Aaaah...the sound!
Written: Jul 09 '00 (Updated Jul 15 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great sound for movies and music
Cons: tone controls, remote is horrible
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| richlt's Full Review: Yamaha RX-V595 5.1 Channels Receiver |
I like the Yamaha RX-V595A.
I am not going to compare it to some receiver costing $500-800. What I will do is say it brings back memories of good sound! About ten years ago I had what I would consider one of Technics' better receivers. I loved it, but eventually replaced it with a newer 'dolby digital' receiver, and stand alone Sony decoder several years ago. The difference in sound made me stop listening to my CD collection, but movies sounded good.
Then, after comparing it to other $300-400 dolby digital receivers, I picked the Yamaha. All the 'digital' receivers in this price range are comparable for movie listening, but the Yamaha won my favor for music. I listened to Sony, Pioneer, and Technics models as well. My Infinity speaker system matched the receiver well. The tone controls don't change the sound alot, but I find that, for the first time, I like the sound without making tone adjustments!
I popped in the latest James Bond DVD and got the great movie performance that I expected. Please note that I have a subwoofer; this receiver lets you choose whether to route lower frequencies only to the subwoofer, to your main speakers, or both! Without a sub, my RS6s can't be helped with the minimal bass adjustment that can be made. However, a complete speaker system sounds fantastic using this receiver with music. I started pulling out my classical performances, soundtracks, and some current alternative beats, and was pleased on every count. Why did I keep that other digital receiver as long as I did?
The 595'A' model which came out recently has extra A/V ins and outs, as well as some S-Video connections. The AM/FM tuner works well, and has a nice signal strength meter which assisted me in setting up an amplified antenna that I use. Like most modern receivers there are a number of sound environment presets like Disco, Theater, Concert, etc. These presets also enhanced the sound output from my television and made it come to life. One more plus, is that this receiver does not produce excessive heat like I have noticed from other models.
One beef before I reiterate my approval of the RX-V595A-the remote control is horrible. It is a funny cylinder shape and has a rotating knob that lets you select TV, DVD, Tuner, etc. I don't like this clumsy method of choosing which device I want to control-why can't I just push a button! There IS a separate TV on/off which is nice, and the remote worked well with my variety of other components. I am going to get one of those $20 learning remotes and ditch the Yamaha 'wand'.
All in all, for $349 I am VERY happy with this receiver. The remote can't ruin it for me. If you are a movie lover AND a music lover, this is a great deal!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
richlt
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Member: Richard Thomsen
Reviews written: 50
Trusted by: 11 members
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