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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
4.5 stars
"Outstanding sound!"
Pros: Great receiver, good subwoofer and speakers
Cons: Small front speakers
Summary: This system sounds great and I've listened to most, if not all of them. I've owner Carver, JVC, and Panasonic; this Yamaha receiver beats them all in quality and ease of use. It has enough power to break windows, but also has excellent tone at lower levels. The receiver has clear, but not overly crisp or muffled sound of most amps and receivers. The tuner is excellent, and the inputs/outputs are enough for any audiophile. Setup is a must, but I disagree that one needs to have an auto setup or for Yamaha, YPAO. I owned a DBX auto equalizer and I was never satisfied with it's onboard chip. Manual setup with this receiver is easy. The remote control takes a bit to get used to but most do. I was able to use my receiver remote to control the receiver, plasma, and Yamaha dvd player...one needs to just have the patience and follow the instructions in the manual.
While the system sounds great, the front speakers lack in depth. So, I experimented with speaker size and crossover and ended up settling for what CNET recommended, small and 120 hz...the Yamaha came alive. I plan on eventually buying a set of Bose 301-V for the front, but will keep the small surround speakers. The 100 sub is perfect for me. It really pumps out the bass without any noticeable distortion or rumble. As an audiophile, I think that sub's should augment the sound, rather than try to control it with over hyped and over wattage 200-300 watt sub's.
The DVD player/changer works fine, no problems and the xchange works great! In short, I highly recommend this system for the most bang for the buck HTIB out there. Of course, if the Onkyo HT790 came with a DVD player, I might (just might) have reconsidered. But I don't regret my decision...this system rocks and puts Panasonic, Samsung, LG, Philips, and Sony to the beginners circle. Don't be afraid of a few cables, this system is worth it! If you demand HDMI, then just upgrade to the HTR5990 a/v receiver. About the only thing Yamaha did wrong was not pair this receiver with JBL's - WOW!
FYI, this is my old system:
Carver C-1 preamp, Carver M1.5T amplifier, DBX 10/20 auto equalizer, DBX III impact restoration amplifier, Nakamichi Dragon, and Denon 45DL turntable with a pair of Bose 901 Series IV speakers.
