Sherwood Newcastle RVD-8090R A/V Receivers

Sherwood Newcastle RVD-8090R A/V Receivers 

DESCRIPTION

Audio/Video Receiver - Dolby Digital/Dolby Pro Logic/DTS - 100 Watts x 5 Channels - 2 Optical & 2 Coaxial Digital Audio Inputs

USER REVIEWS

Showing 11-20 of 41  
[Oct 18, 2000]
Joe Zodda
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Unbeatable price, lots of features

Weakness:

How can you mention weakness for a receiver with all these features at under $200?

Well I just love the 8090. I have hooked it up to a large TV and also a projector. It kicks mucho ass in DD and DTS. It needs a sub as the bass is not that powerful, but with a Sub the sound is amazing. I have hooked it up to 2 different sets of AR speakers one set high end and the other lower. Well all I will say about the high end is that this baby was competing with my outlaw (needs that sub though!) For the lower end setup which consists of 4 AR 208V speakers connected to an ARS112 Sub it really stretched its legs. Volume levels very high with little distortion.

I also hooked up the Headphone Jack to a SEN HD-580 headphones and was pleasantly surprised. The Sherwood sounded nice and the headphone amp was not that much better sounding.

I am very happy with this purchase. Its worth alot more IMO

Similar Products Used:

Outlaw

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jul 11, 2000]
sherwin
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

sound is rich

Weakness:

tuner,display,remote

mine is broken. I've had it approx 4 months and for some reason when I turn it on it goes on...then off in a few seconds. Now I have to dig out the rcpt and take it in. It also goes on when I press any mode button on the remote...then goes right off. Something is really wacked on it. Assuming I didnt have this problem I would say that this reciever sounds good but needs many "convenience" features. Its hard for me to tell when there is DD sound or pro-logic. (those little red lights are confusing)The tuner is not good and the antenna doesnt plug in tight.I think it WAS a good value a few months ago but DTS receivers are really going down in price so now I'm not sure.

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yamaha rxv793

OVERALL
RATING
2
VALUE
RATING
3
[Jun 28, 2000]
Matthew
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Value. At $150-180 from Ubid, it's quite a package for the price.

Weakness:

Ergonomics. It's difficult to use. Lack of video inputs (only 3), no S-Video, the remote is not a learning remote, audible pop when DTS bitstream starts

The best thing about this receiver, as others have stated, is its value. Ubid seems to have an endless supply of these things. Don't bid too high; if you miss out on a lot, there will be another lot of the same thing tomorrow. I won with a bid of $157.

This receiver is a low end model, obviously. My biggest gripe is that it's hard to use. Changing audio inputs and video inputs is done with separate buttons on the unit. (The remote does have direct access to all inputs, tho.) There are only three composite video inputs, and one of those is on the front panel. I had to use that for my laserdisc player. My VCR and DVD player use the other two inputs. So to watch television I have to use the tuner in the VCR, which is no big deal to me.

Setting the sound level on the speakers could be easier; you get a test tone at each speaker for two seconds until the unit automatically goes to the next speaker.

This unit is BIG. It's bigger than the Pro-Logic Kenwood receiver it has replaced in my system. Pop the cover and you see that most of that space is just air.

The amplifiers are, as you would suspect, marginal. The canon shots on the Telarc recording of the 1812 overture were nowhere near as powerful as they were with my Kenwood. If you want deep bass, look elsewhere.

There is an audible click (a loud one) when the receiver switches into DTS decoding mode.

The unit does decode Pro Logic, Dolby Digital, and DTS. There is no RF demodulator for an AC-3 output from a laserdisc player. There is a tape loop and a video tape loop.

If you're looking for a budget receiver to give you DD and DTS, as I was, you're likely to be pleased with this receiver. It doesn't do everything, and what it does do it doesn't always do well, but for small home theaters on a budget, it fits the bill. All of my griping aside, it's still pleasant to watch action flicks on my DVD player through this receiver.

