Tonewinner AD 7300 HD + AD 7300 PA+: the future of home theater?

After being a manufacturer for the biggest brands, Tonewinner now offers its own range of multichannel power amplifiers and AV preamplifiers. With the new Tonewinner AD 7300 HD and Tonewinner AD 7300 PA+, the Chinese manufacturer offers a home theater kit with unbeatable value for money.

As the beating heart of a sophisticated home theater installation, the Tonewinner AD 7300 HD (€1,390) processor can decode all formats over up to 13.2 channels. Its HDMI 2.1 inputs and outputs are compatible with UHD 4K and HDR streams in HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. The Tonewinner AD 7300 PA+ power amplifier (€1,800) for its part delivers 7 x 310 watts into 8 ohms thanks to its 42 transistors. Enough to bring movie, series and video game soundtracks to life.

Tonewinner: out of the shadows and into the spotlight

Founded in China in 1992, Tonewinner first specialized in the development and manufacture of high-end audio components. Quickly recognized by the major players in the audiophile sphere for the quality of its designs and its technical prowess, Tonewinner secretly contributed to the success of numerous brands, including Advance Paris, Nuforce and Emotiva. Capitalizing on these years of experience, Tonewinner now offers its own equipment. Its approach is simple: offer exceptional performance at competitive prices. A commitment that only the world’s leading audio factory can honor.

Tonewinner AD 7300 HD: presentation

The Tonewinner AD 7300 HD AV processor is designed around a single-piece metal chassis that can be placed on a cabinet or rack-mounted in a dedicated room. The front panel features aluminum moldings on either side, giving the device a premium appearance. In the center is a backlit display showing the source, input signal and volume.

The Tonewinner AD 7300 HD home theater preamp is powered by an Analog Devices Sharc processor for decoding the majority of audio formats, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. It can decode and pre-amplify these over up to 13.2 channels, allowing you to create the configuration of your choice: 7.2.4, 9.2.2 or 5.2.6, for example. This makes it ideal for all private cinemas. Like the latest-generation AV receivers, it features Dolby Surround and DTS Neural:X surround virtualization technologies to create spatialized sound on all speakers, even with stereo programs.

The major advantage of the Tonewinner AD 7300 HD processor is its extensive range of connectors, which allows you to centralize all the sources of a modern audio/video system. It can even be used for karaoke parties, thanks to its three RCA inputs and three XLR inputs dedicated to microphones. Two inputs compatible with wireless microphones are also included.

For more conventional use, the Tonewinner AD 7300 HD offers three RCA inputs, two optical and two coaxial, enabling you to connect a network player, CD/SACD player, computer or USB DAC, for example. The preamplified outputs are doubled in RCA and XLR for optimum adaptation to any power amp. The six HDMI inputs and two outputs (one of which is eARC-compatible) all comply with the HDMI 2.1 standard. However, some features specific to this standard are absent, including VRR, ALLM and QFT gaming technologies, as well as 8K compatibility. Maximum display is therefore limited to 60 fps 4K, which still covers the majority of uses. What’s more, HDR program support is provided for HDR10+, HDR10 and Dolby Vision formats.

The Tonewinner AD 7300 HD preamplifier is also designed for music listening, with the ability to play tracks stored on a USB key or SD card. It supports a wide range of formats, including WAV, APE, MP3 and FLAC. In addition, a Bluetooth receiver enables wireless listening from a smartphone, tablet or computer. Last but not least, music services such as Spotify can be enjoyed from the Tonewinner mobile app. However, it isn’t very stable. Nothing that can’t be solved by future updates.

Tonewinner AD 7300 PA+: presentation

The Tonewinner AD 7300 PA+ power amplifier has the same aesthetics as the Tonewinner AD 7300 HD preamplifier in a much more massive format. Its generous dimensions – 44cm deep and wide, 19cm tall and 25kg in weight – make it an impressive device with a striking physical presence. Difficult to place in a closed cabinet, the Tonewinner AD 7300 PA+ is ideally suited to an open shelf model like the NorStone Spider.

With its extraordinary stature, the Tonewinner AD 7300 PA+ power amplifier brings a truly professional touch to any home theater. Its design has been meticulously thought out for performance and aesthetics: the sides of the device are entirely encased in solid aluminum fins for optimum heat dissipation. These fins are complemented by a cover that is reinforced with two layers of metal to block external interference. The front adopts the same decorative aluminum elements as the preamplifier, and features an extra-large VU meter reminiscent of those on Advance Paris amplifiers. The intensity of the blue backlight can be adjusted or deactivated to avoid light pollution when the amp is placed under the screen. However, the glossy front panel may still be distracting for some users.

Inside, the Tonewinner AD 7300 PA+ power amplifier is packed full of technologies and every inch of space is put to good use. Its very large switched-mode power supply uses 42 transistors grouped into seven independent discrete amplifier modules. Each channel uses three pairs of Onsemi NJW0281G and NJW0302G transistors. These high-performance models are triple push-pull and polarized in class AB. They provide extended frequency response and an excellent signal-to-noise ratio.

