Could Yamaha's RX-A830 receiver be the best bang for the buck in home theater this year?

A

admin

Audioholics Robot
Staff member
With this many features, I don't know what else they could have shoehorned in here.



Discuss "Yamaha RX-A830 AVENTAGE 7.2 Channel Network AV Receiver Preview" here. Read the article.
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
Certainly looks like a winner with this many features as well as getting Yamaha's build quality, reliability, and great customer service for that price
 
Pyrrho

Pyrrho

Audioholic Ninja
Before I ask my question, to avoid any misunderstandings, I can easily believe that a Yamaha in the price range of $500-1000 would be the best value in an A/V receiver.

But my question is, what other receivers have come out this year? It is only April, so I would not expect there to be vast numbers of receivers that have only come out this year that could compete for the honor of being the best value this year.


I don't like this about it:

There are no pre-ins for adding legacy gear.​

That also means it is not going to be suitable for any future formats that are externally converted to multichannel analog. I guess they are counting on any new thing to be converted to multichannel PCM sent via HDMI, or planning on just selling another receiver in the future.
 
M Code

M Code

Audioholic General
Before I ask my question, to avoid any misunderstandings, I can easily believe that a Yamaha in the price range of $500-1000 would be the best value in an A/V receiver.

But my question is, what other receivers have come out this year? It is only April, so I would not expect there to be vast numbers of receivers that have only come out this year that could compete for the honor of being the best value this year.


I don't like this about it:

There are no pre-ins for adding legacy gear.​

That also means it is not going to be suitable for any future formats that are externally converted to multichannel analog. I guess they are counting on any new thing to be converted to multichannel PCM sent via HDMI, or planning on just selling another receiver in the future.
Unit has several audio line L/R inputs, (4) Digital (2) Coax (2) Optical, Pre-Outs..
Very little need for multi-channel line inputs, especially since when available have NO bass management or Room EQ..

Just my $0.02... ;)
 
Pyrrho

Pyrrho

Audioholic Ninja
Unit has several audio line L/R inputs, (4) Digital (2) Coax (2) Optical, Pre-Outs..
Very little need for multi-channel line inputs, especially since when available have NO bass management or Room EQ..

Just my $0.02... ;)
I could not properly utilize my Yamaha SACD/DVD-Audio player with it. To me, that is a significant drawback, but obviously it is not one to everyone who might buy the receiver. If you do not have anything with multichannel analog outputs that you would want to use, then obviously that feature will not be as significant in your case. But I remember the old days with people buying receivers without such inputs, and then when some new audio format came out, they had to just buy a new receiver to get them, rather than use a separate processor. So I really don't like not having multichannel analog inputs.

And incidentally, the SACD/DVD-Audio player I have has its own bass management, delays, and level controls for its multichannel analog output, so it does not matter much if those things are not available in the receiver when using its multichannel analog input (which obviously is not this new receiver from Yamaha).
 
M Code

M Code

Audioholic General
I could not properly utilize my Yamaha SACD/DVD-Audio player with it. To me, that is a significant drawback, but obviously it is not one to everyone who might buy the receiver. If you do not have anything with multichannel analog outputs that you would want to use, then obviously that feature will not be as significant in your case. But I remember the old days with people buying receivers without such inputs, and then when some new audio format came out, they had to just buy a new receiver to get them, rather than use a separate processor. So I really don't like not having multichannel analog inputs.

And incidentally, the SACD/DVD-Audio player I have has its own bass management, delays, and level controls for its multichannel analog output, so it does not matter much if those things are not available in the receiver when using its multichannel analog input (which obviously is not this new receiver from Yamaha).
What about the Room EQ feature, not available through multichannel inputs...

Just $0.02... ;)
 
A

allargon

Audioholic General
Before I ask my question, to avoid any misunderstandings, I can easily believe that a Yamaha in the price range of $500-1000 would be the best value in an A/V receiver.

But my question is, what other receivers have come out this year? It is only April, so I would not expect there to be vast numbers of receivers that have only come out this year that could compete for the honor of being the best value this year.


