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Yamaha RX 777 Receiver flying under the radar

When an RX-777 owner gets a chance...can you measure the diameter of the volume knob and let me know? It looks like it has a lighted LED volume indicator that i could use in the future possibly.
 
Oldsansui441 said:
Very interesting and thank you for sharing your thoughts. We all hear different things as l would have probably said the 770 was more forward in the mids and if anything lacking a little in the lower end, of course we all have different speakers also.

Yes very true, l guess if you are not using multi channel an AVR is kinda pointless. I have had some that do sound very good in two channel mode though, including the RX-Z1 l still own.
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So i hooked up my re-capped yamaha C-80 to the RX-770 bypassing the internal preamp via the main in.

WOW what a difference. Everything i complained about was instantly gone.
 
I confess, I was influenced by this thread...I wanted to try out the Yamaha Top-ART amplification section and this unit has pre/main jumpers on the back to allow tapping into it, didn't want to pay R-S700 prices, and now I have a used 777 unit on the way!
 
Ok so I picked-up the very close relative of the RX-777, the RX-797, and have been listening to it consistently for the past couple of weeks, enough for me to comment on it. A pattern I'm noticing with all devices I've tried out so far, is that the headphone experience is very different from the speaker listening experience. The RX-797 is wonderfully clear on the speakers, clear and neutral (compared to RX-496 or AX-500) or a hair warm through the headphones, but the bass leaves a bit more to be desired. Also, the headphones become fatiguing after a while. But i'm not sure if its me getting old and not desensitized to loud music anymore, or just the thing needing some fresh capacitors here and there.

I will be keeping it so I can use its pre-out/main in to test other devices as i come across them.

All in all, it was a great experience as it shares the same mainboard as the A-S700, and has relieved my burning desire to try out one of the newer AS units (e.g. AS-501, AS-701, AS-801).

I also wanted to do a side project with it to strip off all the non-essential components, even put it in a new aluminum enclosure, and just have a basic clean sounding power amp. But this started involving "tricking" the microcontroller, as when i pulled out the video board, it signaled the thing to go into protection, and i had to tap a 3.3V lead and connect it to a PRV pin that the video board would have sent a 3.2V to the microcontroller. It worked, but i don't know if i want to go down that path any further.
 
That's what I found out. The Yamaha beautifully engineered btw, leans a tad bit forward. I couldn't listen to it long w/o ear fatigue. Didn't matter if I was on my Klipsch Bells or Wharfedales. Had to give it up sadly.
 
redstarjedi said:
Midrange is lacking, not as good as the low and high frequencies. I didn't feel that way about my R9.

I'll stick with my 770 until my R9 works again or I find a rx-950. 770 only runs the TV, Roku, and low quality Pandora. A1 is for most music; via dac and vinyl.

Crazy as it sounds I'm opposed to a AVR if all I'm doing is two channel.
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I had a R9 as well, it operated in class A up til around 35 watts or so, and then it switched over to A/B. That may have made a difference, depending on the sound levels you were listening at. Let’s say your speakers had 90dB efficiency. At 95dB thats 32 watts, so if you weren’t cranking it, that would explain a difference in sound. I also think the R9 is a better receiver than either the 700 which my friend & neighbor owns, or the 777 I own. It’s rated @ 125 wpc, and it has the headroom for 180 wpc.

As far as ruling out AVRs for 2 channel listening, in my opinion you’re really not doing yourself any favors there. I’ve had in the past, and still have AVRs that are not only more than adequate, but are quite excellent for 2 channel. While a high end dedicated 2 channel stereo receiver will undoubtably be better for music than mid-level or entry level AVRs for music, the same doesn’t hold true for many higher end AVRs. The main issue is that while 2 channel equipment is supposed to be accurately rated for WPC output (meaning that if it says it puts out 100 wpc continuous, it must), multi channel receivers often fudge their numbers and base their ratings on as little as one channel driven with a flat signal input of 1kHz. On the other hand, better home theater receivers like my Pioneer Elite SC-35 and my Denon AVR-4308 are capable of diving 2 speakers full range at over 150 watts per channel. IIRC, the Denon had headroom up to around 210 wpc, I’d have to find the screenshot that I took, and that was driving 8 ohm speakers. Yes, these are still a little pricey in the used market (generally around $300-$500usd), but you can find other AVRs that will perform nearly as well as those for music, and get them for quite reasonable prices because the surround capabilities they have are dated, and are no longer as desirable to most people. Their amplifiers are still just as robust though, and if you have a preamp, or like one of your other receiver’s preamps better, you can usually just use it as an amp, or if it offers a pure direct mode you can use that as well. A really good AVR is nothing to sneeze at.
 
Thanks to this thread, I bought an RX777 used for next to nothing. I have always had a soft spot for Yamaha as the second amp I ever bought was a Yamaha A500 (first was a Nikko TRM310) and I still own it - just a very clean sounding amp. I have been playing the RX777 and it sounds great. Pots and switches are a bit noisy, so I plan to apply DeOxit this weekend.
 
