Yamaha RX-V863 versus RX-V1800

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If you only had to pay GBP50 extra would it be a better choice to go for a RX-V1800 over a RX-V863 (more or less the tuner version of DSP-AX863SE which is meant to be awesome at it's price point)?

Music reproduction is a pretty important criteria, bearing in mind that a dedicated 2 channel amp would be the optimum way to go.

Thanks

David

 

[Anonymous]

I'd go for the RXV 1800. For a comparison go to www.yamaha.com and click on US portion of site. The site allows you to do a side by side comparison of the specs.

 

[Anonymous]

I am in a similar boat with you, my friend.

I tested them two receivers head to head on the same three sets of definitive speakers (small to big) and I have to say I liked the sound of the 863 better. Addressing what the reviewers here said, the 863 (and to a certain extent the 663) felt a little more cohesive and powerful. The 1800 sounded a bit thin and perhaps slightly tinny on the top end. I tested them out with Blu-Ray material of both music and film.

I also tried them out head to head against the comparable offerings from Denon and Pioneer.

Both the 863 and the 1800 were better in my opinion against the Pioneer Elites in the same price range which sounded very tinny and unrealistic and the Denons, which were arguably as good with film (if perhaps a bit less warm and realistic as the Yamahas) but nowhere near as good with music. In fact, I thought I had left the surround setting on the Yamahas even after I had turned it off because the imaging was so good.

The real question you should be asking yourself is whether you should get the 863 or the 1900. I don't know if you have that yet in the UK. I haven't heard it but my guess after listening to these three amps that it will have the current lineups superior tuning and punch and maybe a little extra flavor because of the extra wattage.

Perosnally I am waiting to hear the 1900 inperson and perhaps compare it against the Onkyos, although I have been told they are excessively bass-heavy. If anyone can confirm this that would be very helpful.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi olsonan,

In regards to your question about the Onkyo's being excessively bass-heavy, well, I must admit that they are anything but bright-sounding the Onkyo's.

As a gift, I purchased my sister and her husband a new Onkyo TX-SR606, and it does sound supremely powerful. With movies, I reckon it produces a wide soundstage (of this price-range, anyway) and just oozes of power. Come to music reproduction, though, and it is not the best around, but for value-for-money, it has got to be worth a consideration.

If you are looking towards the higher models, for example the TX-SR875 or '876, my brother-in-law has an '875 model which he uses as a Pre-Amplifier, and it is a very good unit. He did use it to power his loudspeakers for a few days before relegating it to simply Pre-Amp duties, and it sounded very good, although again, musically, you can fare better.