I connected my trusty Technics SL-1200MK2 turntable, Pioneer SP-BS41 speakers, which retailed for around $120US, and a Sony DVP-NS300 DVD player I bought at a garage sale for $10 about a decade ago. It’s very much like some of Steve Albini’s quieter recordings for artists such as Low or Rachel’s. The R-N803D covers all connectivity bases, from ancient to modern. Hi-Res A/V Home Theater Receiver - Black. In a time when sound bars and bookshelf speakers are all the rage, av receivers may tend to seem a little less … I then auditioned the Yamaha with my Shure SRH840 headphones. Those dials are for volume, input selection, left/right balance, loudness, bass and treble adjustments. It was fairly straightforward to get an iPhone or iPad to play music over the Yamaha via Bluetooth®. The sound through the coax was more open and sharp than the RCA cables. The R-N303 will only link to a WiFi network on the 2.4Ghz frequency, which is what it also uses for Bluetooth®. I used BlueJeans speaker cables, some silver RCA interconnects, and a coax digital cable to tie it all together. For my listening with these tests I chose the latest album from New Zealander singer-songwriter Aldous Harding. Blame it on cables, the time of day, or the recording, but the sound from the coax input was more fun than that from the RCA. So first, I did some listening the old-fashioned way, by connecting some old-school physical components to the Yamaha with wires. Over the years Yamaha has manufactured everything from motorcycles to pianos. Signal strength was good and sound quality did not suffer as I walked the iPad around the house. The A-S301 certainly doesn’t look or feel like a budget component. Not only can you not connect stereo speakers, but there’s also no support for a subwoofer – though that’s not entirely unusual for this price bracket. The R-N303 is equipped for digital audio input with both audio and coaxial terminals. Once you pull it out of the box, you’ll simply plug in cables connected to your speakers and sources. After a chat with a Yamaha rep, we were able to reset the device and connect it to an iPhone – but still had trouble with an Android device. Again, I didn’t hear any of the imaging of the room and the air around the instruments that I know are in this recording, but this wasn’t a particularly fair challenge for this receiver. At $249/£299 it could be a pretty great deal, especially if it delivers on its modern features. I use AirPlay®, Bluetooth®, Ethernet, Wi-Fi® in my house, and turntables. While the Yamaha did not reproduce much, if any, of the air and soundstage available in the recordings, it did put out enough power to make the reproduction sound engaging. I noticed that the Yamaha will disable its speakers if there are headphones plugged in, which is a nice touch. While it was occasionally difficult to get it logged … Most of the computers and portables used for entertainment in my house are Apple products. TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. I straddle both sides of the HiFi fence. Reviews & ratings: Yamaha R-N303 Network Stereo Wireless Receiver, Black MFR: R-N303BL. And if I have to do it, it had better be easy and intuitive. Once you get used to how the remote works, you’ll be able to make your way around the interface pretty easily – and once everything is set up you’ll get into a routine of using the receiver. Here's how: The Yamaha MusiCast "master-app" for Android (and iPhones too) drives … He earned degrees in Creative Writing and Journalism from LSU, which he somehow manages to use in his current career as an IT professional. That’s quite a list of promises, especially for an integrated amplifier selling for $349. Yamaha R-N602 is a work of art. UPs: Sound is very clear and powerful (worthy of 5 Stars). Visit our corporate site. He has always had a record player and vinyl in his life. Either way, the system was thankfully still able to connect through Bluetooth – so even if you can’t get the MusicCast app up and running, you’ll still be able to play music from your phone. There wasn’t much of the air around the instruments or recording space to be heard, however. USB 2.0 micro-B input port for service, 17-1/8” x 5-1/2” x 13-3/8” (with antenna up: 17-1/8” x 8” x 13-3/8”), Bluetooth®, WiFi, Ethernet, Yamaha, remote control, network receiver review 2018. Near the top you’ll control power and sleep mode, below which you’ll have input selectors – allowing you to choose where your audio is coming from. Type: Amplifier, Bluetooth Preamp, Tuner, WiFi Preamp, Wireless System Extender Gene was born and raised in New Orleans, where music and food