Yamaha RX-V659 Receiver Review!

[Audioholics]

<A href="http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/YamahaRX-V659p1.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 125px; HEIGHT: 50px" alt=[YamahaRXV659receiver] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/YamahaRXV659receiver_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>It has been awhile since Gene reviewed a moderately priced piece of home theater gear. His "flair" for reviewing only the upper echelon products is legendary. While he is certainly not one to argue this point, I guess he figured it would upset the status quo to throw a mid-priced receiver into his review lineup. With that in mind, we requested Yamaha's latest sub-$550 receiver: the RX-V659. This is their first RX-V series of receiver we have taken a hard look at in the under $800 price category. To say that Gene was impressed with what comes in "small packages" these days is an understatement.

[Read the Review]

 

[mike c]

(71V 12,0000uF Caps x 2).

120,000 microfarads!! x 2!!!!!
oh typo

 

[mike c]

The RX-V659 employees all burr brown 192kHz/24bit DACs

how many employees? sorry. i have nothing better to do.

 

[mike c]

re: YPAO ... does this unit also have a parametric equalizer like its bigger brother the 2600?

 

[gene]

120,000 microfarads!! x 2!!!!!

typo, good catch thanks.

 

[hemiram]

I have to say I like my 659 a lot. More than I expected to, actually. Now that my room is fairly well tamed down, and I have set things up about where I want them, adjustment wise, I have actually sat down and watched a few movies and played some well recorded CDs and was very pleased.



I'm not a big fan of the remote though.

Nice review.

 

[jsanch08]

Gene,

I just finished reading your review and feel great!!

I had located your site as part of my research for a replacement to my old Pioneer SX-7 when it was fried by lightning after 26 years.

It took months for my aging system to sort out all of the hyperbole and pricing structures to locate a replacement that I felt matched what I originally acquired:

a good piece of audio equipment for a reasonable price.

your review was excellent validation of my purchase and I am going to force my wife to read it since she is still aggravated about the $499 missing from the bank!

Thank you.

I think you guys should sort out what Music Enhancer is really doing (it is not signal reconstruction for sure) and report on that. So far, I think it is awesome.

 

[Kai]

I have owned this receiver since early spring '06 and am quite pleased and satisfied with its' performance for the price.

Set up was easy, though it did set my fronts as large...oh well, and finishing up with an spl meter balanced out the system nicely.

I do like the remote. It works well enough. I use my Harmony 659 for all things electronic but occasionally fiddle about with the Yammy remote.

The sound it reproduces through my Paradigm speakers is very pleasing to my ears and their is enough power to make my neighbors "side-eye" me now and then...gotta love the "side-eye" for being too loud when you are 50 hehehe.

The features are also great for the price though I find the numerous sound fields a bit much and seldom use the "disco" setting hyuck hyuck hyuck.

All in all a great receiver for the price.

 

[aoshiken]

Prepro?

Any thought about using it as a prepro for the main speakers?

 

[3db]

Nice review. Can you spare me some money

<A href="http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/YamahaRX-V659p1.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 125px; HEIGHT: 50px" alt=[YamahaRXV659receiver] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/YamahaRXV659receiver_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>It has been awhile since Gene reviewed a moderately priced piece of home theater gear. His "flair" for reviewing only the upper echelon products is legendary. While he is certainly not one to argue this point, I guess he figured it would upset the status quo to throw a mid-priced receiver into his review lineup. With that in mind, we requested Yamaha's latest sub-$550 receiver: the RX-V659. This is their first RX-V series of receiver we have taken a hard look at in the under $800 price category. To say that Gene was impressed with what comes in "small packages" these days is an understatement.

[Read the Review]

so that I can run down and pick me up one of these units?
Seriously though, I'm keeeping my eyes open as this seems to be the uberachiever of receivers, espcially at this price point.

