NuForce AVP-16 User manual

Chris
Martens
AUDIO REVIEW
NuForce AVP-16
Multichannel Controller
The Gift of Simplicity
latest and greatest video processing op-
tions, or with elaborate custom installa-
tion-oriented features. On the contrary,
this controller turns back-to-basics
engineering into some-
thing of an art form.
Keeping It Simple
The AVP-16 provides
simple and effective
pass-through switching
for composite, S-video
and component video signals but pro-
vides no video upconversion or format
transcoding features of any kind. This
means all incoming video signals remain
in their original formats as they pass
through the controller. When using the
AVP-16 with source components that
output video signals in multiple formats
at once, the game plan is to select the
source component first, and then to use
the AVP-16’s video input switches to
choose which sets of video input you
want to use. You might think this sort of
manual switching would be a pain, but
in fact it is literally child’s play. My kids
had the AVP-16’s operational protocols
figured out in a matter of minutes with
zero instruction from dad. Works for me.
On the audio side, the AVP-16 is a
straightforward solid-state 7.1-channel
analog preamp, with single-ended (RCA
jack-equipped) outputs for all channels
and a set of balanced (XLR-type) outputs
T
here’s an old hymn that
proclaims “’Tis a gift
to be simple” and that
line fits the personality
of NuForce’s AVP-16 7.1-channel
A/V controller to a “T.” Where many
controllers tout auto-this, micropro-
cessor-controlled that, and HDMI-
equipped everything, the afford-
able AVP-16 is headed in the other
direction with one main objective
in mind: namely, achieving superb
sound quality—especially for high-
resolution multichannel music—for
the least amount of money. To grasp
what the $995 AVP-16 is about,
picture it as a high-performance
7.1-channel analog audio preampli-
fier that provides just enough basic
surround sound decoding and video-
switching functionality to serve as a
solid A/V controller. What the AVP-
16 is not is a features-rich controller
equipped (or, depending upon your
point of view, burdened) with the
Solid-state preamps sometimes have a cold, sterile
quality that distances listeners from the music,but the
AVP-16 does not.Instead, it offers a delightful combi-
nation of clarity and natural, organic warmth.
[ ]
TPV | March 2007 54

specifically for the left, center, right, and
subwoofer channels. This design touch
acknowledges the fact that some audio-
philes already own amplifiers with XLR-
inputs, and that stereo purists might
wish to make the transition to surround
sound incrementally, adding a center
channel and subwoofer
first and surround
channels later on.
Purists Dig It
How does the AVP-16
perform in real-world
systems? I found the
AVP-16 was at its
best when playing
high-resolution mu-
sic material (SACD,
DVD-Audio, and Dual-
Disc) in Bypass mode.
Solid-state preamps
sometimes have a
cold, sterile quality
that distances listen-
ers from the music, but
the AVP-16 does not.
Instead, it offers a de-
lightful combination of
clarity and natural, or-
ganic warmth. On Gary
Burton’s Like Minds
[Concord, SACD], for
instance, the AVP-16
brought out the round,
full, honey-sweet to-
nality of Pat Metheny’s
jazz guitar, yet it also
had sufficient transpar-
ency to reproduce the
sound of Roy Haynes’s
sure and almost in-
describably delicate percussion work.
The AVP-16’s overall presentation on
Like Minds was so clean and pure that
many guest listeners offered unprompt-
ed compliments on the sound. On
well-recorded orchestral material such
as the Gergov/Norrlands performance
of David Chesky’s
Concerto for Orches-
tra [Urban Concertos,
Chesky, SACD], the
NuForce did a great job
of capturing the ambi-
ence of the recording
venue while convey-
ing the sound of an
orchestra arrayed on a
wide, deep, three-di-
mensional soundstage.
Overall, the AVP-16
sounded much like
NuForce’s excellent
P8 stereo preampli-
fier (reviewed in The
Absolute Sound issue
169), which is saying
a mouthful given that
the AVP-16 costs less
than the P8 does.
On CDs and other
stereo program mate-
rial the AVP-16 per-
formed well, offering
the expected bat-
teries of Dolby PL II
and DTS Neo:6 pro-
cessing modes, plus
eight proprietary DSP
modes (church, sta-
DiuM, thEatEr, and so
on.). The Dolby and
DTS modes proved
effective, though their sound was
not quite as pure and transparent
as that of the Bypass mode. My sug-
gestion would be to avoid using the
AVP-16’s other DSP modes, though,
since they aren’t up to the controller’s
otherwise high sonic standards.
