Yamaha YDS-10 Universal iPod Dock for Select Yamaha Home Theater Receivers Review

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(More customer reviews)I just got this iPod dock for my RX-V659. Popped it open. Plugged it in. And spent the next hour trying to figure out how to make it work! The instructions that come with it are really terse. All they say is to plug it in and put your iPod in it. Perhaps I'm the only on who struggled with this set up. . but in the event that there are others, I thought I'd give some additional instructons. Here are a few things you should know (that could save you an hour!).
1. You have to program your Yamaha receiver's remote with a code in order to control the iPod. Instructions for this operation are in the way-back of your receiver's owner's manual. Which has 3 separate sections on how to use an iPod. The first section for me was on p.24. The second somewhere around p. 100 and the third p. on 108. You need all three section to make it work!
2. After you program the code. . .here's the tricky part. .and I didn't see this in either the YDS-10 manual or the RX-V659 manual. . .here goes: The receiver's remote has a little switch on the right side that switches between "Amp", "Source" and "TV". If you just got your receiver, you may not even notice this switch. But here's the tricky part. The receiver won't control the iPod at all if this switch is in it's default position ("Amp"). You have to switch it to "Source". . and then low and behold. . .the amp says "Loading". . the iPod screen changes to a Yamaha logo. . .and you can see your song list on the TV screen!
The sound quality is top notch! Hope this helps someone else!


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There are several iPod docking stations on the market, but few are as convenient as the YDS-10, which is custom designed to work with Yamaha's HTR-5960, HTR-5950, RX-V659, and RX-V559 home theater receivers. Connection is easy--simply plug the dock into the Yamaha receiver's rear-panel port. Once connected, the dock not only charges your iPod and plays your favorite playlists through the receiver's stereo or surround speakers, but it also shows iPod images and movies through an attached monitor. It's the perfect setup for people who regularly download TV shows from iTunes but want to watch them on a big TV. The rest of the time, you can rock out to all your favorite songs with style.
Just as impressively, the YDS-10 lets you operate your iPod from across the room using the receiver's remote control and onscreen display, so you don't need to rise off the sofa each time you want to change selections. Connecting your iPod to a home theater system has never been easier or sounded so good. The YDS-10 is compatible with 4th and 5th generation iPods (with click wheels), the iPod mini, and the iPod nano.
What's in the Box Dock, connection cable, iPod adapters, user's manual.

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Denon AVR-988 7.1-Channel Multizone Home Theater Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)This was a strong performing receiver at $1200. Now it is an amazing value. Why?
Pros
1) Clean high current power- in the end, the most important thing. Strip away all the bells and whistles and "features" and listen to it. Many receivers brag about 100 watts of power and yet sound thin. Denon is known for amplifier quality. This Denon receiver was designed for the $1200 instead of the $500 price point and has the parts quality that reflects it (good power supply, shielding, and separate circuit boards for Digital, Analog Video and Analog Audio) The receiver has 110 watts for 7 channels and will drive your speakers for better bass and clarity.
2) 1080P Upconversion- there is two types of upconversion. In other words, what are you doing to a VCR or other analog video signal to make it HDMI? Some receivers "Transcode", which means they convert from regular composite video, S-Video, or Component video to HDMI. This is done for convenience. You get all of your sources on one HDMI cable going into the TV, but don't expect any improvement in video quality. The other way of conversion is called upconversion or "scaling." Now you are taking a 480i signal and converting it to 1080i or 1080P. The quality of that process varies widely. Some upconverters make the image look horrible. Some only upconvert to 1080i. Denon uses a Faroudja FLi2310 video processor that provides video scaling up to 1080p resolution. On other words, it makes your old stuff look good. Not as good as true HD source material, but it is a significant improvement.
3) Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio- decodes them both.
4) Multi-Zone/Multi-Source: Use 5 of the channels for home theater and the 2 other channels to power a second zone (like speakers for an outdoor deck) with a different source. So you can watch movies in the family room and still have a CD playing outside. The second zone can be fed from the coax digital or optical digital input (rather than only analog), something that many other multi-source receivers can't do.
5) Auto Setup: Many people buy a receiver and never bother to set it up to compensate for their room and speakers. I prefer to set up a receiver manually for inputs, speaker size and distance and it can make a huge difference in sound quality. Denon makes setup easy. Once you plug in the microphone, the receiver automatically detects and enters in auto-setup mode. The Audyssey Multi EQ XT can be setup for 8 favorite listening setups...you can calibrate it for a couple watching movies vs a group watching a football game. There is a large difference among auto EQs, and Audyssey does a good job.
6) Auto Lipsync- Have you noticed the image not match up with the sound? Rather than put up with that movie experience, the Denon receiver will allow you to correct for the delays between the video and audio processing.
7) Shh...don't tell anyone, but this receiver is very, very close in performance to Denon's AVR 2808. Just less expensive!
8) Yes, it even still has a phono input.
9) Music restorer- Playing an iPod? Use this to make compressed audio sources sound less worse.
Drawback
Although it will convert other inputs to HDMI, it only has two HDMI inputs. For those who want more HDMI inputs, add a HDMI switcher box. One of the best reviewed ones is the Oppo. It works with Tivo, Comcast cable boxes, and with Denon receivers.
OPPO HM-31 Certified HDMI 1.3 and 1080p Switch

