Amir at Audio Science Review tested both of these receivers, but only recommended the Yamaha. Although neither is rated for 4 ohm speakers, he ran 4 ohm speakers on both receivers, and the Sony receiver overheated and broke when running 4 ohm speakers. The Yamaha was able to run the 4 ohm speaker without overheating.
My ears are not trained but from what I have heard it is not worth paying 10 times the price for a more expensive amplifier, I think the differences are very subtle in the demonstrations that I have heard on this channel, I agree with the opinion that the speakers represent 90 or 95% of the audio quality I think the combination of a kef ls50 meta and a decent amplifier like sony or yamaha is better than a kef q350 + cambridge cxa61
The Yamaha may have slightly clearer mids and treble than the Sony, and sounds way better than the more expensive Yamaha did in the big amp shootout, although the more relaxed sound from the Sony may be a bit more natural sounding. It's very close
In my ears i see Yamaha is a way better in treble and even bass: Yamaha's treble sounds like more details and brighter. Sony's bass sounds a litle bit dull and weaker. But they're rather close with each others
I have a Yamaha RX-V481 and going to the Sony for the built in phono preamplifier. The 481 is tailored to theater entertainment and I haven't used most of its features. It doesn't have a phono preamplifier. I look at electronics these days as disposable, like computers and phones. The Sony is exactly what I'm looking for!
If you want a 2 channel receiver either of these would be fine. Not many 2 channel receivers to choose from these days. If an integrated would do the Onkyo A-9110 sounds great. Klipsch makes afforable speakers that sound great.
Very close! I got my Yamaha for a great price, but I would be just as happy with the Sony! I primarily play a late 90s Technics 5 CD changer with it and sometimes an ipod into the Aux.
Basically they share the same sound capabilities. Yamaha aims to a more cohesive sound with thick midrange and dense low end. By that O don't mean excessive nor overemphasized, just dense in a pleasant way. High en is comfortable. The cost of these attributes is a narrowed soundstage compared to the Sony. Not that is bad, because it achieves a sense of cohesiveness among the elements. In the other hand, Sony aims to a wider -perhaps deeper, I couldn't tell good in this test- soundstage. Instruments separate better compared to Yamaha, low end comes in cleaner as the low midrange is a bit recessed, or less dense, compared to Yamaha. This can leave room for transient definition in the stronger drum-bass region. High en os also voiced to enhance soundstage and separation, and could be harsh. As a nerd, I ran several passes hearing to different aspects in different ways :p
You’re right about the soundstage. I own both and have been switching them back and forth in my office over the last month. The Sony has a flat frequency response. The Yamaha has fuller rounder though less accurate bass and there is some emphasis in the higher frequencies as well. Sometimes it sounds good and sometimes it can be harsh. The most shocking go difference to me is how much more dynamic the Sony is and the soundstage is night and day different with the Sony being much more immersive. The Sony is also much more powerful. I like them both but always find myself switching back to the Sony. This is a little frustrating as I purchased the Yamaha as an “upgrade”. I’ll probably try the A-S501.
I’ve had both and what surprises me the most is how much clean power the Sony lays down compared to the Yamaha. Factory specs say the Yamaha is more powerful but in the real world they’re not even close. The Sony hits a whole different level than the Yamaha.
I have the Sony and I paired it with the Sony SSCS5 3-Way 3-Driver Bookshelf Speaker System and the Sony SACS9 10-Inch Active Subwoofer and it sounds great!
IMO the Sony STR-DH190 is a better stereo 2 channel receiver and it sounds better. Plus the Sony has a dedicated phono input, the Yamaha doesn't. Only the Yamaha has AM radio, both have FM radio tuners. I don't listen to AM radio anyway. Both are 100 watt per channel amplifiers. I have the STR-DH190 with a Sony PS-LX310BT bluetooth stereo turntable and Sony bookshelf speakers. I also have the Sony STR-DH790 7.2 channel Dolby Atmos receiver with 4 Sony towers, 2 Sony Atmos speakers, 1 Sony center channel speaker and 2 Sony powered sub's. Both are awesome sounding receivers. I also own a mint condition vintage Kenwood stereo system.
