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Yamaha RX-V2600

Luxury A/V receivers, such as Yamaha's RX-V2600 ($1,300 list), used to be easier to review. Once upon a time, higher-end models were mostly about sound quality, the overall look and feel, how easy they were to set up, and the smattering of features that truly mattered, such as multizone...

Tags: Yamaha RX-V2600, upconversion, Yamaha Corp.

Product reviews 2006-06-12

Additional Resources

Onkyo HT-RC160

Photo gallery:Onkyo HT-RC160Comparing the features of competing AV receivers is already a difficult chore, but many manufacturers, such as Denon and Yamaha, invite more complexity by offering two lines of nearly identical AV receivers: a custom-install-friendly line and a more-consumer-based line. For better or worse, Onkyo has followed suit with...

Tags: Onkyo HT-RC160, receiver, Onkyo

Product reviews 2009-09-30

Sony STR-DN1000

Photo gallery:Sony STR-DN1000Last year, Sony's STR-DG920 was our top midrange AV receiver pick. Its graphical user interface was a step above the text-based displays of competitors and its analog video upconversion featured solid image quality--a rarity among AV receivers. The STR-DN1000 is the STR-DG920's successor, featuring a new sleek design...

Tags: Sony STR-DN1000, Sony STR-DG920, Sony Corp.

Product reviews 2009-09-18

Yamaha HTR-6250BL

Photo gallery:Yamaha HTR-6250BLYamaha is unique among home audio manufacturers in that its prepackaged home theater systems include the same AV receivers that are offered as standalone units. We received the Yamaha YHT-791 home theater for review and were impressed with the included HTR-6250BL AV receiver compared to other home-theater-in-a-box systems,...

Tags: Consumer electronics, LCD Display, Yamaha HTR-6250BL, Yamaha Corp., receiver

Product reviews 2009-06-30

Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K

Photo gallery:Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K The iPod is the most popular audio gadget of the decade, which is why it's incredibly frustrating that it's not easier to use it with your AV receiver. Either you're stuck using a patch cable and getting up from the couch to make playback changes, or you...

Tags: Pioneer VSX-1019AH-K, receiver

Product reviews 2009-06-16

Sony STR-DH700 7.1 AV receiver

Photo gallery:Sony STR-DH700Even for savvy home theater enthusiasts, buying an AV receiver can be a chore, requiring hours hunched over spec sheets trying to figure out what each model offers. From a general perspective, the Sony STR-DH700 looks to offer a good value, as a 7.1 AV receiver with three...

Tags: setup process, Sony STR-DH700, receiver, Sony Corp.

Product reviews 2009-06-05

Samsung HT-AS730

These days, a home-theater-in-a-box system comes in one of three basic designs: an all-in-one package that includes a built-in DVD or Blu-ray player; a "soundbar" system that consolidates everything into a single speaker bar that can be mounted under a flat-panel TV; or a component system that basically boxes...

Tags: Home entertainment, Consumer electronics, TV & Home Theater, DVD, Samsung HT-AS730, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., HDMI, receiver

Product reviews 2009-05-15

Denon's 2009 AV receivers--photos

Denon unveils its new 2009 AV receivers, bringing high-resolution audio decoding and analog upconversion to all of the company's models. by CNET News.com

Tags: Photograph, Denon, CNET News.com

Image galleries 2009-05-12

Yamaha HTR-6260BL

Editors' note: The Yamaha HTR-6260BL is virtually identical to the RX-V665BL, therefore the reviews are essentially the same. For an explanation of why Yamaha has two model names for each receiver, read the company's FAQ.We've been critical of some Yamaha receivers in the past for not offering as many features...

Tags: LCD Display, Yamaha HTR-6260BL, Yamaha Corp.

Product reviews 2009-04-28

Yamaha RX-V665BL

Photo gallery:Yamaha RX-V665BLWe've been critical of some Yamaha receivers in the past for not offering as many features as the competition, but we've always been impressed by their sound quality. That's why when we previewed the Yamaha RX-V665BL, we were a little worried that the weight was substantially lower than...

