|   Yamaha receiver vs. ATI amp+ Outlaw preamp | rexkex
Oct 24, 2002 9:58 PM | | I'm gonna buy equipment in the next few months. I'm having trouble deciding between the Yamaha RX-Z1 or The outlaw preamp + ATI 1506. I listen to music 30% and HT 70%. I have Acoustic research speakers. AR5 fronts, AR17 back and AR4C center
Does anyone have thoughts on this matter? |
| re: Yamaha receiver vs. ATI amp+ Outlaw preamp | woodman
Oct 24, 2002 11:06 PM | | Sure I'll give you my thoughts:
You'd have to spend $5K-$10K to get better performance than what you'll get from the Yamaha. Besides, the Yamaha is actually good looking. Agonize no more over this decision.
woodman
P.S. You'll no doubt get dissenting opinions from others on this issue ... ignore them. They're seriously misled by CONEs that think that "seperates" always outperform receivers, which is patently untrue. |
| re: Yamaha receiver vs. ATI amp+ Outlaw preamp | yamdsp-a1
Oct 25, 2002 4:32 AM | | If you are going the majority with HT, Yamaha is the purchase. I have the DSP-a1 - (about 5 years old now) which is the predecessor of the RX-Z1 - and it is an amazing quality piece of equipment. The RX-Z1 looks even better!
The nice thing is, if you want, or feel the need to upgrade, you can always move the Yamaha to seperates as every channel is amp-able and you just use the RX-Z1 as a pre-amp/processor.
Also, as I understand it, the RX-Z1 has the ability to upgrade "software" so that you can download the latest surround formats without having to buy an external decoder.
Awesome machine. |
| Being a huge Outlaw fan | pinetop
Oct 25, 2002 4:54 AM | | i would have to agree with the two above posts.The only benefit i can see going with a pre pro is that you have a choice of power amps.But at 110watts per channel the Yamaha should be more than enough. And the fact that it is upgradable makes it even more appealing. bob d |
| And with a 20lb power transformer | pinetop
Oct 25, 2002 6:08 AM | | and massive heat sinks ability to drive low impedance loads what's to think about? If i had to do it all over again this Yamaha would be my first choice. bob d |
| I personally say "behead all of these men!!!!".. | Sir Terrence the Terrible 1
Oct 25, 2002 2:13 PM | | Rexkex,
If you are going to spend this kind of money for new components I say listen to them both. That is the only conclusive way to know how each amp section is going to interact with your speakers and thus effect sound quality, and if you really need the extra features each have. To say I recommend something based on the fact that the manufacturers past models were good is foolish. To make a recommendation based on power ratings is rediculous especially if the power difference doesn't add up to a audible increase of perceived volume to the ears(like the difference between 90 watts and 110 watts)
The RX-Z1 may have a ton of stuff you don't really need. Having a thousand different formats and a way to add more is not necessarily a good value if you don't value this aspect. The ability to download more formats without the ability to upgrade DAC's or add channels easily might not make sense if you value sound quality above sound quantity.
I would strongly recommend you try each for thirty days and then decide which to get. That way you can make an intelligent decision based on your ears and not words. I personally have a love for seperates for flexibility and upgradeability. IMO it is worth it to seperate the digital processing from the amp section so there is not cross contamination from poor shielding of each sections.
I raise my sword and say "listen for yourself" try each with your speakers in your room.
Sir Terrence the Terrible |
| Put your sword away, TT ... | woodman
Oct 25, 2002 4:03 PM | | ... and go sit in the corner and suck your thumb for giving out such piss-poor advice - trust your ears = HOGWASH!
woodman |
| Put your sword away, TT ... | pinetop
Oct 25, 2002 8:45 PM | | Woody piss poor advice is right on the money here.Take home the Yamaha for 30 days? The only company that i know of that will give you a 30day trial is Outlaw Audio.I also am a fan of separates but agree with you about the Yamaha matching the sound quality of separates. bob d |
| Are you saying we all hear the same..... | Sir Terrence the Terrible 1
Oct 29, 2002 7:27 PM | | If you are woodman, you have been eating/sniffing glue. Before I purchased my Onkyo, I listened to a compareably priced Yamaha, Pioneer, and Harmon Kardon receivers. All of them sounded slightly difference driving my speakers. One was better at imaging than another, another had better microdynamics than another, but only the Onkyo possesed all of the qualities that I liked. I am sure someone else could have listened to all of these receivers and come up with a different conclusion. Everybody does not hear the same so it is wise for one to listen for ones self. You make like, gut I may not. Thats real!
Recommending a product based on its pass lineage, and style is rediculous. You LISTEN to receivers and look at hot women. We use our ears to listen to music, we use our eyes to watch the musicians. One should always audition amps and speakers. It is especially wise to listen to a amp connected to your own speakers. Ray Charles can see the wisdom in that
Sir Terrence the Terrible |
| I personally say "behead all of these men!!!!".. | Woochifer
Oct 25, 2002 4:30 PM | | Welcome back T-man! Looks like you were an A-student in your medieval executioner's course! I know that as a knighted one, you can have henchmen do your dirtywork for you, but you've always seemed more of a hands-on dude. Enjoy!
I think that once you go above the midlevel receivers, you're creeping into separates territory. And just on the basis of the flexibility to upgrade and add-on without junking the amplifiers, I would go with separates. Of course, when the RX-Z1's predecessor got discontinued, the prices at some stores tumbled down to the $1,000 price point; and at that stage, these monster flagship receivers are a VERY tempting purchase. I'm waiting!
Just so you know, all Yamaha receivers have a metal compartment (some copper lined) that shields the digital processor board from the other components. At the other end of the design IQ spectrum, Kenwood used to position the processor board directly over the output transistors and the heat sinks! Not that I was a great physics student, but even I know that heat rises. |
| Go with the Yamaha! | brittonj3
Oct 25, 2002 4:04 PM | | I have listened to quite a few recievers and pre and amp combos the past few years and must admit I have become quite enamored with the Yamahas! I haven't heard the biggest Yamaha yet but understand from other owners that it maintains the same Yamaha balance (warmth with detail) that the 1 and 2 series seem to exhibit. There is a link in the thread I started below brittonj3 "Yamaha RX-Z1 & DSP-AZ1" 10/25/02 3:29pm that will take you to "Flagship Recievers" site with a few comments. Let me also say that I own the Parasound 2205 Amp (known to be one of the best five channel amps for the money) and have tried combining it with several pre's and haven't noticed any real improvement over what I am hearing in the Yamaha recievers. I periodically stop buy some high end audio stores when on a layover in other states/countries and the only thing that stikes me as clearly superior over a high end reciever such as the Yamaha is a tube amp set up with high end speakers. I gotta admit, for two channel operations that's about as smooth as I have heard. Not practical if you're going to run one unit and use it for HT applications however. Let us no what you decide and what your perceptions are if you get your hands on the new RX-Z1. Also sir bigshot below makes one valid point suggesting you should listen to any unit to determine if it sounds good to you before you buy it. Having said that you can also learn a lot about a units performance, reliablity and general consumer acceptance/satisfaction from people that have owned it or others in it's linage and you should never discount what they have to say! |
| Thats Sir Terrence to you mister... | Sir Terrence the Terrible 1
Oct 29, 2002 7:31 PM | | Sir bigshot made no comment
Sir Terrence the Terrible |
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