These two superb receivers spotlight the impressive progress that Yamaha has made in improving home theater performance. In terms of the four qualities that we consider vital for a home theater receiver sound quality, picture quality, ease of use and surround realism they are far ahead of other models in their class. Sound quality, especially in the case of the RX-V2400, which uses extremely high quality parts in every stage, is so good you will have to hear it to believe it. Both receivers also feature a new Yamaha innovation called YPAO (Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer), that automatically optimizes the sound to match the room acoustics. Enjoy the best in home theater performance as only Yamaha can provide it.
Superior Surround Realism
Yamaha is famous for the quality and versatility of its CINEMA DSP digital sound field processing. Both receivers employ a powerful 32-bit Yamaha-developed LSI to provide an astounding range of realistic music and movie surround sound. They are compatible with all latest movie sound formats, including Dolby Pro Logic IIx, and they also offer THX Select processing. The many surround programs (33 in the RX-V2400, 31 in the RX-V1400) provide a vast range of listening options. There is even a SILENT CINEMA mode for enjoying a surround sound experience through headphones. And by using the Night Listening mode, you can maintains proper tonal balance and dynamic range when you turn down the volume.
Advanced technology and extensive features for superior audio quality, surround sound capability and control versatility.

RX-V2400

Digital Home Theater Receiver
RX-V2400 Rear Panel Connections The RX-V2400 provides 7-channel preout terminals, a subwoofer output terminal, 6-channel external decoder input terminals (8-channel compatible), RS-232C interface and remote control IR Code input/output, and two trigger output for automatic power on of other components. It also offers Zone2 A/V and Zone3 audio output terminals for custom installation. The detachable power cable is a thicker type than usual, for higher power handling capacity.
Design may differ by area.
Conventional 7.1-Channel Systems
Oil-Damped Hidden Control Panel includes Rec Out selector, S-Video input and optical digital input terminals for connecting game machines, digital equipment, and so on.
Direct-access (multi-command, learning-cable and preset) remote control unit
Everything you need and more for powering and controlling a sophisticated home theater system.

RX-V1400

Quad-Field CINEMA DSP
Presence (Front Line) Sound Field

Dialogue Effect Music

Surround Left Sound Field Surround Back Sound Field
Surround Right Sound Field
RX-V1400 Rear Panel Connections The RX-V1400 provides 7-channel preout terminals, a subwoofer output terminal, 6-channel external decoder input terminals (8-channel compatible), and remote control IR Code input/output, and +12V trigger output. It also offers Zone 2 and Zone 3 audio outputs for custom installation. The detachable power cable is a thicker type than usual, for higher power handling capacity.
Oil-Damped Hidden Control Panel includes S-Video input and optical digital input terminals for connecting game machines, digital equipment, and so on.
Learning-cable and preset remote control unit
RX-V2400 / RX-V1400 Comparison
Dolby Pro Logic IIx DTS 96/24 CINEMA DSP THX SELECT Surround Programs [Variations] Night Listening Mode SILENT CINEMA Direct Stereo Mode Audio Delay for Adjusting Lip-Sync YPAO (Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer) Component Video Up Conversion Rec Out Selector/Zone 2 Selector RS-232C Interface 9-Channel Speaker Outputs Zone 2 Out Zone 3 Out Trigger Outputs Remote Control IR Code Input/Output Speaker A/B and A+B Selection Selectable Subwoofer Crossover 192kHz/24-Bit D/A Conversion Preout Terminals Optical Digital Inputs Coaxial Digital Inputs Optical Digital Outputs AV/Audio Inputs AV/Audio Outputs Component Video Inputs S-Video Inputs Composite Video Inputs Custom Made Block Electrolytic Capacitors Low-Impedance Transformer Heat Sinks Remote Control Unit Minimum RMS Output Power (8 ohms, 20 Hz20 kHz) Front Channels Center Channel Surround Channels Surround Back Channels Linear Damping (8 ohms, 20 Hz20 kHz) Frequency Response Signal-to-Noise Ratio (CD, 250 mV) Monitor Out Frequency Response Composite/S-Video Signal Component Video Signal Standby Power Consumption Dimensions (W x H x D) Weight * Including Video Aux terminal on front panel. RX-V2400 33 [57] With S-Video out (Variable) 2 x +12V/15mA (x 2) for all 10 channels 7.1 5* (fixed and assigable) 3 (fixed and assigable) 2 (fixed and assigable) 6/4 2/(HDTV compatible) 7* 7* Extra-large 15,000F Extra-large (11.9lbs.) Large Almite finish Multi-command, learning, preset (0.04% THD) 120 W + 120 W 120 W 120 W + 120 W 120 W + 120 W 140 (front, speaker A) 10 Hz100 kHz +0, -3 dB 100 dB 5 Hz10MHz -3 dB 5 Hz-60MHz -3 dB Less than 0.5 W 17-1/8 x 6-3/4 x 17-1/16 34.2 lbs. RX-V1400 31 [55]

RX-V2400 / RX-V1400 Surround Programs

RX-V2400 RX-V1400

HiFi DSP Programs
HALL CHURCH JAZZ CLUB ROCK CONCERT ENTERTAINMENT 7-CH STEREO HiFi DSP Subtotal Munich Vienna Freiburg The Bottom Line The Roxy Theatre Disco 7 Ch Stereo 7 (Concert Hall ) 5