Tags: Consumer electronics, LCD Display, Yamaha RX-V665BL, Yamaha Corp., RX-V663

Product reviews 2009-04-24

Yamaha RX-V665BL photos

Yamaha's RX-V665BL includes more features than its predecessor, but it doesn't sound as good, has poor video upconversion quality, and doesn't let you assign digital-audio inputs. by CNET News.com

Tags: Yamaha Corp., Digital Audio, Photograph, Yamaha RX-V665BL, Digital Music, Digital Media, Personal Technology, Consumer Electronics, CNET News.com

Image galleries 2009-04-24

Onkyo HT-S9100THX

Most of the home-theater-in-a-box HTIB systems that we review provide the convenience of an all-in-one package, but come up short on features and flexibility. Leave it to Onkyo to offer up the HT-S9100THX--a highly customizable HTIB that offers countless features and the kind of sound quality that is usually...

Tags: TV & Home Theater, Onkyo HT-S9100THX, receiver, Onkyo

Product reviews 2009-03-23

Polk Audio SurroundBar 360 DVD Theater

We first saw the Polk Audio SurroundBar 360 DVD Theater at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2008, where we chose it as just one of three home audio finalists for Best of CES. While it ultimately didn't take the crown, we were still looking forward to the final product:...

Tags: Consumer electronics, TVs, TV & Home Theater, Network technology, Polk, DVD console, DVD, TV, speaker, console

Product reviews 2009-03-09

Sony STR-DG920

Photo gallery:Sony STR-DG920Back in 2006, the STR-DA5200ES was the first AV receiver to feature a high-definition graphical user interface GUI for setup, finally replacing the ugly VCR-style text menu offered on even the most expensive AV receivers at the time. Sony has finally let this technology trickle down its product...

Tags: Sony STR-DG920, receiver, Sony Corp., GUI, speaker

Product reviews 2009-02-09

Yamaha HTR-6160

Editors' note: The Yamaha HTR-6160 is virtually identical to the RX-V663, therefore the reviews are essentially the same. For more information on the differences between Yamaha's HTR and RX-V lines of receivers, see the company's FAQ.For the most home theater enthusiasts, midrange AV receivers represent the best value. They offer...

Tags: Consumer electronics, Yamaha HTR-6160, Yamaha Corp., receiver

Product reviews 2009-02-04

Yamaha RX-V663

Photo gallery:Yamaha RX-V663For the most home theater enthusiasts, midrange AV receivers represent the best value. They offer superior sound over underpowered entry-level models, include the most important features available on the high-end models, and they still manage to cost between $400 and $600. The Yamaha RX-V663 falls right into...

Tags: Consumer electronics, Yamaha RX-V663, receiver, Yamaha Corp.

Product reviews 2009-02-03

Yamaha RX-V663 photos

The Yamaha RX-V663 sounds great, but it's tough to recommend with its paltry HDMI connectivity, poor upconversion quality, and other design quirks. by CNET News.com

Tags: Yamaha Corp., Photograph, CNET News.com

Image galleries 2009-02-03

Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K

Photo gallery:Pioneer VSX-1018AHJust a few years ago, HDMI connectivity was a major step-up feature on AV receivers; now, it's standard for all but the least expensive models. That's mostly a good thing, because although HDMI can be finicky, its one-cable simplicity makes it much easier to set up an AV...

Tags: faceplate, Pioneer VSX-1018AH, HDMI, receiver

Product reviews 2009-01-29

Denon AVR-789

Editors' note: The Denon AVR-789 is nearly identical to the AVR-1909, therefore the reviews are very similar. The AVR-789 lacks the smaller remote for second zone usage and a wired RF input, but is otherwise functionally identical. Setting up an audiovisual receiver isn't for the faint of heart. Stripping...

Tags: Overall IT, Denon AVR-789, receiver, Denon

Product reviews 2009-01-23

New Blu-ray players from Panasonic, Pioneer include first portable unit

I'll still wading through all the CES news, and didn't want to forget mentioning the new Blu-ray players from Panasonic and Pioneer, including the world's first portable Blu-ray player, the Panasonic DMP-B15 pictured above. It includes an 8.9-inch screen, an HDMI port to connect it to...

Tags: Panasonic, Player, Video, Blu-ray, BD-Live, Corporate Communications, Home Entertainment, Marketing, Personal Technology, Sean Portnoy

Blog posts 2009-01-21