Clean natural sound, good build quality, assignable I/O's,
Silent Cinema

Remote

I really like this receiver, it has tons clean power and lots of features as actually use. I think its a lot better
than the HTR 5250 in terms of sound quality alone. I played
with the DSP modes a little and thought they sounded very much
like the theater and even went and saw The Castaway so I could come home and see if the dsp's really do sound like a theater. The one I thought most sound like the theater was the Adventure mode. I have stopped using the dsp's and have just been using the normal setting for movies and the processor direct for music, I think it sounds much better than the movie theater in the normal mode, very clean realistic sound. Music sounds great with good imaging and clean and natural highs. I dont thind the receiver sounds bright, I think it sounds real. I listen to headphones a lot
so I have used the silent cinema feature extensively. Sounds
best when watching movies in normal mode. Silent cinema has more depth and realistic sound when watching movies on headphones than normal stereo does. I have a very good pair of Can's and they are very revealing about the quality of Audio equipment. The HTR 5280 sounds great and I love the soundstage in music listening.

Get HTR 5280 or the rxv 800, they are the exact same receiver. You wont be disapointed.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha HTR 5250, Adcom, Denon

see my previous reviews

random audio dropouts on DVDs in DD and DTS only

I reviewed this receiver twice before and gave it 5 stars each time. But that was before I finally came to the sad conclusion that the audio dropout problem was indeed caused by the HTR 5280.

From the very beginning, I noticed random very brief audio dropouts when watching DD and DTS DVDs. These would occur at most twice per movie and sometimes two or three movies could go by before it happened again.
I knew it was not the DVD itself because each time I backtracked and played the same spot over again with no audio dropout.

I tried two different optical cables plus a coaxial cable. It made no difference!

Anyway for quite a while I was under the delusion that maybe the fault lied with the DVD player so I finally, after several months, was able to borrow another DVD player. The dropouts still happened!

I then managed to get a replacement HTR-5280 and it still happened! Then to be absolutely certain I purchased another DVD player by a different manufacturer and it still happened! By this time I discovered that an owner of the equivalent RX-V800 had the exact same problem! I also found out that the RX-V800 has some incompatibilities with certain DVD players!

So despite being a powerful performer with excellent audio qualities on music, I have had to give up on the 5280!

I cannot understand why no one else owning the 5280 has made mention of this. I do not care how infrequent these dropouts occured, they were annoying and were definitely indicative of a manufacturing defect.

Sounds great, really clean sound, produces tighter bass than previous receiver,reliable, onscreen display.

Could have been cheaper

Would have given 5 stars on value, but it was that cheap. It is definatily the highest end at places like Best Buy (big surprise). I actually prefer it over the Onkyo's at Circuit City, because it has more inputs and is more reliable. The Onkyo's have grounding problems in some of their models, and besides I am just partial to the Yamaha. The Yamaha has such a clean sound in comparison to the Pioneer I was using (no hiss in the rear speakers). Somehow the bass w/my subwoofer is alot tighter w/this receiver too. I am really pleased.

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer(not near as good, and only $100 dollars cheaper)

Clean sound, quiet, useful effects, lots of flexibility

Remote--hard to use in dim lighting

I bought this receiver to replace a cobbled-together setup that used two stereo receivers for four channels of amplification and a circa-1989 NEC Dolby Pro-Logic adapter processor. I had considered various Sony A/V receivers, but found too many complaints about 1) reliability and 2) hiss for my taste, and didn't find very many substantive negatives about this Yamaha. I have experienced no malfunctions or glitches, and haven't had to find out about customer service.

I've been very happy with the HTR-5280. I've had no problems whatsoever with either DVDs or CDs (in both cases using the receiver's digital circuits), and there's plenty of input capacity (including a phono input). The various Dolby Surround and Dolby Digital processing modes seem to perform well, whether "enhanced" or "normal." Many of the "enhanced" modes create a bit of "space" to suggest actually being in a theater rather than an acoustically dead living room. A good soundtrack ("The Matrix" keeps getting mentioned!) comes across very well, whether it's Dolby Digital or just Pro-Logic (haven't tried any DTS yet).

