Thread: Yamaha's an all-round delight Amplifier

Yamaha's an all-round delight Amplifier, HAVING BEEN CAUGHT ou t by Onkyo's surge to the forefront of home cinema last year, Yamaha, it seems, is on the comeback trail.The DSP-AX863SE has been designed to suit our peculiar sonic preferences, and features carefully upgraded components designed to inject pace and vigour into its sound, plus slightly more power per channel.Features are subtly massaged too. The '863SE gains a third HDMI socket and video upscaling to 1080p.And it's a fabulous listen: it retains the cohesive, consistent presentation of the DSP-AX763 (see P3I), but adds still more drive and energy into the mix.


The result is an all-round delight to listen to: whether you're battering the walls with Iron Man's heady action or indulging in the moody score to There Will Be Blood, you'll be enthralled by the detailed, immersive sound.Even next to the more musclebound appeal of rivals such as Onkyo'sTX-SR875, the Yamaha has plenty of appeal: it's exceptionally deft with fine details, and captures the character in voices with real aplomb. The good news continues when you shift to stereo listening. Engage the Pure Direct mode, which shuts down unnecessary video, DSP and display circuitry in the name of sonic purity, and you'll enjoy a properly musical presentation.End result?This is a very fine multichannel amplifier, one you really ought to make every effort to audition. It might not have the on-shelf presence of some in this price class, but it's got it where it counts.