The value far surpasses the cost of the Yamaha Ag1-HC
936596
Received the case in excellent condition. The appearance and the construction of the case surpassed my expectations. With the exception of the sculptured top of my the original case that my 1992 00016 came with this Yamaha hard case is equal to if not better. My 1974 K. Suzuki Martin dreadnaught copy fits snugly and safely in it. Its all in the details. One example is the recessed area in the padding in the lower bout that the accommodates the strap button.  Couldnt be happier with my decision to get the case for my old and dear friend Suzuki.
865097
I bought the Yamaha RX-V471BL to be the backbone of a budget home theater system I am putting together. I am very pleased! This unit has great sound, a strong feature list, and a pleasing design and appearance. I love the Yamaha brand, and I think they have a very clear, true sound. I recommend this model without a doubt. Here are some reasons why as well as some other information that might interest potential buyers:

Although this is one of the lower budget receivers in Yamaha's line, it still has plenty of quality. I love the inclusion of the YPAO microphone. YPAO stands for Yamaha Parametric Acoustic Optimizer, and it basically listens to test tones played from your speakers and optimizes them to sound the best from your listening position. I made several adjustments on my own to add on to what YPAO did, but I love that it is included.

I like the on-screen GUI (graphic user interface), it is pretty easy to use once you take a few minutes to read up on features in the user manual. It is convenient having the ability to rename inputs (so it says "Blu-Ray" instead of "HDMI 1"). I especially like the on-screen speaker setup menu. You can change speaker size (large/small), crossover for the sub, distance from listening position, individual levels, and phase. After using YPAO and spending about half an hour tweaking from the speaker menu, I was able to dial the sound in nicely.

For those like me who have the majority of their daily listening music stored on their iPod or iPhone, you can plug Apple's USB charger cable straight into the front panel and your music comes up on the screen. You can then control it with the remote. Great for sitting at my desk and navigating my iPod from across the room.

Most other receivers in this price range offer 450 or 500 watts of total power. This one offers 525 (105 per channel), and it is nice to have those extra 5 watts per channel, although most people won't notice a difference. The unit powers my large front speakers as well as my center and surrounds without a fuss, and it can get up to movie theater volumes without breaking a sweat.

I think that covers everything! It's a great receiver and I recommend it to anyone searching in this price range. Yamaha is a great company to do business with.
234111
I'm new to computer audio, but I enjoy the convenience, flexibility, and potential for near-audiophile sound reproduction it promises.  I simply cannot afford to drop even $350, let alone $2,000, for an external DAC.

I purchased the Fiio Taishan D03 and placed it into the following system: iMac running iTunes files through a mini-Toslink to Toslink optical cable to Fiio D03, then RCA cables first to a PAC LC-1 volume control (roughly $14 on Amazon) then from there to KRK Rokit 5's (self-powered, small bookshelf-sized studio monitors) set at half-volume.  Very basic, yet very capable.

Result?  Very satisfying sound.  Period.  My iTunes files include much classical, jazz, and ambient electronica music ripped at anywhere from 192 to 256 kbps to Apple lossless, and my ears appreciate a neutral, uncolored presentation.  I haven't allowed for a 50-100 hour burn-in period yet, but after 25-hours or so of continuous playing the Fiio Taishan is producing beautiful music through the KRK's.  I am surprised, relieved, and gratified to have found a low-cost option that lets me hear my digital music files come alive again.