CINEMA DSP Programs

ENTERTAINMENT TV THEATER MUSIC VIDEO MOVIE THEATER 1 MOVIE THEATER 2 ENHANCED CINEMA DSP Subtotal Game Variety/Sports Mono Movie Pop/Rock Spectacle Sci-Fi Adventure General Enhanced [5] [5] [5] [5] [5] 9 [29] [5] [5] [5] [5] [5] 9 [29]
Audio only 1 x +12V/15mA for all 10 channels 7.1 5* (fixed and assigable) 3 (fixed and assigable) 2 (fixed and assigable) 6/4 2/(HDTV compatible) 7* 7* Large 10,000 F Extra-large (11.9lbs.) Large anti-resonance type Learning, preset (0.04% THD) 110 W + 110 W 110 W 110 W + 110 W 110 W + 110 W 140 (front, speaker A) 10 Hz100 kHz +0, -3 dB 100 dB 5 Hz10MHz -3 dB 5 Hz-60MHz -3 dB Less than 0.5 W 17-1/8 x 6-3/4 x 17-1/16 34.2 lbs.
Decoder Straight Programs
Dolby Digital Dolby Digital EX DTS Digital Surround DTS 96/24 DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 Dolby Pro Logic Dolby Pro Logic II Music Dolby Pro Logic II Movie Dolby Pro Logic II Game Dolby Pro Logic IIx Music Dolby Pro Logic IIx Movie Dolby Pro Logic IIx Game DTS Neo:6 Music DTS Neo:6 Cinema Decoder Straight Subtotal [3]* [3]* 15 [19] [3]* [3]* 15 [19]

THX Programs

Cinema Surround EX (6.1 or Forced On) THX Subtotal Program Total : A/V Programs : HiFi DSP Programs : CINEMA DSP : Tri-Field CINEMA DSP Capable : Quad-Field CINEMA DSP Capable [ ]: Variations * Only when using Surround Back x 2 Speakers for normal, Dolby Digital and DTS. [57] [55]
Yamahas unique technology for the creation of sound fields is capable of powerfully reproducing the three-dimensional environment that movie sound engineers aim to convey, in any audio format from monaural to the latest 6.1-channel digital surround. It is compatible with DVD and all other A/V sources. Yamaha CINEMA DSP technology has received a patent in the U.S. (Patent No. 5,261,005). "SILENT" is a trademark of YAMAHA CORPORATION.
Dolby, Pro Logic and Double D are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Corporation. DTS is a trademark of DTS Technology LLC. THX and the THX logo are registered trademarks of THX Ltd. Surround EX is a jointly developed technology of THX and Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. Product designs and specifications are subject to change without notice.
For details please contact:
Visit us at our website: http://www.global.yamaha.com

YAMAHA CORPORATION

P Box 1, Hamamatsu, Japan.O. P10001983
UEN 10310 T Printed in Japan

Learn More About the Different Levels of THX Certification at:
http://www.audioholics.com/FAQs/THXHomeTheaterSelectvsUltra2.html
Yamaha RX-Z9 A/V Receiver
Review Date 7.01.04 Virtual Home Theater Review Magazine Auto set up and YPAO parametric equalizer for all channels. Active i.Link for DVD-A and SACD To the RX-Z9s testament, there are still dedicated, so-called high end processors selling for more that dont offer a majority of the features listed in the above bullets.

Review Summary

MSRP: $4,999
Excellent Sound for All Operational Modes Component Video Upconversion and Digital Processing Benchmark Audio Performance Slick Auto Set-Up & Room Correction i.Link for DVD-A / SACD

Remote Possibilities

Back by popular demand the classic keypad with LCD window indicator Yamaha Universal remote (RAV229) debuted in the day when RX-V1 held the Flagship title. I do like this remote, but couldnt help missing the touch screen RAV-2000. Its graphical display and ease of programming were uncommon as far as touch screen remotes go. However, this remote was moderately easy to program, and contained many of the manufacturers codes. It was also a nice treat to be able to have certain buttons
Potentially Inaccurate Auto Set-Up No Sub Out In 2CH Direct Mode Runs extremely hot to touch No DVI or HDMI Low Current +12V Triggers
Pictured from left to right: RAV229,RAV17

Technical Data

Yamaha RX-Z9 A/V Receiver Power: THD (Rated Power): DSP: 170W x 7 + 50W x 2 (8-ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, FTC) 0.015% DD/DTS/DTS 96/24; DTS Neo, PLII/PLIIx; 51 surround sound programs (71 variations) with SILENT CINEMA and Night Listening Mode; THX Ultra 2 processing Digital Component video up conversion; Progressive Scan Output, Noise Shaped Video, DCDi, TrueLife Enhancer 192kHz/24-bit D/A converter for all channels 7.1 RCA multi-channel, L/R Pure Direct RCA, 11 pairs analogue RCA, 8 optical S/PDIF (including 1 front), 5 coax S/PDIF (including 1 AC-3 & 1 Zone 2) 3 optical S/PDIF Video Inputs: 6 component video inputs, 7 composite RCA, 5 s-video 2 component RCA, 3 composite RCA (including Zone 2 & monitor), 3 s-video (including Zone 2 & monitor) 2 i.LiNK digital audio interface, 2 12V triggers, remote connections, RS-232C YPAO (Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer); On-Screen Display with GUI (Graphic User Interface) 10-100,000 Hz +0/-3 dB 100dB 17-1/8" x 8-5/16" x 18-7/16" 66.1lbs (30kg)

