Customer Reviews

Yamaha HTR-5550 Audio/Video Receiver

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

.... I too have had problems with my Sony receivers, Sony makes great TVs, computers, etc., but stay away from their non-ES audio products.

The HTR-5550 has a high current amplifier (high current amplifiers will play louder and sound better than non high current amplifiers of the same or higher power rating). The quality of the product is excellent, no loose knobs, cheep buttons, etc. Yamaha's DSP processors are second to none.

Component video switching works well and has enough bandwidth for HDTV signals. The remote is logical, as is the receiver for the most part except for the radio presets, it's a little tedious to use, but at least it can scan and automatically program in radio stations. It also has assignable inputs.

The sound quality is outstanding, good definition, no signal clipping.

There is a lot more to it, but it is really best to just try it. Reviews help, but you need to actually use it to fully understand the overall quality of the product. I compared to Marantz, Harman/Kardon, Onkyo, Denon, and you definitely get more for less with the Yamaha. If you are in the market for a receiver in this price range, I highly recommend the HTR-5550. Also if you are looking at the $200-300 receivers, trust me it is much better to spend more to get this. I have tried the cheep receivers and you get what you pay for.

This is the kind of receiver that gives you lots of functionalities while not giving up on sound quality. The receiver itself is very well built, you can expect it to last quite a few years.

First I have to comment on the sound. The first thing I noticed when I got it, was that this thing is Loud! The HTR 5550 has a high current amp, meaning it has a higher speaker output even at 75 Watts / channel as compared to other receiver that doesn't have a high current amp. The sound is very crisp, not too bright, very balance and clean. I never have to turn the volume more than half way.

The tuner is very sensitive and receives some superb signal. I can for the first time, sit back and just listen to the radio without being distracted by statics or the poor sound quality.

The HTR5550 gives you lots of flexibility. Yamaha was concerned about all of you audiophiles who has all sorts of speakers, and thus they give you a lot of room in adjusting speaker level, so it's almost guaranteed that no matter what kind of speaker setup you have, it will be totally compatilble with the HTR 5550.

The sound fields are very useful, expecially when it comes to DVDs. The options in connectivity is superb, even comes with two component video input so you can hook up both your DTVs and DVD to your receiver. This is definitely the best bang for the buck!

Like other reviewers, I looked at many other models before choosing this receiver. My local audio shop had a great lisenting room set up with multiple receivers for comparison, and compare I did! I found that for the price, this receiver could not be beat in terms of sound quality, and sound field choices. You can choose to let the receiver auto-detect the best sound field for your DVD movies, or you can choose your own if you wish. I've found that leaving it on Auto is perfect.

Another great thing about this unit is that you can re-map the inputs on the back to different functions. For instance, maybe your DVD player has digital audio out via a coax cable - not the optical digital out found on newer players... no problem, there's a spot for that on the receiver, and with a simple menu, you can set the receiver's DVD audio input to use that coax digital input, instead of the default optical input. With other reciever's I looked at, you'd just have to remember that you plugged your DVD audio input into the 'CD in' on the back of the receiver, and always pick 'CD' on your remote instead of DVD when you went to watch movies. Plus, if you're passing your video through the receiver, this would also cause problems on other units.

There are also a number of other great settings... if you don't have a powered subwoofer, you can set this in the simple menu system, and the receiver will send the bass, as appropriate to you main speakers. Plus, you can tell it if you have large or small main/center/rear speakers, so that the amp uses the correct amount of power for your setup.

Also, you can go to Yamaha's website and look at pictures of the back panel on this amp... there are a plethora of connections for just about anything you'll need... I have a complex setup with a digital cable box, Tivo, VCR, DVD player and a computer all hooked up to this, and I still have open connections for more stuff!

If your budget is in the <$ 500 range, this is the reciever for you.

The Sound is crisp and clear. The Amp section really shows itself with a good speakers. The setup is very easy. Great Job by Yamaha for the price.

I only have 2 speakers in my living room and they are not particularly good ones. This receiver makes it sound like a modern movie theater!

I returned the Sony, I was having trouble installing it, it was too complex to use and the documentation stinks.

I bought this receiver 2 years ago and have been generally very happy with it. Unfortunatly, about 2 weeks ago it started producing a buzz/ distorted playback. I have taken very good care of it so I was quite suprised to have a problem after only 2 years. I tried all kinds of remedies and nothing fixed the problem. The manual and Yamaha tech support were unhelpful as well. Now it looks like I'm back in the market for a receiver when I should have been set for years.

Yamaha builds some of the longest lasting amps out there in the market, I'm not sure what this guy below is talking about. I own one HTR 5550, and it's been working nothing but wonders for my system. If one experiences problems, I'm sure Yamaha would be more than happy to deal with it, providing you did buy from an authorized dealer.

Yes you have to buy from authorized dealer to get warranty. But even without warranty, this receiver should last you at least 4-5 years no problem (unless of course you abuse it).

I've had this stereo for over 5 years and it still sounds great with Harmon Kardon speakers. If the receiver is half and the speakers are the other half then I have a whole system.

This is a system for those that appreaciate all types of music even hard rock without having to bring down this house. If you are looking for a bajillion watts you don't know your radios more is not always better, but quality is king. With the right Amp you get more volume from a lower wattage and a much smoother sound. Yamaha has been making great amps for many years and for many ears. They don't make toasters, and all the other bologana they stick with what they do best, and for this price you get great value. While it is a discontinued model if you can find one, buy it. Make sure you put a line filter on the electricity and you will have years of listening enjoyment.

We bought this unit in August 2002, and have had it hooked up to Klipsch speakers & a Mitsubishi 65" HDTV. We've only ever used it for audio, & we've been very happy with it. It's still working just fine. We aren't extreme audiophiles, but we enjoy decent audio. In my opinion, the surround sound through this unit has been closely paralleled to my experiences in movie theaters.

My wife and I were new to home theater systems. We bought our home roughly 2 years ago. We were very excited that the previous owner was going to throw in the boss speaker system, but we did not know the first thing about receivers.

Well me being the way I am, I began researching. I came to two conclusions: 1) The best cost $$$$ and 2) what is the Cutting edge today will be old news in as little as six months. This shaped what I was looking for. I wanted a system that supported the various surround sound formats, yet would not break the bank. Next on the list of requirements was for reliability followed by ease of use.

This receiver exceeded each of the criterion. The sound quality exceeded my expectations (I had gone to several brick and mortar stores to test different receivers). In fact I would say that quality was every bit as good as receivers that cost 2-3 times as much. The unexpected benefit of a home theater system (draw back?) is it can be heard through out the house; Great if we are cleaning and want to listen to music, not so great if one of us wants to sleep.

The power of this thing is amazing, never have we turned it up all the way to watch a movie, but we have cranked it to see how loud it can get. The sound, even at full volume, is still crystal clear.

We have had the tuner for almost two years and if I had to do it again I would buy another... what better endorsement is there?