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

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** 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

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

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

Yamaha CD-S1000BL Yamaha DVD-C961BL

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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