Yamaha RX-A3000 - would I recognize 10 more watts?

[MattCarpenter]

I recently purchased the Yamaha RX-A2000 to replace my ancient Sony STR-AV1070X analog receiver (Dolby Pro Logic).

I'm very happy to join the digital world!! BUT, I didn't fully realize this, but the old Sony was rated at 195W per channel and the A2000 is 130W.

What I'm finding is that I'm able to drive my B&W Matrix 805's, but the receiver is at a much higher volume than I was used to with the Sony. With the Sony, I'd rarely get above "5", but with the A2000 I'm around -18db or -15db for the same volume (I'm guessing there). I definitely think I could get more power out of the Sony for 2-channel programs. When I ran the Sony in a simulated surround mode I could hit the protection feature easily at higher volumes.

So, I'm wondering if I should exchange the unit for the A3000 which offers 140W per channel (10 more watts)? Would I be able to hear the power or at least drive the amplifier at a lower % of its capacity?

Beyond the small amount of extra power, the A3000 offers some video adjustments which I don't value that much, since I'd end up adjusting video on my display itself anyway.

It's another $400. If it makes a difference, I'll swallow the $400 since I'll end up keeping he receiver for a long time. But, if it's not going to make much of a difference, I'll forget it and save the money. That was my original thinking during the selection, but I didn't realize my old Sony was as powerful as it was!

Any thoughts or experience from the field?

 

[GlocksRock]

That tiny bit of extra power won't matter one tiny bit, especially since you won't actually be getting a real 10 watts difference, it would only amount to one or two real watts anyay.

 

[its phillip]

10 more watts wouldn't make a difference. If you need more power/headroom, you need to be looking at external amplification - take a look at the emotiva XPA series

http://emotiva.com/home.html

 

[3db]

10 Watts won't do anything at all that you would perceive towards the power. You are better off getting getting external amps and use the preamp section of the A2000 for your left and rigt channels.

 

[MattCarpenter]

thanks

That tiny bit of extra power won't matter one tiny bit, especially since you won't actually be getting a real 10 watts difference, it would only amount to one or two real watts anyay.

That's kind of what I thought. So the A2000 seems to be the better value.

Thanks!

 

[mtrycrafts]

I recently purchased the Yamaha RX-A2000 to replace my ancient Sony STR-AV1070X analog receiver (Dolby Pro Logic).

I'm very happy to join the digital world!! BUT, I didn't fully realize this, but the old Sony was rated at 195W per channel and the A2000 is 130W.

?

I seriously doubt that the Sony was rated at 195 watts per channel into 8 ohms. Not even high end receivers today have that power rating.

 

[its phillip]

From the manual:

With 8-ohm load, both channels driven, from 20-20,000 Hz, rated 120 wats per channel minimum RMS power, with no more than 0.015% total harmonic distortion from 250 milliwatts to rated output.

Dynamic power output:
8 ohms, at 1kHz / 195 + 195 watts
4 ohms, at 1kHz / 250 + 250 watts

Power output of center amplifier:
30 watts
(15 + 15 watts, 8 ohms at 1kHz)

 

[AVRat]

Oops, Phillip snuck in:

FYI, the Sony was rated @ 120W full spectrum and the 5 volume level is out of 10 max. That was a linear volume scale, while today's receivers use a log scale. Each dB increase raises the volume about 26%.

http://www.docs.sony.com/release/STRAV1070X.PDF

 

[its phillip]

For comparison, here are the RX-A2000 specs:

Minimum RMS (20 Hz to 20 kHz, 0.06% THD, 8 ohms)
130W across the board

Dynamic Power (IHF)
Front L/R, 8/6/4/2 ohms - 165/210/285/405W

 

[MattCarpenter]

hmmm... so what is dynamic power?

Apologize for a newbie question, but what is dynamic power output and how does 195W compare with 120 on the Sony? Or 130W/165W compare on the Yamaha?

These specs suggest the Sony is a little quieter (low THD 0.015 vs. 0.06%), but that the Yamaha actually has a little more power, 130W vs. 120W?

Is part of the mystery that the volume scale on the Sony is linear, while the Yamaha is logarithmic, such that the volume increases are much faster at the high end of the Yamaha scale? I probably need to think about the math on this for another second...

 

[GlocksRock]

the thd refers to distortion, not to noise, you are probably thinking of the SNR, but you can't really hear any of those specs anyway. Just get the receiver that has the features you want, the real world power difference between them will be minimal at best. As long as your speakers are fairly efficient you should have no problems, and if you need more power then you are better off with an external amp than a higher end receiver.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

the thd refers to distortion, not to noise, you are probably thinking of the SNR, but you can't really hear any of those specs anyway. Just get the receiver that has the features you want, the real world power difference between them will be minimal at best. As long as your speakers are fairly efficient you should have no problems, and if you need more power then you are better off with an external amp than a higher end receiver.

I agree.

Key in the features & personal aesthetics. The 7.1 analog output to an Ext Amp & 7.1 analog input from source player are 2 important features.

 

[MattCarpenter]

Excellent - appreciate the assist.

I do really like the Yamaha for the HDMI passthrough in standby, as well as a number of other features.

 

[mtrycrafts]

From the manual:

With 8-ohm load, both channels driven, from 20-20,000 Hz, rated 120 wats per channel minimum RMS power, with no more than 0.015% total harmonic distortion from 250 milliwatts to rated output.

Dynamic power output:
8 ohms, at 1kHz / 195 + 195 watts
4 ohms, at 1kHz / 250 + 250 watts

Power output of center amplifier:
30 watts
(15 + 15 watts, 8 ohms at 1kHz)

Thanks. I looked for it but had to pay to download a manual for the old unit.
So, he has a 120 watt unit, not 195 watts. The new units would have similar dynamic power as well, most likely.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Apologize for a newbie question, but what is dynamic power output and how does 195W compare with 120 on the Sony? Or 130W/165W compare on the Yamaha?
...

Dynamic power is for a very short duration, like 20 milliseconds or so. The 120w and 130 w mentioned is for continuous power output capability, long duration at that full power level.

That 10 watt difference between 120 and 130 is nothing to worry about, not audible. The 165 and 195 is again, dynamic and the difference between them most likely not detected.

 

[AVRat]

I posted a link to the manual in post #8.