Sherwood Newcastle R-965 User manual

Back in the misty days when 2-channel stereo was still an exciting new format and tubes
ruled the land, Sherwood was a brand name to be reckoned with. Together with such com-
panies as Harman/Kardon, Fisher, Marantz, and McIntosh, Sherwood was instrumental
in launching the American hi-fi industry on a path that would culminate in today’s high-
end audio gear—grist for our sister publication, Stereophile.
However, the path was a rocky one. When audio went solid-state in the 1960s and ’70s,
Sherwood and the other giants of American hi-fi found themselves unable to compete
with the cheap transistorized gear flooding in from Japan. One by one, the American com-
panies fell on hard times and were forced to sell. For the next decade or so, the once proud
Sherwood logo appeared only on a long line of inexpensive, mass-market gear.
Then something wonderful happened. Several years ago, Sherwood—now owned by
Etonics—announced a new line of high-quality audio products. Named after the location
of the company’s assembly plant in the UK, Newcastle components would be sold only
through custom installers and AV specialty retailers.
The first product in the Newcastle line—the R-945 AV receiver—was introduced to
great critical acclaim in 1998. Michael
Fremer reviewed it in the May 1998 issue of
the Stereophile Guide to Home Theater. Next
came the company’s first home-theater sepa-
rates, the AVP-9080R processor and AM-
9080 multichannel amp. I not only gave the
9080 combo a glowing review in the (sadly
defunct) webzine etown.com, but found the
pair satisfying enough to use as the center-
piece of my reference system for several
more years.(The AVP-9080R and AM-9080
were also reviewed in the June 1999 SGHT.)
Progress marches on, and the 5.1-
channel 9080 separates I so enjoyed have
been superseded by the 7.1-channel P-965
processor and A-965 multichannel amplifier.
Going full circle, Sherwood recently repack-
aged its flagship 965 separates, combining
the two pieces into a single cabinet to create
the subject of this review, the R-965 AV
receiver.
ULTIMATE AV |DECEMBER 2004
Sherwood Newcastle
R-965
B
SPECIFICATIONS
R-965 AV receiver
Output power, stereo: 120Wpc @ 8Ω,
20Hz–20kHz, 0.05% THD
Output power, surround: 140Wpc @ 8Ω, 1kHz,
0.7% THD, 1 channel or channel pair driven
Signal/noise: line, 105dB; phono (MM), 80dB
(IHF A-weighted)
Sound modes:
Dolby: Virtual Speaker, Headphone, Pro
Logic II, Pro Logic IIx Music, Pro Logic IIx
Movie, 5.1, EX
DTS: 96/24, Neo:6 Cinema, Neo:6 Music,
ES Matrix 6.1, ES Discrete 6.1
Other: Stereo, 7.1-channel analog bypass,
MPEG Multichannel, 13 DSP modes
Video inputs: Rear: 3 component, 6 S-video,
6 composite. Front: 1 S-video, 1 composite
Video outputs: Monitor: 1 component, 1 S-video,
1 composite. Record: 2 S-video, 2 composite
Analog audio inputs: Rear: 1 7.1-channel, 8 L/R,
1 phono. Front: 1 L/R
Analog audio outputs: 9 preamp, 2 L/R
Digital audio inputs: 2 coax, 7 optical (1 on
front), 1 USB
Digital audio outputs: 1 coax, 1 optical
Other connectors: 1 RS-232C (DB9), 2 IR ins,
1 IR out, 2 12VDC trigger outs, 2 Sherwood
DigiLink, 2 switched AC outlets
Dimensions: 17.4" ×7.8"×17.8" (W×H×D)
Weight: 51.8 lbs
Price: $1999.95
Sherwood America
[phone]
www.sherwoodusa.com
Lawrence E. Ullman
>AV RECEIVER
Electronically reprinted from
DECEMBER 2004
www.UltimateAVmag.com

First Impressions Last
No sooner had the UPS driver pulled away
from the curb than I had the Sherwood
unpacked and up on a table under bright
lighting. The brushed-aluminum, or
“Titanium”-finish front panel looks expensive,
giving the impression of having been
machined out of a solid block—at least when
seen head on. From the sides, you can see that
the panel is actually a single formed alu-
minum sheet about one-tenth of an inch
thick, capped by gray plastic end pieces.
