Sunfire Ultimate receiver

[newbiesacto]

Does any one have experience with Sunfire amps?I have been reading about the new Sunfire Ultimate receiver and it seems like what I'm looking for. The only problem is I don't know anyone who has experience with Sunfire products. I always thought the best reveivers w/the most watts were the heaviest and biggest. this new receiver is only 35 LBs 17"w 5.75H 16.5d.??? Can soneone fill me in on Sunfire. Great, good, average,or bad. Also are there better receivers out there for the money and if so what? Thanks

[Orange Peel]

Nothing bad about Sunfire for sure. If you get it I doubt you will have ANY complaints, I would LOVE to have the Theatre Grand or Signature stuff, but WAY too much money for me right now, I had a hard time forking out the dough for the HK AVR 520.

[partaymon]

Hey Newbie! I run a combo Sunfire TGII and Cinema Grand. Klipsch in the system include.. at present.. KLFC7 ctr and a pair of KSPS6 surrounds. Don't ask about the mains... not worth mentioning at present. I haven't noticed any perceptable hum at 'listening levels'-- though a bit is present at extreme low volume. I had 3 dedicated breakers and power runs put in awhile back to my living room, and that helped quite a bit. When my LaScalas.. (cough, cough, ahem.. that I ordered and paid for back in May.. cough, cough..c'mon guys-- I know ya only build like four a day, but Geez.. 6 months??).. finally get here, I might-- just might-- be tempted to invest in a power conditioner. I'll have to break 'em in and see. As far as the quality of Sunfire equipment, I couldn't be happier. I started out with one of the first Sunfire 2-channel power amps running a DANCE CLUB years ago. We were running 2 Yorkville AP1200 power amps pushing 4 MTX Pro 215s. Kept blowing the Yorkvilles up. My local audio dealer suggested trying this mid-fi home audio amp from Bob Carver's brand new company. I was pretty skeptical, but gave it a shot. The damn thing had better output, no clipping, no overheating, tighter bass, and, as far as I know, is still rockin' the house several years and two owners later!!

When I upgraded my HT, I went from and Adcom GTP600 and 3 NAD 2140s to the TGII and Cinema Grand. Absolutely no regrets.

[boa12]

i've yet to hear any sunfire but have been reading up on them. here's a news release i just read. digital subwoofer looks interesting too.

http://hometheater.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.tvinsite.com/twice/index.asp%3Flayout=story%5Fstocks%26articleid=CA239367%26display=sectionStory%26verticalid=320%26industry=Home%252BAudio%26pubdate=08/19/2002%26STT=000%26industryid=1094

thing is carver uses his "tracking downcoverter" tech in amp design. this goes against the heavier-is-better guidelines, or so it seems.

[TheEAR]

Mr newbie,

Sunfire amplifiers are among the very best made and should not be compared to the primitive Magnetic Field Carver amps of the past.Bob Carver has made huge improvements in sound quality.

I can speak because I own a good few Sunfire products and tested the Sunfire Signature two chanenl power amp.The Sunfire is not built like the conventional power amps and does not requite massive power transformers and huge heatsinks in titanic sized boxes.This cuts weight by over 70% of what it would take you with a classic Class A/B design,and lets not even speaker with pure Class A.

Know Sunfire amps,pre/pro and receivers(I count the new Carver too)are well built(much better built then H/K,Denon,Yamaha and the other mass market stuff)and the power amplifier section in the new Carver and Sunfire receivers leaves even the Denon 5803 and H/K 8000 in the dust.Power output capability and sound quality.

And yet just by lifting then you would say...nah impossible the Denon 5803 muct be the best because it weighs over 60lbs,the H/K 8000 a solid 50.And the "little" Sunfire around 35!Well listen to them side by side,you will be amazed the "little" Sunfire whips them,in built quality,sound quality and power output!

I base my view on the lesser Carver receiver,the Sunfire is a higher end product so there should be no contest.Know Sunfire and Carver are lead by Bob Carver,so its really the same ideas applied to two price points...the lightly expensive and a bit more expensive.

