magnificent. These speakers would easily fill a room 20'X20', and perhaps much larger, with distortion-free, crystal-clear sound. The subwoofer will shake any room you put it in when those movie jet aircraft on your DVD fly over. In addition, the surround speakers are artfully shaped, beautifully constructed and perfectly sized. The black finish perfectly matches the TV. The center speaker sits unobtrusively in front of the TV on the television stand. The color-coded speaker wire makes set-up easy and the speaker brackets make wall mounting a breeze where you don't choose to use the supplied leather pads under the speakers on a table or a shelf. To repeat, you can make a BIG difference in the sound of your system by purchasing the BEST speakers you can possibly afford. If you buy cheap or inadequate speakers there is nothing your receiver or DVD player can do to improve the sound. You can't do better for the money than the Harman Kardon HKTS-18s. 2. For your receiver and DVD player (or changer), look for features and price (in light of what your budget will allow after selecting the best speakers you can afford). I selected the SONY STR-DG910 and the Onkyo DV-CP704. Both are performing flawlessly. In my experience, the Amazon reviews of both provided very accurate, helpful information that has been born

AV Surround Receiver

Amazon Sales Rank: #779 in Receiver or Amplifier Brand: Marantz Model: SR8002 Dimensions: 7.24" h x 17.32" w x 15.59" l, 33.10 pounds 125 watts x 7 into 8 ohms (20-20,000 Hz) at 0.08% THD THX Surround EX, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, Dolby Digital EX Audyssey Laboratories' MultEQ six-point auto setup and room calibration system (microphone included) built-in HD Radio tuner with multi-casting reception XM Satellite Radio Ready with decoding for XM's HD Surround channels (requires XM subscription and optional XM Mini-Tuner package)

From the Manufacturer The Marantz SR8002 Surround Receiver – For the Audiophile and Videophile in All of Us Do you call the SR8002 an "audiophile's receiver" or a "videophile's receiver"? May we suggest that the answer is simply "Yes"? Here, you'll find the power, flexibility, and advanced performance you expect from Marantz. And a few surprises, too! All in a new chassis size that's more convenient than ever. 125 watts x 7 channels all discrete amplifier stage(View larger)

Most helpful customer reviews 83 of 86 people found the following review helpful. 7-star sound, detracted by strange receiver limitations By Paul Christensen After 9 years, it was time to upgrade my former top-of-the-line Sony ES receiver (STR-DA 777ES) to take advantage of improved audio and high-definition video switching. After reading all the professional reviews, I settled on the Marantz SR8002. Three weeks after an extensive configuration and testing, I must say that I am pleased overall with my choice. However, several surprising configuration limitations keep me from giving it a full-on 5-star review. Let me preface my review by stating that my home theater / audio configuration is on the higher-end of the scale: 3 KEF Reference speakers for the front 3 channels, Boston Acoustics rear surrounds and subwoofer, Sony ES SACD player (and yes, I have an SACD collection!), Bang & Olfusen turntable, Sony reference DVD player, AppleTV, Roku music server, JVC SVHS VCR, Mitsubishi HDTV monitor. My first priority was in upgrading the audio quality, and I must say that in this respect, the Marantz SR8002 far exceeded my expectations. As a 7.1 channel amplifier, there are 7 x 125watt channels available, native decoding of the latest lossless HD digital audio on BluRay (DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD), Audyssey microphone and room equilazation, and THX Select 2 certification. For the ultimate audio experience, the Marantz SR8002 offers two "Pure Direct" modes - the first one bypasses the equalization and surround circuits, the second mode completely disables all video and display logic for even shorter audio output path. The SR8002 also provides a toroidal power transformer for extra headroom when needed, and in my setup the audio performance is dramatic. I chose not to expand my current 5.1 speaker configuration to 7.1 channel. In this setup, the SR8002 gives you the option of taking the two unused channels and configuring them for a second amplified room/zone, or bi-amplification of your front speakers. I chose the latter, as my KEF Reference speakers support bi-amplified wiring, providing 250 watts per channel into Left and Right channels. Let me tell you - the pure stereo performance in this configuration will blow your socks off! Friends could not believe the sound in our fairly large family room was from 2-speakers only. And, the multi-channel modes (especially NEO6: Music) are quite outstanding even with a 2-channel source. Quite simply, the audio performance of the SR8002 is "7-star" on a 5-star scale. My second priority was in upgrading to a receiver capable of decoding the high-resolution audio of BluRay, while providing high definition video switching (via HDMI and component). In this respect the receiver delivers, but with some surprising limitations. On paper, the Marantz SR8002 offers more connectors and options than you would ever need. You have 4 HDMI 1.3 connections + 2 HDMI 1.3 outputs (good!), 4 component HD connections + 2 component HD outputs (good!), 4 TOSlink digital audio (including front), 3 coax digital audio, and a plethora of S-video, composite video, and analog audio inputs. But in reality, there are serious limitations... First of all, it is inexcusable for a receiver of this cost to be missing a phonograph input. Yes, for $50 you can buy a phono preamp that gives you good performance and doesn't have the A/C hum of your $25 Radio Shack unit. But, come on. Secondly, and more discouraging, despite the plethora of connections you only have 8 discrete settings that can be assigned. (The AM/FM tuner is another, nonassignable input, as is the optional XM radio input). This means that even if you could connect to all of the analog + digital inputs available you can only use 8 of them! This is quite a surprising and serious limitation. Even my Sony ES from 1999 had 12 discrete inputs! The on-screen receiver setup lets you assign specific HDMI, component, and digital audio for your 8 choices. Each input can also be

The new AVR-1911 is packed with technology and features making it the clear choice for value oriented consumers looking for exceptional performance. Each of its 7-amplifier channels produce 90-watts of power, delivering detail and dynamics to music and movie soundtracks. They can be configured for 7.1 channel surround sound, or drive a 5.1 channel system in the main room and power a pair of speakers in a second “zone”. It’s equipped with 1080p and 3D (all formats) compatible HDMI 1.4a Repeating technology, delivering both audio and video to your HDTV with single HDMI cable. This HDMI connectivity supports the latest generation surround sound formats available on Blu-ray disc, including Dolby TrueHD and DD+, dts-HD and dts-HR. Also included is Dolby Laboratories new Pro Logic IIz Matrix decoding featuring front height effects channels that expands front soundstage. The AVR-1911 boasts a number of Audyssey technologies. Advanced Audyssey MultEQ analyzes a speaker systems interaction with the listening room at up to six measurement points (microphone included), and then automatically corrects the response to optimize clarity and tonal balance. Audyssey Dynamic Volume is an automatic volume-leveling system that tracks audio dynamics to eliminate the irritating volume swings between TV shows and commercials. Audyssey Dynamic EQ is also on board to ensure rich bass and smooth tonal balance at low volume listening levels.