The overall look is clean and understated.
A pair of large knobs and ten small, lighted
buttons are symmetrically arranged around a
large fluorescent display. All of these controls
feel great in the hand, turning with silky
weighted motions and engaging with positive
tactile feedback. Rows of additional buttons
and the renamable Video 6 input suite (com-
posite video, S-video, stereo analog audio, and
optical digital audio) are located behind a
dropdown door. Everything is labeled with
white, screened-on text, which looked elegant
on my brightly lit dining table, but later
proved hard to read when the unit was on a
shelf in a dark theater.
This is a big component, so be sure to
check that your equipment cabinet or rack
has at least 20–24 inches of free depth to
accommodate the unit, including room for
cable clearance.
Under the Hood
Removing the R-965’s top panel (don’t try
this at home!) was like looking under the
hood of a Porsche. The chassis is beautifully
packaged and laid out. Someone clearly
sweated the signal-routing details here—
everything in my unit was spic and span,
with nary a stray wire harness in sight.
There’s even a nifty wire bridge that chan-
nels and hides the few wires that must tra-
verse the chassis’s width. Sherwood logos
decorate the wire bridge, as well as the
power supply’s massive 6-inch-diameter
toroidal transformer and twin 2700µF filter
capacitors. I’ve seen megabuck high-end
amps that don’t look this good inside.
Photos © 2004 Cordero Studios
ULTIMATE AV |DECEMBER 2004

[SHERWOOD NEWCASTLE R-965]
When I looked closer, it quickly became
apparent that the R-965’s underlying architec-
ture resembles that of a personal computer. A
horizontally oriented motherboard occupies
the central rear portion of the chassis, with
slots for six vertically oriented expansion
cards, which in turn expose arrays of connec-
tors through the rear panel. The cards are
labeled Processor, DSP, Input1, Input2, S-
Video, and C[omposite]-Video. A separate
daughtercard serves up the component-video
connectors. Among other advantages, this
modular design should make upgrades and
repairs much more practical.
The R-965’s similarity to a PC ended when
I examined the top-flight complement of DSP
chips that populate its expansion cards. The
centerpiece is a Cirrus Logic CS-49400 32-bit
audio decoder that ably crunches just about
every DTS and Dolby algorithm known to man
or beast. All eight output channels are handled
by Analog Devices AD-1852 24-bit/192kHz
D/A converters; AKM AK-5380 24-bit A/D
converters take care of business on the input
side. An Analog Devices AD-1896 sample-rate
converter “remasters” 2-channel PCM sources
to 24/192 resolution.
No PC case ever held anything like the pair
of shiny, machined-aluminum heatsinks that
flank the Sherwood’s motherboard on both
sides. These finned beauties are each 15 inch-
es long and 5 inches high, spanning the full
depth and height of the cabinet. Large ampli-
fier boards are mounted along the outside of
each heatsink. Ventilation slots stamped
into the bottom of the chassis directly
below the all-important power transistors
create a chimney effect to draw air
across the sinks and out the slots in the
top cover, so be sure you don’t block ’em.
Numbers Game
According to Sherwood’s website, ampli-
fier output in Stereo mode is an ample
120 watts per channel into 8Ω, from
20Hz to 20kHz, with <0.02% THD; the
R-965’s manual lists the THD at a
slightly higher 0.05%.
I was sad (but not surprised) to see
that the R-965’s multichannel output
power is not fully specified with all
channels driven. Sherwood’s website
claims “120 Watts per Channel x 7 in
Surround Mode,” a meaningless,
unqualified spec. The R-965 manual
lists 140Wpc into 8Ωat 1kHz with 0.7% THD
“only channel driven”; i.e., only the front-
channel pair, center, surround-channel pair,
or surround rear/Room2 pair are driven dur-
ing the test. This “only-channel-driven” rating
at 1kHz is a far cry from the fully spec’d,
20Hz–20kHz, all-channels-driven rating we’d
like to see.
