Yamaha RX-V Receivers

[MiniVanMan]

Hi there!!

I'm very new to HT, but not audio. I'm going to start building some DIY speakers, as soon as I get this question answered. I'm going to be getting a Yamaha RX-V receiver. I'm not sure on the model. It's either the 1500 or the 2400. It's 120x7 if that helps. I'm getting it through a rewards program with work, so it's pretty much a done deal. My question is what are these receivers actually capable of as far as impedance goes. The manual states 8 or 6 ohms. That's kind of frustrating seeing as I'd really like to couple it with some 4 ohm MTM towers. Will that receiver handle 4 ohms, and if so, how do I set the receiver up in order to do so? I know there's a switch on the back that you have to set for either 6 or 8, and while my gut says, go ahead and throw a 4 ohm load on that baby, my brain is saying "they have the switch for a reason."

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Snap]

The 2500 is the one that is 130x7 Accourding to the manual page 106 of 112 it list the power ratings down to 2 ohms. How ever the set up guide only list 6. I have heard of people using 4ohm speakers with Yammy stuff.

If you can swing the 2500 it is the bigger of the 2. Nice unit.

[Snap]

Went to Yammy's website. You CAN use 1 pair of 4 ohm speakers. I thought you could but I wanted to make sure. Below is the area I copied from the website, as well as the link.

Another reason for power transformer failure is a continuous heavy current draw through the unit over a prolonged period of time causing excessive heat buildup within your unit. This could be related to the impedance of the speakers you are using, the level of the volume control, and how many speakers you are using at one time. You can only use 1 pair of 4 ohm speakers, or 1 pair of 6 ohm speakers, or 2 pair of 8 ohm speakers. Any other combination or types of speakers that you are using other than what was just mentioned could lead to premature failure of your amplifier or power transformer. In addition, do not turn your volume control further than the halfway point. If you are doing this, you run the risk of damaging your amplifier or speaker system. (See Why Do I Keep Blowing Tweeters/Midranges, And How Do I Prevent This From Reoccurring?).

http://www.yamaha.com/yec/customer/FAQs/faq18b.htm

Hope that helps!

[Shane Martin]

If your speakers are low impedence but high sensitivity then you should be ok. But if they have lower than a 90db sensitivity, then it is likely that you will force the receiver into clipping really quickly especially the underpowered Yamahas. They generally do NOT test well when it comes to delivering their rated power.

Keep also in mind that there are newer models coming as well.

An alternative would be to buy the cheaper of the 2 and take the savings and put it towards a 2 channel amp.

[Snap]

I thought that Yammy's and Denon were good to go about power Shane. I thought the bad boys were SONY, and Pioneer? Sony for sure.
:scratchhead:

[aud19]

Yamaha's no worse than 99% of the mainstream receivers :lol: HK's about the only mass-market company that actually rates accurately. As far as Yamaha they're generally a bit optimistic about their WPC but not drastically so.

I like Shane's idea of getting the cheaper Yamaha and saving for a seperate 2-ch (or 5-ch for that matter) amp :T

Otherwise the Yamaha should be adequate

[Snap]

The thing is guys...he is getting it for free through his rewards program at work! So why ask for the 1500 when he is not having to pay for it anyways? I say take the 2500 for free and call it good. Later on get you a amp.

That is my .02 anyways.

[aud19]

Fair enough If you're getting the bigger one for free then even better

[MiniVanMan]

Only 1 pair, huh?? That kind of rules out 4 ohm front and center channels. But it bodes well for building a 4 ohm center channel. That's what I needed to know. Thanks guys!!

[Shane Martin]

I thought that Yammy's and Denon were good to go about power Shane.

Both are guilty. I have the last test report on the 3805. It did ok but didn't meet it's specs.

[aud19]

I think it would be much quicker and easier to just post the 4 mass-market receivers from the last ten years that do meet their specs Shane, don't you? : :rofl:

[Shane Martin]

There's quite a few more than 4. Nice try though.

[aud19]

:B :B Okay, okay there's like 6 :roflmao: :roflmao:

[bleeding ears]

There is some good info on Yamaha receivers on the Audioholics site.

They go into great depth with reviews and power/speaker tests and
I think it was the Yam 2500 that was ok with, and actually recommended the use of 4 ohm speakers, although it has been a while since I read it so best to double check.

Check it out! :W

[ccochran]

"A/B" Selection

Only 1 pair, huh?? That kind of rules out 4 ohm front and center channels. But it bodes well for building a 4 ohm center channel. That's what I needed to know. Thanks guys!!

I believe the manual means you can have 4 ohm speakers on all the speakers on the front. (And probably all 7 channels) The receiver has an "A" and "B" selection meaning you can have two sets of front speakers. You can only play one of the sets at a time if they are below 8 Ohms. If they are 8 Ohm speakers (or higher) then you could play both sets at the same time.

The "A" and "B" selection might be useful if you have a set of 7.1 speakers intended for home theatre and you have another Pair of speakers for you hi-fi stereo audio. If they were all 8ohms or above the receiver could handle all 9 speakers at once. If they are below 8 ohms, you should only switch back and forth.

The "A/B" could also be useful for audtioning those DIY speakers and comparing to the retail ones you "wasted" your money on. ....I've got a pair of Cerwin Vega's from my college days (pre-DIY days) that are just collecting dust now.

[Azeke]

I owned a Yami RX-V a few years ago running 4 Ohm speakers, and it seem to handle things fairly well. I would not recommend a high decibel levels running 4 Ohm speakers, if memory serves me correctly this action caused clipping. However this was a receiver a few years old, with the advent of better circuit board technology today, I believe your new receiver can handle it.

I would contact Yamaha tech support with your receiver and speaker specs, to ensure that your receiver can handle the load and impedance swings. Just my pennies worth.

Good luck,

Azeke