Summary:
Finding one of these off eBay for way under the $500MSRP just couldn't be resisted; I was planning to put it in the office to give em reasonable background working 'sounds'. After testing it, I moved it into the living area and my old Carver CT-7 with a M-1.0t power amp no live in the office making these 'sounds'. The Mondial is in a room about 14'x28'; place near the middle powering a pair of Wharfdale Modus 1-6 and an old Epicure 'bookshelf' single speaker I added as the 'center' speaker: the sound is absolutely superb. The Mondial (with the exception of the remote) is a joy to 'focus'. The speaker test mode allows individual adjustmets of the two main speakers separate from the added 'center'. Mondial gives you the option to "phantom" the center speaker: I tried it and then added the Epicure. Now I have a spare Epicure: anyone want it for a real fair price ? There's comparable power from the Mondial as from the Carver: hard to believe from a unit that's "all in one box". Binding posts are 'hole' type and with my bi-wired Wharfedales that was a problem; split-base screw-type closure would have been better but it was workable.

This is a five-star unit and I don't really consider the remote as "part of it". Anyone that's looking for the best sound I've heard for anything under big bucks just must give this Mondial a try. You won't be disappointed.

Strengths:
Ability to make subtle adjustments to tailor the output to the sound type and quality. Surprisingly powerful with face-plate simple logic. Musical reproduction above excellent

Weaknesses:
The damn remote: this thing will never feel 'natural'.

Summary:

I have owned the Amfi since the first week it was released and have not regretted it, even with the coming of Dolby Digital. The receiver is primarily used for listening to Dave Matthews band and the like and performs excellently. The sound is sweet and musical and does not sound like your typical mass produced reciever. Being a high school student at 16(at the time) I dreamed of Acurus and Aragon but could afford the Amfi. The reciever is also used for watching DVD's which it also does well. Unlike every other reciever on the market it does not have 500 surround modes, which I appreciate. The only modes are Pro logic, Dolby 3, Live, and Hall. The modes are all nicely done and not overdone like the other recievers I tried. The construction of the Amfi is topnotch, using cold plated everything on the back panel and that mystifying indiglo display on the front.

The only complaints one would have about the Amfi would probaly beign with the lack of video switching and a ton of inputs. Using this reciever you have to have as many video inputs on your T.V. as you have sources (unless you buy a switcher box). There are only 4 inputs provided, none of which are phono(should use outboard preamp for that anyways). The only other complaint is that there is not Dolby Digital. You have to realize though, this reciever was on the market before DVD players and during the first months of the first AC-3 capable laserdiscs. I dont mind the lacking of Dolby Digital as I primarily use it for listening to music. If Mondial ever came out with a Dolby Digital model though I would upgrade.

If you can find anyone willing to let go of this component you should buy it. The preamp outs will let you upgrade to real Mondial power(Acurus, Aragon) later while enjoying a great American designed amp now. For its price I would have to give it a 5. You could do a lot worse at this price range(and no better). For the overall rating I have to give it a 5.

My system consists of:
Mondial Designs Amfitheater 1
Sony S330 DVD player
B&W DM601s2
B&W CC6s2
B&W DM302
Panasonic 27" Superflat T.V.(highly recommended)
Sony Playstation (still am a kid)
AudioQuest cables

Strengths:
American designed, Mondial(Acurus), great amp for the price

Weaknesses:
lack of video switching, no Dolby Digital

Similar Products Used:
Yamaha, Denon, Sony ES

Summary:
The Amfi Theatre is made by the same company that makes Acurus and Aragon hi end equipment. I've alwas loved the Acurus components but couldn't afford them plus a suround decoder. I was delighted to find the Amfi at my local used store. It was a "new" demo model with full waranty and I think I paid around $350.00 for it.
I am very satisfied with the sound as compared to the previous pioner model that I owned. The pro-logic is much smoother and the front channel does not bleed through to the rear. In stereo mode it blows away my old Hafler DH-1. I use the Amfi with 7 year old BIC speakrs and it makes them sound great.
Overall I think the Amfi is a great value and If Mondial ever makes a AC-3 model I'll buy it in an instant.

