attractive looking model, simple input layout, great sound, calibration mic, easy to use
Cons
speaker calibration, no upscaling
Review
I bought this unit for my dad for Christmas and overall I'm quite pleased with it. The receiver it replaced was a 20-year old model that was in desperate need of an upgrade. After hooking everything up, the difference was immediately noticeable. Sound had much more punch and clarity through the same speakers previously used. The esthetics are nice. The receiver as a whole looks great and the rear layout looks remarkably clean and simple. All the inputs are expertly organized and oddly simple, even more so than most high end receivers I've viewed/used. The receiver is very easy to use, but this may be due to the fact that there are relatively few audio options to explore. The 1650 also comes with a calibration mic for optimal room setup.
On the downside, the mic setup is only good for a solitary placement and doesn't allow for a multiple seating position measurement. On that note the GUI, though simple and direct to the point, is only displayed through composite, which is quite infuriating when the whole point of a new receiver is to do away with the old connections and equipment. Speaking of older equipment, there is no upscaling provided on this model other than component to HDMI conversion, which again, doesn't provide for as much universality as was hoped. Upscaling a lower quality BD player or even the crappy HD channel programming would have been nice, but are not going to be found here. HD programming and BD still look great through decent sources.
If you're not looking for all the bells and whistles of higher end models will find the 1650 most enjoyable. High def audio sounds great and the setup/connections are remarkably simplified. With a few discrepancies here an there, the 1650 provides for a great audio experience and I don't regret guying it in the least, especially when considering what it replaced. For a small or even moderately sized home theater, the 1650 will delight the average customer.
Yes
