Features:
- 5.1-channel receiver
- Built-in DVD player with 10-bit video digital-to-analog converter
- 24-bit digital-to-analog audio converter
- Built-in Dolby Digital and DTS decoder
- Component-video and S-video outputs for DVD player
Description:
With its built-in DVD player and 5.1-channel digital processor, Toshiba's wonderful SD-6109C receiver can best be summarized as "instant home theater." The handsome front panel contains the usual assortment of tuner, processor, and preamplifier functions, plus such thoughtful extras as bass and treble controls; a Late Night mode, which emphasizes the softest sounds at low listening volumes; and a dimmer for the comprehensive fluorescent display. Because the SD-6109C can spin both DVDs and CDs, you won't need to purchase additional source components. Even so, Toshiba has thoughtfully outfitted this workhorse with two digital audio inputs and four pairs of analog stereo connections that enable it to serve as the heart of a truly elaborate system. Once you've connected your speakers and TV, you perform an extremely simple setup procedure using either the remote handset or front-panel controls. From the start, it's clear that this Toshiba component is no ordinary entry-level product. Unlike bright trebles and lightweight bass that characterize most inexpensive receivers, the SD-6109C sounds smooth and pleasant at the highest frequencies, deep and authoritative at the lowest. In our tests, CDs were reproduced with a level of musical detail and dynamic ease that's unusual in a budget product--this could be due to the machine's advanced 24-bit/96-kHz digital-to-analog converters or its capable amplifiers. Testing with movies yielded a similar result. Big-ticket action films possessed the thunderous dynamics and vast sound space of a local cineplex. What's more, subtle surround effects and complex dialogue were clearly articulated. If you expect a home theater system to place you sonically in the center of the action, the SD-6109C will not disappoint. Toshiba's use of cutting-edge 10-bit, 27 MHz video processing no doubt contributes to the DVD player's ability to produce crisp, sharply defined images. Although colors--particularly reds--seem a bit saturated, a quick fine-tuning of the television's picture adjustment controls produces the filmlike image quality we've come to expect from the latest generation of DVD players. The three-conductor component-video output is a welcome addition, enabling the SD-6109C to flatter high-end televisions equipped with comparable inputs. If the SD-6109C exhibits any shortcomings, they are only evident when you compare this combination receiver with vastly more expensive separate components. The spring-clip speaker terminals won't work with most audiophile speaker cables, and the remote handset (which will also operate many Toshiba televisions) is confusing; it includes too many same-sized keys to easily master. Although the 50-watts-per-channel amplifier works with most speakers, it won't drive some difficult audiophile models. Mated with a pint-sized set of satellite speakers and a decent subwoofer, however, the SD-6109C's amplifiers are more than adequate to fill an average-sized living room with plenty of sound. Toshiba's engineers have combined a quintet of capable amplifiers with a high-quality DVD-video player in a single, compact chassis with a black aluminum faceplate that looks decidedly upscale. The result is a component whose big-system performance belies its modest size and cost. We hope it's the first of many such products from Toshiba. --Anthony Chiarella Pros:
- All-in-one component is space efficient and cost-effective
- Very good sound from both stereo and multichannel sources
- Impressive array of features and controls
- User-friendly hookup and operation
Cons:
- Limited amplifier power mandates careful speaker selection
- All-in-one approach makes upgrading difficult
- Nonbacklit remote with small keys is difficult to master
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