Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Yamaha RX-659

Is this enough receiver to power my M50s and VP100? Or would I greatly benefit in terms of sound quality (not features) if I stepped it up to a Denon 2807, Marantz 7500, RX-V1600, ect?

I should add I live in an apt in Brooklyn and don't crank it way up that often. But I am looking forward to taking advantage of Zone 2 and 3 capabilities to wire speakers to different rooms. Thanks ahead of time for any advice.

To answer your question, yes this receiver is more than enough power to drive the speakers you selected. In fact, it would have no problem with any of the Axiom lineup, except possibly the m80's.

I can't help you with Zones, keep in mind, that with most AVR's you might sacrifice the rear 6/7 channels to free up for the extra zones. At least that is the way it used to be a few years ago. Are you planning for 7.1 in your main HT area?

I picked up the RX-V659 at a liquidation sale this past week. I have not used it because i have no speakers yet

But there is an awsome review of the RX-V659 that just came out Wednesday at audioholics.com.
Here is the link. They say it is an unbelievable value for what you get.

-Robb.

Co, as I mentioned to you a few months ago when you discussed "auditioning" receivers, competent engineers nearly always have the design object of sonic neutrality, and you wouldn't benefit at all in terms of sound quality with the more expensive units that you list if you operate the 659 within its designed limits. As the excellent review and tests from Audioholics which Robb links illustrates, those limits are quite high and include a substantial 4 ohm capability. The 659 is available for around $350 and does indeed represent an excellent buy, although not uniquely so (e.g. Onkyo 604)in these days of fine low-priced audio equipment.

I have a problem here. When I hear "Yamaha RX-659" I instantly think of the Yamaha 650s that helped run Triumph into the ground in the 70s.


Grrrrrrr.......

I miss my 81 Yammy 650 Special

The good old days, it was a 1976 Kawasaki Z 750, that I barely managed not to kill myself several times on back in those no helmet days

When I was a kid my father took us (me and a few of my friends) dirt riding most weekends. He subscribed to a few bike magazines and I fell in love with the '69 Kawasaki 500, aka the "Blue Streak". I was 11 at the time, so by the time I had moved out and could buy one they were ~8 years old, and I can tell you that neither the handling nor the brakes improved with age. Pretty much put me off street bikes for life. Almost 30 years later I can still hear the fins on those cylinder heads ringing when someone fires up a two-stroke engine around me.

I mostly miss Michigan!! I still have my '74 Triumph Trident 750, but Florida around here is just too boring for any "active" riding. Speaking of 650s, my first bike was a '69 Triumph TR6, single carb version. My 750 has three carbs, three sets of points and three condencers. Tuning is fun!

We stuck a '71 Electra-glide in there for a while, but that Harley just wasn't much fun and was replaced rather quickly with another Triumph.

I managed to tangle with a few Kaw tripples that gave me a heck of a run on the straights! Scary quick!!

When the twisty bits came along, however.....

Never had an actual dirt bike. The Wife and I took our 650 back into a state park once where we thought was a real bike trail. We ran out of trail down at a river where there was no real good way to get the bike turned around or be able to back up.

We pretty well stuck to pavement after that.

Ah; but it was fun. The good ol' days.
Rich.

You had a Trident ? Cool... I always liked those but never got to ride one.