Quote Originally Posted by cga
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In any case the C-315 is definitely warm, not as previous model but much more so than Rotels, Yamahas, Aerons and so on.
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I don't wish to "beat a dead horse" but it comes down to what you compare it with. It's all relative.

I've owned several Yamaha receivers, including the R-5, R-7, R-8, and R-9, and over the years spent countless hours listening to them. While to my ears they were definitely brighter than average, my NAD C315--once again to my ears--is quite a bit brighter and at high volumes somewhat fatiguing.

But it's just my opinion and and neither one of us is going to convince the other.

By the way, the Yamaha R-5 is an amazingly nice sounding receiver for what it normally goes for (<$50) used. But decidedly unreliable (like all the Yamaha R-x receivers their solder joints did not hold up well over time).
I don't know the R-5, I could speak only for the AX/RX 397 family.. the more recent.