I've found it for $470 shipped, but there aren't too many place around that seem to have it. Most seem to be in Europe. But this looks like a great unit. Is it just that new? If so, I would wait a bit to let others get it in stock and try to get a little better price.
Reactions?
I was looking at the Onkyo TX-SR604 when I found this.
SoSpacey
03-15-07, 10:41 PM
where did you find it at that price? are they an authorized dealer?
i ask because from an authorized dealer you get a 5 year warranty and a non-authorized is either a year or nothing, i forget.
what kind of speakers will it br driving?
DVD Josh
03-15-07, 11:06 PM
I'm not impressed by this. Not a ton of inputs, won't upconvert to HDMI, missing other features.
SoSpacey
03-15-07, 11:15 PM
I'm not impressed by this. Not a ton of inputs, won't upconvert to HDMI, missing other features.
It upconverts Component as well as S-Video to HDMI. It doesnt upconvert from HDMI. Unless I am missing something. Mine is set to pass through anyway, not upconvert. Either my source or my TV does the upconversion.
It has almost the same features as my 1700 which retails at $1300. It has slightly less inputs but still more than enough.
What features is it missing?
DVD Josh
03-15-07, 11:33 PM
It upconverts Component as well as S-Video to HDMI. It doesnt upconvert from HDMI. Unless I am missing something. Mine is set to pass through anyway, not upconvert. Either my source or my TV does the upconversion.
Sorry man, but according to the specs, it does NOT upconvert across inputs to HDMI.
SoSpacey
03-16-07, 12:10 AM
Sorry man, but according to the specs, it does NOT upconvert across inputs to HDMI.
no need to apologize, i have an rx-v1700. i am just trying to figure out the wording on the yamaha site.
HDMI Up Conversion
Component Video Up Conversion •
S-Video Up Conversion •
i thought that meant that component and s-video would be passed to the receiver, upconverted and then sent via hdmi to the television?
even if it was just a switch and this is set as a "pass through" couldnt it either be converted/processed at the source (up-converting dvd player, native hddvd, BD) and just passed through to the tv?
what else would need to be converted in the receiver?
Spiky
03-16-07, 12:15 AM
kvrdave,
Yamaha does not like to sell their stuff at a discount. They will fight you if you buy from an unauthorized dealer and your warranty will be invalid. Waiting til it is a little older may not work with a Yamaha.
You get what you pay for, Yamaha makes excellent receivers. Denon and Onkyo are 2 more examples of companies that won't warrant unauthorized purchases, Denon esp. Onkyo is the most likely to have a reduced price somewhere, like their authorized refurbs at accessories4less.com, or even *gasp* sales.
The Yammy I bought in 1989 is still working perfectly for my sister. Just a little dated on features. And I abused it like I never would abuse any electronics now.
hdtv00
03-16-07, 12:18 AM
Then you're looking at the wrong thing because it only upconverts to component, not hdmi.
DVD Josh
03-16-07, 07:40 AM
no need to apologize, i have an rx-v1700. i am just trying to figure out the wording on the yamaha site.
HDMI Up Conversion
Component Video Up Conversion •
S-Video Up Conversion •
i thought that meant that component and s-video would be passed to the receiver, upconverted and then sent via hdmi to the television?
even if it was just a switch and this is set as a "pass through" couldnt it either be converted/processed at the source (up-converting dvd player, native hddvd, BD) and just passed through to the tv?
what else would need to be converted in the receiver?
What that means is that it will transcode (upconversion is the wrong term) composite to s-video, composite, s-video to component and pass through HDMI. NO transcoding to HDMI from all inputs. So no, if it doesn't go into the receiver via HDMI, it does not go out from the receiver via HDMI.
kvrdave
03-16-07, 11:19 AM
where did you find it at that price? are they an authorized dealer?
i ask because from an authorized dealer you get a 5 year warranty and a non-authorized is either a year or nothing, i forget.
what kind of speakers will it br driving?
unitedonlineshopping.com which seems to be a yahoo! store. Probably not an authorized reseller. These are driving some Boston Acoustic THX speakers. I forget the model # on them.
The upconversion is not something I really care about. My dvd player already does it, and everything else I use is already hdmi except my gamecube, which I don't really care if it is upconverted or not.
I don't honestly remember where I bought my last to Yamahas from, but I remember getting them a bit cheaper than MSRP. Not sure I care a huge amount about the warranty. I tend to have good luck with most products. But I can't find it from any other store to even have the option of buying it from an authorized reseller.
