Price Paid:  $299.00 from J&R Music NYC Store

Summary:
I'm not an audiophile. However, I like listening to music and I just couldn't take another day with crappy Sony bookshelf system (buyer beware: even my Japanese wife thinks Sony sucks these days). Anyway, I bought the RX-497 receiver and am completely happy with it. The simplicity of it is refreshing, it's not the Maranz I had years ago, but the layout is free from the baroque. I like listening to my Technics MK turntable with it in a dimmed room, they both have a nice glow to them. Sound wise, I bought Bose Acoustic mass 5 III speakers along with the reciever and they work well together. Great range, great definition - I listened to Kraftwerk's "Computer World" on vinyl for my sytem's maiden voyage - Holy crap what a difference! So that's my review. I figured I owed Audioareview a review because the site was very helpful in my research. Hopefully someone who knows what they are talking about will do the next review . .

Strengths:
Simple machine, great warm sound. Phono input. A remote control that is smaller than a breadbox.

Weaknesses:
It would be nice to have an I-pod input, or at least the ability to change the name of the input on the screen.