The Yamaha may have a smidge more sparkle and definition, but I really like this Sony's timbre and texture with the LS50m's. Here It's a draw on sound for me. The Sony gives you an FM tuner and several hundred in your pocket, for a DAC and/or better speakers. 🙂
@@DougMen1 The yamaha amp has the R of receiver indeed, but only that, because it is just a 2 channel amp. with AM/FM, no video inputs/outputs like a true receiver.
I have the same exact problem , and i find that pioneer and Kef are very tinnitus friendly ......what do you think it is that some speakers and recievers ramp up tinnitus more than others ??....Thanks
It's to bad a test like this can't be demonstrated through UA-cam for several reasons. What people are hearing from either setup cannot be an accurate representation on their end. So even though a difference can be heard its going to be skewed. These demonstrations are fun and that about it, even I do them but make remarks they are not true representations of the gear. Both these stereos are going to sound good to most people looking in this budget. The deal breaker for me is phono. So I'd have to go Sony on this one. Great video. 👍
"Both these stereos are going to sound good to most people looking in this budget. " These are going to sound good to people with MUCH higher budgets since they literally sound nearly identical to the NAD C 368 which costs $1,100 and a few other amps in the other videos. 10-20 years ago there were huge differences in sound quality between the various price points but not so much anymore. People who say otherwise are typically already invested in very expensive gear or havent figured out that most of what they hear is expectation bias and other things associated with you subconsciously trying to justify spending hoards of cash.
Well I ordered both but kept one.The Yamaha was difficult to pair with bluetooth, I never paired.More importantly my new turntable with built in pre-amp didn't worked either as Yamaha claimed it would. The Sony bluetooth pairing was a breeze and so was the turntable hookup.Therefore Sony is hands down the winner in being user friendly. As for comparing the sound difference,it's Sony in my opinion because Yamaha never functioned!
I picked up the Yamaha a few days ago for a good price ($129) and have had no problem with Bluetooth pairing. Did my Android phone, iPAD, and a Kindle. Would not pair with an Amazon Echo Dot, but I blame that more on the Dot than the Yamaha. No biggie. I'm feeding it from a WiiM Mini Streamer and it has all the functionality I need. As far as your turntable goes, it should have worked. If the built-in phono preamp on your turntable was turned on and then plugged into one of the line level inputs and you selected that input, so I'm not sure what was up with that. Strange. But yeah, the differences between the Sony and Yamaha are close. I chose the Yamaha because I wanted a more laid back presentation for use in my bedroom for listening to music before going to sleep.
It's really hard to judge from this comparison, while each has its own unique sound signature. The microphone does as well, and this can skew the results also. Bottom line, the Sony is more of the "every man's audio company" while Yamaha is more about discerning taste in audio. The average non-phile person enjoys a more powerful, bass, and treble heavy sound. The more discerning audiophile prefers a more natural "as it's meant to be" sound. So Sony designs a receiver that exaggerates the highs and lows, where Yamaha focuses on a very accurate flat response. Nothing wrong with either approach we're all just as God made us.
I want a system where I can appreciate jazz and classical music, that is, a system where I can appreciate the instruments, which one would you recommend?
Trust me when I say that the Sony is far and away the better amp. And I've had both, matter of fact I bought both from Best buy to compare them and for me the Sony was the better amp. It made music more enjoyable and pleasurable to listen to, I felt like with the Yamaha after 30 minutes of listening to it I just wanted to turn it off. A lot of that was because initially it has a very bright sound and it kind of comes across to sort of thin sounding very much like an old radio. I had them both paired for the same speakers some Klipsch rp150 and the Sony has a much warmer richer sound and it also has better delineation between sounds. Like for example a guitar sounds like a guitar and a drum sounds like a drum and things kind of sound like what they are, the Yamaha just seem to make everything sound the same, crappy.