On DVD movies, the AVP-16’s video
pass-through switching added no
visible noise or artifacts. Sonically,
the controller’s Dolby Digital and DTS
decoders worked well, though they
sometimes smoothed over extremely
low-level, high frequency textural de-
tails. As a small example, consider the
“Ann Disarms Kong” scene from King
Kong where Kong seizes a full-grown
bamboo tree to munch on as a light
snack. High-resolution controllers let
you hear an explicit snap and crunch as
the thick, tubular bamboo trunk breaks
apart while Kong chomps down on it. In
contrast, the AVP-16 captures the snap
of the trunk but loses textural detail
as Kong chews on the shattered tree.
Nevertheless, the AVP-16’s surround
sound processing easily equals that of
most mid- and some high-priced AVRs.
The AVP-16 will appeal to stereo
enthusiasts looking to take their first
steps toward home theater and mul-
tichannel music. The NuForce pro-
vides the core sonic qualities that
audiophile’s demand, with solid though
minimalist video switching and sur-
round sound processing features. TPV
• Fine sound quality in BYPASS
mode
• Nice combination of clarity and
warmth
• Simple, effective video and
surround sound features
• Value
• No HDMI, no video upconversion,
no auto-setup
• Surround modes not as pure as
BYPASS mode
• Remote is beautifully made, but
ergonomics need work
Specifications
NuForce AVP-16 Multichannel Controller
• Decoding formats: Dolby Digital , Digital
EX and Pro Logic IIx; DTS, DTS-ES and
Neo:6; eight proprietary DSP modes.
• Video inputs/outputs: Component video
(three in, one out with support up to
1080i), S-video (four in, one out), compos-
ite video (four in, o ne out)
• Audio inputs/outputs: 7.1-channel analog
(single-ended RCA, one in, one out), 3.1-
channel analog (balanced XLR, one out),
stereo analog (seven in, one out), digital
audio (seven in—four coax, three optical)
• Dimensions: 3.54" x 17" x 18"
• Weight: 17.5 lbs.
• Price: $995
• nuforce.com
The Last Word
Poor Good Excellent
10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Value
Sound quality, film
Sound quality, music
User interface
NuForce AVP-16 Multichannel Controller
(compared with similarly priced multichannel controllers)
TPV | March 2007 55
analog direct mode, and when
playing well-recorded material
at moderate volume levels. The
receiver’s subtle touch of warmth
and overall clarity helped it
render instrumental and vocal
timbres effectively. For example,
it sounded terrific on the Heifetz
recording of the Sibelius Violin
Concerto in D Minor [RCA Living
Stereo, multichannel SACD], cap-
turing the violinist’s sweet, sure,
lustrous string tone. Two small
drawbacks are that the Sony
offers good but not great sound-
staging and can sound bright or
rough on vigorous transients.
Fortunately, these minor flaws
rarely intrude on the Sony’s
warm and inviting core sound.
Lost in Translation
The only area where I had
significant reservations about the
STR-DG800 involved its user
interface, which I found difficult
to use. First, the receiver provides
no onscreen menu display,
instead showing menu informa-
tion only in the receiver’s front
panel display window. Second,
the Sony’s automated speaker
set-up feature for some reason
recognizes all speakers in the
system except for powered
subwoofers. As a result, all
subwoofer configuration settings
must be entered manually.
Finally, the receiver’s remote
control is far from intuitive and
makes common control tasks (for
example, adjusting channel level
trims on the fly) much more
difficult than they ought to be.
Overall, Sony’s STR-DG800
receiver offers a versatile mix of
features, functions, and I/O
options, and it provides very
strong core performance for the
money.
My only wish is that its user
interface made its performance
capabilities easier to tap—
especially for first-time AVR
owners. The good news is that
the performance fundamentals
are all in place; Sony just needs
to do a bit more work on the fine
points. TPV
www.theperfectvision.com March 2007 71
Sony |[phone] |www.sonystyle.com
INSIDERS TIP:
Do not even think about setting this
AVR up without reading its manual
beforehand.
!
As reviewed in issue 72 of The Perfect Vision and issue 168 of
The Absolute Sound.
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