were invented. Well, there’s Apple AirPlay support, DNLA streaming from a PC or NAS (network attached storage), and also Yamaha’s own MusicCast streaming service which is fantastic. NY 10036. Bumping up the bass and treble just a hair added some extra energy to the music without it getting too tizzy, but bumping the bass and treble too high brought distortion to the volume. I have begun integrating the R-N303 into my home with a few budget source components to see how it delivers on these promises. Its analog and digital connections let you hook up … Last but not least is the MusicCast app, and if you can get it to connect it’s really quite nice. The Yamaha R-N303BL is a gem of a network stereo receiver. In an era of soundbars and built-in speakers, AV receivers seem to be getting less common. The receiver offers two stereo 100W outputs with support for 96kHz 24-bit playback, and it sounds great. The volume dial has a satisfying heaviness to it when you adjust it, but the Select dial, which you can move left-to-right and push in, does feel somewhat flimsy. Over the years they’ve manufactured everything from motorcycles to pianos. Seldom have we encountered a network streamer/amplifier with such lavish functionality – especially at this relatively affordable price. In other words, just what you would expect & demand from Yamaha. Connecting through Bluetooth and using the receiver as a Bluetooth device is pretty straightforward. Which is more than you could ask for from a receiver you’d put in an apartment or dorm room. The Yamaha R-N303 BL Stereo Receiver CAN receive any streaming audio service that is on the internet. Its thickset dimensions may put off those seeking to hide their system away, but we’re big fans, especially given the bold and hugely tactile mono-brow of dials and switches punctuating its face. After all, in 2018 CDs are well and truly on their way out, as streaming services and wireless features become standard. RCA inputs for MM phono, CD, and two line sources, 100Base-TX/10Base-T Ethernet port I keep a library of FLAC files on my iMac which I play on my network with Plex through the DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) protocol. But as it stands, it did an admirable job. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 12 Pro Max: which top-end phone is for you? My Oppo BDP-105 and UDP-205 will see DLNA servers, and both of my Apple TVs can run Plex, so it’s pretty much set-it and forget-it. You’ll want to make sure you have all the appropriate cables, but for speakers the unit supports both banana plugs and wire cables. We found the unit delivered decent low-end through the speakers we were using, but the bass could certainly be boosted a little. You can choose either Bluetooth® or WiFi (or Ethernet, if you want to forgo wireless altogether), and from there choose which software and source you’ll use to play your music. With a comprehensive streamer, DAB tuner and amp all in one case, the Yamaha … For the price, the Yamaha R-N303 receiver is a very solid option. It’s bulky, retro and clunky. Yamaha R-N303: https://bit.ly/2MME5xwYamaha's R-N303 stereo receiver gives you lots of ways to play your music. When you push in the Select dial, the receiver’s front metal skin flexes. Buy Yamaha R-N303 Stereo Network Receiver featuring Up to 100W RMS per Channel at 8 Ohms, Wi-Fi & Ethernet Connectivity, Bluetooth & AirPlay Music Streaming, Optical and Digital Coaxial Inputs, Dedicated Phono & 3 Stereo RCA Inputs, MusicCast App for Android & iOS. Gene Hopstetter has been collecting records since 1981, when he walked into a record store and spent $36US on every AC/DC album he could find. As mentioned, the receiver supports stereo speakers – and really that’s all it supports. For review purposes, I used the R-N303 with a pair of Onkyo speakers and a variety of music sources and file types, including CDs through a Blu-ray player connected via an optical cable, hi … The speed with which Harding can swing between octaves when singing present a real challenge to a playback system, so “Party” has become one of my new reference recordings. It’s titled “Party” and it’s the first of her recent multi-album deal with 4AD records. For the price, the Yamaha R-N303 receiver is a very solid option. The R-N303 is equipped for digital audio input with both audio and coaxial terminals. And he still can’t believe he got paid to listen to records. Their R-N303 is the least expensive of their two Network Stereo Receivers, retailing for $349. In fact, the hefty and expansive Yamaha glories in its retro clunkiness. The recording’s soundstage is very open and