@@plastique45 well the beautiful thing about this pursuit is that it's so subjective, we can both be wrong while at the same time both be right. As the old expression goes, I was just agree to disagree.
Hi! Did you cranked up the volume on both? Which do you think is the more powerful one, even if from specs, both look the same. I mean clear power, no distorsions.
Why do such a test on entry level receivers? I am trying to decide which one based on functionality. DAC, multipoint pairing, readability of display while using tuner. Stuff like that. No 'tester' tells U that. Just trying to get me and my wife a usable set....
Oh god I hate those mind-blowing guys who says that Yamaha is quite better for this or those, Bullshit! Is the fuckin pretty much the same, and for that price, Sony is best choice.
There is no point to this video. Am I listening to my cell phone or a nice desk to sys ? Maybe me "big" sys ? I have a R-S202 and love it. Very nice at this price point.
True the only reason I am watching this is to read the comments. I cannot hear super definitive answers through a computer and what may be very compressed. I have the Sony and it seems to sound nice. My opinion maybe unfair because my primary speakers are Phase technology and J.B.L.s as backups
The music you use to show off these receivers, mainly electronically produced music, needs to accurately represent what these receivers can put out, which is very misleading. To accurately represent the fidelity of these units, you need to use an acoustic guitar piece, classical music, or jazz. The tunes used here do not cover the range of these units in terms of tonal quality.
Well apart from the odd speaker Yamaha has always been a natural sounding brand when anybody says naturally sounding I think overpriced and not very good forr the same price you can get better the Sony beats the Yamaha hands down for the money and if the Yamaha had proper binding post instead of the clip terminals might be poised to make a different decision I think with both makes and lots of makes with the receiver not many put the option for loudness whether people think it should be good or bad it should be there it is all about choice and unfortunately they all look the same all sound the same and they are all unfortunately not as good as what used to be around
I don't get the point of these videos. There is no conclusion on the blind test. You're not seriously suggesting for the viewer to evaluate these based on a youtube video, right? That would be hilariously bad :)))
Amir at Audio Science Review tested both of these receivers, but only recommended the Yamaha. Although neither is rated for 4 ohm speakers, he ran 4 ohm speakers on both receivers, and the Sony receiver overheated and broke when running 4 ohm speakers. The Yamaha was able to run the 4 ohm speaker without overheating.
Thank you for this comparison. The Yamaha with a bright speaker seems to be a more balanced presentation to my ears.
Very difficult to hear any difference, I could not guess during the blind. Thank you for these comparisons. Keep it coming 😊
I actually have both amps. I can’t say enough about the Yamaha. It’s far more musical across all ranges and here, the Sony sounds noisy.
Looking at this amp as I recently purchased the ps lx 310 bt. I’m trying to match a pair of speakers. Would it run a pair of Kef q550?
thankyou. exactly what I was looking for
My ears are not trained but from what I have heard it is not worth paying 10 times the price for a more expensive amplifier, I think the differences are very subtle in the demonstrations that I have heard on this channel, I agree with the opinion that the speakers represent 90 or 95% of the audio quality I think the combination of a kef ls50 meta and a decent amplifier like sony or yamaha is better than a kef q350 + cambridge cxa61
The only reason i'd pay more is for features such as more channels and other stuff that comes with higher end receivers.
The Yamaha may have slightly clearer mids and treble than the Sony, and sounds way better than the more expensive Yamaha did in the big amp shootout, although the more relaxed sound from the Sony may be a bit more natural sounding. It's very close
Couldn't love this video anymore, comparison in between two popular entry level amplifier is quite helpful for music lovers on budget!
Almost the same... just what I am waiting for👍
This is the most honest comment.
The two are very similar. I listened to the headphones, the Sony is slightly more open than the Yamaha, but it's really minimal.
