Video Asylum: REVIEW: Panasonic SA-XR55 Receiver by thoriated

Model:	SA-XR55
Category:	Receiver
Suggested Retail Price:	$300
Description:	100 watts times 6 channels CLASS-D home theater reciever
Manufacturer URL:	Panasonic
Model Picture:	View

Review by thoriated_tiger ( A ) on November 04, 2005 at 09:09:46
IP Address: 208.35.159.6

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for the SA-XR55

3rd week with this TI PurePath-based unit. (PurePath is a descendant of Tocatta's Equibit digital amplification system).
Speakers are Klipsch Synergy (SF2, SB2, SC1). Sub is an 8" AR.
Sound is most decidedly hi-fi, not mass-market. The way this unit does amplification is not like anything you've seen before -- it doesn't use transistors to make gain. Basically it is a DAC which can swing big current. If fed a digital signal, the signal remains 100% in the digital realm until just before the binding posts. Any analog input signal is converted to digital. (I believe the sampling rate for analog inputs is 96khz.)
I don't find it bright at all, in fact, I find it full-bodied, with a fairly flat freq. response. It has a sound reminiscent of a really good tube amp, with iron-fisted speaker control. No bass slop. Essentially, each of the 7 "amps" is single-ended, eliminiating distortions found to some extent in any push-pull design.
For 2-ch music, if you turn all surround modes OFF, the unit will automagically go into "Dual Amp" mode where the non-used "amps" are strapped to the two front main speakers. The unit will also handle bi-wire setups for the two main front speakers.
On 2-ch music, the better the recording the better it does.. just as expected. Will expose mediocre recordings for what they are. Perhaps this is where the 'bright' comments come from -- people hearing, for the first time perhaps, the grunge in the typical commercial pop recording. Feed it good music, and it'll treat you well. I'll say this: RCA's Living Stereo recordings, Telarc DSD, Harmonia-Mundi, Dorian, and other 'niche' record labels sound grrreat through this little cheap unit!
Movies are a treat. Dialog is crisp, intelligible. The experience of hearing the Panasonic through my horn speakers, anchoring a huge front-projector picture is cinematic. Total immersion.
All I can say is... try it. Get it from a vendor who'll take a return, and run it for a week or two or three. It is so cheap that it is a worthy experiment. In closing, I will have to say, the sound this little toy puts out rivals my Dynaco Stereo 70, and even compares favorably to my Audio Research tube toys (SP6A preamp, D-70 Mk II power amp.) I think it actually sounds cleaner than the Dynaco!

Product Weakness: 100w may not be enough for hungry speakers. Binding posts are a joke, but better than spring clips. Out of the box it is not set-up for full-range speakers. Setup routine is cryptic, but any computer-saavy user should be able to hanldle it. No phono stage, but enough inputs to be able to use any good phono stage with it.
Product Strengths: Relaxed, genuine High-Fidelity, natural sound. Very transparent, noise floor is low. So low you can stick your ear in the HF horn (with playback stopped or paused) and not hear a thing. Nothing. Unbeatable value.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Panasonic SA-XR55 digital receiver (100wpc x 7)
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	None
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Sony dvp-ns770 dvd/sacd
Speakers:	Klipsch Synergy (SF2, SB2, SC1, 96db 1/w)
Cables/Interconnects:	Monster XP speaker cable, Monster Intelink 400 for digital coax
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical, Jazz, Movie Scores, Rock
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 weeks
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Panasonic AE700 LCD projector on a 96
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	100w may not be enough for hungry speakers. Binding posts are a joke, but better than spring clips. Out of the box it is not set-up for full-range speakers. Setup routine is cryptic, but any computer-saavy user should be able to hanldle it. No phono stage, but enough inputs to be able to use any good phono stage with it.
Product Strengths:	Relaxed, genuine High-Fidelity, natural sound. Very transparent, noise floor is low. So low you can stick your ear in the HF horn (with playback stopped or paused) and not hear a thing. Nothing. Unbeatable value.