I bought this unit couple of years back for its value and reasonable sound and features. I have to say that i was wrong, over the past year it started to give me a lot of problems, for instance, the right channels (on all speaker outlets including rear) produce intermittent sound along with some parasitic noises. i thought it may be my speakers or cables, but i eliminated those. i think the problem is in the pre-amp section.Anyways, i would not recommend this unit to anybody, in fact i think my next receiver will not be Yamaha!

I recently acquired a Yamaha RX-V490 through a trade with my cousin. I must say that it has made a major difference in the performance of my system, which consists of two DCM KX-12's (series one), a Yamaha EQ70 equalizer, and a Sony CDP-315 CD player. The sound is very natural and smooth. I especially love the DSP modes. It only delivers 70 watts RMS to the front and center channels and 15 watts RMS to each of the rear channels, But it really doesn't matter that much because I have certain frequencies boosted by 3dB or more on the equalizer, which equates at least 140 watts RMS to the front channel, which is more than enough power to play loudly on the DCM's, which have a sensitivity of 98dB.
I am a big fan of low end frequencies. With the amplifier I owned previous to the Yamaha (Technics SA-AX720), I wasn't able to play the music very loudly because of the amplifier's lack of control of the speaker. With the Yamaha, the damping factor was significantly better and allowed the bass to be more precise and controlled, which ultimately lead to being able to play music louder than I could before. Even though its an older model, which lacks 5.1 channel adaptability, I would still recommend it for its excellent signal processing and for its natural, controlled sound.

The latest trade up in our system and well worth it. This unit offers so much value for the dollar it's scary. The most notable feature is it's 5 channel "Cinema DSP". That is, Yamaha uses the rear speakers independently to achieve a more "live" sound for Dolby pro logic playback. Having separate rears also allows this unit to achieve superior hi-fi modes as well. For the first time I truly enjoy the concert hall mode. 70watts each across the front and 15 each to the rear is enough get our skin crawling in Jurassic Park or Apocalypse Now. Extremely clear Pro logic reproduction, separation I cannot hear in other brands in this price range. Also heavier than our previous amp which suggest a better power supply which would be responsible for the higher dynamic power rating. Highly recommend an audition if this is in your prices range.

I bought some surround sound equipment a few monthes ago and I purchased the Yamaha RX-V490..Since I didnt want to spend mega cash ...I really like it. The sound quality is good and I really like the DSP modes ...In surround mode the sound is split very well. I also like the power this unit has. Im very impressed with it, and for the price I paid for a home theater system I am vry happy.