Nakamichi AV-500

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Nakamichi AV-500
I just got my AV-500 less than a week ago ($300 +tax @Best Buy). It is hooked up in stereo mode with two additional full range speakers connected to the subwoofer out (They recieve their amplification from a Yamaha P2100 Power Amp.). I have 1 "subwoofer" far to the back of the room up high and one in front on the floor between the stereo speakers(good speakers). I havent even tried connecting any surround speakers.

I'm no audiophile but this reciever has good clean big sound. The power rating is very conservative--this thing can pump out some serious power; however, I would say that its best feature is to sound really good at low volume levels. There arent a crapload of wierd settings but the subwoofer and the surrounds can be adjusted up or down 10 db.

This is really an old school Dolby Pro-Logic reciever upgraded with individual inputs for the surrounds to make it "Dolby Digital Ready." It is my guess that this is probbably not the best reciever for the 5.1 format (especially because the rear speakers only get 60 watts). However, unlike many of the brand new Dolby Digital and DTS recievers, this one acutally SOUNDS GOOD IN STEREO. I personally am not a big home theatre guy, but don't most of you listen more to music than movies?

PS. I am sick of the phrase "surround sound". It seems like everywhere you go, there is an idiot who cant say a single sentence about music or audio equipment or speakers without uttering the ominous "surround sound". Look, if you are listening to the radio and you have 2 speakers in front and 2 in the back, that is called 4 speakers positioned how you like them (Most car stereos have this kind of setup.); it is not anything but stereo coming out of 4 speakers. This technology was avalable as soon as stereo was invented; it is not something new and exciting, it is STEREO. NO, it is NOT surround sound, it is STEREO. If you are listening to a Tape or a CD it is not surround sound, it is STEREO. STEREO!
...sorry I just had to get that off my chest...

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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=27202

Nakamichi AV-500
I just got my AV-500 less than a week ago ($300 +tax @Best Buy). It is hooked up in stereo mode with two additional full range speakers connected to the subwoofer out (They recieve their amplification from a Yamaha P2100 Power Amp.). I have 1 "subwoofer" far to the back of the room up high and one in front on the floor between the stereo speakers(good speakers). I havent even tried connecting any surround speakers.

I'm no audiophile but this reciever has good clean big sound. The power rating is very conservative--this thing can pump out some serious power; however, I would say that its best feature is to sound really good at low volume levels. There arent a crapload of wierd settings but the subwoofer and the surrounds can be adjusted up or down 10 db.

This is really an old school Dolby Pro-Logic reciever upgraded with individual inputs for the surrounds to make it "Dolby Digital Ready." It is my guess that this is probbably not the best reciever for the 5.1 format (especially because the rear speakers only get 60 watts). However, unlike many of the brand new Dolby Digital and DTS recievers, this one acutally SOUNDS GOOD IN STEREO. I personally am not a big home theatre guy, but don't most of you listen more to music than movies?

PS. I am sick of the phrase "surround sound". It seems like everywhere you go, there is an idiot who cant say a single sentence about music or audio equipment or speakers without uttering the ominous "surround sound". Look, if you are listening to the radio and you have 2 speakers in front and 2 in the back, that is called 4 speakers positioned how you like them (Most car stereos have this kind of setup.); it is not anything but stereo coming out of 4 speakers. This technology was avalable as soon as stereo was invented; it is not something new and exciting, it is STEREO. NO, it is NOT surround sound, it is STEREO. If you are listening to a Tape or a CD it is not surround sound, it is STEREO. STEREO!
...sorry I just had to get that off my chest...

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Nakamichi AV-500
No question, you won't find a greater pound per dollar ratio in a receiver on this planet.

In the past few months, I had the the Technics SA-AX 720, Pioneer VSX-D606, and the Yamaha RX-V592. The Technics was stripped of features, had weak, muddy bass, and poor dynamics. The Pioneer was powerful and loaded with features, but sounded harsh and with very noisy DPL. The Yamaha was indeed more "natural" and far quieter than the Pioneer, but lacked its bass punch and had underpowered rears. In stark contrast, the Nak is outrageously powerful, accurate, extremely dynamic, and supplies thunderous bass--no longer can I hear where my speakers stop and my subwoofer takes over.

