Yamaha RX V 1400

[smittymike]

I need to understand something. The yamaha has 7 speaker outs (and a sub) yet it syas it only is dolby 6.1 capable. Am i misreading something? I have the sony es 1000 which is 300 less than that and is 7.1 capable. I was thinking about returning the sony (as per all of the recommendations in this forum) but it seems like i would be spending more for less? Please let me know where i am wrong, as i want the best in my price range (under 800). Thanks

[kexodusc]

Very quickly explained for you:
Your confusion comes from the 6.1 terminology. You are correct in that both offer 7 outputs, front right, left, center, 2 side surrounds, and 2 rears. I think the 7.1 terminology Sony uses is a marketing ploy used to "oversell" the features that particular receiver has. The trick is that the 2 rear channels are not discrete signals. To my knowledge, you won't find any 7.1 encoded DVD's out there yet. The highest is still only 6.1. What that means is that the 2 rear channels output very similar noises to each other and to what 1 rear channel would unless there's some matrix decoding involved by the receiver to "separate" the rear left an rear right channels. The actual signal encoded on the DVD source is for a 6th or rear channel only, and not separate 6th and 7th channels.

Most people at this forum would also tell you that a 6.1 Yamaha would sound better than a 7.1 Sony anyway. I would also add my sentiments to the people that told you the Yamaha RXV-1400 receiver is far superior to the Sony 1000es.