Best Sound AV Receiver for the Money
Written: Apr 26 '04 (Updated Apr 29 '04)
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Pros: Great Sound Quality especially with music, Simplicity, Value, flexible/abundant inputs
Cons: Lacks some features (6.1 Surround), not enough power for a 20x20 room or larger
The Bottom Line: In my opinion, the best combination of music and movies receiver for the money
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| jhf1156's Full Review: NAD T742 5.1 Channels Receiver |
There are many options in the $400-$700 Home A/V Receiver Market. I can assure you I tried them all. While I had some space limitations on how large the receiver could be, my criteria was mainly sound quality.
The T742 represents quality and simplicity. The quality is seen in the assembly and the sound quality. Simplicity is seen in the operations, set-up and "wife-friendliness". Those who like more bells and whistles maybe disappointed by the simplicity of the controls which you might call classic versus high tech.
The power of 50 watts/channel is perfect for a room 20 x 20. The amplifier has lots of room and there is virtually no distortion at top volume. I am driving small Paradigm Mini Monitors and a Sub. NAD power output is dynamic and more like 90watts/channel in other brands.
I was looking for an A/V receiver that had the required inputs and flexibility (5.1 DVD Audio/SACD) plus the necessary movie sound processing - with top sound quality for movies and music. I also had a budget.
I tried Denon, Sony, Yamaha and settled originally on the Harman Kardon DPR-1001, an all digital receiver. The Harmon Kardon had lots of features and sound quality was nothing short of astounding for movies. However, musically the sound of the HK and the other receivers in this price range fell short.
The 742 was able to deliver top home theatre performance while over-delivery on audio music quality. Music performance is accurate but natural. Bass response from the direct LFE is excellent. Sound is extremely dynamic. On movies I heard things that I had never heard before because of the 742's excellent detail. Larger rooms might however push the 742 beyond its power limits in a movie situation
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 500
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Epinions.com ID:
jhf1156
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Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 0 members
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