DSP

remote control, amplifier

I had the Yamaha RX-V995 for ten months but it didn't sound as natural as my 4 years old Onkyo prologic integrated amplifier. Few weeks ago I sold it and buy the Onkyo TX-DS777. It has a cristal sound and more fixtures than the Yamaha including a better remote control. I believe the Onkyo is the best receiver under $1000.00. Very much better than the Yamaha, in my opinion.

I've had the Yamaha RX-V995 for about two months now, and except for one serious problem which was quickly resolved, I have nothing but good things to say about this receiver. The one problem--the first 995 I got died in a shower of sparks within about one week of purchase. Thankfully I had paid a little more and bought from an authorized dealer, so one phone call had a new 995 headed toward my door. I can't begin to imagine the headache such an occurrence would have been if I had gone with my first impulse and bought from a mail-order house. I have had no problems whatsoever from my replacement and feel confident that the meltdown was a fluke, the product of a piece of equipment that left the factory in a defective state. The dealer where I made my purchase opened the hood on the dead unit to see if they could find the problem. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary they plugged it in, turned it on, and promptly crashed every computer in the store. Despite this problem, I have no reservations about recommending this receiver and this brand. If anything, I would say that my situation illustrates the risk that anybody takes when they don't buy from an authorized dealer.
I have been into home theater for some time, and had been wanting to upgrade to a bigscreen TV and Dolby Digital for at least the last five years, but I couldn't afford it, especially after I got married and moved into my first house. That changed this summer when I inherited my Dad's 50-inch Hitachi bigscreen and picked up a Toshiba SD-3109 DVD player on an online auction for under $300. With a bigscreen and DVD player on the way, I decided it was time to replace my faithful Sony Pro-Logic receiver with something that could handle Dolby Digital and DTS. I also knew that I wanted something that would be flexible enough to last for awhile, so I wanted enough digital inputs to accomodate my equipment and the means to add an outboard amp down the road. A 6-channel input was icing on the cake.

Prior to buying my 995 I had considered (lusted for) the DSP-A1, but it was out of my reach. The 2095 was also a contender, but I didn't think that the two extra channels and a handful of additional DSP modes justified the hefty price increase over the 995. The Denon 3300 wasn't out yet, so I didn't consider it. The 995 seemed to offer everything I was looking for, feature-wise, and it sounded good in the dealer's showroom, so I took it home and hooked up my Pioneer CLD-703 LD player and Sony SLV-900HF VCR.

Unfortunately, until the Pioneer takes a trip to MSB for an AC-3 RF output upgrade, it can't play the Dolby Digital soundtrack on my LDs, so I was limited to Dolby Pro-Logic until the DVD player came in. After about a month of waiting for the Toshiba SD-3109 to come in I couldn't take it anymore and bought a Pioneer DV-414. I havent' been disappointed.

My living room is fairly large, so the Sony, with its 75 watts per channel up front, had a hard time filling it with sound. Not so with the Yamaha. The first thing I noticed when I cranked it up for a listen was how easily it seemed to fill the room with loud, clean, dynamic sound. I have Definitive Technology speakers all around (BP-10 up front, C1 center, and BP-1 surrounds) with a Cambridge Soundworks Powered Sub (140 watts, 12-inch woofer) handling the base, and I currently have the 995 set for large front speakers and a subwoofer. While I am by no means a golden ear, the sound has never seemed too bright for my ears. Instead, movies and music have been detailed, clear, and powerful.

