RX-V2400 Setup

Notes from the Above Pictures

• A massive 11.9 lbs 640VA Power supply
• 2 x 15,000uF 71V storage capacitors
• Complimentary Class AB push pull BJT's

These three attributes are responsible for the size and weight (35lbs) of the RX-V2400 and its ability to satisfy THX Select certification.

Given the size of the power supply, and the large storage banks, the RX-V2400 has potentially added headroom to better drive moderately difficult two channel loads. However, be cautioned that this receiver will NOT deliver anywhere near its rated power with all channels driven (nor is it specified too) which is not a realistic operational condition in any real world listening environment anyway.

I would venture to say based on the 640VA power supply rating and 71V caps, the RX-V2400 would easily deliver 120wpc X 2 and about:

• 80 wpc* (ref 1kHz) X 5 all channels driven
• 60 wpc* (ref 1kHz) X 7 all channels driven

*assuming line voltage held constant, 8 ohm loads

The Set-Up

The RX-V2400 was an unusual receiver to set up due to its auto set-up and YPAO integrated tools. While the auto set-up feature sounds like a cool idea, and possibly the neophytes dream feature in a receiver, there are no free lunches. I have discovered that great care must be taken in interpreting the results in any auto set-up feature for any consumer electronics device, and the RX-V2400 was certainly no exception.

Manual Set-Up

For those of you who are like me, and don't trust a computer, or machine for that matter, to automatically configure, Yamaha still entertains the old fashion way of doing things.

This is a pretty quick and nifty approach for manual set-up as it helps guide the user through to determine what size and number of speakers, as well as the room size, the RX-V2400 will be operating in. It essentially eliminates the speakers that are not connected from the test tone and calibration tests in proceeding menus. I speculate the room size has something to do with weighing the DSP parameter settings.

Impedance Selector Switch

I was pleased to find no impedance selector switch on the back panel common to all Yamaha A/V receivers I have seen in the past. However, my satisfaction quickly diminished when in revealed itself in the user menus.

I recommend the "Minimum 8 ohms" setting even for 4 ohm speakers of moderate efficiency ( > 89dB SPL). Yamaha includes a" 6 ohm" setting to satisfy UL as well as easing consumer concerns about driving low impedance loads. These switches step down voltage feed to the power sections which can limit dynamics and overall fidelity. My advice is to keep the switch set to "Minimum 8 ohms" regardless of the impedance of your speakers and ensure proper ventilation of the Receiver.

Auto Set-Up

I began as instructed in Yamaha's rather lengthy, but easier than normal to read, Users Manual. I placed the supplied microphone at the primary listening position of my home theater room and engaged the "Auto Set-Up" feature.

The auto set-up incorrect identified speakers being out of phase when they weren't as well as actual speaker sizes.

The error screens were sometimes a bit perplexing as to how to exit them and/or upon exiting, I often wondered if the tests that did pass get retained in memory?

Wiring Check

I was a bit concerned that right off the bat that the first auto test checking for wiring of my system incorrectly identified my front main channels being wired out of phase. I double checked the wiring of my speakers and audibly verified my front speakers were in deed in phase and that the RX-V2400 was in error. Interestingly enough when I moved the RX-V2400 into my bedroom system, it correctly identified the proper phase of all of my speakers. I could only speculate that somehow the more lively nature of my living room, or perhaps the more complex crossover/driver arrangement of my main reference speakers, was tricking the receivers phase test. As a side note, I checked with a colleague who recently purchased an RXV-1400 with Boston Acoustics speaker package, and he too had problems with the internal phase tester correctly identifying his systems phase. Yamaha also states in their user manual that the wiring identification check may identify some speaker systems or configurations incorrectly. I recommend interpreting the results of this test with a grain of salt. If it should report any of your speakers are out of phase, first check the wiring and then use the Avia or equivalent home theater set-up disc, to audibly confirm the proper phase of each channel. This is a good measure to practice on any home theater install regardless if the device has the built in ability to check it for you or not.

Distance Check

The auto set-up did a pretty commendable job at verifying the distance of each speaker from my listening position. In fact, Yamaha informed me that it is accurate within 1/10 th of a foot, though the user adjustments are limited to ½ ft step sizes. So, in reality its accuracy is limited to ½ ft, which is all that is needed in home theater and certainly more precise then many higher priced exotic processors. After proceeding through the entire set-up of this receiver, I did initially have problems with it correctly identifying the distance of my subwoofer. When it ran though its series of clicks and pops to determine distance, it did so with my sub at such a loud level that I feared it would blow the woofers out of the cabinet. When it did this, it claimed my subwoofer was only 0.1ft away when in fact it was more like 14 feet. In any event after I powered the RX-V2400 down and unplugged it, it again correctly identified subwoofer distance upon retest. This problem appeared to be an isolated incident and not worthy of further investigation.

Size Check

Here is another auto set-up feature that failed for my particular set-up. The RX-V2400 incorrectly identified my center and rear speakers as large despite their limited bass response. Most home theater systems have one or two active subwoofers usually connected to the sub out/LFE of the receiver/processor. Most center channel and surround speakers have limited bass extension by design, and they are usually placed above floor level further de-emphasizing their bass capabilities. Usually the best configuration for center and rear channels is to be set to small and subsequently allowing the bass to be rerouted back to the dedicated subwoofer(s). This will increase amplifier headroom since those channels set to small won't be stressed with low frequencies that the particular speaker(s) cannot reproduce well.