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Entered CNET Catalog: 01/14/2003
SKU: 0037988406944
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Manufacturer description
This slim design home theater receiver features components, which are designed for accuracy and timbre, imaging, sound staging, and impressive musicality. The result is clear, natural sound with precise stereo imaging. When music and soundtracks are recorded digitally, the compression that occurs can impact the overall sound quality, especially with MP3 and WMA files. Re-master processing helps to compensate for any frequencies lost due to compression during recording, providing a rich sound field. This model features the latest decoders for Dolby Digital, which enables you to achieve a remarkably natural sense of ambiance and dynamic realism, a spacious surround effect, and realistic, accurate sound for your home theater. Multi-channel amplifiers with high output capability provide accurate reproduction of Dolby Digital, DTS, and DVD-Audio recordings. They use digital processing from signal input all the way through to output, letting you enjoy the full potential of today's most advanced audio sources. You get extremely clear, powerful sound with remarkable depth, richness, and presence. Minimize electrical noise and assure the reliable transfer of high-fidelity sound data. With multiple digital inputs, this receiver can accommodate your DVD player, CD player, cable box, and future components that use coaxial and optical digital outputs. The built-in digital tuner provides accurate tuning of radio broadcasts. Sound Field Control enables you to achieve stunning audio effects to match your music and your mood at the push of a button. The speaker size configuration setting optimizes the output for accurate sound reproduction, regardless of speaker size.Product summary
The good: Low-slung design; six-channel, 100-watt all-digital amplifier; component-video switching; 5.1-channel SACD/DVD-Audio inputs; second-zone line outputs; remote subwoofer-level control.
The bad: Feels a little underpowered.
The bottom line: Most receivers look awfully ordinary next to this sleek Panasonic.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 09/24/2003
Just 14 inches deep, the trim XR45 can squeeze onto shelves that are off-limits for most other receivers. The box comes in black (the XR45) and silver (the XR45S).
Aside from the solid-feeling, metal volume knob, the streamlined face has few controls. Pizzazz comes in the form of a 5-inch slit illuminated in pale blue--a distinctive styling touch. At the XR45's rear is a small fan--all that power in such a compact chassis can generate a lot of heat--but we never detected any whooshing noise.
The setup rigmarole was easy enough. The large remote's button ergonomics are above par, and the control lets you adjust your sub's level on the fly.
Panasonic threw in all the up-to-the-second surround-processing formats: Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS 96/24, as well as 6.1-channel Dolby EX, DTS ES, and DTS Neo:6.
Considering the slim back panel's severely limited space, connectivity options are generous. You get component-video switching, 5.1-channel DVD-A/SACD inputs, and three composite and S-Video A/V ins. There are five digital-audio hookups: one coaxial and three optical inputs, along with one optical output. A single set of stereo analog-audio connections, plus a tape-in and -out, are also present. All the RCA jacks are gold-plated.
Panasonic gave the front-left and -right speakers banana plug-compatible speaker-binding posts, but the other channels have less desirable clamping wire connectors. The receiver lacks A/B speaker switching, but you can use the Second Audio Out jacks with a separate stereo amplifier to send sound to another room.
The XR45 and our reference NHT sub/sat system were pretty darn good together. Their slightly rich sound balance brought out the best in White Stripes' minimalist blues rock: Meg's drum kit kicked hard, and Jack's scorching guitar came alive. Miles Davis's Live at the Blackhawk CD pulled us into the club and its smoky atmosphere.
The supercreepy The Ring DVD kept us on the edge of our seats. Like other modern thrillers, the movie has a soundtrack replete with all sorts of low-frequency rumblings and disturbing, high-pitched screeching noises. Oh, and the phone that rings near the beginning of the story sounded exactly like our phone--that freaked us out more than once.
To complete our listening sessions, we compared the XR45 with the full-size Onkyo TX-SR601, using a Philips 963SA DVD player as a source. The bigger box produced more life and detail; the XR45 mellowed out the sound. When we pushed the volume fairly high, we detected some dynamic shrinkage from the XR45, but its audio improved once we backed down to moderate levels. The Panasonic's 100-watt-per-channel rating is a tad optimistic (the Onkyo claims 85 watts), so don't expect this skinny receiver to pump out the oomph of a full-size model.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3out of 3 user reviews
Really good sound, but with the XR70 be better?
Pros: I am comparing this little receiver to a system with a CJ Preamp and Threshold T200 amps. So the comparision is between $4500 worth of equipment and $300 worth. The little receiver isnt quite as liquid smooth in the treble as the much more expensive sys
Cons: None. It's cheap and sounds good. I wouldnt recommend the power cord upgrade as it didnt seem to do much in my case.
out of 3 user reviews
SA-XR45 screams sex.
Pros: it has every thing you will need packed into a slim sexy desgin for a good price
Cons: none this user can see but like with all products only time will tell.
out of 3 user reviews
Look out Bang & Ollefson
Pros: Sound's Xlnt. Best Design for the Money. All the connections, Fiber optic, RGB for progressive scan and sub output.
Cons: No Turntable output, But who need's a turntable on a Yacht?
