Sherwood VR-670 BROCHURE
potential, many consumers have expressed
an interest in wireless
surround speakers to
simplify setup, while
others—spoilsports,
really—insist that they
lack either the room
or the desire for dedicated surrounds. As a
result, we saw and
heard more products
than ever at this year’s
Consumer Electronics
Show that put all of
the gear up front
while creating an
illusion of surround,
some more successfully than others. So expect to see
more reviews in this burgeoning category from me and the gang. Even
your run-of-the-mill home-theaterin-a-box requires a dollop of basic
HT know-how to configure: running wires, connecting speaker
ENTRY LEVEL
from the
test bench
You’ll be hearing things that aren’t there, like surround channels.
The wheels of compliance
grind slowly, but they do grind.
With the ongoing mad rush to
embrace DVD’s audio and video
cables, and, of course, allocating
space for five loudspeakers and the
subwoofer. Don’t get me wrong:
I’ve never viewed these steps as a
chore, but, for some, it’s just too
much, and it’s perpetuating the
schism betwixt DVD wannabes and
DVD gurus.
Are We in Hollywood Yet?
Sherwood’s answer to this quandary
is their new Hollywood at Home
line of home theater solutions. The
middle child of three proposed
models, the VR-670 consists of two
satellite loudspeakers, a sub, and an
especially pretty DVD receiver.
Rather than creating yet another
proprietary phantom-surround algorithm, they have entrusted their processing to the good folks at Dolby,
whose Virtual Speaker technology
enables twin sats to transmogrify the
two-channel signal to sound like
many. (In a welcome display of
agnosticism, Dolby Virtual Speaker
BY CHRIS CHIARELLA
Cordero Studios
Sherwood Hollywood at Home
VR-670 Home-Theater-in-a-Box
Hollywood at Home VR-670 Home-Theater-in-a-Box, $400 > Sherwood America, (800) 962-3203
www.sherwoodusa.com > Dealer Locator Code SHR
General information
> DVD receiver encased
entirely in plastic
> The wooden sub-
woofer housing has a
pedestal base and large
rubber feet
> Strikes a fair balance
of features between
Sherwood’s higher- and
lower-priced models
> Comes with lots of
processing modes and
handy features
> Dolby Virtual Speaker
does a lot to compensate
for the lack of surround
and center speakers
> No video or digital
audio inputs
> Both stereo and
enhanced listening
modes were spacious
and enjoyable
> Video reproduction
could look better
> Controls are well
laid-out
> Clear readouts on
the DVD receiver
> Setup was quick
and easy
Build Quality Value Features Performance Ergonomics
84
84
OVERALL RATING
An easy, attractive approach
for the aesthetics-conscious
movie/music aficionado who
wants something more than
stereo from his rig, but one
who’s not losing any sleep fretting over true high-end audio or
video quality.
SHERWOOD HOLLYWOOD AT HOME VR-670 HOME-THEATER-IN-A-BOX
86 84 82 83 87
ELECTRONICALLY REPRINTED FROM JULY 2005
even works with DTS tracks, which
the VR-670 also decodes.) Dolby
Headphone mode is included, to
enhance private screenings, and
there are also analog stereo inputs
for a pair of additional source components. The left and right channels
are rated at 25 watts, while the powered sub contains a 100-watt amplifier. The main unit is not just slick
but relatively compact and lighter
than a typical DVD receiver, packing just two channels of amplification, at a total of only 50 watts.
For the record, the step-up, $600
VR-700 adds audio/video switching
for four source components through
the Universal Video module that
transcodes composite and S-video
signals for component video quality.
It also has a more sophisticated
remote and a bigger, more powerful subwoofer. The VR-600 ($250)
keeps the same power output, satellite speakers, and subwoofer as the
VR-670, but it has a simpler remote
control and less head-turning cosmetics for the DVD receiver. Each
model arrives with handy features
like AM/FM radio, a digital clock,
a timer, and auto power off.
Quit Yer Drooling!
I stopped admiring the VR-670’s
comely, unique design long enough
to hook it all up. The literature
promises ten-minute installation
even for the novice, five if you’ve
got skillz. I keep a component video
cable at the ready, which was fortuitous since only a composite video
from the test bench
[
HIGHLIGHTS
Dolby Virtual Speaker technology makes two channels sound
like many
Sleekly designed DVD receiver is
compact and lightweight
> Two channels driven continuously into 8-ohm
loads: 0.2% distortion at 25.6 watts
1% distortion at 28.7 watts
> Two channels driven continuously into 4-ohm
loads: 0.2% distortion at 28.9 watts
1% distortion at 34.2 watts
This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing closemiking of all woofers) frequency response of the ST-670
satellites (purple trace) and ASW-670 subwoofer (blue
trace). The passive loudspeaker was measured at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input.
The ST-670’s listening-window response (a fivepoint average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal
and vertical responses) measures +3.64/–0.98 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. An average of axial
and +/–15-degree horizontal responses measures
+4.61/–0.78 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3dB point
is at 136 Hz, and the –6dB point is at 115 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 7.12 ohms at 299 Hz and
a phase angle of –38.86 degrees at 170 Hz. Sensitivity
averages 81.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.
The ASW-670’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower
–3dB point is at 50 Hz and the –6dB point is at 44 Hz.
The upper –3dB point is at 134 Hz with the Crossover
control set to maximum.
Crosstalk at 1 kHz driving 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm
load was –70.45 dB left to right and –68.72 dB right to
left. THD+N from the amplifier was less than 0.030%
at 1 kHz when driving 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load.
The signal-to-noise ratio with 2.83 volts driving an
8-ohm load from 10 Hz to 24 kHz with “A” weighting
was –93.19 dBrA.—MJP
> SUBWOOFER: ASW-670 ACTIVE
Connections: Line-level
Enclosure Type: Bass-reflex
Woofer (size in inches, type): 6.5
Power Rating (watts): 100
Crossover Bypass: Yes
Available Finishes: Black, Silver
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 11.9 x 7.9 x 12
Weight (pounds): 15.7
SHERWOOD HOLLYWOOD AT HOME VR-670 HOME-THEATER-IN-A-BOX
AT A GLANCE
HT Labs Measures: Sherwood Hollywood at
Home VR-670 Home-Theater-in-a-Box
These listings are
based on the manufacturer’s stated
specs; the HT Labs
box below indicates
the gear’s performance on our test
bench.
Speaker ST-670 Front speakers
Type: Two-way, monitor
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 1, soft dome
Midrange (size in inches, type): 2.5
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 6
Recommended Amp Power (watts): 25–30
Available Finishes: Silver/Gray
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 8.6 x 4.3 x 4
SHERWOOD HOLLYWOOD AT HOME VR-670 DVD RECEIVER
AT A GLANCE
> FEATURES
Compatible Playback Formats: CD, DVD, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW,
CD-R/RW, MP3, VCD, SVCD, JPEG,
Kodak Picture CD
Possible Playback Resolutions: 480p/480i
Processing Modes: DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Virtual
Speaker, Dolby Headphone
Other: None
Number of Amp Channels: 2
Power Rating (watts, per channel): 25, into 6 ohms
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 4 x 17.1 x 10.9
Weight (pounds): 11.9
> CONNECTIONS
Inputs:
Video: None
Audio: Analog stereo (2)
Outputs:
Video: Component video (1),
S-video (1), composite
video (1)
Audio: Digital optical (1),
stereo analog (2),
Sub preout (1)
Additional:
AM and FM antennae
SHERWOOD HOLLYWOOD AT HOME VR-670
HOME THEATER IN A BOX
C
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