Video Processing:

DACs: Audio Inputs:
Digital Audio Outputs: Video Outputs: Misc Inputs/Outputs: Misc Features: Frequency Response: SNR: Dimensions: Weight:
control different devices even when the remote was set for operating a particular device. For example, toggling the RX-Z9 to CD input allowed me to control my CD Changer with the buttons on the top half of the remote, while I could still channel surf via the buttons on the bottom half of the remote. You can also use the learn feature to customize any button to suite your needs. While these remotes look basic enough, their feature set and control over all things Yamaha and all things not was most impressive. The RAV17 was absolutely captivated me with its simplistic one button joystick style navigation of the RX-Z9 GUI interface. While most A/V receiver advances in technology lead them to become more complicated to operate, the RX-Z9 just became much simpler. So much so, that I suspect even the Spouse would welcome the mini remote GUI approach. The RAV17 came in really handy for quick navigation through the RX-Z9 GUI, and, in my opinion, was actually more comfortable and palatable to use than the RAV229 for this task. The RAV229 remote did prove to be essential if you wish to operate all of your accessory equipment, however, and the backlight was both useful and essential during late night operation. I found most of the codes for it to operate my equipment, but had to manually program button by button for certain devices such as my satellite box, DVR and VCR.

Virtual Home Theater Review Magazine I do have reservations about how Yamaha chose to arrange the heatsinks of the power amp sections on the RX-Z9. The issue of comparing heatsinks vertically mounted on the sides of a unit vs. heatsinks mounted horizontally on the top of a unit is a little complicated, but I will do my best to assess the differences here. First, a few formulas. In general, for an object being cooled by natural convection: Delta T = Q/(h-sub-c * A) fins rises to fill the void and the process continues. This is why it is called natural convection; you will get a flow of air without any mechanical effort. Now think about the horizontally top mounted heatsinks of the RX-Z9. When the warm air tries to rise off these fins, cool air can't replace it nearly as easily. Air can't rise from below to fill the voids between the fins like it can in the vertically side mounted heatsinks. It can only trickle in from the perimeter of the unit. Actually, if you ran a computer model, you would find that towards the center of the top of the RX-Z9, the fins will be contributing almost nothing. It is almost like they aren't even there because they are so starved for air. It a nutshell, that is the difference between the two. This does explain why the Yamaha RX-Z9 runs significantly hotter than any receiver I have ever had the pleasure of reviewing, even during idle. Unfortunately the heatsinking topology employed by Yamaha is externally starved for naturallyconvected cooling air and I highly recommend the user and/or customer installer be cognizant of this to allow plenty of air flow and perhaps forced air cooling if necessary.
A massive 1.2KVA torrodial transformer and two 28,000uF 80V Power Supply Capacitors endow the Yamaha RX-Z9 with one of the largest power supplies ever conceived into an A/V receiver. In fact, peering into the schematics, I found the rail voltages for the power amps to be +-65V which is actually overkill for a 170wpc power amp based on determining rail voltage by the following formula: Vrail = (2*P*R) where P = 170watts and R = 8 ohms, we get Vrail = 52.2V + 10% overhead (good rule of thumb) = 52.2V + 5.2V = +-57V. Yamaha has +-8V of margin on top of a normally conservative design practice! Its no wonder the RX-Z9 received THX Ultra2 certification and passed their 3.2 ohm loaded all channels driven torture test without a problem. Given the size of the power supply, and the large storage banks, the RX-Z9 has potentially added headroom to better drive difficult speaker loads without missing a beat. However, be cautioned that this receiver is not specified to deliver its rated power with all channels driven - which is usually not a realistic operational condition in any real world listening environment anyway. The all channels driven test represents a worst case test condition with a best case test load but it does serve as a uniform way of determining a receivers actual true power capabilities. Considering the power supply rating and 80V caps, the RX-Z9 would easily deliver 170wpc X 2 as specified and mandated by FTC regulations for manufacturers power claims, and about 140wpc X 7 all channels driven (assuming line voltage held constant, 8 ohm loads), perhaps a tad less at full bandwidth and unclipped.

where delta T is the temperature rise, Q is power dissipated, h-sub-c is the heat transfer coefficient and A is the surface area of the object.
Not depicted here, there are dual fans on the bottom side of the chassis that help force convection during high power demands. In my listening tests these fans only came on after pounding the RX-Z9 amps in extremely loud multi-channel DVDA listening sessions for extended periods of time. When you have a plate oriented vertically (like a heat sink), h-sub-c = 0.29 * [(delta T)/L]^0.25 ; where L is the length of the item in the vertical direction. So according to the first formula, the higher your heat transfer coefficient, the less your temperature rise will be. According to the second formula, the less the length of your object in the vertical direction, the higher its heat transfer coefficient will be. But, wait! The fins on top of the RX-Z9 have a shorter length in the vertical direction than the fins of alternatively vertically side mounted heatsinks of other receivers and should therefore, be more efficient. According to the math, it is true. But you have to think about the airflow. Heat rises. So when the air rises past heat sink fins of the vertically side mounted heatsinks, the air below the

Video Processing

Yamaha offers some very unique video processing features in their latest flagship receiver as evident by the digital video upconversion and DCDi processing powered by Faroudja. The integrated digital processing in the RX-Z9 allows you to tailor picture adjustments (brightness and contrast, sharpness, saturation, 3D NR and cross color suppression to reduce picture noise from the brightest of display images). It also does video scaling and upconversion of interlaced 480i signals to 480p/576p, 720p and 1080i as well as aspect ratio control or pass-through for both PAL and

