Sound, looks, OSD, remote, price

No 5.1 input

Tag AV32R is perhaps one of the best digital surround processors on the market (in this pricerange). It has a great OSD that helps you setting it up, and the looks and buildquality is great (less is more is the word). Its very slimeline but heavy. Mine is in dark grey / black, but its also avalibul in silver.

The sound AV32R produces is very good indeed. There is no, or little, coloration to the sound as a whole. In other words it is very transparent, which I personally like. The DAC´s must be of highest quality indeed.

DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 sounds amazing. Soundstage is deep and wide with lots of detail and deep but controlled bass. Its ability to place certain soundeffects in the soundfeild absolutely correctly, and with authority is very appealing. Everything just "sounds right", to put it simply.

On Saving Private Ryan (DVD/DTS) every sublte detail is clearly heard, and the layering of sound (some not so subtle!) is overwhelming compared to an integrated amp. On Tarzan (DVD/Dolby Digital) the processors musical attributes becomes clear, and all musical cues in the movie sound wonderful in all their glory. I could never turn the volume up as high with an integrated amp as I can now with the AV32R.

Stereo 2-channel also has its advantages on the AV32R. The sonic attributes from surround is also present here, with clear, detailed sound. It puts the music thru the way its recorded, and thereby stays very true to the original.

On Madonna´s album Music (CD) the electronical tracks are rendered with many layers of detail, and heavy but again controlled bass. On a simpler system this album can easily sound harsh and brutal at times, but not with the AV32R.

The 3-D soundstadge created between and around the two speakers is great with music.

Criticism comes in the form of no inputs for 5.1 (DVD AUDIO), and thats about it for me.

Software-based - can be upgraded by the Tag McLaren homepage. Sound, looks, ergonomics, buildquality and price. Tag McLaren service is not to be forgotten, this company really do care about all their customers.

Perhaps not quite up to the soundquality of the EAD Ovation or Theta when it comes to 2-channel music. Moviesound (DD/DTS) are though equal. Ofcourse the Tag Mclaren is only half the price of these puppets !

Talk about a real feeling of expensive quality from Tag MacLaren. It all begins with the packing - beautiful and slick colorful carton and exlusive pins and printed materials inside. And ofcourse the AV32R itself.

The setup is very intuitive, the wizard on the AV32R helps you all the way. My only wish is the processor had a mic with auto calibration like the EAD.

Great sound and a great product. Deserved star-status !

Not to be missed, for shure.

Similar Products Used:

EAD Ovation and Theta Casa Nova

Engineering, construction quality

Minimalist design may not please everyone

My point of view is more analytical. This product is brilliantly engineered and constructed, using the best current engineering approaches to mixed signal (audio/video) processors in a single chassis. From its premium DAC's and ADC's to its unique use of the Sharc processor, the AV32R follows aerospace best praces. Nitrogen laser surface mounts and wave soldering where appropriate, and clean leaded connections where similarly appropriate. The toroidal transformer has multiple secondary taps for the digital circuits, and 15 local regulation stages for the various ADC and DAC processors. Parts selection is premium - Vishay resistors, Wima capas, and Elna Cerfine electrolytics. The circuit boards are multi plane, glass epoxy with gold plated through holes. There is no point to point wiring, and no jumpers. The volume control is analog, driven by a Crystal (Cirrus) CS3310 resistive ladder. All of this translates into a very low noise, linear, and dynamic processor. The metal work is first rate and the unit has a very solid and refined feel to it. The set up menus are Wizard-driven, and easy to follow and change - you will need a monitor though, as there is no redundant display on the front panel. The Tag McLaren does not have every possible switching option, and its surround setting cannot be tweaked as comprehensively as a Lexicon - but for me and many others, this is more a boon than a hindrance. Sound quality (with this level of low distrotion, low noise, and processing linearity) is unimpeachable. The video bus is at least as good as any competing unit, but still very slightly reduces video bandwidth on test patters - this is not noticeable on program material. I have the latest version with the DTS-EX Surround update, the accessory triggers, etc.

One other thing - the company is very committed to customer service, upgradeability frequency and ease, and direct involvement with its customers. On their website, the CEO regularly gets involved in his customers needs and wants. All told, a wonderful unit that replaced a Lexicon DC-2 and Sony TA-E9000ES in my system. It is easy to understand why TAG wins on the Formula circuits - its products are built to last, and eachieve the highest performance.

Brilliant as a preamp, dac and processor.

I have been using an AV32r for 8 months, and am very impressed. I have an Audiolab 8000cdm transport, and the sound is superb. I upgraded from a Meridian 506 and Audiolab 8000C.
It is also very good with films - sound quality and placement are top notch.
The on-screen setup menu is simple and straightforward. The learning remote provided as standard a cool piece of kit, which I to control the whole system.