Amazon Sales Rank: #14424 in Speakers Color: Black Brand: Denon Model: AVR-1911 Dimensions: 6.70" h x 17.10" w x 15.00" l, 23.60 pounds The AVR-1911's 90 watt x 7 channel amplifier section can be configured for 7.1 systems or a 5.1 system with powered second zone Decodes Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital Surround EX, Dolby Pro Logic IIz, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD High Resolution, DTS ES 6.1 Discrete, DTS ES 6.1 Matrix, DTS Neo:6 HDMI 1.4a Repeater Inputs (4) and Output (1) support 1080p/24, 3D (All formats), 7.1 Uncompressed Audio, DVD-Audio, Deep Color, Auto-Lip Sync, CEC, and Audio Return Channel Anchor Bay VRS advanced analog and digital video upconversion and deinterlacing with 1080p 24Hz/60Hz pass-through Audyssey MultEQ automatic room acoustic measuring and correction system, Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ audio processing

The new AVR-1911 is packed with technology and features making it the clear choice for value oriented consumers looking for exceptional performance. Each of its 7-amplifier channels produce 90-watts of power, delivering detail and dynamics to music and movie soundtracks. They can be configured for 7.1 channel surround sound, or drive a 5.1 channel system in the main room and power a pair of speakers in a second “zone”. It’s equipped with 1080p and 3D (all formats) compatible HDMI 1.4a Repeating technology, delivering both audio and video to your HDTV with single HDMI cable. This HDMI connectivity supports the latest generation surround sound formats available on Blu-ray disc, including Dolby TrueHD and DD+, dts-HD and dts-HR. Also included is Dolby Laboratories new Pro Logic IIz Matrix decoding featuring front height effects channels that expands front soundstage. The AVR-1911 boasts a number of Audyssey technologies. Advanced Audyssey MultEQ analyzes a speaker systems interaction with the listening room at up to six measurement points (microphone included), and then automatically corrects the response to optimize clarity and tonal balance. Audyssey Dynamic Volume is an automatic volume-leveling system that tracks audio dynamics to eliminate the irritating volume swings between TV shows and commercials. Audyssey Dynamic EQ is also on board to ensure rich bass and smooth tonal balance at low volume listening levels. An ideal centerpiece for any home theater, the Denon AVR-1911 7.1-Channel A/V Receiver delivers exceptional high-definition video and surround sound. This versatile receiver is equipped with a full range of inputs, allowing you to route Blu-Ray/DVD players, VCRs, game consoles, and other entertainment devices to your TV. The AVR-1911 supports the latest high-resolution audio formats, providing rich and expansive surround sound. It also supports HDMI 1.4a, which allows you to get the most out of 3D media. With a variety of peripheral features such as HD Radio and iPod/iPhone Direct Connectivity, the AVR-1911 will satisfy even the most demanding home theater enthusiasts. Denon AVR-1911 7.1-Channel A/V ReceiverAt a Glance: Support for latest high-definition audio and video formats Cutting-edge audio technologies for exceptional surround sound 4 HDMI inputs for added connectivity HDMI 1.4a for compatibility with 3D media HD radio and iPod/iPhone Direct Connectivity Premium Audio Technologies for Superb Surround Sound Fully compatible with the latest HD audio formats, the Denon AVR-1911 7.1-Channel A/V Receiver provides a powerful, theater-quality surround-sound experience. It ensures maximum audio performance with multiple cutting-edge technologies: Equal power amplifier design gives a more faithful reproduction of the original sound. View larger. A full range of inputs support all the latest formats, including HDMI 1.4a for 3D media. View larger. Equal Power Amp Design: Each of the AVR-1911's seven 90-watt channels is powered by its own, discrete circuit. This allows the receiver to reproduce the original sound more faithfully than conventional models, which use integrated circuits. High-Definition Audio Support: The AVR-1911 features support for the latest Blu-Ray high-resolution audio formats, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. These formats play back sound with exceptional fidelity, providing you with a more realistic listening experience. Dolby Pro Logic IIz: Providing two additional height channels, this feature adds a vertical dimension to the soundstage, and a more immersive surround-sound experience. Audyssey MultEQ Support: Audyssey technology helps create an optimal acoustic profile for your home theater. Using a microphone, Audyssey MultEQ measures sound levels and adjusts speaker configuration accordingly, making setup fast and easy. Full HD Support and Up-Scaling to 1080p With four HDMI inputs, the AVR-1911 allows you to route multiple high-definition devices--like game consoles and Blu-Ray players--to your TV. The receiver also upscales standard-definition video inputs to a 1080p HD signal. You'll be able to enjoy older media, such as VCR and DVD, in richer detail. It also allows you to connect all of your devices to your TV with a single HDMI cable, reducing cable clutter. Vivid 3D Visuals with HDMI 1.4a The AVR-1911 comes equipped with HDMI 1.4a, allowing you to make the most of several premium video features: 3D Pass-Through: With the advent of 3D media, it is important to own a receiver that recognizes 3D video signals. The AVR-1911 is able to pass through 3D signals from your Blu-Ray player, ensuring that the 3D effect doesn't get lost in translation. It also recognizes signals from 3D television broadcasts. Audio Return Channel: HDMI 1.4a also features an Audio Return Channel, which allows both audio and video content to be sent through a single HDMI cable. This eliminates the need for a separate audio cable running from your TV to the receiver--only a single HDMI cable is needed. Deep Color and x.v.Color Support: The AVR-1911 also supports Deep Color and x.v.Color schemes, which can display a larger color range than standard-definition schemes. The result is a more lifelike, vibrant picture. HD Radio and iPod Connectivity Equipped with an HD Radio, the AVR-1911 actively converts analog radio signals to digital, greatly improving the clarity of both AM and FM broadcasts. The receiver also features iPod and iPhone Direct Connectivity, allowing you to stream your music via a USB cable. A compressed audio restorer guarantees that MP3 playback is crisp and clear. Ergonomic Design Promotes Easy Control With its programmable functions and intuitive button layout, the AVR-1911 is designed to maximize ease of use. The front panel is smartly organized, featuring clearly-labeled buttons and onboard controls for volume and source. In addition, its on-screen display provides quick information about your system's settings. The AVR-1911's remote can sync with other entertainment devices in your home theater, eliminating the need for multiple remote controls. It can also be easily programmed with macro functions, giving you more flexibility in controlling your home theater. The Denon AVR-1911 7.1 Channel A/V Home Theater Multi-Source / Multi-Zone Receiver is backed by a two-year warranty. What's in the Box AVR-1911 7.1-Channel A/V Receiver, remote control, "AA" batteries, setup microphone, AM loop antenna, FM indoor antenna, and owner's manual. Play music directly from your iPod and iPhone by connecting it to the USB port.

Most helpful customer reviews 190 of 193 people found the following review helpful. Great Receiver By Sphinx Note - This review is for the nearly identical Denon AVR-791 There are three $500 receivers to consider, if you're buying one in 2010 - Onkyo TX-SR608, Pioneer VSX-1020-K and this one. All three feature the latest HDMI 1.4, which is necessary for 3D signals. Here's how they compare: -The Onkyo is the most powerful in terms of real world performance, followed by the Denon and finally the Pioneer. All three perform at par for normal listening volumes, but the Onkyo can handle very high volumes the best, while the Pioneer runs out of breath -The Denon has Audyssey Multi-Eq, which automatically calibrates the receiver for use in your room (a mic is provided). The Onkyo has a similar but less versatile Audyssey 2EQ. Pioneer has its own system called MCACC which also works well, but Audyssey may be slightly better. -All three can upconvert analog sources via HDMI - hence you'll only need one HDMI cable to connect to the TV. The 1.4 spec supports an audio return channel, so the TV's sound can be output to the receiver without extra cables. The Pioneer and Denon use the excellent Anchor Bay chipset, while the Onkyo uses the slightly inferior Faroudja DCDi chipset for video processing. -The Pioneer and the Denon have a front USB input where you can connect your iPod (or iPhone) directly. You can browse playlists etc using the receiver's remote via the onscreen display. Since this is a digital connection, the sound quality is excellent - while the iPod can be connected to the Onkyo via an analog cable, it does not sound as good and cannot be navigated using the remote. -The Denon offers an equal variety of inputs as the other two, but has fewer of them - eg, one optical input vs 2 for Pioneer and Onkyo - The Pioneer's iPhone app is just a gimmick and of limited utility - I would prefer using the main remote. Overall, I decided to purchase the Denon since it has Audyssey MultiEQ and adequate power (unlike the Pioneer) as well as excellent video processing and iPod connectivity (unlike the Onkyo). I have been using it for about a week and am very pleased with the level of performance offered. Update on December 3, 2010: The receiver continues to perform well and I have no new complaints. However, I have noticed that both Pioneer VSX-1120-K and Onkyo TX-NR708 are available for ~$500, while discounts on this and other Denon receivers are marginal (here on Amazon). Hence, both those higher spec'd receivers now represent better value than the AVR-791/1911, if you're looking to spend ~$500 on a receiver. Also, the Onkyo TX-SR608 and Pioneer VSX-1020-K are now available for ~$350 and hence have become more compelling alternatives to this receiver. 50 of 50 people found the following review helpful. Truly great sound and features. By Ed J. Hayes I'll elaborate on this review as time goes on and I use the AVR more. I wanted to at least put a simple review down though, to offset the overall average rating for this receiver because of one person unfairly giving this one star. NOTE: This receiver is EXACTLY like the 791 except the 1911 adds HD radio and pre-outs for Zone-2. Everything else is the same. This receiver is an upgrade from a Sony HTIB system. In all regards it is better. Setup and all the configuration can be tougher than HTIBs. Please Google 'batpig' and 'denon' for setup info. He put together a terrific website on setting up Denon AVRs while explaining all the features and settings in normal terms. I use this with a Panasonic Blu-Ray, Sony CD and my iPod classic (5th gen). All work great. There was very little setup other than the initial speaker auto calibration needed. The only setup I did besides the auto calibration (Audyssey setup) was to delete unused inputs and change the Dynamic EQ offset on some music inputs (read about this on Batpig's website). The speaker calibration (Audyssey) and Dynamic EQ make my somewhat

