Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Over the past few weeks I have been searching for a new a/v receiver to replace my Harman Kardon. I have added a bluray player and a new plasma. The H/K was running out of open connections. I began with the Onkyo 606 which I got at Circuit City for $379. It had a great power section, but ran very hot. The biggest issue was every time an explosion or a flash would go off on the screen, I would lose video signal to my projector. Returned it and purchased the Yamaha 663. Very clean and clear through my Jamo surround setup. I won't elaborate on details because much has already been said about the quality of the Yamaha. A week after I got the Yamaha, CC ran the Denon 988 for $650 on closeout (same as the Denon 2808). I had high expectations since it retails for $1200. Bottom line is it sounded about the same as the Yamaha. I got the Yamaha for $430 at Best Buy and can't justify the extra $$ for the Denon name. Also was not as user friendly as the Yamaha. With my particular setup, the Yamaha gave Denon performance at a much lower price. Hope this helps anyone decide as these 3 receivers are very close in features.

Wow! I've been putting off entering the Surround Sound world for many years, but with the purchase of my LCD TV and "HD" from Dish Network in January I began my search for the best Surround Sound receiver I could buy without sending myself to the "poor house". I certainly understand the phrase "Analysis leads to paralysis" now that I went through the process. With so many products to choose from and so much information available via the internet, it's easy to get squeamish about ACTUALLY MAKING THE PURCHASE. It all paid off with this Yamaha.
I had 2 Yamaha Tower speaker on my 2 channel amp that I loved; so I wanted to use them as my mains for Surround and I have. I bought a Yamaha Center speaker based on size and appearance (I had entertainment center measurement constraints) which sounds very nice and a Yamaha Sub that doesn't overwhelm everything. My Surround speakers are basic KLHs that are quite adequate.
It realy was "plug and play" for me and I did the whole installation myself (my KLHs were already in place as a 2nd set on my 2 channel, positioned for "rear" use in a Surround system). I turned the unit on once everything was connected and basically did nothing and it sounded spectacular. I'm using all HDMI with the Dish Receiver/DVR on one input and my Samsung Upconverting DVD on the other and obviously the HDMI Out to my Samsung LCD HD TV.
I've just touched the "tip of the iceberg" with programming features on this Receiver and yet I'm totally pleased. I added the Ipod Dock and that works perfectly too.
In the $400 range I cannot imagine how this thing can be beaten. If you are in "paralysis" right now over a Surround receiver - BUY THIS. You will not be disappointed.

I have owned this model for about 2 weeks now and it is one of the best buys on the market right now.

The other receiver that comes close to this is the Onkyo 606, which has an excellent set of features for the same price as this receiver.

Advantages for the Yamaha RX-V663 receiver: True DSD support (SACD format), direct audio option.

Advantages for the 606: Built in HD Radio Tuner, 4 HDMI inputs versus 2 on the Yamaha, Upscales video to 1080i (this is more of a nice to have in my opinion)


I tend to side on the audio advantages, because thats really what most of use starting buying better receiver/amps for. The Onkyo 606 lacks a Pure direct audio option, for some reason it's not available on the North American version of the Onky 606 receiver. DSD or SACD format support is in the 606 but converts it to PCM before playing it back. The Yamaha has DSD with no conversion to PCM (now I just need a player with DSD over HDMI).

I can't speak to the Onkyo Model for setup, but I think it has pretty much the same type of setup features. Setup on the Yamaha RX-V663 is actually extremely easy. If you read the manual it helps and even have to admit I failed somewhat in this task.

Once all the players and speakers are connected run the YPAO setup. THe receiver uses a small mic that you connect to it and it it powers on and all the step by step instructions are displayed on your TV screen. Once you start the test it sends a various sounds to each connected speaker so the mic which is place where you normally would sit to listen to everything can record each sound level.

This calibrates your system by automatically setting the distance for each speaker and reports back any errors it finds. In my case I apparently had my front channel speaker wires crossed which resulted in a "out of phase" warning. I reset the wires and re-ran the test. This is also correctly spotted that I had no sub-woofer.

Excellent picture: I can attest to this as this properly takes my Nintendo Wii Component in and upconverts it to the HDMI to my TV and picture looks quite a bit sharper than before and the Wii is only 480p.

