Remote, home theatre, connections

DSP modes are useless

Boy, this product is really raising alot of controversy. I've had the 945 for over one year and have listened to hours of music and tons of DVDs. The people that are reviewing this and say the sound is "garbage" clearly have no idea what you can get for around $800 bucks. I have heard the Yamaha 2K unit (the big A-1 I think it is called) and did an A B test in a well designed listening room at the Sound Company in San Diego, a very well respected 30 year old business. Bottom line, for music it wasn't readily apparrent the differences between the two.

Overall for movies this unit rates a 5, for music it rates a 4. My biggest dissapointment are the DSP modes, which I consider all useless. Of anyone that says for music it is garbage, that is just stupid. For the price it is as good as anything else out there. I look at this unit kinda like my wife's Mitsubishi Galant. Not the best known brand, more features for the buck than the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, and gets on the freeway just as fast.

Similar Products Used:

Denon, Yamaha

After a month of researching all the receivers in my price range I decided to purchase this beauty. I am building my dream system a step at a time and wanted a receiver that could hold its own for several years. I wanted DD, DTS and excellent music reproduction. I listened the Yamaha 2095 and the NAD T-770. Both are good products, however, the price of the NAD was steep and it did not have DTS. I was impressed with the Yamaha, but the sound was a little to bright. I was troubled and then divine intervention introduced to the MKII. What a product!!! It has a beautiful titanium finish, complete bass management, DTS stereo downmix and the remote is user friendly. When I popped into my DVD the DTS demo disk, which is provided, I was truly blown away with the sound. I have played laser discs for years, but the DTS on this product was outstanding. I then popped in the Eagles DTS DVD concert and was introduced to handsdown the best sound I have heard out of any product I listened to. It was amazing. The sound was crisp, clear yet subtle when it needed to be. The MKII is easy to use. The manual is a little dry. Straight stereo music is masterful. This was a concern of mine, but my fears were overcome with the performance of this machine. The MKII compares to the T-770 in this department, but the MKII does a much better job with movies. Additionally, my salesman highly reccommended it over all the others in its price range and that was confirmed by several other sales people that I spoke with. I cannot tell you what a releif it was to finally purchase this baby and have my expectations blown away!!!! Furthermore, it was given the award of budget product of the year and the platnium award from Stereophile's Guide to Home Theater. (don't let the budget product lable fool you, it compares with most $2,500 receivers I heard, that is why it won the platnium award while the DSP-A1, a $2,500 receiver won the gold. They are bascially in the same class). I do suggest you have a decent pair of speakers to work with. Now I can start to work on buying a big screen. THIS PRODUCT IS OUTSTANDING, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!!!

The beefy sound

a few

I owned a R-945 and looking to upgrade to the 945 Mark 2 for the firmware update. Please notify if you are willing to sell or known of a good deal somewhere. Thanks.

Similar Products Used:

Carver, Yamaha, Denon

I have purchased this product for $850 shipped. I run it with M&K SelectTHX and a Sony 7700. Movies and Concerts have been superb with plenty of clean volume in a 20 x 20 room. I agree with another reviewer that if it had automatic input selection it would be a 5. It does seem to run warm into 4 ohm speakers. I guess the question is "does it reduce the life of the reciever"? With changing technology and the relative low price, I will probably replace it before I know the answer to that question.

I know that this is not the forum for this statement but I must say that the 2 previous remarks from Marc from Santa Monica is a joke. Everyone has an opinion, OK? Now personally, I sell audio eqiipment from receivers to serious high end seperates ranging from $10,000-$15,000 for one mono block, alright! Anyway, we carry mostly seperates, however we carry the full line of Dennon receivers and the Sherwood mkII. Now the Sherwood's pre amp is outstanding but for music the amplification IS VERY WEAK.. (Even stated in one of the SGHT reviews!!). Not that the Denon's are perfect, you're not going to get the sound of $30,000 pair of tube mono blocks but there are MUCH BETTER SOUNDING receiver than this Sherwood. Yeah it looks nice, but you don't listen with your eyes, do you?? Now, how can you be so upset Marco? if someone like myself doesn't like this unit, no one here is talking bad about your mother?? are they. Now Inktel, NOT Inkel (as you so proudly said as you called someone else illiterate!!) might make this unit same as HK, I don't know I don't carry HK, However this unit is make in Korea, not Malasia. In any event, Inktel or not, the amplification stinks!!! and HK is known for their warm sounding amplification NOT SHERWOOD. I carrry this unit and side by side the Dennons blow it away, Period. You Need to get a life and let people have their own oppinion, like you.