There's a reason why receivers made by Technics, Pioneer, Sony, etc. typically weigh 20 lbs., while Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo, Sony ES, and Pioneer Elite weigh over 30 lbs. Forget the NOMINAL rating. The weight of the amplifier is a truer indication of its capabilities. Size does matter when it comes to amplifiers and power supplies. The Nak AV-1 weighs 33 lb.

The mass market receivers are optimistically rated at 1kHz with high levels of distortion accepted, whereas the higher-end units are conservatively rated full-range with very low levels of THD. Dynamic headroom represents the amps ability to power the speakers during short peaks (transients) of high volume. Technics, Pioneer, Sony, and their ilk don't even bother rating this (since their amps surely have very little headroom.) However the 80W Yamaha 793 has a dynamic headroom of 130W, and the 100W Nak can actually achieve 160W in 8 ohms thanks to a whopping 25 amps of current the amp can deliver!

The AV-1's twin, AV-500 (exact same specs, but lacks Nakamichi's patented "Harmonic Time Alingment" and the 1's classy aluminum face plate) is an absolute steal at Best Buy for $299. Unfortunately, Nakamichi has fallen from grace with the snobophiles by "going mass-market." However, with a wife and two kids, I'm more than happy to get a product with obvious blood-lines to fine high-end separates, yet at Kenwood prices. --Jeff

P.S. Call me an ignorant BB/CC customer, but if anyone knows of a 400W, 5.1-ready receiver for under $300 that can handle a 4 ohm load without an impedence switch, please let me know.

Overall Rating: 10
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Nakamichi AV-500
Exellent sound quality and the biggest power I have ever known

Overall Rating: 10
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Nakamichi AV-500
Thanks for the reviews....I'm going this week to pick it up!! Best Buy has it for $275 on sale-can't beat that. I've owned a Nak BX-2 tape deck for 19 years and it runs like a watch and tough as a tank. I can live without the fancy faceplate for the price difference!!

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Nakamichi AV-500
IVE GOT (2) NAK AV-500 HOOKED UP IN PARALLEL TO (1) CD PLAYER. ONE AMP DRIVES A PAIR OF CERWIN-VEGA D-9, THE OTHER AMP DRIVES A PAIR OF KLIPSCH KLF-20. ITS SO WICKED THEY BROKE THE SEAL OF SOME THERMALPANE WINDOWS IN MY HOME.EVIL!

Overall Rating: 10
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Nakamichi AV-500
The AV500 is a wonderful bargain. It's high-grade underpinnings become apparent when you try to lift this bad boy. I replaced my Onkyo TXV940 with the Nak, and could immediately tell a difference. The bass was effortless and the highs weren't pinched sounding like on the Onkyo. That was on my DCM Timeframe600s, which I replaced with the Boston Acoustics Micro Reference System9000. This is an excellent set of 5.1 speakers, by the way. The sound is brilliant and the construction is rock solid(or aluminum I should say).

The AV500 doesn't have every feature I could hope for, and it is not the prettiest, but for only $280(!), I can overlook those flaws. I would probably have to spend close to a $1000 to get the quality and features in the AV500. The look is even starting to grow on me.

Overall Rating: 10
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Nakamichi AV-500
i have just bought my nak. it is the first reciever i have purchased and when i got it home and hooked it up i have amazed at the quality of the sound. i am very impressed with the power that it gives out and I bought it at best buy for under $300 with tax. it is most defintely worth it bang on the buck

Overall Rating: 10
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Nakamichi AV-500
I don't own this unit but have been told by several people in the audio field that it is a peice of complete junk that "has more air in the sound than a hot-air balloon", whatever that means. They tell me is is not made by NAK and cannot be compared to true NAK equipment, but is rather made by some extremely low-end manufacturer, and that it can only be compared in quality to lower-end brands like Funai or Symphonic. Don't know for myself, but looking at the unit's weight and build quality, I've got to admit it doesn't look very promising.

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Nakamichi AV-500
This is an absolute steal for someone wanting a high quality receiver for both music and HT. Time is running out, however, many Best Buys are out of this unit and I get the feeling there will be no more.

