Sherwood RD-6500 5.1 Channels Receiver

As a college student and avid music listener, I was looking for a quality surround-sound audio/video receiver that wouldn't break the bank. After much comparison shopping, I came across the Sherwood RD-6500. Honestly, I was a bit hesitant to buy this receiver due to its insanely low price, but I decided to give it a shot.

The design of the unit is simple and elegant - the front panel is packed with buttons, but not cluttered. The flat, almost minimalist front panel looks sophisticated and smart. The LCD screen has large characters and is very bright, and can be dimmed for low-light operation. The setup options have very abbreviated titles that come across the screen, but a brief look through the owner's manual clears up any questions about the setup. The options are thorough, including speaker size control, subwoofer on/off, tone control, and custom settings for some DSP modes. The RD-6500 comes with Dolby Digital (AC3), Dolby Pro Logic, Pro Logic II, and a few proprietary DSP modes such as 'stadium' and 'church'. The proprietary modes are not likely to be used often; Pro Logic II and AC3, however, should be the most used DSP modes by the average user. You must scroll through the DSP modes in a linear fashion, which means that it can take a few seconds to switch between modes. Still, it's only a minor complaint. One of the cost saving aspects of this receiver is its relative lack of DSP modes, as some buyers might desire DTS options as well. Personally, having AC3 for movies and Pro Logic II (and stereo) for music is enough for me, but this is an aspect that potential buyers should consider.

The remote works well, even from a moderate distance (~15 feet) but is fairly limited in its capabilities. Many of the setup options, such as customizing Pro Logic II settings, must be done from the front panel of the receiver. Cycling through DSP modes and inputs can be done from the remote, however, which are probably the most crucial tasks anyway. The remote also includes the test-tone mode and individual channel-level adjustments, which are both handy options to activate from your listening position.

The RD-6500 is a 500 watt amplifier, which is split evenly to all 5 channels (100 watts per channel). The amplifiers are completely discrete, and distortion ratings are within a fairly low range for such a bargain receiver. Speaker wire output is routed through simple wire-clips, which aren't usually desired by most enthusiasts (binding posts are preferred) but they work. There are plenty of inputs for the average user, including 3 A/V inputs and 4 audio inputs. Digital audio inputs can be brought in through one of three jacks; 2 digital coax and 1 optical digital input.

Actual operation is quite simple once you have changed the individual settings to your liking. Each input selection "remembers" your DSP settings, so if you listen to FM radio broadcasts in stereo and then switch to your "Video 1" input for your DVD player, it will switch to the last DSP mode you used with "Video 1". This is a nice feature to simplify operation. The unit powers up relatively quick, and the heat that is produced during use is only moderate. Sound quality is superb, with minimal hiss and absolutely no 'hum'. I am currently using four bookshelf speakers and a subwoofer for a 5.1 (phantom center channel) Pro Logic II music listening setup. The speakers are driven cleanly, and there is no audible distortion, even at high volumes.

I would highly recommend this receiver to anyone that is wanting a basic A/V receiver with useful options and a little room to grow. For music listening, the unit is really full featured, yet it does lack a dedicated phonograph stage, which is a must for vinyl listeners with a classic turntable. As a home-theatre receiver, it covers the basics quite well, but some enthusiasts might desire more DSP options such as DTS. This might just be the perfect receiver for a 'bedroom' application. Sherwood seemed to include only the most essential features and options in order to keep the cost of the RD-6500 minimal, which translates to a simple, yet effective A/V receiver.