In my ears i see Yamaha is a way better in treble and even bass: Yamaha's treble sounds like more details and brighter. Sony's bass sounds a litle bit dull and weaker. But they're rather close with each others
Sony sounds more natural close to reality
I have a Yamaha RX-V481 and going to the Sony for the built in phono preamplifier. The 481 is tailored to theater entertainment and I haven't used most of its features. It doesn't have a phono preamplifier. I look at electronics these days as disposable, like computers and phones. The Sony is exactly what I'm looking for!
If you want a 2 channel receiver either of these would be fine. Not many 2 channel receivers to choose from these days. If an integrated would do the Onkyo A-9110 sounds great. Klipsch makes afforable speakers that sound great.
Very close! I got my Yamaha for a great price, but I would be just as happy with the Sony! I primarily play a late 90s Technics 5 CD changer with it and sometimes an ipod into the Aux.
Basically they share the same sound capabilities. Yamaha aims to a more cohesive sound with thick midrange and dense low end. By that O don't mean excessive nor overemphasized, just dense in a pleasant way. High en is comfortable. The cost of these attributes is a narrowed soundstage compared to the Sony. Not that is bad, because it achieves a sense of cohesiveness among the elements. In the other hand, Sony aims to a wider -perhaps deeper, I couldn't tell good in this test- soundstage. Instruments separate better compared to Yamaha, low end comes in cleaner as the low midrange is a bit recessed, or less dense, compared to Yamaha. This can leave room for transient definition in the stronger drum-bass region. High en os also voiced to enhance soundstage and separation, and could be harsh. As a nerd, I ran several passes hearing to different aspects in different ways :p
You’re right about the soundstage. I own both and have been switching them back and forth in my office over the last month.
The Sony has a flat frequency response. The Yamaha has fuller rounder though less accurate bass and there is some emphasis in the higher frequencies as well. Sometimes it sounds good and sometimes it can be harsh.
The most shocking go difference to me is how much more dynamic the Sony is and the soundstage is night and day different with the Sony being much more immersive.
The Sony is also much more powerful. I like them both but always find myself switching back to the Sony. This is a little frustrating as I purchased the Yamaha as an “upgrade”. I’ll probably try the A-S501.
I’ve had both and what surprises me the most is how much clean power the Sony lays down compared to the Yamaha. Factory specs say the Yamaha is more powerful but in the real world they’re not even close. The Sony hits a whole different level than the Yamaha.
How about sound compare?
I have the Sony and I paired it with the Sony SSCS5 3-Way 3-Driver Bookshelf Speaker System and the Sony SACS9 10-Inch Active Subwoofer and it sounds great!
I'll need to hear the two at home. One reason I can think why I would want the Sony is the built-in phono input.
IMO the Sony STR-DH190 is a better stereo 2 channel receiver and it sounds better. Plus the Sony has a dedicated phono input, the Yamaha doesn't. Only the Yamaha has AM radio, both have FM radio tuners. I don't listen to AM radio anyway. Both are 100 watt per channel amplifiers. I have the STR-DH190 with a Sony PS-LX310BT bluetooth stereo turntable and Sony bookshelf speakers. I also have the Sony STR-DH790 7.2 channel Dolby Atmos receiver with 4 Sony towers, 2 Sony Atmos speakers, 1 Sony center channel speaker and 2 Sony powered sub's. Both are awesome sounding receivers. I also own a mint condition vintage Kenwood stereo system.
Sony's Fanboy detected.
The Yamaha may have a smidge more sparkle and definition, but I really like this Sony's timbre and texture with the LS50m's. Here It's a draw on sound for me.
The Sony gives you an FM tuner and several hundred in your pocket, for a DAC and/or better speakers. 🙂
The Yamaha is also a receiver! That's what the R in the model designation means
@@DougMen1 Got it. Good to know. Thank you, DM.
the yamaha is more powerful going by the specs at least
@@hanzen5174 Yep it is, although both recommend using only 8 ohm speakers. I was strictly commenting on their sounds at this volume with the KEFs.
