Sherwood R-972 AV receiver review

The Sherwood R-972 AV receiver belongs to the Newcastle line of high-end gear. This receiver is a state-of-the-art unit that is fully compatible with all the latest high definition audio/video formats. SherwoodR-972 provides decoding of such “advanced” sound formats as Dolby True HD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS HD Master Audio, in addition, it supports Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Digital, DTS-ES, DTS 96/24 and DTS.

In addition the receiver has the ability to decode stereo matrix recordings using Dolby Pro Logic IIx or DTS Neo:6 algorithms. Dolby Headphones and Dolby Virtual Speaker decoding algorithms are provided for virtual surround sound creation.

SHERWOOD R-972 is equipped with the double digital processor DSP with 32-bit bit capacity, which allows to make calculations using floating-point algorithms. This processor provides full compatibility with modern high definition audio formats.

Note also that to output high resolution video and audio signals in digital form the receiver is equipped with HDMI version 1 interface.3 first of all, this interface is required just for such audio formats as Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio . The receiver is equipped with 8 separate digital-to-analog converters with 192 kHz/24 bitrate for each of the audio channels. It is quite natural that a modern high level receiver, which is SherwoodR-972, should also have the most modern video capabilities. “SherwoodR-972 has onboard Faroudja Torino video processor/scaler FLI30336 which is capable to convert any incoming signal to a high resolution 1080p signal.

As you know, correctly adjusting the sound parameters of a modern home theater is often a rather non-trivial task that requires certain skills and even a certain degree of creativity. The SherwoodR-972 is capable of adjusting basic sound parameters independently. For this purpose it has an “advanced” system Trinnov Optimizer, which with the help of a special omnipolar microphone, included in the set, is able to automatically adjust the frequency and phase characteristics of the system according to the acoustic properties of the speakers and listening environment.

Sound capabilities of SherwoodR-972 fully complies with the highest class and functionality of this unit. Power of the receiver amplifier is 130 W per channel. Amplifier is of a design with separate amplification loops for each channel, and is quite suitable even for joint work with low-impedance load.

The special proprietary Pure Audio Construction Technology concept uses a number of technological solutions for maximum sound quality. The SherwoodR-972 is designed to suppress electrical or mechanical interference between various components and parts as well as protect sensitive components from external vibration as much as possible. In Pure Audio mode, which the manufacturer suggests using for stereo music playback, you can turn off all “unnecessary” circuits like video , and bypass the signal “by the shortest distance” bypassing the DSP.

Finally, it should be noted that this receiver is very well suited for creating a multi-room audio system on its basis. It features a 12-volt trigger output, has a rear panel input and output for connecting an IR receiver or IR repeater, and an RS-232 interface that can be used for control as well as software upgrades. The receiver supports multi-zone audio playback output jacks can be reassigned to meet the needs of a particular installation and is equipped with a programmable remote control.