I am running the SA-AX6, with the SH-AC300, and SH-GE90, and the dual tape, and 60+1 CD. Also I am running Boston Acoustics TS1100 older bostons, with a Velodyne CT150 Sub. The Reciever is great for surround provided of course you have the Digital Surround Processor, My Sony Dvd (model 530) has 6 channel outputs, but when coupled with this it kicks butt. But the real drawback with this amp is the fact that only when I am watching a movie does the amp overload and says (REDUCE VOLUME---HIGH HEAT), Now I could understand this if I was cranking the Video, but I never bring this thing above half (kills the ears with the sub).. Any suggestions. (technics cust. support was not tooo helpful. they told me that the cables that I was running to my speakers were too long... (4' to the fronts, any shorter = shelf system..) Any help with this would be great. I haven't had any problems with the amp just playing regular music CD's.. Great amp if you get one that isn't defective like mine (or atleast I think)..

True 6*100watts, lots of inputs outputs (including Svideo switching), low cost, looks great too :)

Lack of built in Dolby Digital and DTS decoding (SH-AC500D solves this and can be packaged with this receiver for little extra cost). Bad Remote. Its not a high current amp.

Its sort of irrelevant but this is a very good looking receiver, the blue line stuff just looks great. More importantly this is about the only receiver in its price range I have seen that doesn't play the numbers game with its power ratings. It is 100 watts*6 at 0.08% thd into 8 ohms from 20hz-20000hz. Most receivers in this price range give stats like that in the stereo mode but don't come any where near it when you go to the surround mode (ie the thd goes to 0.8% and no frequency range is used, just 1000hz, which means you are not getting 100 watts to each speaker under actual listening conditions). However, this is not a high end amp. Its not high current like Dennon, HK, Marantz etc, but for a budget receiver you can not do better.

I can't complain about the sound from this receiver at all, especially when paired with the Technics SH-AC500D digital sound processor. Great frequency response, clear clean sound, lots of power. After watching DVDs in DD you will find yourself not wanting to watch movies any other way. If you also get a descent TV you won't want to go to the theater any more either.

The inputs are sufficeint to hook up everything you would want to. The only thing I really don't like is the remote. I strongly suggest you ditch it and go buy a All for One Cinema 6 or 7 learning remote (model 6800 or 7800 won't be more than $30 Canadian). You won't regret it, just make sure you go here before you try and program it: http://ampersand.hypermart.net/one_for_all_cinema_7_faq.htm#[1.6]

Similar Products Used:

Various Pioneer, some older Technics stuff, Sony

100 watts X 6 equilibrated power on each channels
Bi-Wire configuration
Lot of connections and adjustements

The remote control
No contolled sub volume

Wow!!!! This is A real receiver. No comparaisons about others brands in the same price.
The sound, a crystal clear sound that make you in the action
in Home Theater System. This is a very intelligent product
not expensive. And it have a very cool design that make it
unique. To use in stereo or Pro-logic mode, no problem, it
will gave you the sound you want.
Now I own the new Technics SA-Ax7 receiver. if you can change to it, good!!!
Because the Ax7 have more sound quality and realism effects
Thanks to the VGCA. and Ta-Ke capacitors


For the price, I tell you, you can't go wrong!!!!

Similar Products Used:

Technics SA-Ax6 / SA-Ex510

lots of features for the price, 100 watts at 6 ohms for powering subwoofer, binding posts for all speaker outputs, s-video inputs...except not one for DSS

reliability!

Good overall sound. Love the 6 channels of amplification allowing one to power a passive sub. I used this unit for 1 year and 2 months. It then started going into overload for no reason. I could bang or hit the unit and it would reset. Sent to Panasonic service and they wanted $200 to repair faulty IC. Screw that! You can get a new one for $300. Wouldn't you know it tears up 2 months after warranty runs out. So I am buying a Yamaha that I know will stay together for years. So I spent $400 for a reciever that I got one year use out of. That sucks! No more Technics for me!

Plenty of inputs and outputs for a receiver of this price. Great cooling system for a receiver. I love the binding post connectors on ALL speaker channels, not just the mains. Great looking- with a really cool blue light!

The remote.

Really great entry/mid level receiver. Looks and sounds great, especially when you factor in price. Using an outboard decoder with this package is great- the DD and DTS performance is wonderful. Plus, it makes it easier when you want to move up to separates. Just retain the decoder (SH-AC500D), move the SA-AX6 into the bedroom and buy the multichannel amp!

Banana Plug hook-up, Clean Power, Attractive Design. Bi-Ampable. Very good sound for price. RCA out for subwoofer. Handles music very well. The tuner is surprisingly good.

Tone controls are a little 'flaky.' No pre-outs. No tape monitor. No digital input of any kind. Hiss in surrounds/center.

THE REMOTE DOESN'T HAVE A PAUSE BUTTON - ARGHH!

For the most I really like this receiver, but it does have some quirks.

Currently, I'm using it to push a pair of ADS L690's and a pair of L620's, both models produced in the early 80's. These speakers require nice clean power to sound up to their potential and the SA-AX6 delivers -- to a point.

The amp did start distorting ( I wouldn't quite call it clipping) at about 70% of volume, but it was at a level I just would not listen at. For me, this doesn't matter much. I didn't push it to what I consider clipping fearing I would damage my speakers.