@@DougMen1 The yamaha amp has the R of receiver indeed, but only that, because it is just a 2 channel amp. with AM/FM, no video inputs/outputs like a true receiver.
The Yamaha excites my tinnitus more, so Sony wins via default.
I have the same exact problem , and i find that pioneer and Kef are very tinnitus friendly ......what do you think it is that some speakers and recievers ramp up tinnitus more than others ??....Thanks
It's to bad a test like this can't be demonstrated through UA-cam for several reasons. What people are hearing from either setup cannot be an accurate representation on their end. So even though a difference can be heard its going to be skewed. These demonstrations are fun and that about it, even I do them but make remarks they are not true representations of the gear. Both these stereos are going to sound good to most people looking in this budget. The deal breaker for me is phono. So I'd have to go Sony on this one. Great video. 👍
"Both these stereos are going to sound good to most people looking in this budget. "
These are going to sound good to people with MUCH higher budgets since they literally sound nearly identical to the NAD C 368 which costs $1,100 and a few other amps in the other videos. 10-20 years ago there were huge differences in sound quality between the various price points but not so much anymore. People who say otherwise are typically already invested in very expensive gear or havent figured out that most of what they hear is expectation bias and other things associated with you subconsciously trying to justify spending hoards of cash.
A for critical listening, B is smoother and probably less fatiguing
Both have an almost identical sound, but at the Sony is a bit warmer and the Yamaha is a bit more detailed, but the differences are absolutely small !
Sony👍👍👍👍👍✌️🇵🇱
OK Thank you! Almost NO diffrence!!
thanks
Well I ordered both but kept one.The Yamaha was difficult to pair with bluetooth, I never paired.More importantly my new turntable with built in pre-amp didn't worked either as Yamaha claimed it would. The Sony bluetooth pairing was a breeze and so was the turntable hookup.Therefore Sony is hands down the winner in being user friendly. As for comparing the sound difference,it's Sony in my opinion because Yamaha never functioned!
I picked up the Yamaha a few days ago for a good price ($129) and have had no problem with Bluetooth pairing. Did my Android phone, iPAD, and a Kindle. Would not pair with an Amazon Echo Dot, but I blame that more on the Dot than the Yamaha. No biggie. I'm feeding it from a WiiM Mini Streamer and it has all the functionality I need. As far as your turntable goes, it should have worked. If the built-in phono preamp on your turntable was turned on and then plugged into one of the line level inputs and you selected that input, so I'm not sure what was up with that. Strange. But yeah, the differences between the Sony and Yamaha are close. I chose the Yamaha because I wanted a more laid back presentation for use in my bedroom for listening to music before going to sleep.
So you maybe you should have exchanged the unit...
The Sony does Hi-Fi, sound above CD quality.
Excellent video.
It's really hard to judge from this comparison, while each has its own unique sound signature. The microphone does as well, and this can skew the results also. Bottom line, the Sony is more of the "every man's audio company" while Yamaha is more about discerning taste in audio. The average non-phile person enjoys a more powerful, bass, and treble heavy sound. The more discerning audiophile prefers a more natural "as it's meant to be" sound. So Sony designs a receiver that exaggerates the highs and lows, where Yamaha focuses on a very accurate flat response. Nothing wrong with either approach we're all just as God made us.
I want a system where I can appreciate jazz and classical music, that is, a system where I can appreciate the instruments, which one would you recommend?
😮 two absolutely same
Prefered the Sony for song 1
Song 2 sounded identical
Both sound pretty average overall
Eres el mejor tio !!!
thanks~~
The best is??? In power yamaha or sony
Sony’s emphasis on the high mids is worrisome 😀😝
For me the Yamaha is slightly brighter and the sony slightly more punchier. But as I'm on a budget so the Yamaha wins.
Yamaha sound smoother and more musical less cold/digital...