Even if it doesn't improve with further burn-in, at this price the Fiio Taishan is a clear-cut no-brainer for anyone with a computer storing music digitally.  If the product lasts, an important void has been filled.
1232670
I knew from my teens that Yamaha produced great stuff.  And, it was confirmed with the installation and sound from these 2 Yamaha speakers.  Very well made with some heft to them.  The instructions were straight forward and direct.  Of course the sound is the thing.  The high and low was quite clear and really a pleasure to listen to.  The price was right and the value the best ANY-WHERE!
4203200
sounds very nice and high end ,can beat at its price range!
4278940
This piano has a great sound and a great feel, without too many bells and whistles. It's a piano-player's piano -- the samples used for the grand 1 setting are terrific, and that's the one I care about. The other samples are acceptable but not wonderful. It has a great hammer response and feels like the real deal. I was vacillating between getting this piano and the more expensive 155, and for the value and my skill level this piano was the perfect choice. Of note: the pedal that comes with the piano is unacceptable to me as a piano player. Spring for the Yamaha FC3 Dual zone pedal; you'll thank yourself.
2773234
I did not buy it here. My price was $399.00 during a one day only sale. Rolled dice. Removed the AT95E.A fine cartridge that is reasonably priced. I replaced it with a Clearaudio Mastro V2. I increased the height slightly,leveled,set tracking 2.2 grams. The sonics on this table are superb. My favorite feature would be the tonearm. It's medium compliance at 14 grams and works well with the Maestro. Not the most robust table in the world but the sonics are top notch and every bit as good as Clearaudio Concept,Music Hall 5.1SE I onced owned but better at the low end bass. The turntables mentioned have a better feel/quality compared to this table but by no means is it cheaply made. At the price I paid it's easy 5 stars. I would not pay $699 or $1000 for this but in the $400-650 I'm in.
4669852
After about 1.5 years having a set of Image Dynamics CXS64 V.2 components in my vehicle, I felt that I needed more. After doing the research and reading reviews and car audio forums, I decided to purchase the Hertz Audio HSK-165's. From the moment I opened the box, I had a feeing these would be good. First, the build of the HV.165 6.5" midranges are very exceptional quality; they feature trick fiber mesh cones, over-sized magnets (larger than on my CXS64s), a very stout die-cast aluminium basket, and a grille is included. The HT.25 1 tweeters are soft-dome style but have a grill built in, and include 4 different mounting options in the box: flush mount, 30-degree surface mount, and 60-degree surface mount, and what I ended up using: a factory location mount, which is a mounting cup with breakaway side tabs. The tabs have multiple holes/slots to match your factory dash speaker mounting hole spacing when you install these tweeters in their place. The included passive crossovers are a fairly large, but contain high quality components and a very detail-oriented construction.

After installing them, I tested the sound using varied music with a wide range of instruments and vocals - everything from percussion to jazz to EDM to rock and everything in between. I'm powering these speakers with the same Alpine V9 that I used with the CXS64s, with each driver receiving 125-watts each. Crossover was set at the same as the passives (3.2KHz @ 12dB). I played a wide variety of music (rock, jazz, EDM, hip hop, dance) and immediately I was impressed. The highs were crisp and vocals were very clear. After some experimenting with the crossover point (since I had an active system) I set it at 4kHz/12dB and that's where the fidelity of the HKS-165's was realized. When listening to my test Cds, the HSK-165's exhibited excellent clarity and lifelike sound. I did not hear any distortion, no harshness, and even at higher volume levels the Hertz speakers were never overbearing.

As good as it sounds now, once the drivers get through their break-in period I'm confident the sound will only get better. And finally, yes - at $400/set these are priced higher than the Image Dynamics CXS64 V.2's I used to have (about $330/set), but considering the immediate improvement and added performance that my ears heard from the HSK-165's it was a noticeable upgrade.
4349949
Yamaha...  You need say no more.  Even in this compact powerhouse of a system, the sound is crisp and spacious and the subtle details of classical, jazz and acoustic are not lost.  Coupled with the Yamaha sub and my world is complete.  I purchased this system to be my interim replacement for a much larger Carver amp and pre-amp, the amp which I am beginning a rebuild on.  Didn't have anything to listen to while replacing components on the Carver so this micro Yamaha did the trick.