It does have a subwoofer pre-out, as you'd expect, but I haven't used it yet.

Overall, I'm happy with this receiver. I bought it to tide me over until I can buy the home theater I really want. In the meantime, I now have DD and DTS capability while I'm assembling the other pieces. For the money, I don't think it can be beat.

Similar Products Used:

None

OVERALL
RATING
2
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jun 24, 2000]
Seth
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Price, DTS/Dolby Digital Decoding, Discrete Amplifier Stages, Sherwood Service, and Sturdy Construction

Weakness:

At this price??? I guess the output seems lower than specs but its clean to the top of the dial.

Sherwood products have always made me happy. For the price ($187 Ubid) this is the best receiver you can get. Compared to similar spec A/V receivers this this sounds much better. My old Technics despite being "analog" was nowhere near as warm as this receiver.

The other great thing is that before I bought this reciever I contacted Sherwood customer service and they answered every single question I had (no matter how stupid).

Bottom line: great A/V receiver, great company, FUN.

Similar Products Used:

Sherwood RVD 9090R & Technics SA-GX 690

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[May 06, 2000]
zhenyu wang
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

DTS

Weakness:

FM tuner and preset

just got it yesterday.
206 from ubid.com shipping cost me another $50.
i pick it up basically coz it has DTS DB and Pr whil the receiver on the same price line have not such function.
Simulation environment should be more.
THD is little higher. onkyo is 0.08%this one is 0.2%
remot is not ideal with similar size and color button.
but the sound quality is still ok for such price.


Similar Products Used:

Onkyo 474

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[May 05, 2000]
Felix De La Torre
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

4 digital inputs (2opt/2coax), DPL/DD/DTS/6CH, Cinema EQ,
disp dimmer, pink noise generator, concise manual

Weakness:

limited remote (more geared for controlling multiple sherwood products, missing buttons directly on receiver), tape monitor mode cannot record from digital input sources,
.8% THD, manual doesn't explain calibration well enough
(depend on books and web sites to find information on proper
DPL and DD calibration)

This unit is a GREAT unit for the price. I picked it up from UBID.COM for $207.00 in a dutch (stock) auction. UBID impressed me by getting my receiver to me just 3 days after the auction win. Note: UBID states the unit has a 1 year warranty. It actually has a 2 year warranty.
The receiver's 4 digital inputs are a plus, since some of us (like me) have a DVD/LD combo player. I wanted 2 optical inputs for this, and the unit has performed flawlessly with both sources. I was put off at first by the THD (0.8%, the DPL Onkyo I upgraded from has .08%), but in listening to DD and DPL soundtracks on the unit, I have absolutely no complaints on the sound. Pop in Air Force One, The Matrix, and Saving Private Ryan on DVD and you won't have any complaints, either. I can't comment on the DTS yet, though I have a DVD in waiting for this. Setup of the receiver was very simple, even for the occasional audio novice out there.
The remote is easy to use, though I'd like to see more buttons for the receiver on it. The remote is definitely geared for controlling multiple sherwood units. In fact, the remote only has 1/4 of the space devoted to the receiver itself! Would have been nice to see the Cinema EQ and Tone Direct buttons on the remote. Overall, this is a small complaint, though.
Another gripe is that recordings from digital sources can't be made. As a film enthusiast, I enjoy film scores and occasionally dub music from film end credits before I buy the score on CD. You can work through an analog pass-through (like going through your VCR), but it's a pain for anyone trying to use a DVD player as a CD player, also. You'll get sound (and nice, rich sound, too!), but good luck trying to record on to tape.
Overall, though, I highly recommend the unit for anyone trying to break into the wonderful world of Dolby Digital and DTS for an extremely affordable price. The unit has clean sound, good button layout on the receiver, 4 digital inputs, and 6 channel upgrade path for DD-EX later on. After shopping long and hard for a value unit with 4 digital inputs, the Sherwood RVD-8090R delivered in spades- it's definitely worth a hell of a lot more than what I paid for it.