Yamaha RX-V1065BL 7.2-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver

Amazon Sales Rank: #355 in Receiver or Amplifier Color: Black Brand: Yamaha Model: RX-V1065BL Released on: 2009-07-06 Number of items: 1 Dimensions: 6.75" h x 17.13" w x 14.38" l, 24.50 pounds Graphical User Interface with Album Art HD Audio decoding Analog video upscaling to HDMI 1080p HD Radio Receiver, XM and SIRIUS ready Zone 2 connection

From the Manufacturer Superior Performance Makes This A Top Choice HD Audio Format Decoding High quality components maximize sound quality View back panel

Most helpful customer reviews 34 of 35 people found the following review helpful. 1065 & 765 Feedback By T. Swanson I needed to replace a couple of old receivers so I found a great deal on the RX-V1065 and RX-V765 on Amazon. I ended up getting both of them for aboout what 2 V665's would have cost me a a Big Box store. I first setup my Main Theate Room with the 1065, I thought it was somewhat difficult to get everything the way I wanted it but the automatic speaker setup was slick and the sound is fantastic compared to my old Sony I had previously. The Menu system takes some getting use to but once you do it's not bad to navigate. All in all I was pretty darn happy with my purchase, My JBL's sounded much better then before and although I didn't really notice any difference in video quality, it was as good as before and now I had everything coming thru the same box. Surround sound was a huge step up from my old receiver also, you are almost looking behind you now because you'd swear someone is behind you, where on my old Sony it was more or less a quieter front speaker. I then went to hook up my 765 in my cave TV room, first thing that I noticed was that is basically identical to the 1065, sure the menu system is not as polished but as far as the functionality that I need it is the same. I have a few year old Bose surround sound in this room with a JBL center chanel speaker and what a HUGE difference this receiver made over my old Onkyo, the Onkyo was really good for music but surround sound was sub par, but it was 10 years old I guess. Granted I'm only hooking up a Xbox 360, blue ray and TV in this room but watching Vikes beat up the the Packers in surround sound with this receiver was great, I haven't figured out which sound field I like best but there are a couple perfect for sports. One of the coolest things was when I grabbed the TV remote from my Samsung LCD by mistake to turn the volume down and it says RX-V765 un the upper corner and starts to tun down the volume of the receiver from the TV, displaying the volume the whole time it's changing. I guess that Anynet capability on the Samsung TV's with a HDMI reciever gives you a few more bells and whistles. Also really cool is when I turn on the Xbox or turn off the TV the receiver will come on or off accordingly. I haven't setup the remote for additionaly devices yet, but it seems to be easy to use and is exactly the same for the 765 and 1065, I actually expected the remote to be better for the 1065 so i was a little disapointed when I saw it, but in using it it seems OK/ One thing I do not like is the Zone 2 ability on the 1065, I almost wish is was more or less a A/B speaker selector, I have a normal 5 speaker surround setup, in addition to that I have 2 speakers in the kitchen, right behind the TV room which are connect to Zone 2 that when I'm listening to music we like to have on so that you have more sound. The problem is that Zone 2 running the same input as the Main Room is off by a few fractions of a second and if you stand right between the 2 rooms, it sounds like the song is a half a second behind in the kitchen, I tried the lipsync thing, which only made it worse, I haven't given up on it yet, but it's not obvious how to fix this. Bottom Line - Both the 1065 and the 765 have more inputs than I know what to do with. Neither have HDMI on the front, I didn't want it anyway, as I think it looks stupid to set all your equipment up and then have a big cable hanging off the front of your system anyway. That's why the put the jacks on the back, right??? May not have quite as many sound fields as some others out there, but I pick the 2 or 3 I like for movies, sports and music anyway and don't care about the rest. The YPAO is cool and works great to setup the speakers. The onscreen Menu is better on the 1065 but adequate on the 765. HI-DEF Radio sounds amazing on both. Don't think I will ever use the remotes as universal remotes, but they are adequate for running the

A/V Multi Source/Zone Receiver

Amazon Sales Rank: #860 in Receiver or Amplifier Color: Black Brand: Denon Model: AVR988 Dimensions: 12.05" h x 20.71" w x 20.04" l, 29.10 pounds 7.1-channel 2-zone/2-source A/V home theater receiver with 110 watts per channel power output Supports Dolby Pro Logic IIx, DTS Neo:6 Surround, DTS-ES Extended Surround, DTS-HD, and Dolby True HD multichannel formats Audyssey MultEQ calibration process makes setup easy; Faroudja DCDi video processing 2 HDMI v1.3a digital video inputs and 1 HDMI monitor output; compatible with iPods and XM satellite radio receivers Measures 17.1 x 6.75 x 16.55 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 29 pounds; 2-year warranty

