Joeyitis strikes again

[lugano]

Hello folks, it's time to hit eBay with my Harman Kardon AVR 7000 receiver. It all started when my DVDO line doubler died... but that is not so interesting. I've done all my searches and read tons of forums and it all boils down to one piece of gear: Yamaha RX-V2700. Now, before I pull the trigger, are there any happy users of the Yammy on the list ? Anybody cares to comment on why I should NOT get it ? (Waiting for HDMI 1.3 is not a valid argument ) Thanks a lot - as always - for your feedback !

 

[Jeff Zaret]

lugano,
Before you pull the trigger too fast, did you see this?

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/receivers/1939/sony-str-da5200es-av-receiver.html

It is the new Sony AV Receiver and Sound&Vision really liked it. I am not a fan of AV receivers in general but take a look. I believe it retails for $1500.00 USD.


Jeff:musicnote:

 

[lugano]

Thank you, Jeff. Coming from a sound you already know, my main concern is, once again, the sound. I've had various Sony equipment over the last 20 years and I've seen a slow but steady degradation in the build quality of this brand, and I've never been really very fond of the sound. Sure, it costs less than the Yamaha... but I intend to buy it new, hold it at least 5 years and enjoy every note it produces. But maybe someone here had the opportunity to listen to both and can tell more about it.

From what I've read, the Yamaha has a sound reaching the quality of their big boy, the DSP-Z9, and that is a big plus for me.

 

[DTB300]

I've done all my searches and read tons of forums and it all boils down to one piece of gear: Yamaha RX-V2700.

I had just been looking this past weekend (internet and forums) at the 2700 and also noticed the 1700, which seems to be about $300 cheaper. I have not had time to really compare the two to see what the extra $300 would get you with the 2700. I see they are both HDMI 1.2a.

I was looking at one of these to act as a Pre/Pro for HT use, Pre-Outing all to dedicated amps, as I do now, with HDMI for use with HD-DDVD or BluRay down the road.

Dan

 

[lugano]

I had just been looking this past weekend (internet and forums) at the 2700 and also noticed the 1700, which seems to be about $300 cheaper. I have not had time to really compare the two to see what the extra $300 would get you with the 2700

Here u are, Dan, a big comparison:

http://yamaha.com/yec/compare/Detai...ms=200002&comp_items=451511&comp_items=451764

 

[Jeff Zaret]

lugano,

It was just a suggestion and I personally feel you are paying for a name of long ago and not of the quality it once was. I too feel Sony's sound has degraded over the years. Personally I think Sony is trying to battle too many issues and will eventually lose ground. I believe Sony, as an innovator, as they once were is where they need to concentrate their efforts instead of trying to be in all places within the market.


Jeff

 

[DTB300]

Here u are, Dan, a big comparison:

Yeah...:banghead: I always forget on the Yamaha site that you can compare. I guess I would have found it eventually. So between the two it looks like:

Network hookup & Network Receiver
HDMI Up-Conversion (480P, 720P, 1080i)
Additional HDMI in
10 More Watts - the real selling point :haha1:
Zone 2 and Zone 3 output (Composite and Audio)

I guess if you use the Network option for music, then the additional $300 might be worth it for some. Then there is the upconversion feature too, but would have to see it in action to verify.

Not ready to make a move just yet myself, as I want to also see what else is out there for HT use that does not break the bank.

Dan

 

[lugano]

Network hookup & Network Receiver
HDMI Up-Conversion (480P, 720P, 1080i)
Additional HDMI in
10 More Watts
Zone 2 and Zone 3 output (Composite and Audio)

Add to that the very useful usb connection on the front

I will 99% buy it, and will post a review - if desired.

 

[DTB300]

Add to that the very useful usb connection on the front

GASP!!! Totally forgot about that one!!! Thanks for the reminder

Unless there is something else out there for reasonable price for HT/Movie playback that will give me HDMI 1.2 (at least for now), then I may consider it. But still waiting for those 2nd Gen High Def DVD players to arrive and see how things play out between HD and BR.

