Yamaha RX-V663BL 665 Watt 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver

by Yamaha

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 15.5 x 17.1 x 6.8 inches ; 26 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 31 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0013ZGOWY
• Item model number: RX-V663BL
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,446 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

From the Manufacturer Yamaha's new 665-Watt 7.1-Channel RX-V663 Home Theater Receiver offers full support for HD audio formats and ensures maximum enjoyment of all high-definition sources. Other exciting features include HDMI video upconversion and deinterlacing, iPod and Bluetooth audio compatibility, improved YPAO sound optimization, Adaptive Dynamic Range Control, multi-zone custom installation options and four SCENE buttons.

Multiple inputs make the RX-V663 your home theater hub View Larger

Full Support and Pure Direct for High Definition Sources
The RX-V663 lets you enjoy the best possible and newest surround sound from Blu-ray Disc players and HD-DVD players. It supports the two lossy formats--Dolby Digital Plus and DTS HD High Resolution--as well as lossless formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

Pure Direct is a special receiver mode that causes the signal to bypass all but the most basic audio circuitry, and even turns off the display to prevent any chance of noise interference. It provides the purest possible high-fidelity sound from all sources including USB and HDMI inputs.

Pure Direct mode provides outstanding high-fidelity sound by bypassing receiver components that can potentially cause interference

CINEMA DSP Digital for Enhanced Surround Realism
Conventional multichannel audio reproduction systems base their sound on Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, using matrix and steering technologies to create surround sound effects. Yamaha CINEMA DSP is much more advanced, actually creating richly realized independent sound fields that envelop you in an unmatched surround sound experience. With dialogue, music and effects ideally located in these separate sound fields, you will hear sound with accurate placement, smooth movement, exceptional clarity and richness, and startlingly realistic presence. It will seem as if the walls of your room have disappeared and you are in the middle of your own immense theater. The decoding circuitry performs Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, DTS Digital Surround, DTS-ES (DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 and DTS-ES Discrete 6.1), DTS Neo:6 and DTS 96/24 decoding with extreme accuracy, as well as all digital sound field processing.

When volume is low, CINEMA DSP effects may be difficult to hear. Adaptive DSP Level overcomes this problem by evaluating the difference between the volume level and a reference level, and adjusting the DSP level to ensure optimum effectiveness--that is, the best possible sound.

1080p Video Upscaling and Deep Color (30/36-bit) Transmission
The HDMI 1.3a interface upgrades the transmission of standard, enhanced, and high-definition video signals via HDMI for higher-than-ever quality through a single cable. With two HDMI inputs and one HDMI output, you can connect a variety of high-definition sources such as Blu-ray Disc or HD-DVD players and switch easily among them.

The RX-V663 supports the latest HDMI 30- and 36-bit color depths, improved from the 24-bit depth of previous versions. This "Deep Color" allows the rendering of billions of colors for far greater accuracy. Colors are so vivid they seem to jump off the screen, with perfectly smooth tonal transitions and ultra-fine gradations between colors. It also enables many times more shades of gray, for higher contrast ratio.

The RX-V663 is built with the highest quality components available, such as custom block capacitors, Burr-Brown DACs and ADCs, and Schottky barrier diodes

Refresh your MP3s with the Compressed Music Enhancer

Analog Video to HDMI Digital Video Upconversion
This is a function that converts analog signals from composite, S-Video or component terminals to output from higher quality HDMI digital video. This ensures the highest possible picture quality from the AV receiver to a monitor or TV via a single cable. It also performs down-conversion among component, S-Video and composite signals.

Auto Lip-Sync Compensation Keeps Your Experience On Track
When video and audio signals are transferred via HDMI and the video is shown on a display and the audio output is performed by an A/V receiver, the video delay time (time from signal input until it is seen) and the audio delay time (time from signal input until it is heard) are different. This can result in the video and audio slipping out of sync. The Auto Lip-Sync compensation function monitors the video delay time, and automatically adjusts the amount of audio delay to eliminate the difference, so you always hear the dialogue just as the person is speaking.

SILENT CINEMA and Virtual CINEMA DSP
SILENT CINEMA makes it possible to hear large-scale surround sound through ordinary headphones. This is a variation of CINEMA DSP technology that Yamaha developed to let you listen in private to movies and other multi-channel sources for hours without listening fatigue. Virtual CINEMA DSP lets you enjoy the effects of CINEMA DSP surround sound without using surround speakers, perfect for use in custom installations where some rooms don't have surround speakers. It can be used with the front/center/presence speakers, or even with just the two front left and right speakers.