Another specification that raised my eye-
brows is the amp’s apparently limited ability to
drive low-impedance loads. A note in the man-
ual warns that speakers of at least 6Ωshould
be used all around when connecting one pair
of surround speakers; i.e., for a 5.1-channel
configuration. This is not exactly reassuring,
as the ability to remain stable into low imped-
ance loads is something I take for granted
when dealing with a high-end, $2000 compo-
nent. That said, I used a pair of 4ΩM&K S-
90s for surrounds throughout the review peri-
od without incident.
If you’re planning on implementing a 7.1-
channel configuration, however, I’d think
twice before using any 4Ωspeaker. The man-
ual cautions “use only speakers with imped-
ance of over 12Ω” when using both Surround
A and Surround B connections and “other
[LCR] speakers with impedance of over 6Ω.”
This could pose problems, as few decent
speakers are rated at over 8Ω, and a great
many high-performance models are rated at
only 4Ω. It will be interesting to see how the
R-965 behaves when we put it through its
paces on the test bench (see sidebar,
“Measurements”).
Of course, Sherwood is hardly the only
audio company to indulge in a bit of specs-
manship—it’s rampant in our industry. And I
don’t want to give the impression that the R-
965 lacked sufficient amplifier oomph—any-
thing but! The point is, you can’t shoehorn an
advanced digital processor plus seven chan-
nels of amplification into a single cabinet
without making some sacrifices—not if you
want to sell the thing for less than a king’s ran-
som. To their credit, Sherwood acknowledges
this fact on their website: “Our R-965 flagship
receiver is identical to its more advanced par-
ents [the P-965 processor and A-965 amp]
except for the necessary compromises due to
the use of a single power supply for both the
preamp and main amp sections and in its ulti-
mate power capability.”
For the record, Sherwood’s A-965 7-chan-
nel amplifier has two toroidal transformers
and separate amplifier “monoblocks” for each
of the seven channels, vs. the R-965’s single
transformer and two amplifier blocks, each
with multiple channels. The A-965 amp is
fully spec’d at 100Wpc into 8Ω,
20Hz–20kHz, <0.02% THD, all channels
ULTIMATE AV |DECEMBER 2004
Sources
Pioneer Elite DV-F07 DVD Jukebox
Sony DVP-NS700P DVD player
Sony SAT-W60 digital satellite receiver-recorder
ProScan PSVR75 HiFi VCR
Adelphia analog cable
Display
V, Inc. Vizio RP56 56" DLP rear-projection TV
Speakers
B&W 801 Matrix Anniversary Edition (L/R)
B&W HTM (center)
M&K S-90 (surrounds)
Cables
Digital: Monster, MIT
Interconnect: Monster, AudioQuest
Speaker: 14 AWG copper w/banana plugs
REVIEW SYSTEM

driven. A separate rating is given for 4Ωloads:
160Wpc, 20Hz–20kHz, <0.09%, again with
all channels driven. Of course, the A-965 lists
for $1499.95, plus another $1499.95 for the
matching P-965 processor; together, they list
for a cool $1000 more than the R-965. I’ve
said it before and I’ll say it again: when it
comes to analog electronics such as a power
amp, you really do get what you pay for.
Jack Attack!
One look at the R-965’s rear panel is enough
to make a grown man weep. Intimidating at
first glance, this jack pack is complete, well
thought out, and above all, flexible.
First off, there are five AV inputs, each
with an accompanying S-video jack. There are
also three line-level audio-only inputs, labeled
Aux, CD, and Tape Monitor, plus a moving-
magnet phono input for you vinyl diehards.
The AV, Aux, and CD inputs can be renamed.
Many lesser receivers force you to plan a
connection strategy that can accommodate
fixed digital-audio input assignments; e.g.,
Video 1 has a coaxial input, Video 2 has opti-
cal, and so on. The R-965 gives you four opti-
cal and two coaxial digital inputs on the rear
panel and lets you reassign them as you please.