Dan

 

[lugano]

trigger pulled

Just ordered it, for USD 1660, VAT included. :banana:

Will let you know my impressions !

 

[DTB300]

Just ordered it, for USD 1660, VAT included. :banana:
Will let you know my impressions !

Great. Will be interested in your opinions on the unit.

Here in the states, I have seen the 2700 for around $1100 and the 1700 for around $700. Now if those are from "Authorized Dealers" or not, I cannot say. Usually the very low price sellers are not authorized.

Dan

 

[Rich]

Geez, Lugano. Give us a little time. Only 18 hours from the time you ask about a piece of gear to the time you ordered it. That is a definite lack of patience.

I have a Yamaha Receiver from about five years ago. I think it is the RX-V2095. It was pretty capable for a basic home theater application, but not what I would call high end by any means. When I realized I needed something better was when I hooked up the Ascents. I had the source switched to cd with no cd playing and I got up close to listen for noise and I heard the radio tuner playing very lightly out of the woofers. I hit the tuner button, and sure enough that was the station that I heard playing.

Once I upgraded to quality electronics, then there was no going back. That was when I started watching movies in two channel. At some point I will buy a quality surround sound preamp, but it won't be a Sony or Yamaha. My recommendation would have been to be patient, save more money, and go higher end.

 

[DTB300]

Once I upgraded to quality electronics, then there was no going back. That was when I started watching movies in two channel. At some point I will buy a quality surround sound preamp, but it won't be a Sony or Yamaha. My recommendation would have been to be patient, save more money, and go higher end.

I would be interested in the "other" recommendations from all. Again for myself, it is just Movies/HT playback, so not need to break the bank - my college sibling is doing a fine enough job of that himself

Dan

 

[ralflar]

Lugano,

It might have been better if you had waited a little before you pulled the trigger. I must echo Rich's comment.

You wrote that you want to upgrade to improve the sound. I am not sure you are going to get much of that. The older Harmans used to be more than just decent. What you will get are lots of features, some good, many rarely useful. You will also get what I consider a very nice looking component, simple and elegant, and looking better than the modest price would suggest, and good build quality. Tastes differ but I would take a Yammy over a Denon or Sony any day.

I have my doubts where the sound quality is concerned. I have a Yammy 1600. I doubt that the pre and power amps in the 1600, 2600, 1700, 2700 are very different. Since you are going to use it to drive your B&Ws instead of your CLSs the power amp part should be fine.

However, replacing the pre-amp part of the Yammy 1600 improved the (stereo) sound quality much more than replacing the power amp part. Why would the pre-amps in the 2700 be better. IMO, Yamaha focused on adding features instead of improving the sound. For your sake I hope that I am wrong re. the 2700.

Understand me right, I like my Yammy because it looks and feels so well and because it sounds OK in my non-challenging poor man's "home theatre" setup (nothing more than a Polk Sound Bar plus Dynamo sub, good grief). It is reliable and easy to use, and has a good remote control unit, too.

It sounds well enough for my current low end needs. However, if I were to upgrade to something better sounding I would forget the sub-2k Denons and Pioneers and Sonys, and research Emotiva and Outlaw Audio components instead, and probably end up with an Arcam 350 or better... (In my limited expereince Arcam stuff may not be as reliable, but when it works it sounds really, really nice. If it does not work Arcam will fix or replace it.)

 

[lugano]

Geez, Lugano. Give us a little time. Only 18 hours from the time you ask about a piece of gear to the time you ordered it. That is a definite lack of patience.

You ARE right, but Joeyitis is just like this.... apart from kidding, I realize that I forgot to mention one important thing, i.e. the budget, which was around $2000, not one cent more. So the real question would have been "is there anything better at this price point ?". I really prefer to invest everything in improving the highend part and the Home theater only gets what's left. Add to it the fact that in this period of the year it's more difficult to get things shipped fast, that the dealer had only 2 yammies left and was offering a $450 rebate over the retail price, that I will be able to sell my HK on eBay just before Christmas (in january I'll probably get a lot less for it) and you begin to understand why I acted that fast.

