Video Asylum

Posted by thoriated_tiger (A) on November 03, 2005 at 11:13:50

In Reply to: REVIEW: Panasonic SA-XR55 Receiver posted by budget minded on October 13, 2005 at 07:40:39:

I have one of these, have had it for the past 3 weeks, and pretty much agree with your assesment... only the XR-55 is a seven channel "amp", not six. L C R, SR, SL, RSR, RSL (or in the abscence of those 2 rear surrounds, SC) for a total of seven amplified channels, plus the .1 LFE output for a powered sub.

This may sound heretical, but the little Panny compares quite favorably against my Audio Research SP6A / D70 Mk II combo. You're spot-on with the 'dry' aspect of the sound -- iron-fisted control over the speakers, particularly woofers. No (or very little) bass slop.

I'm running my 55 through a Klipsch Synergy 5.1 system (SF2, SB2, SC1). The sound through those is better than what I got out of my old Dynaco Stereo 70. I've yet to put my Klipsch Fortés on the Panny.. this mean ole hurricane came and put a crimp on my fun-time.

For the 230 bucks I paid, the Panny's an eye-opener.. especially when one realizes it doesn't have an amplifier. More like a really fast switching power supply, or think of it as a DAC which can swing big current to drive speakers.

It is the first piece of solid-state I've had which hasn't felt like I was running a file through my ears. Honest. I was thinking of creating a five-channel tube system for the theater, but after using this panny for a few weeks, well.. those plans are shelved until such time where I can do it just because I can.. not because it was the only way to get good sound on a reasonable budget.