Similar flexibility is extended to the three
component-video inputs, each of which can
be freely assigned to any AV input. These are
switched by relays, not microprocessors, so
high-bandwidth HD signals should pass
through with no rolloff.
The R-965 is the first product I’ve had in-
house that upconverts composite and S-video
inputs to produce a unified, or “universal,”
component-video output. This allows you to
make a single component-video connection
between the receiver and your video display,
thus relieving you and your family of ever
again having to switch video inputs on the TV.
I saw no apparent decline in the video quality
of the composite signal coming from my dusty
VCR or from the S-video output of our much-
loved Sony digital satellite receiver-recorder.
And even if there was a performance penalty,
I’d gladly pay it to eliminate those dreaded mid-
day phone calls from the wife and kids com-
plaining that “There’s no %#$* picture again!”
With so much flexibility on tap, it’s easy to
forget what needs to be assigned where by the
time you finally squeeze out from behind the
equipment rack and sit down to program the
input assignments. I found it helpful to make
a little chart to keep track of each input’s new
name, as well as its accompanying digital and
component-video assignments.
The Video 1 and 2 inputs are record loops
with matching AV outputs, so you’ll want to
reserve these inputs for use with a VCR, DVD
recorder, or TiVo. The record outputs can be
switched independently to send different
sources. However, the Video 2 record output
serves double duty as the Room 2 output, so if
you plan to have a second zone, you’ll be left
with only one record output in your main
room. And if your recording device can accept
a digital audio input, the Sherwood has a dig-
ital optical output for recording (plus a coaxi-
al digital output for a Zone 2 feed).
In addition to the regular AV inputs, the R-
965 has a 7.1-channel analog Direct Input for
use with a DVD-Audio or SACD player. (Of
course, there are no such players with eight
analog outputs, so the point of having the
extra inputs is beyond me.) [Perhaps 7.1-dis-
crete channels on some future format such as
Blu-ray-based SACD or HD-DVD-based DVD-
Audio? Just daydreaming.—Ed.]Dedicated
composite and S-video inputs are provided,
and the receiver’s bass-management f[unc-
tions are active on this input.
The R-965 has preamp outputs for all
channels, including two subwoofer outputs. If
you’ll be using only one Surround Back speak-
er in a 6.1-channel configuration, you can
switch the unit to Passive Subwoofer mode
and connect an unpowered sub to the
Surround Back R speaker terminals.
There are a total of nine pairs of high-qual-
ity speaker binding posts, labeled Front (L/R),
Center, Surround A (L/R), Surround B (L/R),
and Surround Back/SW (L/R). In addition to
feeding a passive sub as mentioned above, the
Surround Back speaker terminals can be
assigned to feed speaker-level audio to the
Room 2 zone.
This is the first receiver I’ve seen that
sports a USB connector. Familiar to comput-
er users, this high-speed serial port can accept
2-channel PCM digital audio from a PC, or it
can be switched to enable downloads of
upgraded operating software. A 9-pin RS-
232C connector is also provided for the latter
function.
Custom installers and our more intrepid
readers can use the R-965’s IR control jacks in
conjunction with a Xantech multiroom kit
(sold separately) to operate the unit from a
second room or when it is hidden from sight
behind cabinet doors. A pair of DC trigger
outputs can be used to raise and lower projec-
tors, screens, and the like. The first jack trig-
gers each time the receiver is powered on or
off, the second when a specific, assignable
input source is selected.
Control Freak
For the most part, I found the Newcastle R-
965 easy to set up and operate. The onscreen
display (OSD) is simple but adequate, with six
screens. Menu navigation is annoyingly
inconsistent, sometimes requiring a push of
the Enter button, other times a Return. I
often found myself exiting the menu system
entirely rather than stepping back to a previ-
ous sub menu.
The Power Amp Assign screen is used to
direct the rear-channel power amps to drive
either the Surround Back or Room 2 speakers
(so they can play a second, independent
source). The Speaker Setup screen lets you
select a speaker configuration (Large/Small
for each speaker), which is then applied glob-
ally for all inputs. The subwoofer crossover
frequency defaults to 80Hz, but can be adjust-
ed from 40 to 120Hz in 20Hz increments.
