Yamaha Receiver 730 vs 540 (1 Viewer)

[DeanKal]

Hi everyone

Been a long time lurker here and have finally decided to sign up.

I've been looking for receivers for a while now and had settled on the Yamaha rxv540 to replace my old one.

This weekend however, I was in a local store and had seen last years rxv730 model for $100 (CND) cheaper than what I expect to pay for the rxv540.

Not being a guru of Home Theater, I cant decide which should I get. Things like the 540 having 5 watts more power I'm not concerned about.Both are 6 channel. The 540 does seem to support more DD & DTS options. Both have component video switching which was a concern for me. 730 seems to have the nod for more input/output.

Are there any differences that are major that I have missed? Any opinions on what I should get?

(or should I just save an additional $100cdn and grab the 530 )

Thanks in advance,

Dean

 

[HienD]

I'm thinking about the v730 too. Same amp as the v530 but has more connections and the most important thing. 6.1 channel pre-outs. When you want to upgrade to seperate you can with the v730. You can use the v730 as a pre/pro. You saw it for $500cnd right?

 

[DeanKal]

Yup It was $500 CDN. It might drop further, but it's drop from $650 from last I saw 2 weeks ago. If I pick it up today I think I still get 30 price guarantee as well in case it drops again.

 

[JeremyFr]

I have the 730 the only real major difference in my eyes besides input/outputs and pre-outs between the 730 and 540 is the 730 does not do DTS-ES discrete only matrix other than that its an awesome reciever I'm lovin mine!

 

[HienD]

I think they are close to cost on the v730. They are discontinued and if you find a cheaper unit, there's a good chance it'll be a demo model. I don't know how long I should hold out for. I'm also considering a onkyo 501 or a older model 600.

 

[DeanKal]

I took the plung and got the 730. Couple of hours to hook everything as per my liking. It was 1 of 2 remaining not including the demo. The box had been opened but manual/remote had not been open, unit itself had no visible problems. After the sale, without my asking, the guy sed it was only a couple of dollar above cost. I can't say how valid it was, but it seemed likely.

The only trouble I ran into was the On Screen Display. I didnt realize that it doesnt run through component only composite/svideo. Spent some time ajusting balances, but most my time was simply learing the controls. When I get home form work, I'll get a chance to really fire it up and play my Led Zeppelin DVD.

Thanks to all that responded.

 

[JeremyFr]

how much did you pay for it??? I got mine at Cost and I spent $324 American on it.

 

[DeanKal]

I paid $497 CDN which is about $363 US. Seems you got a good deal. When did you pick up your unit? What are your first impressions?

 

[JeremyFr]

I got mine in December, My first impressions was this things a tank! Well nethings a tank compared to my old cheapy Sony Reciever but all in all it was really simple to setup and I found it very easy to use, I really like the features its has especially the Yamaha exclusive where you can take audio from say cd and listen to it while watching say video 1. I run all my video through it to my TV which is nice I dont ever have to switch my TV off video 1. It has more than enough power for the room I have it in (roughly 16x20x8) and I really enjoy its sound though thats more or less a direct result of the speakers than the amp. I use its digital decoder for everything as I think it has a very crisp and tight sound in its decoding even with PCM audio from CD or MP3 off my Toshiba DVD Player. It never seems to run really hot which is nice to even when I open it up to enjoy a good movie. All in All I'm really really happy with it, only thing I dont like is non learning remote and no DTS-ES Discrete but I can live especially since I'm only running 5.1 speakers neways.

 

[Neil Campbell]

I assume you got it for $497 at A&B Sound? The same unit is tempting me after I thought I'd decided on the HTR-5550 at Futureshop.

I was planning on getting my whole setup (Toshiba RPTV, Sony DVD player, Yamaha receiver and Athena speakers) at Futureshop and hoping for a fantastic deal but with the 730 at this price, it seems worth the extra bells, whistles and future flexibility (most of which I will no doubt never use!!). I can get the 5550 for $100 CAN less and suspect I will be happy with either amp.

Does anyone know the significance of the Digital TopArt technology? The 730 has this and the 5550 doesn't. I see the new X40 series has it across the line so presumably it is a feature of some note.

 

[DeanKal]

The $497 was at A&B Sound, and I have to say 2 days later I'm very happy.

I was also looking at the HTR5550 (same model as the RX-V530) at Future Shop, but I felt that for the extra $100 I get the 1 extra channel, on screen display, TopArt(I'm not sure what this is),remote with LCD, and extra inputs/outputs.

IF you can get a nice package deal at Futureshop, go for it. I know the Athena's are a nice surround set.

Let us know what you choose

 

[JeremyFr]

They both have it even though the 5000 series does not advertise it, if you go to Yamaha's website they specifically state there are no differences in construction between the 2 series only that one has no pre-outs and is sold through retailers like Best Buy, Futureshop etc, and the other the RX-V series gets sold through retailers like Good Guys and other "mid-high end" stores.

 

[Andy Kim]

You can't access the on-screen displays thru component?
That sucks. I'm thinking about going with this receiver also and on-screen display's was something I wanted which is not available on the 630 model.

 

[Neil Campbell]

Jeremy, I may be looking at the wrong website (Canadian vs American)or looking in the wrong spot, but it still looks like the Digital TopArt technology is only on the higher end models. On the Canadian webiste, the 630 and 730 advertise as having this feature as does the 5560 (equivalent to the 630?) and the 5590. This leads me to believe that it is a higher end feature. It may or may not be anything of any consequence, but it would sure be nice is specs had to follow some international laws of some sort!!!

 

[JeremyFr]

I'm not sure bout the older recievers but it seems the newer line 440 all the way up has "Top-Art" All this really translates to is a pure circuit path due to each section of the amp isolated from the next i.e. The processor/DSP section is isolated from the preamp section, the amp is isolated from the pre-amp etc so theres less electrical cross talk between the various sections of the reciever. Even though they may not quote this on other recievers its still there.

 

[Marc H]

Looks like they have beefed up the power supplies on the new models for more current. The new brochure plays up the higher quality caps and transformer. Damping factor has been raised too.