Panasonic SA-XR10

Can it ever be too thin?
This daring yet elegant design stands just a shade more than two inches tall. The chromed metalwork, tiny LED indicator lights, and beveled top plate lend a jewel-like appearance to this high-tech receiver. Inside, the SA-XR10 is just as different: its efficient, all-digital circuitry is responsible for radical component-parts size reduction and drastic weight loss. Instead of the average 20-plus pounds, this receiver tips the scales at just 7.5 pounds. Nevertheless, Panasonic made room for the standard surround-processing formats: DTS, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Pro Logic II. A matching DVD-Audio (DVD-A)/video player, the XP-50, goes for $349.

The downside of this minimalist styling is that it imposes its own limitations. The display is awfully small but manages to eke out the bare essentials regarding source selection, surround status, and volume level. Back-panel real estate is severely restricted. Instead of the more versatile speaker-binding posts, you get cheesy, spring-loaded wire connectors. Video-switching facilities are scarce, and component-video and S-Video offerings are nonexistent. Phono input and A/B speaker switching are absent as well, so the XR10 will be at home with more modest systems. You do get 5.1 DVD-A/Super Audio CD inputs along with a select group of inputs, outputs, and digital-audio connections.

Since the unit lacks onscreen displays, the speaker-setup hassles tested our patience, but we did figure everything out in less than 30 minutes. The remote's ergonomics are distinctly average.

Sound off
We first partnered the SA-XR10 with a speaker package, and frankly, we were underwhelmed by the brash, hard sound; sitting through even a single DVD was a trial. That's funny because the Polk kit won us over when it was teamed up with our Pioneer VSX-27TX receiver. We took the hint, swapped out the Polks, hooked up our Energy Take 5.2 system, and bingo--the gritty sound disappeared. Even when we tried a less than stellar-sounding DVD such as Pulp Fiction, the XR10's sonics were quite acceptable. The lesson that we learned: The XR10 is picky about speakers, and the Energy's laid-back demeanor was a better fit. We'd guess that Paradigm, Mirage, and Infinity speakers would also work. Hide Review