Yamaha RX-V2700

By Jamie Gemming

April 2007

Yamaha RX-V2700. $3499

Yamaha RX-V2700 (click for larger image)

RX-V2700 rear panel (click for larger image)

It all started poorly when I removed the Yamaha RX-V2700 from its box. The first thing I was greeted with was a whopping, tacky-looking sticker adorning the front panel of the receiver. While the sticker highlights the Yamaha’s 1080p and HDMI capabilities it makes the receiver look cheap and nasty. I’d be peeling this off even before I plugged it in.

Books, covers and judging

The sticker isn’t the only problem with its appearance - the looks just don’t do it for me. Standing side by side with my Denon 3805 the amps are identical in dimensions but separate them and you’d swear the Yamaha was an inch shorter and in a much less expensive price bracket. It just looks like a plain black box.

However, that old adage “never judge a book by its cover” has never been truer. The 2700 is a technological tour de force. HDMI-wise it has three inputs and one output, it can up-scale video signals to 720p or 1080i, throughputs 1080p, it has iPod, USB and Network connectivity, outputs for two extra zones, automated set up, a learning remote and big power reserves with a claimed 140wRMS through all seven channels.

Bad before good

While growing up I would always tell my parents/teachers/soon-to-be-ex-girlfriends, the bad news before any good. i.e. “ah, Mum, I’ve just written off your car, but don’t worry because I’m not hurt.” Or “Dad, I got in another fight at school today but it’s alright as I smashed him good.” That’s also how I’ll continue this review.

The bad news is the remote. I was very disappointed that Yamaha are still rolling this old relic out. It was an average design to begin with and time has been no friend. It looks cheap, has a poor layout and you can’t read the buttons in the dark, even when pressing the illumination key.

But it’s not all bad news. This machine is pretty damn good. In fact it’s better than that. I’ve tested the previous two evolutions of the 2700, (the 2500 and 2600) and have witnessed quite significant improvements over the past three plus years. With movies, the Yamaha's have always been intense and powerful but music performance has always come up a little short of the mark. The 2600 was a vast step forwards over the previous models and the 2700 moves the game onward again.

Class act

Compared back-to-back against my Denon 3805, acoustic guitars and voices are still warmer out of the Denon. But turn the volume up or put through something a little harder and the Yamaha rewards with noticeably greater control of drumming, brass and electric guitars.

A couple of Saturdays ago, I had some mates over for some brews and a BBQ. We had a great night, but I’m not sure my neighbours have the same appreciation for the 2700’s ability to drive my tower speakers really hard without a hint of distortion for hours on end. I was thanked by the subdivision for providing our own version of the Big Day Out, by being greeted with a cacophony of motor mowers, line trimmers and what sounded like an outboard boat engine being run very early the next morning.

I’ve always rated Yamaha receivers for their performance while watching DVDs. The 2700 excels with intense battle scenes such as LOTR 2 at Helm’s Deep; with its non-stop combination of whistling arrows, clanging weapons, marching soldiers and people being cut down. It’s equally capable with something more delicate such as the wedding scene in Love Actually where the choir starts and then different musicians join in from various pews in the church; the 2700 places you right in the heart of the action and bombards you from all angles.

If you’re after value for money, nothing comes close in this area. In fact, the only receiver I’ve had that performed better was a monstrous Rotel that was as big as a small shipping container and cost plenty more.

Ugly Betty

The Yamaha RX-V2700 is a bit like having a girlfriend who’s a superb cook but has an ugly face. The good thing about owning the 2700 is that it’s much easier to hide the receiver down the back of the room on your stereo rack than asking your girlfriend to wear a bag over her head.

For your nearest Yamaha dealer

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