From the Manufacturer Denon AVR-988: Dolby Sound, 1080p Scaling, Multi-Zone and MoreDenon has long been one of the elite names in home theater receivers, offering a combination of advanced technologies and user-friendly features that transform even the most mundane living rooms into rich, powerful audio environments. Now Denon has rebuilt its receiver technology from the ground up to produce the AVR-988 7.1-channel home theater receiver, which has been outfitted with the latest audio and video advancements to deliver enhanced multiroom operation and performance. The AVR-988 incorporates such features as HDMI v1.3 inputs and outputs, which allow the receiver to play back many of today's leading audio/video formats, including Dolby Digital TrueHD and DTS Master Audio; A Faroudja FLi2310 video processor that provides video scaling up to 1080p resolution; Denon's Audyssey MultEQ calibration process, which makes setup easier than ever; and an RS-232C system control port and serial IR ports, which make it easy to integrate third-party controllers into complex home audio installations. Under the Hood: Component Technology With a power output of 110 watts per channel, the AVR-988 multizone 7.1 receiver can handle a variety of audio applications. The AVR-988 offers a power output of 110 watts per channel, but adds a number of engineering advancements to get the most out of the technology. One of the most significant--7-Channel Equal Power--lets you connect seven speakers independently without connecting individual power amps via pre-outs. That's because the AVR-988 comes with a built-in internal amplifier for each speaker in your collection. This makes it possible to do things like connect a second surround back speaker directly off the main amplifier to play 7.1 surround formats. The receiver's Dynamic Discrete Surround Circuit (DDSC), meanwhile, optimizes all elements of the surround processor through the use of discrete high-performance components, including separate analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, with sophisticated DSP surround decoding. The receiver also offers AL24 processing, which was designed to faithfully duplicate some of the delicate nuances of analog music in digital form--a technology that's particularly effective among next-generation media with ultra-high bit and sampling rates. The results sound particularly good when music quietly fades away or starts again following silence, helping the listener detect some of the low-level details. The receiver further ups the ante with AL24 Processing Plus, which adds support for the 192 kHz sampling frequency of DVD-Audio. In addition, the receiver is equipped to handle the latest in HD video support, with such features as Deep Color up to 36 bit, 1080p video pass-through, analog video-to-HDMI scaling up to 1080p, and 12-bit video encoding and decoding. The receiver also offers a couple of video essentials: progressive scan technology, which processes approximately twice as much video data to produce a sharper, noise-free image with finer details; and Faroudja DCDi video processing, which employs advanced algorithms to remove the jagged edges that appear when standard interlaced video is viewed on progressive scan displays. Diverse Sound Modes As with the best surround receivers, the AVR-988 is capable of reproducing a host of 5.1-, 6.1-, and 7.1-channel audio formats, with several processing technologies layered over the top. In addition to providing standard Dolby Digital, DTS, and Pro Logic II formats, the receiver also supports Pro Logic IIx, which allows 5.1-channel sources to be played in up to 7.1 channels; the expanded multichannel capabilities of DTS 96/24, Neo:6 Surround, and DTS-ES Extended Surround, all of which improve the digital surround impression for 5.1 or 6.1 channels; and DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby True HD, which boost the maximum sampling frequency (up to 96 kHz) and faithfully reproduce the sound of the studio master on up to 7.1 channels. To assist with film soundtracks, the receiver offers a Cinema Equalizer that corrects for the placement of your speakers vs. the way they're placed in the movie theater. Theaters that locate their front speakers behind the movie screen tend to emphasize the high frequencies, which can sound too strong in a home with a conventional surround setup. Denon amplifiers adjust the high-frequency range so that the sound is cleaner and easier to listen to than uncorrected audio. Listeners can also improve the image detail of their audio sources using Neural Surround technology. This audio breakthrough--which is 100-percent compatible with stereo--offers superior spectral resolution and channel separation, thereby drawing the brain's attention to the sonic details in musical instruments, vocals, and ambience that are typically masked by other playback systems. This allows the listener to fully experience the richness and subtleties in recorded performance as never before. Neural Surround is the chosen format for XM satellite radio's XM HD surround programming. Finally, the receiver offers a seven-channel stereo mode that enables top-quality two-channel stereo output through your surround speakers. Convenience Features The AVR-988 offers 2 HDMI inputs, 1 HDMI output, and a host of other connectivity options. Modern A/V receivers are increasingly designed for multi-room listening, and the AVR-988 is no exception. The two-zone, two-source system lets you select different audio sources for listening in different locations, letting you simultaneously listen to the DVD player in the main room and the iPod in the bedroom, for example. The receiver also offers compressed audio restoration, an audio technology that restores the fidelity of compressed MP3, WMA, and AAC formats to reproduce a higher frequency range and deeper bass performance. And to make iPod playback easier, you can connect the receiver to Denon's separately sold ASD-1R iPod docking station, which lets you control your iPod through the receiver's display. Other user-friendly features include XM satellite radio compatibility (requires a subscription and an optional plug-and-play XM antenna), a night mode for neighbor-friendly listening, an auto surround mode, and a volume limiter that lets you set maximum volume levels. Connectivity and Setup The AVR-988 offers a host of inputs and outputs for connecting to diverse audio and video sources. The most significant is HDMI v1.3a, the digital interface standard for next-generation TV. With the receiver's two HDMI inputs and one HDMI monitor output, you can easily connect to such devices as HDTVs, DVD players, video game consoles, and cable and satellite boxes, each through a single cable that handles both high-definition video and multichannel audio signals. HDMI is also compatible with High-bandwidth Digital Contents Protection (HDCP), a technology for protecting copyrights that encrypts digital video signals. If your components don't offer HDMI outputs, you still have plenty of options, however, as the receiver also offers three component inputs, seven S-video and seven composite inputs, seven total digital audio inputs (four optical and three coaxial), and 10 analog audio inputs. The receiver also lets you input multichannel audio signals, whether in high-definition MUSE 3-1, SACD, or DVD-Audio formats, via the eight-channel input. Made using eight standard RCA cables--one each for front left, front right, center, surround left, surround right, surround back left, surround back right, and subwoofer--the eight-channel input receives discrete analog audio signals via a digital source such as a DVD player, creating an immersive multichannel audio performance. Setting up the AVR-988 is easier than ever thanks to Denon's Audyssey technologies. Audyssey Equalized was the first technology to properly measure sound information throughout a listening area, and then combine the information to accurately represent the acoustic problems in the room. Based on these measurements, Audyssey calculates an equalization solution that corrects for both time and frequency response problems. Denon also employs Audyssey MultEQ XT technology, which automatically determines how many loudspeakers are connected, whether they are connected in phase, and whether they are satellites or subwoofers. After processing, it then analyzes all the physical details--speaker level, size, and distance--and determines the correct frequency response for up to eight listener positions simultaneously. It's a must for people who want to get the most out of their surround systems. AVR-988 Accessories The AVR-988 is compatible with the following Denon accessories. The Denon ASD-3N iPod/network connectivity dock The Denon ASD-3W iPod/network connectivity dock with WiFi The Denon AK-HM100 HDMI cable The Denon RC-7000CI two-way remote control

Most helpful customer reviews 68 of 70 people found the following review helpful. High performance for a great price! Denon AVR 988 By Rob Williams This was a strong performing receiver at $1200. Now it is an amazing value. Why? Pros 1) Clean high current power- in the end, the most important thing. Strip away all the bells and whistles and "features" and listen to it. Many receivers brag about 100 watts of power and yet sound thin. Denon is known for amplifier quality. This Denon receiver was designed for the $1200 instead of the $500 price point and has the parts quality that reflects it (good power supply, shielding, and separate circuit boards for Digital, Analog Video and Analog Audio) The receiver has 110 watts for 7 channels and will drive your speakers for better bass and clarity. 2) 1080P Upconversion- there is two types of upconversion. In other words, what are you doing to a VCR or other analog video signal to make it HDMI? Some receivers "Transcode", which means they convert from regular composite video, S-Video, or Component video to HDMI. This is done for convenience. You get all of your sources on one HDMI cable going into the TV, but don't expect any improvement in video quality. The other way of conversion is called upconversion or "scaling." Now you are taking a 480i signal and converting it to 1080i or 1080P. The quality of that process varies widely. Some upconverters make the image look horrible. Some only upconvert to 1080i. Denon uses a Faroudja FLi2310 video processor that provides video scaling up to 1080p resolution. On other words, it makes your old stuff look good. Not as good as true HD source material, but it is a significant improvement. 3) Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio- decodes them both. 4) Multi-Zone/Multi-Source: Use 5 of the channels for home theater and the 2 other channels to power a second zone (like speakers for an outdoor deck) with a different source. So you can watch movies in the family room and still have a CD playing outside. The second zone can be fed from the coax digital or optical digital input (rather than only analog), something that many other multi-source receivers can't do. 5) Auto Setup: Many people buy a receiver and never bother to set it up to compensate for their room and speakers. I prefer to set up a receiver manually for inputs, speaker size and distance and it can make a huge difference in sound quality. Denon makes setup easy. Once you plug in the microphone, the receiver automatically detects and enters in auto-setup mode. The Audyssey Multi EQ XT can be setup for 8 favorite listening setups...you can calibrate it for a couple watching movies vs a group watching a football game. There is a large difference among auto EQs, and Audyssey does a good job. 6) Auto Lipsync- Have you noticed the image not match up with the sound? Rather than put up with that movie experience, the Denon receiver will allow you to correct for the delays between the video and audio processing. 7) Shh...don't tell anyone, but this receiver is very, very close in performance to Denon's AVR 2808. Just less expensive! 8) Yes, it even still has a phono input. 9) Music restorer- Playing an iPod? Use this to make compressed audio sources sound less worse. Drawback Although it will convert other inputs to HDMI, it only has two HDMI inputs. For those who want more HDMI inputs, add a HDMI switcher box. One of the best reviewed ones is the Oppo. It works with Tivo, Comcast cable boxes, and with Denon receivers. OPPO HM-31 Certified HDMI 1.3 and 1080p Switch 35 of 39 people found the following review helpful. Verry affordable, great receiver for the money! By Tech Junkie Excellent music and video capabilities including the latest HD formats, and 1080p conversion is real (works well). Denon is known for faithful reproduction of music and usually the cornerstone of low end /budget audiophile systems. I tried these with Martin Logan Aeon i Speakers and they sound fine (considering Martin Logans

