Yamaha RX-V4600 Receiver Review Thread

[newfmp3]

But, you can shoot me if you like, I still would like to know what the rating on all channels driven is. Seems to be a common thing on other forums to bash receivers like yamaha that can't push more then one channel at a time. Even Axiom tries to steer m80 owners away from yamaha's because their ps's are crap. The fact that the rating is nowhere to be found makes it look suspicous.

I am hoping that the 4600 is better . All I can do is try it next to my NAD t773 when it gets here. Whatever one sounds better I keep.

 

[Audioholics]

Please read this again:

http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/audioprinciples/amplifiers/allchannelsdriven.php

 

[newfmp3]

can I ask this? How would the 4600 power/amp section compare to say a hk 635, or 3805, or even a 4806. Even more so with 4 ohm fronts.

 

[jjfz28]

4600 with THX Select

THX Select states:

THX Select is a more affordable version of THX Certification. It is designed to play at reference levels in rooms of approximately 2,000 cubic feet.

My room is just under 4000 cubic feet. Will I be disappointed with the 4600's ability to properly "fill the room"? I don't have the current sensitivity specs on my speakers but I will say that my old H/K AVR 85 with 85 watts rms / channel does a decent job.

 

[Jorge O]

z1 o RX V 4600

Which one do you recomend? Wich one has a better sound performance?

 

[Buckle-meister]

Watch this space troytn. My own Z9 has a little niggling issue, so it's gone for a visit to Yamaha UK. The Technician I've been speaking over the phone with has told me that as a matter of course, they will upgrade my firmware to the latest version, so when I get it back (I estimate up to two weeks from todays date) I'll let you know one way or the other whether YPAO has changed (although I doubt it will have).

Nope, it doesn't. At least, not that I can see.

Regards

 

[newfmp3]

OH MY!

I have to wait at least another 2 weeks to get my 4600 so I can try it.

AHHHHH! I hate waiting.

I've got nothing left to read up on it either. I can't find any other reviews or anything to help pass time.

 

[troytn]

Nope, it doesn't. At least, not that I can see.

Regards

I checked with Yamaha and they told me that they cannot add any changes or upgrades to an existing model number or they would have to offer it as a "upgrade to everyone" that purchased the RX-Z9. So it sounds like any advancements in the rx-4600 and its YPAO or any other features would added in the RX-Z9 replacement which the Yamaha rep told me to attend the January 2006 CES show in Las Vegas and we might hear about a new RX-z9.
We shall see. If a replacemet was announced then that means it would not actually be available until spring/summer 2006.

Has anyone else heard about a new RX-z9 replacement?

 

[Wrk_hrd2Play_hr]

Input separation question on the RX-V4600

I've had my 4600 for two weeks now, mated to Paradigm Studio 100s, CC470, ADP470 & a PW2100 sub. I can say that I'm very pleased with this setup. I feel the 4600 has sufficient power to drive the 100s fairly well (even though I run them full range...i.e. "Large"). As an extra level of safety, I have set the internal cooling fan to run continiously.

Anyway, the other day I was curious as to how numerically high the volume control on the 4600 could go. I was listening to a CD using the DVD input (via a denon 2910 universal player) and switched the 4600 to an unused input and turned the volume control gradually up to its maximum level (+16 db). What I was surprised to find was that around +12 db onwards i.e. right on the top of the max volume level, I could actually hear my CD that was playing on the DVD input. The music was accompanied by a good bit of hiss (given that I was nearly a max volume).

While this "input bleeding" only occured at almost max volume, I am curious as to whether this is an issue. It is my understanding that the 4600 has a pretty good pre/pro section and I always thought one of the characteristics of a good pre/pro is that it is silent unless actual input material is being fed.

I really like this receiver am am interested to hear Gene and others takes on this issue.

Thanks

 

[newfmp3]

my nad does the same thing. although, it does it a little sooner, can't quite remember where but I think it's around +6. I can hear my sat dish even though It's not selected and nothing is playing.

As for hiss, the Nad hiss's a bit anyways. Apparently a common trait for the tororidal's.

How large is your room?

 

[Wrk_hrd2Play_hr]

my nad does the same thing. although, it does it a little sooner, can't quite remember where but I think it's around +6. I can hear my sat dish even though It's not selected and nothing is playing.

As for hiss, the Nad hiss's a bit anyways. Apparently a common trait for the tororidal's.

How large is your room?

The room is ~17.5 X 20 with an open kitchen plan adjacent to it. The biggest downside with the way my equipment is set up is that I can't get the Studio 100s far enough apart from each other. They are 14 feet from my listening position and paradigm recommends that they be set apart 3/4th of the distance from you listen position i.e. they should be 10.5 feet apart in my case, however, I can only get them about 7.5 feet apart.

Still love the set up though. Watched Hide & Seek with DeNiro and Dakota Fanning last night with a couple of friends over....suffice to say we were completely on edge and were very very jumpy

 

[newfmp3]

how warm does the amp get after some loud listening?

 

[Wrk_hrd2Play_hr]

how warm does the amp get after some loud listening?