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A/V Multi Source/Zone Receiver

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Yamaha YST-SW315 10-Inch Digital Pro Series Subwoofer (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I picked up the Sony 8" (SA-WM250 100-Watt) Active Subwoofer recently, and it's quite nice (especially the price at under $100.00). But this smaller system can't hold a candle to the Yahama. This 10" system pumps out clean, crisp base and its cut-off option allows the user to limit the higher frequency response of the sub-woofer (and let your mid-range speakers do the job). The result - a pretty massive, well defined bottom that can be as subtle or as "in your face" as you like it and which will nicely compliment just about any existing audio/visual system.
Because I use a pair of smaller AAD speakers, I keep the volume level for the subwoofer at below 50%, but the frequency cut-off a bit higher (110 hz out of max 140hz) for a nicely balanced, very full sound. Another nice feature is a bass button selection for either (i) music, or (ii) movies. The latter provides maximum bass response - suitable for achieving something similar to what you get in movie theatres - the rumbling bass that lodges in your stomach. The former, music option, is ideal and very complimentary to my existing stereo arrangement.
If you're unhappy with the response of your shelf speakers (want more oomph?), you'll love this Yamaha subwoofer. It'll add depth to your existing system, and add real luster to your audio-video setup. I recently re-watched "The Two Towers" on DVD using the Yahama - the experience was truly like a return to the theatre.


