![\"r972.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/www.soundadviceblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/r972.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sherwood Newcastle R-972 972 Home Theater Receiver<\/strong><\/p>\n Most consumers think of Onkyo, Denon, Pioneer, Sony and a few other household names when they are looking for a receiver.\u00a0 There are some very compelling choices available from other brands, and one of the most beautiful, most appealing receives I have ever seen\u00a0is the\u00a0soon-to-be-released \u00a0Sherwood Newcastle R-972<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sherwood and Sherwood Newcastle products are the in-house brand of Inkel, a Korean OEM that manufactures receivers and other electronics for many well-known brands (including some named above.) Sherwood is the standard consumer brand, sold through mass-market outlets and mail order.\u00a0 Sherwood Newcastle is the high-end brand and is sold exclusively through custom installers and a very few direct sales companies, such as Axiom Audio.\u00a0 Given its far-reaching technology there have been a lot of starts and stops to its release, but word from Sherwood Newcastle and Axiom Audio is that consumers should be able to start purchasing them this month.<\/p>\n The Sherwood Newcastle R-972 is top of the line, and is loaded with high end features as warranted by its $1,799 MSRP.\u00a0 Some of these features are:<\/p>\n This is just a start.\u00a0 The amplifier rating looks a mite misleading given the distortion rating, but the R-972 will have ample power to drive most any speaker system it is paired with.<\/p>\n What really is the icing on the R-972 cake is its beauty and its exclusivity.\u00a0 I saw the R-972 at the Consumer Electronics Show last year and it is easily one of the most beautiful, most solidly-constructed receivers you will ever find.\u00a0 The brushed metal front panel is highlighted with piano black end caps that make it look a whole lot more expensive than it is.\u00a0<\/p>\n This rarity comes at a price, besides the high starting price.\u00a0 Discounts may be hard to come by, especially at introductioon,\u00a0because of the R-972’s limited distribution network, and there is a price to pay in feature set, as well.\u00a0 Sherwood Newcastle is a smaller player in the home theater biz and as such their products don’t usually get replaced and upgraded every year.\u00a0 Comparably-priced competitors from better-known brands will have more features such as dedicated iPod interfaces and both Sirius and XM satellite radio compatibility.\u00a0 Still, if you want a beautifully made, beautiful sounding receiver to be the centerpiece of your home theater and you’d like something a bit different, the Sherwood Newcastle R-972<\/a> belongs on your shopping list.<\/p>\n Stop back tomorrow for the Product of the Day<\/a>!<\/p>\n![\"Tell](\"https:\/\/www.smallgreentree.net\/buddybuttons\/default.gif\")
<\/a>
\n<\/p>\n\n