Yamaha RX-397 100 Watt Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver

Yamaha RX-397 100 Watt Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver Review

This amplifier is all it is claimed to be....and more. I owned a series of amlifiers and was recently using a Wintek R1120..fine amp but well over 40 years old. I am running into 8 ohm impedence Fisher ST 832 ported 3 way speakers (with the impressive 17 inch woofer...the days when they still made audiophile gear) as A and Yamaha NS-A500 3-way speakers as B. The quality is unbelievable. I only received this unit this evening: a breeze to install. Even with my older DVDs, Traviatta, Butterfly and Tchaikowsky's violin concerto (the ones tried so far) come through with new clarity and depth. It is a basic audiophile receiver. It does not act as a home theater, have an alarm or axctivate the coffeemake. However, it does what it was intended to do superbly. Worth every penny!!

Yamaha RX-397 100 Watt Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver Feature

• 50W x 2 with .04%THD
• Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio Ready with Extended Frequency Response
• Remote Controllable Motor-Driven Volume Control
• Pure Direct Amplification
• Speaker A, B or A+B Selection

Yamaha RX-397 100 Watt Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver Overview

Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver, 100W, Superior Sound Quality with Pure Direct Switch, Linear Damping, High Dynamic Power and Advanced Circuits

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 03, 2010 08:22:04

Yamaha NS-777 3-Way Yamaha RX-V667 Yamaha RX-497

Yamaha RX-497 75 watt per channel Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver

Yamaha RX-497 75 watt per channel Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver Review

I purchased this item to replace an aging Sony receiver/amp that was on it's final lap. As expected, Yamaha's build quality and performance does not disappoint. This thing is built like a tank and the sound it produces is unmatched by any stereo I have ever owned or heard. My only regret is that I did not purchase the less expensive (and less powerful) RX-397 as the power of this model is major overkill for my needs. However, the RX-397 has fewer input sources and I felt I should leave my options open in case I needed to add system components in the future.

If you have a decent pair of speakers (I have 35 year old Bose 501's), this stereo will absolutely blow the windows out of a normal size home. Unless you need the extra power (75W per channel is a very conservative rating) and features that this amp offers, I would take a long look at the lower end RX-397 model.

Yamaha RX-497 75 watt per channel Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver Feature

• 75W x 2 with .04%THD
• XM Satellite Radio Ready
• Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio Ready with Extended Frequency Response
• Remote Controllable Motor-Driven Volume Control
• Discrete Amplifier Configuration

Yamaha RX-497 75 watt per channel Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver Overview

Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver, 150W, High Power and Convenient Features with XM Satellite Radio Ready and Multi-Zone Control Capability

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 02, 2010 06:44:04

Yamaha CD-S1000BL Yamaha DVD-C961BL

Harman Kardon HK 3390 High Performance 2 x 80W Stereo Receiver

Harman Kardon HK 3390 High Performance 2 x 80W Stereo Receiver Review

My 17 year old Sherwood 65 watt receiver started developing static in one channel. I've had problems with my Sherwood tape deck and CD too, so I decided to go for something a little more upscale. If at all possible I didn't want another black component. What's the deal anyway? Is there a conspiracy to manufacture only black components at reasonable prices, so you have to spend 0+ on a receiver? HK was the cheapest that wasn't completely black. Also I have heard good things about the HK sound and high current design. I'm not a super critical listener, but it sounds good to me. Detailed, sweet, easy to listen to.

So here are some points you won't find in the advertising literature. Yes, the gray is brushed metal. Can't tell if it's SS or AL. It is about a 1 mm veneer over a plastic substrate. The corners are nicely rounded. There are press-in covers for the lower right control wells that are also brushed metal and make it look super sleek--almost, like a high end power amp. The metal is darker that brush aluminum which is what I really wanted, but you have to pay 2X for that on say a Cambridge mini. I generally like lots of buttons, but the buttonless look is different, and I also like different. I'm getting used to the look--it's a lot like my refrigerator, actually.

Wish the button labels were illuminated but they aren't. The power light and volume knob lights are very bright. You can turn off the volume knob light with the dim function. You can completely dim the display, but it comes on temporarily when you press any button. For every input it says "analog" after it in the display--THEY ARE ALL ANALOG ON THIS MODEL. Must use the same convention as more expensive models that have digital. It is assembled in China, but the quality seems just fine.

