MAINTENANCE DONE ON 2010 RED YAMAHA RS VECTOR GT SNOWMOBILE
DRIVEN BY: NICK KELLER DURING THE 60 DAY LONGEST SNOWMOBILE JOURNEY
SNOWBALL CANCER CHALLENGE 2011
WWW.SNOWBALLCANCER.ORG SNOWBALLCANCER@GMAIL.COM
December 26, 2010 December 27, 2010 December 31, 2010 January 11, 2011 January 2, 2011 January 3, 2011 January 4, 2011 January 4, 2011 January 7, 2011 January 9, 2011 January 10, 2011 January 12, 2011 January 14, 2011 January 16, 2011 January 18, 2011 January 19, 2011 January 20, 2011 January 23, 2011 January 24, 2011 January 28, 2011 January 30, 2011 February 3, 2011 February 4, 2011 February 5, 2011 February 7, 2011 February 9, 2011 February 11, 2011 February 13, 2011 February 15, 2011 February 18, 2011 February 19, 2011 February 20, 2011 February 21, 2011 February 23, 2011

Odometer

21,000 21,336 22,606 22,863 23,272 23,625 24,505 24,866 25,580 26,126 26,532 26,884 27,465 28,556 29,007 30,117 30,494 31,324 32,041 32,470 33,868 35,002 35,492 35,764 36,501 37,245 38,344 39,229 40,182 41,000 41,308 42,191 42,502 43,150
Maintenance Done On Snowmobile
Start of the 60 day journey at Nick Keller Residence, Richmond, MN Put new oil filter only, because of a bolt leak on valve cover. Problem solved. Grease 6 small wheels and suspension Grease 6 small wheels and suspension Put on a set of carbides Grease 6 small wheels Morning grease 6 small wheels and suspension Evening clean clutch, grease jack and drive bearing. Shim secondary Change engine oil, change filter, flush chain case, and grease machine Changed exhaust donuts to new style and new clamps and hi fax Change wear rods Grease 6 small wheels and suspension Fix water leak, drive bearing, change case oil, hi fax change, 3 back suspension bearings at Pats Motorsports Yamaha, Greenland, MI Change engine oil, total grease job, rotate wear rods and change primary clutch Rivet exhaust bracket, change two little wheels back set Grease suspension Broken muffler Change engine oil, change chain case oil and reset chain, new belt and total grease job Change hi fax and carbides Grease suspension, clutch and two bearings Change engine oil, change chain case oil and reset chains also with a total grease job Major grease job and clean secondary Rotate wear rods Change exhaust donuts were like new at 9,638 miles Change hi fax, engine oil and filter, new track and chain case oil, three new back wheels, new bearing on inside wheel left side and new drive axle bearing Change clutch, belt and wear rods Grease machine, change y-pipe, flex pipe and exhaust donuts Grease machine, change engine oil, change chain case oil and reset chain and needle grease bearings Grease machine and change two center wheels Grease small wheels Put the best of old wear rods on and grease sled Change engine oil, chain case oil, and reset chain, grease sled and new hi fax and grease drive and axle bearing Change wear rods, belt and greased sled totally End of the 60 day run at the River Station, Richmond, Minnesota.
Nick Keller rode 22,150 miles during his snowball cancer challenge 2011 (60 day longest snowmobile journey) from December 26, 2010 until February 23, 2011. Nick rode 19,506 miles during his 2009-2010, 60 day journey (December 26, 2009 until February 23, 2010). He rode a combined total of 41,656 miles on the cancer runs. Nick snowmobiled through the states of Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin area during his adventures.

2.21.06

Yamaha RX-V2600 Receiver Review
7.1 A/V Receiver with 130W/ch, and HDMI Upconversion/Scaling
Review by Clint DeBoer of Audioholics.com

Introduction

In reviewing the new Yamaha RX-V2600 I feel like Im swearing in a new justice of the Supreme Court. After all, its new and exciting, but theres also a lot of discussion and debate surrounding the newcomer. With the RX-V2600, Yamaha has entered that place where the label AV processor really starts to emphasize video processing. Lets face it, while there was always plenty of audio processing going on, the video part of the AV equation was mostly limited to switching. No longer. The new RX-V2600 breaks new ground and starts anew with a set of updated features that gives notice to the competition: 130 watts/channel (20Hz 20kHz, 0.04% THD, 8-ohms) see our bench test for more on power Updated GUI interface Burr-Brown 192 kHz/24-bit DACs for all channels Assignable amplifiers for bi-amp connection 2 in/1 out HDMI interface for high quality digital audio and video data handling Fully analogue video up-conversion to HDMI and component video Output with TBC (time-base-correction) De-interlacing (480i to 480p) Up-scaling (480i to 1080i/720p) XM Satellite Radio ready Additional Zone 2/3 remote control unit Zone 2 video monitor outputs displaying Zone 2/3 info Improved main remote (fully backlit)