Item Name

Virtual Home Theater Review Magazine NTSC Display types. Be advised however that copyrighted signals such as DVD, will not be processed above 480p via the RX-Z9 even if you select higher resolution settings. If you have a DVD player such as the Denon DVD-5900 which does video upconversion to 1080i via DVI, you may be better off going that route to your Display. In fact, I found that when the Yamaha Video Processor was enabled, the Avia resolution test was now displaying resolution limits of about 475 lines, as compared to over 500 lines of resolution when the DVD-5900 did the de-interlacing. The 6.75MHz test window was displaying no discernable vertical lines like it did when the DVD-5900 was used as the de-interlacer. What was likely happening here was roll off within the RX-Z9 processing at the resolution limits of the DVD format. Again, my advice here is to use the RX-Z9 processing features only for composite video / S-video sources, or when you utilize a non progressive scan DVD player, or a player/display with a low quality de-interlacer, that would benefit from the RX-Z9 processor/scalar over that of your Display and/or DVD player. composite video sources such as my Dish Network DVR recorder, and some video tapes.

thought to myself how cool it would be if every manufacturer employed these in their next-generation receivers and processors. Yamaha really earned some brownie points with me by offering dual subwoofer outputs with your choice of mono, stereo, or front & rear. What was even more impressive was that each subwoofer output had independent channel trim, delay and phase settings. One thing I learned well from my HAA training was how critical it is to compensate for path differences between multiple subwoofer systems and the primary listening area.
Mars Attacks was a great demo tape to really show off the RX-Z9s ability to transform an old VHS classic into a modern day pseudo 7.1 surround sound spectacle at near DVD picture quality style. In contrast, my daughters tapes such as Cinderella caused the picture flickering I previously discussed. Perhaps this is why on page 78 of the RX-Z9 manual, THX recommends turning off all video processing to achieve optimal video performance. My advice here is to experiment with the Yamaha video processing engine to see how it improves composite video sources. I suspect on large displays, or even front projector systems with poor de-interlacing circuitry, the advantages of this feature set would become paramount.
The Set-Up It was love at first sight for me with Yamaha's GUI.

Gene DellaSala

The RX-Z9 also upconverts all composite and S-video sources to component video, but only if you enable the digital processing engine. For non interlaced video sources such as those from progressive scan DVD players, the digital processing of the RX-Z9 is bypassed, as it should be, even if you have it set to the On position. This is ideal for those who want to rely on the video scaling and processing of their DVD players, while also using the RX-Z9 video processing on their composite or S-video sources. I have had mixed results with the digital processing feature of the RX-Z9, including picture flickering via my VCR with certain video software. However, I did note a more dynamic and smoother, almost film-like picture with the Processor engaged on many of my The RX-Z9 was an unusual receiver to configure due to the presence of Auto Setup and YPAO integrated tools. While the Auto Set-up feature sounds like a cool idea, and possibly a neophytes dream feature in a receiver, there are no free lunches. I have discovered during my review of the Yamaha RX-V2400 that great care must be taken in interpreting the results in any auto set-up feature for any consumer electronics device, and the RX-Z9 was certainly no exception.

Manual Set-Up

For those of you who are like me, and dont trust a computer, or machine for that matter, to function automatically, Yamaha still entertains the old fashion way of doing things. This is where I began my configuration process of the RX-Z9. I wanted to see how well I could get this receiver tweaked on my own and compare its sonics to that of the RX-Z9s Auto Setup. It was love at first sight for me with Yamahas Graphical User Interface (GUI). I
More often the case than not, physically constraints force the installer to place the sub(s) within certain room locations. If they choose locations where the path differences between the two subs are _ the wavelength of a particular frequency band within the pass band of the subwoofers, then those frequencies will cancel at the listener which can be measured by a dramatic dip in audible response within that range. Fear not, for the RX-Z9 does allow for path difference compensation, at least laterally, helping minimize this problem in multi-subwoofer system installations. It is also important that independent level control compensation for each sub is built into the RX-Z9s bass management. Speaking of the RX-Z9s bass management, I was pleased to find a variable crossover, a Yamaha first to be incorporated into their flagship receivers. For years I have been bugging Yamaha to offer variable crossover settings on their receivers (at least on their flagships). Ironically when they finally started doing this, I upgraded to a speaker system that works best with a high crossover setting.
RX-Z9 Variable Crossover Settings
40Hz to 80Hz with20Hz stepsizes 90Hz to 120Hz with 10Hz stepsizes 160Hz to 200Hz with 40Hz stepsizes
The internal 1/6th octave bass test tone from 35Hz to 250Hz included in former Yamaha flagships such as the DSPA1, RXV1, and RX-Z1 were absent this time around. It was a shame because this great feature, rarely found on most costly dedicated processors, let alone receivers, helped me to identify bass phasing problems in my early days when I lacked the test gear to measure it or was too lazy to root it out listening to music. In any event, the variable crossover setting, independent group delay and level control for the subs, and subwoofer pairing assignability more than makes up for this minor feature loss. Manually setting the channel trims on the RX-Z9 proved to be a bit more challenging than my former experiences with other Yamaha receivers. Simply pressing the Test Tones button unveiled an assortment of speaker options where the pink noise would temporarily engage on each speaker before toggling to its associated grouping. You can also select for the pink noise to toggle through all of the speakers in the set-up. The problem I had initially was that the test tones only played on each particular speaker for about three seconds, thus not giving my SPL meter enough time to settle for an accurate measured response. I was later pleased to find that holding down the enter key for a few seconds locked the particular channel on which the pink noise was being played so you could have time to adjust with more precision. I was a bit disappointed that the RX-Z9 had only one provisioned global channel trim setting. This was especially alarming since even the RX-V2400 and former flagship RX-Z1 incorporated independent channel trim settings for the EXT analog inputs. This is particularly important when playing high resolution formats such as DVD-A/SACD for compensating for subwoofer level output differences. However, after a bit of experimenting with the RX-Z9, I found that the EXT subwoofer analog inputs of the RXZ9 were internally compensated (this was not documented in the user manual), but apparently only if you engage the pure direct mode (which one should do anyways to eliminate an extra processor conversion stage and preserve signal resolution.) I was able to balance the system reasonably well by also tweaking the channel trims in my Denon DVD-5900 Universal DVD player.

