Yamaha RX-V363BL 500 Watt 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this Yamaha (RXV363) unit because a lightning storm burned out the Sony, which I was happy with. This unit resides in my bedroom - which consists of an HDTV, FIOS, DVD and Sony 5.1 satellite speaker system - and is not my main HT system, which reside in the basement and consist of the higher end components. I looked at the Yamaha RXC463, Onkyo TX-SR506, 606, Sony STR-DG720 but did not want to spend the extra cash for the satellite ready capability. Nor was I interested in the video switching capabilities since I connect all video source directly to the TV and all audio sources to the receiver. For switching, I use my Harmony 880 - one button operation.
Connectivity:
For my situation, the Yamaha has all the connections I need (DVD and FIOS). Setup is simple and straight forward. Remember, you get HD quality from both HDMI and Component connections.
As far as connecting video components thru the receiver, I can't give an opinion on that because I do not go thru the receiver for video connections, up conversion and all that stuff. I always connect my video source directly to the TV- always. I just believe that you lose picture quality going thru a receiver. Remember, the most direct path between 2 points is a straight line. I only use the receiver for the audio connections because to me that's its main purpose - audio and TV is video. Besides connecting thru the receiver, in my opinion, is mainly for convenience and possibly (emphasis) saving a few bucks on cables.
As stated by other reviewers, the HDMI ports (video pass-thru) do not output sound (manual specifically states this fact as well as other sources on the internet) so you must connect separate audio cables. Having HDMI output audio is good if you are using the speakers in the TV (but why would you do that if you want a HT quality sound) but if you have surround speakers then you should use either the digital or optical audio connections.
Now with that said, I know that there are some that have many components to connect in their system or want the convenience of having the least amount of cables connected to the TV, receiver etc. For those you either have to dig a little deeper in the pockets or get a separate switching device for all of the components. This unit, at $200, is an entry level HT receiver so don't expect it to do what the high end units can.
Remote Control
The remote control is a little tricky. What I found is that it's a little confusing on how to switch between sound stages at first but like anything new you get used to it.
As an alternative to those who want simplicity in switching between video sources do yourself a favor and get the Harmony 880 remote control - one remote, one button control bliss baby. Amazon seems to have the best prices on the remotes. Check it out.
Overall:
Overall this is a good unit. This is a nice entry level unit and it does well for the limited setup I have in the bedroom. This unit actually makes the Sony satellite speaker sound much better than the Sony receiver did. This unit has better sound fields than my older Sony unit - I like the Straight and Enhance and 5 channel speaker modes. My Sony did not have these.
TIP: Before purchasing any HT equipment you must do your research. You can go to the manufacturer's website and download the manual and determine if it contains all the connections etc you need for your system. What I've found in some of the previous reviews is that the unit was purchased without truly knowing its capabilities and then that person bashes it - which is unfair. The only problem is the individual did not do his/her research and/or know the true capabilities of the unit. The World Wide Web has all sorts of reviews on this unit - both professional and end user - so it baffles me that these people did not know the limits of the unit. Uhhh oh yeah they didn't do their research. So when you read these reviews, read between the lines of the comments, which many times will reveal that the person did not do the necessary homework prior to the purchase and/or did or do not understand the functions of a specific AV receiver. So please make sure the equipment has all you need before putting out negative reviews.
Also, remember if you have surround speakers you do not need to send the audio thru the HDMI just use the digital coax or optical audio connections. And don't believe much of the hype about the cables (i.e. the better ones are the most expensive ones). Just don't use the cables that come in the box and don't spend tons of money on cables either.


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High-value receiver with an impressive array of features and technologies to enhance the audio/video experience, including HDMI switching with 1080p video pass-through, iPod and Bluetooth audio compatibility, CINEMA DSP, Compressed Music Enhancer, and four SCENE buttons.

