Help Onkyo Rz50 or Yamaha A4A

[Rictor133]

I am torn between these two receivers to power our 7.1 Axiom Audio speaker set up. M60 floors, centre, quadripolar surrounds, and rear wall speakers 8 ohm. I am retiring a Pioneer 1027k that has lasted us about 8 -10 years.

I like the build quality of the Yamaha A4A, extensive use of heat sinks, and cooling fan, it is a little large for our cabinet, I expect the Pioneer gave up its ghost due to over heating issues as I am getting the dreaded UE22 error, probably not worth repairing due to its age…

I have read a lot of good things about the Onkyo rz50, hopefully not influencer hype, we have a ps5 but I do not foresee 120 hz use much in our future. I also would like Dirac for room set up.

Apparently there is a lack of A2’s so mist are pushing the A4, with slight price reductions bringing the two AVR’s to around the same price $$1750 CDN.

the AVR will be used primarily for movies, blu ray, and music, it would be great if we could get by without using the preamps for now.

any thoughts are appreciated, just have to get the buy in from the wife, she says the AVR is just flashing an error code, although it did go completely bonkers one night with bazaar sounds, so it is just a matter of time. Under 2k Cdn or I will be sleeping in the shed…

thanks all !!!

 

[gene]

Axiom M60s are a pretty difficult load since they parallel the mid with the woofers with no HP so you need an AVR that can drive low impedance loads IF you run them full range. Those are both good receiver choices, however. Too bad you're in Canada or I'd sell you my slightly used RX-A6A for a killer deal. It has a very stout amp and sounds great driving a pair of fullrange towers.

 

[Rictor133]

Great to hear from you Gene, I started following your channel during the pandemic, you were one of the first to share your covid story, so glad you pulled through.

I recently refoamed a pair of Realistic Optimus T120’s from the 70’s those floors have a 10inch woofer, 5 inch mid and tweeter, was thinking of running them in zone two.

Great content Gene!!!
Wish I was closer that A6A looks awesome

 

[dlaloum]

Axiom M60s are a pretty difficult load since they parallel the mid with the woofers with no HP so you need an AVR that can drive low impedance loads IF you run them full range. Those are both good receiver choices, however. Too bad you're in Canada or I'd sell you my slightly used RX-A6A for a killer deal. It has a very stout amp and sounds great driving a pair of fullrange towers.

According to a review ( https://www.soundandvision.com/content/test-report-axiom-audio-m60-v3-tower-speakers-page-4) they only drop as low as 5 ohm at 44Hz...

That should not be an excessively difficult load?

Yes I would consider the Yamahas as probably the better amp, but the RZ50 has Dirac... and with a speaker that drops to only 5 ohm at worst, the Onkyo would not be heavily stressed, and the benefits of Dirac would be substantial....

I chose the Integra DRX 3.4 for myself, as I did not need the additional channels of the RZ50, and use external amps to drive my speakers, due to their dropping down to 1.6 ohm... so they don't sound great on most AVR's due to current starvation!... If I was choosing without Room/Speaker EQ as a factor - I would have picked a Yammie....but Dirac swung me to the Onkyo/Integra/Pioneer family - for the first time, Dirac is/was available on a reasonably priced component!

 

[PENG]

According to a review ( https://www.soundandvision.com/content/test-report-axiom-audio-m60-v3-tower-speakers-page-4) they only drop as low as 5 ohm at 44Hz...

That should not be an excessively difficult load?

It just shows how one needs to focus on objective measurements, yet...... To be fair, we need to see the graph for a better picture, but then again, subjectively, the reviewer Brent Butterworth did say " The M60 v3 couldn't be much easier to drive. " Go figure!

 

[Rictor133]

Appreciate all the input. Following Gene’s positive testing of the Ypoa, I may just go Yammie - after 15 or so years my upstairs htr 6080 is still running strong.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Appreciate all the input. Following Gene’s positive testing of the Ypoa, I may just go Yammie - after 15 or so years my upstairs htr 6080 is still running strong.

The A2A and A4A also have a 5 YR warranty, which IMO is a big factor to many people.