Although Yamaha is known for its DSP modes, I have, for the most part,listened to my DVDs in straight Dolby Digital and have been entirely pleased with the sound. After the long wait to get a 5.1 system into my home I can definitely report that the wait was worth it. Discrete soundtracks are everything I hoped they'd be, and while the effects are usually subtle, every now and then you get a scene like the jet fly-over in Air Force One that just blows you away. The 995 handles those scenes with power and finesse. But it's the DSP that surprised me. Before the 995 I considered DSP, especially movie modes, worthless. I didn't want the receiver to make my living room sound like a barn. I didn't want echoes and "boingy" reverb. My feeling is that DSP should be used to create the illusion of a 5.1 soundtrack from a matrixed source. While Yamaha doesn't quite do that with their cinema DSP modes, I found that after some tweaking to tame the over-agressive default settings, all of Yamaha's 70mm modes, as well as the Pro-Logic enhanced mode, create a broader, more engaging soundstage that is more enveloping and three dimensional then regular Pro-Logic. After listening to the 70mm modes, it is hard to go back to straight Pro-Logic, which seems flat by comparison. With DSP, the sound seems to spread around the sides of the room. Without DSP, there is sound up front and sound in the surround channel, with much less in between. While I haven't listened to much music, I have to say that I have found the music DSP modes entertaining as well, and prefer them to listening in straight stereo.

Criticisms? Well, most people complain about the remote. It doesn't bother me. It does what I need and I put it down. My biggest gripe is that Yamaha didn't include an AC-3 RF input, which means I'll have to get an outboard demodulator if I ever have my CLD-703 upgraded to pass a Dolby Digital signal. I'd also like to see more digital inputs, especially for the video sources, or preferably the ability to assign a digital input to a particular source. But when I turn off the lights to watch a movie these complaints go away. The 995 puts out effortless sound which I can safely say is superior to that found in the local Carmike cinema 4. While there are new rivals in the 995's price range with many of the same features, I think that anybody considering a purchase owes it to themself to at least listen to the 995 if given the chance, especially the DSP modes, which aren't really available anywhere else. For the money it is hard to beat the features and performance of the Yamaha. The bottom line is that if I had it to do over again I would take the 995 with no regrets. I definitely recommend it.

Very good quality of build, sound and usefulness.

None I have experienced yet.

I purchased this receiver right in the middle of a total system upgrade. It had been over 20 years since I had
upgraded anything in my system, so all I once I upgraded speakers, amp, sub and dvd player. Since I bought new
speakers first, the amp was an important choice. The amp had to run my new Martin Logan Aerius I's.

At first I ran them with my older Sony receiver, and while they played, I wasn't doing the speakers justice.
So first I obtained a Yamaha RXV-795. Used this amp for 2 days and took it back. It seemed to me that
the bass management was not either working right, or poor to my ears. Friend of mine had a Denon 2800, so I went for
a listening session one day. His setup sounded great, and I was impressed with the Denon. So back to Indianapolis for
swap to the Denon.

After returning home, eager to fire up the Denon, I was again disappointed. The Denon had difficulties driving the
Logans for me, and sounded harsh to my ears. I think the 2 ohm (and lower) impedance factor of the Logan's was too
much for the Denon to handle. So back to Indy for another trade (and another financial trade up.)

I traded the Denon in, then, on the Yamaha RXV995. Everything came into play very positvely after that.

Even though the Denon had a 5 channel stereo mode, the Yamaha can sort of be made to play that way while adjusting the
"Disco" sound mode. I think the amp as compared with the other amps I tried for my particular set up sounds effortless,
very powerful, in command of my speakers without hesitation. The sound is smooth, not harsh and very open. Switching
between sources works well.

The remote was sorely lacking. I replaced it with a Phillips Pronto unit, and now that aspect is covered. I don't use the tuner
at all so I cannot comment on its use. The unit looks good, does not overheat and I think the build quality is equal to
the Denon. I am colorblind, so I do have a hard time seeing the color (whatever it is) of the digital readouts. From a
distance of 10 feet, I can't really see them at all.

I obtained a Yamaha DVD after the receiver purchase, and the entire set-up is wonderful. The DTS options are my favorite
and I have come to look for DTS soundtracks on most DVD rentals or purchases. Today there are 350 postings here about
this receiver. It was a great purchase for most, and I would encourage the purchase of it for picky listeners who have
the budget for it.
My dealer, Ovation Audio was fabulous with my transactions.

Similar Products Used:

See article.

Solid built.

Music reproduction quality in every aspect!!