No upscaling non high def formats to 1080i like the Onkyo 606, but most players should already do upscaling for you and pass the High def level you need for your TV (I have a 720p tv)

Audio wise my Mid-range stands out much clearer than it did before.
My only drawback here is my speakers are not what you would call new and might need changing out. I have to do a little more research, but my current right and left channel speakers are 20 year old Technics that are 200 watt per channel. Most amp/receivers these days do not have the power to really drive these speakers well.

This amplifier/receiver is definitely worth getting, it may have only 2 HDMI inputs, but honestly I do not have any HDMI devices yet. Working on that part though.

SUMMARY: Great Sound, Good video switching, Decodes all HD sound formats, Great DSP features, tremendous value, Pre-Outs upgradable.

I was interested in buying an A/V receiver and was undecided between the Onkyo SR606 and the Yamaha RXV663 (aka HTR-6160BL), given what I'd read about them. Both are well known, well liked receivers. The Onkyo SR606 seems more popular due to the number of HDMI inputs, 1080i up conversion (though fairly buggy), and decent performance. The Yamaha is popular because of its great sound fidelity and quality, has pre-outs (unlike the SR606 and many other receivers at this price range), and 2 subwoofer outputs (instead of 1 - i.e. this is really a 7.2 system, not 7.1). Both receivers offer great value. Note that both receivers do poorly in video up conversion. BUT both decode all SD and HD audio formats!

SOUND PERFORMANCE:

In terms, of actually hearing the receiver perform: I went to a local store (Fry's) and had a chance to hear both the Onkyo and Yamaha units perform. I liked the Yamaha sound better (more detail). But the Onkyo was very good too. How about in my living room? The Yamaha sound is described by one word: AMAZING.

(April 26, 09: It seems this receiver uses toroidal transformers and Burr Brown quality DAC, while it seems Onkyo and similarly priced receivers do not have such quality in their audio components)

The RX-V663/HTR-6160 power consumption according to the manual is 400W, and the SR-606 is 120V*5.5A = 660W. That means that the Onkyo should be able to play louder. However, 400W is already plenty for a small/medium room and it seems that with in the power specs of the Yamaha, it does seem to do a better job in paper than the Onkyo:

According to HT Labs, in stereo mode (2 channel) the Yamaha was able to perform bellow 0.02% THD @150W continuous in stereo mode. This is substantial since most high end small and medium speakers (and some entry level towers) would probably get destroyed when driven by 150W/Ch continuous power. In stereo mode, the Yamaha OUTPERFORMED NOT ONLY THE SR-606, BUT THE Rotel RX-1057 "450W" (Rotel has a reputation for understating their power numbers) receiver as well in terms of THD.

However, there are no miracles. Like previously stated the Rotel and Onkyo have larger power supplies and can drive 5 and 7 speakers with more power than the Yamaha before distortion takes over. In the 5 channel measurements (and 7) the Yamaha apparently loss ground significantly to both the Rotel and the Onkyo: 112.1W/Ch (Rotel to 4 ohms), 109.4W/Ch (Onkyo to 4 ohms), and 74.9W/Ch (Yamaha to 4 ohms).

Now, if you bought typical small home-theater 5.1 speakers, each satellite tends to require 40W nominal, and can tolerate a maximum of 100W before they start getting damaged. Based on this, this Yamaha receiver should run them effortlessly. Furthermore, if you need to drive power hungry high-end speakers requiring 50-600W to work, none of the receivers in the HTR-6160 class would be a great choice. UNLESS, you use the pre-outs of this receiver along with a separate audio amplifier. Not many receivers in the HTR-6160 class offer 7.2 pre-outs!

Yamaha often gets criticized because they claim 95W into 7 channels (probably dynamic power or peak power). Many receivers rate their power using continuous power numbers (which is rarely the case in real life). With 7 channels driven continuously, according to HT Labs the Yamaha 663 can only muster 46.9W (Onkyo gives 63.2W). That means Yamaha's marketing (and some other brands) may be a bit misleading, but the receiver is fairly good considering their power consumption rating.

VIDEO:

In terms of video up-conversion, this and current receivers in this price range are not great performers (with Sony usually reviewed as the top performer at the expense of audio).

This receiver (HTR-6160) is probably at the bottom of the pack when it comes to up-conversion. In fact it either does nothing (probably best) or up-converts analog signals to 480p (with a lot of issues). Onkyo SR-606 is not much better with their infamous borders around 1080i up-conversion. Sony probably does better, but allegedly at the expense of audio performance (at this price range).

