Any one using Aventage Series to power their speakers?

2BMusic

New Member
Hi Folks,
I have a pair of Khorns. I am looking for an amp and found the Yamaha Aventage RX a1030 for sale cheap.
Its like new and in perfect working condition. He even let me power my khorns. It sounds very good. It is not touted as a stereo hifi amp... bit rather a HT amp. I do not know what kind of difference it makes. My thinking is with seven out puts, ( possibly 7 amps) ...is how good can it be. Due to the fact that a good quality channel amp costs way more then the 1030 at full price.

I would very much appreciate your thoughts!!!

Also, is anyone using Emotiva amps. They have mono-blocks for $319. That also seems amazing low in price.

My past experience with my M2 and CD2A are the reasons I am concerned!
 
I have a RX-A730, works great, no issues, dead quiet. I use it in a 5.2 configuration to watch TV, movies and listen to the odd SACD in my living room. It's powering some PSB Image bookshelves. I don't like the tuner in it as much as the one in my R-9.
 
I like them, a lot. They are very quiet and generally well designed. I use my RX-A2040 for casual listening and movies in my living room. The power supplies are quite limp (as with most mainstream HT gear) so you wont see anything 100W on all channels but you might get it for two channels.

Oh yes Aspen is right: the tuners are awful and are just tiny modules the size of a few stacked up matchbooks. This is also true of most modern gear, sadly, vestigal FM support.
 
Got the 740. As already shared, my amp is super quiet, more than adequate for a 5.1 application, runs cool under heavy use, extra year of warranty coverage, has great reports by both users/pros, can handle 4D upgrade, lots of USB ports, looks great, ample configeration from remote. Overall a good performer for the $.

Q2
 
I just picked up a RX-A1020. Fantastic receiver for HT. I am amazed at how spacious and enveloping the sound is on movies and TV. Concert broadcasts sound superb. As I am using all of the internal amps, except for my twin subs, those amps must be of at least decent quality. Not sure I would target it as a 2 ch amp but if you can get it cheap enough to flip at no loss, give it a try and report back. If you can use it in a HT set up, don't hesitate!
 
Also, is anyone using Emotiva amps. They have mono-blocks for $319. That also seems amazing low in price.

I'm using an Emotiva XPA-5 Gen 2 for HT duty. Before I set it up I A/B'd it with a Yamaha M-2. The M-2 was better, but only slightly better.
I've "heard" that earlier Emotiva amps are bright on top, so maybe not the best for a horn loaded system. Will they let you audition the amps?
 
I have a RX-A3030. It's actually a great sounding receiver. The 3030 is very smooth and detailed. I don't know if it's due to the new ESS32 Sabre DAC's or not, but I'm hearing details in familiar recordings, that I never noticed before. I'm not a head-banger, so it's power is fine with me. Though, while the amps are clean, I don't know if they'd do well on inefficient speakers. Your Klipsch's, no problem.
 
I have a RX-A3030. It's actually a great sounding receiver. The 3030 is very smooth and detailed. I don't know if it's due to the new ESS32 Sabre DAC's or not, but I'm hearing details in familiar recordings, that I never noticed before. I'm not a head-banger, so it's power is fine with me. Though, while the amps are clean, I don't know if they'd do well on inefficient speakers. Your Klipsch's, no problem.
How are they for music listening?
 
How are they for music listening?

I run my AR90s with the Yamaha, and it has no issues with the load. I still own other Yamaha receiver's; the RX-V990, the DSP-A30390, and the RX-V3000. The 3030 sounds better than any of these. It exhibits a more relaxed, musical sound; not as bright. A bit warmer sound signature that these earlier Yamaha's. Easy to listen to for long periods.

The RX-A3030 set up software even identified an out of phase wiring issue with the 90s. So, much better bass response than they ever had in previous systems. Plus, the Yamaha has a better detailed sound, with a wider sound stage, than the NAD 116 preamp it replaced. I'm still getting used to the volume adjustment of the Yamaha. It ramps up very slowly (which I like), but it has to be cranked up fairly wide, to get substantial volume. Not an issue with me, since I usually listen at low levels, though some owners might feel that the amp section doesn't drive the speakers with enough slam, which isn't true, as it has good dynamic drive. It's fine by me.
 
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I run my AR90s with the Yamaha, and it has no issues with the load. I still own other Yamaha receiver's; the RX-V990, the DSP-A30390, and the RX-V3000. The 3030 sounds better than any of these. It exhibits a more relaxed, musical sound; not as bright. A bit warmer sound signature that these earlier Yamaha's. Easy to listen to for long periods.

The RX-A3030 set up software even identified an out of phase wiring issue with the 90s. So, much better bass response than they ever had in previous systems. Plus, the Yamaha has a better detailed sound, with a wider sound stage, than the NAD 116 preamp it replaced. I'm still getting used to the volume adjustment of the Yamaha. It ramps up very slowly (which I like), but it has to be cranked up fairly wide, to get substantial volume. Not an issue with me, since I usually listen at low levels, though some owners might feel that the amp section doesn't drive the speakers with enough slam, which isn't true, as it has good dynamic drive. It's fine by me.
What do you mean by slow volume ramping? You sure it doesn't had to do with what speakers it's driving?
 