DSP modes for music work well and reasonably unobtrusively. Most of my listening is to classical music, and the "Concert Hall" mode is useful for "opening up" good recordings by providing the sense of room acoustics (room size is easily adjustable--an orchestra can play into a large room, and a string quartet can play into a smaller room). It's also useful for overcoming too-dry recordings--for instance, some of the old Mercury Living Presence Minneapolis Symphony recordings, or giving a sense of "space" to old mono recordings (Toscanini, for instance), and can be turned off at will. It generally doesn't work too well to try to put a recording into an inappropriate space. For instance, a recording made in a very dry room takes on an unpleasant initial echo when played through "Church" mode. If something was actually recorded in a large church, though, the "Church" setting gives it an appropriate "space." In general, the music DSP modes work well with appropriate recordings, and sound reasonably realistic (not like echo chambers!). The DSP modes do not change timbre to speak of, except that "Church" mode seems to add a little weight to the bass, rather like the effect of stone walls. An "FM" mode might be nice, though, to keep radio announcers from sounding like they're in a cavernous empty space.

Considered as a stereo receiver (since it is replacing an old Mitsubishi receiver), I'm quite happy with it. It sounds very clean and transparent to me, with unexaggerated lows and highs, yet has plenty of muscle when appropriate. I've found only one recording that this receiver isn't quite powerful enough for: Telarc's Cincinnati Pops recording of the "1812 Overture." The final cannon shot packs a wallop that will cause this receiver to shut itself off at high volume levels, and this is in two-channel mode. To be sure, I'm playing this into quite a large living room, through Energy eXL 28P speakers. At any rate, I haven't run out of power on anything else. FM tuner performance where I live is fine. AM tends to buzz, but I haven't determined what might be causing it where I live (AM doesn't figure into my listening very much).

The remote is a frequent nitpicking point in many reviews. Good points: it will control a lot of components; it will learn commands that aren't already built in on preprogrammed components, and it's reasonably small. Bad points: although one can light up the dial briefly to select the appropriate component, it's impossible to see the buttons in dim lighting. Otherwise, I can live with it.

The HTR-5280 IS the same receiver as the RX-V800

This comes straight from Yamaha's Web Site...

What Is The Difference Between The RX-V Line And The HTR Line?

There are many similarities between these two product lines. The RX-V line and the HTR line are produced in the same Yamaha factory using the same high quality parts throughout. The RX-V and equivalent HTR models have the same warranty periods, the same manufacturer's suggested retail price, the same features, and the same remote control units.

There is a cosmetic difference found on the front panels of these two lines. The RX-V line maintains the traditional white colored lettering normally found on most Yamaha components, while the HTR line provides a slightly different approach. Yamaha has created a new look by using gold colored lettering in selected areas on the HTR receiver series. However, both the RX-V line and the HTR line feature the same high quality black metal front panel construction.

The amplifiers in the HTR and RX-V units are identical but rated differently to comply with the accepted measurement standards of their respective channels of distribution. Both ratings are FTC approved and are designed to handle the dynamics of today's audio and video sources. The RX-V line has the power amplifiers rated from 20-20000 Hz. The HTR line has the power amplifiers rated at 1000 Hz. Both lines can reproduce the full frequency response of 20-20000 Hz.

The RX-V line is typically sold through Yamaha authorized audio/video specialty retailers, and is not available for mail order sales.

The HTR line is sold through mass merchants, catalog retailers, and department stores. You may also purchase the HTR line through the mail.

All transactions must be done through the authorized Yamaha dealer network. Any purchase made from an unauthorized dealer/retailer voids the Yamaha manufacturer's warranty.

inputs, component switching, 6.1 decoding, easy setup, very functional menu structure, power and crisp sound

There is no good DSP for watching cable TV, doesn't remember speaker levels per input

This receiver is great. There is plenty of power with no distortion. I would definitely recomend it to anyone looking for an affordable upper-mid level receiver.

I think enough people have praised this receiver, so I will point out its minor faults.

First, there is no good DSP mode for watching regular TV. Some channels broadcast with dolby prologic, but most don't. The result is the majority of the sound coming through the center channel. The effect is a very bright sound. One option is to put it in 5ch Stereo, which sends the same stereo signal to all of the speakers. This works pretty well, especially for sporting events, but it requires that you ramp down the surround speaker level so they don't dominate your hearing. It wouldn't be that bad if the receiver was smart enough to remember these levels per input, but it is not, so you have to change them constantly. A good solution would be to have a DSP that filters frequencies in 1000hz or voice range and send them to the center. I've heard this is a possibility on receivers in the future. This isn't a gripe with yamaha, but with receivers in general. If someone finds a decent solution, let me know.

Next is the remote. I actually like it, but the people I try and explain it to don't. The IR learning feature is great. It lets you customize the remote pretty well. You can control several components without turning the dial, provided you remember how you programed the buttons. Functionally you can do whatever you want to, it just takes a while to learn and I can see where non-technical people would get frustrated.