The 600 ohm version of the DT 880 Premium line. Excellant choice for high output usage and headphone amplifiers. Handcrafted in Germany, the legendary DT 880. The complete sound spectrum is reproduced in detail from the deepest sub bass to the highest highs. This semi-open, dynamic headphone is also manufactured in Germany. This top headphone combines the strengths of open and closed headphones.

Color: blacksilver Brand: beyerdynamic Model: DT880 Premium 600 Dimensions: 8.50" h x 4.00" w x 7.00" l, 1.60 pounds Legendary DT 880 Premium, 600 ohm version; Stereo Headphone for high power requirements, headphone amps Innovative "Bass reflex" system for excellent audio performance Semi-open headphone, Single-sided cable with gold vaporized stereo mini jack & 1/4" adapter Made in Germany, 11 oz. without cable, includes carry case Frequency response 5 - 35,000 Hz

Velour earpads make long periods of extended listening easy on the ears. View larger 600 Ohm Version - Designed for High-End Audio Applications This is the 600 ohm version of the DT 880 PRO line, designed explicitly for high-output usage and headphone amplifiers. Conventional headphones with lower impedance ratings offer higher volumes at the same level of input, but need heavier drivers to compensate for low impedance or risk sounding muddy and distorted. The lower mass of the drivers of a higher-impedance headphone delivers unparalleled clarity and response, but takes more power to achieve the same loudness. So a higher-impedance headphone such as the 600-ohm DT 880 is ideal for use in high-end applications, where clarity and dynamic response are paramount, as well as for use with convenient headphone amplifiers like the beyerdynamic A1 The semi-open, over-the-ear design offers sound isolation like a closed headphone A gold plated 3.5 mm stereo jack with 1/4" inch adapter is included. Semi-Open Back Design with Adjustable Headband and Velour Earpads The DT 880's semi-open, over-the-ear design offers slightly increased sound isolation and reduced noise leakage, while retaining the high fidelity normally associated with open-back headphones. The adjustable headband lets you easily create the perfect fit for extended periods of listening comfort. Anywhere you need high-resolution audio performance, the DT 880 delivers with immersive, isolated sound and wearable comfort. Dynamic Transducer for Increased Fidelity and Performance Without exception, beyerdynamic manufactures the dynamic transducer systems that go into their headphones in-house. From the magnet and diaphragm to the careful wiring and circuitry, beyerdynamic controls quality at all levels of manufacturing, ensuring superior engineering in their headphones down to the smallest detail. An extremely strong neodymium magnet system offers the DT 880 highly detailed sound reproduction quality, and is mechanically very robust. This increased efficiency also leaves the DT 880 with greater power reserves for precise linear response that is especially suited for high-performance audio applications where precise audio reproduction is the most important consideration, and dedicated equipment is available such as a headphone amplifier. The large 600-ohm voice coil provides unrivaled response clarity and maximum impulse fidelity. DT 990 DT 880 DT 770 DT 860 DT 660 DT 440 32 250 600 32 250 600 32 250 600 Application MP3 and PC Home Hi-Fi High End MP3 and PC Home Hi-Fi High End MP3 and PC Home Hi-Fi High End 32 Ohm for MP3 and PC Sound Characteristics Strong Bass & Treble Neutral & Linear Strong Bass & Treble Crystal Clear Powerful Balanced Construction Open Semi-Open Closed Open Closed Open Headband Spring Steel Headband Plastic Headband (foldable) What's in the Box The beyerdynamic DT 880 Headphones (600 Ohms) Screwable 6.35 mm / 1/4" adaptor Leatherette Carrying Bag Technical Specifications Transmission Type: Wired Impedance: 600 ohms Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 35,000 Hz Sound Pressure Level: 96 dB Construction: Circumaural (over-the-ear) Cable & Plug: Straight connecting cable with mini-jack plug (3.5 mm) & 1/4" adapter (6.35 mm) Net Weight: 290 g

Most helpful customer reviews 14 of 16 people found the following review helpful. DT880 vs DT990 | Comparison & Review By Katun Basic Build: Obviously, the build and appearance of both these headphone will be nearly identical. And that is correct, with the only difference being the outside of the earcups. The build quality of these headphones are among the best I have ever experienced. They are made of very high quality materials and feel very hefty, despite their light weight. The cable is nice and thick and is well connected to the headphone and jack itself. Although coated in an almost stiff plastic, I have no complaints about the cable. The headband, is also incredibly durable, able to withstand horrible abuse. In fact, I conducted an experiment. I actually grabbed the two cups of the headphone, and bent them backwards so that the headphone was completely straight in a flat line form. After that, I bent the headband in a very tight loop. After all this, the headband looked and functioned exactly as it did before, with absolutely no obvious wear or damage. Although I cannot recommend doing this for stress relief, rest assured that your Beyer headband will never break. If it does, tell me how you did it. Overall build is just fantastic. Beefy parts, solid materials, resistant design, and great feel overall. Appearance: Flat out, these look really quite fantastic. They look especially good when seen in person. In fact, the DT880 is one of the best looking headphones I have yet come across. As discussed in the previous paragraph, there is only one difference in the appearance of the DT880 and the DT990. The DT880 has dotted outer earcups, and the DT990 has slatted outer earcups. In person, and in my opinion, the DT880 looks superior to the DT990. But of course, all of this relies on the users opinion and preference. Both do look great, but the DT880 simply looks better. Most will tell you there are only two differences between the DT880 and the DT990, and that would be the appearance and sound. But I am here to tell you, that there is actually a third difference in which sets these two apart, and I will go into more detail on that in the upcoming paragraphs. Function: Since these headphones are identical build wise, this lead to the exact same headband adjustment. The headband adjustment on these headphones, is good, but not great. So far, the D2000 is clearly the king of adjustment, with it's superior clicking adjustment device. The Beyer headphones on the other hand, are a bit harder to adjust to your desired size. On the insides of the earcup arms, you will see many dots -- all of which indicate how far out the headphone is adjusted. From what I can recall, there are eight of them, with which being at eighth dot is the headphone at full size. Pulling them out can sometimes be a bit resistant at times, but once you get the specific size you want, you don't have to adjust them anymore, so it's really not a problem. This is actually quite similar to the HD650, except the HD650 doesn't have any way to guide you into how far you've pulled them out, so balanced adjustment relies on your eyes. Although, Beyer definitely isn't the worst, but definitely not the best when it comes to adjustment. The interesting thing about these headphones though, is even fully adjusted to the eighth dot, the headphone really isn't that big. So what does this mean? This means, if you close them all the way in, the are absolutely tiny, and can be great for storage or display. For some reason, they look even more fantastic when they are in their tiny form, but again, just another opinion. -------------------- Initial Comfort: This is where both of these headphones differ from each other. But first, let me explain their initial comfort. Most people know by now that Beyerdynamic headphones are very comfortable. And I am happy to report, this is true -- but to some extent. The earpads a very soft indeed, and feel very good while wearing them. And the

