Summary:
I have had this AVR for almost 1-1/2 years bought at a discount at Montgomery Wards for $399+tax. For it's time it was a great AVR with a built in DD decoder both for LD (built in RF demodulator, 608 replaced this with an optical) and DVD (two different location for two source inputs) in both coax/RF. It has two additional AV inputs (1 front panel) and 3 audio (tape, CD, and phono). It comes with the remote commander which is programmed with many other source controls as well as being programmible (bad ergonomics as it doesn't feel comfortable). It is rated at 100wpc (I believe it can only peak at this point) with only a center and sub out. It uses pinch connectors and has an output for "B" speakers but cannot be bi-amped if using any of the DSP, DPL, or DD play other than stereo DD. The amps front panel flickers at loud volume and will not clip unless pushed about 10% higher than the flicker (easy to notice). Now the review.
The main problem I have with this AVR is that you must adjust the front speakers to small to use the sub in 2-channel play (pain) and also I had to stop using the B-speakers as the main music channel as it would shut off when the DPL or DD field is choosen and you have to go up to the AVR to manually turn them on when switching back to 2-channel. This amp is pretty good musically in DPL or DD and even better in 2 channel (more power from the supply). Even though this is a discrete amp it seems to lack in the power department when played loud and loses a sound level notch when the DD is being used. I have never tried the DD RF laser disk mode so I can't give an assessment on this. The other main problem is that this AVR is not future proof unless they convert a DTS/other to the DD coaxial input. I rate this a 4 star in DPL and music, and a three star for DD, and 0 for future proof (depending on how it sounds if they come up with something, I will rate it then). The B speaker is useless if you change listening formats (2-channel to DPL) and shouldn't even be on this AVR if they have this type of inconvience. With the newer AVRs not costing much more, don't buy this unless it's $300 or less as this is really built for the past and not the future. I rate this a 3 since it is very middle of the road.