A Neutral Sound with accurate reproduction. Its a clean powerful receiver with plenty of punch that no other unit will match at twice the price. Discrete amplification, multiple gold-plated ins/outs, S-Video and Optic, on screen display. All the Bells and whistles.

The manual and the remote are not good. But I managed to get my head around it eventually.

I have been a English Hi Fi Nut for years with ARCam Delta 90 Amplifier and JPW Speakers. Recently Upgraded to this Monster and have not regretted it. I find the R-956 as a fantastic all rounder. "Jack of all trades master of none" does not apply to this unit. The Pod Race in the Phantom Menace Just Blew Me Away!!!!! I was lucky enough to get this unit for about half retail at NZ$1500.00 (US$600.00) A friend has a system with Denon Amp and Polk Audio Surround speakers and paid more than twice my investment, with little or no improvement in sound, or functionality . Components: Receiver- Sherwood Newcastle R-956. Speakers- DB Dynamics, Polaris II AC688F (Fronts). AC625B (Rears), AC552C (Centre). CD Player- Kenwood DP5050. DVD- Borrowed- Sony Something. VCR- Mitsubishi E51 Hi Fi

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None. Compared it to some friends systems, and it beat the pants off them.

Good finish. Nice looks. Good value for money.

Tuner

This is my first AV-Receiver. After installing it instead of my old Luxman Amp I was quite a bit disappointed. I would have expected a little more "punch". After fumbling with the setup quite a while things went better. Sound is somewhat good although in the stereo section it is definetely not better than my 15year-old Luxman-Amp). I´m sort of oldfashioned and like to listen to the radio once in a while. Compared to my Onkyo T9900 Tuner the Sherwood-Tuner is a piece of junk. Auto-Setup is completely unusable since it does 100 kHz-steps while 90 % of my local stations broadcast on .05-steps. ( For example: WDR 2: 99.20 MHz found WDR 3: 92.65 MHz skipped. Overall usability is nice although you have to get accustomed to it. Forget about the sound effects ( nothing but phase shifting) System: Front-Staging: Magnat Vintage 550 Rear : Magnat Vintage 510 Sub : Magnat Omega 380 Tuner : Onkyo T-9900 DVD : Panasonic DVD-RV 61 CD : Some old Philips

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None. My first AV-Receiver

Power; 24 bit DAC; all Preamp outs; Features ; Smooth, clean, warm sound ; Discrete 3D soundstage; VERY SOLID CHASSIS; GREAT PRICE!

None particularly. It is big and heavy - about 40 pounds. Not hot running, but do NOT enclose in a cabinet - needs ventilation!

Won this on uBid for the dirt cheap price of $475 for this level of AV receiver. All of the spec''s compared to receivers 2x-3x the price (contenders being Outlaw Audio, Pioneer THX series, Onkyo, etc.). This receiver is a major part of my hometheater system in my finished basement (concrete foundation surrounded by earth). Found it to be very smooth and powerful, by itself. However, I incorporated it into the equipment I have, and it works beautifully. You simply MUST checkout the DTS and Dolby Digital in 6.1 surround mode - absolutely breathtaking! Discrete 3D soundstage and background music that IS in the background (behind you). Just make sure the speakers and subs can cleanly withstand the dynamics! Great for music when using SRS and DSP modes, too! Receiver was built in 2001. Overall build quality and fit-and-finish are 1st rate! Brushed aluminum finish standsout from the crowd of black laquered units. Only 1 minor setback - my receiver would not power up at 1 month of use - had some bad chips - statistical bad luck, or the fact that uBid gets factory "seconds". Sherwood service was great - but you MUST send back to them direct - avoid any authorized service center for this level of product. Has been working (I mean constant use) ever since. System : Front amp: Carver M1.5t 1300W amp VCR : JVC SVHS Laserdisc: Marantz LD Dvd/CD player : Pioneer DV525 & Blaster PC with SoundBlaster PC platinum opt. out. Speakers : Front : Wharfedale TSR711 towers Center : Klipsch KSCC1 Center Surrounds : Advent Marble and second Klipsch KSCC1 Center (as rear center) Subwoofer : Self-built custom 12" 300W Subwoofer tubes. Spkr Cables : 12 Ga. copper stranded.

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An 8/2001 Pioneer VS-D509S used in family living room as general family unit - another GREAT buy! Look for my review.

power and lot of it , able to drive high end spaeaker's, clean clear,lot od dig input's 5 which is great also 6.1 ch EX dts

none the manual could be better for a receiver that retal for $1500.00i bought it at overture in dl check out thier web site
great price's i boughy my porceed cdp- cd player there at a steal

i'am a music lover #1 with accuphase equiptment. so i have tried most rceiver's the sherwwood is the best receiver i have had music wise it sound loud and clear

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i 'am a hamon kardon man but sherwood out perform all the hk's receiver's-- avr - 300- 500-510 and dennon ?, and marantz 7000
the marantz 7000 it tone control is junk

clean power; discrete amplification; dynamic headroom; 6.1 inputs/outputs; multiple gold-plated AV inputs, including 2 component; on screen disply(see below); 2nd roommultiple source;

remote; onscreen display; passive cooling;

For the price, I haven't seen better!

I will keep in mind throughout this review that I purchased this unit at a bargain price. I have been using a Sony ES digital receiver for a couple of years now. I wasn't even in the market for a receiver, but I found this at a cheap price. I had intended that if I didn't like it, I would hook it up to my PC and let it be.