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Yamaha's YST-SW315 offers 250 high-efficiency watts--enough power to deliver shattering, movie-theater-like bass effects. Full enjoyment of Dolby Digital and DTS surround sources requires deep, clear bass. This is especially true with 5.1- and 6.1-channel sound, because the ".1" channel is dedicated to the bass frequencies. That means you not only need a subwoofer, but a high-power subwoofer capable of handling extremely low frequencies. The YST-SW315's down-firing 10-inch driver translates power into clean bass sound, and the YST-SW315 boasts a frequency response of 20 to 160 Hz (-10 dB at the extremes of the range).The YST-SW315 delivers high power at deep bass frequencies, with excellent stability and low power consumption. This is made possible by the sub's highly efficient PWM (pulse-wave modulation) digital-drive power amplifier. The amplifier achieves superior conversion efficiency by minimizing power loss from the power transistors. It delivers stable audio power while minimizing AC power consumption and heat production. As it requires no output filter coil, it's extremely quiet with low distortion.Yamaha's patented Advanced Active Servo Technology (Advanced YST) generates incredible bass from small speaker enclosures. This system uses negative-impedance feedback in the amp and a Helmholtz resonator in the speaker to provide strong and accurate bass.QD-Bass (Quatre Dispersion Bass) technology uses a down-firing driver with square, pyramid-shaped reflective plates to radiate sound efficiently in four horizontal directions. The reflective plates (not used in other brands' down-firing subwoofers) negate any effects caused by the floor surface and reduce resonance between sound waves reflected from the floor and the unit. Most other systems use circular cones, but the YST-SW315 avoids firing sound into the legs of the cabinet by radiating in four directions. Changing the height of the pyramid varies the acoustic load, permitting relatively simple high-cut adjustment and improving bandpass properties. QD-Bass also grants greater freedom of placement, since the sound radiates with equal effectiveness in all directions.The user-adjustable, continuously variable high-cut filter sets the highest frequency the subwoofer will deliver. It can be set anywhere from 40 to 140 Hz. For instance, if the filter is set at 75 Hz, only frequencies 75 Hz or below will be delivered by the subwoofer. This allows the sub's output to be matched to the lowest reproducible frequency of other speakers in the system and the room's acoustics for a seamless presentation.The rotary volume control permits the perfect matching of the sub's output to the overall volume of the system. The YST-SW315 has a signal-sensing circuit. When the subwoofer detects an audio signal, it turns its power on. When it senses no signal for several minutes, it shuts itself off.Yamaha's BASS (Bass Action Selector Switch) tailors the sub's output for video or music at the touch of a switch. Two sets of inputs let the sub accept either line- or speaker-level inputs, while a handy phase normal/reverse switch makes it easy to phase the subwoofer with the other speakers in your system.Three-way speaker terminals accept banana plug and a variety of other connectors, as well as speaker wire, and the YST-SW315's thick, rigid MDF cabinet reduces vibrations and resonance. The speaker's handsome black-ash finish blends in with room decor and complements many furnishing styles, and it's magnetically shielded so you can place it near a TV or computer monitor without degrading the picture.What's in the Box Subwoofer, user's manual, and warranty information.

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Bose Lifestyle 38 - Home theater system - 5.1 channel - white Review

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(More customer reviews)While the sound quality is good, this $3k system is definitely not up to the hype due to poor UI and Usability designs by Bose. I would not have bothered if I was buying even $1500 system but for 3k it is not really worth. While everyone talks about how great this system is, let me talk about some major drawbacks of this system that no one talks about:
1) It does not display Track/album info for custom CDs (for e.g. the ones you ripped off from online music stores) and MP3 CDs! Yes, thats true! How can anyone browse through 100+ songs from an MP3 CD and select the song that they want without seeing any track/album display on the TV Screen? I am extreamly upset with Bose lacking "common sense" here! Come on Bose, even my old $100 cheap DVD system can display this info on the screen! If you let the users play mp3 CDs didn't it occur to you that they would perhaps would like to choose the song they want to listen to?
2) It does not let you store MP3 CDs.
3) It does not let you transfer music from your PC.
4) It does not import the Title/Album info for the custom CDs that you burn with music that you have downloaded. It just names all the tracks and album info for the this type of CD with '-No Label-' title! You have to spend days to Edit (BTW editing is horrible too) all this info to make it right (if you have patience at all). If you end up storing more then one custom CDs, they all look the same when you browse through music library! So, there is no way to distinguish between them and hence you are really screwed! If you were to edit the title of a song/album, there is no way to listen to the song (to make sure it is the right song) while editing it! While listening, you can't edit the title! How stupid!
5) Browsing through music library is a pain. If you have 200 CDs, there is no way to skip to a particular CD in a second. for e.g if you want to go to 100th CD, you have to cick 100 times to get to it in the list! Same thing goes for Artist, Album and track selection.
6) The playlist feature is not really good. You are stuck with UMusic and a very basic playlist option.
7) Editing feature is not really intutive. There is no way you can key in letters using the Remote controls number pad (such as the ones you have with Cellphones. Each number will have 3 letters assigned to it etc...) There is no way to play and doublecheck the song while editing the title for a song/album. So, imagine yourself editing a bunch of songs with no preview!
Well the bottomline is that this pricy system is lacking so many basic features showing how Bose did not do a good job of focussing on usability. It is not just about the sound, the system should be functional too! I hope Bose realizes this soon! In any case Bose just lost their image as far as I am concerned!