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Onkyo TXSV-727

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jan 19, 2001]
Michael Chappell
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Value for money. Binding Posts, DTS and DD decoding, Cinema EQ, 6 Channel input and ease of use

Weakness:

Definately none at this price point!

I've posted a review here before and as nearly seven months have past since my first comments, I thought I'd post an update.

This unit has worked PERFECTLY from day one. Not one thing has gone wrong with it nor has anything come loose or worn. It looks as good now as it did when I took it out of the box. I can't say enough about the reliability of this unit so far. Bravo Sherwood.

Performance wise it has always worked well although it doesn't have the resolution of the Denon I just purchased. I listened to the Gladiator DTS track and the Denon revealed sounds I didn't know were there. Keep in mind though that in AUS, the Denon AVR2801 is twice the price! I'm keeping the Sherwood, I'm just moving it to the bedroom system as I still really like it.

I urge anyone looking for a good budget receiver to audition this unit as it really is fantastic value for money.

Similar Products Used:

Onkyo TX-DS474, Denon AVR2801

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[May 14, 2000]
Tech1000
Casual Listener

Strength:

Of course price for DTS and DD. Decent power.

Weakness:

Remote is worthless unless you want to buy more Sherwood stuff. Pop in system when switches to DD and DTS. Tuner really bad

Overall this product is excellent for the price. The remote should only have like 8 buttons on it. The sound is good and I think the power (unlike some others here) is fine. The tuner is probably the worst part, I get better reception from some little radio I got free for joining some bank. I don't think the stereo is that bad at least with CDs. I would definitely buy it again. I picked it up from Ubid for 172 with the OUTRAGEOUS shipping charge of 60. That place is good if it wasn't for the shipping charges.
My setup is JBL HP88F fronts, JBL Sat2 surrounds, and JBL Center channel (still waiting on a subwoofer)...

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Denon 1100

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jul 21, 2000]
Matt
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

PRICE PRICE PRICE!!!!

Weakness:

Not much option for controlling sound difference. Must have a seperate equalizer with this product.

I did extensive research on this product before I decided to bid on it when Ubid.com had a million of these things. I picked mine up for $187 and I and all of my friends are extremely impressed at the value this buy was.
It has everything you could want in a Dolby Digital reciever except maybe S-Vid inputs but everything else is great. All input areas on back are very sturdy especially the binding posts which is crucial for good wiring. This reciever has great strength and sounds GREAT with any kind of input either from DVD or CD. I'm using some really old Sansui speakers my dad picked up while in Vietnam and this reciever does great with these old things.

If you want a great reciever for a great price pick this sucker up. My buddy spent $450 on his Yamaha reciever and I would put mine up to his any day for a price/performace competition.

I can't wait to get a pair of either the Paradigm Mini-Monitors or Monitor 3 speakers and see what this thing can do!!

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jul 20, 2000]
Seth
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

PRICE, DTS/Dolby Digital Decoding, 5.1 Inputs, Sound, Customer Service

Weakness:

Music tends to close up at higher volumes.

I am ammending my prior review based on spending more time with this receiver.
1. The sound is great for stereo.
2. Logic steering for Pro-Logic is awesome.
3. The Dolby Digital decoding is also awesome.
4. Cinema-EQ makes movies sound better.

However, the sound becomes distorted rather early on the volume dial (70 out of 90 gradients). At normal volumes 45-70, the sound is very clear and you can hear individual instruments. Above 70 things get sticky, the music becomes a blob of sound, individual instruments disappear into each other.
None of this above is a problem in a small room unless you want to go deaf. In a large room this will be an issue because you will obviously need more volume to fill a larger space. One option is to get an external amplifier but lets face it, if you buy the 8090R, you probably are on a budget like me and don't want to blow a pile of cash for amplifiers.

To sum it up: Great sounding reciever at this price and at normal listening levels but if you like to listen to it loud then you will have to sacrifice clarity in the process.

Similar Products Used:

See Below

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
Showing 11-20 of 41  

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