RD-7106: Best value I've found
Written: Aug 31 '01
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Pros: sound quality, multitude of input options, OSD, S-video switching, price
Cons: limited remote
The Bottom Line: An exceptional value- full versatility, loads of features, and solid quality all around. As close to audio/videophile as you can get for under $300.
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| shrugger's Full Review: Sherwood RD-7106 5.1 Channels Receiver |
The challenge: upgrade my home audio system to the best home theater system possible for $300 [my half of our $600 tax rebate check :-)]
The requirements: After extensive research into current home theater technology, I had come up with a list of receiver must-haves and wants::
- Must have both Dolby Digital and DTS processing (Dolby Digital is outstanding, but DTS.... well, it just brings tears to a man's eyes!)
- Must have enough audio/video inputs to handle: DVD, VCR, Satellite Dish, tape deck, CD player, and PC
- Must be capable of video switching- i.e., the receiver had to allow me to switch between the DVD, VCR, and Dish with only one video cable going from the receiver to the TV (my TV only is capable of a single non-cable input)
- Must have low Total Harmonic Distortion (i.e., noise)
- Really wanted it to have S-video switching (rather than composite cables)
- Really wanted it to have 6 channel direct inputs (so that when the next major surround sound format comes out, I don't automatically have to buy a new receiver)
- Really wanted 96 bit digital processing
- Wanted it to have 2 or more optical digital inputs. Right now I only need one, but who knows for down the road.
The conclusion: After studying, testing, and researching nearly 50 different home theater receivers, I was getting depressed. The only systems I was finding that met all of my wants and were even close to my price range were low-end units from the high-end manufacturers (Onkyo, Denon, HK), and even then I was looking at having to try to get a refurbished unit off of Ebay and still would have trouble getting one for under $300. I had decided to settle, and picked out a JVC and a Sony unit that both came close to meeting my requirements (I would have to give up 6 channel direct inputs, 2 digital inputs, 96 bit processing, and/or S-video switching).
In my quest for the lowest price possible on one these, I stumbled across the Sherwood RD-7106. I barely even recognized the name- I knew they (like Fisher) used to make some nice audio equipment, but had fallen off the face of the earth after the Japanese came to dominate the market. But, this unit had every single feature I wanted, and even some I thought I would never be able to get in a unit in this price range (like On Screen Display).
It seemed to good to be true, so I tried to do some research on the unit and couldn't find much (you'll note I'm the first Epinions review, and just try to find a review in the Audio magazines). Finally, I found audioreview.com which had several reviews of the RD-7106, all very positive (and all very shocked that you could get everything this receiver has for the price). So I bought (buy.com seems to have the best price at $199). I even had enough money left over to buy an active (120 watt) subwoofer from Costco to replace my passive subwoofer!
The verdict: I have now had the RD-7106 for several weeks and am totally convinced this receiver is the greatest thing going for the money, by far- by very far!
The sound quality is excellent both for home theater and audio. There’s a clean, rich feeling to many of my audio CDs that I never got with my old Pioneer. Even my wife (who can barely tell the difference between stereo and mono TV programs) noticed an improvement, and she absolutely loves the DTS and Dolby Digital when watching movies.
There is plenty of power. My system is in a large, long room and the RD-7106 can fill the room with clean, earbleedingly loud sound when you want it.
The video switching works perfectly- if need be, you can even take S-video inputs and convert them to an RCA-plug output if your TV doesn’t support S-video.
The unit also has Circle Surround which I never expected to use, but I’ve found it to be very enjoyable for listening to CD audio and TV programs that aren’t broadcast in surround formats. Circle Surround is a great improvement over Dolby Pro Logic.
The unit also has binding posts for speaker connections- very useful if you use both bare wire & banana plugs for your speakers as I do.
The Dolby Digital & DTS processors work flawlessly and you can individually control sound levels at each speaker (a must have if your speakers aren’t evenly spread out from the TV)
My only problems with the unit have been very minor:
- The “multi-device” remote only handles Sherwood products- period. It does everything you could want it to do with the receiver, but unless you also have a Sherwood DVD player, CD player, etc. (and who does?)- you’ll need to buy an aftermarket programmable remote if you want to control all of your devices from one remote (which is easy and inexpensive to do)
- No direct input selection (i.e., if you want to watch the DVD player, you push the video input button a few times until the receiver cycles through the various inputs until you get to the DVD player). Not a big deal, but mildly annoying at times.
- Very fine volume control. Generally, this is a good thing- you can really adjust the volume to any level you want very precisely. The only problem is when you get to an unexpectedly loud or soft point in a movie or CD and want to adjust the volume- it takes a second or two with the remote or a couple big turns of the volume knob to achieve a significant volume change. 99% of the time, this very fine volume control is a great thing to have. The other 1%, though, it can be somewhat annoying.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 199
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Epinions.com ID:
shrugger
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Location: Virginia, USA
Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 1 member
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