First Impressions

Being the video-head that I am, it was easy to figure out where to begin. I wanted to examine up close and personal what the RX-V2600 could do in terms of its new video processing capabilities. I mean, this isnt your run-of-the-mill AV receiver its an all-inclusive analogue to digital workhorse designed to take everything you feed it and process it into a tasty digital morsel. I was excited but skeptical, to put it mildly. Going over some of the updated items, here are some quick summary notes to chew over before we get into the real nitty gritty of this processor (and whether you should be happy or not to pay the additional $300 over last years model):
HDMI Upconversion, Deinterlacing AND Scaling
In the spirit of Brothers Grimm, which just came to me on DVD this week lets put this into perspective through allegory. Once upon a time there was HDMI. HDMI liked to go real fast, but he was also lonely because he had a brand new highway all to himself. One day, someone decided to build an entrance ramp so other formats could play with HDMI - and that made things better. Eventually, however, HDMI got tired of always passing the other formats on the highway (they couldnt keep up) so someone decided to construct little cars that each of the other formats rode on, making them just as fast

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Yamaha RX-V2600 Home Theater Receiver

review

Review Date 2.21.06 Manufacturer: Yamaha Electronics Corporation Overall Rating: 4.75/5 stars Value Rating: 4.75/5 stars MSRP: $1,399

Review Summary

(sort of) as HDMI. Now HDMI was able to go different speeds, but the other formats could still match him and everyone, of course, used the same exit ramp. You still tracking with me? Ah, bliss in the land of make believe. Heres how it breaks down in the real world. Send in composite 480i, output 1080i or 720p via HDMI. Send in s-video 480i, output 1080i or 720p via HDMI. Send in component 480i or 480p, output 1080i or 720p. It doesnt matter what you put in, the Yamaha RX-V2600 can take it and output it onto HDMI in the proper format for your display (with the exception of 1080p). The only question well answer later is: do you want it to?
in Zones 2 and 3 and an emitter or hardwired emitter cable for sending the resulting signals back to the Yamaha. Yamahas remote control concepts are simple: include affordable and practical remote products, but allow room for custom installers to bring in third party solutions as well. If Yamaha and these others included top-performing universal RF remotes on their mid-fi products, prices would go up and the ability of the custom installer to integrate their own solutions would be diminished. Were pretty fine with the status quo.
HDMI 1.1 audio support Upconversion and scaling of SD analogue inputs to 720p/1080i via HDMI output Zone 2/3 remote with source select and XM controls Zone 2 with on-screen display (OSD)

No parametric EQ bands below 62.5Hz Spring clips for Presence/Zone 2/3 speakers Menu activity on DVDs causes HDMI dropouts to display No on-the-fly speaker level trims

Specifications

Pure Direct for Higher Fidelity Sound Reproduction 7-Channel 910W Powerful Surround Sound (130W x 7) Digital ToP-ART and High Current Amplification Burr-Brown 192 kHz/24-Bit DACs for All Channels Assignable Amplifiers for Bi-Amp Connection Superior Audio-Grade Parts and Devices Used Throughout Fully Analog Video Up-Conversion to HDMI and Component Video Output with TBC De-Interlacing (480i to 480p) Up-Scaling (480i to 1080i/720p) Wide-Range Video Bandwidth (100MHz -3 dB) XM Satellite Radio Ready 2 In/1 Out HDMI Interface for High Quality Digital Audio and Video Data Handling Superior Zone Control with Additional Zone Remote Unit RS-232C Terminal for Receiver Manager Control On-Screen Display with GUI (5 Languages including Spanish) and Two-Line FL Display On-screen display for Zone 2 Quad-Field/Tri-Field CINEMA DSP and 22 Surround Programs with 5 THX Select2 Programs Dolby Pro Logic IIx and DTS 96/24 Compatibility Audio Delay for Adjusting Lip-Sync (0240 ms) Analog Mixdown Extended Remote Control Codes, Dual Remote Terminals for Zone 2 and Zone 3 and Dual +12V Trigger Outputs Dialogue Lift Selectable 9-Band Subwoofer Crossover Subwoofer Phase Select Night Listening Enhancer ensures that all programs (including Dolby Pro Logic IIx) SILENT CINEMA and Virtual CINEMA DSP Speaker A, B or A+B Selection, with Virtual CINEMA DSP Capability in Zone B Two-Line FL Display Max Volume Setting Initial Volume Setting Channel Mute 6 System Memories Direct-Access (Macro-Command, Learning and Preset Capable) Remote Control Unit with Macro-Command Buttons and Illuminated Buttons Dimensions: 17.1 W x 6.7 H x 17.2 D Weight: 38.4 lbs.
Remote Controls (yes, its plural)
Yamaha is still making subtle improvements to its remote controls. This latest model shares most of the traits of the prior model except that they have finally backlit the entire remote and eliminated the lime green on-button labels that were impossible to read in the dark. In addition they have added in a rather comprehensive daughter remote for Zone 2/3 use. All you need to use it are standard IR signal receivers placed
Zone 2/3 Video Monitor Out
Not only can you route analogue input sources to both Zones 2 and 3, but now you can also output analogue video as well. While this is limited to those signals input via the composite video inputs, Zone 2 can be used, for example to power a childs play room where a DVD player in the main room can be sent to entertain the young ones. You can even pipe out unused Presence amplifiers to drive speakers in the Second Zone. We like multi-zone receivers, and to see these kinds of features making their way into such mid-level products makes for great progress and flexibility for custom installers.