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Pioneer VSX-520-K 5.1 Home Theater Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)I ordered this for a friend as a replacement for a Panasonic SA-HE70 (which got good reviews a few years ago). He isn't disappointed. He now is set for both 3D and blu-ray HiDef. With his Bose speaker system, he doesn't need much power, but this little receiver seems to have alot of it for the money.
This is Pioneer's bottom of the line, but don't let that fool you. It has 3 HDMI 1.4a inputs, decodes Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Audio, and Dolby Pro Logic IIz, is Blue Tooth ready (need adapter), and 3-D video ready. Quite a bargain for $200.
Cons: Spring Clips for surround sound speakers (binding posts for the mains).
If you don't connect with HDMI, DVD audio is monitored thru the "CD" connection. It took a little while to figure this out -causing much anxiety.
If you want a basic surround reciever that is fully capable of supporting all current forms of video and audio, you could do alot worse than the VSX-520-k, and, for the money, you would be hard-pressed to do better.

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Key Features are 110 watts X 5, Dolby True-HD / DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Pro-Logic IIz Height Channel Decoder,Phase Control. The Auto Level Control is 2 Channel. Sound Retriever – 2 channel. Bluetooth Ready with optional AS-BT100 HDMI 1.4 x 3, 3-D Ready, Deep Color & x.v. color. Component Video Inputs (2 in / 1 out) , Front Mini Portable Input, Audio Inputs (4 in / 1out - includes Tuner), Audio/Video Inputs (3 in / 1 out), Digital Inputs (3 - 1 coax / 2opt), Dolby PLIIz Pre-Out, Glossy Black Cosmetic, System Remote Control

