I just bought the SA-AX6 in a combo with the SH-500D Digital Surround Processor. For previous questions, the SA-AX6 has two super video inputs and one output. It also have gold plated audio/video connectors on the front panel. Stereo sound is good but in Dolby prologic is excellent. The blue lines on the front panel are actually blue lights that made easy to use the controls in the darkness. I also used a 12 gauge speaker cables without banana plugs with a little difficulty but they workout just fine. I upgrade from another Technics receiver(SA-EX900)that has the same power rating, 100 watts per channel, but the SA-AX6 sound is a lot more powerful that the other one. I recommend the combo (SF-DX6) to everyone who wants to enjoy music and very soon, DVD, using the DTS audio format. You can find it on earthstations.com for $460, a great buy.

THE SA-AX6 IS A VERY GOOD VALUE. I PURCHASED IT FROM A PANASONIC OUTLET FOR $380. FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IS THE BLUE FAKE NEON THAT SEPARATES IT FROM THE REST OF THE TECHNICS LINE (AMONG ALL OTHERS MANUFACTURES). ALSO THE UNIT HANDLES EITHER A PASSIVE OR A POWERED SUB WHICH IS A NICE UNIQUE FEATURE. I HAVE YET TO PURCHASE A SUB, AND FRANKLY GIVEN THE ADAPTIVE BASS CONTROL AND MY DECENT ALBEIT MODEST SPEAKERS (ADVENT JADE TOWERS) I FEEL NO NEED TO HURRY EXCEPT FOR CURIOSITY SAKE. TUNER PERFORMANCE SEEMS AVERAGE. YOU PROBABLY WILL NEED TO USE THE MANUAL TUNING TO FIND YOUR FAVORITE STATIONS INSTEAD OF THE SEEK. HAS BI-AMPING CAPABILITY FOR THOSE INTERESTED ( THE STORE HAD THE TECHNICS BI-AMPED SPEAKERS ON DISPLAY WITH THIS RECEIVER AND THEY SOUNDED VERY GOOD!). THE UNIT IS FAN COOLED, ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT EVER NOTICED IT TURN ON... MAYBE JUST AT VERY HIGH VOLUMES. BINDING POSTS AT THIS PRICE? AMAZING!
COMPLAINTS?... A LOT OF THE FEATURES ARE ONLY FOUND ON THE REMOTE. HOPE IT NEVER BREAKS! FOR EXAMPLE YOU MUST USE THE REMOTE TO GO THROUGH THE PRESETS. THE UNIT COULD USE MORE SOUND FIELDS FOR AUDIO USE. FOR EXAMPLE THERE IS ON MODE FOR AUDIO THAT PRODUCES ANY REAL VOLUME THROUGH THE REAR SPEAKERS. A FOUR CHANNEL EQUAL POWER STEREO MODE WOULD BE USEFUL WHEN YOU JUST WANT TO FILL THE ROOM WITH MUSIC (PARTY SITUATIONS).

OTHER THAN THAT NO COMPLAINTS. I FEEL IT IS A GOOD VALUE FOR THE PRICE. PLUS IT IS VISUALLY EXCITING COMPARED TO OTHER LOOK ALIKE MODELS. PROBABLY MORE SUITED FOR SURROUND SOUND THAN AUDIO, BUT STILL MORE THAN ADEQUATE FOR BOTH.

Initially I was going to give this receiver a rating of one. After careful thought I am going to give it a three. I was going togive it a one based on how bad (bad as it no good, not bad as in BAD!) it sounded in stereo mode. In Dobly Prologic
and Dolby Digital it sounded excellent. Build quality is excellent as with most Technics products. Price is also excellent, it
can be had for $470 plus a $100 rebate.

I found the SA-AX6 at Shop4.com for $259 plus tax and shipping. If you buy the SH-AC500D processor with it you will get a $100 rebate from Technics. Check out their web site for a copy of the rebate coupon. Hope this helps.

Just bought the AX6... Gotta tell ya, AWESOME! I upgraded to the AX6 from EX700... Wow! Couldn't believe a $300 upgrade would sound so much clearer, especially at high volume. I have a pair of Technics LX70 speakers connected to it, sounds great. Definitely the way to go for good home stereo at a very nice price. Not to mention the unit itself looks nicer than the past models. Couldn't give it a perfect 5 speaker rating though. Compared to the EX700, the remote control slacks. With the EX700 you get a nice remote than controls just about everything (Except subwoofer level, when will that be incorperated onto a remote?), but with the AX6 you get a cheap, flimsy remote that is hard to understand. Oh well, I'm not too lazy to get up to hit a few buttons. Great price, great sound... Great buy.

I spent about half an hour comparing this receiver (which comes packaged with the SH-AC500D Dolby Digital/DTS decoder) with the comparably priced, Dolby Digital equipped Yamaha RX-V595. Principal feature difference is that the Yamaha is powered by discrete power transistors for 70Wx5 while the Technics is equipped with a single (dual rail?) system for 100Wx5. I was fully prepared to have the Yamaha sound at least noticeably, if not much, better than the Technics. Surprisingly, the Technics sounded warmer and fuller, and the Yamaha produced an almost electronic, reverbing sound to the mid-range. Without the bass enhancement engaged, the Technics receiver had a somewhat tinny reproduction. I listened to the equipment on Infinity's RS-2 speakers, which, while clearly not high-end equipment, probably did equal injustice to both systems. As far as build quality and aesthetics (if you care), I'm not usually one for flash in the equipment, but I think that the blue lighted bars on the Technics are subtle enough to be cool. The Yamaha looks like a, well, Yamaha.

This Technics is not very good. Get Yamaha HK Denon Onkyo if you want budget products

Just purchase the Ax6 combo! Sound is good in stero and surround sound modes. I'm not a expert but I have a good ear for listerning. The system has pretty much the things need for good listerning and surround sound. Yes remote can be better, but for the price $379 for both units its worth purchase.

Got it from www.shop4.com for $275 (including shipping). Great deal... I think the best part is "subwoofer adaptive control". Another good piont is "2 outputs for subwoofer, powered and pre-amp". Even most of use use the pre-amp only with powered sub, it's still a good feature. For this price, definitely 5 stars.

I have had the SA-AX6 with the 500D decoder for a few weeks and I like the package EXCEPT the excessive noise in the center channel and even in the front and rear speakers. It is the only reason I am going to return it. When the volume is turned up beyond the noise it sounds decent. I am using a Panasonic A310 DVD and Polk RM6500 HT speakers and liked them alot listening to them through the Yamaha demo unit, but the noise is very distracting. I also don't like the remote, it's kinda funky to access different components, when I use the remote to turn off the receiver I have to hit the tuner button and listen to the radio for a second. I don't like having dual remotes for the DD/DTS decoder! Enough slamming the unit, some things I like alot are the simple front panel with important controls easily accessible, big dials and knobs. Nice speaker inputs. The subwoofer control gives alot of flexibility and built-in crossover control. I have to confess that it looks very good! I like the blue strips and the flip down tinted glass. It's very easy to use I just wish it didn't have such a noisy surround sound. Dolby Digital sounds great when you crank it, and DTS is cool except for the decoder taking a second to determine what type of audio it is being fed. I expected better sound quality out of this unit but I thought I would give it a try. I've heard such good things about Yamaha that I just might spend twice as much for a cleaner sound. I have looked at the RX-V975? DD/DTS and every one I've seen(3) had a broken volume knob, it just flops around and you can push and pull on it, YUCK! Maybe a RX-X995 or 2095 would be better built. I started out trying to do this cheaply but I am getting hooked on the good stuff!