Speaker Front L Front R Center Surround L Surround R Presence L Presence R Subwoofer Size Small Small Small Small Small Yes Yes -Level 0.0 -1.0 -4.5 -1.5 -3.0 -3.0 -4.0 0.0 Distance 10.0 10.0 9.5 9.0 9.0 13.5 13.5 9.5 Speaker Front L Front R Center Surround L Surround R Presence L Presence R Subwoofer

Manual Setup

Size Small Small Small Small Small Yes Yes -Level 0.0 -1.0 -4.5 -1.5 -3.0 -3.0 -4.0 0.0 Distance 10.0 10.0 9.5 9.0 9.0 13.5 13.5 9.5

Time Base Correction

The RX-V2600 doesnt just provide archaic conversion of composite and s-video sources to high definition output. It also gives you a TBC, or time base correction circuit. A TBC is an electronic processing device intended for use with a VCR that removes or corrects the jitter generated by the expected mechanical inaccuracies in these types of recorders (helical scan). The TBC does this by automatically delaying the video signal in order to synchronize each line to the same (and correct) starting point. What this means to you: Say bye bye to flickering VHS tapes and hello to the ability to truly upconvert those tapes to 720p or 1080i output.
Surround Back: None Crossover frequency: 80Hz Bass out: SWFR Subwoofer Phase: Normal Note: All analogue inputs bypass bass management but allow subwoofer output until you select Straight mode which engages DSP and allows bass management for all analogue inputs. One thing that really took away from the listening experience was the absence of onthe-fly level trims. In order to change the level of a channel you have to bring up the GUI and engage several remote control functions to get to the place needed to make changes. You can also use the System Memory settings to store LFE level, YPAO, DSP or speaker settings which is helpful but only two of these Memory settings can be instantly recalled from the remote.
Surround Back: None Crossover frequency: 80Hz Bass out: SWFR Subwoofer Phase: Normal

Auto Setup

Speaker Front L Front R Center Surround L Surround R Presence L Presence R Subwoofer Size Large Large Small Large Large Yes Yes -Level +2.0 +3.0 -2.0 +1.5 +1.0 0.0 -2.5 -1.5 Distance 10.0 10.0 10.0 9.0 9.0 13.5 13.5 11.0

System Setup: Manual

The receiver itself is rather hefty, weighing in at over 38 pounds. There is a wealth of information available on the front panel, including volume, audio decoding/DSP mode, input, active speaker channels, mute status, and active HDMI input. We found the display to be very helpful, but also incredibly difficult to read from more than a few feet away. Were not going to go through the entire setup, since that is covered in our reviews of the RX-V2500 receiver. What we will do is show you our default configuration so you can be aware of our setup for the multi-channel (movie) listening tests and subsequent comments regarding the systems performance. The system is very easy to configure manually, though we found our fair share of quirks, like having to engage the test tones before continuing to the speaker menu to set the levels. This should really be automatic as I know of no one who would seriously consider setting calibration levels by ear (sans tone). Thats what on-the-fly speaker level trims are for (which, unfortunately, the Yamaha doesnt provide).

