Onkyo TX-SR875 vs Yamaha RX-V3800

[JK_Livin22]

I was wondering if anyone had auditioned both or either of these receivers (Onkyo TX-875 and Yamaha RX-V3800). I hope to audition them myself in the next 3 months or so, but I live in a rural area and will have to drive a couple of hours to find a place that will have either, much less both of these receivers. If I had to give a ratio to my listening habits I would say 65 audio (live music, blues, jazz, reggae, acoustic, etc.) / 35 Home Theater. Both of these amps have a lot of similarities (TrueHD, DTS-HD, HDMI, Neural Surround Sound, etc.) but each manufacturer has other technologies that differ. I am curious as to how the technologies compare and if any are superior to the other, and if so, in what way. Onkyo has 192kHz/24bit converters, Audyssey MultEQ XT, HDMI Video Upconversion, HQV, THX Ultra 2, Theater-Dimensional, VLSC and WRAT, while Yamaha has Dolby Digital Plus, Digital ToP-ART, CINEMA DSP Digital, SILENT CINEMA and Virtual CINEMA DSP, Compressed Music Enhancer, and YPAO technologies. Ultimately, I was wondering, given my listening preferences, would any of the technologies in these receivers, make one a stronger candidate over the other...

Thanks in advance for you feedback.

(in case it makes any difference, it will most likely be connected to Wharfdale 9.5s of 9.6s)

 

[Seth=L]

Both receivers decode bitstream Dolby True HD, Plus, and DTS-HD Master Audio.

The Onkyo has Audyssey MultEQ XT, which is their newest and best auto-calibration software. I don't know if Yamaha's YPAO is as sophisticated as the Audyssey MultEQ XT at this point.

Also, the 875 features the top of the line REON HQV video scaler and is far better than the Anchor Bay scaler in the Yamaha. The scaler in the Onkyo will scale to 1080p where the Yamaha is limited to 1080i/720p.

Silent Cinema is for headphones, Onkyo has an equivelent function to this. Cinema DSP is probably one of Yamaha's best "wow" factors, but the "wow" effect wears as you listen more. It is also worth mentioning that Onkyo has DSP modes as well, though they may be more general and non adjustable as the Yamaha's are. Digital ToP-ART is a frivilous title for the amplifier they use, not dissimilar from Onkyo's WRAT amplification topology. Fact is, they both run Class A/B and should sound nearly if not completely identical while they are both operating at the same level of output and without audible distortion/onset of clipping. Virtual Cinema is a two channel ambiance mode, a technology that has been remarketed time and time again for years, basically any dime a dozen receiver will have a similar mode.

I add this just for flavor almost every time, but the Onkyo is a heavier unit. The 3800 is 38.4 pounds versus the 50.9 pound Onkyo. A few pounds are negligible, but in this case the Onkyo has a larger power supply and that will probably give it an edge in headroom for those most dynamic passages in music or movies.