Yamaha RX-V861 7.1 Receiver Review

[Enoch]

Originally Posted by bo-cephus

I guess I am excited about his receiver - already downloaded the manual and went through it. Only a minor disappointment. I was looking forward to bi-amping my L/R fronts until I realized the bi-amp outputs also double as the surround backs (I need my surround backs). Too bad. The RX-V861 also has two additional front speaker outputs for "presence" but it doesn't look like I can use those for bi-amping my fronts, at least according to the manual. If someone could tell me I'm wrong about the additional front speaker outputs I'd be extremely happy. Thanks.

You are not wrong. I'm very well versed with Yamaha products. They're great, and I'm sure you'll enjoy them, but you will need to use a the Md/CD-R loop with an external integrated amp or receiver to have control of a second source in zone 2 while maintaining your surround back channels in zone one.

[Stokestack]

I had a Denon 3802 and was aggravated by its usability flaws. So I ditched it and got a Yamaha VX1000, and I've regretted it ever since. The Yamahas' build quality is chintzy and it suffers from just as many design gaffes as the Denon, if not more.

The Yamaha is marked by baffling omissions. For example, there is no way to simply get four-speaker stereo out of the thing. I have five speakers wired for surround, but if I have a party, I might just want two stereo pairs operating. NOPE.

A usability gripe I have with both the Denons and Yamahas is the lack of an individual button on the front for each source. The Denon forces you to spin a dial and read the name of each source as it comes up, until you see the one you want. The Yamaha forces you to push arrow buttons to iterate through a two-column list of sources. Both stupid, since the receiver has a permanent set of inputs and you could devote a button to each one.

Usability flaws are so often overlooked by reviews. This one at least addresses the menus, but I wonder about the usual glaring blunders that hobble so many products today.

Sadly, reviews of the sound quality are mostly moot in terms of music, unless you're going to use something mastered before the mid-'90s. Dynamic compression has rendered good stereo systems utterly pointless for anything but older releases and movies.

[Enoch]

Originally Posted by Stokestack

I had a Denon 3802 and was aggravated by its usability flaws. So I ditched it and got a Yamaha VX1000, and I've regretted it ever since. The Yamahas' build quality is chintzy and it suffers from just as many design gaffes as the Denon, if not more.

The Yamaha is marked by baffling omissions. For example, there is no way to simply get four-speaker stereo out of the thing. I have five speakers wired for surround, but if I have a party, I might just want two stereo pairs operating. NOPE.

A usability gripe I have with both the Denons and Yamahas is the lack of an individual button on the front for each source. The Denon forces you to spin a dial and read the name of each source as it comes up, until you see the one you want. The Yamaha forces you to push arrow buttons to iterate through a two-column list of sources. Both stupid, since the receiver has a permanent set of inputs and you could devote a button to each one.

Not every model is like this. Often these features (or lack thereof) vary from year to year.
You're wrong about the Denon though. If you choose the surround mode called "5-Channel Stereo" It turns the rears into a perfect left/right pair.

[Stokestack]

"You're wrong about the Denon though. If you choose the surround mode called "5-Channel Stereo" It turns the rears into a perfect left/right pair."

Where did I say that the Denons couldn't do that? I said it about the Yamaha:

"The Yamaha is marked by baffling omissions. For example, there is no way to simply get four-speaker stereo out of the thing."

[deacongreg]

Originally Posted by Robinson_A

Yes, the Yamaha RX-V861 is out and can be purchased at Best Buy or any other Yamaha Authorized dealer. The retail price (according to Best Buy) is $899.

See it here:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1169512521742

Well Andrew, looks like Yamaha in November is coming out with the RX-Z11. Are you going to review that baby and compare it against the comparable Denons and Onkyos?

[Enoch]

Originally Posted by Stokestack

"You're wrong about the Denon though. If you choose the surround mode called "5-Channel Stereo" It turns the rears into a perfect left/right pair."

Where did I say that the Denons couldn't do that? I said it about the Yamaha:

"The Yamaha is marked by baffling omissions. For example, there is no way to simply get four-speaker stereo out of the thing."

Sorry about that. Some Yamaha's have a mode called "Party Mode" which does a reasonable job of simulating 5-chanenll stereo if you turn the reverb all the way down.