System Setup: Automatic

We ran the YPAO automatic setup to again gauge how well it performed in comparison to my manual configuration. In prior models, the Yamaha YPAO system did not configure the crossover frequency or loudspeaker sizes to our preference whereby any speaker that does not have full range (20Hz 20kHz) response would be set to Small. The YPAO system is capable of configuring and verifying the following parameters: Wiring Distance Size Equalizing Level
Surround Back: None Crossover frequency: 90Hz Bass out: SWFR Subwoofer Phase: Normal
YPAO took exactly 1 minute and 40 seconds to configure the receiver. Notably, the Auto Setup was pretty accurate in terms of distance to my manually configured settings. I could attribute the differences to rounding or specific mic placement versus my measurements to my ears. The Yamaha YPAO system still does not EQ below 62.5Hz and as such tends to render speakers that play down to 60Hz as Large. We found it to be excellent for those without This is a problem as it means that full range SPL meters and who would like an automatic signal could potentially go to speakers that are room setup system that handles configuration not equipped to handle it, causing distortion of your receiver for use with your room and and unnecessarily using additional power from loudspeaker. For a more detailed explanation and blow-by-blow examination of YPAO please the receiver. In addition, since the frequency read our review of the Yamaha RX-V2500 information is being sent to a speaker that cannot reproduce it, instead of being routed to receiver. Here is the comparison of the results I the subwoofer this information is essentially achieved manually compared to the Auto Setup lost gone forever and not reproduced in the listening environment. system:

Yamaha RAV358 Universal Remote and RAV21 Zone 2/3 Remote
While I wont go into a full rehash of YPAO, I did A-B the results in several of the modes (particularly Flat and Front) to hear if or how the system had progressed since I last heard it. A-B comparisons are difficult, since the parametric EQ does a fair amount of boosting and as we all know, louder tends to sound better. I was able to discern, however that the YPAO adjustments in both modes that I tested seemed to take the center channel content and brighten it up, but at the cost of also causing it to sound chesty and artificial. Live recordings sounded a bit more like they were coming through a PA system and lost a bit of their intimacy. Does this rule out the use of YPAO? Certainly not. However, your mileage will vary and you may even want to go in manually and back down some of the aggressive frequency gains made by the system. In general we have found that the better the loudspeaker is, the less your system will benefit from EQing. Wake on RS-232C Access This self-explanatory function will allow the RX-V2600 to take in RS-232C commands while in the Standby mode. Remote Control AMP/Tuner/XM ID For use with multiple systems, this allows you to set the various IDs to ID1 or ID2 when using a remote control. Fan Operation Mode You can tweak the Yamaha to operate in AUTO mode (default) whereby the fan comes on automatically based on the temperature of the unit, or CONT (continuous) to engage the fan permanently (for use in smaller equipment closets, etc). Note: After running the RX-V2600 for a while I noticed that it runs quite hot, so give it plenty of ventilation and consider using the continuous fan mode if you plan on shutting it up in any sort of entertainment center or enclosed space. Bi-AMP This mode allows the Surround Back terminals to be utilized for passively bi-amping the main speakers. This is new for Yamaha and now makes at least three major manufacturers who provide this function to utilize unused amplifiers to passively bi-amp main channel speakers.
Review Date 2.21.06 The Yamaha RAV358 remote control improves upon the RAV352, eliminating nearly all of the aforementioned cons we listed previously:

All keys now backlit Very easily programmed Fits nicely in the hand, new thinner design Dedicated receiver volume control LCD allows control over components other than input source

System Setup: Advanced

Keypad on main remote does not adhere to standard layout You cannot turn off receiver power by hitting stand by after you programmed the remote to operate other devices (you must first select all in the LCD screen for the remote to function power toggle on the receiver)

The Yamaha has an Advanced Setup menu system that can be engaged by placing the unit into Standby mode and holding the Straight (Effect) button while powering the unit up. At this point the Program selector knob will allow access to several very useful parameters which can be modified to help custom installers and home users with unique needs.
Note: IR repeater/blaster system required for Zone 2/3 remote use
Video Reset There are conditions whereby you can select to DIM the front panel and make a subsequent Speaker Impedance This is the place where you can set the RX- video adjustment that renders the display muted. V2600s output impedance to either 6- or 8- In this scenario you can use the Video Reset ohms. We recommend leaving this in the 8-ohm function to return the display to a visible mode setting regardless of your loudspeakers, unless and continue adjustments. you are truly looking to overdrive the Yamaha TV Format amplifiers on low impedance speakers. This alternates the Yamaha RX-V2600s video system from NTSC to PAL and vice versa. User Preset This resets the parameters of the receiver to factory default with the exception of the System GUI Language You have the option here of setting the Memory and Auto Setup settings. GUI language to Japanese, French, German, Spanish or back to English. Remote Sensor A great feature for custom installers, this disables the front panel IR sensor and can allow the unit to function only via hardwired IR inputs or RS-232C controls.
The new RX-V2600 breaks new ground with a set of updated features that gives notice to the competition. Clint DeBoer

