Price Paid:  $200.00 from Tweeter

Summary:
This is the best reciever I have ever used. I'll admit it is a little bright but it fits in with my rig just nice. Custom made Audax stero speakers. Saving for a complete Klipsch system. Will soon be gettingFronts- SF 1, Center SC 1, rears SB 1, and a KSW 10 sub.

Strengths:
Good clean power. Natural Sound. Smooth stiff knobs.

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Onkyo Marantz Akai Carver

Price Paid:  $458.00 from Dhaka

Summary:
I have been using RX-V530 for about 2 months. I am using Pioneer CR-V 50 satelites and JBL Bass2 subwoofer for speakers. The amp is good but knobs look a little plasticky. The sound is clean but the digital sources sound a bit bright. For CDs and MDs I prefer to use the analogue inputs, which sound quite suitable for me. The DPL 2 is a blessing. It has changed the way I used to hear stereo sources. Sorround from Prolgic was dull and Low Fi. Now I am getting stereo full range from my surrounds. The DTS and Dolby Digital sounds also very good and overwhelming. The amp has an option for matrixed 6.1 but I think it is not a real substitute for a real speaker.

Strengths:
DPL2, Programmable remote, naural sound

Weaknesses:
Knobs look plasticky, no second set of stereo speaker output, should have different speaker level setting for different sorround system.

Similar Products Used:
Cambridge SoundWorks DTT 2500, Creative Inspire 5700

Price Paid:  $4500.00 from Hi-Fi Corp

Summary:
Payed R4500 for the AMP and the Speakers okay this is my first amp.. I bought the amp with a set of Yamaha NS-P230 Speakers. Very impressed with the quality of the amp and the speakers.. for a beginner's setup this is a very good buy.. the amp is very nicely laid out.. one thing I struggled with is the setup of the speakers But then again I'm one of those that if all else fails read the manual.. after playing around with the amp the setup came out perfect.. sound is very good.. (More than) enough power for the room size.

Strengths:
Not sure yet.. will get back on this

Weaknesses:
Not sure yet.. will get back on this

Price Paid:  $290.00 from LaSalle Electronics

Summary:
I was looking for a Dolby Digital/DTS Receiver to accompany my Nakamichi. So looking for the great sound for lowest priced I looked a Yamaha's line-up. The RX-V530 was right in my price range. It sounds great, looks great, and is a power house to Sony's, and Pioneer Elite's.

Strengths:
Dolby Digital and DTS Ready, S-Video and Component Video Outputs

Weaknesses:
Only one Coxile

Similar Products Used:
Nakamichi

Price Paid:  $628.00 from AB Sound

Summary:
The sound this receiver produces through a good set of speakers is clean crisp and bright.I had it hooked up with a pair of Paradigm Monitor 3 for mains, Polk CS 400i for center and Polk Rt25i s as surrounds.I had not yet acquired a subwoofer. I have a Playstation 2 and an Xbox, and this receiver is perfect for games.It has all the optical inputs you need, but not too many coaxial inputs. While I was playing "Red Faction 2" on the Ps2 I switched to Dolby Pro Logic 2 Movie mode. I was not impressed at first. But then, I switched the center speaker to "small" setting and kept the mains and rears as "large." My center channel is fairly efficient, so I turned its volume down to -8 in the settings. After this little adjustment, bass from the mains was far more adequate, although I obviously need to get a subwoofer soon. But, I believe this has some of the best D Prologic 2 decoding of todays receivers. With some souces, the surround imaging sounds close to Dolby Digital and DTS decoding. Yamaha does promise "high-current" with this receiver, which definitely sounds cool. Of course, it is important to define what "normal current" is. Sony and others use around 4-6 amps on their non high-curent receivers. So anything above that can be called high-current. I believe the Yamaha uses 10 to 12 amps of current with this Rxv 530, which is not too remarkable campared to My H/K avr 500, with its 45 amps. However it has far higher quality sound than many other receivers in its price range. As usual, Yamaha has produced a receiver that has plenty of features: 40 + Dsp modes that you will probably never use, component video switching, matrix DTS-ES and DD-EX etc. etc. Yammies are definitely a good bang for the buck. Weaknesses:The remote is neither a work of art, nor a brainiac design, but I guess it'll have to do. I don't much care for the way it goes into self-protection mode sometimes during a DVD when sudden abrupt sound effect occurs. It switched off several timeswhile I was watching Jurassic Park 3. Harmon Kardon and Marantz receivers never seem to do that. The sound is a bit too bright for music. Most of the DSP modes are a waste of time, and stereo mode leaves a lot to be desired. 5 ch stereo is okay though, esp. for games. All in all it is a great receiver for home theater.It may not be the best for music though. I think Marantz is a better choice for those who desire an amp for both music and movies. Harmon Kardon are great too, but compared to Marantz they are overpriced.

Strengths:
Compact Quality build. Popular Yamaha name. You can switch it to different dsp modes such as 5 ch stereo while Dolby Digital bitstream is on, unlike other receivers. Component video switching (2 way)

Weaknesses:
Needs more power for floor standing speakers Boring Orange LCD. I like H/K's green display. Self-protection mode blows.

Similar Products Used:
Marantz Sony Kenwood Panasonic Harman Kardon Pioneer Yamaha