SoSpacey
03-16-07, 11:30 AM
it seems to be the new model of the 659.
i bought the rx-v1700. you can probably get that model from a non-authorized dealer for around $750. i dont know if the upgrades are worth the extra $300 for you.
i was asking about you speakers because the 1700 is 130wpc and the 661 is 90.
kvrdave
03-16-07, 01:02 PM
My room is about 25x15 with a 7.5' ceiling, so I really don't need the extra power. I think my current one is 90w and it is more than I need.
SoSpacey
03-16-07, 01:25 PM
My room is about 25x15 with a 7.5' ceiling, so I really don't need the extra power. I think my current one is 90w and it is more than I need.
that's a pretty good sized room. my room is 16 x 16. i had a yamaha that was 75w previously. the new one at 130w doesn't run louder. instead of using 1/2 of my amp I now use 1/4 so it takes less to drive the speakers giving me cleaner power.
by no means was I trying to convince you to upgrade. but if you told me you were driving a set of paradigm studios or something i would have say definitely go for more power with your amps.
kvrdave
03-16-07, 02:10 PM
Ah. Yeah, I don't know that I want to spend the extra money for the benefit. I'm basically looking for an upgrade to HDMI input/output and this looks like the least expensive Yamaha choice to come around.
I've found it for $470 shipped, but there aren't too many place around that seem to have it. Most seem to be in Europe. But this looks like a great unit. Is it just that new? If so, I would wait a bit to let others get it in stock and try to get a little better price.
Reactions?
I was looking at the Onkyo TX-SR604 when I found this.
Dave, have you read the talk about this model over at AVS? Seems to be one of the cheaper "future-proof" receivers out there (yeah, I know the future gets faster and faster... I'd be happy with a 5-year receiver, though).
I'm thinking of buying this model.
kvrdave
03-19-07, 12:01 PM
I did a search over there, but never really found any good threads. Did you find one?
SoSpacey
03-19-07, 12:02 PM
this receiver is their "upgraded" version of the 659 which was/is regarded as one of the best value receivers out there. the 659 was rated at 100wpc but actually put out 130wpc.
i would jump on this receiver at this price point.
If you google Yamaha RX-V661, this thread shows up third. That should tell you how little is out there about the unit. :lol:
atlantamoi
03-19-07, 08:53 PM
If you google Yamaha RX-V661, this thread shows up third. That's probably why they upped the price! Someone from SoundPros saw that you wanted to buy this model ;)
Man, I have spent probably 10 hours reading about new receivers and the more I read the more I'm uncertain about what to purchase. I didn't spend this much time researching my more expensive plasma set because it was a much simpler choice to make.
Oh yeah, I didn't see any full threads about that Yamaha at AVS. Just a few mentions here and there.
Indeed the RX-V661 does not transcode component through to HDMI, nor does it send the OSD over HDMI.
Honestly, I'd rather get the 674 for not that much more, and I prefer Onkyo to Yamaha (not that Yammy is a bad brand in the least).
SoSpacey
03-21-07, 12:55 PM
i have a pdf from yamaha with the audio and video flowchart but have no clue as to how to post it.
if someone needs it i will e-mail it to them.
DVD Josh
03-21-07, 04:50 PM
i have a pdf from yamaha with the audio and video flowchart but have no clue as to how to post it.
if someone needs it i will e-mail it to them.
I think Imageshack will host it for you.
kvrdave
03-22-07, 12:54 PM
This killed it for me:
Indeed the RX-V661 does not transcode component through to HDMI, nor does it send the OSD over HDMI.
Honestly, I'd rather get the 674 for not that much more, and I prefer Onkyo to Yamaha (not that Yammy is a bad brand in the least).
Why does that kill it for you? I don't currently use anything that uses component. What do you use it for? I do have component to my projector so I could still use the OSD, but I don't know that I have ever really used them much. Not sure why it wouldn't send them via HDMI. Seems like a stupid oversight.
DVD Josh
03-22-07, 01:23 PM
Why does that kill it for you? I don't currently use anything that uses component. What do you use it for? I do have component to my projector so I could still use the OSD, but I don't know that I have ever really used them much. Not sure why it wouldn't send them via HDMI. Seems like a stupid oversight.
