This product is OK. It separates the sound to each channel properly and the amp still works to my satisfaction. The manual is user unfriendly and thoroughly memorizing the manual for the average person is impossible! After years of ownership I was still finding options I could use.The setup screen display is a priority and unfortunately mine quit working . The optional manual push button setup for all the input modes is tedious and confusing. The things that broke within a few years are all the optical jacks failed to hold in the male end of the wire. The external headset jack never worked. Remote functions after 10 years doesn't work properly. All and all guess it did the job and for a lack of space met my needs. In think I will go back to my original Kenwood which I think was superior.

Bass management, inputs, sound, price, nice soundfield, sound is very immersive.

none

Just got this reciever last week and am amazed at how great it sounds. I have owned many different brands of a/v reciever and as a total package, the Panasonic has it all. Great sound, awesome price, and plenty of inputs both digital and analog. No kidding, this unit sounds better than my $1000.00 Marantz reciever!

Similar Products Used:

Marantz 6200, Technics sa-da 10, Sony ES.

great value, slim profile There is a bigger difference between 6.1 and 5.1 that I expected

relatively big footprint. Otherwise, I haven't really tried it out enough to notice any weaknesses

I've been wanting to upgrade to a good receiver without breaking the bank. Digital amplification of the SA XR-70 was intriguing. So I tried it out. Had a Sony STR DE485 before that was fine, but the Panasonic is so much better. I can hear so much more detail in all channels. Bass response is better too.

Similar Products Used:

Sony STR DE485

A small size receiver that produces high quality output at low electricity consumption levels. Up to date implementation of HDMI interface, which is backward compatible to DVI interface and supports computer interface through RGB. Avoids digital-analog conversion through support of digital signal through to speaker binding posts. Many feaures built into receiver, making this an improved example of mass market XR 50 receiver.

Light build. Weak speaker connections for all speakers other than front AB speakers.

I have been waiting for this product for more than one year. My base system is a Rotel CD971 feeding into a Simaudio I5080 integrated amp into Newform Research 630 ribbon speakers. John Meyer of Newform Research has long been a promoter of digital amps. The XR 70 is about the third generation of Panasonic's attempts to produce digital amps using Texas Instruments digital amp chips. Compared to the XR 45, this receiver offers an HDMI interface and a biamping feature, allowing you to drive the woofer and tweeter of your loudspeakers independently, without using a passive crossover. Biamping has long been considered a powerful and expensive method to pull performance out of your speakers. My main interest was to obtain a receiver that would work well in a home theater environmet, while providing audiophile quality two channel sound. This is called convergence. You avoid the expense of audiophile equipment while satisfying both video and audio needs through mass market equipment. Panasonic has hit the sweet spot through the XR 70 receiver and the DVD s97 DVD player. For the price of $650USD, you can have these two extraordinary pieces that will rival most everything in the electronics marketplace. The DVD S97 player is also HDMI interface capable. It ranks as a strong competitor to the Denon 2910 DVD player, at less than half the price. It only provides DVD audio decoding, but this is apperently a weakness of the universal Denon player. If you want SACD decoding, buy the new Sony 975 HDMI DVD player, and you still save money against the Denon. I tried patching the S97 into my Simaudio amp, and found the result to be flat and one dimensional. I tried patching my Rotel into the XR 70, and found the sound to be shrill and fautiging. My base Rotel and Simaudio setup gives me excellent soundstaging and detail, so I was not happy. Then I connected the S97 to the XR 70 through the HDMI cable supplied by Pansonic. The sound came into focus, giving me almost the same soundstage that my base sysem provides, straight out of the box. Many audio dealers comment that the Panasonic digital amps sound bright and harsh compared to the analog amps. My suggestion is to use the Panasonic receiver and DVD player in combination, and play with the receiver setup to optimize two channel sound. John Meyer of Newform Research has commented that the Panny digital amps sound pretty rough out of the box with factory multichannel settings. Even though the receiver is rated at 100 RMS watts at six ohms, I found this more than sufficient to drive my speakers at high volume levels. I have not explored the biamping option yet. This receiver was only released in early December of 2004. Just before Christmas, most dealers went out of stock on this item. In Canada, this is a difficult and expensive item to obtain, while the DVD player is easily available. This is why I ordered from the states, and even there supply is limited. In summary, my exploration into the newest technology (primarily HDMI) tells me that there are few industry standards. One reatailer indicates that the Samsung 941 HDMI DVD universal player does not work with the Panny XR 70. I also read that the Denon 2910 will not feed DVDA info to the latest HDMI equipment. So - stay safe and stick to the Panny combination. These two units were made for each other, and they do things between the two of them that you and I can not understand. This is where technology has gone. Highly recommended - to achieve high standards of audio and video at mass market prices.

Similar Products Used:

My first venture into digital amplifiers.

Clean and detailed sound. Great with digital sources like CD player Excellent balance from highs to lows... not rolled off in the bass or treble low, low power consumption 90% efficient Small size fits anywhere Price is around $350 online

Not the ultimate in smoothness. Could use a little more refinement on the treble. Bass is great though. Wish it used a linear power supply.

I am very familiar with the sound of the Panasonic SA-XR45. I knew that the XR45 has alot of potential. When I heard that Panasonic was coming out with an successor I jumped at the chance to upgrade to an SA-XR70. I am currently using the SA-XR70 in biamp mode with NHT ST4 speakers. The sound is clean and detailed. The imaging is very good. What Im hearing isnt a radical departure from the XR45, but it IS improved. I think I read that they had worked on improving the power supply. The XR70 sounds better than the XR45. It's somehow a little smoother. It's easily the match for the NHT ST4's in terms of quality. I now consider the ST4's to be the weak link in the system. I will say I havent had a chance to listen to the analog inputs which many have said is NOT a strong point for these Panasonic receivers. The tuner is very good. I have a Sony X707ES seperate tuner and I dont feel any urge to hook it up to the Panasonic. The Panasonic's excel at digital sources. I listened to some Rush last night. Not the best recordings and Geddy's voice can get screechy over extended listening periods. I kept listening in amazement. This receiver shouldnt sound as good as it does. Will I sell my Threshold T200's on Ebay anytime soon? Probably not... It's not in that league. Does it smoke my previous Sony ES Receiver? Yeah. The "digital" sound is slowly moving closer to really good transistor. I wish Panasonic would come out with an audiophile version of this amp -- linear power supply and upgraded caps. But I am happy I upgraded from the XR45.

Similar Products Used:

Comparing recently to a CJ PV5 preamp and Threshold T200 system. This is an insane comparison as the old system cost like $9000 with the CJ PV5 preamp being a weak link.