RMS/Total Power Specs discrepancy YAMMY RX-V 863 HTR 6180

[kingofgrills]

Originally Posted by MPDIEHL

You do understand that this is all a moot point...
Not all amps are created equal. Even when the base numbers match.
The amps in the HTR series differ form those in the RXV and to carry it further the RXV 1800 and 3800 are a completely diff build from the other RXV.
The Power spec that actually matters is very rarely shown because it looks "Too Low" and that is power output with All Channels Driven.
These 100+/- watt receivers will pretty much all cap out around 50-60 watts per channel when all are running together.
Who cares what the peak burst output of any single channel is.
To the average person More is Better rules what we buy, not always a good thought.

a second thought... do the math 400watts AC draw the best amps in the world are not 100% efficient but lets use 90% as our base. 90% of 400 is 360. 360 watts od available power over 7 channels comes to 51.43 watts. No amp made creates a larger output than it uses.
The quality of the amp and size and build of the power supply also figure in to this mess.

That is not correct. The internal componentry used between the RX-V and HTR models is identical. They are in fact, the same receivers. I have e-mailed Yamaha directly on this issue, and they verified for me that the corresponding models between the HTR line and RX-V line are identical in every way, including internal power supplies, circuitry, and amplifiers. There have been only a couple of instances there have been differences between HTR and RX-V models, but Yamaha has gotten away from internal changes due to cost considerations.

According to Yamaha, the only product differentiators between the lines include the model numbers, Gold lettering on the HTR series with white on the RX-V line, and the power rating measurement standard used between the models. Both model lines were originally created in order to manage two forms of distribution - brick and mortar hi-fi specialty shops (RX-V) and big box store / internet sales (HTR). The power rating differential usage has slid a little bit, but traditionally the 20Hz - 20 kHz rating had been reserved for use with the RX-V line, while the misleading 1kHz rating was used by the HTR line against budget minded competitors.

The HTR-6180 is shown on Yamaha's web site with identical power ratings to the RX-V863. It doesn't appear the HTR-6180 was given the 1kHz rating. The HTR-6160 on the other hand was given the 1kHz rating, but it also shows the 20 Hz to 20 kHz total power rating of 735 watts, which is higher than the total power rating of 665 for the RX-V663. The only thing I can think of is that the THD must have been higher on the HTR-6160 to achieve the 735 watt rating differential over the RX-V663. Unfortunately, Yamaha isn't publishing THD numbers anymore, but historically they have been very low. I think the most telling thing is the weight of the receivers. The RX-V663 and HTR-6160 both tip the scales at 32 lbs. The RX-V863 and HTR-6180 both weigh in at 34 lbs, which is indicative of the beefier power supply and amplification sections.

I've owned several Yamaha receivers throughout the years, and I typically buy from the HTR line instead of the RX-V line. If I was buying one of the flagship models - the RX-Z11, RX-V3800, or RX-V1800 - my only choice in the US would be to buy them as RX-V (or Z) models. I typically find I can find better deals on the HTR counterparts, so I've gone that route. Plus, I find the gold lettering on the HTR line to look better asthetically than the white lettering on the RX-V line. Not that I'd base a purchase off of that, but it's an added little bonus.