TV & Home Theater

[randy45acp]

looking for a receiver for my stereo and will use it later for home theatre. im looking at 700 watt denon and yamaha. the yamaha is little cheaper will it be worth it buying that or is denon the way to go ty

[BetterWay]

Not sure who you wanted to answer this, but here are my two cents worth...

First off, it is impossible to say whch would sound better since what you think may sound great, the next person may not like at all.  With that said, most people want to know how these sound against each other given that all other pieces in the audition stay the same.

If you want something that sounds a little more forward (i.e. a bit bright sounding) then go for the Denon.  If you want something a bit more laid back, then go for the Yamaha.  Surprisingly, the more laid back sound is less fatiguing to the ear and can be listened to for a longer period than a more forward sound.  This is what most of the reviewers are saying now.  A few years ago, this was quite the opposite where Denon killed Yamaha.  I have successfully paired a forward sounding amplifier with some laid back speakers and I can listen for hours with no fatigue.

You should also consider what type of speakers you pair with the receiver and the cables you use.  Yes, cables do make a difference and each has a different sonic signature, although many people think that this is just a bit or craziness.  For instance, matching high-sensitivity forward speakers with a forward sounding receiver may make the system way too bright and unlistenable for long periods.  The same holds true if your speakers are laid back and you pair them wih a laid back receiver.  This combination may sound like someone threw a towel over the speakers.

I must confess that I can not give you any recommendation as to which would work better with an i-pod since I am an "old" man and have not joined th digital music crowd.  Why?  Basically, the music from an i-pod is compressed and lacks the dynamic range and bit-depth available from a CD/DVD-A/SACD.  If one truly wants to get the best sound from their system, then you should not cripple it by using a source component like an i-pod.  I'm sorry if this sounds elitist or I am being a snob, but I don't mean it to be that way.   By posting this type of question you have let me know that you care about sound quality, so I would recommend that you use a higher resolution source component other than an i-pod.  If that is impossible, then make sure to use the highest resolution files available and try to use an external D/A (digital to analog) convertor to improve its sound quality.  You may also try looking at the newer Sonos systems.

Remember, that your room's acoustics and more importantly speaker placement can make a much larger diffence than the sonic signature of a receiver.

For more in-depth reviews of recievers and much, much more, I recommend www.hometheatermag.com

I hope that this has helped. 

[Coolbballer21]

Betterway hit the nail on the head on this one - a few years back the Yamaha would barely touch a Denon unit - but in recent years have made some VERY good products. I have owned two Denon receivers and one Yamaha and I will honestly tell you that either brand will please you

Your personal tastes, and maybe a couple extra features vs dollars makes this more of a personal choice - so I recommend you try them out first....but you will be happy with either one IMO....