Affordable Amplification
Sound & Vision|June - July 2023
AUDIO AMPLIFIERS have but one task: take an electrical signal and make it more powerful without changing its character.
Mark Henninger
Affordable Amplification

OSD AUDIO NERO XA7180 AMPLIFIER

A good amplifier is as transparent as possible, neither adding nor subtracting anything from what you hear. The OSD Nero XA7180 promises all that plus high efficiency at a very attractive price.

Before attending CEDIA 2022 in Dallas TX, I was not familiar with OSD, a company specializing in high-performance, cost-effective gear-my preferred type. A bit of Googling revealed the company has a good reputation in online forums, so I took the plunge on doing a full review. This proved timely, as 2023 brought numerous premium AVRs with preamp outputs compatible with the XA7180.

In this competitive arena of solid state home theater amps, companies like ATI, Monoprice, Emotiva, and Outlaw offer similar power per dollar. However, OSD stands out for its combination of price and features, making it the most affordable seven-channel amplifier Sound & Vision has tested. Despite the low cost, it boasts a sturdy build, including both RCA and XLR inputs, and individual status LEDs for each channel on the front panel.

FEATURES

The only settings on this amp you have to worry about are related power, with an on/off button on the front and a toggle switch in the back that lets you choose to use a voltage trigger or input signal to automatically turn on the unit.

The outstanding features of the design is the use of a toroidal power supply, which does make it heavy but provides a solid foundation for an amp that advertises 122 watts per channel RMS power into 8 ohm loads, all seven channels driven, and the inclusion of XLR balanced inputs.

Bu hikaye Sound & Vision dergisinin June - July 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Sound & Vision dergisinin June - July 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

SOUND & VISION DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Pinnacle Picture Performance
Sound & Vision

Pinnacle Picture Performance

IT IS a small miracle that you can buy a TV as good as the 77-inch Samsung S90C Quantum Dot OLED for $2500.

time-read
10 dak  |
February - March 2024
AV Masterpiece
Sound & Vision

AV Masterpiece

THE AV PROCESSOR is the less well-known sibling of the AV receiver. The main difference being that processors don't have built-in amplification.

time-read
6 dak  |
February - March 2024
Sit and Listen Streaming
Sound & Vision

Sit and Listen Streaming

FOR ANYONE who has been waiting for streaming music to be a high-quality sit-and-listen experience, the SVS Prime Wireless Pro SoundBase streaming integrated amp fits the bill.

time-read
8 dak  |
February - March 2024
Worth the Splurge?
Sound & Vision

Worth the Splurge?

AS A RULE I'm not particularly susceptible to the \"audio-jewelry\" school of component design; I'm a value/performance guy.

time-read
9 dak  |
February - March 2024
Focus on Gaming
Sound & Vision

Focus on Gaming

OPTOMA BOASTS of being both the top 4K UHD projector brand globally and the number one Digital Light Processing (DLP) brand in the United States for 2022, citing the PMA Research Worldwide Projector Census, making the company no stranger to the world of projected light.

time-read
8 dak  |
February - March 2024
Sonic Surprise
Sound & Vision

Sonic Surprise

OVER THE YEARS I've reviewed hundreds of audio and video products covering all the usual bases. But not up to now a soundbar.

time-read
10+ dak  |
February - March 2024
Deep Concentration
Sound & Vision

Deep Concentration

IN THE realm of high-fidelity audio, the Bowers & Wilkins DB3D subwoofer offers a fusion of compact design and powerful performance.

time-read
7 dak  |
February - March 2024
When Less is More
Sound & Vision

When Less is More

MY EXPERIENCE with Bowers & Wilkins dates back over thirty years to my high school days, when I first admired the 801 Matrix in Stereophile magazine.

time-read
10 dak  |
February - March 2024
SHARP, BRIGHT, & BUDGET-FRIENDLY
Sound & Vision

SHARP, BRIGHT, & BUDGET-FRIENDLY

IN JUST a few short years the home projector landscape has undergone a radical revolution in terms of price and selection.

time-read
6 dak  |
February - March 2024
They are Coming.I Can't Hold Them Back Any Longer.
Sound & Vision

They are Coming.I Can't Hold Them Back Any Longer.

This is my last communication. Outer walls breached. Door is splintering. Hinges giving way. Out of ammo. Just one grenade left. I'll take as many as I can with me. God have mercy on my soul.

time-read
3 dak  |
February - March 2024