This receiver runs hot, so make sure you have it well ventilated or it will overload. There is a fan that will kick on at some volume, but it should activate a bit lower.

What really bugs me is the tone controls. Since I'm running speakers built before subwoofers caught on, the speakers can go considerably deeper than most modern speakers. With the "Adaptive Control" on at lower volumes, things are fine. If a bump up the volume, I MUST take this feature off and rely on the tone controls and they don't cut it. I just can't get the bass right. I bi-amped my ADS 1290's (yes I love ADS speakers) and the sound was wonderful, BUT the receiver's bi-amp balance can be a bit extreme. I would like to have adjusted it just a bit more.

I would love to be able to hook-up a pre-amp and amplifier to solve this, but can't due to the lack of pre-outs. However, it does offer an RCA out for the subwoofer with a separate level control which is greatly appreciated.

I have a Panasonic DVD-A320U with built in DD/dts decoder hooked up to it via 6 cables which can be cumbersome, but it does sound nice. I have noticed the slight hiss in the rear and more so in the center channel, but have not pursued any means to surpress it. I suspect the receiver has some type of cross-over in it that is causing a odd-ball cascading-crossover effect with my speakers.

The remote is crap, though. The lack of a pause key makes me nuts on a daily basis!

I've pointed out things that bug me, but overall I enjoy the sound I get from this receiver. I think it is an excellent value. I'm still especially impressed, by the way it can handle both music and movies. I do get frustrated that Technics did many things right, while still leaving a lot of little 'bugs.' I would have given it 5 stars if not for these quirks. I think that is part of the reason reviews of this receiver seem to extreme in either direction.

Similar Products Used:

Nikko, Sony, Yamaha.

Features, sound quality, power

None

The Technics SA-AX6 is a well-designed and unique receiver. Not only does it include 5 channels of amplification for your standard surround channels, but it also includes an added sixth channel to power a passive subwoofer! This makes the receiver perfect for the hobbyist who likes to tinker with subwoofer design. Don’t worry about the receiver not having enough power to effectively drive a subwoofer. I have a custom 4-Ohm, 12” subwoofer connected to my AX6, and it’s been driving it for over 5 years now. In fact, this little receiver has more reserve power than any sub-$1000 dedicated subwoofer amp I’ve tried. Just turning the volume up to 1/3 was enough to get an eviction warning from my apartment complex! As far as sound quality goes, this receiver was one of Stereophile magazine’s recommended components. If you’ve read this magazine before, you know that they typically only review and recommend very expensive equipment, so it was quite an honor for this $399 receiver to make their list. I have since upgraded only because I wanted DVD-Audio capability (see my reviews of the SA-AX7 and the SA-DA10). I still use the SA-AX6 as a subwoofer amplifier.

Similar Products Used:

SA-AX7, SA-DA10

Nice clean souding power. Neat blue lights, good cooling system, sub control, class H+, value, elegance, quality, inputs such as three S-Vidio jacks, AC-# ready, trustworthy amp.

It lacks a tape monitor button, and has a slight hiss.

I have always been a Technics fan. I have never had any problems with any product that had the Technics name on it. I used the Technics SA EX 510 for about a year then wanted to get into the Whole Dolby Digital thing. The 510 lacked the AC3 ready. When I first started looking for a new reciever, I wanted a Marantz. I have used Marantx in the past and was always very happy. Way too expansive. I ruled out any Sony product right away. They are a long ways from making a great quality reciever. Technics had the most to offer for a limited amount of cash. The Technics AX6 was the flag ship of Technics Recievers. It sounded really good. Nice clean power, easy to use. It sound very strong with my DCM KX12 series two Loudspeakers. Great hometheater reciever. It also looks really neat with the blue lights and has a great coolinf feature which is a fan on the back of the unit which comes on when the units temp gets to high. Another feature that was great was the speaker jacks. They are not the normal spring loaded ones but the large round screw in and out jacks. This enabls the unit to be able to use heavy speaker wire. All in all, wonderfull reciever. Its pretty much perfect. You will not find a better value than what Technics can offer you!!!

Similar Products Used:

Technics SA EX 510.

Adaptive sub-woofer control on front, sub low pass filter on front, binding posts for all, looks great.

Hiss from surround slight, worse from center, remote needs sub level control, remote needs back and forth for DSP modes.

The SA-AX6 is a pretty good receiver for not being discrete amplification. It offers much of what the high dollar receivers have, but you get a little hiss with the IC circuitry that is used. All in all, not to shabby.
The SA-AX7 was to reslove some of this, it is new this year
and I have not seen it out yet, but should be promising.
I have a brother-in-law with an Onkyo, which is discrete, but there are things I just don't like about them.
This would serve well for most listeners, I am a bit picky and wish I had more clean power for only the music to come through.
This is however great for home theater, with the sub settings you can shake the house, and I never notice the hiss while watching a movie at all.
So the value is pretty good for what you get, with the overall brought down, only because of the hiss, go SA-AX7.

+Pretty good remote control.
+Cool blue light from the front (yeah, like you haven't noticed!)
+Nice speaker punch 5x100watts (8ohms).

+For example when using 5.1-input a clear background noice can be heard not comming from the DVD but purley from the receiver. This is a major flaw that will result in returning the unit for another brand/model.
+Average sound quality.

Mediocre receiver winning buyers using the cool blue light on the front. My advise, buy another receiver, since this has a couple of years on its back.

Similar Products Used:

None