I also read all the 34 pages of this thread, if someone else is interested:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=713397&page=1&pp=30

 

[Rich]

I really prefer to invest everything in improving the highend part and the Home theater only gets what's left.

Well, now you are starting to make some sense.

Seriously though, now that you explained your reasoning a little more, your quick decision to go with the Yammy does make a little more sense. Hope it serves your needs well.

 

[Rich]

I would be interested in the "other" recommendations from all. Again for myself, it is just Movies/HT playback, so not need to break the bank - my college sibling is doing a fine enough job of that himself

Dan,

The "other" names I was considering probably do fall in the "break the bank" category: Lexicon, Meridian, Anthem, Sunfire, etc. I also like CJ's idea of a 6-channel tube preamp that leaves the processing to the DVD player. Anyway, my thought is that if I am going to spend the money on the other accoutrements of a good home theater set up (ML center and surround speakers, front projection, etc.) then I am going to spend the money to have a top-notch component processing the audio signal.

At the same time, if HT is not that important to you, I think you can spend a lot less bucks and still have a very decent home theater set up. For years, I was very happy with my Definitive Technologies speakers and Yamaha receiver. Then I hooked up the Logans. . .

 

[lugano]

now that you explained your reasoning a little more, your quick decision to go with the Yammy does make a little more sense. Hope it serves your needs well.

Thanks, Rich. The scaler in it was also important, and was a good point into convincing my wife. The DVDO upscaler/deinterlacer that I had - and died - was $1200. For $400 more, I get a new receiver, and I'll recover the $400 from the sale of the Harman Kardon I might as well sell the DVDO on eBay for enough peanuts to allow me to buy the Yamaha iPod dock. Unfortunately, the Arcams don't have the scaler, even if the sound is probably a bit better than the Yammy. And some other US brands that Ralflar was so kind to mention are mostly unavailable here in Switzerland, or freakin' pricey.

The 2700 will arrive tomorrow, but I won't be able to connect it till sunday, because I wrote in the eBay description of the HK that people can come over and listen to it if they feel like, so you folks will need some patience before I comment on it. Anyway, with a 150-page manual, I'll have a lot of reading to do before jumping on it.

 

[DTB300]

The "other" names I was considering probably do fall in the "break the bank" category: Lexicon, Meridian, Anthem, Sunfire, etc.

Yeah, quite familiar with those names, but they get up there in price. Like Lugano, my priority is two channel, but the movie/HT watching is for the family and they are not even close to my picky nature for audio. If it plays, and they can hear it, no matter where they sit, and the bass can rumble well during those exciting scenes, they are happy. For me, I would love to have better 5.1 Surround Audio sound, but as you have stated, and I know, it does come at a price. College attending kid and a college attending kid in a couple of years, keeps me from the above mentioned products. It will be interesting to hear what Lugano thinks of the 2700.

One thing that I do now, with my current HT receiver, is Pre-Out all channels to dedicated amps. This has proven through some listening tests to sound better than letting it power the surrounds and center (I use a HT Passthrough on main Pre to main amp and speakers). So in the future, a processor is all I will need.

I also like CJ's idea of a 6-channel tube preamp that leaves the processing to the DVD player. Anyway, my thought is that if I am going to spend the money on the other accoutrements of a good home theater set up (ML center and surround speakers, front projection, etc.) then I am going to spend the money to have a top-notch component processing the audio signal.

Interesting way to go.

At the same time, if HT is not that important to you, I think you can spend a lot less bucks and still have a very decent home theater set up. For years, I was very happy with my Definitive Technologies speakers and Yamaha receiver. Then I hooked up the Logans. . .

My current setup for HT is fine for the family and while I would love to have better 5.1 for audio, I have to think about the funds. The reason for the upgrade for me will be to have the HD-DVD or BlueRay and use HDMI. I think I just read something about some of the companies having the HDMI 1.3 available for the mainstream products mid-2007.

Dan