But I was impressed. The first thing I did was install it where my Sony was operating and see how it did. I have a modest system with Paradigm speakers all around. The first thing I noticed with the Eagles HFO DVD was that it seemed to be more accurate to a live performance. I had always thought the Sony was a bit bright. I went through several DVDs and some analog CDs. I must admit I was impressed with what I received for the price. The soundstage was very open. instruments playing within the same octaves were very disceptible. Voices were full and natural. DTSAC3 decoding was fast.

My Sony is now a computer component!

I have auditioned many AV receivers, and there are better receivers. However, most of the ones I liked were $2000 and up. I would prever a Marantz EX, but they are easily 3x the price. Try to find a better AV receivers for $500 and you won't find anything as good. My Sony ES can't compare at twice the price.

At full volume, there is little or no distortion. The amp has never clipped. Digital decoding is fast, no waiting for signal recognition. Multiple AV inputs maintain a ludricous amount of components. 2ch. stereo is pleasurable.

OSD is nice for setting up gain adjustments and source selections. However, a meter bar displays, showing the sound level. I can hear when it is loud enough, don't need a display! The remote is only pre-programmed. Learning is a must. It will stay in the drawer, and I will use this cool RCA s/LCD from BestBuy with learning and library.

If teaching payed better, I would have bought a MarantzEX. But for anything less than $1000, I would advise this receiver. 6.1 inputs allow for upgradability and 2ch stereo is very musical.

Each unit is tested with THD@full power. Mine arrived well below factory specs.


components:
Pioneer 525DVD
Kenwood CD
Hitachi HiFI VCR
Echostar 4922 DBS
Paradigm speakers
Monitor 7(front)
LCR 350 (center front)
MiniMonitor (rear surround)
Klipsch rear center

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Sony STR-DA50es

Super clean power and looks cool

At this price, five channel stereo would have been nice. Also, the "multi room" feature is kind of misleading. Its just a feed to run into another amplifier, although you can at least run two different sources at once.

I still have not finished assembling my home theater system, so I am having to run all the channels through a pair of Def Tech powered bookshelf speakers. What I can tell so far is that the dynamic range and clarity of this receiver are incredible. The sound is somewhere between Denon and Yamaha on warmth, which was exactly the compromise I was looking for. I listen to a wide range of music, and find that this receiver really shines with jazz. Listening to my cd collection is a whole new experience.
This is my first experience with Sherwood because I always thought they made junk. I would definitely consider additional components from the Newcastle line. At around $500 bucks, it can't be beat.

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None. This is my first AV Receiver.

Neutral, Accurate, powerful receiver. Nothing comes close even receivers 2 times the cost.

Remote, Manual.

This is the best AV receiver I have owned, and considering the price I wish I could give it 10 stars in value.
Excellent decoding of DTS, Dolby Digital and even CD's via coax digital. Highly recommended.

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Marantz sr-8000, Yamaha RXV-1000

6.1 DTS, 720 Watts, Dolby Pro Logic, on screen display, plenty of inputs and outputs along w/front svid, component inputs.

shipping is expensive =)

To begin, a 720 Watt receiver w/DTS delivered to your door for $481.92 is quite a bargain. Better than that is the killer quality sound you receive from this receiver... something that could easily command 2x the price.

I have the Sherwood going into a complete Wharfedale setup from UBid (as well), and I have no complaints. 6.1 Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan, and even just listening to MP3s (piped through an SBLive digital out w/Dolby Pro Logic) are all easily handled excellently and at the highest fidelity.

Get it while you can... not many Americans know about the quality of a sherwood receiver, especially not this one.

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Old-school Pioneer receiver

Many inputs and output. Sound, Power

The manual, The remote, The manual, The remote are awlful.

This has been the best receiver I have owned. I listen to a wide range of music and it handles them all great. I would like to see better manuals and a website where I could get detail on my product. I would also like to be able to register my product online. Don't get me wrong I love this receiver and recomend it to anyone. The only way to get better sound is to use a amp/pre-amp setup.

Sound, Power, Quality, input possibilities

remote, manual, output possibilities

I've fell in love with this one...
Te first time I heard one, it was on demo in a shop. I found the sound great. That was also the first time I saw an AV receiver playing music...
the sound was great, clear, detailed, sharp.
I was hesitating between the Onkyo 787, the Sony 555, and the Denon 3801. The shop had only the Onkyo and the Denon, and I requested a comparison.
It appeared to me clearly, that in music, the Sherwood was better than the two others ! (ok, it's MY opinion)
In HT, the tree competitors were closer, but I found the decoding (in 5.1, no 6.1 disc in France :(, not yet) better. Once again, it's my opinion.
So I buy the receiver, with the Sherwood D756 dvd player...

The 956 is a fabulous receiver : clear sound, great for music, powerfull for Home Cinema.. Ok, it hasn't git the THX certification. But who cares ? Not me !
It's even better than I expected in music. DTS is just perfect, DD also.
I can only advice all those for whom the music matters, to take a closer look to the Sherwood, and to test it with their favourite discs.
the best compromise between the two worlds : music and home theater...

System :
Dvd/CD player : Sherwood D756
Speakers :
Front : Magnat Vector 77
Center : Magnat Vector Center 13
Surrounds : Magnat Vector 22
Subwoofer : Mosquito ga-120 (french sub, 120W, Proton amp. perfect)
Cables :
Digital : Oehlbach
Modulation: Bandridge Profigold
Speakers cable : AudioLink 4mm² + Bandridge Profigold Banana Plugs

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Onkyo TXDS 575 (for 2 years)