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(More customer reviews)I confess, I am a electronic consumer nut. After "getting by" on SVHS and component hookups for my electronic equipment, I bit the bullet and started looking for a receiver that had enough HDMI inputs, enough SVHS inputs, an input for my iPod and RCA-phono/USB-phono, LAN and computer. Previously, I had a Pioneer VSX-9500, then a Yamaha model with about 5 SVHS inputs, and a Denon AVR 4802R with 7 SVHS inputs. After a couple of months of searching through the usual suspects, including the other brands I have had, I settled on the Yamaha RX-V3800 in black because it allowed me to do enough of what I wanted to do from my shopping list I mentiond earlier.
First of all, I was surprised to find that all the receivers I looked at had downsized their number of connections from four years ago when I bought my Denon receiver. I was having to look at receivers costing 2 to 3 times as much as the RX-V3800 before I could find one with as many inputs, and I found even Yamaha's RX-Z11 had the same number as the RX-V3800, and it ran almost $5,000.00. Then, I thought about it... what were the inputs I really used most of all: SVHS, BluRay, HD-DVD, DVR, DVR-VHS combo, CD player, cassette, and phono. There was one input remaining that I was able to use with a junction box for ED-Beta,Laser Disc, XM radio, and an DVR-R recorder, so the Yamaha RX-V3800 would do without me having to compromise too much.
But, let's get to the machine and all of it's pluses:
The sound... It is terrific! With my previous system, I had to gerry-rig the side speakers using a quadraphonic synthesizer, but the RX-V3800 has the following speaker connections: left-front, right-front, center, left-side, right-side, left-rear, right-rear and sub-woofer. My previous set-up had a rear-center, and after reading a little, I found you could hook-up a rear center by using the RCA connection labeled "Single (SB)." (There's a "SURBACK PRESENCE" that can be used, also, but it was designed for when you only wanted one rear channel). When you set-up the speakers, Yamaha has a special optimizer microphone you plug into the front of the unit and it balances your speakers based on where you have the microphone placed.
The four HDMI inputs are great, too, because it allows me to have the best picture and sound from my BluRay, HD-DVD, Satellite Receiver, and DVR-VHS unit.
The Internet radio is easy to use, and it is programmed with plenty of stations. The selection of stations with the Yamaha remote is easy and the sound is wonderful.
The iPod Yamaha YDS-10 dock option is a must if you have an iPod. Quite frankly, I probably won't use my phono, now, except to make digital recordings of out-of-date vinyl recordings because of the ease of operation of the iPod through the docking station, especially if you have the 80 or 160 GB model of iPod with all the music they can hold.
The XM set-up with the XM Extreme is nice and integrates smoothly. I, actually, use an older XM radio through two RCA inputs, but with the XM Extreme directly connected, it is easier to use.
The computer set-up is not as easy as the manual would make you believe, but it is easier if you do the following: Make sure your PC has XP Service Pack Two or Vista on it AND you have Windows Media Player 11 installed, have your 232 Serial Ports between the computer and the Yamaha RX-V-3800 connected, and have a networking guide for your operating system. Once you have those done, you go into Windows Media Player, select "Library" at the top, and then select "Media Sharing" to allow the tunes on your PC to be shared with your receiver. For other PC's on your LAN, it would be best for you to already have those tunes shared, but if you connect an iPod, that might not be necessary. While I am at it, I will say this about Media Player ll: once you've checked the right boxes, it does a good job.
Overall, I am extremely pleased with the Yamaha RX-V3800. I did think that they could have done a better job with the manual... for example, in setting-up the PC, you start reading the instructions and it refers you to two other sections of the manual, and when things just didn't seem to jell, one finds that later in the manual, they show you how to do the set-up more thoroughly and manually, if needed. That said and done, though, I would buy this receiver again. I do wish it had more inputs, but then again, most people don't have as much to hook-up as I do. If there were a four-and-a-half stars rating, I would give it, but I'm stuck giving it only four.
UPDATE: It is two months after first doing this review, and I still love this receiver. I bought a great pair of outside speakers that look like rocks, HiFi Works 30020 HFW 6.5-Inch Rock Speakers (Pair), and use the "Room 2" with the X-10 Powermid remote extender, X10 POWERMID Remote Control Extender Kit PM5900. This set-up is wonderful! I sometimes have the iPod play outside, while inside they are watching TV on the HDTV. One caution, when setting-up the "Room 2," it will ask you what is the initial volume you want the "room" to have. I had not paid that much attention to those dB settings on the volume you get across the screen of the TV, and the first time I used Room 2, you could hear the music over a block away... Those speakers didn't flinch and their tone was terrific! (Unfortunately, our house was so sound proof, I didn't know I was blowing-out the neighbors.) Using the X-10 remote control extenders really is a blessing. If you use the extenders in other areas of the house, be sure to have your remote receiver up close to the Yamaha.
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Yamaha RX-V3800BL 7.1-Channel Network Home Theater Receiver (Black)The Yamaha RX-V3800 7.1-Channel Network Home Theater Receiver offers high-end sound and video quality to take your home theater experience to the next level.It provides 980 Watts of total power, pushing 140 Watts to each of its 7 channels.This advanced home theater receiver introduces new technologies and features including 3D CINEMA DSP, the latest HDMI 1.3a specification support, upscaling to 1080p, full support for high definition audio formats signals, Adaptive DRC and Adaptive DSP Level, YPAO Auto Setup with Quick Start, and multi-zone custom installation support and Network Receiver functions.High quality components, crystal clear sound and video clarity, and cutting edge technologies will make the Yamaha RX-V3800 the cornerstone of your home theater experience.
Click here for more information about Yamaha RX-V3800BL 7.1-Channel Network Home Theater Receiver (Black)
