[kendrid]

I have been looking for the JVC RX-F10 or RX-ES1SL locally and I keep seeing Samsung HTIB systems that state that they use digital amps.  Has anyone had any experience with these units?  They run around $250 with some crappy throw-away speakers.  Doing some searching I have found that Samsung is using Tripath chips in other gear so these might be Tripath based receivers.

Another I saw was from the Krell of HTIB systems: Koss.  On the front of the unit it says "TI Direct Digital".  Could it be that a $150 Koss system is using TI chips?  That one really has me curious.  I am tempted to pick it up since it will be easy to return.

An a semi-related note, here is an article from Crutchfield about Class D and T amps.

Crutchfield Class D/T article
http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/ISEO-rgbtcspd/reviews/20040720/tripath_interview.html?page=5

[TheChairGuy]

Hey kendrid,

Good finds..and helpful Crutchfiled article.  

The Koss does seem to be, indeed, a digital receiver/theatre-in-a-box package.  I couldn't blow the pic up to see 'Ti Direct' indicated, tho. I think you must mean the $150 package at Best Buy...just know the receiver is a little feeble powered as they count the subwoofer at 100 watts in the package.

The parent company of Koss is a large Chinese conglomerate that makes, among many brands, APEX DVD players and such.  So, they truly have the capability to buy TI chips...or anything less for that matter.

A buddy is the territory rep in Ohio and told me that a couple years back.

[kendrid]

I purchased the Samsung HTDS610 to try out.  

Nowhere does it say what kind of amps are inside, but it does state that they are digital.  I tried to open it up to take pictures but even with all of the screws out it would not open.  Not wanting to possibly damage it I gave up.

The unit is a no-go for any of us.  The sub is powered by the receiver and there is no low level sub output.  You also cannot set the speakers to 'large' so unless you plan on using their sub you are SOL.  You could use your sub's high level inputs but that is less than optimal (IMHO).  Plus you can't set the cross over and it seems very high.

I still hooked it up to my Onix Ref 1s to see how it would sound.  It is very clean and detailed and didn't seem overly bright.  It is better than any $300 receiver I have heard.  

It sounds like it is crossed over around 150Hz so it is hard to really judge the sound with it being so unbalanced.  For what it is it isn't bad.  I'm sure for a budget HTIB it isn't a bad product.

I will be returning it tomorrow.  Tonight I plan on ordering the JVC F10 from jandr.  I have owned the 2000ES receiver and I really liked the sound.  In a dumb move I sold it and purchased an NAD T753.  The NAD is fine but I still miss the Sony sound.  I demoed a Cayin TA30 and the Sony usually as good or almost as good with all types of music.  

I will probably pick another Sony up to compare it to the JVC.  I'll post my thoughts in the JVC thread once I have some time on it.

[JLM]

Once production ramps up and technology improves to allow more functions on fewer chips, I'd expect manufacturers to turn to digital as easy to build and cheaper than solid state.  Plus it's worth something just to advertise it as "digital".  Of course it could be made much smaller than conventional technology, always another plus these days.