I read with interest your power testing of this receiver and it is indeed impressive. I know your not a fan of all channels driven test but in your best guesstimate, what would you say it is for 5 and 7 channels testing. I'm asking because I wanna compare it to teh NAD and like to an apples to apples comparison. Many thanks

 

[oldgoalie33]

I've been looking for a multizone receiver for a while now and have had my eye on this Yamaha. My experience with Yamaha in the past (about 15 years ago) wasn't very good. The integrated home theater amp I had was very bright (though I did have it paired with Klipsch speakers) and to my ears had a lot of distortion. From what I've read the SQ has greatly improved over the years, and from the review sounds like what I'm looking for. Anyone have any thoughts on how it would be paired with NHT speakers (Classic 3's)? The NHT's as an acoustic suspension speaker are not real efficient (86 db). According to the review this receiver has lots of power to spare though.

 

[gene]

I read with interest your power testing of this receiver and it is indeed impressive. I know your not a fan of all channels driven test but in your best guesstimate, what would you say it is for 5 and 7 channels testing. I'm asking because I wanna compare it to teh NAD and like to an apples to apples comparison. Many thanks

The RX-V659 is class leading in features and power at this price point.

As for ACD Test, I suggest you read the following:

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

 

[Bluesmoke]

The RX-V659 is class leading in features and power at this price point.

As for ACD Test, I suggest you read the following:

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

Gene or anyone can chime in here and clear some stuff up for me please. I have the Yamaha 5960. As far as I know, it's the same receiver, correct?

Also, Gene, have you heard the Pioneer 1016? How would the 659 compare to that one? They seem to have similar specs and price (minus HDMI on yammy).

 

[Audioholics]

I'm asking because I wanna compare it to teh NAD and like to an apples to apples

Be aware that the significant differences between the ACD tests you read about are staggering. There is no apples to apples - which is another reason we don't like the test.

 

[3db]

thanks for the input

Be aware that the significant differences between the ACD tests you read about are staggering. There is no apples to apples - which is another reason we don't like the test.

I've read thru the article quickly and I can see where you are coming from. Will concentrate on the 2 channel tests from here on in.

BTW, as asked earlier (I probably missed you response) is the HTR5690 basically the same as RXV659 in the amp/pre-amp section?

 

[gene]

I've read thru the article quickly and I can see where you are coming from. Will concentrate on the 2 channel tests from here on in.

BTW, as asked earlier (I probably missed you response) is the HTR5690 basically the same as RXV659 in the amp/pre-amp section?

Well we will be conducting more realistic multi channel tests in the near future but the tests we do now do reveal if the amp has enough juice for multi channel applications.

I am not familiar with the HTR5690. However, if its from the same model year and carries the same retail price, its likely an identical clone. The HTR line is sold through distribution and the amps are rated differently to give the illusion of more power to less educated consumers.

Update:
It looks like the RX-V659 is identical to the HTR 5960 not 5690:

http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/productdetail.html?CNTID=200502&CTID=5000400

 

[3db]

Thanks Gene

Well we will be conducting more realistic multi channel tests in the near future but the tests we do now do reveal if the amp has enough juice for multi channel applications.

I am not familiar with the HTR5690. However, if its from the same model year and carries the same retail price, its likely an identical clone. The HTR line is sold through distribution and the amps are rated differently to give the illusion of more power to less educated consumers.

Update:
It looks like the RX-V659 is identical to the HTR 5960 not 5690:

http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/productdetail.html?CNTID=200502&CTID=5000400

I meant HTR5960. A lil bit of finger dislexia on my part.

 

[ggunnell]

If one were going to use this just as a preamp, how would it compare to the RX-V2600? Are the DAC's, DSPs the same?

 

[mike c]

can somebody point me to the page in the manual that discusses the "assignable power amp"? i've been scrolling through the 100+ page 659 manual all afternoon and still cant find it.

is this the same as denon's bi-amping feature?

 

[Bluesmoke]

Maybe I didn't read the tests right, but is the amp section of the 659 comparable to amps rated at 140w/channel specs at 8ohms?