wide, with lots of air between instruments and very good timbre representation. The receiver supports CD players or any other line input, as well as two sets of stereo speakers here. Then any device you have that can recognize DLNA servers will see your stuff and you can play it over that device. Before I tried to use the R-N303 via Bluetooth®, I ensured the unit’s wireless antenna on the back was pointed upward to get the best possible reception. With an its all-black chassis, the R-N303 has a utilitarian look to it; of course, at this price point, you can’t expect too much. So in went a CD and the reviewing began. Once all your physical connections are set up, you can connect the device to your Wi-Fi network. Harding’s voice control and dynamic range are exceptional, as is the amount of emotional intimacy she portrays in her singing. The Yamaha R-N303 offers a ton of features at an excellent price. Preview: Yamaha's R-N301 stereo receiver is priced at $349.95 and features a pair of digital inputs, multiple streaming options, a slick control app for iOS and Android, and 100W … While the Outlaw review … Stereo receivers are now a thing.Yamaha’s R-N803 ($749.95 USD) is the third model I’ve tested in the last two months, the other two being Onkyo’s TX-8270 ($499) and Outlaw Audio’s RR2160 ($799). For true audiophiles, it may be worth investing in a slightly higher-power unit that supports both surround sound and a subwoofer. While there are some downsides, like the lack of surround sound and the buggy wireless setup, in general the receiver is pretty easy to use and sounds great. Best Buy has honest and unbiased customer reviews for Yamaha - 2.0-Ch. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, We check over 130 million products every day for the best prices, PS5 restock: GameStop bundles out of stock, but here's where to look next, Windows 10 update disables a handy copy-and-paste trick, Xbox Series X just got another 120Hz-compatible game – and it's free with Xbox Game Pass. Bluetooth® and WiFi connectivity via Apple AirPlay and MusicCast, 100W, with a frequency range of 40Hz to 20Hz at 0.2% THD into 8ohms, 5.6 MHz, FLAC, WAV, AIFF 192 kHz/24-bit, Apple® Lossless 96 kHz/24-bit playback, Voice control using your Alexa device like Echo or Echo Dot, S/PDIF and coax digital inputs support audio sample rates up to 192 kHz The manual included with the receiver covers this well and I encourage you to download and read it from Yamaha’s web site. Saxophones and both acoustic and electric bass feature heavily in this music and the Yamaha did a pretty good job portraying timbre properly. Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. From the app you can turn the receiver on and off, and play music from some of the better-known music streaming services, or directly from your phone. A bit further down you’ll have radio controls, a directional pad and selection buttons, menu buttons, and so on. Running them with the tone controls defeated they kicked out the jams with Stanton Moore’s “Flying the Koop” on CD. In this Yamaha R-N602 review… My amp, my preamp, and my phonostage were shuffled off to a closet. The unit performs all streaming functions well and is easy to switch to auxiliary devices including cd, phono, Bluetooth, and cd recording devices. I put all of those to the test with the R-N303 for this review. This, unfortunately, is a step that we had a lot of trouble with. Streaming over Bluetooth® and WiFi from my iPad, the music was portrayed with coherence and met the dynamic punch of Harding’s vocals. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, And now they’re selling a line of integrated amplifiers to meet the needs of those who want to listen to music wirelessly or with portable digital audio. Up next was getting it logged into one of the WiFi networks in my house. First, I connected the Sony DVD player to the Yamaha with both RCA and coax digital cables; it’s nice that the Yamaha has that option. The first time we tried to set up the device, it got stuck trying to connect and wouldn't link to the app. Yamaha R-N303 – best stereo This Yamaha stereo receiver is a versatile device with advanced network functions. Where to buy PS5: all the latest restock updates, Oculus Quest 2 VR headset already has a successor on the way, says Zuckerberg, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra alternatives: great phones without ultra price tags, RingCentral’s Glip Pro is the tool your office is missing. , and a subwoofer and reasonably priced, Insignia has found the perfect sweet spot of stereo –... 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