I don't use a lot of the DSP's. They really don't make much sense. Why would I want to take studio music and butcher it with delay so it sounds like studio music in a church. And if you listen to music recorded live the effect is redundant. The DSP's for movies on the otherhand are good. They definitely can add to the movie watching experience.

These are my only complaints about this receiver. I think it is a great peice of gear and I am very happy with my purchase. I would also recomend the speaker package I have listed below. I reviewed the speakers under JBL N38.

Other equipment:
N38 138 ea.
NCenter $99
N26 $138/pair
PB10 sub $199

Also, Somebody might be interested in this. Panasonic is coming out with a 47" HDTV widescreen in may or June that retails for under $2,000 and is already for sale on some web pages for around $1500. It is the cheapest HDTV yet. Might be worth a look. I have been waiting since I first read about it a few months ago.

Similar Products Used:

Sony 945, an RCA peice of crap, a bunch of Pro gear

Sound, power, and all those inputs.

the remote takes time to get used to

Upgraded for the home theater. This Reciever is just great, I have room for every device I might ever connect to it. Power is more than ample in my setting and it pushes my PSB Image 6T's perfectly. Very smooth and focused with great speaker control. Doesn't compress too much at high volumes. Most home theaters have a universal remote so that shouldn't be an issue, I use mine for volume and to play with custom settings when I'm in the mood to, other than that I have a Sony 2100 with macros set up for everything I need to do, I don't have to touch the Yamaha remote. Still it works well once you get used to it.

Similar Products Used:

Onkyo P301, Yamaha M65

That pesky remote. It does anything you want if you spend the time to read the manual a few times. There are just too many multiple functions that make using it cumbersome.

First of all, as others have mentioned before me, this is the EXACT same receiver as the model RX-V800. The 5280 is made for internet sales (including Sears & Best Buy stores) while the 800 is strictly for the local stereo retailers.
Do not purchase the 800 via the internet. It can only be purchased from a local authorized dealer or you will void the warranty. Yamaha is very strict on this matter. Here is the catch: Best buy sells the 5280 at list price ($799.99)
so don't be suckered into paying such a rediculous amount for this unit. They also advertise it as 110 Watts per channel while Yamaha lists it at 100. They will tell you that it is a better unit than the 800 to justify the high price. Don't fall for it. I did buy mine there but I had done my research and they sold it to me for $620.00. Which is what I would have paid for the 800 locally.

Now for the good stuff. Simply put, you won't find a receiver to touch this one until you get into the $1000.00
range. My local audiophile shop carries the Yamahas and Pioneer Elites as entry level stuff and after that you're
blinded by sticker shock. They could have tried to sell me a much more expensive Elite but suggested the Yamaha 800/5280. They like the Elites but steered me to the superior sound and quality of the Yamaha. There are ample
inputs and outputs to satisfy the most advanced the most advanced home theater set ups. Ease of set up & use is a plus but the sound is heavenly. From DTS 5.1 to 5 channel stereo it is just sweet. The abundance of digital enhancements will keep you entertained for some time if you like to play with that sort of thing. Yes, the remote is somewhat of a pain in the @#$% but the sound and features more than make up for that. Also, it does not run hot like some of the competition. As I said, unless you plan to spend near a G or more, you just can not ignore this receiver. It is one sweet deal.

Similar Products Used:

Tested Pioneer Elite, Sony ES, Onkyo, Dennon and HK A/V receivers.

Remote Control is a pain in the butt. But who cares when you can go get a LCD pannel remote to control everything!

I would recommend this to everyone! This receiver is definatly worth its money. I used to have a Kenwood pile of shiznit that I thought Sounded Good, until I hooked this bad boy up. It blew my mind. It has twice the power of my old receiver and its all clean ABSOLUTLY CLEAN! I won't get into great detail because I am tired but there isn't a single thing I would complain about. Also note that I am a person that generaly tells people they are idiots for buying really expensive stuff and that everything sounds the same. Well today I stand corrected. I truly understand what it means to be a Audiophile. Kevin you have changed me!

Badmouth me if you want Yamaha Haters but I'm SOLD,
Jerry

Similar Products Used:

Onkyo

tons of effects, lots of power, good contruction

remote

First thing you do is buy a new remote.

This receiver is awesome! With a whole mess of features, it should last for a while. Countless connections, including component video. The DSP effects are, for once, worth using. You have almost 40 choices for whatever you are listening to or watching. The construction is top notch, more noticable than the 5250. If you're thinking about buying a mid-priced receiver, but want to spend a little extra, this one is well worth it. Easily compares to receivers costing hundreds more.

I price-matched this at Sears (they will match any price including the internet, and they don't care about shipping!)

Similar Products Used:

sony, H/K