For decent video results you need a much more expensive pre-pro's or receivers (>>$2K) that use very high end video chips, or a dedicated video processor (like the $600 DVDO). They are great in up-converting digital video (HDMI). But analog sources are a little trickier.

If video up-conversion is a deal breaker for you, consider pairing this receiver with a video processor for a better job and less $$$.

HDMI:

One thing this receiver does not have that the Onkyo does is 4 HDMI inputs. You can get a priority 4 port HDMI switch for your Yamaha for $30, but it is an inconvenience. Personally, I can live with that if the Yamaha delivers in terms of sound performance for the $$$.

TEMPERATURE:

If you do not have 8 inches above your receiver for proper ventilation, you may have issues with Onkyos and Pioneers, but not with this Yamaha.

My main concern with the Onkyo was not necessarily that its audio performance was not satisfactory (in fact, its numbers are quite good and you can crank up the volume more than you can with the 663 so that your neighbor's neighbor can enjoy your music). It was the Onkyo's fame for running hot that concerned me. I placed my hand on the top of both receivers while @ Fry's, and the Onkyo did run substantially hotter than the Yamaha. UltimageAVmag actually measured the temperature after the 7 channel test, and the thermometer read 135 degrees! Since I don't have an open cabinet for the receiver, this scared me away from the Onkyo.

Two of my friends had their receivers die due to heating problems, so this is indeed a concern. On Onkyo's defense though, my friend's receivers where not Onkyo nor Yamaha (point is overheating should not be overlooked in closed spaces).

PRICE

The price for the HTR6160 can go as low as $350 (RX-V663 can go that low as well), just depends on the vendor and the time. The Onkyo is usually $400, but you may find it for $350 as well. Rotel RX-1057 usually sells for more than $1K.

OTHER RECEIVERS (PRICE AND FEATURE RANGE):

HTR-6260/RXV665: Has more HDMI inputs and probably better video upconversion. It has pre-outs as well. But it has a smaller power supply, and if people criticize the 663 about its power against its peers, 665 would probably be seen more as a pre/pro than a receiver (and an expensive pre/pro for its feature set)

RXV765: Seems like a 663 with better video stuff, but at almost 2X the price. In this price range, other brands like Marantz might be worth checking out.

Pioneer VSX-1018: Just like the RXV765, but runs a bit hot and it seems discontinued.

HK-254: Worth considering as well.

I would mention Denon, but like Onkyo, at this price range NO PRE-OUTS: No way to upgrade power for higher end speakers down the road.

PERSONAL THOUGHTS:

Now that I have this unit, I can say that paired with a 5.1 Mirage Nanosat system, this receiver rocks my living room and I could not be happier. Some people say this receiver is bright, and some others are warm. Well, after I ran the YPAO calibration it seems the receiver equalized that out (Onkyo's - and other receiver's - Audyssey should do the same). The receiver also has a graphic equalizer that should tailor things to your taste a bit more. I do not feel my system bright at all, and I can definitively hear incredible audio detail out of it through the speakers.

I have my receiver connected to my LN46A650 TV and my WD HD TV hard drive player (1080P), and I have had no problems so far running HDMI video through the receiver (because I'm not up converting), or decoding audio at all. I also control my LN46A650 TV using the HTR-6160 remote. I also can pump the volume up, and can never go above -15 dB before my wife screams at me to turn it down :)

I bought this receiver to replace a 7 yr old JVC DTS unit I had. I'm going to post this in order to maybe help someone who runs a similar set-up as me. First off, I have a PS3 BluRay and a cable/DVR running through the receiver into a Sony Wega 36" widescreen video source(about 5 years old with DVI imputs)and a 5.1 speaker audio source.

A few things that DID NOT work with this set-up:

1. I researched Sony receivers and it turns out they have a hard time running HDMI-DVI so that was out.

2. I bought an Onkyo 606 because I really liked the 4 hdmi in's. However, my Onkyo made horrible buzzing and humming noises from WITHIN the unit. It also had a very hard time runnig a video signal from the cable box through the receiver into the TV. There were many artifacts and all out cut-outs. Also, and maybe this was my inability to figure out the function of the receiver or maybe I just had a bad one but I could not get the sound from stereo audio sources (Ipod) to get very loud. Unfortunately, I bought the Onkyo online and then had to pay to ship it back. I won't do that again. I've heard Onkyo's are good when they work and they certaily come in at a good price point but, in the end, my time was worth more than waiting for a "good" one.