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Gone are the seafoam colors which made some of the backlit buttons of the RX-V2500s remote nearly impossible to read. The new and improved R A V 8 buttons are all uniformly easy to read and the provided backlighting is now much more effective. Having a separate Zone 2/3 remote included is a handy new trend that is making its way into many more affordablypriced multi-zone receivers these days. In order to maximize its use youll need to install IR repeaters and blasters which connect back to the RX-V2600. A custom installer will know how to do this in a way that allows you to control your systems discrete Zone 2/3 functions from other rooms in the house. For more information on RAV358 functions, please see the Yamaha RX-V2500 review.
The Listening Environment
I did all multi-channel home theater listening tests in Reference System 3 and did 2-channel music testing in the RBH Sound CinemaSITE located in Reference System 2. reminiscent of the original Star Trek TV synth intro. That similarity dies quickly once the tightly connected bass-kick pattern enters. While it ends up being a tad busy, I was able to hear excellent discrete positioning of instruments to precise spots between the RBH CinemaSITE main speakers. Vocals were exceptionally clean and came across smoothly and without having any colorization or chestiness added by the Yamaha amplifiers. Liquid Soul: Liquid Soul CD What do you get when you take acid jazz, add some funk, toss in a DJ for good measure and stir them into a band? You get some pretty original and enjoyable Liquid Soul music. I was going for pure power and detail here and I got it when my friend Stephan lent me his Liquid Soul CD to listen to. I wanted something I could crank that had dynamics, detail and a lot of varied material and this fit the bill perfectly. The first real track opens with some biting horns, a driving drum beat, percussion and even some scratching thrown in for good measure. Needless to say I got what I was after. The mix was deep and well layered. Track 3 Schizophrenia is full of well-miced brass that has a beautiful decay that extends and fades into a very wide listening field well beyond the left and right speakers of Reference System 2. I noticed no intrusive compression, even on the top of the powerful compound trumpet and sax solo occurring midway through the track. It always confuses me why mixing engineers (or producers) feel the need to add back in the pops and noise associated with vinyl, but I suppose they have as much a right to nostalgic creativity as anyone. Track 4 Equinox was again laced with nicely reverberant saxophone and trumpet. Guitars were set back and left within the mix and drums were even more subdued, were that possible, though the cymbals (or overheads) were mixed almost hard right/left which was surprising at times when they were brought in. The final track I wanted to evaluate for this review was Afro Loop which incorporated a rap vocal with a 70s funk groove on guitar and backing brass. Artificial vinyl noise was again present, but it really just gave me one more detail element to observe. Drums were punchy and mixed tighter, but and interlude allowed for some punctuated trumpet and a walking bass line which sailed through the system to my ears unadulterated. This album features an almost surreal mix of contemporary and retro that will push any systems limits and show off dynamics, detail and timbre. Marillion: Seasons End This CD features some incredible tracks. Starting right up with Track 1 The King of Sunset Town I was able to listen to Steve Hogarths voice come in, growing in power as the song built up, thinking Theres no real audible compression in his peaks. In addition, guitars and keys showed lots of detail and avoided becoming crushed into the mix. Finesse was the term Id use to describe the gently pervasive decay that manifested itself during the bridge. The Uninvited Guest is a favorite of mine and builds from a simple guitar, drums and vocal intro to a full, encompassing mix during choruses. Drums are panned slightly right and guitars are well separated. Keys take on an almost ethereal sound as they ride nearly on top overhead of the remaining instrumentation. Strong, clear vocals finish out the song and the Yamaha pushed the RBH Sound SI-6100s to almost uncomfortably loud levels during the final chorus as I cranked the volume looking for the amps to lose control. Seasons End, the title track, is a song thats really about global warmings effect on the once cold English winters sung as a nostalgic look back through the eyes of a father. The kick is very tight throughout this track and a guitar solo three minutes into it sounded phenomenal throughout the system. Sometimes the low parts and fade outs are the greatest places to hear an amplifier. The finale of this track gets very quiet with cymbal rolls and a subdued passage that serves as a prelude to a walk-out section leading to the next track. The RX-V2600 can handle near-silent passages and fades with as much finesse as it does dynamic pieces. There is simply no extraneous noise coming from this receiver. Trisha Yearwood: The Song Remembers When The title song is quite possibly one of the most beautiful tracks Ive heard. It is also mixed so as to fill the room of any system with a sufficiently detailed amplifier and loudspeakers. Trishas vocals (were on a first name basis, you know) are anchored dead center along with the snare track. Drums are panned wide with toms extended almost hard left and right. Listen for the final vocal decay and fade out and youll know you have a receiver that is transparent with respect to noise.