Although the R-965 does not have individ-
ual channel-level settings for each input, the
Channel Level Setup screen does allow you to
adjust and then store three channel-level pre-
sets for later recall. You can even adjust the
LFE level separately for Dolby, DTS, and
MPEG decoding modes.
DECEMBER 2004 | ULTIMATE AV

[SHERWOOD NEWCASTLE R-965]
The System Setup screen is where you
reassign digital and component inputs, turn
Digital Re-Mastering on and off, etc. The
Surround Setup screen selects a default
decoding mode and adjusts a variety of Dolby
Digital parameters. Finally, the Room2 Setup
screen has settings for volume level (fixed or
variable) and source.
When an S-video or composite source is
active, the white menu lettering appears on a
transparent background, and so appears to
float above the live video image. This can, of
course, make it difficult to decipher the
menu. On the other hand, the live video
image is muted and replaced by a blue back-
ground when a component-video source is
onscreen. This can be disconcerting, but at
least the Sherwood’s OSD can be invoked
from all outputs, even component. And yes—
if you wish, you can turn off all onscreen dis-
plays, including the volume indicator.
Two remotes are included with the R-965.
The main one is a universal learning model
that Sherwood repackages from Universal
Remote Control, who sells it as a standalone
product. It’s a good-looking remote, with
large, well-spaced buttons and a nifty central
rocker control. It feels great
in the hand. An LCD shows
the current function of ten
“soft” buttons. It’s even
backlit. But it’s missing one
critical thing: there are no
dedicated buttons for input
selection! The LCD page
labeled Main shows the
operating layers. To get to
the input-selection buttons,
you have to first hit Aud1.
Many other frequently used
operating functions are
buried in subpages. I quickly
grew tired of the whole affair
and programmed my trusty
Marantz RC-2000 Mk.II
with the Sherwood’s com-
mands. This worked much
better for me and my family.
A secondary remote is
provided for Room 2 opera-
tion. This simple remote
has buttons for Zone
On/Off, Input selection,
Volume, and Mute. To use
this IR remote, you must
purchase and install a
Xantech multiroom IR
repeater kit.
The front-panel fluores-
cent display is uninspiring,
at best. The currently
selected input (named as you prefer) appears
in large characters, but everything else is indi-
cated by tiny, sometimes confusing legends. I
frequently had to get up and walk across the
room to peer at the display just to determine
which of the many possible surround modes I
was listening to.
I know I’m beating a dead horse, but I just
can’t let it pass: the R-965’s manual is a joke.
This is a very complex product, with numer-
ous parameters that must be set correctly for
optimal performance. Beginning and ad-
vanced users alike deserve logically organized,
clearly written operating instructions, which
they don’t get here.
Curtain Time
The Sherwood Newcastle R-965 was one
great-sounding receiver. My notebook is
sprinkled with comments like: “Detailed but
not harsh. Solid bass. Conveys sense of
acoustic ambience. Instruments are rendered
3-dimensionally. No sense of strain ...”I
can’t remember the last time I had this kind of
reaction to a receiver, even one that lists for
two grand.
But before I played even a single note
through the R-965, I was struck by how quiet
it was. There’s very little self-induced noise,
even with the volume cranked.
In 2-channel mode, the R-965 reproduced
all my favorite tracks with aplomb. Bernard
Haitink and the Concertgebouw Orchestra’s
recording of Shostakovich’s Symphony 15
(CD, London 417 581-2) has long been a
touchstone. The first movement is an orches-
tral tour de force, with delicate flute and
glockenspiel passages, stirring trumpet fan-
fares, soaring woodwind solos, and a variety of
percussion, including snare drum, cymbals,
and a truly massive bass drum. All of this is
beautifully recorded, with instruments clearly
positioned in space and enveloped by the glo-
rious acoustic of the Amsterdam
Concertgebouw, one of the world’s great con-
cert halls. Through lesser electronics, the
sense of 3-dimensional space so wonderfully
captured on this disc disappears, resulting in
a flat, emotionally uninvolving presentation.
