Onkyo Cable Amplifier

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