Customer Reviews

Panasonic SA-XR25 Home Theater Receiver (Black)

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

 

 

The other reviews give this item 3 out of 5 because the manual is not very good. First of all, the manual is fine (any monkey can figure it out, so I don't know what manual they were reading), and second of all, how do you take 2 stars off of a product rating based on its manual??????? A lot of Home Theatre enthusiasts could figure it out without the manual and so could anyone who has ever connected a DVD player to a TV. Basically the previous reviews on this site for this product are ludicrous (sorry other reviewers, but it's not fair to judge the product the way you did - you judged the manual, not the product itself and that doesn't help anyone).

This receiver is an easy 5 out of 5. I recently upgraded to this receiver from a Technics that has treated me well for years. I have to say, the sound this thing puts out blows away my Technics. I have read elsewhere that this is one of the best deals for a receiver under $1000.00 and if this is true, I would not be surprised. The clarity and the seperation of channels is beautiful. I have tested both DTS-ES and Dolby EX with some of my movies and they blow my mind (I never would have thought the extra rear channel would add so much). The Dolby Pro Logic II works perfectly with my 2-channel encoded CD's also, giving the illusion that they are encoded in surround. The "plug-and-play" feel of this receiver exceeds any other receiver I've ever dealt with (which again negates the other reviews on this site) and I appreciated the programmable settings available to me (i.e. making the Digital Coax input read as "DVD" on the display as opposed to the default setting of "CD"). Last but not least is the look of this thing. Needless to say it is a work of art compared to the average, boring boxy nature of most receivers (as you can see from it's picture). It's as light as a feather and barely sits a couple inches tall. The glowing blue light on the face adds a "cool factor" lacking in any other receiver I've ever seen.

The choice between this and any other receiver in this price class is no choice at all. Pick up this baby and enjoy.

This receiver is awesome. Lightweight, ergonomic design, and all the power and clarity of something much more expensive. I upgraded from a sony dts receiver, and I must say that the sound is much clearer on this receiver. I guess the digital filtering really helps out! I agree with the previous reviewers that the manual is hard to make sense of because it doesn't explain things adequately, but I also agree that with a little trial and error, just about anyone could figure this receiver out. And, I don't think the poor manual should be reflected in the rating of this high quality product! I recommend it for its sleek and stylish design, it's crystal clear sound reprouduction, and because of the additional features this beauty boasts. Go out and buy one today! You won't be disappointed!

I bought this off of ebay for a [...] bucks. No fade in sound only complaints from my neighbors. I listen to rap and all my friends say, that is one clear sounding system. Have it hooked up using 5.1 for DVD's and its great. Recently hooked up my 360 and wow, what a gaming experience. This receiver has been nothing but great for me. Play with the settings and watch it go from flat to bassy. I bump this thing everyday with sub and no bass on the front speakers and it is loud. I had the bass up at my old apt and boy did I shake the walls. GET IT, don't be fooled by those with problems. And I ran my component and S-video cables through the receiver and it strengthed the picture that was already pretty damn sharp. I have 32 flat screen and running your video cables through the receiver only improves the picture, trust me. Did I mention I've had this thing for lets see 1.5 years and will continue to use it for another 3-4. And its digital so low heat and low power consumption.

This was my 1st video receiver, and I am quite happy with it. There is a lot of power in a small package. Although the receiver has a fan, I have never heard it running.

You might want to consider this unit's big brother, the SA-XR45. For a few dollars more, you get on screen programming, a better remote, and an extra video input. Amazon lets you read the manaul on-line, and since the manual covers both models, you can see the differences between them before you buy.

One caveat: ALL of the video inputs have to be the same type as the video output. I had 2 S-VHS inputs and a VCR with composite input, and the receiver would not output the VCR signal using the S-VHS output. A call to Panasonic revealed that the receiver was "working as designed."

My only real complaint is that I wish the remote control were lighted. But for the price, Panasonic has made an excellent receiver.

The SAXR25 is great when it works. Provides excellent results in slim, reasonably priced unit. However, if it breaks like mind did, you're in for a read surprise. To date, my unit has been with Panasonic for 90 days and still isn't fixed. Their customer service is terrible; they simply string you along. They will honor the 1 year parts & labor warrantee, however you will be without an entertainment system until it gets fixed, and they don't offer any alternatives. Better have a backup plan if you purchase ANYTHING from Panasonic. It could take a year to fix it and that is completely within the scope of the warrantee. Apparently satisfied customers are not a priority with Panasonic.

i have the same problem as other reviewers.the sound becomes garbled when viewing a dvd or in tv mode.if i change tv channels or in dvd mode switch input the sound comes back but it will become garbled again soon after.some days no problems at all though.panasonic has had my receiver in their repair shop more than i have had it my home!another matter that irks me is the remote.early on i discovered that i could not"fast forward"a dvd with the buttons that the manual said would perform this function.

I've had my unit for about four years. It's a nice unit, good sound, looks good, etc. I'm not going to get all technical and analytical. But I'm just reading the reviews here now where people are having the sound cut out and have to switch the input back and forth to get it back. I've been having the exact same problem since I can remember. Some days it might not do it at all, other days it seems to flip out and do it every minute or so. I emailed Panasonic last year and they said to power it down, etc. etc., which I had already tried. I don't know what the problem is but I'd recommend staying clear of it if it's as common a problem as it appears to be here.

I had to bite the bullet and upgrade to a receiver with Dolby Digital 6.1 surround. Even though my 11 year old, very expensive Sony was still working, it had original Dolby Surround.

I did the research, and settled on this unassuming Panasonic. It has been surprising a lot of people, for good reason. It sounds awesome! And with a pure digital amplifier it weighs nothing, nor does it heat up like my 34 pound Sony.

Only complaint- I would like the ability to re-label inputs on the display. I don't have a Tape deck, but I did have an extra video source (plain cable as well as HDTV) so I utilized the tape inputs for regular TV. On high end systems you can rename the inputs to reflect any custom hookups.

I have never had anyone refuse to honor a warranty, although I do understand that many companies will if you tamper with the insides. The digital Panasonic receivers have become favorites with audiphiles who have been opening them up and "modding" them. I have a Panasonic HD RPTV and had a warranty call for alignment issues- no problem at all, and it was 1 week before the factory warranty expired!

I've had this item for a little over four years. 2 years into owning it, I noticed the sound kept going in and out after about 2 hours of operation. I didn't think anything of it as I was only using it when watching movies. Throughout the past two years, this time has gotten worse to point where the sound cuts out now after about 30 minutes. This is probably due to the box overheating (just a guess). As one user stated, you can fix this by changing the input, but this gets old when you have to do it every couple of minutes.

This was the last straw for me, and I recently purchased the Onkyo TSXR605. I tried out Panasonic once, but not again. I realize they are not a receiver company.

I have begun having the same problems as some as the other receivers. The sound either drops out or begins "stuttering", requiring you to change the input and change it back for the sound to come back. I have had the SA-XR25S for about a year and have finally had it. I am replacing it today with an Onkyo receiver.