I recently upgraded from the Yamaha RXV-992, which is AWESOME but with out DTS. I upgraded to the RXV-995. As soon as I turned it on, I put the tuner on. I quickly noticed the lack of quality. Obviously, the tuner is not the best way to test so I put in a CD of kenny G. From the CD, I noticed how hollow and shallow the music sounded. There was no sound image to speak about. The Yamaha RXV-992 that I upgraded from was much better!! The sales guy told me that the two units were the same but the 995 had DTS. WRONG!!!!!! I went to Yamaha's web site and looked at the spec sheet and found them to be quite different.
I rate the Yamaha RXV-992 a 8 out of 10. I rate the RXV-995 a 2 out of 10!!! Stay clear of this model.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha seperates back in the mid 80's, Yamaha DSP-A1 and the Yamaha RXV-992

Excellent sound, features and toys, all at an affordable price.

Everyone says the remote....hey, get over it.

If the three most important words in Real Estate are: Location, Location, Location...then the three most important words for Home Theatre are: Value, Value, Value...now what this means is excellent sound for as little as possible.
This unit has all the toys and then some and listen all you Canadians....880.00 at A&B Sound...yes it's brand new...so all those who have been waiting need not wait any longer.

Similar Products Used:

HK and Denon...all pricey and all broke down.

Clean sound. Value. Reliability.

Some say remote, but if you're challanged by trying to figure out electronics, it's a blast. Love the learning thing.

Having been a Yamaha fan for some time I am probably bias. I am running this receiver with DefTech Pro100 sat. package, along with Klipsch 1.5k on the B channel. I didn't plan on this, just had the Klipsch from the last system, but with the deftechs taking the high stuff and the klipsch taking the middle along with the deftech sub, sounds terrific. I am planning on replacing the Klipsch with Paradigm 80 or 100's, just not sure on the set up yet. And, I am not sure the 100w/ch. is enough for the 100's. In addition the 995 has r/l back speaker outputs which I assume are for r/l sub channels. I am thinking of picking up another deftech sub. Anyway back to the 995. The only dsp options i really use are the dts(automatic) for video stuff, the rock & roll, and the disco(poorly named). The disco is just an enhancement of the r&r thowing a little more to the rear sat. speakers. It sounds good for some music but not all. Unlike others, I do like tinkering with the remote, but thats simply personal preference. I could understand why some don't like it. While Yamaha is not the top end of higher end equipment, but for me it works. The most incredible listening eperienced with this system is the Eagles Hell Freezes Over DVD in DTS. I am using a Toshiba 3108 DVD that seems like a pretty good unit. The only thing I have heard negative about Yamaha is more than one person has told me they fried their Yamaha. Not sure of the facts there though. Overall I really like the 995.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha rx-v595

I bought mine for only S$1,250 ( USD735/= ). The Singapore model comes with an AC3-RF input for laserdisc, a must for me. This receiver sounds wonderful. The resolution of movie tracks, especially music is refined and detailed, yet it still packed in a lot of bass for loud passages. The DTS and Dolby Digital decoding are flawless and accurately renders the directionality of most modern movie soundtracks. The various DSP modes are fun to play with, and I notice some pseudo split surround effects even for Prologic material that are generated by the DSP programs, creating an eveloping soundfield. CD Music sounds good too, helped by the 20bit DAC. I used the optical digital input when listening to CD. I can't comment much on the remote because I re-programmed all its codes into my trusty RC2000.
I have little complains about this receiver and would highly recommend the RX-V995 to anyone looking for a budget yet full-feature receiver.

Versatile input connections, great A/V switching, strong & clear sound, usable DSP modes.

The soon to be broken door on the remote, lack of a 4-speaker stereo mode.

After significant investigation into the models listed above, the decision finally came down to the Yamaha 995 due to the following reasons ...

a) Vast array of analog and digital inputs for both audio and video, all with s-video abilties.
b) Strong power rating (100w x 5).
c) Great reviews on the various web pages.
d) Strong recommendations from the sales staff at all the retailers. Obviously we all know better than to openly trust sales folks, but the local shops that sell Yamaha have knowledgeable staff (especially Kromer Radio) and they justified their comments with valid technical reasons for the selection of the RX-V995 as the best product.

