Sherwood Newcastle or Yamaha ?

[Tarheel_]

hey guys....i need to replace my aging Marantz 5600 which was like a 2005 model. I have a separate amp so i really need this for a pre only.

I've been looking at the Yammie 663, but this Newcastle R-872 receiver has really caught me eye. Big price difference ($360 vs $780), but the extras seem worth it.

i just don't hear/know much about these guys. I do have of their low end receivers powering a few rooms and love the sound and remote. Been totally impressed with this $125 receiver.

Where do you buy the Newcastle line? I can't find it on their website and they have one model R-872 on ebay, but suspect the warranty is bogus.

Here is what i need:
HDMI (at least 2 in)
OSD over HDMI (every time i change it...i want to see my volume and what surround mode i'm in over HDMI)
Pre-outs for a separate amp
new HD audio codecs

[blackraven]

Here's 2 web site's http://www.lightav.com/home/Sherwood_Newcastle/sherwood_a_r_p_receiver2007.html

http://www.officetronics.com/channel-receiver-r872-p-15410.html

Here's a small review on it. http://www.hometheaterreview.com/equipment-reviews/video-reviews/av-receiver-reviews/sherwood_r-872_hdmi_receiver_reviewed001161.php

[frenchmon]

hey guys....i need to replace my aging Marantz 5600 which was like a 2005 model. I have a separate amp so i really need this for a pre only.

I've been looking at the Yammie 663, but this Newcastle R-872 receiver has really caught me eye. Big price difference ($360 vs $780), but the extras seem worth it.

i just don't hear/know much about these guys. I do have of their low end receivers powering a few rooms and love the sound and remote. Been totally impressed with this $125 receiver.

Where do you buy the Newcastle line? I can't find it on their website and they have one model R-872 on ebay, but suspect the warranty is bogus.

Here is what i need:
HDMI (at least 2 in)
OSD over HDMI (every time i change it...i want to see my volume and what surround mode i'm in over HDMI)
Pre-outs for a separate amp
new HD audio codecs

When I lived in North Carolina there was a local deal who had Dali speakers, Cary audio, and Newcastle Recievers. The Newcastle is Sherwoods higher end. It was good stuff. I would not mind owning Newcastle myself. Infact the Dali and Newcastle amps paired together sounded pretty good together. http://www.sherwoodusa.com/nc_cat_hts.html

frenchmon

[Auricauricle]

I have owned Yammy and Newcastle gear, and I can tell you that both companies make pretty solid gear, for the most part. Yamaha, having much deeper pockets (I guess) produces a wide assortment of stuff to fit just about every budget. The high-end is quite good soundwise, is sturdily constructed and the resale valuable is not bad at all. The Newcastle line from Sherwood is also quite good, and many of their products have kept apace with more established manufacturers. I have not had the opportunity to fiddle with the metal boxes that your receiver represents, but do own an R-525 receiver, which is one of the black plastic jobs. While the design may not be as sleek or aggressive as other products, the construction is not awful. The receiver is very clean sounding and there is ample headroom to handle transients easily. Featurewise, the receiver is comparatively spartan, and there are no digital or other fancy interconnectors. I suppose other Newcastles have them, but I expect they come with a price. Resale value on the Newcastles (like this one) is pretty awful, for the most part. The fellow I bought this one from told me he spent a bit over $600.00 for it; I bought it at $125.00, and think I did well on the deal. In sum, the Yamaha high-end stuff is very good, but it is generally quite pricey. The Newcastle line is often much less expensive, and maybe not as robust feeling (maybe the metal tank models are, the black plastic numbers could use a little weight). For a starter system or for the budget, the Newcastle is a strong contender and should not be snubbed.