The Denon AVR-1610 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver - Performance, technology and affordability are the hallmarks of the AVR-1610. A powerful 5 channel x 75W amplifier section delivers detail and dynamics to music and movie soundtracks. It’s equipped with 1080p compatible HDMI 1.3a Repeating technology, delivering both audio and video to your HDTV with single HDMI cable. This HDMI connectivity supports the latest generation surround sound formats available on Blu-ray disc, including Dolby TrueHD and DD+, dts-HD and dts-HR. Also included is Dolby Laboratories new Pro Logic IIz Matrix decoding featuring front height effects channels that expands front soundstage. The AVR1610 boast a number of Audyssey technologies. Advanced Audyssey MultEQ analyzes a speaker systems interaction with room acoustics, and then delivers custom tailored correction processing to optimize clarity and tonal balance throughout the listening space. Audyssey Dynamic Volume is an automatic volume-leveling system that tracks audio dynamics to eliminate the irritating volume swings between TV shows and commercials. Audyssey Dynamic EQ is also on board to ensure rich bass and smooth tonal balance at low volume listening levels. In addition to enhanced HDMI 1.3 repeating (3 in, 1 out), the AVR1610 features component video switching (2 in, 1 out), analog to HDMI conversion (480i to 480p) and seven analog inputs. A front-panel audio/video input allows quick and easy connection of camcorders and game systems. System setup is simplified by a new, enhanced icon-based on-screen display that is delivered over HDMI. System expansion is available with optional accessories. For media networking, use the optional ASD-3N and ASD-3W. For iPod connectivity, use the ASD-3N/3W, as well as the ASD-11. When connecting iPod and other MP3 players, the AVR-1610 features Denon’s exclusive Compressed Audio Restorer to improve sound quality and dynamics.

Amazon Sales Rank: #684 in Receiver or Amplifier Color: Black Brand: Denon Model: AVR1610 Dimensions: 6.70" h x 17.10" w x 14.80" l, 4.41 pounds All five channels of equal 75-watt power @ 0.08 % THD, 20 - 20kHz HDMI 1.3a Repeating (3 input, 1 output) provides one cable connection between the receiver and TV 1080p HDMI connectivity supports Blu-ray disc surround sound formats, including Dolby TrueHD and DD+, dts-HD and dts-HR Dolby Laboratories new Pro Logic IIz Matrix decoding featuring front height effects channels Audyssey MultEQ, Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ

From the Manufacturer The Denon AVR1610 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver with 1080p HDMI Connectivity - Featuring Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio The AVR-1610 is a versatile A/V surround receiver with a 5.1-channel amplifier that supports DolbyTrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding. And, the AVR-1610 is fully equipped with Denon's proven features for high quality sound, such as Compressed Audio Restorer, Direct Mechanical Ground Construction and Minimum Signal Paths. It also features Dolby Pro Logic IIz, a technology that adds a vertical dimension at the front for a more exciting surround sound experience. Includes three HDMI inputs and two HD-compatible component inputs(View larger)

Most helpful customer reviews 31 of 31 people found the following review helpful. Solid Entry Level Receiver By C. Mason Based on a sub-$400 budget, I focused on this and the Yamaha 465. In researching it, a toss-up really emerged and the decision was made in talking to a very knowledgeable guy at Crutchfield. Having set it up last night and having played with it the better part of today, I am very content with my purchase. I fired up some Blu Ray's with both PCM and DTS-MA/ True HD and was very pleased with the upgrade over standard DD/DTS. The soundstage was just bigger. The opening scene from my kids favorite movie, Cars, was no longer weak. The opening race scene was clear and appropriately loud. The bump on my stars comes from the fact that the manual is awful. I gave up on it early on and went with the trial and error approach with the on-screen menu, which is more than adequate, but you need to have a basic tech sense in order to take that route. On another set-up note, the microphone setup is well done and made a big difference in the sound generated from my SS speakers, before versus after. 13 of 13 people found the following review helpful. Outstanding Surround Sound and Ease of Use By Charles E. Brown I purchased this unit to replace an older Denon unit that was not HDMI equipped. I loved the older unit and hated to replace it. However, as I quickly discovered, Denon has made some considerable improvements. For starters, the use of HDMI cables replaced a jungle of composite and optical cables. I used one HDMI cable from my FIOS box, one from my Blu-Ray DVD, and one from the Denon unit to the HD television. The end result is better picture and sound quality. Installation time for the unit was about 30-minutes. This was because the speaker wiring was already in place. I just had to transfer the connections from the old unit to this one. The HDMI cable takes only a few seconds to plug in. Once the speaker and HDMI connections were in place, the next step was to balance the system. You use the microphone that comes with this unit and mount it to ear height. If you have a camera tripod that is the easiest way. The microphone has a screw mount for the tripod. You place it where you will be listening at, as I just stated, ear height. Once you plug the microphone in the unit automatically goes into setup mode and displays a menu on the television screen. You just use the Enter button on the remote control and it runs through a series of sound and speaker checks that takes about 3 minutes or so. If your room has multiple listening points, you repeat this procedure for each listening point. If any of your speakers are mis-wired (have positive and negative reversed), the setup will give you an out of phase warning. Once the setup is complete, you click the calculate option. This will take a couple of minutes while it performs internal calculations for optimal speaker equalization. Finally you save the settings, sit back, and enjoy your new system. It is just that easy. Built into the unit are a number of Dolby formats and equalization patterns. The DynEQ feature automatically selects the best Dolby and equalization for whatever content you are playing. I tested a number of sources and it was on the money for each of them. Several other reviewers complained about the lack of clarity in the manual. To be honest, you almost don't need the manual because it is so easy and obvious to set this unit up. The only adjustment you might need to make manually is the lip-sync time adjustment. This is a common problem with HD television. There may be a timing discrepancy between the audio and video. I found that with my FIOS system there was a very slight discrepancy. However, the adjustment for fixing this is very easy to use. Finally, one great feature for this unit is DynVol. Anyone who gets annoyed at unusually loud commercials will love this feature. This feature keeps the volume of the commercials the same as the broadcast. Perhaps

PHIW71: 7.1 Home Theater Fourteen Post Binding/Banana Plug with Dual RCA Subwoofer Posts Wall Plate White (14 Posts/Polarity for 7 Speakers).. (2x) PPBB30: 30ft. Speaker Plug..

Brand: Pyle Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, 4.00 pounds PHIW71: Provides Wall Mounted Wire Connection For Seven Speakers To Your Stereo System, Seven Speaker Wall Mount Clean Wire Connection, In-Wall Speaker To Amplifier Connection, 14 Gold Plated, Color Coded(+/-) Terminals,Banana Plug Compatible, Dual Sub-Woofer RCA Line-Level Connection, Mounts To Standard Electrical Box, Attractive Decora Style White Wall Plate. (2x) PPBB30: 30 Feet 12 Gauge Banana Plug To Banana Plug Speaker Cable.

