Next week I will take delivery on my Paradigm Studio 40 speakers. These speakers will be used in conjunction with a Pardadigm center, Paradigm subwoofer, and Sonance surrounds.
I am convinced that I must replace my old receiver (Yamaha RX-V 630) if I am to do justice to my speakers. I have narrowed my selection to Yamaha RX-V 2400 or NAD 763.
I recognze that each of these receivers has its advantages & disadvantages. The advantages of the Yamaha are the YPAO, video upswitching and all of the DSP options. The sound although not as rich as the NAD sound is well matched to Paradigm speakers and is absent the overbrightness of the lower level Yamaha receivers.
The advantages of the NAD receivers include more true power and somewhat "richer" sound. From reading this board, I sense that the NAD receivers are more prone to being problematic (buzzing, hissing, white noise, black noise...).
I have a few questions. First, how much better is the NAD sound? Is the difference just a matter of taset or preference? Second, will YPAO make my life much simpler in terms of configuration? Third, are there any strong arguments in favor of one receiver or the other that I have not considered?
My posts accurately suggest that my concept of an acceptable audio system has recently evolved and with the help of the members of this board continues to evolve. Accordingly, I appreciate all of your input.
I may be a bit biased since I own an NAD T762, but let me try to help you with some of your questions.
1. In my opinion, the NAD sound is much better than Yamaha, but like I said, I am obviously biased. I think you hit the nail right on the head when you asked if it was a "matter of taste or preference". The answer to that question is a very forceful "YES"!! Anything dealing with audio is definately subjective. Looking at the power ratings and other specs can only do so much. Everyone hears things differently, and everyone has very different listening tastes. I find the NAD sound to be very "full" and detailed as you described above, but who knows, you may like Yamaha better. I am afraid that only you can decide which one "sounds better".
2. Will YPAO make set up easier? Possibly. Will it make the unit sound better? Probably not. You can get the exact same results by getting a $50 SPL meter from Radio Shack. It may save time and effort to let the receiver do the calibrations, but the results will be the same as if you did it yourself. I wouldn't let this feature be a deal breaker. It is a cool feature, but it really is minor in the grand scheme of things.
3. I think you have obviously done your homework on this and it seems like you have a very good feel for the pros and the cons of each of these receivers. In real life situations, the NAD is definately going to offer you more power than the Yamaha...this is proven...but maybe power is no issue for you? I find the sound of the NAD to be more appealing. Even though the 2400 has tamed most of the brightness that plagues their lower models, I still find them to lack some of the "punch" and detail that NAD offers. But, like I said, in the end, you are the one who is going to have to listen to this day in and day out...so only you can decide which receiver has a more "appealing" sound to you.
Johnny is right on. I personally now own a NAD T773. This was AFTER I tested a NAD T763 side by side against a Yamaha RX-V2400 in my home with my Paradigms. I was replacing my RX-V2092 so I had some brand loyalty to Yamaha.
The T763 absolutely blew the 2400 out of the water for me. It was no contest. That was my experience. If you can get the opportunity to compare yourself you be the judge.
btw - The T763 was awesome and had money been an issue, I would have been happy with it. However, my room is quite large and I figured the extra power wouldn't hurt so I upgraded to the 773.
Also, as far as buzzing and humming...neither the T763 that I demoed nor my current T773 have had any of these issues.
I was lucky my local Dealer had a demo unit that he let me take home but at least if you can get the opportunity to test them side by side at a dealer, I think it would make you comfortable with your decision.
The 2400 is a good receiver too, I just don't put it in the same class as the T763 after my comparisons. The power difference is significant. The sound which can certainly be of personal taste was also dramatically different and for my taste favored the NAD.
The only sacrifice I see with the T763 is it's 6.1 versus 7.1 for the 2400. However, there is absolutely NO 7.1 media in existence yet and hardly any 6.1 so I don't consider this a deal breaker. Besides, you can always upgrade this later if 7.1 media does become available by adding an external amp to the 763 for additional channels.
My posts on this board and my inquiries at two A/V dealers invited support of the Yamaha RX-V 2400 when compared to the NAD products. No one claimed or even suggested that the sound of the Yamaha might be better. Several individuals - including both the dealers (one of which sells Yamaha but not NAD) indicated that NAD will provide richer sound.
Today I listened to two receivers side by side - NAD T763 and Yamaha RX-Z1(the RX-V2400 was not available for comparison). Given that the price of the Yamaha was twice that of the NAD, I expected that the sound quality would be equivalent or that the Yamaha would have the edge. Both sounded great - the NAD sounded somewhat more refined. I could only imagine how much of a difference there would have been if the side by side comparison included the RX-V 2400 rather than the RX-Z1.
I ordered the NAD T763. My gut tells me that it was the right decision.
Thanks to everyone on the board who has helped me with this decision.
Good Choice Michael, I think that The T762/T763 have the Same Z9 Power Ratings. Plus the NAD is rated and able to Drive 4 Ohm Load, while the Z9 goes down only 6 ohms! The difference is that the Z9 surely outperform/Blows away the NAD when it comes to decoding/Flexibility/Features and Video upconversion, but you have to pay an extra 2000 pounds for those extra! If you looking for true Amplification, you will surely wont miss it with NAD