Because I want anything I plug into the receiver to come out HDMI. And I agree, it's an oversight, but it's a "feature" they can charge you $100 or more for.
kvrdave
03-22-07, 03:51 PM
Ah. When I hooked up the projector, I went ahead and ran every cable that could be run to the thing, so I wouldn't have to worry about it later. So I actually have two sets of component that go into the projector, but nothing currently goes into it.
kvrdave
04-16-07, 07:54 PM
Kicking this around. Went back over the reviews at AVS and everyone seems happy.
kvrdave
04-18-07, 04:19 PM
Just got it, but I don't have the cable to get anything other than stereo sound, and my hdmi reciever hasn't shown up yet, so I'm going to wait for it to get here.
Chew
06-01-07, 07:46 AM
Just got it, but I don't have the cable to get anything other than stereo sound, and my hdmi reciever hasn't shown up yet, so I'm going to wait for it to get here.
Now that you've had it a few weeks, care to comment?
Or if anybody else cares to comment on this receiver?
DVD Josh
06-01-07, 08:58 AM
Now that you've had it a few weeks, care to comment?
Or if anybody else cares to comment on this receiver?
you should read the AVS thread. General consensus is that people like it a great deal, but I think that the 605 will probably surpass it.
Chew
06-01-07, 11:00 AM
I have been doing a lot of AVS reading the past few days and it just confuses me all the more. :(
My TV is a bit older and I have DVI instead of HDMI which means I can't benefit visually from the HDMI 1.3 the 605 gives me. Upconvert over HDMI as the Onkyo does for non-HDMI inputs isn't very important to me. Plus, the 605 doesn't convert (or whatever the proper audio term is!) the 5.1 from HDDVD to 7.1 like they claim this Yamaha does.
I'm completely torn between the Onkyo 604, 605, and this Yamaha. I don't want to spend more than I need to for features I can't even use with my display and components. (I keep reading many people claiming Onkyo isn't "up there" with Yamaha and Denon as well)
Toshiba 51H83 TV
Toshiba HD-A1 HDDVD
TiVo Series 3
Oppo 970
DVD Josh
06-01-07, 11:33 AM
I have been doing a lot of AVS reading the past few days and it just confuses me all the more. :(
My TV is a bit older and I have DVI instead of HDMI which means I can't benefit visually from the HDMI 1.3 the 605 gives me. Upconvert over HDMI as the Onkyo does for non-HDMI inputs isn't very important to me. Plus, the 605 doesn't convert (or whatever the proper audio term is!) the 5.1 from HDDVD to 7.1 like they claim this Yamaha does.
I'm completely torn between the Onkyo 604, 605, and this Yamaha. I don't want to spend more than I need to for features I can't even use with my display and components. (I keep reading many people claiming Onkyo isn't "up there" with Yamaha and Denon as well)
Toshiba 51H83 TV
Toshiba HD-A1 HDDVD
TiVo Series 3
Oppo 970
I think that Yamaha is a solid brand, but Onkyo is certainly better. No one touches Denon in their price range, but both are well below it.
From what I've read above, you save your money and get the 604.
SoSpacey
06-01-07, 04:35 PM
I think that Yamaha is a solid brand, but Onkyo is certainly better. No one touches Denon in their price range, but both are well below it.
From what I've read above, you save your money and get the 604.
Respectfully, I will disagree with your "Onkyo is certainly better" comment. Denon, Yamaha and Onkyo have always been equal to me and just about everyone I have talked to over the last 15 years.
Onkyo actually took the plunge into the lower end consumer line well before Yamaha did.
The difference between Yamaha, Denon, and Onkyo is really personal preference.
DVD Josh
06-01-07, 04:59 PM
Respectfully, I will disagree with your "Onkyo is certainly better" comment. Denon, Yamaha and Onkyo have always been equal to me and just about everyone I have talked to over the last 15 years.
Onkyo actually took the plunge into the lower end consumer line well before Yamaha did.
The difference between Yamaha, Denon, and Onkyo is really personal preference.
Reasonable minds will differ. I have no issues with saying that Yamaha makes a quality product, in fact, you'll see plenty of posts from me over the years touting their stuff. However, all things being equal, I will take Onkyo any day of the week. Denon is in another class, I'm surprised to hear that people put them on the same level as Onkyo. I guess it depends what we are talking about in terms of the models.
Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong, but the 605, IMHO, smokes the V661 in terms of features for the price. The thing I've always noticed about Yamaha is that they never stick their necks out with a revolutionary product like the Onkyo 5 series line. I have no doubt that they will come along with a copycat product at a lower price point which will be a quality unit. But having owned several of each throughout the years, I can say with 100% certainty that to me, Onkyo is clearly better.
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