Well first the good news. I got the receiver earlier than expected and was able to review it sooner for those who might like to get one for x-mas. I applied for Best Buy's credit card and I got it, yea! So I used the credit card knowing that I wouldn't likely keep this receiver as I was only wanting to review it.
So on with the review. I has all the makings of a good receiver, good power supply (toroid), decent caps (10,000uF Topcoms), and nice output devices (Toshiba).
Now to crap on the parade. The auto-protect is way to sensitive or this is just a poorly integrated piece of equipment. My Magnavox receiver with crap power supply, puny 4700uF caps and the cheapest IC output decice ever concieved would walk all over the Insignia in output.
It does have a hiss, but it is not very bad. You have to stick your ear up to the speakers to hear it. And when you adjust the volume it does make a clicking noise, but I have had lower end Onkyo receivers that have louder clicks.
It sounds good at lower volumes and it sounds good when you turn it up. The only thing that may distract you is when the amp turns on and off while you are playing music at what I consider slightly above easy listening levels.
For fun I took the unit apart after I was playing it at above easy listening levels. There are fans on the bottom of the heatsink, they never turned on. I checked the tranistors for heat, they were not hot they were barely warm.
My personal recomendation, DO NOT BUY THIS RECEIVER! It isn't even worth the money.
