Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Hardware › Receivers/Separates/Amps › digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700

post #1 of 12
12/18/06 at 4:22am
Thread Starter 
Anyone any experience with this receiver, with its 7xi00, full HD 1080p video transm., auto speaker setup with mike, 3 HDMI, with 5.1 2 amps for each frontspeaker, bi wiring etc. Seems impressive but what counts are the sounds..Anyone been able to listen to it?
Reply
post #2 of 12
12/18/06 at 5:59am

Re: digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700

there's some owners over on AVS. Sonically shouldn't deviate much from the highly popular and excellent sounding XR55/XR57
Reply
post #3 of 12
12/18/06 at 12:16pm

Re: digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700

Details:

» 100 watts x 7 into 6 ohms at 0.9% THD

» Full-Digital Amplifier

» Dolby® Digital EX, DTS-ES®, Dolby Pro Logic® IIx, DTS Neo:6, and DTS 96/24 processing

» EZ Sync™ HDAVI Control for easy operation with compatible Panasonic home theater components

» 192kHz/24-bit analog-to-digital conversion for all analog audio inputs

» XM Satellite Radio Ready (requires XM subscription and optional XM Mini-Tuner package)

» Auto Speaker Setup with included microphone

» Triple Amp Drive mode links front, surround, and back surround amplifier channels together for more powerful stereo sound

» Dual Amp Drive mode lets you bi-amp front left and right speakers in a 5.1-channel setup

» built-In AM/FM tuner

» multibrand remote

» 16-15/16"W x 4-1/2"H x 15-5/8"D

» warranty: 1 year

» Want more peace of mind? Extended Service Plans Available

Connections:

» 1080p-compatible HDMI switching (2 in, 1 out)

» component video switching (2 in, 1 out)

» 5 audio/video inputs, including:


• 1 front-panel input with composite and S-video


• 4 rear-panel inputs with 4 composite and 3 S-video

» 1 audio-only input

» no phono input

» digital inputs: 2 optical, 2 coaxial

» 5.1-channel analog audio preamp input

» gold-plated input and output terminals

» binding post speaker terminals

» 2 sets of main speaker outputs

While I will be replacing my Yamaha RX-V995 hopefully around the end of next year. And while I am currently saving up for a Panasonic BD-10 Blu-ray player. I could not see myself spending money on a Panasonic reciever. My goal is to have a reciever that is capible of more than the Panasonic can deliver.

Here are some of the issues I have with this reciever
  • The Blu-ray player has 7.1 input but the reciever only has 5.1
  • Use of digital amplifiers and lack of a decent size power supply
  • The 100 watt rating of this amplifier and the fact that its rated at 6 ohms instead of 8 ohms.
IMHO this reciever makes better sense as a HT in a box configuration than a stand alone HD reciever. I feel it can not compete against companies like Denon, Yamaha, Pioneer, Harman Kardon or Sony. And unless you want to run small speakers this reciever IMHO does not have what it takes to power larger speakers and is to limited in the number of sources that you can connect to it. I like the Panasonic HD displays and I really like the Panasonic Blu-ray player. But IMHO all the years that Panasonic has been making gear. They have never been known to make a great performing audio peice! While there HDTV's are getting praise I would not choose this reciever to be the center of my 1080p HT, just my honest opinion.

The local salesmen at my local Panasonic retailer did not have much good to say about it ether.
Reply
post #4 of 12
12/18/06 at 4:47pm

Re: digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700

Dave,

1. with the BD player and XR700 you are expected to use the HDMI connection for audio - that transports all the 8 channels in the highest resolution PCM.

2. You do not want to use the analog connections with this receiver because it has [TI PurePath] digital amps and converts all the analog audio back into PCM before converting it to PWM.