But everything was right there with the
Sherwood.
Moving to a completely different genre, I
spent a great deal of time listening to the Nitty
Gritty Dirt Band’s Will the Circle Be
Unbroken: Volume Two (Universal UVLD-
12500). The subject of a recent PBS docu-
mentary, this groundbreaking 1989 recording
was one of the first in decades to gather a
group of musicians in a single room and have
them actually play together with the tape
rolling, rather than bring each performer sep-
arately into the studio to overdub a recording
track by track. The result is a superb-sound-
ing, musically joyous experience.
With John Prine singing “Grandpa Was a
Carpenter” in the background, I switched
back and forth between the coaxial digital and
analog outputs of my Pioneer Elite DV-F07
DVD/CD jukebox. Even though it’s a bit of a
pain to use as a single-disc player, the Pioneer
has been a fixture in my system for several
years now. The reason is simple: I’ve yet to
find a receiver or processor with D/A convert-
ers that sound better than the Pioneer’s
Legato Link DACs. I also experimented with
the Sherwood’s Re-Mastering function, which
upconverts garden-variety, 16-bit/44.1kHz
PCM audio to 24/192 resolution.
With Re-Mastering turned off, the
Pioneer’s Legato Link DACs sounded slightly
smoother and cleaner than the Sherwood’s in
the high frequencies. But with Re-Mastering
engaged, the Sherwood’s high end seemed to
snap into focus, becoming at least the equal of
the Pioneer. I still haven’t decided which I like
better, but at this point I’m leaning toward the
Sherwood.
Turning to multichannel soundtracks on
DECEMBER 2004 | ULTIMATE AV

DVD, the Sherwood struck just the right bal-
ance of power and finesse. Because I use full-
range front speakers in a fairly small room, I
don’t feel the need for a subwoofer in my sys-
tem. Although my big B&W 801 speakers
present a fairly benign 8Ωload to the amp,
they’re more than happy to soak up as many
watts as I care to throw at them. They also
require an amp with good damping character-
istics to control their big 12-inch woofers.
This obviously places greater demands on a
power amplifier than would a more typical
home theater speaker system with small satel-
lites and a powered sub.
Judging by the deep roar of the Saturn V
rocket in Apollo 13, the manifold explosions
and mayhem of Saving Private Ryan, and the
submarine and minefield detonations in
Finding Nemo, among others, the R-965 had
what it took to handle the most demanding
sound effects, even when driving full-range
speakers. It also effortlessly reproduced sub-
tler ambient effects and delivered clean, intel-
ligible dialog. I have yet to feel the need to
engage the Sherwood’s Cinema EQ, though
I’m glad to know it’s there.
I watch a lot of regular TV programming
on my system. Although some shows are
recorded in matrixed Dolby Surround, many
are still broadcast in stereo or even mono.
Nevertheless, I still prefer to have the dialog
coming out of the center speaker, so I usually
leave the processor in its Dolby Pro Logic
mode when watching TV. The Sherwood’s
Dolby Pro Logic IIx Movie mode worked great
for this purpose, providing a noticeable
improvement over plain ol’ Pro Logic.
Last but not least, I have to admit that
both the DTS Neo:6 Music and Dolby Pro
Logic IIx Music modes work pretty darn well
with many 2-channel music sources. These
are certainly a huge improvement over the
grotesque DSP modes still found on all too
many products. (The R-965 has a dozen such
DSP modes, but I won’t tell if you won’t.)
Conclusion
The Sherwood Newcastle R-965 is an attrac-
tive and well-thought-out piece with excep-
tional build quality. It features an enormously
comprehensive and flexible suite of AV inputs
and outputs, including my new “must have”
feature, unified component-video output.
Above all, it delivered excellent audio per-
formance in 2-channel and multichannel
modes. The one area that could stand some
improvement is the user interface—but the
same thing can be said of most of its compe-
tition.