Let me get this straight. The Denon sounds better than the Sherwood for music? Now I've heard it all. Go read the reviews, Steve. Not reviews by AUDIOPHILES like yourself, but normal, everyday people. The Denons are good, but music is not their strongpoint. I think everyone could agree on that.
By the way, if you ARE a dealer, then this IS your life, so don't insult others who also share an interest in home theater and music. What's the matter, are you afraid other may know more than you do? Gee that would be a rarity. An enthusiast who knows more than a salesperson.

Also, as far as me not wanting others to express their oppinions, nothing could be farther from the truth. What does piss me off is when someone gives a ridiculously low rating to ANY piece of equipment that does't deserve it. Now, I don't prefer Denons, or Harmon Kardons but I don't think they would be deserving of a one, either.You're just another person who is influenced by a name. Sherwood used to have a bad rap, therefore, they can never, ever make a decent product, right Steve? And by the way, you're so knowledgeable for pointing out I misspelled the name of a company. Thank you for setting me straight. It's Inktel. Whew. I feel so much better.

And just for the record, SGHT didn't say the amplification was weak, they said the specs were slightly fudged. In real world applications the R-945 has plenty of power, which was noted several times in the review you so eloquently quoted.

This posting is for Dave, the 'Audiophile'.
I'm going to try and keep this gentlemanly.
Yes, ‘Dave, the audiophile’, some of us DO use this unit for more than home theater. As a musician, I can vouch for this unit’s excellent music reproduction.
By the way,‘Dave, the audiophile’, let’s review what this site is for: reviewing similarly priced products in the same class.
Did you review other products in this class? How did they compare? For you to rate the
R-945 a one, for whatever reason, means you A. Don't understand how these ratings work, B. You’re trying to be inflammatory, or C. You expect us to believe your 'opinion' is more informed than many experts who have literally gushed over this product (Video, SGHT, Audio-Revolution.com, and FI magazine, to name a few.)
My guess is all of the above.
There is no way any aspect of the R-945’s performance rates a one.
Besides, if you're interested in music reproduction, WHY would you buy a home theater receiver? I didn’t realize ‘audiophiles’ like yourself approved of surround sound OR receivers.
Maybe I’ll have better luck with a ’29 year old Fisher’. I’ll just go down to Fred Flintstone’s Audio and pick one up.

Good Sound Clarity and Great Value for Money

Tuner is very average

Bought this Unit for $1200. Went for this brand after listening in one of my collegues place. My first reaction was Sherwood NewCastle ? Haven't even heard of such a company - one would usually hear about Sony , Yamaha, BOSE.....

But took the chance of going for Sherwood NewCastle. Here are my observations...
- At higher volumes (~46)it sounds great anything below that it is not loud enough.(Infact I found the exact same comment by another user of this product in this forum)
- Prologic/Dolby Digital DVDs sound great
- Remote is complicated
- Tuner is very average
- DTS is superb
- For somebody who wants to have home theatre at a reasonable price - this model is highly recommended. I f you want/can spend over 2K I would suggest you look into Yamaha.

Price, DTS, AC-3, & Remote

DSP, No Auto switching for DTS, AC-3 etc.

Compared to Dennon and Marantz. At $150 to $200 less there is no comparison.

Pros:
Price.
Great sound for Home theater (DSP and AC-3).
Great remote.
Good looking.

Cons:
Needs high volumne for best sound.
No auto switching for DTS, AC-3, etc.
Manual
Lousy DSPs

You can not find a better reciever for the price!

www.netmarket.com sells this unit for under $600 delivered!

Similar Products Used:

Nothing in price range Marantz 7000 Dennon 3300