Panasonic SA-XR50 Review

[JimOfOakCreek]

I've used this receiver for about 7 months now. Sonically, it just keeps getting better (as do my MMGs). The digital (Class D) amp started out bright with a hard digital edge. The brightness issue is no longer an issue at all. This is the most detailed amp I've heard yet. It's dead quiet too. The sound, especially delicate percussion, seems to come out of the black which gives it "contrast". The bass has some punch and is tight.

This receiver was supposed to be a temporary solution until I came to a decision on a higher-end 2 channel amp and preamp. I no longer have any incentive to "upgrade" though. The sound is that good. In fact, I like having a ton of features packed into one small unit.

The speaker connections are plastic POS junk. They kept popping off until I figured out how to squeeze them just right to secure the speaker pin connectors. The wiring is a crowded hairball with everything connected. The digital menu is confusing at first and the manual is just plain inadequate.

Setting everything up, making the connections, getting everything to work and using the digital menu to configure it all was a 4-6 hour job for me.

The unit itself is low-profile and light as a feather. It’s a massed produced consumer product. You can pick it up with 2 fingers! It almost looks like a clock radio! But it's Panasonic’s refinement of the original class "D" amp design and the TI chip, along with all-digital inputs that make the amp sound so incredibly GOOD. That's a VERY bizarre combination, cheap construction with high performance.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Are you using the Panny to drive the MMGs? A few people have told me their Panny didn't do a very good job driving Maggies. However, many have reported that the equally cheap JVC digital receivers will drive even large Maggies superbly.

Just curious.

 

[JimOfOakCreek]

Yes, I use the Panny to drive my MMGs. It does a superb job. BTW: I saw a test report on the Panny XR25 that showed it put out 170 watts into 4 ohms.

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/assets/download/1117200314244.pdf

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Hows the bass management on that XR50? And how many digital audio inputs are there (coax & optical)?

Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[JimOfOakCreek]

I use the "Subwoofer Out" RCA jack to drive a powered sub. The subout-jack filters signals above 200hz. I use an inexpensive Dayton 100W 10" Subwoofer XOed at 40hz. It works really well. Some other options are setting your main speakers as small and filtering any signal below 100, 150 or 200hz.

There are 2 dig. optical ins, 2 dig. coax ins, 1 dig. opt out.

 

[JimOfOakCreek]

Forgot To Mention It's A 6.1 HT!!!

My review doesn't even mention the fact the the Panny XR50 is a 6.1 HT (and a damned good one!).

My main focus was on quality stereo reproduction. It excells at that but It's also a fabulous 6.1 HT. I have 6 inexpensive Polk audio speakers on the "A" speaker (plus sub) channel for 6.1 HT. The "B" channel drives my 4 ohm MMGs exclusively in 2.1 stereo.

I've run all 8 speakers plus subwoofer at the same time. But I don't recommend it and I'm sure Panasonic wouldn't either.

 

[dman777]

I was thinking about buying the receiver. I originally wanted to buy the Sony sdr-da2000es but I don't want to be paying on my credit card forever, so I am opting to get the Panasonic SA-XR50 instead with these JBL's http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.asp?ProdId=E50BE&SerId=NRE&sCatId=BFSI.

I was wondering if you could anwser these questions for me:



1). All the reviews I have read they all agree that the highs are a little to harhs - the sound is a little 'to bright'. How did you over come this?


2). I read where I can only adjust the treble and base(I'm a treble and base kind of guy....don't like DSP presets) in Stereo mode and the input must be analog or PCM. Does this mean I can't adjust the Treble and Base while lestioning to MP3 if I have my soundcard hooked up via the digital port?


Thanks,
-Dman

 

[asathor]

You can't go wrong.

At $250 you can't go wrong

I would not mate it to any speaker that has strong high end resonances. The XR50 is as far as I know capable of processing at up to 192 but I am not sure it upsamples lesser signals.

If I run the input from CDs and DVDs through my DigitalAudio CardDeLuxe sound card quality improves significantly with good sources - and that only upsamples to 24/94 (of couse it costs more than the reciever and ought to be better).

Also avoid extreme impedance curves/variations.

Have fun

 

[MBauer]

Curious as to amplifier terminology

I will really date myself here, but years ago when I studied this the classes of amplifiers were A, B AB, D and some talk of G and H. Class D amps were switched, meaning that at times, there was no current flow to the electronics powering the output circuit. Good cheap efficient way of doing things, great for things like sub woofers (which didn't exist then) as the frequency response of a sub is very slow compared to other circuitry. Class D was not a digital amp, it was just cheaper and more efficient than the other classes of amplifiers.

I realize a digital amp could switch but has the definition of amplifiers changed?

 

[Cygnus]

I would get that receiver, but it reminds me to much of an all-in-one DVD system because of it's size, which i don't like.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Bear in mind this is a very old thread. The Panny has been replaced with a newer line. The new top of the line has been very favorable reviewed in S&V, where they comment how potent and dynamic it sounds, and rave the bass performance. The chassis is still relatively svelt, but certainly beefier looking than its predecessor.

JVC also has a new line of digital recievers that looks intriquing. Even the entry level model has a USB input, which is really a great idea in my book. I'd love to run my PC into it and use it as a soundcard and amp...

 

[aydn]

Hello, I have this receiver currently and I've hooked up my Chaintech AV-710 PCI sound card via the T.V. Optical IN port. I Have all my options inputed to it to play but it just won't play out of my Headphones. AM and FM radio play out of the headphones fine.

I don't have any speakers currently to test it with but some Klipsch 5.1 Ultras(promedia) are planned to go out of the Optical Out, inputted by my PC and an HDTV box.

Can the SA-XR50 play Optical in> headphones?