Considering Yamaha receivers (1 Viewer)

[Mike Brantley]

I posted much of the info below over on the AVS forum, but I thought I would dupe some of it here because others might be find the links to the Yamaha PDF files useful.
In a nutshell, I'm planning to upgrade my middle-of-the-line Sony receiver to something better in about a month. I want something beefier, with better build quality, with no less (preferably more) inputs and, if possible, ProLogic II. I might forego the last thing if I find all of the above in a closeout model at a great price -- especially since I'm having trouble finding a new model with everything I want at a price I can afford. The outgoing model Yammy RX-V3000 can be had for under $1100 now, and it has seven (!) AV inputs and four audio-only inputs. (I'll never use the front jacks, so that's really six AV sources, and I have that many and more.)
The newer model RX-V1200 and RX-V2200 have five AV sources on the back panel, which is the bare minimum I would need, plus adds ProLogic II to the mix. But these boxes aren't quite as big and powerful as the 3000, which is a lot of receiver at a heavy discount right now.
I was hoping the forthcoming 3200 would be my ideal receiver at a reasonable price, but -- as mentioned below -- it has fewer inputs than the 3000 it will replace.
I also have considered, by the way, several Denon models. The 2802 and the 3802 seem nice, but they have fewer inputs than the Yammy models and the Sony I have now. I must have at least four audio sources and five AV sources plugged into the back panel as a minimum. The 4802 gets out of my price range.
Anyway (and here comes the stuff I cut and pasted from my AVS post)... I've been poking around the Web, reading the forums and searching the Usenet archive at Google for information and opinions on the various new (and old) Yamaha receivers I might be interested in. Here are a few links.
This page has some good photos of various receivers, new and old. The 3200 is not there, but I am in love with the 3000 back panel. As I mentioned, the 3200 loses a set of AV jacks but adds ProLogic II and more power. Nice pics of the 1200 and 2200 are here, but only from the front as yet...
http://www.yamaha.com/YECDealerMedia/adgraph02.htm
Yamaha's "what's new" page has links to some info about the features of the 1200 and 2200...
http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/whatsnew.htm
Here's a PDF document with nice pictures and good info on the forthcoming 3200 receiver. This is where I've learned the most about the 3200...
http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/pro...nfo/rxv3200.pdf
And here is where I downloaded PDF manuals of several Yammy receivers (but no 3200 yet)...
http://www.yamaha.com/yec/customer/...man_av_rcvr.htm
I printed out the 2200 manual and even took it to Kinkos and had it spiral bound for easy reading. I'm also studying the 3000 manual, in case I go for a closeout special. I've ruled out the 1200, I think, because I don't believe it would allow me to chose a separate source for recording than the one I'm listening to or viewing. Am I right about that?
Right now, I'm looking at either the 2200 or the 3000, with the former having PLII and the latter being a higher-end receiver with more power and all the inputs I could want but without PLII. Maybe I would wait for the 3200 for even more power and PLII if they had not removed the extra set of AV jacks, but I think I've ruled that out now. It's either the 2200 or the 3000 -- unless I do something crazy like grab a used DSP-A1 off ebay or something. (Maybe that's not so crazy???)
Am I correct that with most of these (maybe all) you can reassign the optical inputs to any component? That would be nice for my growing collection of digital gear.
Now... enough Internet research! I need to go hear these things and fondle them someplace.

 

[Eujin]

If you're considering the RX-V3000 and 3200, you should also take a look at the Onkyo 898 as it falls into the same price category. The 797 is also a good option for about $200 less, but I think it doesn't have as many inputs as you're in need of. Unless you have a personal aversion to the sound of Onkyos, I'd definitely consider these two receivers. I don't think the 1200 is in the same class as the 3000/3200 and 797/898. Good luck!

 

[Joe Bauman]

The RXV-3200 manual is downloadable now from the international site. I printed it out as well to compare to the 2200. It looks like the only major change is to the amp section. I was hoping the preamp section was upgraded as well but I am not sure if it is.

 

[Mike Brantley]

Thanks, guys.
Eujin, I have nothing against the Onkyo sound at all. I was drooling over the 989 for a couple of minutes before remembering I could never pay for something in that league. I just looked at the back of the 898 you mention at the Crutchfield site. The prices aren't good with Crutchfield, but the high-res pictures are! It looks like the 898 lacks one set of audio ins and outs as compared to the Yammy models, so it won't work for me. I have MD and cassette now, but I will replace the cassette deck with a CD recorder just a bit down the road. The Onkyo has five sets of AV inputs on the back like the Yammy 2200, which is nice, but the 3000 has six.
Five gives me spots for DVD, LD, DirecTivo, VCR and DVD Recorder. A sixth spot in the back gives me a spot for my alternate DVD player, an Apex model with Pal conversion capability as well as having that macrovision and region nonsense turned off. Of course, if I buy a Panasonic RP-91 as my main DVD player and have it modified to achieve the same things my Apex will, I definitely could get by with 5 AV positions on the back panel. (At least I think I've read that the RP91 can be modified in this way; got to research that).
Other sources, including an old Realistic reel-to-reel recorder I like to play with because I'm nostalgic, have been relegated to my second system. I have an 8mm VCR and a MiniDV camcorder, too, but I can just plug those things into the extra front and back jacks on my Panny E20 DVD recorder for dubbing.
I wish more receivers in this price range offerred more inputs like the Yamaha models do. I understand a lot of people buying into home theater now may just use a DVD player and a VCR, but some of us have been collecting playback formats for years. On my Sony 945, I have five AV inputs, but that's counting the front jacks where my LD player is installed. I sort of hate the interconnects sticking out of the front of the receiver, but there definitely was no alternative in the sub-$500 arena, which is where I was when I bought the Sony.
Anyway, I'm really probably not in the $1500-plus arena now, so the forthcoming Yamaha 3200, the Denon 4702 and the Onkyo 898 seems out of reach anyhow. I guess I'm really looking at the Yammy 2200 or the 3000 if I can get the latter for a great closeout price in about four weeks.
Thanks for the advice, and I welcome more of it. If it seems I've got my mind made up and this is a useless exercise, please don't feel that way! I'm just thinking out loud, and maybe doing so here will help somebody else out. Or, maybe you guys will come up with the perfect receiver at the perfect price that I've completely overlooked!

