Yamaha 1400 vs. H/K 7200 (1 Viewer)

With the 7200 at such a low price now I thought it would be fair to compare these two. Both seem to have their following, as well as advantages and disadvantages. Here is what I've observed:

H/K Pros: Logic 7, Remote, HDCD,
H/K Cons: Component switching @ 50mhz, no Pro Logic IIx, WPC is questionable

Yamaha Pros: PLIIx & THX Decoding, DSP DSP AND DSP!, S-video upconversion
Yamaha Cons: Heard it can be bright, Can be difficult for users, WPC questionable also

THX MuneebM!

Which would you pick and why?

The Yamaha does have Pro Logic IIx, so you might wanna update your list of Cons for the 1400.

Also, I really don't think its a fair comparison. The 1400 is not in the same league, power-wise, as the H/K 7200. Even if you compared the RX-V2400 to the 7200 it wouldn't be a fair comparo. The RX-V2400 can be compared to the AVR630 or older AVR525.

If you really care about power, go with the H/K. If you want a receiver that's packed with features, go for the Yamaha.

I've never heard the H/K 7200, so I won't judge, but I'll gladly give you my opinion about the Yamaha RX-V2400. The Yamaha is NOT overly bright, as their receivers were known to be in the past. I like my sound detailed, crisp and only slightly bright, and for me the RX-V2400 turned out to be perfect. I love the way it sounds and I never find that its ear-piercingly bright even with the titanium tweeters on my JBL Studios. I chose this AVR over the H/K AVR525 and Denon 3803 because as soon as I heard it, I had made up my mind. The DSP is awesome, amazing surround field. It has plenty of power for my towers and can go more than loud enough. It has tons of features and tweakable parameters which I have yet to get through entirely after more than a month. If I had to make the choice again, I'd choose the Yamaha all over again without a doubt. To my ears, the H/K receivers I heard (AVR525, AVR230, AVR330) were much too warm, almost muddy, and I was slightly concerned about the quality control issues of the H/K receivers.

I also will throw in my $.02 about the yamaha's. I own a RXV-1400 with boston speakers with titanium tweeters also. It can be bright but not like kefs. I think it sounds very detailed, the highs are crisp. Also I agree with the feature set, the DSP's are awsome. Also I listened to the "Silent Cinema" with headphones and that rocks too!

You forgot one big plus for the Yamaha and that is the YPAO.

Personally I'd buy the 2400 if I were comparing the 2. Then again I sorta am and the Denon 3805 is being considered as well.

I went with the 7200 because I didn't need all of the features that the 1400 provided. I didn't need 6 video inputs. I didn't need 8 digital audio inputs. I didn't need all those DSP programs. I didn't need zone 2 and zone 3 support (heck, I don't even need zone 2). I wanted to spend the money on what I thought was important -- sound and build quality, not extra features that I wouldn't use.

I haven't heard either but I would never buy a receiver for features.

Thanks for putting it succinctly, Drew, that's what I was trying to get at.

The 1400 looks great on paper because it has tons and tons of features, but make sure those are features you need or will actually use. Keep in mind that those features come at a price of compromising other qualities of the receiver and you are already comparing a $1999 receiver to a $799 receiver.

The thing is, it really isn't a $2000 receiver anymore, which is what sparks this debate. I have seen it at $800 at 2 locations, and Circuit City seems to have discontinued it.

Yup, and that's partially why I bought it. Just because you can buy 2 items at the same price doesn't mean they are equal in quality. The onecall.com price of $788 is probably pretty close to the cost they pay for the receiver from HK. I'm may be totally off, but the cost of the 1400 is probably around $300. So you could say that one is $799 and the other is $1999, or you could say that one is $300 and the other is $788. Saying they are both $800 is comparing apples and oranges.

Isn't the bass managment on the 1400/2400 pretty miserable? I've heard a 1400 and liked it a lot, but it wasn't for an extended period of time. I've heard some horror stories about the bass manegment which would kind of scare me away from it, though.

Can an owner of a 7200 please tell me if they think it would fit in my rack?
My current rack is:
17 inches wide
10 inches high
17.75 inches deep, but the receiver can stick out in front of the rack as far as it needs to. It can't go to the back of the rack because the back is not fully open. There's 8 inches of wood panel on the back so cords need to be considered on the 17.75 inched of depth I have (unless the cords would go to the left and the right of the 8 inch piece of wood but I doubt they could). It can hang over in front though as long as I can get from the front footing pads of the receiver to the back of the cords (not the unit) in 17.75 inces.

