Yamaha R-N500 Network receiver. The future of stereo amplification?

[MajorFubar]

Arguing that separates sound better than all in ones or vice versa is another moot argument, but what puts me off is the inability to selectively upgrade. Plus with all your eggs in one basket, there's more to go wrong, and when something breaks you can't exactly replace bits of it. That said I see no harm in DAC-equipped amps, but personally I wouldn't buy a complete all-in-one as a main system. I do like the idea of having a separate device as the source.

 

[Tacty]

Arguing that separates sound better than all in ones or vice versa is another moot argument, but what puts me off is the inability to selectively upgrade. Plus with all your eggs in one basket, there's more to go wrong, and when something breaks you can't exactly replace bits of it. That said I see no harm in DAC-equipped amps, but personally I wouldn't buy a complete all-in-one as a main system. I do like the idea of having a separate device as the source.

it's a valid point as well...you have to be sure that you like everything about said yamaha and promise yourself not to change anything in the future...or in the next couple of years at least...with separates tou have chances to try something else be it dac, network player, amp, or else...

 

[Singslinger]

I'm with MajorFubar on this. Went from a Naim Uniti to a Supernait/NDX and the difference was huge. Much prefer separates.

 

[the record spot]

I'm not massively convinced by the thinking "if something goes wrong...", if your CD player packs up, bang goes your source. If my TV goes, bang goes my TV. If my amp goes, etc, etc.

The line of thinking works for hifi geeks as they probably have a backup amp. Or backup source, or whatever. If not, the problem is exactly the same; something goes wrong, you lose out for a while.

 

[alimcd]

It does a lot, it's fairly inoffensive looking, it will probably sound "OK" much like the AS500.

It's nice to see a bit of choice for people that don't want a lot of boxes in the living room. One of these and a snazzy-looking set of speakers like BX2's and you could have a decent little system.

I expect it to be cheap as chips at Richer by christmas

 

[marmotteinoz]

I looked at this range from Sony as it was nice looking...I know that specs are not everything...but still they should be ashamed to publish such ridiculous numbers... having to rate their amp at 10% THD at 1kHz in 4ohms to get to....23+23W!!!

I dont' see the point of putting 2 grands into a hardrive and then having to output it into that!!

http://www.sony.co.uk/product/home-cinema-receivers/uda-1/technical-specifications#tab

As of putting the harddrive inside the box...I am not sure it is indeed the solution.

One of the reason for seperates was to isolate the sources of noise, such as motors (from TTs, Tape players and CD transports) from the amplifier. Tuners aren't so noisy which is why receivers have always existed.

Now, putting a network player inside the box is fine. It is also "noisy" (electrically speaking), but this sort of noise in the MHz range so will not pollute the audio (as soon as the DAC is properly designed and isolated from it).

But putting a Hardrive in...motors again (which radiate noise in the audio range), vibrations etc....IMHO, your hardrive is better in a separate box (NAS for instance).

 

[TimothyRias]

But putting a Hardrive in...motors again (which radiate noise in the audio range), vibrations etc....IMHO, your hardrive is better in a separate box (NAS for instance).

Unless you put in an SSD. >)

 

[Crocodile]

I dont' see the point of putting 2 grands into a hardrive and then having to output it into that!!

http://www.sony.co.uk/product/home-cinema-receivers/uda-1/technical-specifications#tab

As of putting the harddrive inside the box...I am not sure it is indeed the solution.

Not sure what "2 grands" is or what the reference to an internal HDD has to do with the product you've linked to?

 

[Um]

Perhaps

this is more like the future... finally someone has had the sense to put the hard drive inside the box

looks nice.

 

[HIFIbuff]

I think that people are moving away from the old hifi system with AMP and speakers to more Mini MP3 players

I know there are still HI-FI enthusiasts out there who buy them and maybe as fashion always seems to go round in circles the future of stereo AMPs maybe saved.

It would be a sad world without quality HI-FI and music

 

[SiUK]

Imaginary Deity up in the sky, I truly hope that Mini MP3 players don't win the day!

Personally speaking I've ditched as many wretched MP3s as I can without cutting off my nose to spite my face. Truly detest the miserable format for music. Have a deep loathing for it now and yet I was once enamoured with it. I traded in quality for convenience and it was a massive mistake as it almost killed music for me. Now I believe the format is possibly the dark work of the devil..well if the devil existed I'd attribute it to the Ol' Bugga.

 

[Alec]

Imaginary Deity up in the sky, I truly hope that Mini MP3 players don't win the day!

Personally speaking I've ditched as many wretched MP3s as I can without cutting off my nose to spite my face. Truly detest the miserable format for music. Have a deep loathing for it now and yet I was once enamoured with it. I traded in quality for convenience and it was a massive mistake as it almost killed music for me. Now I believe the format is possibly the dark work of the devil..well if the devil existed I'd attribute it to the Ol' Bugga.

Hmmm. They sound fine.

 

[marmotteinoz]

What i was referring to is that in this range from Sony, you have the HD player that cost 2k.

http://www.sony.co.uk/product/home-cinema-receivers/hap-z1es/technical-specifications#tab

and then, either you put yet 2k more into their decent amp, http://www.sony.co.uk/product/home-cinema-receivers/ta-a1es/technical-specifications#tab, or you put 500 in the one I linked....

Imho WAY overpriced for what it is!

 

[alxnissan]

Hi,

Does anybody knows, what kind of DAC it's inside (BurrBrown, Cirrus Logic, ESS Sabre...) ? Is a very good DAC or average ?

Alx