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Designed to change the way you think about movies, music, and even your CD collection, the Bose Lifestyle 38 DVD home entertainment system digitally stores and organizes up to 200 hours of music (around 200 to 300 CDs, depending on the timing of the discs). The system also lets you enjoy your movies on standard or high-definition-ready televisions in scintillating progressive-scan video. Meanwhile, the system's Jewel Cube speaker arrays and low-frequency-producing Acoustimass module fill your room with rich, full-bodied sound.The stylish, 2-tone silver/black media center features an integrated DVD/CD player and AM/FM tuner. You get Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround processing for lifelike surround effects from your favorite movies, as well as Bose Videostage 5 processing for turning mono and stereo sources into surround programs. The DVD/CD player plays your DVD-Video movies (NTSC or PAL, depending on your TV), DVD-R/RW homemade discs, and CD-based music, including MP3 files written to recordable CD-R or CD-RW.Among the Lifestyle 38's innovative features is its ADAPTiQ audio calibration system, which analyzes your room and adjusts the system's sound for optimal performance in the spots you like to listen from, and the uMusic intelligent playback system.The uMusic system uses proprietary Bose technology to turn the media center into a virtual DJ capable of playing a continuous stream of the music you most enjoy and--even cooler--adapting to your preferences, even as they change. You can instruct system to play what you want, when you want it. Giving instructions requires only that you react to your stored music as it plays. Pressing "Encore" tells the system to search for music with characteristics that closely match what's playing, narrowing its field of choices in response to your command.Pressing the - (negative) rating tells the system to move on because this particular track is not right for this time of day, this activity, or for the person listening. Submitting a + (positive) rating has the opposite effect: the system learns that you particularly like the track playing. Not every track you like requires a + rating, but you can always give special songs this nudge. Over time the system adjusts the type of music it plays when your preset is selected. And you don't need to worry that any response you make now will be etched in concrete: you may easily override your established preferences at any time.When you load your collection into the media center (copying takes about 5 minutes per disc), the system searches an internal and regularly updatable database to assign artist and track names, genre, and other details, which you can edit or update as you wish.The Lifestyle 38 features award-winning Jewel Cube speaker arrays, which measure just 4.5 inches high, for dramatically lifelike sound. These are the smallest and most powerful speaker arrays Bose makes, producing sound you'd expect from speakers much larger. The Acoustimass module (essentially a subwoofer) produces resounding low notes that bring action sequences to life and add fullness to music. Place the Acoustimass module out of sight, so all sound seems to come from the Jewel Cube speaker arrays.Other features include AM/FM tuning with 40 preset stations (20 FM, 20 AM), a sleep timer (10 to 90 minutes), and console input jacks for connecting other source components (such as a VCR, DSS, CD changer, or tape deck).Connections include digital and analog audio inputs and outputs for a range of ancillary components, with a choice of composite-video, S-video, or--with an optional-use cable that connects to both the composite- and S-video outputs--480i/480p component-video outputs, depending on your television.A feature called Bose link allows connections for compatible Bose products in as many as 14 additional rooms using optional hookup gear.What's in the Box Media center, 5 speakers, 1 Acoustimass module, FM/AM antennas, all requisite cabling, a remote control with batteries, a user's manual, a quick-setup guide, AC power cords, 2 system discs, an optional-use IR emitter cable, an ADAPTiQ audio calibration system headset, and warranty information.Note: This system is designed to store the audio tracks of regular CDs only. It will not store MP3 tracks or the contents of DVDs.