What do you mean by slow volume ramping? You sure it doesn't had to do with what speakers it's driving?

Many HT receivers/processors, especially if they've been calibrated, necessitate rotating the volume knob quite a bit to bring up the volume.

For example, for listening in 2-ch mode at a toe-tapping (but by no means "cranked") level, I have to typ. turn the knob to achieve -15dB to -10dB on the display. Since the level starts at -80dB and goes by 0.5dB increments, it can be a lot of knob rotation to get the level up there. Fortunately, some units have adaptive incrementation. If you turn the knob slow it goes 0.5dB per click. If you turn the knob fast/faster the volume ramps up in larger increments.
 
What do you mean by slow volume ramping? You sure it doesn't had to do with what speakers it's driving?

The volume knob is continuously variable, so it keeps turning. There are no stops. The volume starts at a -80.0 setting, and the receiver doesn't start getting loud until around -45.0. At least with my 87db efficient Acoustic Research AR90s. So, personally, I like that many steps on the lower end of the volume scale. It allows a good range, even at low levels. It's not overpowering at what would be around 9:00 to 10:00, on a typical volume pot. Easy to set a level that I like, without being just too loud, or just too soft, with no step in between.
 
I would wonder if anyone has tried Onkyo tx-rz series. Any experience with it? Anyone?
They were launched in the competition to Aventage like receivers in the market.
I've read they have changed their preamp in rz. Which I don't know is better or not.
But they don't offer pre-outs i believe...
 
Onkyo has had their higher-end Integra series for years. I 'thought' that was their Aventage matching series? I didn't know about the TX-RZ series.

http://www.integrahometheater.com/Products/product_class.php?class=Receiver&source=nav

As to Onkyo in general, they've always built nice sounding product. But, I'm still leery of their QC and longevity? Too many HDMI/network board failures, over the last few years, for my taste. Even though Onkyo is now fixing these failures, it took several years to finally start that process.
 
I have a RX-A2050 it sounds very good in stereo, as measured in test it delivers 2x180W in 8 Ohms continuous 20-20kHz at below 0.1% distorsion way above it's specs so they do not seem to have skimped much on power supply. All modern streaming features are nice and not found in most integrateds, and the phono stage actually sounds quite good. The receiver is extreme quiet regarding noise on all inputs, only cheapie is tuner as earlier said. I use a separate tuner.
 
I just started playing around with the net streaming feature on mine this past weekend. It is very easy to use and gives access to many thousands of streams. I set up a few bookmarks and programmed the Scene button and voila. I didn't like how the tuner was having difficulty with a local FM radio station so I now have it using a stream and it is perfect. Only need to press one button on the remote or my phone to go from standby to listening. I even prefer the "Enhanced" DSP mode for making MP3's sound "better". While I was at it I updated to the most recent firmware and was pleased to see that Yamaha is still making new updates to a 3 year old machine as recently as July.
I also have enjoyed listening to a couple of 5.1 SACD recordings and it does an excellent job there as well.
 
I'll take Yammy over Onkyo in a heartbeat. Onk receivers are know to run very hot & cut out. Some needed service. They had a service bulletin or recall for that. Do a search.
 
Not sure this actually belongs here as even though it is thread related, it is a question rather than a response to the originator. I recently purchased a used but inclusive and excellent condition RXA- 3040 which I was to believe amplified 9.2 channels with the capacity for 11.2. I have a total of 7 speakers +1 subwoofer. 2 of the seven speakers (fronts) are towers and Bi-amp. Yamaha is now telling me I need another amplifier as the way assignment goes, I have only an option forHigh front presence or Bi-amp, but not both As it so happens I'm trying to amplify front high speakers as 2 of the above sets. This unit cannot be returned; Yamaha suggested I needed the 3060 which would have cost me more than $1500 more for the extra 2 channels. Now I also Am left with extra amplifiers not In use which can perform the above function which baffles me. If I was to go with an external amplifier I don't want a monster receiver that duplicates items I've already got covered Due to space constraints. I also would either need a remote control (another one!), Or would need to leave the unit on most of the day to use it. Am I getting the correct information? Is there any way around my circumstance or any suggestion from people in the know? Can I use two different kinds of amplifiers from two different manufacturers at two different wattage ratings? Do I need integrated or dedicated or?
 
The volume knob is continuously variable, so it keeps turning. There are no stops. The volume starts at a -80.0 setting, and the receiver doesn't start getting loud until around -45.0. At least with my 87db efficient Acoustic Research AR90s. So, personally, I like that many steps on the lower end of the volume scale. It allows a good range, even at low levels. It's not overpowering at what would be around 9:00 to 10:00, on a typical volume pot. Easy to set a level that I like, without being just too loud, or just too soft, with no step in between.
So I checked my entry level RX v475. It also starts from -80db, with 0.5 increments. It gets pretty loud at 25db and up. I usually keep it at 30db and mostly have to fiddle with my PC volume to get proper volume. At night -35ish db is just fine. So in that case, even I opt for aventage, volume ramping won't be a bother for me... :D
But anything lower than -35db even in night, its soothing but with lesser details. That I dont know is because of the model itself with 80Wpc or my speakers... but i guess that's pretty much one can get in 400 bucks...
Using BS22 LR pioneer speakers and shure 97 ex for vinyls
 
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