After about 3 weeks of operation I believe I made the right decision, and offer the following comments.

> The door of the "learning" remote control is definately going to be broken. This is certainly a remote to be treated with gentle hands, which will be an increasingly important factor for people with kids at home.
> The remote will "learn" the commands from your other A/V equipment, but only to a maximum of 20 commands (contact Yamaha for a $10 upgrade to increase the capacity to 40 commands).
> The remote will only store the learned commands in the A/V equipment position 4 and higher as the 1-3 positions are reserved for genuine Yamaha components (Tape/MD, Tuner, CD)
> The system has very usable and realistic DSP modes. I especially like the 70mm ADVENTURE setting for movies, and the DISCO setting for music sources. I wish the Yamaha had a simple 4-speaker stereo mode, but the DISCO mode is not too bad with the delay reduced to a minimum setting.
> The bass and treble can be overwhelming, and will require some adjustment before you have the "right" sound. I like a very diverse sound spectrum, but even for my tastes I had to decrease the treble to about the 3/4 position, reduce the gain on the sub-woofer and disable the Low Frequency Extension (LFE) feature. I look upon this as a good feature though, as I like knowing that I don't have the adjustments pegged at the limits with this unit.

Overall .. The remote is very fragile, but works well. The receiver has an execellent array of inputs and strong sound quality, and the DSP modes are usable. The music output is good (but lacking a 4-speaker stereo mode), but the movie sound is incredible.

Bottome line ... A good choice, you will be hard-pressed to find a better unit.

Price: $1100 Canandian

Available in Toronto at: Kromer Radio
2001 Audio/Video

Other components:
Fronts Spkrs Mission 701
Cenre Spkrs Mission 1c70
Rear Spkrs Pioneer Full-Size Floor Models (old)
Sub-Woofer Mission 700as

Similar Products Used:

Shopped for, and compared the Yamaha 795a, Harman-Kardon AVR-65, Onkyo 695, and various Denon & Marantz models

DVD sounds amazing! I found an awesome place to buy dvd at http://consumer.20m.com

My reciever sets a new standard in fun and entertainment for everyone.the display is great.the design is cool and fits my needs.A wide variety of features include:6-preouts,6-digital inputs and 1-out,with 2-coax inputs.the rec/out selector switch all the dsp's are fantastic.bottom-line is that its a quality reciever thats as good as they come.the durability it has will give you primiere sound for many years to come.has hi-powered bass and I havent even got a pre-amp yet thanks to sound advice that I got this deal when I did. lots of bang for your buck.the big basic remote was the only thing of the package that did not impress me.

Fantastic sound, runs cool.

Not all functions on the learning remote can be reprogrammed. Door on the remote is odd, but not too bad.

I recently returned my demo Sony 555ES to the store to buy the Yamaha VX-R995.

The Yamaha has great sound. Highs are accurate and bright without being harsh. Lows are strong and punchy, and midrange sounds never get muddy or distorted. The unit runs very cool, even when being driven hard.

The DSP modes are nice and sound very good. I don't typically use DSP modes, but these are the best I've heard.

The remote control is something that I see a lot of people don't like. It doesn't bother me -- the door flips and folds underneath the remote and latches open, so it can be just left open all the time. Most functions you'd need are on the front of the remote with the door closed anyway. The learning capability works great, although not all functions can be reprogrammed. Of course, the remote is not big great factor for me -- it's not half as bad as the Sony 555ES remote, and I'm primarily concerned about the unit's sound.

The binding posts in the back could be a little stronger, but they're not bad.

All told, I'm really happy with this unit. Speakers used with it are Snell speakers: older Type D's for the mains and some other Snells for the rest.

I was told this was the end of the model year for this receiver, and I picked one up at a local, reputable, authorized dealer for US$700.

Similar Products Used:

Sony STR-DA555ES, Denon AVR-3300, older Nakamichi AV-1