 

[VicQ]

Mike,

This past weekend's newspaper had the rx-v3000 advertised for $999 at the "Good Guys", probably due to the arrival of the 3200. If prologic II isn't that important to you, I really suggest you pick it up. I own 3 Yamaha receivers (rx-v795, rxv-596, and the latest one is the rx-v1200) and I have been very happy w/all of them. good luck in your decision.

-Vic

 

[Shawn C]

Yeah, you can't go wrong with the Yamaha receivers. They work good and they sound good. You'll be getting your money's worth, just like any other good receiver.

 

[Sheldon C]

I own the 3000 and wouldn't trade it for anything, PL 2 or not. Trust me, you will be more than happy with the power and sound with this receiver. Currently I live in an apartment, so I haven't even begun to tap it's full power but it does sound much fuller at low volumes than my old rxv595.

Also, digital cable (at least in my area) is offering more and more 5.1 movies so PL2 is becoming less of an issue.

Purists would mock me, but I love the 8 channel stereo setting (I don't think the 2200 has front effects speakers) for music and the adventure dsp (it still maintains 5.1 or 6.1 while using the front effects speakers as well - it really envelopes you with sound). To me, the front effects speakers are a much bigger deal than the lack of PL2.

 

[Mike Brantley]

Took me a minute or two to relocate my thread, but I like the new way the forum is set up. Very well organized!
Vic, wow! Wish I had a Good Guys near me. I looked on their Web site, and it looks like they are a West Coast chain, and I'm down here on the Gulf Coast of Alabama. Good Guys won't ship the receivers, either.
Anyway, I can't jump on anything until the tax refund check shows up. I filed my return electronically on Jan. 31. My hope is all the 3000's won't sell out at these prices before I get some spending money.
Shawn and Sheldon, thanks for the encouraging words about Yamaha products. I've always admired the company's receivers but have never owned one. Sheldon, you've helped to pursuade me to go for the 3000 if I find the right deal when the money is here. If they disappear, it will be the 2200, as the 3200 isn't gonna hit my price range until this time next year when the 3400 (or whatever) is about to come out.
I do have one Yamaha product -- a powered subwoofer that is the oldest speaker in my setup. Guess what? I fired it this weekend when I realized it really was hurting the sound from my Polk speaker array. I turned the sucker off and set my reciver to no subwoofer and large mains and center. Big improvement, especially with music. It wasn't a very expensive subwoofer when I bought it 10 or so years ago, but I don't think it's really in the same class as the rest of my speakers. Not that they are anywhere near top of the line or anything, but the sub is the last speaker that I have not upgraded. After the new receiver I am going to start saving my pennies for an SVS sub.
Thanks again. I'll post a review of whatever I get. Anybody want to buy a Sony 945 receiver in like-new condition and fully broken in?

 

[Keith Mickunas]

I've got an RX-V1 and love it. Keep in mind if you do decide to go the used route, the DSP-A1 and RX-V1 don't have assignable inputs, but they do have lots of inputs, plus an AC-3 demodulator. You can rename the input's name on the LCD. So with that you can have it make some sense with a programmable remote. I currently have 3 DVD players, an LD player, a PS2, a CD player, and a Dish receiver all hooked up to digital inputs. One DVD and the LD share a set of inputs, then I use macros on the RAV-2000 to select everything correctly. I believe I've filled up all the optical connections that are matched with video inputs, which does suck a wee bit. However I don't think I'll be needing much more.

Yamaha makes some great receivers. I think with any of the models you're considering you'll be quite happy.

 

[Bob_A]

I agree with the others...Yamaha makes excellent receivers, and you should be happy with them. Good luck!

 

[Mike Brantley]

Thanks, Bob and Keith. Bob, assignable inputs is a feature I will use, as well as the ability to rename the components on the display. The latter is a feature I like about my current Sony receiver.
If I had the money for an RX-V1, I wouldn't let the lack of assignable inputs stop me, however. As you point out, that beast has a ton of inputs, so one of those would be plenty flexible for me! I know you enjoy being an RX-V1 owner.

 

[Bob_A]

Mike, I forgot to say that I have a DSP-A1...the sound quality and reliability have been superb so far. I don't even think you could go wrong with a used DSP-A1...though I could easily understand why one would be wary about buying used electronics over ebay...I know I would

 

[Tomoko Noguchi]

The DSP-AZ1 is out here in Japan. waiting until Spring to get it.

 

[Bob_A]

For those who don't know, that unit will be the RX-Z1 (with tuner) in America...and it should be coming out sometime in the next 2 or 3 months I believe...?

 

[Jeff_HR]

Like you Sheldon, I love the 6 channel Stereo setting on my Yamaha RX-V2200!

 

[Shawn C]

I love the 6-channel stereo as well. It's a cool setting. I just have to set my center to large when I do this so I don't get < 80HZ being sent 'twice' to my subwoofers.

The bass just gets too boomy when I have the center crossing over it's low frequencies to my subs in 6-ch stereo.