Trust me when I say that the Sony is far and away the better amp. And I've had both, matter of fact I bought both from Best buy to compare them and for me the Sony was the better amp. It made music more enjoyable and pleasurable to listen to, I felt like with the Yamaha after 30 minutes of listening to it I just wanted to turn it off. A lot of that was because initially it has a very bright sound and it kind of comes across to sort of thin sounding very much like an old radio. I had them both paired for the same speakers some Klipsch rp150 and the Sony has a much warmer richer sound and it also has better delineation between sounds. Like for example a guitar sounds like a guitar and a drum sounds like a drum and things kind of sound like what they are, the Yamaha just seem to make everything sound the same, crappy.
Yamaha sounds better than the Sony, sorry.
@@plastique45 well the beautiful thing about this pursuit is that it's so subjective, we can both be wrong while at the same time both be right. As the old expression goes, I was just agree to disagree.
Hi! Did you cranked up the volume on both? Which do you think is the more powerful one, even if from specs, both look the same. I mean clear power, no distorsions.
I have both the sony seems to have more balls if you like to crank music the sony is a clear winner.
I think SONY is more clear!
Can you use 4 speakers at the same time on the Yamaha
Yes.
anyone know if the str-dh190 remote works on the str-dn1040? at least the volume and bluetooth feature?
Is this really 5.1 system ?
Why do such a test on entry level receivers? I am trying to decide which one based on functionality. DAC, multipoint pairing, readability of display while using tuner. Stuff like that. No 'tester' tells U that. Just trying to get me and my wife a usable set....
Sounds like the same device through out
Thanks for watching
Oh god I hate those mind-blowing guys who says that Yamaha is quite better for this or those, Bullshit! Is the fuckin pretty much the same, and for that price, Sony is best choice.
In Amazon Europe both are priced exactly the same 199 Euros.
the yamaha is a little bit more powerful going by the specs, and have digital radio
Actually, Yamaha is US$30 cheaper in my country.
There is no point to this video. Am I listening to my cell phone or a nice desk to sys ? Maybe me "big" sys ?
I have a R-S202 and love it. Very nice at this price point.
True the only reason I am watching this is to read the comments. I cannot hear super definitive answers through a computer and what may be very compressed. I have the Sony and it seems to sound nice. My opinion maybe unfair because my primary speakers are Phase technology and J.B.L.s as backups
The Yamaha is a bit more dynamic in my opinion.
im listening with DT 990 Pros and the Sony sounds better
The music you use to show off these receivers, mainly electronically produced music, needs to accurately represent what these receivers can put out, which is very misleading. To accurately represent the fidelity of these units, you need to use an acoustic guitar piece, classical music, or jazz. The tunes used here do not cover the range of these units in terms of tonal quality.
Sony has a fuller sound and the yamaha is more detailed
Yamaha is better obviously
and your point is...?
Well apart from the odd speaker Yamaha has always been a natural sounding brand when anybody says naturally sounding I think overpriced and not very good forr the same price you can get better the Sony beats the Yamaha hands down for the money and if the Yamaha had proper binding post instead of the clip terminals might be poised to make a different decision
I think with both makes and lots of makes with the receiver not many put the option for loudness whether people think it should be good or bad it should be there it is all about choice and unfortunately they all look the same all sound the same and they are all unfortunately not as good as what used to be around
thanks for sharing!
Quero ver preço.
The treble of the Yamaha is even more sharp edged than the Sony, rather unpleasant.
I disagree. I had both for testing. The Sony has sharper highs and transients. Yamaha's treble are sweet, pleasant.
I don't get the point of these videos. There is no conclusion on the blind test. You're not seriously suggesting for the viewer to evaluate these based on a youtube video, right? That would be hilariously bad :)))
Duas japonesa de peso
Wow, The Sony is the clear choice for me. Perfectly neutral.
Yamaha is slightly clear and open than Sony
Hard test,
Sony
Cheap amps but No punch / bass at all in either case.
I know it's not a surround sound receiver but can you use the Sony for like movies and stuff
Can either of these hook up to Bluetooth headphones? For example if you're listening to something on a turn table?