Customer Reviews

Panasonic SA-HE200 Home Theater Receiver, Black

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I was ready to spend up to $1000 to get the quality, features, and performance I found in this sweet, way-great-deal surprise!!
I was made aware of this new Panasonic piece by a local audio retailer - it was brand new - so I took a look and a listen. (A major audio/video magazine had also recently raved about the SA-HE100 - this guy's little brother.) I was absolutely floored!! The Panasonic SA-HE200 offers anything and everything you'll need for dynamic music or movies in up to 6 channels, and at the price is an absolute steal (a rear surround speaker is even included!!) I never thought of Panasonic as a high-end product at a beer-budget price, but my hat is off to them. Thanks for such a great package at such a ridiculously affordable price !!
(Hurry and grab one before they realise they can get twice the price for it !!)

For $350, this is a very competitive receiver. When you throw in the free rear speaker, this is the best value in the price range. This receiver can handle anything you can throw at it, except THX-ES. Pop in any DTS encoded DVD, and this unit will impress all but the purist sticklers of sound, but it is not perfect. Keep in mind that there are very few DVDs that actually have DTS ES 6.1 encoding, and that your DVD player must be equipped with special, 6.1 channel outputs to reach the Panasonic's fullest potential. However, there is a plethora of different audio modes, some creating very convincing 6.1 channel surround.
I haven't had it very long, but there are three main complaints as far as I can see.
*The apparent lack of an equalizer may leave you tweaking the audio for some time without truly getting the sound the way you want it.
*The all-too-small display had me squinting my way through the set up process from my couch 10 feet away.
*This receiver is simply not as user friendly or intuitive as other receivers I have used/owned.

Overall, this is about the best value you can find. The laundry list of features, and the incredible amount of high-end inputs (4 optical, 1 digital coax, 2 component, and 5 s-video) make this a great buy.

It's true, this receiver isn't the most powerful or certainly the easiest to use; however, it does do exactly what it advertises itself to do. And, that's a lot. It delivers reasonable 6.1 sound, and gives you a fairly pure sound that is quite distinct in its channeled effect.

The best part of this receiver for me was that it allowed me to upgrade my Technics rack system without sacrificing any of the main components. Although the remote is cheesy, it matches my system perfectly in integration. For Technics fans, this is about as good a match you will get.

Don't kid yourself. If your finishing out a dedicated room to your home theater, then be prepared to spend $1000 or more. But, if your home theater is the family room as it is now for us, then the sa-he200 is a great buy and allows you to enjoy 6.1.

"F70" Same problem as the other reviewer. I have had this receiver for 9 months and now it is again dead. The F70 error means that an internal fuse has blown. It is not user replaceable and you must send off to repair center.

Edit: Based on further info, I upgraded from 1 star to 3 stars. As it turns out, the fuse in question is a standard 2A/250V fast blow fuse available ... at RadioShack. Any local service place can replace it for you in about 3 mins. After warranty expires, electronics minded users can replace it themselves...

Before buying a receiver I searched out all sorts of brands and price ranges like I do everytime I buy a product. Usually, I end up becoming enamored by the most expensive product and shell out the big bucks to have the best. However, I happened to be in Circuit City picking up a stylus or something and they happen to have a super sale on this receiver, so, on an impulse and because it was only $250 as I recall, I decided to give the receiver a try because it was pretty well reviewed.

I have owned this received now for about 3 years now and I have never had incident with it. The sound quality is very clean even with the volume turned way up, there are plenty of digital inputs (I use all of them!), and it has plenty of power to rattle your intestines. For the money it really can't be beat, the unit looks nice and is solidly built. I still really can't believe what a great unit it is and the amount of features it offers for its price, it really could easily be sold for $600 or $700.

The only things that aren't great about this unit are the remote control (just ok, buttons I never use have their markings coming off) and the setup of the unit is kind of awkward. Other than that, no complaints. I would definately recommend this unit to anyone and I would buy this receiver again without hesitation.

I've had this unit since December 2004. It is used about 15 hours a week.

This is not an $800-1000 surround receiver, but it does many things very well. FOR THE PRICE it deserves 5 stars. 3.5 - 4 stars if not considering price.

Paired with some fairly efficient speakers (Sony SS-MB350H's) and a good amplifieded sub-woofer in a home theater configuration the sound is very very good at a very inexpensive price.

Bass is much tighter and defined (without the sub-woofer) than the older Panasonic surround reciver it replaced, especially in stereo mode.
The FM section is as good as most receivers these days, which is to say not very good. The remote is complex and not terribly intuitive.
A good programmable remote takes care of that problem.

Does it match the sound from my Lexicon/Legacy/Adcom/VMPS system?

Nope, but the recsiver and speakers cost less than 20% of the other system.

Overall an impressive receiver for the price listed here.

Pros: Very clean, detailed sound. Sufficient power. Very easy to set up IF you follow the instructions. Decodes very well. Sufficient inputs.
Lots of flexibility, especially in surround settings (width, etc).

Cons: Flimsy, counter intuitive remote. No front channel outputs.
No good explanation of the different surround settings.

once you got the optical sound and the right speakers then you will have your neighbors calling the police everynight or asking to come over for a saturday matinee

I've had this receiver for about 5 years with no problems, the sound clarity and seperation is fantastic. This receiver runs a little hot,
but I paired mine with 100 watt boston acoustic speakers, and have had no
problem with blown fuses. I have two other expensive 7.1 systems, and I
have to admit, the HE 200 sounds better. The key to this receiver is to have a good center and a good surround back speaker. It's a shame that I have over two thousand dollars in my other systems, and this is
the receiver I always listen to. The remote isn't too good, but once set
all you'll need is the volume anyway. Big fan.

I have had Sony and Kenwood and now this Panasonic. I have been happy for 3 years so far with no problems at all and no regrets. The sound is very clear and for the money you cannot beat it. I am going to invest in a new receiver this year and will try a high end brand with HDMI converter. I will still use this receiver in the second living room and will continue to be impressed with the sound.

The unit I first took home had a blown channel. Exchanged it without any problem other than wasting half a day of my time. Then it worked fine for more than a year. Lately it started display F70 when I turn it on and I have to turn it on and off many times until it comes to life. Supposedly this is a blown internal fuse, though haven't verified yet. The point is, I have had two failures on two separate units in under 2 years. On top of that, I have never seen such a wildly complex user interface on a receiver. Adjusting the EQ is cleverly buried in the most obscure way. And setting up the unit will take most of a day. And the sound is not stellar, at least when I use my large 4 ohm main stereo speakers in conjunction with the satellites. Maybe a sub-woofer paired with satellites would be better? Not recommended.