Panasonic SA-XR70S 6.1 Channel Surround Sound Home Theater Audio / Video Receiver - Silver

by Panasonic

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 14 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0001JXAYS
• Item model number: SA-XR70S
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,800 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

PANASONIC SA-XR70S - At less than 2-1/2 inches high, this A/V receiver is about half of the height of most home-theater receivers so it can fit (and look nice) in many home set-ups. The SA-XR70S has the performance you need today, and the flexibility to grow as your home theater system needs expand. It adds a new HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connection for top performance from from new A/V electronic components to deliver best results for HDTV. When your system includes both a DVD player and an HDTV set-top receiver (or a DVD-A player and an SACD player), you'll need more than one Component Video input to accommodate them. With 6.1 channels of surround sound, get ready for great home-theater experiences. Gold Plated Terminals for High Conductivity Digital I/O - 3 Optical, 1 Coaxial In / 1 Optical Out 6 Channel Discrete Inputs Digital Synthesized FM-AM Tuner Component Video I/O - 2 In / 1 Out Video I/O - 3 In / 2 Out Audio I/O - 4 In / 2 Out Universal Remote Control with LED Dimensions - 2-29/32H x 16-15/16W x 14-3/4D Weight - 9.2 Pounds Silver Finish

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars basically, the with-HDMI older brother of the xr-55, February 3, 2006

By 

Eduardo Nietzsche (Houston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic SA-XR70S 6.1 Channel Surround Sound Home Theater Audio / Video Receiver - Silver (Electronics)

Here's a simple comparison of this model and the newer xr-55:

xr70: HDMI, 6.1 channels, binding posts only on 2 main channels and annoying spring clips on the rest, lowest crossover at 100Hz, $300-350

xr55: no HDMI, 7.1 channels, binding posts on all channels, lowest crossover at 80Hz, $230-250


In other words, the internal parts are basically identical between these two models. The only reason to get the xr70 is to have HDMI, which only matters if your TV has an HDMI connection and so does your DVD player, cable/satellite box, etc. Personally I find that a simple video component connection has about the same picture quality so this to me is a non-issue.


Here's my personal history with these Panasonic sa-xr55: I went from an Onkyo 601 to a Marantz 5400 then added some NAD separates for the mains. A few months later, I bought the Panny xr55 on a lark from Amazon thinking that I was just going to try it out and send it back, treating the $15 return shipping fee as a home audition fee.

Now my Marantz is headed to eBay and my NAD separates are running my bedroom system.

I'm not promising that you will have the same results but you really owe it to yourself to give it a listen, $15 is peanuts. I know that Panasonic is hardly a well-respected audiophile brand, but they and TI (the xr55 runs on a TI Equibit chip) have come out with a real paradigm shift in amplification technology, especially at this ridiculously low pricepoint.

If you browse and search online audio discussion boards such as AVS Forums, eCoustics, and hometheaterforum dot com, or do a simple Google search for these models, you'll find a plethora of similar accounts of people giving up much, much more expensive receivers and amps in favor of these digital Panasonics.

A few caveats---very minor IMHO at this pricepoint: no pre-outs (would negate the whole point of a digital amp after all), subwoofer crossover only down to 80Hz (only to 100Hz for the xr70), no room speaker EQ, primitive remote, no digital outputs, no OSD (onscreen display). Also may not be the best choice if you have lousy, overly bright speakers with tipped-up treble (JBLs, Cerwin Vegas, etc.)...neutral (e.g. Ascend Acoustics) and warm (e.g. Alegria Audio, Wharfedale) speakers do best with them.

Just as some folks still prefer LPs to CDs and tubes to solid state, you might decide to stick with an analog receiver, I'll make no guarantees. But it's definitely worth hearing it to make up your own mind, in any case...it's a whole different animal!

(I have written a much longer, more detailed Amazon review of the xr55.)

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Receiver, October 31, 2005

By 

Toby A. Dingle "tadingle" (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Panasonic SA-XR70S 6.1 Channel Surround Sound Home Theater Audio / Video Receiver - Silver (Electronics)

I purchased this receiver from Fry's Electronics in San Diego, CA for $199.99. At first, I was a little hesitant about purchasing an all digital receiver. When I got it home, and connected it, I was amazed. This receiver will blow you away with the precision of it's home theater capabilities. I am using four Polk R30's as my fronts, and rear surround, and two Sony center channels for my front center, and rear center channels. I also have a KLH 10inch Tremor Series powered subwoofer. I estimate the entire system to cost about $650.00 total. I have colleague that has a Bose home theater system, and my little system blows his out of the water, and he paid much more for the Bose. If you want a great receiver a minimal price, this is the way to go. By the way, did I mention that it has four digital inputs, an optical output, and HDMI in and out connections. BUY IT!!!!

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stunning for the price, April 14, 2005

By 

P. Hanley (NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Panasonic SA-XR70S 6.1 Channel Surround Sound Home Theater Audio / Video Receiver - Silver (Electronics)

I bought this unit to see what all of the clamoring about digital amplification was about. I have to say, for a receiver, I'm impressed. I have both my DVD and CDP going to the digital inputs and the sub and main speakers connected. Therefore, 2.1 audio. Overall, I'm very impressed with the soundstage and transparency of this small, light, and inexpensive unit. I may try to use it as a preamp and power my front speakers with my outboard amp, and the rest with the XR70. Quite a deal.