I've been taking it easy since my Paradigms are new and I don't want to beat on them until I've had a good couple of hours on them. That being said, I listened to the Eagles-Hotel California DVD audio in 5.1 (with the 100s on large) at -10 db and I didn't feel like the 4600 was being heavily taxed. I could have gone louder, but again, I was being careful with the speakers. The 100s are set as large and everything else is set as small with a 80Hz crossover to the sub (my Denon 2910 DVD player has been set this way as well when listening to multichannel stuff via the analog outs). When listening in multi-channel, I felt that the top of the amp was pretty warm (which prompted me to set the internal fan on), but not hot. If its any indication, I had to manually turn on the fan, b/c the receiver had not automatically sensed that it was hot enough to turn on the fan.

In future, I plan to add an Anthem MCA 20 to the 100s, however, I will only do this if I am able to actually bring the amp home and confirm that there is a sonic difference. I tell you, the 4600 drives the 100s surprisely well, which is why I'd have to do a home A/B before I drop another $1K on a 2-channel amp.

I read a post from a Jason.... indicating that he added an MCA 20 to his Denon 3805 which were powering his 100s and noticed a significant difference. Now I don't know how much stronger the 4600 is to the 3805 and hence, I'd need to see for myself.

 

[newfmp3]

thanks for the comments. I can never find any info comparing the power of the amps on the 4600 to any other amp besides the 2500 thanks to Gene's review here. Nobody seems to know, amp is too new I guess. But always find the Denon fans that say theirs is better because it's a "Denon" and the yamaha hate camp that bring up the "all channels Driven" and no current arguement. I got to say some arguements are very convincing.

I'm very interested to see the 4600 with my own eyes and ears and compare it power wise to my NAD which is obviously well respected in that Dept. nice to hear from people that actually own one rather then people just speculating.

 

[BTex]

Does anyone know where I could buy this online?

I was going to wait for the Denon 3806, But I have no receiver and can't wait anymore. I found the Yamaha last night on Vanns but it was "bundled" with some Klipsch in-walls (WHY???!!!) so I hesitated and now it's gone.

I'd be willing to try the Pioneer Elite VSX-74txi, but can't seem to locate that either.

Are there any I'm forgetting about in that price range? $1000-$2000? With HDMI?

This is frustrating locating new receivers and was considering just buying the Denon 4806, but I think it would be overkill for my 16'x16'x8' TV room, Anyone have an opinion on that thought?

Thx for listening.

 

[Votrax]

Does anyone know where I could buy this online?

I was going to wait for the Denon 3806, But I have no receiver and can't wait anymore. I found the Yamaha last night on Vanns but it was "bundled" with some Klipsch in-walls (WHY???!!!) so I hesitated and now it's gone.

I'd be willing to try the Pioneer Elite VSX-74txi, but can't seem to locate that either.

Are there any I'm forgetting about in that price range? $1000-$2000? With HDMI?

This is frustrating locating new receivers and was considering just buying the Denon 4806, but I think it would be overkill for my 16'x16'x8' TV room, Anyone have an opinion on that thought?

Thx for listening.

You can purchase only the receiver from Vanns for $1,799.95
RX-V4600

 

[BTex]

That page is just a listing of the receiver. No where can you click "buy now".
Last night they had the receiver bundled with klipsch speakers with a "buy now" available. But that is gone now.
all their stores are out till the 6th
Billings Tue 09/06 (2647 King Avenue West)
Bozeman Tue 09/06 (2275 West Koch)
Hamilton Tue 09/06 (616 North 1st Street)
Helena Tue 09/06 (1405 Cedar)
Kalispell Tue 09/06 (2185 Hwy 2 East)
Missoula Tue 09/06 (3623 Brooks)


It's ok tho I drove 50 miles to Orlando and picked it up at soundsource.

 

[DR_AUDIO]

thanks for the comments. I can never find any info comparing the power of the amps on the 4600 to any other amp besides the 2500 thanks to Gene's review here. Nobody seems to know, amp is too new I guess. But always find the Denon fans that say theirs is better because it's a "Denon" and the yamaha hate camp that bring up the "all channels Driven" and no current arguement. I got to say some arguements are very convincing.

I'm very interested to see the 4600 with my own eyes and ears and compare it power wise to my NAD which is obviously well respected in that Dept. nice to hear from people that actually own one rather then people just speculating.

The 4600 has a slightly different power amp circuitry, a more robust power transformer, and larger filter capacitors vs. the 2500. The sound is excellent for equipment that uses op-amps in the signal path , along with coupling capacitors. In the 4600 these are top quality. It has plenty of power in a relatively large room.

 

[mhammond]

Cooling Fan?

Several of you talk of enabling the cooling fan on the yammie. I can't figure out how to do this, and its hot enough to bake cookies on top... Please help bofore my house burns down! Thx Mike

 

[Wrk_hrd2Play_hr]

Several of you talk of enabling the cooling fan on the yammie. I can't figure out how to do this, and its hot enough to bake cookies on top... Please help bofore my house burns down! Thx Mike

Just responded to your PM. Btw, at what volumes are you driving the receiver? Are your speakers particularly power hungry? My 4600 has never become as hot as you've described even when driven fairly hard. I do have a good amount of open space around it though.