I find very little information about yamaha RX-series stereo receivers. Does anyone have any experience with them?
Ill not be sending video images through a receiver, and cant with an amp, so that part of it is irrelevant to me. I care about build quality and sound quality. Problem is that I cant even find them to listen to... they get no publicity at all.
Im interested in the RX-797 mainly.
If not that one, Ill likely end up buying a NAD system, either the C320BEE with an add on tuner, or the C720BEE..
The yamaha system is definitely more within my budget, and I do like the apparent clarity that 'brightness' brings to me... Or at least what I think it gives... I dont know much so dont rake me over the coals about that statement...
I just went through this process of looking for a receiver. I am more of a music person than movies. I looked at the RX-V757, Denon AVR-2106 and the Marantz SR-5600. For music the Marantz was head and shoulders above the others in sound quality, so I bought it. I love it! My only compaint is the user manual. It is not great.
We just went through a lengthy demo process over several months. We spec'd a half dozen stereo integrated amps and receivers, then demoed units from Yamaha, Denon, Marantz, NAD, Rotel, Musical Fidelity and Music Hall, including the RX-797, using a variety of rock, jazz, blues and classical music, some vocals, some instrumental only.
Price range ~$500 to ~$1500.
The NAD rivaled, but didn't quite match, the utterly fantastic sound of the Music Hall, at a third of the price, not counting a tuner for the Music Hall.
Nothing else even came close in the NAD's price range. It beat a number of units priced well above it, hands down, at least to my ears.
We took home the NAD C720BEE and absolutely love it. Your tastes may vary, but give the NAD a thorough listen.
RXV2600 I use. Klipsche reference bookshelfs, surrounds,12" sub, and in ceiling 6.5's. Awesome setup. The receiber is awesome. Upscales all video to hdmi 720p or 1080i. Outstanding reciever for the money. I researched for a while. The rxv or rxz is the only way to go.
I have a RX 396 as a bedroom receiver/amp. I am very pleased with it.I got it very cheaply in a sale at half price at $299 New Zealand Dollars. Even to say I am now using it as a main living room amp with my Marantz SR4300 over patched, and my Main Energy 2.1e speakers plugged into the Yamaha. I use the pre-outs of the Marantz to go into the inputs of the Yamaha. The sound is warm yet lively, NAD sounding with just a bit more bite. I have heard the current line of yamaha non-video receivers demoed alongside the NAD 720BEE, 320 BEE and C352.They were heard with Mission floorstanding speakers. In general, the Yamahas sounded pretty much the same across the range, ie very good.With a very slight improvement with the top model. There was a slight improvement again with the Nad 720bee/320 bee. THe king of the audition was the Nad C352. It bridges that all important gap between "sound coming out of a speaker" to "I can now hear a PERSON playing that instrument". I can definetly recommend the Rx 396,but only if you can get one cheaply enough. I have reviewed it at audioreview.com under asellus. The new range have knobs to change inputs, which I don't like as much as the switches on my model. Eventually the Yamaha is going back in the bedroom and I'm going to ditch the Marantz and buy a 2 channel amp. Probably the Nad C352 or the new NAD C325 bee if it like it!