Official Yamaha RX-Z7 Receiver Review Thread

[gene]

All;

I am receiving an RX-Z7 sample at the end of this week for review. Please feel free to post your requests on stuff for me to check during my review process and I will do my best to do so. This is going to be a cool review as I have two other receivers in house to compare against: Pioneer Elite SC-07 and Yamaha RX-V2700.

[sticknstones]

Originally Posted by gene

All;

I am receiving an RX-Z7 sample at the end of this week for review. Please feel free to post your requests on stuff for me to check during my review process and I will do my best to do so. This is going to be a cool review as I have two other receivers in house to compare against: Pioneer Elite SC-07 and Yamaha RX-V2700.

Hello all and Gene thanks for the kind offer to test the Z7 if we had any requests. I read the HDMI Cable tests from your site and was fascinated by the results as the hype is all over the place.

Okay, Here is my situation or summary of equipment.

- Denon 3803 that I use for Audio only for the last two years given the HDMI Launch. Used in 5.1 today and tomorrow.
- DVDO VP20 (Anchor Bay) purchased to replace video processing by Denon and upconvert my old SD CRT plus handle the HDMI for cheapo Std DVD and Satellite since Denon did not
- Huges HD HR20-700 Satellite plus DVR
- Sony Cheapo Std DVD with upconversion
- NHT MA-1A 80W amp for Sub - External mounts in Cabinett with other AV. Probably 10 years old but works perfect!
- NHT SW2P 10" Cone for Sub
- Samsung 56 DLP thin 1080p with HDMI v 1.2
- Monster HTS 3600 power cleaner
- B&W N804 L/R with Cambridge in other areas (will upgrade the Cambridge later)

Interest:

I would like to either upgrade the amp to a newer AVR and am shortlisted to the NAD T785, Integra 9.9, or Yamaha Z7 with the Denon 5308/4308 trailing due to cost and the Marantz due to functionality.

I am also ready to go with the Blu-Ray now that the format wars are over and the unit prices are falling!

I have been reading all these forums with untold fascination and geez louize the choices can be overwhelming!

My Interest in the Integra and the Yamaha is that I can map two of the amps from the surround to my L/R which is desirable as I can bi-amp my B&W's that could use a little more love. So the Bi-amp optimize a 7.1 to other uses was big on my list.

1) COULD YOU TEST THIS AND REPORT?

I am also interested that Yamaha is in the minority of using a Parametric approach to optimizing all the speakers with proprietary technology versus everyone else using Audyssey graphical EQ!

2) CAN YOU COMPARE THE TWO? What is the real difference between the two approaches and it seems that many opinions on the Audyssey are out there as good and otherwise!

Third request is with the options on OEM for the Video Scaling where the big 3 seem to be: Faroudja, Silicon Optix Realta, and Anchor Bay.

3) How do they compare? What functions are included in the OEM version versus native boxes like the VP50 ( I know your eyes might be rolling as there is so much functionality in the DVDO sets but I am looking to learn and asking is free)

4) The AVR Hype is overwhelming! Torroidal Transformer versus not, multiple power supplys to support avr switching, heat sinks size in AVR's limited due to space and because of space AVR's limited to less than 150 Watt Amps. Boutique separates behind mass market AVR's. Okay please know I understand that in your role you need to keep solid bridges with all manufacturers but trying to ferret out all the angles is a tough match for us in the end-consumer trenches.

Can you Summarize the feature functions in a way that we can decipher what is really important for say a purchase that needs to have a 5 year run?

5) Lots of folks with interest in the DACs Burr Brown. I saw a post that had the 1791 DAC costing roughly $3 bucks and the 1796 at $12 bucks. Why would these AVR manufacturers be splitting hairs on a price delta that is this nominal? What is the performance difference and why the fuss anyway?


I may have mis-interpreted what I read and will humbly bow to anyone that loves to take flesh bites out of erroneous quoting but I sensed that the Yamaha only did 1080P at 24FS? Does it support faster rates?

I think the other guys and dolls had nice ideas but these are mine so I will thank you in advance!!!!

I sent an email to Aaron at Anchor Bay as I was thinking of upgrading to the VP50 pro and using separates but cannot seem to assemble a system that would come even close to what you could purchase with the all in one's.

thank ya sir!

[Jeepers]

Originally Posted by gene

All;

I am receiving an RX-Z7 sample at the end of this week for review. Please feel free to post your requests on stuff for me to check during my review process and I will do my best to do so. This is going to be a cool review as I have two other receivers in house to compare against: Pioneer Elite SC-07 and Yamaha RX-V2700.

Gene, can you please compare the audio part of the Z7 with the Z11 ?
I know you don't have the Z11 in house but is the Z7 an upgraded 3900 or not or a downgraded Z11 ? I am not referring to the 4.1 difference but to the parts.

Furthermore I assume that the video part of the Z7 is better than the Z11's.
Thanks.

[bandphan]

Thanks Gene
Could you post some results of the applied video processing? Also if you could tell is a little about the audio paramters setup, compared other to mid level avrs.

[zumbo]

I would like to know how the Anchor Bay processing compares to Realta. I purchased the RX-Z7, and I also have the Marantz BD8002. What to do?

[PENG]

Originally Posted by zumbo

I would like to know how the Anchor Bay processing compares to Realta. I purchased the RX-Z7, and I also have the Marantz BD8002. What to do?

Please try both and let us know if you see any difference and if you do which one is better. My guess is that unless you can do a side by side comparison it will be hard to tell. Too bad you can't do a blind test on the video side.

[zumbo]

I would also like to know if the RX-Z option of shutting the amp off makes it perform as a better pre-pro compared to the other two.

If nothing else, I am thinking the unit would draw less voltage. Can you check that too? Please, can ya?

[Paul Clark]

Thank you, Gene!

A reveiw of the audio using Super Audio CD's (preferably recorded in DSD - Direct Stream Digital), played back in Multi-Channel 5.1 Surround, fed over HDMI to the Z7 while it is in Pure Direct mode.

A comparison of the Z7 with V3900 audio using the above criteria would be ideal.

Thanks again.

[zumbo]

I am sure you will check 4ohm performance, but how about how the Z7 will do powering a complete 4ohm 5/7 speaker system?

[bandphan]

also..... the video options for zone 2/3

ty

scott