I don't like this about it:

There are no pre-ins for adding legacy gear.​

That also means it is not going to be suitable for any future formats that are externally converted to multichannel analog. I guess they are counting on any new thing to be converted to multichannel PCM sent via HDMI, or planning on just selling another receiver in the future.
At least it still has pre-outs. I've noticed pre-outs disappeared in nearly every sub $1k receiver. They've disappeared from HK's line entirely. (The step up Lexicon pre-pro doesn't even do 3D pass through or ARC!) Component inputs disappeared in a lot of sub $500 receivers (*cough* Denon E series).
 
mike c

mike c

Audioholic Warlord
got one of these last friday.

it's an ok receiver,

auto calibration is still a dumba$$ (i thought all these generations of auto calibration would amount to an improvement)
i don't think there's an option for changing the levels of different inputs (one source is louder than other sources)
to change the levels of speakers, one would need a couple of extra button presses (denon is better in this area)
i like the HDMI standby passthrough ... will save me some electricity if i'm just surfing.
HDMI inputs up the wazoo, dual HDMI outs
 
ImcLoud

ImcLoud

Audioholic Ninja
I think Yammy has the most features for the least amount of money, like dual hdmi outputs, preouts, multi zones, dual sub outputs, networking, ect ect ect for less cost then other companies base 5.1 avr.. But I have bought a couple high end yammies that didn't last the length of time, others have had them for 5 years with not so much as a hiccup.. but I had a couple failures of units that were approaching $2K...

I like Denon and Marantz rite now, but for my guest suites parlor I am going to run a yammy because I need the dual hdmi outs to feed the parlor tv and the guest bedrooms tv...
 
mike c

mike c

Audioholic Warlord
I think Yammy has the most features for the least amount of money, like dual hdmi outputs, preouts, multi zones, dual sub outputs, networking, ect ect ect for less cost then other companies base 5.1 avr.. But I have bought a couple high end yammies that didn't last the length of time, others have had them for 5 years with not so much as a hiccup.. but I had a couple failures of units that were approaching $2K...

I like Denon and Marantz rite now, but for my guest suites parlor I am going to run a yammy because I need the dual hdmi outs to feed the parlor tv and the guest bedrooms tv...
just the luck of the draw. i know some denons that are lemons (friend's denon 4520), my denon 3808 gave up it's HDMI section in a thunderstorm (so did the succeeding HK 1650).

i don't change brands unless the brand fails me. denon has been a long time brand for me. 2309, 2 3808's, 2307 ... but my very first receiver was a yammy.
 
ImcLoud

ImcLoud

Audioholic Ninja
I agree, just depends on your luck, t-storms are kind of a gamble in themselves, not really the fault of the avr... I think if a unit doesn't have a history of failure, and it has the price and features you want then jump on it..
 
mike c

mike c

Audioholic Warlord
the receiver does have an individual source input levels. it wasn't in the setup menu, it was in the options menu.

i guess i don't have any major complaints about this receiver now.
 
Last edited:
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
My Yammy RX-V1800 has been going strong for the last five years with no problems. Every company can produce a lemon but some produce more lemons than others. Yamaha is NOT a company with a reputation of producing lemons.
 
Pyrrho

Pyrrho

Audioholic Ninja
My Yammy RX-V1800 has been going strong for the last five years with no problems. Every company can produce a lemon but some produce more lemons than others. Yamaha is NOT a company with a reputation of producing lemons.
My older Yamaha RX-V2700 works perfectly and has never needed a repair. And the Yamaha I had before that, an RX-V730, is still working perfectly as well (I gave it away to a person with whom I keep in touch). Unless they change their ways, my next surround receiver will probably be a Yamaha, though I don't expect to buy one until I need some feature or other that the RX-V2700 lacks. And one of my brothers is still using the Yamaha RX-V750 he bought many years ago. He does not need HDMI with it; he uses an Oppo BD player with multichannel analog outputs and runs the HDMI for video straight to his TV. My guess is that he will keep that for many more years, as he is not someone to replace gear when he can get away with the old gear doing everything he needs. Yamaha receivers, if not abused, usually last longer than one really needs them to, given the desire for newer features.
 

Latest posts

newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top