Customer Reviews

Yamaha RX-V563BL 630 Watt 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver

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

 

 

I spent the last 3 months trying to find the right av receiver for me. After much praise, i bought and returned the onkyo txsr605 (setup and video was great, sound was poor, including a buzz i've never had before) and the Harmon Kardon AVR 340 (sound was great, but vidoe quality in non-hd was aweful). I waited a few weeks for the new yamaha a/v receivers to come out in April. It was definifely worth the wait. GUI is not great, but the sound is amazing and no major complaints with the video. My only issues has to do with how quickly it can switch between HD and non-HD souces with my cable box (handshake), although i hear this is a common problem with certain cable boxes.

I've been searching for the right receiver for quite some time now. I've had receivers made by Onkyo, Sony, and Harmon Kardon. They were all good within the $300-$400 price range, but this one blows them away! The key feature about this unit is the YAO automated calibration.

What it does is calibrate your speakers to a single point in the room with the included mic. All harmonic frequencies are calibrated to compliment your speakers and sub. This means that you can make your mediocre speakers sound amazing.

I have a set of Klipsch Quintet III 5.1 speakers with a set of Klipsch s3 (surround speakers) and a Polk Audio 12" sub to complete the 7.1 system. As you can tell, this is a very mixed array of speakers and the unit calibrated the speakers to create the most amazing sound.

I haven't utilized the zone features yet, but from what it sounds like you can place speakers in different rooms (zones) and have this unit enable/disable different zones. This would be great for parties in multiple rooms.

Pros:
Fully automated calibration with a click of a button
Sound quality is amazing
Price
Amount of inputs
Features

Cons:
I thought it had an additional power outlet on the back, but it doesn't
Every now and then the memory will take a dump and your calibrations are lost (Fix is to enable Memory Guard)


Other than the minor cons, this unit is probably the best bang for the buck! Even though it's not THX certified, this thing kicks.

In summary, I really enjoy the product. My only minor issue is the lack of an RF connector that's not specifically for FM radio. And the up-conversion for some older devices is VERY unreliable, forcing me to purchase a composite video cable.

Other than that, the RX-V563BL is definitely worth the price tag and is recommended if up-converting composite video devices isn't a necessity as it was for me.