Recent evaluations of A/V Receivers by ConsumerReport.

[Smokey]

From Nov '03 issue:

1. Onkyo TX-SR701, $800 Very good, with reasonable price for a THX-certified model. Has onscreen display (OSD) and multisource for simultaneous two-room speaker use. Bass boost. Phono input. Center-channel preamp output.

2. Panasonic SA-HE100, $250 Best value among tested models. FM tuner adjusts in full-channel increments. Radio stations can be tuned directly using remote. Troubleshooting "help" function can advise user of necessary fix. Can be used with 4-ohm speakers. Has tape monitor and phono input. Has DTS-ES (6.1) but cannot decode Dolby Digital EX surround audio.


3. Harmon/Kardon AVR-325, $760 Very good. Has onscreen display (OSD) and multisource for simultaneous two-room speaker use. Can automatically calibrate sound level. Radio stations can be tuned directly using remote. Has center-channel preamp output. Similar models AVR-125 ($350) and AVR-225 ($500) permit fewer connections and have only 5.1 audio decoding.

4. Sony STR-DE995, $480 Very good. Has onscreen display (OSD) and multisource for simultaneous two-room speaker use. Can program to show station call letters. Radio stations can be tuned directly using remote. Has phono input. Similar model STR-DE895 ($400) lacks multizone capability.

5. Yamaha RX-V740, $600 Very good. Has onscreen display (OSD) and multisource for simultaneous two-room speaker use. FM tuner adjusts in full-channel increments. Has phono input. Center-channel preamp output. Can be used with 4-ohm speakers. Similar model RX-V640 ($500) permits fewer connections.

6. Denon AVR-2803, $800 Very good. Has onscreen display (OSD) and multisource for simultaneous two-room speaker use. FM tuner adjusts in full-channel increments. Has phono input. Center-channel preamp output.

7 Yamaha RX-V440, $300 Very good. FM tuner adjusts in full-channel increments. Can be used with 4-ohm speakers. Lacks S-video input/output. Similar model RX-V540 ($400) permits more connections.

8. Kenwood VR-7070, $500 Very good, with very low price for a THX-certified model. Has multisource for simultaneous two-room speaker use. Has bass boost. Phono input. Center-channel preamp output. Lacks sleep timer.

9. Onkyo TX-SR501, $300 Very good. 6x17.25x14.75 in. (HWD). Similar model TX-SR601 ($500) has multizone capability.

10. Pioneer VSX-D912K, $400 Very good. Can automatically calibrate sound level. Can program to show station call letters. Radio-stations can be tuned directly using remote. Center-channel preamp out. Only 1-yr. warranty. Similar model VSX-D812K ($350) permits fewer connections; VSX-D712K ($250) has only 5.1 audio decoding.

11. Panasonic SA-HE75, $200 Very good. Troubleshooting "help" function can advise user of necessary fix. FM tuner adjusts in full-channel increments. Radio stations can be tuned directly using remote. Tape monitor. Cannot decode Dolby Digital EX or DTS-ES 6.1 surround audio. Only 1-yr. warranty. Lacks sleep timer.

12. JVC RX-8030VBK, $400 Good. Has bass boost. Phono input. Center-channel preamp output. Lacks AC outlets. Similar model RX-7030VBK ($300) permits fewer connections.

13. Pioneer VSX-D412-K, $200 Good. Can program to show station call letters. Has tape monitor. Cannot decode Dolby Digital EX or DTS-ES 6.1 surround audio. Lacks S-video input/output. Only 1-yr. warranty. Lacks front-panel A/V inputs and sleep timer.

14. JVC RX-6030VBK, $200 Good. Has bass boost. Cannot decode Dolby Digital EX or DTS-ES 6.1 surround audio. Lacks front-panel A/V inputs and AC outlets.

15. Sony STR-DE595, $190 Good. Radio stations can be tuned directly using remote. Can program to show station call letters. Cannot decode Dolby Digital EX or DTS-ES 6.1 surround audio. Lacks S-video input/output, requiring you to connect certain video devices, such as a digital-cable box or satellite receiver, directly to the TV.

16 Panasonic SA-XR45, $330 Good. Has onscreen display (OSD) and multisource for simultaneous two-room speaker use. FM tuner adjusts in full-channel increments. Radio stations can be tuned directly using remote. Bass and treble adjustable only via remote. Only 1-yr. warranty. Surround lacks Dolby 3 Stereo mode.

