Customer Reviews

Yamaha MCR-730BL Micro Component System (Black)

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

 

 

This Yamaha system offers incredible sound in a small, solidly built package. However, what is not clear from the description is that it is not designed as a stand-alone audio system (the reason I bought it). To access many of the menu functions it must be connected to a TV. So, if you are looking for a compact home theatre system, this could be a good choice. If all you want is a small but high-quality music player, continue shopping.

This truly mini-system offers far better value than the comparably priced Bose radio. The speakers can be separated for true stereo and their bass response is amazing considering the size of the drivers (4-inch midrange/woofers). All three units are about the size of a shoebox--about 4 by 8 by 11-inches deep--and the receiver has been designed to play many different kinds of media.

About a month after purchasing this system, I added Yamaha's YST-FSW150 subwoofer to it and now have full-range response. Although it's not the equivalent of a carefully selected system costing twice as much, it will be more than adequate for those who don't want to accommodate multiple components and lots of wiring.

A couple of minor gripes: I wish Yamaha had designed the system so that random/shuffle play could be accessed without having to turn on the TV in order to scan a menu. And, I wish they had added a system connection jack to the back of the receiver so that my subwoofer could be turned on or off by the receiver.

Addendum: Now, about a year and a half after buying this system, my enthusiasm for it has diminished considerably. My chief gripe is the speakers. They deliver an astonishing amount of (at least, perceived) bass for such small units, without being boomy (if given adequate room to breathe). But they disappoint when trying to tackle classical. Also, this system used in conjuction with a Yamaha YST-FSW150BL subwoofer didn't work as hoped since the subwoofer contains no crossover networks and, so, the resultant overlap in the mid-bass frequency range produces mush.

And, as hinted in the original review, the way the microprocessor was programmed is confusing and prohibitive.

While in no way an audiophile, I would say the sound is great and I would rate that as 5 stars for smaller rooms.

My beef is with the controls. I hate remote controls and most of the functions on this unit are controlled using the remote. I am old fashioned and like buttons, dials and switches on the unit itself. Also, while you can set Bass and Treble, the unit has no equalizer. While the CD player works and sounds fine, it seems very slow to load, read, and then play.

In summary, this could easily be a 4 or 5 Star unit for someone else but my gripes were not clearly addressed in the sales information.

I'm very satisfied with this audio system. Sound is very good, it is small and it is made of quality materials.
It was my update for an old audio system and it combines new technoloy (USB, HDMI, several audio and video formats) with a traditional and quality design. SO, it is exactly I was looking for!