New Receiver: Yamaha or Denon?

[kexodusc]

AZHT: Ooohh...I don't know if if the Denon is worth TWICE the price of the 5790. I think for that kind of money you could get the 5760 and get a sweet separate power amp, or upgrade somewhere else. Feature wise, what do you need on the 3805 (assuming you really want the onboard calibration tool/YPAO) that isn't on the yamaha 5790? The 5760?

Me, I went with an RX-V1400 over the Denon 3803 because the Yamaha seemed to sound a bit softer, warmer, and had a few more value added features. Not exactly apples to apples though.

[datarush]

I just got a 5790 set up but haven't really stressed it yet. I plan on a new thread once I get it working on all thrusters. So far it is promising, but I must say that the instructions for onscreen menus and controlling 3rd party components must've been translated first to Russian and then English from the Japanese? as they are as obscure as hell. I mean really they could've done better. That plus those operations aren't primay functions of any of the remotes buttons make it harder than it should.
It certainly appears well built. I studied/compared it with the RX-V1400 and V2400 and it matches specs with the 1400. The backs are identical far as I can tell. I'm not sure which aesthetic I like best; the 5790 is more upfront while the 1400 has elegance. At my local Best Buy the 5790 is their top dog while Good Guys have the 1400 and 2400. I bought mine elsewhere.

[douglasbjordan]

Looks like the Denon 2805 (dunno how long it's been out) also has the autocalibration feature. Its MSRP is $900.

[kexodusc]

Looks like the Denon 2805 (dunno how long it's been out) also has the autocalibration feature. Its MSRP is $900.

The 2805 I saw the other day had to have a $58 dollar special microphone purchased separately for it to work according to my retailer, can anyone verify this? $60 bucks for a cheap mic? Why wouldn't any work?

[AZHT]

I think it says on Denon's website that the 2805 comes with the mic. I guess they got enough flack for not including one in the 3805. Looks like a solid unit.

[douglasbjordan]

According to the 2805 instruction book on Denon's site, it comes with an omnidirectional microphone. However, the book also contains instructions on how to use any microphone you want to perform the autosetup.

[kexodusc]

According to the 2805 instruction book on Denon's site, it comes with an omnidirectional microphone. However, the book also contains instructions on how to use any microphone you want to perform the autosetup.

My apologies, it appears I may have confused the 2805 with the 3805? I do know the dealer told me mics were optional and they just happened to sell quality mics in addition to the Denon unit....

[Woochifer]

I just got a 5790 set up but haven't really stressed it yet. I plan on a new thread once I get it working on all thrusters. So far it is promising, but I must say that the instructions for onscreen menus and controlling 3rd party components must've been translated first to Russian and then English from the Japanese? as they are as obscure as hell. I mean really they could've done better. That plus those operations aren't primay functions of any of the remotes buttons make it harder than it should.
It certainly appears well built. I studied/compared it with the RX-V1400 and V2400 and it matches specs with the 1400. The backs are identical far as I can tell. I'm not sure which aesthetic I like best; the 5790 is more upfront while the 1400 has elegance. At my local Best Buy the 5790 is their top dog while Good Guys have the 1400 and 2400. I bought mine elsewhere.

Yamaha's manuals and onscreen menus were never their strongsuit (IMO, Onkyo and h/k have always been more user friendly in this regard), but if you want cryptic, try a Denon on for size (the manual for my Denon DVD player almost needs a codebreaker to get a straight answer, and setup menus for that are pretty lousy).

The 5790 I assume is the equivalent of the 1400 underneath, but the front panel looks totally different. In years past, the HTR models used identical face plates (except that the HTR models used yellow lettering rather than white), but I guess Yamaha's now trying to further differentiate the two lines. The only real differences were typically a feature or two, and maybe a different remote. The HTR line goes to mass merchandising stores and mail order sites, while the RX-V line is for specialty retailers. Good Guys carries everything up to their flagship RX-Z9 model (which lists for $4,400), while indeed the HTR lineup stops at the 5790.

[nick4433]

Wooch, I believe the 5790 is a 1400 in HTR skin a opposed to RXV skin. I think so because it is the only receiver besides 1400/2400 to offer a graphic EQ on all the channels and not just the center channels ala the 750/650.

[datarush]

Before I bought one I went to the Yamaha site and put up a screen of its specs alongside the 1400 and there's no apparent difference. It even has the same weight. I haven't run a whole lot of sound through it yet but scenes from Blue Crush and the Matrix sounded really good. I think the YPAO adjusted the lower end as it seemed much improved.

Wooch, I believe the 5790 is a 1400 in HTR skin a opposed to RXV skin. I think so because it is the only receiver besides 1400/2400 to offer a graphic EQ on all the channels and not just the center channels ala the 750/650.

[kexodusc]

Before I bought one I went to the Yamaha site and put up a screen of its specs alongside the 1400 and there's no apparent difference. It even has the same weight. I haven't run a whole lot of sound through it yet but scenes from Blue Crush and the Matrix sounded really good. I think the YPAO adjusted the lower end as it seemed much improved.

I ran a comparison on the downloaded pdf file owners manuals a few weeks ago for a friend...this confirmed for me that the two units are essentially identical in all technical and mechanical aspects. A few cosmetic differences. I also believe, if memory serves, that the HTR line calls "Pure Direct" mode "Direct Stereo" or something like that...but yeah, the 5790 is the 1400 in different duds.

[datarush]

That is a mode I briefly checked. Sends an unprocessed signal to the mains, as the title implies. My Pioneer Elite also sent a signal to the sub in its equivalent mode, but the Yamaha does not. There's large numbers of processed sound modes that I haven't tried except by flipping through them on the way to DPLII. I did kind of like the sub added to a stereo playback I'll have to see if there is a mode that does that.

I also noticed that if the subwoofer is turned off when a source signal like a DVD is getting picked up, the sub doesn't get the signal at all unless the source is disengaged and restarted. I had to open and close the DVD player to get a signal going to the sub. Stopping and starting the movie didn't do it.

I ran a comparison on the downloaded pdf file owners manuals a few weeks ago for a friend...this confirmed for me that the two units are essentially identical in all technical and mechanical aspects. A few cosmetic differences. I also believe, if memory serves, that the HTR line calls "Pure Direct" mode "Direct Stereo" or something like that...but yeah, the 5790 is the 1400 in different duds.