Listening Tests Two-Channel Music
I utilized Yamahas Pure Direct mode for all 2-channel listening in order to hear what the RX-V2600s amplifiers were capable of putting out. Pure Direct puts the unit in 2-channel bypass mode with no sub output. With my main speakers set to Large the Yamahas amp was working hard, driving full range frequencies to both of my SI-6100 mains. Porcupine Tree: Deadwing CD The title track is an exercise in finding detail. If your speakers cannot produce sufficient midrange and treble clarity and/or if your low frequency isnt well integrated into the room, you will get mush. The RBH Sound SI-6100s, however picked up the detail, especially the guitars in the interlude section which at times came from well outside and produced a superwide soundstage. Bass was phenomenal towards the end of this song, especially considering I wasnt running a subwoofer, but that was just a sign that the Yamaha wasnt dropping the ball when sending full range signal to the main speakers. Lazarus allowed the Yamaha to show that it could send through soft, sibilant vocals along with gentle guitar strumming and produce excellent finesse in both. Later, as piano, keys and drums came in, the room became nicely filled with a very localizable soundstage. Drums were mixed into a recessed position, while backing vocals hemmed in the soft lead. Piano was just off right of center and a lead guitar rolled in from the left. A watery guitar effect intro of track 6 Mellotron Scratch showed off some gentle and smooth reverb decay. Its easy for reverb to get clipped and crushed out, but the Yamaha was true to the source and gave me an uninhibited performance. As acoustic guitar and percussion samples came in beside a lead vocal that was planted dead center into the mix with doubled effects panned to the sides, I knew I was in for a treat. The song transitioned to an ending with a fantastic piano, played to mimic the gentle guitar intro and it sounded pristine and transparent. Start of Something Beautiful is a good bass, drums and vocals tune. It begins with soft keys
I Dont Fall In Love So Easy is another track that allows Trishas strong vocals to push through without compressing. A steel guitar and bass round out the mix; and drums, which are clean and sterile as to sound almost sequenced (theyre not), are crisp and precise. Track 6 The Nightingale is a piano/vocal song with some background instrumentation to fill out the mix. It is pure and open, with the lyrics floating through a sea of thick, but not overbearing reverb. The effect, again, is room-filling and sounded as if she was standing 10 feet in front of me on a stage singing in a reverberant night club. If I Aint Got You is a fun honky-tonk song that shows off piano, fiddle, guitars, and a healthy dose of Trisha doubling her own vocals in the choruses. The stereo image was precise, wide, and authentic as in live. This is a great album to have on hand for evaluating using female vocals. think that this was somewhat artificial and you may want to reserve this for achieving 7.1 from 5.1 sources using Dolby Pro Logic IIx. The bottom line, after working through all of these modes and trying them out on various effectsladen scenes, is that the Presence speakers really add a lot if youre using 5.1. On this movie in particular it was a nice trick. gives you the flexibility to enhance the listening experience in a practical and real way not just muddy the track with reverb and phase effects as some products weve encountered. I feel as if I can truly recommend Yamaha DSP given that it is used appropriately. For example, if you have a high end system with ample midrange and high frequency clarity (perhaps a truncated line array or other high performance system) you will likely find that the DSP doesnt offer nearly as much of a difference. However, with smaller loudspeakers and channel-limited source material it can work wonders.

Editorial Note

Just like its predecessor, the Yamaha RX-V2600 allows you to select either Presence channels or Back Surround channels, not both. Even if you have an external amp, there is no facility for providing preamp outputs to both Presence and Back Surrounds at the same time. It would be good thing for Yamaha to consider allowing for both (even if one set is not amplified) in future models.

