Good sound with plenty of connections!
Written: Dec 22 '00 (Updated Dec 22 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Ample power, many connections, undistorted sound
Cons: remote is overkill and difficult to use
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| DennisM's Full Review: Yamaha RX-V995 5.1 Channels Receiver |
As most people are aware, the receiver is the nerve center of a home theater system. The only other part of the equation that is as important, are the speakers. Now some people prefer separate pieces such as an amp, pre-amp, tuner etc. I find that unless you are an audiophile to the "enth" degree, a receiver will do just fine. It is easier to hook up, and everything goes through one piece of equipment as the nerve center.
The Yamaha name in consumer electronics is a well respected one. They have manufactured both professional audio and consumer electronics for many years, so they are well versed in sound. The 995 is what I would call an upper/mid receiver. It is not a top of the line unit like a DSP-1, but definitely costs a lot less. Sure, you can pay $3,200 for their top of the line gold receiver, but the question you have to ask is not only can I afford it, but do I really need a receiver of that quality?
There are not many people who can listen to a good CD played on both receivers and know which is the $3,200 receiver. For most people, a receiver like the 995 is an excellent choice. It certainly has all the connections in the rear for any component. It will automatically switch when you play an encoded DVD to either Dolby Digital, DTS or Pro-Logic modes. The set up, like most higher end receivers is a little involved, but luckily it is usually done once. You have to set speaker levels, surround mode, subwoofer set-up and a few other parameters. This certainly is what you would expect from a receiver of this quality. The more customization you can perform to a receiver, the better!
I have noticed other people commenting on the remote control, and I totally agree. The remote is quite involved.I actually feel it is overkill. How many times do you really have to "tweak" your system that much? I find that I use the remote mainly for power on/off, volume, and that's it.
This receiver at $700 or below is a bargain. Anything more than that and you are overpaying. In the world of consumer electronics, new models are arriving while the older ones are still going out the door. It seems every year they try to design new features to add to a receiver. Some of them are totally useless, but this seems to be pretty ergonomically designed. Not many extras except for the remote control. At about 100 watts per channel you certainly have enough power to drive your surround, rear, front and middle speakers without distortion. The only thing is that you are unable to upgrade this receiver as you can with some others.
You can discuss the specs of these receivers for pages & pages, but mostly you want to know if the receiver is worth the money and does it sound good? The answer is yes, as long as you don't exceed pricing listed earlier.
I feel you really can not go wrong with this receiver, however if you want a 6.1 surround model, this is not it. 5.1 is what it is made for. The Yamaha 995 is a solid investment that will last for years!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
DennisM
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Member: Dennis Meyers
Location: Wayne, NJ
Reviews written: 91
Trusted by: 15 members
About Me:
Began my career in broadcasting, retired from that after 38 years!
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