Now onto the Yamaha 663. What a dream. It sounds great. It has a great auto set-up feature which configures your speakers in about 2 min (much like the Onkyo.) I found the user interface and remote to be much easier and had NO problems running the HDMI to DVI through it. In fact, the unit auto-reconized that I was using a dvi port. I was also able to easily access FM radio and Ipod and the sound was so clear and loud that it "bumped" my Ipod almost off its stand. And I hadn't even turned it all the way up. Pretty cool.

Well, that is all. I know there are many people who do not want to give up their Sony Wega widescreens so I hope someone benefits from this review.

One last point. Please buy your hdmi cables and converters online. I'm all for supporting this economy but when I go to BBuy and see that they are all sold out of their $89.99 4' HDMI cables I cringe. I bought 3 10' HDMI cables and an HDMI to DVI converter online for a total of $19 shipped. Ridiculous.

I recently upgraded my 17 year old JVC receiver that I loved to the Yamaha RX-V663. Although I am not an expert on A/V equipment in any way, I do know when something sounds good and this system has superior sound.

This receiver allows you to use multiple input source types (i.e. composite, component, S-video, HDMI, etc) and have any of those signal types upcoonverted to HDMI which allows you to just use one cable to connect from your AVR to your television. This was one of the biggest reasons that I went with the 663 version of this unit. I bought last year's RX-V461 and used it for a week before I returned it to buy this one. The 461 requires you to use the same output type as the input. The problem with this is that if you have 3 different input types - say composite, component, and S-video - then you need to run each of those types of cables to your TV and then you have to switch your TV input to the corresponding source when you change the source on the receiver. The 663 eliminates the need for this.

There are a whole lot of high-end codecs that this unit can handle, but since I don't know a whole lot about that, I will leave that detail to another reviewer or you can go to Yamaha's website to get their specs.

One of the pitfalls of this system is the remote. My prior system had a LEARNING remote. The remote that comes with the 663 will allow you to plug in codes from other components that you have, but the list this year (663 vs last years 661) is significantly smaller. This was not much of an issue anyway since I went out to buy a new learning remote to handle all of my needs - I bought the X10 ICON Remote - see my review on that if you are interested. Many people use one of the many Logitech Harmony remotes and have been happy with them.

Overall, this is an excellent receiver with plenty of power for most people. The sound is incredibly crisp and clear and the price is very fair. There are many connections in the back for connecting just about all of your devices and enough speaker connections to get the 7 channels in the main room as well as 2 more channels for another room. That reminds me of the only other downfall that I can think of. My old JVC had a tape 2 out that sent a line level signal out of it (the same signal that would come out of the speakers). I used this to connect a set of Recoton wireless headphones. Although there is a similar connection on the 663, unfortunately, if only works on some of the audio devices that are connected. I think it has something to do with what is going through the HDMI cable, but I am not sure. I could just plug this into the headphone jack, but I wanted something that was always connected.

This receiver is at the bottom end of Yamaha's mid-range product line and it is a bargain at that. Before I begin let me state that if you are from the "features come before sound quality" school of thought you shouldn't waste any time reading this review. The new Yamaha 665 amp probably has all the features you want but guess what ? Its weight has been cut by almost 30%, its now become a wimp thanks to consumers like you !!

OK, I implied that I won't talk long on features but I will mention one thing to get the word out. Yamaha engineers misinterpreted HDMI specs last year therefore this receiver clips blacker than black (<16) and whiter than white colors (>235) of any video passing through HDMI. Let me emphasize this is not a critical issue as DVDs and Blu-rays are not supposed to use these colors. This may be an issue for gamers who set their PS3 to output RGB full range 0-255. The workaround is to set the PS3 to output RBG limited range (which is default) or use an HDMI splitter so video runs directly to your TV and audio to your amp. I was aware of this issue before purchasing but did not consider it critical as other brands have their own sets of problems that are far worse and related to audio, especially Onkyo. European customers also beware, the European 663 model does not support banana plugs.