Can it be done or do I have to buy a new rack as well?

Two problems: width and depth. The receiver is just a tad wider than 17 inches. Also, the feet on the receiver are right underneath the front and a few inches in from the rear. So if you let the receiver hang off the front, the front feet will dangle and the weight will be on the receiver bottom itself. Probably not a good idea. I had to cut a hole in the back of my entertainment center to get it to fit (mostly for wires), but it was worth it.

I just bought the 7200, and was using the HTR5280 (RXV800) before. First I'll say the 7200 gets much warmer, and I had to move the rest of my components over to the other half of my tv stand to give it enough room to breathe. It's pretty much a space heater.

I much prefer the Yamaha's setup options and menus, HK doesn't come close. The Yamaha doesn't require you to use an OSD and is easy to setup without it. I didn't think anything could be worse than the remote for the Yamaha - until I saw the HK remote.

The HK has slightly more detail up high and maybe more bass definition. The soundstage is more open. Logic 7 is the best surround mode for 2 channels I've heard. It sounds like a more expensive receiver, which it is. I've been surprised at how well my old receiver stacked up against one of HK's best. If an $800 Yamaha does this well, I'd like to compare the RXV3300 and the 7200. I have a feeling the HK would be finding a new owner.

I just bought a Yamaha 1400, upgrading from my older Yamaha 5250. I am very pleased with the 1400, it sounds great, excellent feature set, and the YPAO (auto equalizer) worked well in my room. I have never heard the 7200, but came very close to buying it myself. I didn't think my old Yamaha was bright, and definitely don't think the 1400 is either, so I went with the extra features and excellent build quality of Yamaha. Dolby Pro Logic IIx, THX, and YPAO were clinchers for me.

From people I have chatted it appears that the 7200 may sound a little better with music, and the Yamaha sounds better with home theater audio. The 7200 and other HK's are known to have more quality control issues, such as, audio drop out/delays and buzzing/noise problems. My older Yamaha has never missed a beat, and Yamahas consistently lead in the quality control area, with very few break downs.

For what it's worth, I think the market is very efficient at pricing items according to demand and value, so I think comparisons between the 7200 and the 1400/2400 are valid. There is a reason the 7200 is being discounted, it lacks some features that some newer receivers have. If you don't want or need those features, care more about music than HT, it's probably a great buy, otherwise go for the Yamaha.

Those that bought and kept the 7200 keep me posted on your results. I took the plunge and got the 7200 for 799+free ship on a one day special at JR.This unit is replacing my 3802(not sure what to do with my 3802 yet). It should be here by Thurs. I have not told the wife yet!

But will find a way to slip it into a conversation sometime this week.

There is room in my oak shelf for this beast if I cut the back out and slip it in from the back.

I have two questions?

Should I install a mini cooling fan and aim it at the 7200(2" of space above it and one foot to the right and an open front)?

Has anyone experienced the rare unatteneded volume change?
Thanks!

Earl,

I have never noticed this issue with my H/K AVR-7200 receiver.

Oh, be prepared for a "big beast" to arrive when your 7200 arrives. When packed for shipping, the weight is nearly 75 Lbs. !! Last fall, my FedEx delivery guy was so happy when I met him at the bottom of the steps to sign for the package and carry in up to my front door.

The weight was way more than expected. Also, it sounds like you've located a space to install the beast - which has to be seriously considered before purchasing this receiver.

Enjoy your new toy when it arrives.

I thought about the JandR sale but didn't know it was one day only. I bought mine from a HTF member who listed it for sale here because it didn't fit in his rack. I'm happy with the deal I got. Can anyone suggest a rack that will fit it though? Also, any setup or user tips from those that have had it a while would be awesome. I'm upgrading from a Yamaha rx-v995.

I haven't heard of this problem nor encountered it.

I was reading the manual for sub setup and was impressed on the 40htz crossover selection. My 3802 is 80htz and does not fit well with my speakers and sub. Even the 60htz may be an option for me. My sub is a little boomy in the 80htz range but very nice at lower htz. Also my fronts are
Cerwin Vega Model E715(excellent bass). The rest are assorted JBL's (n28s and one 312). I was using the 312 for a center at one time and soon realized that was way overkill. I was looking at the new dual woofer CV-315s(wow). If I had it to do over again, I would have bought small speakers and invested in a first class $800 sub. Oh well! Next house!

Anybody know if the firmware on the H/K 7200 can be upgraded? Is the RS232 port on this unit useful (or potentially useful) in that regard? Thanks for any info.