Virtual Home Theater Review Magazine When I initially engaged the Multi CH input to play a DVD-A disc, I noticed my Display went blank. I was a bit perplexed by this, and assumed that the RX-Z9 did not provision video pass thru via the Multi CH input. I later found via the Input Selector of the GUI interface a BGV which I interpreted as Back Ground Video was set in the off position. You can choose Off, Last or actually select your choice input. I set it for DVD and presto, my Display was showing the menu for my DVD-A disc and I could now happily configure it before listening.
Some Notes About i.Link / IEEE-1394 Firewire
1) Firstly, FireWire is a balanced interface. The modern "low voltage differential serial" interfaces are *all* based on the original work done to develop Firewire back in the early '90's. The low level interface is a pair of LVDS signals (2 pair) in addition to very aggressive grounding for those systems that are not galvanically isolated (the "b" form of 1394 supports both copper and optical connections, and the copper connections can be transformer coupled if necessary). 2) The amount of jitter for audio applications is arbitrarily small. The IEC 61883-6 transport method used for 1394 allows each audio source to provide its own sample clock, and the sync can follow that clock with arbitrary accuracy and stability. It's totally up to the system cost budget how stable the PLL must be. For more information on this, suggestive reading material on this topic can be found at: http://www.1394ta.org/Press/2003P ress/january/White_paper.pdf 3) The AES (audio engineering society) has been working with 1394 specs for some time, and the experts there have no problem with the quality of 1394based transports. There are a few AES specs based on 1394 networks. Note: IEEE-1394 / Firewire / i.Link / Lynx are all names describing various manufacturers depiction for cables belonging to the IEEE-1394 standard. IEEE-1394 is the new, extremely fast external serial bus standard that supports data transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps (400 million bits per second). It is used primarily for multimedia devices such as camcorders, computers, video cassette recorders (VCR's), digital audio recording workstations and, in this case, a digital transport for high resolution audio.
i.Link / 1394 Firewire Digital Interface
In defense of the RX-Z9, not having multiple channel trim settings quickly became somewhat of a moot point since it did have i.Link for digital transmission of DVD-A/SACD from i.Link compatible players. This is a tremendous feature and critical for those serious about high resolution multi-channel audio. The advantage here is you now divert the decoding, bass management and level controls to the receiver/processor where everything is processed in the digital domain, and theoretically already configured during the set up for DD/DTS (with exception to the subwoofer level balancing to compensate for format differences). There has been a lot of discussion on many internet chat groups about the capabilities of Firewire as a defacto digital standard for passing high resolution DVD-A/SACD formats. Most of this discussion seems to reside around the issue of jitter and how it affects the fidelity of these formats. After doing some research on this topic and more importantly, listening tests, I have little reservations about the validity of this interface to carry all current audio formats for consumer audio. The benefits of having a single digital connection between the Universal DVD player and Receiver, as well as having all of the processing done at a single demarcation point, the receiver (where it should be) is invaluable. Other manufacturers proprietary solutions such as Denons DLink are no less valid. However, they do restrict you to sticking with one brand of equipment should you choose to take advantage of their proprietary digital interface.

Virtual Home Theater Review Magazine
RX-V2400, these type of systems are far from being infallible and leave much to be desired. However, they do have merit for users who dont want to spend hours fussing with the setup configuration and tweaking of their systems and instead opt for a quick onebutton solution to give them reasonably accurate results - and more importantly sound output from all channels. However, I caution all users of such systems to take the time, and evaluate how your system ends up being configured to determine if the results make sense for your particular set-up and listening preferences. This is especially important when considering how the PEQ or equivalent auto room equalizer tailors the response of your speakers to achieve what it believes to be the flattest or most accurate frequency response. I began as instructed in Yamahas rather lengthy, but easily digestible, Users Manual. I placed the supplied microphone (which appeared to be a beefed up version of the one found on the RX-V2400) at the primary listening position of my home theater room and engaged the Auto Set-Up feature.