Digital ToP-ART Philosophy Brings You Superior Receiver Technology
Digital ToP-ART (Total Purity Audio Reproduction Technology) is the name Yamaha has given to a design philosophy whose goal is to maximize digital quality while minimizing analog circuitry. The culmination of Yamaha’s long experience in digital engineering and design, it brings together several key elements to create the best-sounding A/V components available on the market. These include 12,000uF custom-made block capacitors, high-grade Burr-Brown DAC and ADC units, Schottky barrier diodes for high signal-to-noise ratios, as well as other high quality audio-grade parts. The RC-V663 also has an all-channel discrete amplifier configuration. Its amplification circuitry achieves high-current power with low impedance for superior amplifier performance.

Next-Gen Connectivity and Flexibility
In addition to great video and sound quality, the RX-V663 lets you bring music from multiple next-generation sources into your home. It is compatible with Sirius and XM Satellite Radio. This Sirius-Ready receiver lets you access your favorite SIRIUS Satellite Radio entertainment, including 100% commercial-free music, plus sports, uncensored talk, comedy, exclusive entertainment, world-class news and more, directly through your audio system with the use of an optional SIRIUS ConnectT Home Tuner kit. With an optional XM tuner, you can hear over 150 digital channels of music, news, sports, talk and entertainment. And now with XM HD Surround, you can tune into XM stations with six discrete channels of digital full-fidelity audio powered by Neural Audio technology.

You can even bring your own tunes to the RX-V663. It is equipped to use Yamaha's optional YBA-10 Bluetooth Wireless Audio Receiver, giving you the flexibility to stream music from Bluetooth enabled mobile phones, portable devices and even your personal computer. The optional YDS-10 Universal iPod Dock connects the RX-V663 to all versions of Apple's iPod, giving you the power to navigate and play via an onscreen menu.

Optional docks for your iPod or Bluetooth phone set your music free

Improved YPAO for Hassle-Free Configuration
Yamaha's YPAO Sound Optimization system analyzes the acoustics of the room and adjusts various speaker parameters to provide optimum sound quality at the listening position--all in less than three minutes. Yamaha’s YPAO system uses a small microphone and sophisticated equalization to automatically set the best sound for any room, no matter where the speakers are. First it checks the speaker connections and phase of each speaker. Then it sends out tones which are captured by the microphone to analyze the room acoustics and sets a variety of parameters, such as the speaker size, the distance of the speakers and even the sound pressure level, etc. It does this until it achieves the best sound conditions for your room, and you don't have to adjust a thing. The RX-V663 has an improved YPAO system that automatically selects the crucial frequency bands for the listening room, and then adjusts the level of the selected bands to create a cohesive sound field in the room.

Compressed Music Enhancer Refreshes Your Music
Yamaha employs sophisticated digital signal processing with exclusive algorithms to enable playback that improves the performance of compressed music formats, including MP3 and WMA. With the Compressed Music Enhancer, highs and especially lows are richer and smoother, bringing music back to life to be as close to the original as possible.

Independent Zone 2 Operation for Second-Room Audio
You can enjoy sound in a separate room because the RX-V663 provides Zone 2 audio output. Furthermore, Zone 2 power amplifier assignability and speaker terminals mean that Zone 2 can be fully independent with its own 2-channel power, while you still enjoy 5.1-channel sound in the main room.

SCENE – A New Level of Operating Ease
Four SCENE buttons make operating the RX-V663 easier than ever. Pressing a single SCENE button automatically launches the multiple operations that initiate play of the source controlled by that button. They are initially set to default settings for DVD Viewing, Disc Listening, TV Viewing and Radio Listening. Other SCENE settings are also available, such as iPod Listening, XM Listening, TV Sports Viewing and Action Game Playing. Browsing and selecting the settings is quickly accomplished by rotating the Input knob and watching the on-screen display. The settings can be selected for one-time use, or they can replace the original default settings. The SCENE names can be changed also.

On-Screen Display with GUI Makes Navigation Easy
An on-screen GUI (Graphical User Interface) display makes operating the RX-V663 easy and intuitive. It is compatible with iPod, internet radio, PC and USB displays. Access and control everything you need from a simple and easy-to-navigate interface.