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Yamaha RX-A2000 7.1-Channel Audio/Video Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)First off the product came in less then 3 days of me ordering.
I was shocked how fast and pleased with the packaging.
I am not one to understand the complete tech sides of their receivers but I know what was important to me.
1) The HDMI's out.. I am using 5 and wanted more just in cass.
2) The 3 Zones. I am using 2 and will use 3 over the next few months.
3) The video/audio processing. Very happy.
4) The Sound Quality. I am using very good Yamaha/Pro Center speakers (7 speakers and subwoofer) and I am just blown away how great everything sounds. From movies to music and even commercials.
There are many programs (sound choices) to choose from like 2 channel, 7 channel, live(many formats), cathedral(many options) that will get the effect you desire. The decoding choices are really great too. I am a big PS3 player for Call of Duty and it was like a friggon war zone in my family room. When you get shot, you actually get a little scard because of the feeling you get with the sounds going on. It's pretty funny actually.
My only complaint was I had a problem getting my speakers working for about 1/2 hour. I have no idea why. I think the sounds default was not setup to 7 channel and I only had like 3 speakers working at the time. Once I figured out how to get it to 7 channels using the program button I was good to go. I thought at first my wiring was all messed up.. Everything is great now.
I love all the speaker configurations they provide as well as the testing and auto setup options.
I just used my network cable and was able to see like 100 interest music channels which sound really good.
The next step is trying to use the web browser to see what options I can do from there.
My goal is really trying to get the most out of the product over the next few months to justify the cost.
I paid $1400.
Hope you enjoy the product as much as I have.


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AVENTAGE is a dramatic, inspired step forward in audio/video component design. AVENTAGE brings studio-grade sound and sophisticated video enhancements to the home as a result of unparalleled attention to detail in design, engineering and fabrication. Details that, at first glance, would not seem to affect the quality of sight, sound, and control, when brought together within an AVENTAGE component produce a work of visual and acoustic art.The RX-A2000 A/V Receiver offers 3D and Audio Return Channel over 8 in/2 out HDMI, CINEMA DSP 3D, HQV video quality, new GUI, new YPAO with Reflected Sound Control, new SCENE functionality, network functions, control via web browser, Zone 3 output, and Control4 certification.

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Bose VCS-10 Center Channel - Speaker, home theater sound for component systems - Silver Review

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(More customer reviews)I have owned the Bose VCS10 Center Channel for the past 3 years and have learned to live with it's sonic peculiarities and enjoy it's more positive aspects. I am one who finds the VCS10 actually better for listening to music than movie dialogue. I had 2 generations Bose 301's as front speakers (Series V) and surrounds (Series IV) respectively and was interested in maintain the "natural sound" characteristics for which Bose is well known. I must say that the VCS10 is lacking in lower range bass but not to a point of exceptional distraction. I do like the lack of piercing highs which the 2.5" drivers shy away from producing.
I also approve of the VCS10's styling and low profile on top on my CRT television set.
Strengths:
Low profile
Aesthetically pleasing
No piercing high notes
Does not draw undue attention to itself
Weaknesses:
Power Hungery Drivers
Often Muffled Dialog in Home Theater Mode
Hard to balance with rest of home theater speakers
Could use more bass!!!
Mid bass sounds "punchy" and at times and distorted when used for home theater music passages, eg. Titanic 1997 Irish Music by Galiec Storm in DTS 6.1

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Special effects add excitement to the home theater experience, but the dialogue in a great movie is just as important. While your front and rear speakers process action and effects, the VCS-10 center channel works with your surround sound receiver to produce dialogue with rich, natural tones that seem to come directly from the screen. Each phrase can be lifelike and clear, so you dont miss a word. The VCS-10 center channel speaker is designed to complement your TV or entertainment center. Its patented Compound Loaded® drivers deliver clear, cinema-like dialogue. And Articulated Array® speaker design locks dialogue on screen and provides a large consistent sound field for a cinema-like experience. The VCS-10 center channel speaker features slim, sleek dimensions that complement your television or entertainment center. Picture distortion is prevented by the VCS-10 center channel speakers magnetic shielding. This center channel speaker is an appropriate choice for upgrading your component home theater system one piece at a time.

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