Biamping the RX-Z9

Unfortunately, the RX-Z9 cannot be biamped using the unused internal amplifiers on the unit. The RX-Z9 reserves the 50wpc amps for either "Presence" speakers or "Zone2". You don't want to biamp using the 50watt amp as you would lose headroom doing so. Since the RX-Z9 lacks power amp inputs for the surround back channels, you cannot reroute front channel signals to those amplifiers. Perhaps in the future, Yamaha would consider offering this option as a strappable feature to customers wishing to explore a 7.1 system (conventional 5.1 + Presence Speakers) with the front channels biamped in favor of using surround back channels.
It was a cool sight seeing the Denon DVD-5900 insignia pop up on the Yamaha RX-Z9 OSD. Hooking these two devices through i.Link was as easy as pie. In the RXZ9 OSD, I assigned i.Link to the DVD input so that I could have all of my audio sources from my Universal DVD player on the same input as my video. The neat thing about i.Link is you can daisy chain up to 17 compliant components or up to 63 components in a branched configuration when 3 or more i.Link connectors are available.

Receiver Editor Feature

Another selling point and unique identifying feature of the RX-Z9 is its bi-directional R S - 2 interface and receiver editor feature allowing the user, or more c o m m o n l y, the custom installer to set-up, configure, and retain programmable settings on a computer in the event of memory failure or accidental user erasure/modification of settings. This feature is intended to be used by the custom installer, or a highly experienced user who desires to save all of the major configuration settings of the RXZ9 (except YPAO settings) after the receiver has been fully set-up. The installer can also preconfigure the RX-Z9 with common settings prior to ever actually operating the unit, or customize bass management and level settings for different operational modes (IE. DVD-A, DD/DTS, 2CH,etc).

The YPAO Equalizing feature of the receiver allows for several equalizing options:
Front Applies equalization to all channels, except the mains, to attempt to achieve closest tonal response to the main channels. Applies equalization to all channels to attempt to achieve flat response. Applies equalization to all channels with emphasis on low frequencies. Applies equalization to all channels with emphasis on mid frequencies. Applies equalization to all channels with emphasis on high frequencies.

Level Check

The level check was the last auto test setup feature that the RX-Z9 performed. This test absolutely required a quite room to properly perform. My ceiling fan actually caused it to give me an error message Noisy. After I controlled the noise floor in my room, I reran the level check portion of YPAO. Unfortunately the RX-Z9 failed this test when it got to my subwoofers. After I pondered on this for awhile, I believe I figured out the problem. My room has a pretty nasty bass peak at around 3040Hz. The RX-Z9 likely measured this and interpreted it as my subwoofers being set too loud. Since it couldnt compensate for this it attempted to lower the subwoofer levels to its limits (-10dB) via the subwoofer level trims. Apparently this was not enough and hence the error message. In reality, if I were to take the advice of YPAO on determining my subwoofer levels, I would have near flat bass at my room peak, and a bass void for the rest of the audible spectrum a listening configuration that both myself and most listeners would loath.
Yamaha YPAO Operational Details
Operation Frequency: 63Hz 16Hz 1/3 Octave resolution Qfactor:.Level: -20dB to +6dB +/-.5dB increments Frequency Bands: 10 bands per channel, 2 sub bands for a whopping total of 94 bands!
A Note About the YPAO Yamaha Room Correction System
The YPAO system uses pink noise sweeps to map the response of the room at the listening position for each speaker. Pink noise delivers constant power per octave and the YPAO attempts to equalize the magnitude response accordingly. However, in attempting to achieve a Flat frequency response, this can have deleterious affects on impulse response and also reduce dynamic headroom in the amplifier if certain frequencies are boosted as opposed to being attenuated. If for example, the YPAO equalizes a +6dB gain centered around 3kHz, then the amplifier would be tasked to produce up to four times the power for that frequency band, thus reducing headroom and potentially causing compression, and/or distortion. Additionally, if the YPAO system attempts to compensate for a speaker deficiency by creating a boost because of improper crossover design and/or some other speaker anomaly or strange impedance characteristic, when coupled to an amplifier this can actually create a dangerous effect as it can potentially drive some amplifiers into oscillation when boosting under these circumstances. However, if the speaker is flat in performance and the amplifier is not taxed at the frequencies being boosted, then the this scenario is unlikely to occur, with the only possible penalty of compensating for the direct sound of the speakers as opposed to resolving a deficiency in ambient or reflected energy in the room. Ideally, these mid and high frequency issues should be dealt with at the source, namely the room (assuming the speaker and amplifiers are designed correctly). If you consider the basic relationship of sound and propagation through air given the following formula: l = v / f (where v = velocity (speed of sound =1140 ft/s STP and f = frequency (Hz) ) then we see the wavelength of sound for 63Hz = 18 ft and for 16kHz =.86 inches! Thus altering high frequency room response will affect only a very small listening area above a couple of hundred Hertz. High frequency harmonics are generally close together, if not overlapping, and their corresponding intensities are far less than the fundamental, making them more dependent on listening position. Another issue to consider with high frequency room correction is that the measuring microphone may not accurately measure direct to reflected sound. The goal of room correction is to correct for room anomalies, not the loudspeakers (again assuming the loudspeakers are of sound design). Altering the frequency response of the loudspeakers in this fashion changes the direct sound to compensate for a deficiency in the ambient or reflected sound field caused by the room. This may in fact alter the direct to reflected sound at the listening position further deteriorating imaging of the loudspeaker and corrupting the critical first arrival of sound. Ideally active room correction would best be applied at frequencies below 200Hz where sound is more difficult for the listener to localize and where room modes are difficult to resolve with room treatments. Utilizing a more precise parametric equalizer may be applied to analyze room modes to construct notch filters to reduce the excessive room decay times (RT60- # of milliseconds it takes for a sound to decay by 60dB). Alternatively, a point to consider is that some room correction systems actually do address speaker non-linearities as well as room interaction affects. The problem is that most systems are not able to distinguish between the non-linearities of the speaker versus the non-linearities induced by the room. In some cases in may not really matter. For instance, in the bass frequencies smoothing out the response may involve changing phase and gain at certain frequencies. As long as the correction is made for the listening position we probably dont care how much of the problem is speaker or room related. For that matter, I can understand why the Yamaha YPAO system does not attempt correction at very low frequencies. It would take much more reserve power than the receiver is capable of delivering. In this respect limiting the correction to a moderately low frequency is understandable and in fact quite necessary. Of course that doesn't change the fact that we would all like compensation down to the very lowest frequencies. Practically speaking Yamaha could NOT put a correction filter on the LFE output because the power necessary for correction would way overtax most subwoofers (amplifier and driver excursion). It may however behoove Yamaha to introduce their own active servo subwoofer integrating low frequency room correction with a system much like many of Velodynes Digital Series latest product offerings. A system that initially measures near field power response of the speaker as well as impulse response and then takes into consideration a measurement which showed room decay time would probably make for an even more accurate correction system. Now if only a manufacturer would build such a system affordably