And as for the Sunfire products I own,Sunfire SIgnature sub,Mark II sub,Junior sub,Theater Grand II pre/pro,Carver Knight Shadow sub.And I owned the Carver TFM-75 before.So if these were not very good products I would have someting else.And I own alot of gear,compared from the bottom line to ubber high end.

I think if you have the money you should try the Sunfire receiver,you should be very pleased.And impressed

[Ryklipsch]

Ear have you ever seen or tried out the 47tx elite at 64 pounds out of the box,Well after i tried the denon 5803 and some sunfires beside my monster I sent the others back,The build and quality is not all there with the sun,works nice and is clean sounding but still will not match the 47tx,As far as the denon gos,It is also well built and comes close to the pioneer, but it is a little warmer sounding at mid point and does not have the guts,,But when you turn the pioneer up to about 11 to half way spot it's like it has NOS.The real watts that the others lack just kicks in.I guess thats why you get the free huge bear cans in side the box of the pioneer..Any one that is shopping for a denon should really be looking at the 47 or 49tx if they are looking for real true power.But for the money difference get the 47tx which has the same guts,49tx has just extra features that are useless.

[TheEAR]

I tried both the Pioneer TX47 and 49,the 47 and 49 share the same amplifier.WIth the 49 you pay for the better looking side panels and improved processing.They dont sound the same,the TX49 is a better choice,its digital converter section is a good deal better.

What Sunfire did you try,I know they came up with the Ultimate receiver.I doubt built quality is inferior to the Denon or Pioneer.Glossy decorative faceplate is no sign of quality.

FYI the Sunfire Theater Grand II/Sunfire Cinema Grand eats all receivers in sound quality and power.Its not even a close fight.The Ultimate should be most of the Theater Grand pre/pro functions plus a good deal of the Cinema Grand power and quality.

[Ryklipsch]

Ear you are right the 47tx do have a all metal shiny face plate,Elite has been making shiny fronts "all metal fronts since day one.Yes quality.Look in the box of both and talk to some techs that built them,You are wrong the guts for 47tx and 49tx are the same just extra features on the 49.49 has extra input for s video and extra output,and vcr input one extra,and advanced multi channel acoustic calibration feature which is useless,I ,I hate to see plastic on the out side of amps and recievers.It just tells you something,What are they putting in the inside,Ear I had used a Sufire theatre grand 111 and a bryston 9Bsst which is 120 watts per channel,I was not excited about this match.CHEERS...

[TheEAR]

Ry,

WHy bother with Bryston.Just match a Theater Grand pre/pro with the Cinema Grand Signature power amp.No receiver stands it its way(not only power here,quality as well).

The Bryston multichannel HT amps are overpriced(and I live in Canada,Bryston is made close in Ontario).A Celeste MOON TITAN HT amp leaves the Bryston multichannel amps in the dust,its so much more capable and has finesse the Bryston lacks.

I like Bryston's 4B ST amp,I used this unit to power my Dynes after I got them,was ok.Nothing too musical to my ears,after I got a Celeste I sold the Bryston.Bryston is best to drive High-End subs,they have slam and drive few posess.

The 47 is indeed very close inside to the 49,I dont question that.I did open them both to look inside.LOL I like to open any amp/receiver just to see what its made of.The most pathetic are the SOny and low end Onkyo.What a box of trash,all you see is tangled cables and sub par quality parts.

I am quite impressed by the 47/49 receivers.

BTW did you see/hear the Pioneer DVAX10? The built quality of this unit is second to none.Take even WADIA digital or Mark Levinson and compare.This unit is even more solid then the SOny SCD-1!!!

I purchased this beauty for performance and swiss like built quality.A collection item almost,even more sturdy them my Denon DCD-3520!

I wish Pioneer made a VX50 super receiver of the same quality the DVAX10 is.Chanpagne colored too

The price would have to be around 7-10G!

[Ryklipsch]

ASK EAR