If you are in the market for an AV controller, even a pre amplifier you must hear this. All the bells and whistles you could wish for and is entirely software upgradable. The compant are also in it for the long haul and will supply the answers to any queries.
The sound is is up with the best, Lexicon, Theta, Krell, Meridian, Proceed need to do a bit of homework to get their kit on a level with this at the price.

The setup is done via a wizard and is dead easy, the manuals are well laid out and come in CD Jewel cases for easy storage amongst your CD's. The remote is programmable for other units and can handle macros up to 10 steps. There are too many features to mention all I can say is go and have a look at one. I beleive that they only avaliable in the UK at present but it won't be long till they arrive in the US.

The only thing I would like to have seen is discrereet digital outputs for digital eq. But as the unis is totally software driven this feature can be built in. On the whole no stone was left unturned in development. Can't wait to hear their DVD player which arrives mid 2000.

Great looks, small but very strong cabinet, amazing digital and analog sound in both two- and multichannel. Extremly good on-screen-display, helps you all the way to set-up correctly.

To much "clicking" when switching between modes, muting and so on, quite irritating. Especially irritating is when you play DVD and enter its menu or skip a chapter or change something, it clicks horrificly. This seem to depend on the what kind of DVD-disc och DVD-player you´re using though. But if cheap receivers can avoid making this kind of noise, then a processor of this caliber should´nt be any different.

Upgrading from a good integrated receiver from Denon to a full-blown separate system is quite an experience. I read alot about this english-made processor and the reactions were all the same - exellent. So I decided it was time to enter the world of separates. I chose the TagMclaren 32avr and the five-channel amplifier Rotel 985 mkII.

The result was great - music comes alive like never before. Details, musicality, warmth, soundstage - its all there! As for movies, well, the result was just as great. Here I find myself totally integrated in the soundstage. There is very little time to think about anything else than the actual movie, and that in it self is a great feat !

Sure the Denon was good, but this is even better, and its much easier to upgrade now - I can easily buy a more powerful amplifier later without having to replace a whole setup. And my speakersystem likes the Rotel 985 mkII, but I think they might like the Rotel 1095 even more...

The TacMclaren 32avr is a very good processor, and I dont think anyone could ever be dissapointed. Great D/A, wonderful multichannel reproduction, great remote, beautiful looks and easy to use. If only it did´nt make so much "clicking" all the time...

Similar Products Used:

Denon AVR-5700

very sweet sound,and clear.

only black

I have AV32R for few months,it sounds great.
each times plays cd or dvd ,I can hear sweet,warm music.
makes me happy and pleased.
I match with PROCEED AMP2,3.Speakers are Dynaudio 1.3.

Very transparent & musical preamplifier. Top rate av processor. Easy set up. Software upgradability.

Writings and button on front fascia small for not-so-young user. Remote receiver window not sensitive enough.

Is this probably the best processor in the world? After a search for 12 months and listening to AV amplifiers from Sony to Lexicon this is the one that found the way into my home. Some of the attributes that convince me that my search has ended were the way it plays all types of music with ease and excitement. This breast in a choice of Armani black or trendy polished aluminium equally likes my music that ranges from Mahler’s symphonies to Bridney Spiers with joy and enthusiasm. My DVD movies collection is now growing at an alarming rate. Since it is so easy to set up I have quickly settle into my sofa enjoying the wonders of movies experience within 2 days. It has home theatre benchmark reproduction.

The video switch shows no visible effect. The quality of the internal DAC is so good that it transforms my DVD player form an average CD player a very good one. The quality of reproduction is now almost the equal to players like Linn Karik. Karik as a transport is itself elevated to higher level. The processor is very transparent that I cannot attribute any sonic characteristic of itself in the chain. Connecting different multi-channel amplifiers also confirm this observation. I have tried Rotel RB985, Tag McLaren 100x5R, Chord SPM2000B. Each brings improvements that I wonders what a few Mark Levinson would achieve.

The company also has excellent after sales service. They are very keen with their online website support. They even sent out free software update for owners. In U.K. it cost half of the other comparable rival.

Linn Karik,
Sony DVP725,
Tag McLaren av32r,
Rotel RB985,
Ruarks Templer, Dialogue & Prologue speakers,
Eccose References Monocystal cables.

Similar Products Used:

Sony STR-DB930, Denon 3300, Meridian 586, Lexicon MC1 , Linn Kairn

Build, looks, user friendly,SOUND SOUND AND SOUND

expansive.
expensive

I've just had the opportunity to test its stereo capabilities and there is just one word to describe it: amazing. It does not have all the "magical" features present in other A/V processors but for the ones who want "just" sound quality, the search is over.Highly recommended.

Similar Products Used:

proceed avp, classe, etc...

Outstanding soundquality in all categories
Wonderful to look at
Simple to set-up and use

Clicks a few times to many when "muting"

This has to be one of the absolute best av-processors in the buisness. Listening to a Dolby Digital or DTS dvd is like beeing there! It does´nt hold anything back from the soundfield, but gives a correct reproduction. I love it, and you would have to pay double the price to get anything remotely better (in terms of soundquality).