Since most receivers and processors don't yet incorporate auto level calibration, I would normally have had to do this anyway, so to me it's no deal breaker. No matter how hard you try there will always be some degree of manual tweaking to get a system properly tuned and calibrated. So perhaps a good compromise would be to start off with the YPAO as a reference, and tweak with a handy SPL meter and your ears accordingly. The RX-Z9 refreshingly had 0.5dB trim adjustments for all channels which is still uncommon in some higher priced processors. As a side note, we have found some receivers / processors and DVD players internal test tones to be somewhat out of whack, especially when calibrating at different reference levels. The Yamaha test tones, however, identically tracked Avias when the master volume levels were set to produce the same reference levels. In addition, I achieved accurate channel trim balances for all reference levels I tested during the set-up phase. This didnt surprise me since I have consistently found Yamaha receivers to have incredibly accurate test tones and channel tracking.
Virtual Home Theater Review Magazine became too domineering. After extensive listening tests supplemented with measurements and analysis, I found the most pleasing PEQ setting was Low. Most of the time I used no PEQ at all, but the Low setting did yield decent results that I found added to my listening enjoyment in some cases. Care must be used when engaging this system, including: Microphone positioning. Ensuring a low noise floor in the room. Running this set-up several times for consistency. Interpreting the results not as a biblical source, but as a starting point or alternative to no auto calibration.
I was hit upside the head when I switched from ordinary 2CH to PLIIx Music Mode.
latest experience the RX-Z9 was no different. I was immediately overwhelmed by the almost limitless dynamic range I was hearing in two-channel stereo with this receiver. Its big, bold sound never lacked refinement or poise even when driven to my personal listening limits with my reference speakers and moderately large listening room (about 3000 ft^3). I was a bit disappointed that Yamaha did not provision for subwoofer output in Pure Direct mode (a feature necessary for my active subwoofer/satellite speaker system), thus the bulk of my two-channel listening tests were conducted in 2 CH Stereo with all of the video processing turned off. This did not seem problematic to me since the RX-Z9 has a superb noise floor in all listening modes, partly attributed to careful circuit layout and implementation of the absolute best DACs on the market - the Burr Brown DSD-1792s in differential configuration. As a side note, two channels of the PCM/DSD-1792s cost about twice as much as all of the lesser audio DACs used in many costlier exotic processors. The good news is Yamaha spared no expense and implemented these DACs on all channels, including the presence and subwoofer channels - and in balanced configuration! What my listening tests confirmed was the RX-Z9 was acting like a great sounding DAC for two-channel applications. If you have an older CD changer with an optical or coax output, I highly recommend using it as a transport and letting the RX-Z9 revitalize its fidelity. Listening to SACD via i.Link was a real treat as this was the first time I actually heard SACD pass via a digital interface. For those worrying about the RX-Z9 passing subwoofer information in two-channel mode, fear not as the RX-Z9 does handle bass management via its i.Link interface much like it does when decoding DD/DTS.