Speaking of competition, the R-965 must
duke it out for shelf space in a brutally com-
petitive and rapidly changing market. Several
7.1-channel receivers with similar specifica-
tions and features are on the market, and all
cost less than the Sherwood. Examples
include the Denon AVR-3805 ($1199),
Onkyo TX-NR901 ($1500), and Marantz
SR7400 ($999).
I haven’t had any hands-on experience
with these specific receivers, so I can’t say
how they sound compared to the Sherwood.
But the R-965 sets the bar pretty darn high.
And I’d be surprised indeed if any less-expen-
sive competitor even comes close to the
Sherwood’s superior build quality and elegant
look and feel. If you own a high-performance
luxury car like a BMW or Lexus (or would if
you could), the R-965 has your name written
all over it.
[SHERWOOD NEWCASTLE R-965]
All measurements were taken on the left
channel, except as noted. The Sherwood New-
castle R-965’s 2-channel analog frequency
response, in Pure Audio mode, from the CD input
to the speaker output, was –0.57dB at 10Hz,
–0.18dB at 20Hz, –0.07dB at 20kHz, and –0.44dB
at 50kHz. The response from the multichannel
input to the speaker output differed from these
results by less 0.2dB at 10Hz and 0.07dB,
maximum, at 20Hz, 20kHz, and 50kHz.
The Dolby Digital response (optical input to
speaker output) was –0.38dB at 20Hz and
–0.77dB at 20kHz, left channel (–0.34dB at 20Hz
and –0.76dB at 20kHz, center channel). With the
Sherwood’s surround left channel set to Small
and the crossover frequency set to 80Hz, the
response in that channel was –6dB at 82Hz at
the bottom end and –0.79dB at 20kHz at the top.
The line output from the LFE channel, normalized
to the response at 40Hz, was –1.46dB at 20Hz and
–6dB at 109Hz.
The signal/noise ratio (A-weighted, 2.83V @
8Ω) measured –99.8dB. The gain measured
28.9dB, CD in to speaker out, with the level
control set to +5. The THD+noise in 2-channel
operation at 2.83V into 8Ω measured 0.010% at
20Hz, 0.011% at 1kHz, and 0.009% at 20kHz. At
2.83V into 4Ω, the corresponding results were
identical to within 0.001%.
Driving all seven channels into 8Ω, the Sher-
wood delivered (to the nearest watt) 108Wpc at
20Hz (126Wpc into 4Ω) and 113Wpc at 1kHz
(144Wpc into 4Ω) before clipping (1% THD+noise).
At 1kHz, with only two channels operating, the
Sherwood clipped at 134Wpc into 8Ω and 220Wpc
into 4Ω.—Thomas J. Norton
MEASUREMENTS
Sherwood Newcastle R-965
Editor:
Thank you for Lawrence E. Ullman’s thought-
ful review of our Newcastle R-965 AV
receiver. His recognition of its “beautifully
packaged” chassis, “silky” motions, “excep-
tional build quality,” and “excellent audio per-
formance” was appreciated by all involved.
We do regret that a standard industry “boil-
erplate” warning regarding the use of low-
impedance speakers and our perceived
specsmanship seemed to color the first part of
the review with skepticism. As your measure-
ments and LEU’s listening tests confirm, the
R-965 is no wimp. With all seven channels
driven, its actual power output exceeds
100Wpc RMS into 8Ωand 125Wpc into 4Ω.
It is clearly low-impedance–capable.
Also important is the R-965’s field
upgradeability. Since its introduction earlier
this year, we have already released two
updates. The first added AV Synch delay for
users of advanced TVs, and the second incor-
porates automatic speaker setup. We are
scheduled to add parametric EQ before the
end of the year. These updates are available to
Newcastle owners at no charge and are an
important part of our customer service.
Thank you again for your appreciation of
our “great-sounding receiver.”
Jeffrey Hipps
Sr. VP, Marketing and Product Planning
Sherwood America
Manufacturers’Comments
Posted with permission from the December 2004 issue of Stereophile Ultimate AV ® www.UltimateAVmag.com. Copyright 2004, Primedia Inc. All rights reserved.
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