Yamaha DAP - Z9

They're very highly rated. I don't have one, but I wish I did. Have you considered any other amps? What speakers will you be using with it? What sort of room are you putting it in?
 
I have one !

The first thing is that it's big,heavy and runs quite warm so you need somewhere it can be positioned. It's built like a tank.

About 2 years ago I started to look around for a one box AV amp that met ALL my requirements. There were a few other options but nothing at the time quite did everything I wanted or had some compromise that put me off. When the Z9 came out I had a couple of demos, took a deep breath and bought it.

18 months after buying it there is probably only the top Denon box that now betters it IMHO. The Z9 lacks DVI/HDMI inputs although does have an analogue video scaler. Due to protection issues I don't think it will upscale component video from a protected source though.

It's really not hard to live with once you've set at all up and assigned the inputs and calibrated it etc. In general use, you select the source, select the sound field and turn up the volume.

The audio performance as you might expect is rather good. For movies it can play very loud indeed and with massive dynamic impact. It has all Dolby/DTS and THX modes. It also has a microphone supplied that allows you to automatically set it up. In addition, it's stereo performance is also pretty good.

For me though it's the flexibilty it offered along with sheer performance that convinced me.

Any questions then fire away !
 
Matblack said:
Thats some serious equipment, I don't think anyone here has some although someone might pop up. You might have more luck over at www.avforums.com

MB
Click to expand...

Having owned 3 previous Yamaha top end amplifiers although not this one (friend has it though)

Its certainly a terrific amp but really given the choice id go for the new model approx £900 with HDMI upconverting etc. Think its a 4200?

Then buy some Audiolab power amps and use the additional quality of these to drive the system. Imo this would be better and still gives you all the DSP and good decoding from the Yamaha.

It also means its great for 2 channel stereo and brillant for movies too.
If youve got the funds...
 
Getting a lower price AV amp and beefing it up with external power amps is a good suggestion. It's something I did myself with an older Prologic amp a long time ago.

In a way I'm still using external power amps as I have active speakers

For me though, one of the big reasons for me getting a top end AV amp was to reduce the system I had down to one box. I had a DVD player, DAC, PSU for DAC, stereo amp, 2 monoblocs, AV Amp. Too many boxes. The Z9 beats the stuff it replaced hands down. And with no clutter.

I did think for a while if I would regret lack of DVI/HDMI when I bought it as it was clear this would be essential with HD. So far I am not regretting it. No doubt in time I'll have to find some way of switching HDMI sources which isn't cheap at todays prices.
 
Thanks Philhoole,
I have been waiting for some time for some to ask about this AV unit.
I currently own a SONY Hi Fi amp which is rated at 120RMS per channel, Mosfet A/B class. it is an amazing HiFi amp, lots of power build like a nuclar bunker !
Then i use a Yamaha DSP E1000, which is a processor, a bolt on to a Amp HiFi system.
It has 5 channels, plus sub filter out. This is truely another amazing piece of kit.
Lots of features and on screen menu, plus you can amend the settings on the different sound modes.
I am looking to up grade this system, hence the interest in the Z9
 
I've been using an all in one box solution from Pioneer now for the past few months.

The Pioneer VSX-AX5-AViS is the receiver in question. It provides all the surround sound options you could want: Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES, THX Pro-Logic II etc.

I have it linked upto through i-link to my Pioneer DV868-AViS DVD player & to a 7.1 Tannoy Arena sub/sat setup it it kicks butt.

It should have cost around £900 but I managed to get it brand new on line for just over £600

This Receiver has now just been replaced by the VSX-AX4-AViS which adds HDMI video switching into the mix. I think this model costs between £900 & £1000 which is still a good load cheaper than the Yamaha & offers all the sound modes you could need & plenty of wattage, plus the bonus of HDMI video switching. All in one nice box.

Which was why I went for a single box solution as previously I had separate monobloks for each sound channel & it just takes up too much real estate.
 
I can't imagine Yamaha would release a successor to the Z9 without HDMI although I don't think any info has leaked out yet.

It's possible that any new high end amps will also be waiting to include the new formats from Dolby and DTS which will arrive with HDDVD/BluRay. It might be that nothing will be heard for sure until September and the CEDIA show.
 
Thanks philhoole,

i can wait till sept, as it will give me more time to save for the Z9 replacement.
last time i checked i think it was about £1500 apx

i am hoping that the replacement will have HDMI, will be a shame to buy one now and then find the revamp model has HDMI !
 
philhoole,
the heat on this Z9, what is it like in the summer ! ?
As my video gets damn hot in the summer, and also my Digi box strangely enough.
So i am hoping to build a wooded enclosed cabinet with glass shelfs, and closing doors to hide all the AV separate units.
So to combat the heat i was going to includ into the build and PSU i got from an old tape streamer backup box ( from about 1997 i think, bit old) and connect some PC 80mm fans to the PSU. Which will be on brackets within the cabinet, plus i am connecting up some blue LEDs in side the cabinet to help with illumination at night, plus it will look very cools.

so what ever i buy will end up in this HiFi AV cabinet.
 
Regarding pricing - If you can find a Z9 at £1500 then that's by far the cheapest I've seen. Mind you I haven't looked at pricing recently but it does sound low. Any replacement for the Z9 is probably going to be pushing the £3000 mark when first released.

The Z9 does get hot as I said before. I run mine in the open so it's well ventilated. The user manual says that there must be certain air space around it. I think you can download the manual from the Yamaha US site but for some reason not the Uk one. So, if you want to run it in an enclosed space then I couldn't say for sure. If you want to use fan cooling then it might be OK. Bear in mind that the back panel is solid so you might have to force air up from the bottom through the vents or blow it down. I really wouldn't like to say for sure though !
 
philhoole, I down loaded the Z9 manual, and there is a lot to take in.
I take that you can use normal Hi Fi mode, ie just the 2 main Front Hi Fi speakers for normal music listening ?

on my DSP E1000, i have an on screen menu, i take it that the Z9 is the same.
Plus using the remote i can change the dynamics of the setting to increase db's, reflection delay etc from the satalite speakers.
I will check the Yamaha web site to see if there is a new model yet with HDMI.
many thanks
 
hello again,

You certainly can use just the front 2 speakers for HiFi mode. Even in this mode you have a few options. You could plug a CD or DVD player in via digital and use the DACs in the Z9 which are pretty good. The manual refers to these as DIRECT STEREO modes I think. In this mode you could add PL2xMusic mode if you like that sort of thing or any other DSP mode for that matter but you don't have to. It also has a 2 channel "Pure Direct" mode that is a true analogue and doesn't get digitised. If you have a high quality CD player you might prefer to use this input. There's a dedicated Pure Direct stereo analogue input on the rear panel for this.

The onscreen GUI is very nice on the Z9. Probably the best looking one there is. I suspect a lot of amps do not output the onscreen GUI over component but the Z9 does.

The delays,levels can all be changed via the remote or you can use the auto cal and supplied microphone to let it set itself up.
 
Thanks philhoole,
the more i read about this Z9, the more i reach for the credit card !
I am doing to wait for the HDMI model, then abuse the platic to get one.
I do like the 'Pure Direct' mode, as i do have an excellent Pioneer CD player a PD-S904.
Which was voted the best in its class when i brought it, a number of years back now.
How ever the sound is pure and crisp.

In the summer i am going to build my HiFi unit to house my separates.
Unless you know of any web sites i can visit that sell HiFi furniture ?
 
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