The RX-Z9 had no problems keeping up with our expectations as it belted out raw power with confidence and pride. I had to keep reminding myself a receiver shouldnt sound this good. That old stereotype is now slowly deteriorating as receiver vendors have improved the performance and value of their one-box solutions, and loudspeaker manufacturers have continued advancements in loudspeaker design to yield higher efficiency and more linear impedance and phase response.
Virtual Home Theater Review Magazine more theatrical experience and made the grueling battlefields seem much larger and more surreal. What was most impressive was that the Cinema DSP mode did not sacrifice dialog intelligibility during critical dialog scenes. Bass impact was also unadulterated in Cinema DSP mode. My continued experience with the RX-Z9 was that it delivered theatrical levels of uncompressed sound during multi-channel movie and music passages in my listening room. The DSP modes for movies, simply made my experience that much more grand. I was certainly never of the mindset of wondering how much better the sound would be if I had access to a more powerful dedicated amplifier section. Pat Metheny Speaking of Now Live
Tracks 1. Last Train Home 2. Go Get It 3. As It Is 4. Proof 5. Insensatez (How Insensitive) 6. The Gathering Sky 7. You 8. A Place In The World 9. Scrap Metal 10. Another Life 11. On her Way 12. Are You Going With Me? 13. The Roots Of Coincidence 14. A Map Of The World - In Her Family 15. Song For Bilbao
to experiment with variety of DSP modes and settings Yamaha offers. I personally enjoy using the Jazz and Rock modes to bring back life in ordinarily dull or compressed sounding DVD concerts and VHS tapes. I ultimately prefer using PL IIx for CD music, but this is entirely subjective and you must decide what works best for your listening preferences.
Suggestions for Improvement
It is really difficult to fault the RX-Z9 receiver given that it does so many things so extraordinarily well. However, being the Audioholic I am, and given the nature of this website, I do have some critiques aimed in making this product and all forwarding Yamaha products even better: Parametric room correction (1/12th octave resolution or better) for low frequencies (where it is needed most) with bandwidth limiting application of around 20Hz to 200Hz for all channels, including the subwoofer. Ability to limit room correction amplitude increments to within a specific +/range. Manually adjustable PEQ settings. Multiple equalization settings to accommodate different listening positions and/or spatial averaging. Subwoofer output option in twochannel Pure Direct mode by paralleling the incoming audio signal via a relay to the DSP for processing to the subwoofer. On the fly non-retained channel trim adjustment capability. Independent channel trim settings for all modes of operation. Independent subwoofer level and crossover settings for two-channel and multi-channel modes of operation. Back channel power amp assignable to main channels for Bi-Amping mode. Higher current +12V triggered outputs to drive power centers/conditioners. While this is a long laundry list, and certainly not meant to suggest the RX-Z9 is lacking for its price point, we feel these changes would have made the RX-Z9 an even better product with which to compete against entry level separates and other flagship receivers in the marketplace.

it more than makes up for it with its high linearity, and low noise floor. There are certainly other excellent receivers in this price class as well, but none of them offer the video and DSP processing, highly usable GUI interface, and stereo subwoofer outputs - and only a select few actually sport an active i.Link connection for transmission of DVD-A and SACD. Now if only Yamaha would release an i.Link compatible Universal DVD player, they would have a total package solution to please all loyal Yamaha fans. I am told this is in the works, so be patient. For those contemplating integrating DVD-A and SACD into their systems, I strongly encourage a system solution that
Y amaha RX-Z9 Home Theater Receiver Score Card
The scoring below is based on each speaker 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.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing speakers in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate speakers solely based on performance, and each reviewer has their own system for ratings.
Audioholics Ratings Scale:
Outstanding (reserved for features or areas that exceed market norms) Above Average Average Below average Very poor

METRIC

Build Quality Ergonomics User Interface Remote Features DSP Modes 5.1 Channel Pro Logic II / DTS Neo Performance 7.1 / 5.1 Channel DD / DTS Performance Macro Dynamics Micro Dynamics Two Channel Performance Multi Channel Music Overall Value

RATING

/4 /4 /4
Yamaha RX-Z9 A/V Receiver MSRP $4499
Yamaha Electronics (800) 292-2982 http://www.yamaha.com

Associated Test Gear

HARDWARE
Denon AVR-5803 R.E. Designs Audio LNPA-150 Harman Kardon AVI-200mkii RBH Sound Signature T-2 System RBH Sound Signature T-1 RBH 44-SEB (modified for back channel speakers) RBH 61-LSE with Status Drivers Status Acoustics Decimos RBH Sound C-4 Sony SCD-CE775 Denon DVD-5900 Sony KP51-WS510 Acoustic Research DIY Belden Cables Cobalt Cables River Cable River Cable R.E. Designs Monstercable HTS-3500 EchoBusters

I was curious to see how my favorite PEQ setting, Low, would transform the sound of my front speakers when measuring their response far off axis from where the microphone actually took the initial measurement to derive its settings. I was pleased to find that the PEQ did not butcher the frequency response in location measured away from the initial calibration. In fact it did improve a bass null by +5dB in the 70Hz to 80Hz region. Low Frequency Comparison of Manual vs YPAO
Front PEQ Setting for YPAO
With no equalization applied, you can see that the center channel of my system (which is basically a horizontally placed version of my main system speakers (without the subwoofers), measured similarly to the summed response of my main speakers at the listening position. This measurement was taken with the RX-Z9 engaged in Prologic IIx mode for the center channel measurement, and 2 Channel mode for the Front channel measurement.
By allowing YPAO to do my entire configuration, it did not provide the smoothest transition between the huge bass bump of my primary room mode. I was able to manually tweak phase and level of my two subwoofers to add a bump from 54Hz to about 75Hz to provide a more uniform and pleasing sounding system bass response.
The RX-Z9 dominates a segment of the marketplace currently not filled.
Flat Setting: Flat yielded an EQ result very similar to no PEQ at all for my set-up. It inserted a slight bump of +3dB from 100-125Hz and helped to reduce a narrow null centered around 160Hz. Aside from a +4dB bump added by the PEQ at 315Hz, most of the upper end of the frequency spectrum was unaltered. This partly explained why I was hearing a slightly fuller sound in the mid bass region.
Non-exclusive reprint rights have been provided to Yamaha Corporation to reprint and freely distribute this review. Any other uses or instances of this review by other parties or by Yamaha Corporation are prohibited without prior approvals from Audioholics. The original review can be viewed online at www.audioholics.com
A/V Processor/Receiver Checklist
Revision Date: April 2004