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Samsung HT-X810 2.1 Channel Sound Bar Home Theater System Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm not an audiophile and found the HT-X810 quite by accident after doing a google search for 'wall mount stereo'. I'd lived in Denmark and had seen Bang & Olufsen stuff so knew that it was possible to put a stereo in a discrete shell but was hoping that some company made something that didn't require an additional mortgage. I've got cable but no set top box or TV furniture to hold components so my main objective was to find something that complimented my wall-mounted flat screen, didn't require turning my dry wall into swiss cheese to hide miles of wire, and provided some semblance of 'theater-like' sound. After trolling the web I found a number of 2.1 systems. Below is a discussion of these and the reasoning why I went with the Samsung:
Yamaha YAS-70/1BL: The Good: 1) Has an SPDIF (digital optical audio) input for directing broadcast TV audio through the receiver in digital format rather than simple RCA 2-channel stereo. 2) Relatively slim soundbar/display looks nice and fits inconspicuously below the TV. 3) Includes wall-mount hardware. 4) The sub has a clean look. The Bad: 1) Requires not one but two 13-foot cables (control & speaker) between the sub and the soundbar/display, which requires hiding wires and, more importantly, limits placement of the sub. 2) The digital AV connections are on the sub so, depending on sub placement, the cables to the TV may have to be relatively long (i.e. 13 feet) and, like the control and speaker cables, also require hiding. 3) You must use a separate dvd player, which 'ruins' the clean wall-mount look unless you have a TV with an integrated dvd player or a piece of furniture. 4) The number of digital AV connection ports is very limited so you'll have to connect components (dvd player, game consul, etc...) through the TV and then onto the receiver via the SPDIF, which means more wires. 5) As far as I could find, there is no iPOD/Mp3/USB connection dock.
Sony HT-CT100: The Good: 1) Can make the SPDIF connection to the TV for good sound on broadcast TV. 2) The sub/receiver has plenty of HDMI connection ports for connecting the TV and additional components. 3) Has a nice slim speaker for mounting under the TV. 4) Includes wall-mount hardware. The Bad: 1) Requires a 10-foot cable between the sub/receiver and the soundbar, which raises the problems of hiding the cable and even more limited sub placement than the Yamaha. The cable is a 9-pin serial cable, which is a standard PC cable and so can be swapped out for something longer for better sub placement but it still needs hiding. 2) The digital AV connections are on the sub so there are more wires to hide and the farther away the sub is from the TV, the longer these must be. 3) You must use a separate dvd player. 4) The remote sensor is on the sub/receiver so unless its placed on the same wall as the TV, using the remote can be a bit counter-intuitive. 4) The porthole is on the front of the sub and looks a bit odd. 5) The iPOD/Mp3/USB connection dock is only available separately.
Philips HTS8100: The Good: 1) Has an integrated 1080 resolution dvd player. 2) Has an HDMI connection port to send digital video signal to the TV for dvd playback. 3) The soundbar/display is reminiscent of the Yamaha, just a bit bigger but still not obtrusive. 4) Includes wall-mount hardware. 5) The sub is smallish and looks good. 6) Has iPOD/Mp3/USB docking capability. The Bad: 1) Requires a clunky 15-foot cable between the sub/receiver and the soundbar, which raises the problems of hiding wires and limited sub placement. 2) Has no SPDIF connection for digital audio from the TV and instead offers a pair of RCA stereo inputs on the soundbar plus another pair of RCAs and a single coaxial digital audio input on the sub/receiver. This likely means buying an SPDIF-to-coaxial adapter and using the input on the sub to get digital audio for either broadcast TV or game console play. Even with this `fix' you'll have to choose which gets stuck with simple 2-channel RCA sound and again, you're adding more wire between the sub and the TV/soundbar that will need hiding. 5) The iPOD/Mp3/USB dock is a clumsy external unit.
At this point in my research, it seemed that the problem with all 2.1 systems was their flat sound reproduction in comparison to true 5.1 systems. Convenience does come with a price but the inherent sound limitation of 2.1 systems can be minimized through placement of the sub. The most obvious weakness of 2.1 systems is the lack of genuine rear stage sound and the best way to overcome this is to place the sub opposite the TV and near the listeners. In terms of sound, convenience and aesthetics then, the most significant problem with the Yamaha, Sony and Philips systems is the wired connection that must be made between their soundbars and their subs. The length of these cables limits the distance that the sub can be place away from the soundbar, which hurts sound quality. Additionally, and with varying degrees of severity due to where digital AV connections are made and whether or not a dvd player must be connected, the running of AV cables takes away from the convenience and clean lines that drew me to a 2.1 system in the first place. My conclusion then, was to get a 2.1 system with a wireless sub and an integrated dvd player so that I could best mimic rear stage sound and not have to worry about using a separate dvd player, extending the sub-soundbar cable of a wired 2.1 systems for better sub placement, hiding wires throughout the living room. As there are only two companies offering 2.1 systems with wireless subs and only one company offering a 2.1 system with both a wireless sub and an integrated dvd player, my choice was easy.
Boston Acoustics TVee Model 2: The Good: 1) Has the wireless sub needed for most easily diminishing the weaknesses of 2.1 sound. The Bad: Requires connecting a separate dvd player.
Samsung HT-X810: The Good: 1) Has the wireless sub needed for most easily diminishing the weaknesses of 2.1 sound. 2) Has an integrated dvd player that upscales to 1080 resolution. 3) Has an SPDIF input for directing broadcast TV audio through the receiver in digital format rather than 2-channel RCA stereo. 4) Has an HDMI connection for good digital picture reproduction during dvd playback. 5) Includes wall-mount hardware. 6) The sub looks good and is very simple to hook-up. The Bad: 1) Base-heavy sound and limited adjustability of the sub volume. 2) At 39" wide and 7" tall, its bigger than the other systems and so probably best suited for a 42" or larger TV. 3) Has USB port but iPOD/Mp3 dock requires and aftermarket wire. 4) It doesn't have BluRay but neither does the Philips. 5) It costs more than the units that don't include a dvd player but it's on par with the Philips, which does.
Happy Shopping.

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RCA Rt2770 5.1-Channel, 1000-Watt Receiver Home Theater System Review

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(More customer reviews)RCA Rt2770 5.1-Channel, 1000-Watt Receiver Home Theater System WithOUT DVD Player We really are enjoying this product. We only gave it a 4/5 because we've only had it a short while, and are not yet able to testify to its durability and endurance over time. The cables are all color coded making installation a breeze! It really is simple to hook up, and simple to use. Just remember to turn the subwoofer on, or it won't work. ;).....Also, there is a notice printed on yellow paper and taped right to the top of this unit stating that it NEEDS 4" of breathing space on three sides and 2" on the back. IT MEANS what it says. The fan motor WILL BURN OUT if you do not give it its necessary space!!!

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