I'm amazed at the flak Nakamichi has taken for mass marketing versions of their receivers. I have come to learn that some (not all) audiophiles are driven by exclusivity and price. Many have even attacked this model by saying it is junk, with no relation to NAK products except the name. Even Nakamichi has reportedly said the circuitry is different. Really now, think about it. Volume keeps costs down. Why design a different, even slightly different model, using different parts when you already have a design ready to go and can buy parts in bulk. This is the same receiver as the AV1-s, only with a different faceplate. For the egotistical this is hard to accept, for the mentally healthy budget seeker - get one before they are all gone.

Overall Rating: 9
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Nakamichi AV-500
I have had this reciever for about a year now, and althought it does not have some features I would want (like s-video, and built in dd and dts) I am still amazed at the amplifiers built in this thing. I work at best buy where it is sold so I got it for a steal at $0! I am still trying to find speakers that won't distort before I turn the volume all the way up, and if anybody knows of any let me know at beirwin@asu.edu. the reason I didn't rate it a 10 was because it is not built in dd.

Overall Rating: 9
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Nakamichi AV-500
So far this is the best reciever I heard in a while. The sound is to me perfect you can hear every instrument. I do have a toshiba sd-3109 player and besides the rear speakers playing only low it sounds real good. I have Polk Audio RT35 speakers in the front that are the best,Polk cs245 center and Baby Advents speakers in the rear. I can only say one thing bad about Nak av-500 is the face of it its ugly as hell. But overall I love it and I know that the Nakamichi keep the same face as the av-500.

Overall Rating: 8
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Nakamichi AV-500
just paid $200 + $35 shipping from ubid. thought the shipping was a ripoff until i tried to remove it from the box. the weight is no joke, be careful!

very clean power. note the 10hz-40khz rating vs. some yam's, sony's & h-k's at 40hz to 20khz. the watts are also conservative, rated more like my old american marantz power amp (which was rated at 125 and lab tested at 175 - i'm going to use it for sub power), than my now retired kenwood recvr which was also rated at 120rms. haha. the kenwood 120 doesn't belong in the same zip code as the naka.

i have dcm time wins in front and cv's in the rear, although this will change when i find more great deals.

the balance & delay, thoughtfully, can be adjusted and saved for each and every surround mode. excellent.

i agree about the plastic front panel, but so what. i buy art to look at.

the 120 front vs. 60 rear is easily compensated by first putting the higher spl speakers at the rear, and then finishing with the test tone surround calibration.

i would've like more cinema surround modes, but that seems to be more a characteristic of yam & sony, so i expect to pick this up in the ac-3 decoder.

for $200, this unit's a no-brainer. highly recommend.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Nakamichi AV-500
sucks....my Boss amp blows this away 1000wX1000w

Overall Rating: 1
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=27217

Nakamichi AV-500
Excellent receiver. I have had mine for 3 years now and have not had a single problem with it. This unit has plenty of power and no distortion at high volume levels. At low volume sound is crystal clear. Good for DVD players with AC-3 built in. I bought this model because I did not need the decoder for my DVD player. It is now connected to my home theater system with JBL speakers all around. It has more that enough power for my TLX181 up front. I does not have the fancy displays or tons of different sound effects, but it makes up for it in the clean sound it delivers.
I give it a 10 rating due to its high quality materials, fit and finsh and excellent sound quality.

Overall Rating: 10
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=27218

Nakamichi AV-500
Nakamichi is an excellent reciver.
Own Nakamichi AV-500, never have any problem.
It is the best for your money.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=27219

Nakamichi AV-500
Excellent sound - I have mine hooked up with Infinity speakers (sound matched). If you have a separate AC-3 decoder, or DVD player with AC-3 decoder, this is the best receiver you can buy!

Overall Rating: 9
Sound Quality:10 Features:8 Ease of Use:10 Value:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Nakamichi AV-500
Not bad but expect better

Overall Rating: 7
Sound Quality:7 Features:8 Ease of Use:6 Value:7
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=142238

Nakamichi AV-500
Love this Receiver

Overall Rating: 9
Sound Quality:9 Features:9 Ease of Use:9 Value:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=168055

Nakamichi AV-500
Great quality for the money, but lacking digital inputs leaves it behind in today's technology.

Overall Rating: 8
Sound Quality:9 Features:6 Ease of Use:7 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=192607

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