Greetings,
I am considering upgrading my Yamaha 5660 system (with M60, VP150, QS8(3) and STF-3) to a 7.1 system in a 15x24x8 room. I know the specs between the Yamaha 5790 (the htr version of the 1400) and the Denon 2805, but I can't really find anyplace to hear both side by side. Since I don't want to go through ordering both to audition and returning the loser does anyone have any preferences between the two, keeping in mind that I don't really subscribe to the idea that receivers can "color" the sound...
b.

Bob -there is no mistake with either choice. I prefer Denon. I believe the 2803 has a better feature set than the Yammy, (and I'll be corrected if I am wrong ). The 2803 also acts as a pre/pro if you get a wild hair to add an amp later.

Even if you can't catch them side-by-side, try to listen to them separately.

I'd also recommend the Denon. It just seems to me (and its just my opinion) that Denon has a better track record and my family members have all loved their Denon's.

Bob, since you quite properly don't subscribe to the idea that receivers color the sound, there's nothing to audition and nothing to "hear", side-by-side or otherwise. Use your best judgment about the features of each(I don't know if anyone can say at this point if the automatic equalization features differ significantly)and go with confidence, since you can't go wrong with either.

I'm also considering the 1400 or the 2805

My uncle has a 1400 and absolutly loves it... the 2805 seems to have several features the 2803 didn't have, but I wouldn't say the 2803 has more features than the 1400.

There's a slight difference in the HTR and RX series of receivers, besides rebranding - what it is eludes me at the moment.

Yamaha (I'm a user) or Denon, Onkyo, Harman-Kardon and Marantz - hard to go wrong with any of them.

Bren R.

No phono inputs on the HTRs, AFAIK.

I went with the Denon 2803 over the Yamaha 1400 for largely subjective reasons and apocryphal accounts of power ratings. (Denon's tend to understate vs. "comparable" Yamahas. Wait. Strike that. Reverse it.)

Personally, I wasn't too impressed by Yamaha's YPAO.

I think some kind of YPAO-esque auto-calibration feature is one thing the 2805 has over the 2803. Which really just makes it harder to decide between that and the 1400, if you're looking for such things.

Me, I'll go out of my way to buy a car with a stick shift over an auto trans, so, y'know... I prefer a hands-on approach. YMMV.

Good luck and happy hunting.

Roger