One Point Four Kilowatts

An A/V receiver is arguably the most important component in a home theater system surpassed, only, perhaps by speakers.

It has a big job: Take in all your sources, process them, and then the "little box that could" has to amplify the signal and send it out to your speakers.

It’s no wonder the receiver plays a big role in the overall sound quality and functionality of the system.  So, to get the job done, Sunfire has introduced the TGR-401 Theater Grand Receiver.

Features

The TGR-401 is a clean, stylish looking component absent the confusing overabundance of buttons and switches found on many receivers.

Behind its beefy 3/8”-thick front panel is almost 1,400 watts of power (200 x 7 into 8 ohms) delivered by Sunfire’s Tracking Downconverter™ power supply that keeps that amplifier idling at 6 volts above ground so it’s pre-conditioned for an incoming audio signal.

The TDC circuit also helps the amp run cooler, even under demanding operating conditions.

The TGR-401 is a switchable two-zone audio receiver, which borrows the two surround back channels to power stereo speakers in a second zone, leaving five channels for the main home theater system, though you can add a separate amp two-channel amp to the main system to keep the 7.1.

The receiver includes an Auto Setup and Auto EQ feature that sets speaker levels, distance and size for all seven-channels and provides automatic equalization for the system. Following the Auto EQ, a manual equalizer can be used to fine-tune the system.

Its decoding capabilities include Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES and DTS 96/24 in addition to Sunfire’s Sonic Holography soundfield enhancement feature – more on this later.

You might expect that a receiver in this performance and price class would have decoders for the latest high-definition Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD lossless audio formats.

However, to decode hi-def discs you’ll need to have a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player with built-in lossless decoders and analog outputs to connect to the Sunfire’s multichannel analog audio inputs.

Its video switching includes three HDMI 1.3a inputs and one output which are 1080p-capable for handling uncompressed digital video between source components and display devices.

The unique front panel A/V input is configurable for Y/Pr/Pb component video/Optical for HD game consoles or composite/S-video/analog audio input for camcorders.

A bi-directional RS-232 port is included for upgrading the receiver’s software (via downloadable PC software) and for connection to a home theater controller.

It features a built-in AM/FM tuner and is Sirius Satellite Radio Ready with an optional tuner kit (Sirius subscription required).

System Setup

I tested the TGR-401 in a 5.2 channel system using the Sunfire HRS satellite speakers and two HRS-10 powered subwoofers. The system included the optional VIA!Migo dock for controlling an Apple iPod via the on-screen display or the receiver’s remote control and one optional, easy-to-use Ole-2XL touchpad for controlling many of the itsfunctions.

The TGR-401 can support two Ole-2XL touchpads, which connect to the receiver via RJ-45 rear panel jacks. The receiver comes with a lighted LCD preprogrammed/learning remote control. The remote control is available with an optional base for RF output.

The receiver’s Auto Setup and EQ is simple to use, takes about six minutes, and does an excellent job of matching the system with the room’s acoustics.

I found it unnecessary to make any additional manual adjustments, although one could spend hours manually tweaking the eleven frequency points to dial in the perfect sound. With the Auto EQ, the system sounded very balanced from my listening position.

The Auto EQ system can adjust the sound for each speaker pair, or globally, which equalizes the sound for multiple listening positions in addition to the sweet spot.

Performance

The TGR-401 is a very neutral sounding receiver. Not sterile or lacking fidelity, just neutral. An amplifier’s chief task is to amplify a small signal while minimizing its own sonic signature—a so-called straight wire with gain. The Sunfire does this very well.

With movies, music and multichannel audio I heard no tonal coloration, just very good clarity, definition and detail.

One of my jazz favorites, Rewind, from Oregon (Chesky Records) sounded exceptionally detailed—especially Ralph Towner’s fingers sliding on the lead guitar strings. The TGR-401 sounded sweet with the Sunfire HRS satellite speakers and bass had good extension with the two Sunfire HRS-10 subwoofers.

The TGR-401 features Sonic Holography, a Sunfire legendary technology designed to restore the natural depth and positioning cues in a stereo recording.

Its effect creates a larger, wider and deeper soundstage, although I preferred to listen to Sonic Holography with instrumental recordings as it made vocalists sound somewhat distant, as in Sara K’s Closer Than They Appear (Chesky Records).

The Sunfire sounded exceptionally revealing with movie soundtracks, especially the nightclub scenes in The Lost City on DVD. The receiver reproduced all the subtle details in the Cuban orchestra’s percussion instruments and accurately resolved dialog in the noisy nightclub scenes.

Summary

Some users may be concerned by the receiver’s lack of lossless decoders, but the receiver’s 7.1 channel analog inputs allow connection to a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player with analog outputs.

The Auto Setup and EQ functions make it easy to setup and equalize a system, even with challenging room acoustics. It permits easy connection of two touchpad controllers, an iPod dock and a Sirius Satellite Radio tuner. The Sunfire TGR-401 has generous amounts of power, more than adequate to drive almost any speakers, even those with low sensitivity.

The user interface and LCD remote control make operation simple, and most notable and probably most important, its sound quality puts it in the top class of receivers.  

DESCRIPTION
7.1-channel A/V receiver

CONNECTIONS
4 analog stereo inputs, 2 outputs, 4 video inputs, 2 outputs, 4 optical digital inputs, 1 output, 4 coaxial digital inputs, 1 output, 7.1 channel input, 7.1 channel pre-amp outputs, fixed and variable Zone 2 audio outputs, Assignable HD-Ready front panel A/V input, 3 HDMI v1.3 inputs, one output, 3 component video inputs, one output, 4 s-video inputs, one output, 4 composite video inputs, one output, Bi-directional RS-232 port, 2 Infrared inputs, 3 outputs, 3 assignable 12-volt trigger outputs, Sirius Satellite Radio input, 11 pairs of binding post speaker outputs, 2 RJ-45 jacks for Ole-2XL touchpads, 1 VIA!Migo iPod dock input.

POWER OUTPUT
200 watts x 7

DIMENSIONS
5.75” x 17” x 16.5”; 32 pounds

PRICE: TGR-401: $4000, Ole-2XL touchpads: $600 each, Via!Migo iPod Dock: $600, SC-H1P1 Sirius Satellite Radio Tuner Kit: Open, MRF-260 RF Remote Control Base: $150

CONTACT: 859.514.8290, sunfire.com