Yamaha DSP modes are in fact some of the greatest DSP modes I've ever heard. The modes on my RX-Z1 just simply blow away my Denon AVR-5800's. Now, while I mainly listen to music in stereo mode (95% of the time), some times it's cool to get to feel like you are in say "The Bottom Line" Jazz Club in New York, etc. Yamaha takes data recorded from these actual locations into their DSP's, unlike those other companies.