Thanks to this architecture, the Tonewinner AD 7300 PA+ power amp can simultaneously deliver up to 7 x 310 watts into 8 ohms, with imperceptible distortion. Power that no integrated AV receiver can match. This is the advantage of opting for a system comprising a preamplifier and a separate power amp. The Tonewinner AD 7300 PA+ is therefore able to offer a thrilling experience with any home theater system. For peace of mind, it features multiple protection systems to prevent overvoltage, overheating, overload, overcurrent and short-circuits. This means it can be used at full power without risk of damage.

Tonewinner AD 7300 HD + AD 7300 PA+: installation

For this test, we paired the Tonewinner AD 7300 PA + power amplifier with the Tonewinner AD 7300 HD preamplifier, using NorStone Arran RCA cables. They were both connected via trigger to turn on simultaneously. This Tonewinner duo was combined with a 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos system consisting of Focal 300 ICLCR5 architectural speakers and Focal 100 ICW6 Atmos speakers, with two subwoofers. The source used was the Panasonic DP-UB9000 EG1 4K UHD Blu-ray player. Finally, the main HDMI output was used to connect the Epson EH-TW-9400 projector.

Configuring the Tonewinner AD 7300 HD AV processor for the first time requires a little patience and technical knowledge. The interface is outdated and more complex than with a latest-generation integrated device. Some parameters, such as the configuration used (5.1, 5.1.2, 7.2.2, etc.), are unclear. Acoustic calibration, which requires the use of the optional Tonewinner T 2 or Tonewinner ETM-2 microphone, was still under development at the time of this test. It is therefore necessary to manually set distances, delays and levels for each channel. Although it may seem more restrictive than with a conventional receiver, this is the method we most often recommend, even with an acoustic calibration system.

Tonewinner AD 7300 HD + AD 7300 PA+: listening impressions

This Tonewinner duo demonstrated a fine capacity for analysis, effectively distributing the various effects throughout the soundscape. With the film The Martian, the Tonewinner AD 7300 HD and Tonewinner AD 7300 PA + immerseD us in the protagonist’s intense, solitary journey. From the sound of footsteps on the Martian ground, to the almost tangible murmur of oxygen circulating in the helmet and the signals from the electronic devices, numerous effects helped to break the heavy, ponderous silence that enveloped the film. The atmosphere was perfectly conveyed, immersing us in the heart of the cinematic drama.

Neutrality was the name of the game with this Tonewinner set, which reproduced soundtracks naturally and without artifice. With the film Tenet, which is often criticized for its inaudible dialogue, speech was crystal-clear and always comprehensible, even when numerous effects were blasting across the room. All the nuances of the voices were perceptible with great naturalness. The action scenes were punchy and lively, although the dynamics could have done with a little more emphasis. This in no way detracted from the sonic impact that the Tonewinner AD 7300 PA+ was capable of deploying to give credibility to explosions, which were reproduced with phenomenal intensity. We could feel every physical impact during fights.

When listening to music, the Tonewinner AD 7300 HD and Tonewinner AD 7300 PA + pair demonstrated great tonal balance. The different frequencies were reproduced in a balanced and homogeneous way, without coloration. The bass was deep, tight and without drag. The midrange seemed slightly lacking in refinement compared to hi-fi amps in the same range, but it remained natural. Finally, the high frequencies were reproduced with clarity, fluidity and transparency, without excessive brightness.

Who are the Tonewinner AD 7300 HD and AD 7300 PA+ designed for?

While AV processors are generally offered at very elitist prices, the Tonewinner AD 7300 HD is a more reasonable investment to power a private cinema. Although it requires some knowledge to set up correctly and deserves a more ergonomic menu, it brilliantly accomplishes its primary task of decoding all audio formats on a maximum of 13.2 channels.

The Tonewinner AD 7300 PA+ is the perfect companion, with its well-controlled 7 x 310W output that no integrated amp can match. This colossus is ideal for powering very demanding cinema speakers. For the most sophisticated private theaters, the Tonewinner AD 5100 PA+ 5-channel amp can be added for a 7.2.4-channel installation.

Conclusion

With the Tonewinner AD 7300 HD AV processor and the Tonewinner AD 7300 PA+ power amplifier, the Asian manufacturer offers an excellent alternative to integrated amplifiers for the demands of private home theater rooms. The preamp still suffers from a few teething problems, with its outdated interface, but it will meet all the needs of movie fans capable of investing in manual setup. As for the Tonewinner AD 7300 PA + power amp, it’s a flawless performer that will tame even the most demanding cinema speakers. Together, these two deliver a highly immersive reproduction that impresses both in terms of performance and affordability, more so than the market tenors.

We liked:

• The numerous pre-amplified channels
• The high amplification power
• The neutral and natural sound
• The impressive front-mounted VU meter

We would have liked:

• A more intuitive, modern menu
• Full HDMI 2.1 support (8K, gaming functions, etc.)
• Even more dynamic reproduction
• Functional acoustic calibration