17. Kenwood VR-705, $200 Good. Has onscreen display (OSD) and bass boost. Lacks 5.1 inputs for external digital-audio decoders. Cannot decode Dolby Digital EX or DTS-ES 6.1 surround audio. Lacks S-video input/output, requiring you to connect certain video devices, such as a digital-cable box or satellite receiver, directly to the TV. Bass and treble adjustable only via remote. Lacks front-panel A/V inputs, sleep timer, and universal remote control.

[JSE]

Did they actually hook them up and use them? Or, did they just go off a spec. sheet to compare? I have always been a little sceptical of CR's review methods. Hell, they always rate Bose highly?

[Tarheel_]

I too would choose the HK over the Denon. I replaced a Denon AVR 2801 with the HK 525 (same as 325, but more power). Sure, the Denon was a few years old, but i tested the 2803 at a dealer and while not side-by-side, the Hk was the superior receiver and came much closer to fitting my needs.
Glad to see a company compares so many instead of the usual "shootout" in the mags where EVERYONE'S A WINNER.

[Keith from Canada]

Did they even say what their testing criteria was?

[Woochifer]

Did they even say what their testing criteria was?

If I remember right, they just do a bench test of the wattage output, with no real advantage given to more powerful receivers or those with low impedance drive capability. Their underlying assumption (as it has been with CD players) is that they all sound the same, or sound quality's so similar as to be inconsequential. The rest of the ratings are about convenience and features, and that type of criteria is always subjective.

[TomStanoch]

Did they even say what their testing criteria was?

Guide to the Ratings
Overall score is bases mainly on amp and AM/FM tuner performance; ease of use and features also factor in. Performance evaluates lack of noise and distortion in the amplifier, plus AM reception (which was good on all tested models) and FM reception (very good on all). Ease of use reflects the design of the front panel and remote control. Features score reflects the presence or absence of convenience features, including the number of inputs. Watts per channel is our measure of power when the receiver is used with 8-ohm and 6-ohm speakers; only three models (2, 5, and 70 were rated for use with 4-ohm speakers.

Consumer Reports November 2003

[mtrycraft]

Guide to the Ratings
Overall score is bases mainly on amp and AM/FM tuner performance; ease of use and features also factor in. Performance evaluates lack of noise and distortion in the amplifier, plus AM reception (which was good on all tested models) and FM reception (very good on all). Ease of use reflects the design of the front panel and remote control. Features score reflects the presence or absence of convenience features, including the number of inputs. Watts per channel is our measure of power when the receiver is used with 8-ohm and 6-ohm speakers; only three models (2, 5, and 70 were rated for use with 4-ohm speakers.

Consumer Reports November 2003

Thanks, Tom People just don't read it

[Worf101]

One of my big reasons for owning nothing but Onkyo so many years is their ease of use. They are by far the most logical machine I've ever set up and I've done Sony, JVC (the worst for set up if you ask me), Denons and some old school stuff. I've 2 HT's and Onkyo's all I run. I am really starting to itch for one of those self leveling Yamaha's though. But I love my 898 too much.

Thanks for the information.

Da Worfster....

[mtrycraft]

I am really starting to itch for one of those self leveling Yamaha's though. But I love my 898 too much.

Thanks for the information.

Da Worfster....

Do you mean self level matching of channels? If so, don't get too tied up witht hat feature Any spurious noise in the house will screw it up. Best if you do it with meter and each channel. Hands on

[Smokey]

Performance evaluates lack of noise and distortion in the amplifier, plus AM reception (which was good on all tested models) and FM reception (very good on all).

I don't know why CR gave so much weight to FM/AM reception as part of receiver's "Performance" rating given that FM sound quality of most receivers is so lackluster. If anybody wants to have a decent FM sound should opt for a stand alone FM tuner.

For example, have an analog Hitachi FM tuner which is 25 years old and it blow away my current receiver's FM sound.

[mtrycraft]

I don't know why CR gave so much weight to FM/AM reception as part of receiver's "Performance" rating given that FM sound quality of most receivers is so lackluster. If anybody wants to have a decent FM sound should opt for a stand alone FM tuner.

For example, have an analog Hitachi FM tuner which is 25 years old and it blow away my current receiver's FM sound.

People still use their receiver to listen to FM or AM. I doubt CR rated the sound quality of the FM sections but rather their perfomance in pulling in stations, adjacent station rejection, sensitivity to low signals,etc

[grampi]

Their rankings obviously have nothing to do with build quality. There's no way the Sony should've been ranked higher than the Denon. That ranking must have been based soley on features. I just replaced a Sony STR-DE545 with a Denon AVR-2603 and there's no comparison between the two units. The Denon's SQ is superior, and it makes more power even though it's rated for less. The Sony was only 4 years old when it crapped out which indicates its build quality isn't what it should be. Looks like CR's rankings need to be taken with a grain of salt.