3. Because the digital amps are >90% efficient, they do not need a "decent-size power supply"

4. If you've not heard any of the XR series receivers, do a search for XR55 or XR57 here; the XR57 has HDMI and its under $300 now you might want to give it a try with the HD-A1

5. check out this review of the XR55 with B&W 802D, and the huge XR55 thread in AVS. People have been raving about the XR series since the XR45 came out in 2003/2004
Reply
post #5 of 12
12/18/06 at 6:47pm

Re: digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700

Quote:
Originally Posted by FeisalK
Dave,

1. with the BD player and XR700 you are expected to use the HDMI connection for audio - that transports all the 8 channels in the highest resolution PCM.

2. You do not want to use the analog connections with this receiver because it has [TI PurePath] digital amps and converts all the analog audio back into PCM before converting it to PWM.

3. Because the digital amps are >90% efficient, they do not need a "decent-size power supply"

4. If you've not heard any of the XR series receivers, do a search for XR55 or XR57 here; the XR57 has HDMI and its under $300 now you might want to give it a try with the HD-A1

5. check out this review of the XR55 with B&W 802D, and the huge XR55 thread in AVS. People have been raving about the XR series since the XR45 came out in 2003/2004

This man knows what he's talking about.
I replaced my (dead after only 5 years) Onkyo 575x with a Panasonic XR57 and let me tell you this little Panny rocks the house. It has power that 70 Watt rated Onkyo never delivered. It outshines famous name amps at more than twice the price. Absolutely no regrets here.
Reply
post #6 of 12
12/18/06 at 10:37pm

Re: digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700

Terry great

what speakers are you driving with the Panny?
Reply
post #7 of 12
12/19/06 at 4:42am

Re: digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700

I am using a Panny xr55 to power Klipsch speakers. It powers my RF-35 floor standing speakers with ease. Power has never been a problem. I powered the same speakers with a Pioneer Elite 56txi using an Adcom GFA-555 for the RF-35's. I sold it as i actually prefer the Panny. I could not tell the difference in power and the Panny sounded more detailed.

No, the Panny is not too "bright" for Klipsch. Sounds very nice.
Reply
post #8 of 12
12/19/06 at 4:45am

Re: digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700

I have owned about 25 receivers over the past two years. I like the Yamaha RX-V1 the best followed by the HK avr635 and then followed by the XR55, 56txi, Yamaha 5590, etc.
Reply
post #9 of 12
12/19/06 at 6:11am

Re: digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700

25!!! how'dya get thru them so quick.. thats less than a month each

er, was that the RX-V1 or Z1?
Reply
post #10 of 12
12/19/06 at 7:13am

Re: digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700

I also want to purchase the Panny reciever. I am buying the premier accoustics 5.1 surround speakers and want to make sure this reciever can power them. I was going to buy the Pioneer Elite VSX-81TXV Receiver but i'm skeptical of paying the $600-$700 for it. I just want a reciever i don't need to upgrade in a year.

Any thoughts? I also want to be able to get TrueHD and DD++ sound thru the panny reciever aswell thru HDMI.
Reply
post #11 of 12
12/19/06 at 8:25am

Re: digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700

Quote:
Originally Posted by FeisalK
Terry great

what speakers are you driving with the Panny?

Old. JBL Studio series. S-Center, S-310 fronts and S-26 Surrounds. Oh, and a 12" HSU sub. The Panny doesn't drive the sub of course but I had to mention it.... I just love that sub..
Reply
post #12 of 12
12/19/06 at 8:59am

Re: digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fernalfer
Any thoughts? I also want to be able to get TrueHD and DD++ sound thru the panny reciever aswell thru HDMI.

I'd wait for the HDMI mess to get sorted out if you can (wait for 1.3 and reviews of the products). I would never have purchased a receiver right now if mine hadn't died. If you are determined to buy now try to get your hands on the speakers impedance curve and make sure it doesn't dip below 6 ohms at any frequency. Personally, I just decided to take a chance figuring the ~$10 for return shipping was a cheap test. However, it did not disappoint and won't be going back.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Receivers/Separates/Amps
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Hardware › Receivers/Separates/Amps › digital receiver panasonic SA XR 700