The remote is assembled in Korea, but it seems to communicate fine with the Chinese receiver. It is a full 10" long and will control other HK components only. Looks like it should illuminate but doesn't. Wish this receiver had a loudness button. As it is, I have to keep the tone controls uncovered, and that spoils the look. Had to look in the manual of my 33 year old Sanyo receiver to find out how many DBs boost constituted a loudness function (8 bass, 4 treble). By the way the Sanyo is a great 13w receiver and still works perfectly--go figure. Oh yes, the volume is the fly-by-wire kind and is displayed in negative Decibels. Zero is the maximum recommended volume. -80 is silent. +10 is scary.

All in all it's a fun toy that puts our excellent sound. Oh, I like that it has sub outputs. My bargain basement Yamaha woofer arrives tomorrow. Right now, I just have a pair of Pioneer 6.5" bookshelf speakers, which is part of why I can't speak authoritatively about the sound. Other reviews cover that abundantly.

Harman Kardon HK 3390 High Performance 2 x 80W Stereo Receiver Feature

• Convenient front-panel audio/video input for use with video games or portable players
• 80 Watts x 2 into 8 ohms
• Dual subwoofer output, with trigger for direct connection to powered subwoofers
• Harman Kardon system remote for control of compatible Harman Kardon CD and DVD players
• Remote A/B switching

Harman Kardon HK 3390 High Performance 2 x 80W Stereo Receiver Overview

The HK 3390 is a high current stereo receiver that will give you outstanding audio playback. It has 80 watts times two at 8 ohms and 100 watts times two at 4 Ohms. It has A/B switching and comes with a remote control.

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 01, 2010 01:00:04

Yamaha CD-S2000SL Yamaha A-S1000BL

Yamaha Receivers - Top 5 Best Models For Home Theater Systems

In this article we will use the example of Yamaha receivers to show you a good way of choosing the right equipment for you.

One of the hardest things about buying an AV receiver for your home theater system, is deciding which darn one is the best for your room.

One good way to narrow down the choice, is to check out the highest selling models at a major retailer - everybody can't be wrong!

Yamaha receivers are one of the most respected models around, so let's check out the most popular models at Amazon.com (find all AV receivers, and then sort by company name and then best selling).

It is also useful to make a note of the main features of each one.

1. Yamaha RX-V363BL 500 Watt 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver

• 5.1 surround sound


• 100 watts per channel


• HDMI 1.3 switching - 2 in 1 out

2. Yamaha RX-397 100 Watt Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver

• 2.0 Stereo Sound


• 50 watts per channel


• No HDMI switching

3. Yamaha RX-V663BL 665 Watt 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver

• 7.1 surround sound


• 95 watts per channel


• HDMI 1.3 switching - 2 in 1 out

4. Yamaha RX-V465BL 525 Watt 5-Channel Home Theater Receiver

• 5.1 surround sound


• 105 watts per channel


• HDMI 1.3 switching - 4 in 1 out

5. Yamaha RX-V463BL 525 Watt 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver

• 5.1 surround sound


• 105 watts per channel


• HDMI 1.3 switching - 2 in 1 out

Once you have narrowed it down, you are then in a better position to make your choice based on price and features.

Rule out the ones that are too expensive, lack the right connections, are underpowered, have poor reviews or are just plain ugly - and you are left with a couple of contenders.

One thing to consider is that most popular models may also be older models. However, this can be a good thing in that you can get a good quality receiver at a cheaper price (you might not need the new features). You can always check the manufacturers website for the latest models.

Obviously, you can also do this for the other major manufacturers to get a wider choice.

Paul A Brady is the editor of the-home-cinema-guide.com, a consumer guide giving technical information and tips on home theater equipment and other audio visual technology. Paul has over 20 years experience of working with audio visual technology, so come on over and find out how to choose the best equipment for your home. You can find much more information about the surround sound receiver at http://the-home-cinema-guide.com/surround-sound-receiver.html - plus there are many other guides to all the technical stuff!

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Yamaha P7000S Yamaha DVD-S1800BL

Yamaha RX-397 100 Watt Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver