Yes Mborner you are missing something!!Where have you been for the last 6 months? LOL
No it is not the end to all sound.But the little Panny is pretty damn good.Especially if you like neutrality and high resolution with good PRAT. I have simplified it by calling it a powered dac that plugs directly into your speakers.This isn't a run of the mill receiver with built in Dacs. This is a pure digital amplifier.Digital amplifiers make it possible for the audio signal to stay in its pure digital form through the complete audio signal chain to greatly enhance sound quality. In a pure digital amplifier, (one with a digital input ), there is no need for Digital to Analog Converters in the audio signal path. Digital Amplifiers actually synthesize the desired output signal directly on the speaker terminals, thereby creating a high-powered digital-to-analog converter.
It also is a zero feedback design.The new XR70 which everyone is waiting on ...including me. Is a fully digital receiver that features HDMI* (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), which helps simplify the connection to other audio/video sources and provides high quality audio and video playback.
I took this from a consumer report on the unit.
HDMI transmits digital and audio signals at speeds of up to 5 Gigabytes per second without compressing them. It supports high-definition images up to 1080p, and high quality, multi-channel audio formats such as DVD-Audio all through single wire digital connections. This produces extremely pure sounds free from noise and signal degradation and allows for high quality audio and video with fewer cables. The small, user-friendly connector is suitable for a wide range of components, such as a set-top box, DVD player, and A/V receiver and a digital television. Result: the consumer can derive all of the benefits of home theater without sound and picture degradation or complicated wiring.The SA-XR70 reproduces sounds up to 88 kHz and drives them with a flat, wide power bandwidth that extends to 100 kHz. This provides rich reproduction of the ultrahigh frequency range that affects the musical ambience and mood.
There are no transformers in these receivers.They use switching power supplies. These switching supplies can switch on and off up to many 100,000 times per second.They are supposedly 98% efficient..where as the average transformer based analog amplifier is roughly 40 to 50 percent efficient.The unit only draws 120 watts max but can output roughly 75 wpc.
There is no hum or hiss...infact you can turn these amplifiers up full volume and you will not here anything with your ear pressed against the speakers.It's a TI(Texas Instrument) based digital chip used in the Panny.It has a muting circuit built in, so if there's no pulse wave form to see then there's no sound.Texas Instrument bought the Toccata team that designed TACT digital amplifiers($10,000) from TACT audio. The version of this chip in the Panasonics was designed to be cost effective.
The negative side... it is only for digital based audio systems. Also it will take a cd recording and tear it apart! If it's not recorded well..you will certainly know it. You can easily tell if the engineer did his job or fell a sleep at the board. With well recorded cds..like Chesky recordings the sound is quite amazing.If you like a tube sound then this unit is probably not for you.It is unforgiving and gives you only what it reads off the cd ..no colouring.On the other hand if tube equipment was used in making the recording as with Sara K recordings. It will sound like you plugged up a tube amp.
Even though the cd player is only a transport when using the little Panny. The sound varies from player to player.Some are more up front and some have more of a laid back sound. I see a lot of guys using the Phillips with great results.By the way the power cord retailed for $400.00 ..I bought my Panny just a tad over $200.00.