Spenser said:
I'm chicken to try the factory reset (which IS in the manual). Figure that'll only take it back to recognizing the RAX11 (if there's a difference).
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I downloaded the manual but didn't see a factor reset procedure - can you please provide more details? I bought a remote from eBay that is said to be functionally equivalent - it is not the original remote but rather a programmable remote that is programmed using firmware to function as the RAX11. However, it doesn't seem to work.
 
snaimpally said:
I downloaded the manual but didn't see a factor reset procedure - can you please provide more details? I bought a remote from eBay that is said to be functionally equivalent - it is not the original remote but rather a programmable remote that is programmed using firmware to function as the RAX11. However, it doesn't seem to work.
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Hi there. If you're still looking for a remote for the RX-777, I've found a number of the RAX11 remotes via eBay for various amounts over the past seven years I've had mine (bought two of them, lol). Another substitute remote that will work if someone is stuck is the RAX13 (WB72190) which came with a RX-596 receiver I had previously. It's one of the awesome "paddle" remotes, and it will control everything. It also will turn on/off and control of the Yamaha RX-V459 AV receiver I have connected to the TV.







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Spenser said:
Can I dust this thread off. Need a little help here.

Got me one of these RX-777's. Picked up a remote too but not the one that came with it.

I need the procedure steps to tell the microprocessor to recognize the kind of remote I have.

The service manual says it comes with the RAX11 and I have the RAX14 which online sources say works with the RX-777.

I'm chicken to try the factory reset (which IS in the manual). Figure that'll only take it back to recognizing the RAX11 (if there's a difference).

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/yamaha-rx-777-receiver-remote-help-needed.921614/

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Any Yamaha "RX" remote from an older series should work. I have two RX-777s and have had several other RX Yamaha receivers. All my RX remotes work for my RX-700U, RX-750, RX-770, RX-396, RX-496, etc. You should have no trouble finding a nice one on eBay. You might even get to pick one with the buttons arranged the way you like. Note: All Sources might not match up to the button labels exactly, but you should be able to work through it. I did find a remote designed for the 777, but it was pricey.
 
dynamic73 said:
I got this Yamaha RX 777 receiver a few years ago. I picked it up used from a older gentleman. I also have a Yamaha RX V1900 receiver. Which I think is excellent. One day I decided to combine the two. So I used the Yamaha RX V1900 as the preamp and the Yamaha RX 777 as the main amp. I'm using a Yamaha YP B2 turntable as the source and Definitive Technology DR 7 speakers. This combination has proved to be way better than I expected.

I heard some really nice amps and audio gear in my day. This Yamaha RX 777 receiver holds it's own. Against some of the better audio equipment I listen to. 1st off the Yamaha RX 777 seems to have more power than what it's rated. They rate the Yamaha RX 777 as 100 wpc @ 8 ohm. It really pushes my Def Techs without any trouble. Most of the other receivers I've had never really seem to deliver what they are rated at. The Yamaha RX 777 seems to put out what it's rated at and more. My Def Tech speakers are rated at 90 db efficiency. So I understand they are easy to drive. The Yamaha RX 777 brings out notes that I never thought the Def Tech speaker had in them. The Yamaha RX 777 is also very detailed. Which I've never had in a stereo receiver before. The bass is were the Yamaha RX 777 really shows it can produce music. It really reaches down there and punches out the notes. All with this natural sound that is very addicting.

I see a lot of talk in the Yamaha section about the old Yamaha CR 1020 and the CR 2020 receivers and how great they are. It makes me wonder. Are they really that much better than this modern (built around 2001) Yamaha RX 777 receiver? Am I missing the boat here. Would I gain that much more going to an older Yamaha receiver?

There's very little info on the old interwebs about the Yamaha RX 777. Which makes me believe that it has flown under the radar. And not many people have expreinced the sound and the music it makes. I'm wondering if anyone here has listen to the Yamaha RX 777 and what they think about it for music enjoyment?
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I bought my RX-777 new to keep my wife happy with her diverse listening. While it has more muscle than needed and I agree on the "flat response" that many have cited (a good thing, if you ask me) the real benefit is that it is a RECEIVER. I have used it for Pandora, Spotify, BT from kids phones, FM, Internet radio (fans of London and Johannesburg college radio). Even XM - through subscriber cell phone to BT. Have also played off the USB 2.0 in the front. It receives everything (maybe not short wave), but the capability on the RX-777 is impressive without being overwhelming. Definitely an under appreciated feature. With regard to musical enjoyment, the low end does seem attenuated at lower volumes - maybe conversational volume and lower, but I think this is also part of human physiology and hearing. As you increase the volume, all color returns and there is breadth, depth and ample muscle to the sound. I have not explored the upper end of volume on this unit as it seems to be able to go louder than I can hear, but no disortion noted AT ALL at windowpane shaking volume. Clearly had much more capability than I was willing to push. Do not regret my decision at all and has had no issues for the 8+ years we have had it.
 
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