Listening Tests - Movies

For movies I utilized a timbre-matched Aperion Audio loudspeaker system and alternated between various DSP modes (notated in the reviews) to evaluate the system during multichannel home theater use. Reference System 3 was selected in order to make full use of Yamaha DSP since that room is wired with Presence channels in the proper location.
Blade Runner: The Directors Cut I wanted to play something I hadnt utilized in a while, but that provided a full and ambient surround track. I popped in Blade Runner: The Directors Cut which seemed to fit the bill very nicely. One of the things I was interested in was utilizing the Presence channels of Reference System 3 and comparing between straight Dolby Digital. During some of the intro scenes there were rain environments and shuttle fly-bys. I found that engaging the Movie Theater modes (in this case I alternated between General and Sci-Fi) did create a much larger (taller, really) sound stage, filling in more of the surrounds and giving a greater sense of depth to the movie. It also decreased the relative center channel dialogue level and clarity, though I was still able to hear the dialogue just fine. You can also go into the GUI system menu and adjust the sound field parameters in order to restore additional vocal clarity. Layering Dolby Digital Pro Logic II over the Dolby Digital 5.1 track was interesting in that it gave a somewhat deeper soundstage though I
Star Wars: Clone Wars Volume I Wanting to test out the Yamaha DSP further, I took out Star Wars: Clone Wars Volume I which is mastered in Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, and features very little in the surround channels. This is a great DVD with which to test DSP as it doesnt possess a discrete Dolby Digital (native) 5.1 soundtrack. With this DVD a key element was getting information into the surrounds to create a more enveloping environment. I tried a couple of methods. First, I engaged a movie mode (Sci-Fi) which did enhance the soundstage, but did little to bolster the surrounds. Engaging Dolby Pro Logic II fixed the issue with adding more depth to the listening experience as the surrounds now held a considerable amount of the music score. This was great, but I wanted a bit more. Turning on the Enhanced mode while in Dolby Pro Logic II did the trick. This activated the Presence channels along with some intelligent DSP and resulted in a full soundstage with both vertical expansion and great depth. The Yamaha RXV2600 offers so much useful DSP that it really

Band of Brothers OK, we chatted up DSP. Now I just wanted to listen to some good quality 5.1. I selected disc threes episode Bastogne and chose the DTS 51 soundtrack. During the course of this episode there were incoming mortars that literally flew overhead and landed throughout the entire listening room. This is possibly the best film I have ever encountered in terms of the use of surrounds. If you close your eyes you can localize everything from Jeep-bys, to off-screen dialogue, to fire and ricochet effects. There is a scene where the 101st makes contact with the enemy soldiers and have a man down. Wood chips and spent casings leap with the utmost detail from the front speakers and the echoes and distant gunfire provide the realistic forest depth through the surrounds. At one point the rounds really started to drop and the Germans tried to cross the line into the defended territory. Bullets ripped from front to back or left to right depending upon the shot, sending flying pieces of bark from trees and resulting in a terrifyingly real war scene to rival anything that has come out of Hollywood. Back in the town of Bastogne, the incoming bombs drop all around and explosions, flame, and falling brick littered Reference System 3. The sounds in this episode (and really the whole series) are so lifelike it was simply amazing to close my eyes and take it all in.
For those with a single cable running to a wall-mounted plasma or LCD flat panel, this might just be the most intelligent purchase you could make this year. Clint DeBoer
Video Comparisons: Testing the Video Processing Capabilities
We ran a particularly difficult test pattern through the video processing of the RX-V2600 and simultaneously compared it to the direct inputs on a Pioneer PDP-42A3HD plasma display. The test was set up by taking composite, s-video, and component inputs into the RXV2600 and upconverting them to 720p via HDMI while providing a parallel direct input to the Pioneer. This was accomplished by using a Denon DVD-5900 which has dual parallel connections for each output type we needed. Here is a visual diary of our observations: Composite Video Comparison The Yamaha provided an almost smoothing effect to the normal scaling artifacts seen on the Pioneer display. As we saw in our HQV Benchmark DVD tests, the Yamaha tended to soften the image a bit, resulting in an ever so slight loss of resolution. S-Video Comparison The difference between s-video and composite could be seen in terms of source detail, however the Yamaha rendered these differences almost null, providing a smooth, even output that was almost indistinguishable from the upconverted composite signal. Component Video Comparison Here is where we entered the Twilight Zone. Inputting a 480i signal directly to the Pioneer resulted in a smooth but muted signal similar to the 720p output of the first two tests. Running the same signal through the Yamaha, however, resulted in a clean delineated output with no obvious scaling artifacts. Were not making this up, folks. We then decided to run some additional test utilizing 480p inputs (yes, the Yamaha can even upconvert and cross-convert from 720p or 1080i input sources.) Component Video 480p to 720p Comparison Inputting 480p component video we took that straight through and compared against what happened when upconverting it to 720p output. The 720p showed the telltale signs of scaling artifacts the fault of the Pioneer display, and the contrasting edges of the patterns were only a bit more evident when run through the Yamaha. Resolution Comparison A resolution test pattern was helpful in getting us a look at what was going on with the Yamahas scaler and upconversion processing, and really necessary in drawing any conclusions. We knew the Yamaha seemed to be softening the image a bit, but wanted to see how that played out overall and what it looked like in terms of moir reduction and resolution. What we found was that the Yamaha did a very good job of upconverting 480p to 720p and 1080i output overall. It reduced the amount of moir pattern in the high resolution areas of this test pattern. We did notice, however that it did this, in part, by softening the resolution just a bit. I used to do the same thing when editing video for 480i and encountering patterns with less than a scan line of resolution. Were not saying that the video processor is softening the image on purpose, but the result is there nonetheless and is effective at reducing negative scaling effects. Its a good compromise, but I think bypassing the video processing may result in a slightly sharper image except for displays that have inherently bad scaling capabilities. The bottom line: you need to test it on your own system.