This receiver has been tested by German "Audio" magazine and lab results indicate it outputs 61 watts RMS per channel with 5 channels driven continously and 126 watts per channel in stereo. With 5 channels driven the output is almost 50% of specifications but that only makes a difference of 3db and in real world conditions no DVD soundtrack has all channels maxed out so I wouldn't worry about it. These values are useful for roughly calculating the point where your amplifier starts clipping. Some of you already know that after running auto setup your system is calibrated to output 105dB SPL at your listening position when the volume is set to 0dB and the input signal level is also 0dB (max). Since we know our speaker's sensitivity, we can calculate the sound pressure level at our listening position when the amplifier is outputting 61 or 126 watts. For example, I am supposed to read 95db for 61 watts at a distance of 4 meters from the front speakers (speaker sensitivity specifies the SPL level for 1 watt power at 1 meter, add 3dB whenever power doubles and substract 6db whenever distance doubles ). That means I will never get distortion as long as the volume is set below -10dB (95-105) and probably around -8db in real world conditions. The good news is that I never had to turn the volume above -17db (very loud) which means the Yamaha 663 is powerful enough for most people with decent sized rooms and we still got plenty of headroom. You can set the maximum volume in the menus so you don't accidentally go over.

Many people in the audio community consider Yamaha's YPAO auto setup inferior to Denon's Audyssey. Although I have never tested either Audyssey or Pioneer's MCACC I think people have been harsh on YPAO. Its difficult or almost impossible to find an equalization that suits all applications. After I first ran YPAO I didn't like it very much although it was certainly an improvement over no EQ. I listen to mostly rock or metal; the setup sounded too bright to me and the midrange frequencies although clear were somewhat distant. The parametric equalizer's compensation looked exaggerated to me, at some points it was cutting 9dB, at others boosting 7dB (bandwidth parameters were not displayed) !! Only after I inserted Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" CD was I able to understand the value of YPAO. The sharpness and clarity was amazing. YPAO certainly shines with orchestral scores but may not suit your other musical tastes. For other forms of music I suggest you switch to the 7 band graphic equalizer (per speaker). Because these bands were fixed I could not manually outperform YPAO for orchestral music but at least I managed to get distortion guitars to sound more aggressive for rocking. YPAO was very accurate with speaker distances and sizes but it failed with levels in my case. I set the front/surround balance by ear.

The "Pure Direct" mode is probably for audiophiles who do not want to use the amp's DACs because they believe transient signal peaks will drain power from the DACs and degrade tone. Even though the 663 utilizes Burr Brown DACs which offer the best signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range (even better than Analog Devices) they will prefer using their CD player's DAC with direct analog amplification. Personally I'm not that obsessed but I do use "Pure Direct" when I hook up my guitar multi-effects pedal to the amp as I don't want my guitar tone to be degraded by a second analog/digital conversion and don't want to add extra processing delays.

I don't really use DSP programs that much as they generally tend to overprocess the original source but Yamaha's are all customizable allowing you to create subtle reverb or delay effects. You really have to spend some time with them, its quite amazing that the DSP programs have more reverb settings than my guitar FX pedal ! I would encourage you to listen to Vivaldi with the "Hall in Vienna" sound field parameters set to : DSP level +1dB, Room Size 1.2, Liveness 6. Oh and turn on the parametric equalizer of course. That will certainly add depth to cheap speakers, enough to fool most people. Unfortunately you won't be able to use sound fields with Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master sources probably because the chip is busy decoding but you can have your player decode the audio and send it over as PCM in which case you can use sound fields as long as the signal is sampled under 192kHz. The 663 is also unable to matrix decode DTS-HD Master 5.1 content to surround back channels using the Dolby PLIIx decoder for similar reasons.

Overall I would say the Yamaha has very clean and balanced tone, almost no noise at all. When nothing is playing, try increasing the volume to +5dB and place your ears next to your speaker's tweeters. You should hear some static noise but there should be NO humming or buzzing. With a Pioneer Elite, you will get some humming around -5dB and with a Sony ES around -25dB !!! That just shows how well this Yamaha's circuits are isolated, no grounding issues at all. I would categorize Yamaha among clear sounding amplifiers along with Pio, Onkyo and Sony. I don't like Denons and HKs very much because they boost lower mids. Pioneers are generally the most aggressive sounding but are also very clear. Yamahas appear to follow a more balanced "engineered" approach and the RX-V663 certainly falls into that category. I am very satisfied with my purchase!