 

[dlaloum]

Appreciate all the input. Following Gene’s positive testing of the Ypoa, I may just go Yammie - after 15 or so years my upstairs htr 6080 is still running strong.

Although I jumped on the Onkyo bandwagon some years ago, I have always liked the Yammies, good sound, GREAT reliability, very well built and decent value.

 

[lovinthehd]

New Denons (3800/4800) also have the Dirac option down the line...fwiw. Plus I'd rather use Audyssey than YPAO....

 

[Rictor133]

In my area the comparable Denons are not in the same price range. The Denon 4800 locally is double the price of either the A4A, or the rz50, the 3800 is about $700 CDN more than either the A4A or the rz30, nice receivers tho!

 

[dlaloum]

Where I am (Australia) the Integra 3.4 on pre-order was almost 30% cheaper than the Denon or Yamaha equivalents and several hundred less than the Onkyo RZ50... I was also keen to try out Dirac, and didn't need the additional channels of the RZ50.

So yes - location can have a substantial impact on pricing (as can timing too!) - the prices have risen substantially - and the differential between the brands has reduced... (I got a great deal on pre-order!)

With some companies where there are near clones available across different brands, and where the brands have competing channels/distribution, you can sometimes get a bargain by switching between the well nigh identical models.... ie: Onkyo / Integra / Pioneer, but also to some degree Denon / Marantz

 

[gene]

It just shows how one needs to focus on objective measurements, yet...... To be fair, we need to see the graph for a better picture, but then again, subjectively, the reviewer Brent Butterworth did say " The M60 v3 couldn't be much easier to drive. " Go figure!

The M60v3 we used in our shootout had no HPF on the mid and would trip the impedance circuit of a Marantz PM-11S2 at high listening levels with bass intense music. The impedance minima near DC was lower than 5 ohms from my measurements as a result of paralleling the woofers and mid.

2010 Audioholics $1k Floorstanding Loudspeaker Faceoff

See how some of the biggest loudspeaker names (Klipsch, Axiom, JBL and EMP) compare in our blind and sighted floorstanding loudspeaker annual faceoff.

www.audioholics.com

It's possible Axiom changed this with their latest design which we haven't tested.

 

[Rictor133]

I pulled the trigger on the Yamaha today, I found a great deal locally on the Aventage A4, worked out to $1700 CDN or $1250 US, the CDN dollar sux!

going to wait for the holidays to set it up.

Thanks again for everyone’s input, it is a great forum!!!!!

Cheers!

 

[tartarni]

Axiom M60s are a pretty difficult load since they parallel the mid with the woofers with no HP so you need an AVR that can drive low impedance loads IF you run them full range. Those are both good receiver choices, however. Too bad you're in Canada or I'd sell you my slightly used RX-A6A for a killer deal. It has a very stout amp and sounds great driving a pair of fullrange towers.

Axiom M60s are a pretty difficult load since they parallel the mid with the woofers with no HP so you need an AVR that can drive low impedance loads IF you run them full range. Those are both good receiver choices, however. Too bad you're in Canada or I'd sell you my slightly used RX-A6A for a killer deal. It has a very stout amp and sounds great driving a pair of fullrange towers.

Hi may I ask how much your asking for your Aventage A6A and how long have you had it. Is the warranty good for the second owner. Im in California.

 

[gene]

Hi may I ask how much your asking for your Aventage A6A and how long have you had it. Is the warranty good for the second owner. Im in California.

For an Audioholics reader, I will sell for $1500+shipping. I've had it since I bench tested 6 month or so ago. Factory box, documentation all included. PM me if interested.

 

[Rictor133]

If I was in the US I would have jumped at that offer Gene!

Too bad … the CDN dollar, together with shipping and duty would have killed me lol.

 

[gene]

If I was in the US I would have jumped at that offer Gene!

Too bad … the CDN dollar, together with shipping and duty would have killed me lol.

Yea agreed. It's why we don't do many contests outside the USA.

 

[Mr. Lamb Fries]

For an Audioholics reader, I will sell for $1500+shipping. I've had it since I bench tested 6 month or so ago. Factory box, documentation all included. PM me if interested.

Any chance you still have the a6a? I'm looking for an avr and thought I was sold on the 4700 till I saw this! Thanks, Greg