Conclusions and Overall Perceptions
The Yamaha RX-V2600 is a paramount achievement in terms of the receiver market. Receivers are finally starting to pay almost as much attention to the second half of audiovideo as they previously did to the first half. As video becomes as integral in receivers as audio, look for a wide gap to emerge between manufacturers. There will be those who can advance their products technology, and those who will likely take the stance of saying its not all that important. The upconversion, deinterlacing and video scaling features that come through in this receiver are truly useful with few limitations. This is the first receiver weve seen that truly takes anything in (save 1080p) and gives you a one-cable solution to a display. For those with a single cable running to a wall-mounted plasma or LCD flat panel this might just be the most intelligent purchase you could make this year. By Clint DeBoer Email - info@audioholics.com
Y amaha RX-V2600 Receiver Score Card
The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating equal to: Performance x Price Factor/Value = Rating
Audioholics Ratings Scale:
Outstanding (reserved for features or areas that exceed market norms) Above Average Average Below average Very poor
M e t ric Frequency Response Linearity (20-20k +/- 0.25dB) Damping Factor (>40 all power levels) Output Impedance (<100mohms 20-20k) Measured Power Into 8-ohms Measured Power Into 4-ohms (ideally 2x 8-ohms) S u b j ec t ive E valuat i o n 5 Channel Pro Logic II / DTS Neo Performance 7.1 / 5.1 Channel Dolby Digital / DTS Performance Two Channel Performance P rac t ical C o n siderat i o n s Construction Material Quality Overall Finish Quality/WAF Ergonomics Ease of Setup Remote Control Features DSP Modes Performance Metrics Subjective Evaluation Practical Considerations Value R at i n g

R at i n g

/2 /2 /2

/2 /2 /4

Benchmark Performance Tests
We measured the Yamaha RX-V2600s output impedance vs. frequency at 1W. It varies about +/- 0.01 mohms throughout the audible bandpass and then climbs a bit starting around 15kHz. The Yamaha receiver should not have a problem driving a wide range of loudspeakers - even those with an inconsistent impedance profile. It comfortably met our benchmark goal of 100mohms or less through the entire audio band almost twofold!
The damping factor of the receiver hovered for the most part around 250 and went as high as 400 from between 2500Hz and 10kHz. Anything above 50 throughout the audio band is excellent. Kudos here especially when compared to this receivers predecessor models, the RXV2400 and RX-V2500, respectively.
Measuring attenuation versus frequency, the Yamaha shows itself to be a pretty smooth player, with only 0.5 dB variance at the low end and 0.25dB variance at the upper limits of human hearing (some of which is attributed to instrumentation error).
Non-exclusive reprint rights have been provided to Yamaha Electronics Corporation to reprint and freely distribute this review. Any other uses or instances of this review by other parties or by Yamaha Electronics Corporation are prohibited without prior approvals from Audioholics. The original review can be viewed online at www.audioholics.com.
Yamaha Electronics 6660 Orangethorpe Avenue Buena Park, CA 90620 (714) 522-9105 http://www.yamaha.com/yec/
We measured CONTINUOUS unclipped power into 4-ohms and showed that the Yamaha could easily drive a single channel from 20Hz to 20kHz at around 185Wrms (20Hz was showing 162wpc). At 8-ohms that measurement fell to around 127wpc (20 Hz was around 113wpc). With two channels driven, the Yamaha only lost a little power, coming in at around 122wpc with two channels at 8-ohms. These tests were conducted unclipped with distortion no greater than 0.5%. So in reality these are not max power figures but real world, clean continuous power measurements. We tested the preamp section of the Yamaha RX-V2600 and were able to drive over 4V RMS. This is a welcome change for Yamaha as prior models such as the RX-V2400 and RX-V2500 werent even able to achieve 2V RMS unclipped. Max input voltage before clipping was a whopping 4.550Vrms. This means you can pretty much drive any power amp on the market to full power, without the Yamaha preamp section adding any unwanted harmonic distortion. All power tests were done with all testing equipment and the receiver plugged into an APC S-15 and S-BATT unit.