Pioneer Elite VSX-21TXH A/V Receiver

Amazon Sales Rank: #68869 in Consumer Electronics Brand: Pioneer Model: VSX-21TXH Dimensions: 6.84" h x 16.56" w x 17.04" l, 38.00 pounds 110W X 7 (20Hz-20kHz, .09% THD @ 8 Ohms, All Channels Driven) HDMI (4 Inputs / 1 Output) With 48-bit Deep Color & X.v.Color Front Panel USB Memory Audio And Photo Playback 2-Channel PQLS (Precision Quartz Lock System)

Most helpful customer reviews 10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Great Receiver with a Few Minor Annoyances By Jon Knowlton This was my first receiver that I have ever purchased and am very pleased overall (4 months of ownership). Set up was a breeze and the auto calibration (MCACC) works like a charm. Originally I had cheap speakers hooked up to the receiver (still shopping for quality speakers) and the sound out of them was horrible... Well, I ran the auto calibration and it made my cheap speakers sound spectacular!!! I couldn't believe what I was hearing and was starting to wonder if spending hundreds on speakers was going to be worth it. I have listed some pros and cons below. The only reason I did not give the receiver 5 stars is due to the cons that I listed which seem a lot because I tried to explain them in detail. Overall I would defiantly buy this receiver again due to the fact most of the cons listed could be fixed with a software upgrade and a new remote. System: Receiver-Pioneer VSX-21TXH, Monitor-Samsung LN46B-530, Center Channel -Polk TSi CS20, Fronts-Polk TSi 200s, Surrounds-Polk Monitor-30s, Subwoofer-? (Came from a computer system 300-W, 8in. woofer) Pros 1. The auto MCACC calibration (microphone included!) 2. Price!! Buy buying from a non-authorized Pioneer Elite dealer off of Amazon I paid half the price my friend paid when buying the VSx-23 receiver from best-buy. The dealer also had a warranty and good customer service. 3. Being able to assign inputs 4. The amplifier power (Cranked up the volume in a 5.1 channel setup to uncomfortable sound levels and did not notice any distortion 5. Looks, I like the glossy front....well as long as it is kept clean, smudges are very noticeable 6. FM tuner works great!!! All stations come in very clearly. I know that some of the receivers I had listened to in the past need huge outdoor antennas to pick up stations. I just used the antenna that came with the receiver (single wire) and now get all stations in my area 7. Video up scaling. Hugh difference from using the TVs up scaling. 8. Inputs, Had all the inputs I needed excluding the third component input (Wii, PS2, DVD, VHS, HTPC, iPOD) Cons 1. I wish it had one more component input (I still have to use my component switch) 2. Remote is a little hard to use due to the location of the buttons 3. When trying to change audio parameters when listening to a source the silver round button stops working after one push. This problem is only intermittent and has been noticed when multiple sources are selected. If your trying to change the channel level of a speaker you have to push the buttons (receiver then audio parameter then the circular Arrows) This must be done for each arrow button push. Switching to another source corrects this problem but then you can't tell how your modifications effect the sound in real-time. 4. Cheap speaker binding posts. Not really a major con but before I had purchased banana plugs for my speakers I used the post and screwed them down. I thought I was going to break them. 5. I wish the connection to the computer was a USB instead of a RS-232. I have still not connected it to my HTPC but will once I get the right cable 6. TV control seems to only work when I push the TV source button on the remote even though the remote has a region of buttons dedicated to the TV specifically (Was told that I probably just have the incorrect TV code in my remote but I still haven't gotten to correct) 7. No HD Radio, I didn't know how much I would miss this feature until I bought a receiver and now listen to the radio hours each day. 8. Receiver has to be reset when using my Home Theater PC that is connected through a HDMI cable. The receiver does not send the signal to the monitor after I turn on the PC until after I switch the receiver to HDMI source the turn off the receiver and then turn it back on. If I don't do this then the receiver just says its looking for a source. This could be an issue

Jensen WBT310 Universal Bluetooth Stereo Receiver

Amazon Sales Rank: #1207 in Receiver or Amplifier Brand: Jensen Model: WBT310 Dimensions: 3.00" h x 6.50" w x 7.75" l, .72 pounds Receives Bluetooth wireless audio so you can listen via your home stereo. Compact style, easily hooks up to stereo receivers Digital quality stereo sound from up to 30 away Includes (6) 3.5mm to RCA stereo audio cable and AC adapter Transmitter/Receiver

Most helpful customer reviews 15 of 15 people found the following review helpful. Good concept, nice design, Bluetooth average By box9 I love the design and the concept. The sound is great! Unfortunately, the range isn't that great (it would be better with BT class 1) and sometimes, when I loose the connection once in a while, it reconnects to another Bluetooth audio device (my neighbors TV - if he knew :) ). The documentation is really bad. Here are some instructions, that can't be found inside the manual: 1) If it is automatically connected to another (undesired) device, press the button for about 2 seconds to drop the connection so that it's open again for being connected to your device. 2) To pair it with your PC, you need a pairing PIN, it is: 0000 9 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Loses signal very easily By Paul M. Mathias I bought this device so I can listen to music from my LG Chocolate on my home stereo wirelessly. Unfortunately, I quickly discovered that the range tops out at about 15 feet. At greater distances, the device loses signal very easily, which requires a tedious pairing reset process. I also found that it loses signal if you try to do too much with the phone- for example scrolling through songs while one is already playing. It keeps the signal if I just setup a playlist and leave my phone near the device. On the plus side, it looks slick and is quite small. It integrates very nicely with my entertainment center. 10 of 11 people found the following review helpful. Works well with PDA... By Hot Damn I like the concept... This product works well with my HP PDA, but I need to work out the problems I have with my HP dv1000 laptop. It does work well with the PDA so maybe there is something I am not doing properly. It does connect to my laptop, but it has problems approximately every two minutes with interference or distortion & eventually loses a signal. The range is only like 15-20 feet (MAX), but I'll get back to you on my laptop issues. Nice product, but needs to come with a preset code so info is not "out there for othes to hear". See all 18 customer reviews...

Yamaha RXN600 Home-Theater receiver embraces the convergence of many technologies from audio, video, and computer that can now be associated within a home-theater system. The RXN600 comes equipped with and Ethernet connection for easy integration in a home network. It offers a USB input on the front panel to easily connect your portable audio player or flash memory device and comes equipped with a rear panel port that easily connects to the optional YDS10 iPod Dock. The YDS10 dock lets you listen to iPod music, watch iPod image slideshows, play iPod videos on the best system in your house. Compatibility with DNLA and MusicCAST means that that RXN600 brings you one step closer to creating a seamless environment for sharing digital media and content. When music is encoded in a digital compressed format such as MP3, frequency response suffers in the high and low ranges. Yamaha employs sophisticated digital signal processing with exclusive algorithms to enable playback that reproduces the original quality of the music. The RXN600 brings channels of superior digital audio into your home using XM's revolutionary Connect-and-Play technology (subscription to XM is required). You can configure a multi-room audio system with the ability to listen to 2 different sources at 2 different volume levels at the same time. Simply connect the Zone 2 audio output of this receiver to an external amplifier to power the second zone and control both zones by using the supplied remote control.

Amazon Sales Rank: #1166 in Receiver or Amplifier Brand: Yamaha Model: RX-N600BL Dimensions: 6.75" h x 17.13" w x 15.50" l, 25.80 pounds Playback MP3/WMA/WAV music from a PC Compatible with iPod via optional Yamaha YDS-10 USB flash drive/music player compatibility Internet radio playback compatibility XM Ready with XM HD Surround powered by Neural Surround