Strengths:
USA Design, Clean sound, Price

Weaknesses:
Not AC-3, Looks a little cheap

Similar Products Used:
Pioner, Denon

Summary:
Well, I've come back to give a more seasoned review of the AmFiTheater 1 by Mondial. Now that my system is complete, I can give a more encompassing review. The sound is impeccable. Engaging, excited, and "pseudo-live", if a little bright. The sound from my now properly equipped turntable is very revealing, tends to make me clean my LPs more often it is so accurate. I take back the comment about the lack of an integrated phono stage, it's worth it to have a separate phono preamp to gain proper control over capacitance. The wattage, like many high-end audio gear, is under-rated. My speakers are rated at 250 watts peak, and "70 watts" from the AmFi is enough to top out considerate apartment listening at 25% volume. Surprisingly, the Dolby sound modes are worth turning on, most other recievers I demo-ed sounded tubby in surround mode (I was shown what Surround was supposed to be later, with a Lexicon and a set of PSBs, I feel it's on par). Video watching becomes involving, even immersive, even with two speakers, which weren't designed for Dolby surround, see review. But best of all is the sound from CDs. There is so much I never knew was in a lot of the recordings I play every night, even on a high-end Marantz/Carver DJ setup. What sounded like distortion on samples/voices/guitars now becomes as intended when the filters were applied in the studio. I couldn't ask for anything more, I don't own any CDs recorded with such clinical methods as to create a sound I won't hear. True, there are maybe a handful of Classical or Jazz HDCDs that were recorded with millions of dollars of pro audio equipment, mastered by lifetime professionals and generally combed over bit-by-bit for reference quality sound, thereby justifying MBL/Martin Logan/Krell setups, but why spend $250,000 on equipment to play maybe 50 CDs, about 10 that you actually enjoy. Audio is about loving the music, not disecting it. I spent what I consider a large amount of money on this setup, but it has come out to be my dream come true, the AmFi being an integral part of that. If you share my views on music, and don't need Dolby Digital or an all-in-one box, the AmFi is head-and-shoulders above anything in overall value. Six stars for value, five for overall, only because there is still better equipment out there for those who will appreciate it's clinical properties.

Strengths:
Powerful and detailed tuner, great amplifier stage, pre-outs, beautiful, musical sound

Weaknesses:
No phono stage, kind of flimsy/weak remote, no balanced input

Similar Products Used:
Rotel RX950, Marantz SR-680, NAD 7xxx series, dare I say B&K 202 minus the DD

Summary:
Beautiful unit to behold, nice "Indiglo" style LCD display, handsome face. Inputs are all analog, RCA, but are gold-plated and will accomodate inters up to the AudioQuest Ruby range, not to mention the gold-plated binding posts, VERY handy for shoving in as much copper and silver has humanly possible (just the holes on the side are about 10 or 8 gague), and the pre-outs make for a definite temptation to upgrade later. The sound is top-notch for it's all-in-one-box design, the tone controls haven't been touched except for the turntable. This leads me to my only complaint about this piece of electronics : NO PHONO STAGE. The sound is under-powered, tinny, and bright from my ancient-history turntable, forcing me to either get an external phono stage, or a newer, higher-output current cartridge. Mine cost me a piddling $300, from http://www.soundfactor.com , MSRP is $500 which I can understand. Unless you plan on AC3, or going above $800 for separates or some outrageous H/K or Denon, look into this reciever, you won't be dissapointed.

Strengths:
Great styling, very powerful tuner, high-quality connecting points, sound quality is very high

Weaknesses:
No phono stage, Radio Data System circuit on tuner rarely recieves a steady signal even when audio comes in clear

Similar Products Used:
Harman Kardon AVR65, Marantz 680