Product Description

Yamaha's RX-V663BL high-performance home theater receiver features full support for HD audio formats, HDMI video upconversion and deinterlacing, iPod and Bluetooth audio compatibility, improved YPAO for sound optimization and speaker setup in any room. 4 SCENE buttons make operating the receiver easier than ever when switching between audio sources. 2 volume-setting functions are included on this receiver for additional convenience. Initial volume setting allows you to set the volume level that will be heard each time the power is turned on. Maximum volume setting prevents unexpected loud sounds. You have a choice of 8 unique CINEMA DSP surround programs to bring out the full audio potential of your entertainment sources. The RX-V563BL receiver is capable of delivering large amounts of reserve power for accurate reproduction of high-energy peaks that are especially prevalent in digital audio sources. It is XM ready with XM HD surround sound powered by Neural Surround, and is also SIRIUS satellite radio ready. Other features include improved YPAO for automatic speaker setup, iPod compatibility via optional dock, Bluetooth A2DP compatibility with optional YBA-10 wireless audio receiver, 1080p-compatible HDMI (2 inputs, 1 output), analog video to HDMI digital video with upconversion and deinterlacing, CINEMA DSP and adaptive DSP level for accurate surround sound reproduction, an improved compressed music enhancer for compressed music files, adaptive DRC (Dynamic Range Control), 40-station preset tuning / Auto preset tuning, and a preset remote unit.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

142 of 145 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Currently, the best value for a full-featured "future proof" AVR!, April 21, 2008

By 

Lars Milano (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Yamaha RX-V663BL 665 Watt 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver (Electronics)

Before you go out and buy a fancy $1k+ AV receiver with all the bells and whistles, please ask yourself, do you really need all the extra little features like HD-radio, network connectivity, USB ports, a bazillion HDMI ports, fancy video processor, etc? If all you want is a basic receiver that will allow you to enjoy the latest lossless 5.1 or 7.1 audio codec from blu-ray movies (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master), or even just multi-channel PCM tracks from movies or the latest generation game console, without having to pay for all the other extra stuff, look no further!

Yamaha did us all a favor with this unit. It does everything most people will ever need (unless you're the most technology-hungry of audiophiles) and does it all remarkably well. Sure, it is not the prettiest looking AVR out there and the OSD (on-screen display) will look like you just found that old Atari 2600 from childhood and plugged it in to your big 1080p plasma. The text and menu system looks prehistoric! Presentation and esthetics are definitely not this receiver's forte. But rest assured that in designing this receiver, Yamaha has skimped on such aspects only so they could splurge on components that count! Burr-Brown DACs and other high quality bits and pieces normally found on receivers that cost many times more are utilized in this budget AVR to deliver outstanding sound. Yamaha spent the money on things that count: the sweet sounds of music or the immersive 7.1 channels of your favorite movies delivered to your ears with uncompromising sonic quality. I also have the much pricier Onkyo NR905 and Denon 4308 that I use in my main home theater and living rooms respectively and this little Yamaha RX-V663 that costs a small fraction of those units rivals their sound. I originally picked this up so I could also have a home theater experience in the bedroom but have been floored at how it performs so much so that I will likely find myself watching more movies in bed.

It does have its limitations though. For one, it is probably not suitable for a very large room unless you use a separate multi-channel amplifier. Don't get me wrong, 95 watts per channels is probably suitable for many, but rooms upwards of 300+ square feet might be a stretch. Secondly, it only has 2 HDMI inputs (not a big deal for many, and is actually ideal for most who just have a PS3 or Xbox connected in addition to a Cable or Satellite box). Even if you needed more HD capable inputs, there are some component inputs that can still be transcoded to HDMI so you still retain the luxury of having a single HDMI cable going to the TV and use the receiver as a true AV hub. Thirdly, it has a cheap feeling and looking remote that lacks enough buttons to control other component functions (not a big deal if you use a Harmony). Lastly, it doesn't upconvert all video sources to full 1080p (again, not a big deal since most TVs do a better job at video scaling anyway). The only 1080p upconverting AVRs that are worth using for their upconverting/video-processing abilities are those with the HQV Reon or Realta chip like the higher end Onkyos and the $5000 Denon 5308. That all said, you really do get a hell of a lot in the box with this $500 Yamaha.