Granted, you won't get the massive output of a 400-watt system but in the right room it delivers high-quality sound with a definition that rivals much more expensive systems.  Looked at Bose..  Listened to Bose..  Too much money for too little quality.  The Bose systems were unbalanced - bass too boomy, mids strident, and Bose had nothing on the shelf that gave me aux, USB, CD, AM/FM.  And, I didn't want to wait for "December delivery"  So Yamaha it was and it will not disappoint.  Get the sub too.  I know some folks reviewed well without it but that little extra kick below 50Hz is the special sauce to compliment the otherwise robust speakers.  Oh, by the way, the remote is overlooked by should not be.  Very user-friendly and responsive.  It is well thought out.
2349547
Just received my CS 865 HD boom/straight combo.
The fight is on for market share and this redesign of their hardware to flatter the second generation Recording series (co-developed with the legendary Steve Gadd) packs a killer punch.
Weighs 14lbs. Came sealed in a Yamaha, Japan box, boots are standard, one piece nylon cup and sleeve, two dense felt washers, heavy dbl brace legs, Florentine finish highlights, sound isolation sleeves on extension tubes, extends like really, really high.
* What catches my eye is the unique tilt mechanism. Never seen one like it and I love it. Check out the pics as they a thousand works plus.
* Everything catches and locks with very little force at all. You won't need your channel locks for this one. Boom arm is convertible to straight post or boom; had a notched counter lock on boom extension only.
* Sleek, sturdy, graceful, out right pretty, holds my 17" K dark crash no problem.
One comment was it was rather pricey (which is relevant to the buyer) but to me, the stand is VERY comparable to the 150-200 units out there.
I will be selling most of my Pearl collection and buying three or four more instead of DW or Mapex.
181945
I purchased a Well-Tempered Record Player (Record Player is the model name of the turntable) in '99, started with a Grado Sonata, and a Grado Red as a backup cart; The Sonata sounded great, but expensive.  Then tried a Shure 97; sounded ok. Then I tried a Denon 103. Sounded very good, energetic, lots of shimmer on cymbals. Then I tried the Grado Red. What a revelation. You don't have to spend a fortune on a cart to get it all. Soundstage, bass, sweet from top to bottom. I'll never need another cart for my TT. However, a word of warning;  No piece of equipment is going to work for all applications. If your TT has a motor that sits close to the spindle axle, or under it,  you might get hum as the cart gets toward the end of the record, and closer to the motor; My motor is on the opposite side from the tonearm, connected to the platter via a belt, so I don't have to worry about it.
1040476
Sounds really good! Power is balanced & when you need it, you get it, without the distortion of cheaper amps. Though not as "tube-like" as my Carver CM1090 was, the Yamaha still pumps the lows nicely and the mids have more clarity, sometimes almost popping out at you 3 dimensionally (of course with the proper speakers). The DAC/ Optical brings it into the 21st century. Overall happy.
3307770
I bought these speakers though it was tough decision as I had no chance to audition them.
I must say that the risk was justified - they are sounding amazing, especially for their price: I paid $300/pair from Amazon.
I am listening them with Yamaha RS-300 receiver. My main source is trusted Ipod Classic loaded with ALAC files but I've tried some HD music: some tracks from King Crimson 24/192 reissues are simply stunning.
I am not Hi-Fi columnist and cannot write 2 pages of clever sounding words but I would say that the MTX made excellent pair with Yamaha: bass is great without mid-bass bum-bum, very correct mids and highs.

I would definitely recommend them for people who don't want spend a lot $$ but still get real Hi-Fi even without adding sub to their system.
3374632
At the discounted price of $800 this is an extraordinarily good buy if you are looking for the best sound quality in an AVR.

I am coming from an older Arcam AVR. Arcam is pretty much the best sound/audio quality you can get but they are not cheap. I had purchased my older Arcam used and now wanted to upgrade to get the latest True HD decoders offered with blu-ray. But the lowest priced Arcam is $1800 and out of my budget.

I have been going through $1000 range AVRs from Denon, Onkyo, etc and kept them each for a few weeks and ended up returning them not being pleased with their sound/audio qualities. One dimensional overpowered boomy bass, lackluster unmusical midrange. Some people think these units are good because of the startling "boom" they get from explosions and gunshots when watching action movies. I find it unrealistic and distracting. Most of a movie is voice and music track and was quite dissatisfied with these mass market units.

When this Marantz dropped in price I ordered it and have had it for a week and am delighted by its audio sound quality. Musical midrange with excellent separation of instruments. Lots of inner detail where you get a more palpable sense of strings being plucked on guitars or the bow being moved across a violin. Drums and bass have individual notes. Voice quality is very good and dialog in movies in very clear. Creates a great immersive sound field in movies. In some ways it outdoes my 10 year old Arcam particularly in the highs where bells, cymbals are clearer and more dimensional.

Takes a good 48 hours of playing before the electronics start to settle in and the audio quality improves. At first it will sound a bit constricted and one dimensional (much like the mass market units even after they had been played for several weeks). But hang in there...
2949377
First Rate Turntable! While it is easily possible to drop far more cash on esoteric models by other manufacturers, I don't think you can actually buy much more performance except in perhaps a <1% degree. Very respectable Project tone arm, heavy glass platter, included Goldring cartridge is a decent introductory, but begs for an upgrade. I outfitted my MMF-5 with a Sumiko Blackbird, which is easily superior to all other entries in the <$1000 category IMHO, and my ears!  Very Nice piano finish and heavy hinged dust cover, adjustable VTA, all brought together in a stylish component! For another $500+ the next model&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Music-Hall-MMF-7-Turntable/dp/B000KOHTZA/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Music Hall MMF 7 Turntable</a>&nbsp;is also a good option, with some additional features, but one will pay a premium for slightly incremental upgrade.
3226865
I'm a numbers guy.  I've looked at 4 different brands over the last couple years.  Every so often I'd revisit the HS series from Yamaha because of the value they seemed to offer.  After having them for a few days now, I'm completely satisfied.  I'm so glad I went with the 80s over the 50s.  I imagine the imaging and presence are good on the smaller ones too, but the low end is worth the extra for the bigger guys.  Plus, for me, I won't need the matched sub - the sound is very full and balanced with a little tweaking.  With all the features, especially room control, and the accurate sound - you won't be disappointed!
4154988
The price is unbeatable for this high-quality product.