The RX-N600 is an all-New Network AV Receiver providing full connectivity and the ability to play back content from your PC or internet Radio, while offering the world of XM Satellite Radio "Ready" with XM HD Surround and iPod compatibility via the optional Yamaha YDS-10 iPod Dock. Network Receiver Functions This model is the first Yamaha receiver to offer network receiver functions. Using network connection and Windows Media Connect ver.2 technology, it lets you play MP3, WMA and WAV music from a remote PC. You can also listen to any of the thousands of stations available on Internet radio. RX-N600 LAN USB The RX-N600 provides even more listening options. It can function as a client in Yamaha’s MusicCAST home audio network, seamlessly integrating with the MCX- 2000. A USB terminal on the front panel makes it convenient to play music from USB flash drives and portable USB music players. Uses vTuner data service Not compatible with certain components and music server Main Features Playback MP3/WMA/WAV music from a PC USB flash drive/music player compatibility Internet radio playback compatibility MusicCAST Client compatibility XM Ready with XM HD Surround powered by Neural Surround Compatible with iPod via optional Yamaha YDS-10 Compressed Music Enhancer On-screen display 6.1-channel, 570W powerful surround sound (95W x 6) Digital ToP-ART and High Current Amplification 192kHz/24-Bit DACs for all channels 3 HDTV compatible component video inputs Component video up-conversion Digital video processing with TBC (Time Base Corrector) Other Notable Features Front panel video aux terminals 3 HDTV compatible component video input terminals (Fixed and Assignable) Direct Stereo for for high quality 2-channel sound reproduction Quad-Field/Tri-Field CINEMA DSP and 14 surround programs Night Listening Enhancer (Cinema and Music) and SILENT CINEMA Virtual CINEMA DSP Audio Delay for adjusting lip-sync (0–160ms) Preset remote unit with illuminated input indicators Zone 2 control and Zone on/off switch on front panel Selectable 9-subwoofer crossover frequencies (40, 60, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120,160, 200 Hz) / Subwoofer phase select Sleep timer 40-station preset tuning Auto preset tuning Made for iPod The optional YDS-10 Universal Dock lets you connect your iPod to this receiver. You can listen to your iPod music and watch iPod images and movies on your monitor via the receiver. You can also operate your iPod via the receiver’s remote unit with the On-Screen Display and charge your iPod. Works with:iPod nano, iPod mini and iPod (Click and Wheel) CINEMA DSP Digital Conventional multichannel audio reproduction systems base their sound on Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, using matrix and steering technologies to create surround sound effects. Yamaha CINEMA DSP is much more advanced, actually creating richly realized independent sound fields that envelop you in an unmatched surround sound experience. With dialogue, music and effects from ideally located in these separate sound fields, you will hear sound with accurate placement, smooth movement, exceptional clarity and richness, and startlingly realistic presence. It will seem as if the walls of your room have disappeared and you are in the middle of your own immense theater! The decoding circuitry performs Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, DTS Digital Surround, DTS-ES (DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 and DTS-ES Discrete 6.1), DTS Neo:6 and DTS 96/24 decoding with extreme accuracy, as well as all digital sound field processing. A THX Select mode is provided as an extra listening option. Digital ToP-ART Digital ToP-ART (Total Purity Audio Reproduction Technology) is the name Yamaha has given to a design philosophy whose goal is to maximize digital quality while minimizing analog circuitry. The culmination of Yamaha’s long experience in digital engineering and design, it brings together several key elements to create the best-sounding, A/V components available on the market. Dolby Digital EX This surround format from Dolby Digital includes an added center rear channel. The rear center channel is actually matrixed into the two rear channels, and is extracted upon playback. (Formerly called Dolby Digital Surround EX, or Dolby Digital Matrix 6.1.) SILENT CINEMA and Virtual CINEMA DSP SILENT CINEMA makes it possible to hear large-scale surround sound through ordinary headphones! This is a variation of CINEMA DSP technology that Yamaha developed to let you listen in private to movies and other multi-channel sources for hours without listening fatigue. Virtual CINEMA DSP lets you enjoy the effects of CINEMA DSP surround sound without using surround speakers (handy for use in custom installations where some rooms don't have surround speakers). It can be used with the front / center / presence speakers or even with just the two front left and right speakers. XM - XM Ready These receivers are XM SATELLiTE RADiO (XM Ready), allowing you to hear over 150 digital channels of music, news, sports, talk and entertainment from America's number one Satellite Radio service. With the addition of the XM Connect and Play digital antenna accessory (sold seperately) just subscribe to XM SATELLiTE RADiO and hear radio as it was meant to be! 6 Ch Ext Input 6 additional input jacks for discrete multi-channel input. Front (Left, Center, Right), Rear (Surround Left & Right) and Subwoofer DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 In this format, the back surround channel is matrix encoded into the left and right surround channels. For playback, the three channels are separately decoded. Neural Surround Neural Surround, a proprietary audio format that embeds the rich envelopment and discrete image detail of surround sound and is 100% compatible with stereo content. Chosen by XM Satellite Radio as the format for their 24/7 XM HD Surround programming XM HD Surround Sound XM and Neural Audio Corporation announce XM HD Surround, which provides content with six discrete channels of digital full fidelity audio powered by Neural Audio technology. Marking the first time that a radio company has broadcast in 5.1 Surround Sound twenty-four hours a day. Beginning in April 2006, XM will broadcast the Fine Tuning® (XM Channel 76) and the classical pops music channel XM Pops (XM Channel 113) in XM HD Surround. XM will also broadcast a variety of special shows and live music performances at the XM studios in XM HD Surround. Compressed Music Enhancer Yamaha employs sophisticated digital signal processing with exclusive algorithms to enable playback that improves the performance of compressed music formats, including MP3 and WMA. With the Compressed Music Enhancer, highs and especially lows are richer and smoother, bringing music back to life to be as close to the original as possible.

Most helpful customer reviews 43 of 44 people found the following review helpful. Great AV Receiver and a Lot More! By S. Bell As the proud owner of a new Yamaha RX-N600 I wanted to comment on some of the issues I have heard of with this product. Most of the issues are really not issues at all, they just need to properly set up the RX-N600 and the products they use with it. I have heard people say that the RX-N600 can't handle iPod video. It does, but to make it work you need to turn ON the video output of your iPod and it works great. Both videos and photos are displayed on your TV and the iPod is controllable with the RX-N600 remote control. I've also heard people say that the Net/USB doesn't work with an MP3 player. Here again, I found that all I needed to do was set my MP3 player (or for that matter my Cellphone MP3 player) to be a mass storage device and the Net/USB works perfectly! The last, and to me most important problem I have heard about is that people say the Network music won't work with Microsoft Media Player 11. At first I found the same problem, but when I called Yamaha Tech Support, they were very helpful. They e-mailed me an RX-N600 software update file, which I installed through the RX-N600 USB port. It worked perfectly the first time I tried it. I now have no trouble streaming music from my PC to the RX-N600. All of the above, plus I love having access to internet radio through my RX-N600. If you don't know about this, it's like a TV-Guide for internet radio stations all over the world - 2,000 of them! With the on-screen menu, you just point and click to pick a country, a genre, etc. It's really amazing and very enjoyable. I don't think anyone else is manufacturing a product that gives you all of this, plus a really good A/V home theater receiver anywhere near this price. Keep up the good work Yamaha! 60 of 66 people found the following review helpful. Pretty good but not without issues By William A. Henning I have had this unit for about 2 weeks now. Sound is as good as anything in this price range. I was coming from a Sony 900 series receiver which was failing. This is my first Yamaha. No other manufacturers had networking capability that didn't cost 3 times as much. Plan on spending most of a day setting this up unless you do that kind of thing often. Most of my comments center around the networking and USB functions because that's why I bought it, to perhaps eliminate my PC as a music source and go direct from this receiver. We'll, it kinda works... The remote is a bit of a sore spot too as with just a bit more functionality it could have been really good, I could have gotten down to one remote but unfortunately it does not control my cable set top box. Strengths * Works great with my Sony VCR, remote controls everything nicely. * Ipod dock (an extra item purchased separately) seems to work very well. Does not play Ipod video though. Remote controls this too * Nice remote, after you figure it out it is pretty logical. Controls 3 of my 4 components nicely. * Internet radio is a real winner, seems to have jillions of stations arranged fairly logically by locale. It would be very difficult to duplicate this on your PC unless you enrolled in a pay service. Its like having a short wave radio. Near misses * Remote works great with my Sony DVD player, but make sure you have the side switch on "source" to control play, fast forward, etc. Otherwise you won't be able to move the cursor through DVD menus that appear in the movie menu and make choices on how the movie plays. * If the Remote could just have a little learning it would be great. You won't know if it will control your unit until you try it out. The list of remote codes that Yamaha supplies is vague, does not list models just a bunch of codes for each manufacturer. You just have to try each one for your manufacturer and see if any work. Hit or miss. * Net/USB did not work with my Creative Zen Nomad jukebox MP3 player, but did work with a Corsair Memory