In conclusion, everything listed on the features list on Amazon's page about this receiver works as advertised. The YPAO automated sound optimization/calibration works flawlessly and in some ways even better than the Audyssey system used by Denon & Onkyo. Lossless audio decoding of DTS-HD Master and TrueHD works perfectly and even HDMI switching operates quick and smoothly unlike the long pauses and sometimes buggy HDMI handshaking issues Onkyos has with earlier firmware. I can confirm that there are no LFE flaws, DTS-HD Master issues, or other major problems that have often been discussed about the first batch of next generation "future-proof" receivers. It even has nice extras like a 12v trigger, and second subwoofer pre-out, speaker posts to accept banana plugs, and all the other ins and outs that you don't normally find on receiver under $500 are present. And of course I've already raved about the sound. This is the best bang for the buck in terms of AV receivers and the only thing that may be comparable is the upcoming Pioneer VSX-1018 or Sony DG-920 which will arrive summer of 2008. But based on my previous experience with the DG-910, they are definitely a step down from Sony's ES line and will probably not sound as good as the Yamaha but will have a nicer looking OSD.

I will give this product 5 stars simply because you get so much for so little. Sound quality being of higher priority than esthetics.

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent entry AVR, possibly "futureproff", March 12, 2008

By 

volsfan "volsfan" (South Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yamaha RX-V663BL 665 Watt 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver (Electronics)

I have had this for a couple of days now and haven't fully explored all the possibilities yet. It does power my relatively inefficient speakers (85db) with no problems and I have noticed no excessive heat generation or operating problems yet. The remote sucks, but as I am planning on replacing it with a Harmony this is not a huge deal (actually, most reviews of current AVR's indicate their remotes suck). There are a bunch of crappy sounding soundfields which I'll never use and other superfilious bells & whistles which do nothing for sound or video quality. I'm running a Comcast SciAtl cable box/DVR via component and optical digital out (only get 1080i from them, so that's fine) along with a HD-DVD player and PS3/Bluray via HDMI at 1080p. All video switching is fine by me so far and fits my needs. It has pre-outs which I consider huge leaving a future upgrade path if you want to add an outboard amp later on. It also handles all current lossless codecs (not that current players handle them nor is much content available with those formats) so it should move up nicely with me to 7.1 from my current 5.1 rig. All things considered, it seems like the best bang for the buck AVR out there. I did purchase from another online retailer for $100 cheaper than advertised here with free shipping and no sales tax which truly made it a no-brainer for me.

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Yammy Vice, June 18, 2008

By 

Scorpio69 (Hawaii, America's Paradise) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yamaha RX-V663BL 665 Watt 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver (Electronics)

The RX-V663 is an outstanding unit and a true audiophile bargain. With the ability to decode the latest HD sound formats, flawlessly route HDMI signals, and perform a top-notch room EQ adjustment automatically at such a low price point, it is nothing short of amazing. The automatic room EQ adjustment function (using the supplied microphone and the YPAO - Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer) also correctly picked up on the fact that I had wired the center channel speaker out of phase and alerted me to this error -- amazing!

It also boasts preamp outputs that allow me to use my two hefty NAD THX amps to power my Front L/R and Center Dynaudio loudspeakers. I use the RX-V663 for powering the rear channels only (a pair of Athena AS-B1's). I also have a Dynaudio powered subwoofer that plugs into one of the TWO available subwoofer outputs.

Granted, the unit does not have all of the inputs one might desire, but at this price, what it does have is done to a very high level of quality. It lacks a phono preamp, for example, but this was quickly worked around by plugging the nifty (and very inexpensive) Behringer Ultra-Compact Phono Preamp PP400 into one of the available line level inputs. Voila! Instant excellent phono action.

The manual, like any manual for such a complex piece of equipment, definitely takes some time to work through, but the needed info is all there. I am not much interested in the various DSP schemes, so I use the thoughtfully conceived "Pure Direct" mode for CD or phono listening. For DVD watching, HDMI audio signals from my Sony PS3/Blu-Ray player are processed correctly, and video signals from both the PS3 and my Oppo upscaling DVD player are passed through to my Panasonic High Definition projector with no degradation whatsoever. (As an aside, I am using way inexpensive HDMI cables obtained from monoprice dot com* -- they're every bit as good as that expensive Monster-hype stuff!)

Bottom line: A high quality, state-of-the-art unit that is very flexible in a fairly high-end setup and processes the latest high-def audio and video signals flawlessly at a bargain-basement price. I won't even go into all of the other features that I presently do not utilize.

So, what are you waiting for?

* Make sure you get HDMI 1.3a Category 2 cables, which are required for the new HD audio formats.