Receivers

Sherwood Newcastle R-865

Build Quality: 95
• The R-865 is the heavyweight champ of this roundup
• The gray-blue front panel has a distinctive appearance

Value: 92
• Sherwood delivers a whole lotta receiver for the price, but competing products have raised the bar by adding automated features that are absent here

Features: 91
• Component-output conversion and DPLIIx are pluses
• At this price, we now expect auto setup and room EQ

Performance: 95
• The airy, detailed highs court comparison with high-end two-channel products
• Lots of clean power for full-range speakers

Ergonomics: 88
• This is a traditional receiver, and traditional receivers are a pain to use
• The front-panel controls are well thought out

Overall Rating: 93
The R-865's heavy construction and pure, detailed, unlabored sound may be enough to overcome traditional receiver ergonomics for advanced users.