Customers appreciate the excellent sound quality and ease of use of the 630W 7.2-Ch. 4K Ultra HD A/V Home Theater Receiver. Many also highlight the convenient Bluetooth connectivity and straightforward setup process. While some users found the remote control challenging to master, the receiver's extensive features and competitive price point are frequently praised. The user interface, however, received mixed reviews with some users finding it less intuitive.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 340 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Bluetooth, Ease of use, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great Home Theater Reciever!
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
We needed a Home Receiver with AM/FM, Bluetooth enabled, for ease of use with your Cell Phone, iPhone App for ease of use , Sounds great.
We have ours set up in the Den and can hear it great throughout the house and we have Speakers out doors too. Just overall Fantastic Receiver.
Set it up with the App on your iPhone, really easy to do.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Remote control
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Works way better than our 12 year old Pioneer
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Our trusty old Pioneer tuner had reached the end of its usable life and we needed something to replace. High on our list was having two zones so we could play music outside on our outdoor 'rock' speakers. This tuner fit the bill. Bought it, brought it home, and just could not get some stuff to work. We finally bit the bullet and had the Geek Squad come out. They got everything working as advertised, got our "Zone2" outside speakers working, and we love it. The remote took some getting used to, but we've got that down now. We like that we can pick several different sounds, giving our music (and gaming) some cool effects.
Yup, glad me bought this unit.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great Multimedia Receiver/Controller
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I replaced my earlier version for this unit having Musiccast. Great interface for my 4K TV, Yamaha wireless speakers, and turntable. I have a compolex home wired/wireless WIFI system and this unit handles it well. Great fidelity, interface selection for TV, game and music. Complex configuration required Yamaha advisors who were hard to connect with but helpful when contacted. Easy to set up 6 speaker Dolby system. Love it!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Setup, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great receiver for the money!
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
eiver I am 69 years old and not real knowledgeable with electronics. I visited with Best Buy’s home theater specialist and in store custeamers who had purchased this receiver and deceided this was the right one for me. The set up was easy and with a set up of klipch speakers it sounds great!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Bluetooth, Setup, Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Remote control
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Solid, well rounded receiver
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Pros
Very good sound quality
Programmable scenes
Includes WiFi with large antennas
Alexa control
Bright front display is easy to read
HDMI eARC via future firmware update
Dolby Atmos
4K Ultra HD with HDR10 capability
Multiple streaming options including Bluetooth, WiFi, AirPlay
Setup Available through AV Setup Guide app
Can be remotely controlled via app
Can be paired with wireless surround speakers
Dual HDMI Outputs
Supports Multi-Room Audio
Cons
5 HDMI is less than the standard
Remote control not backlit
Remote control buttons are so flat they are hard to distinguish
Weak IR sensor
Remote is very long
Dated interface for playing streaming music and no screen saver
Documentation in box is slim and doesn’t mention AV Setup Guide app
No Google Home Functionality listed
No Google Play Music functionality or Chromecast
Spotify seems to require a premium subscription
Unless you are an audiophile, reading spec sheets for different receivers can be a very confusing list of undecipherable names. From Dolby Atmos, which might sound more familiar, to CinemaDSP 3D. Overall, most modern receivers cover all the main features needed for good sound for most, so it comes down to if you like the brand and what standout features matter most to you.
To start, the Yamaha RX-V685 is a mid-range receiver with plenty of power to handle most home theater speakers. With Dolby Atmos capability, it can support the latest high-end surround sound systems with the extra speakers that make things sound more realistic like in the movies. Although getting a home theater system to operate best is hard for most receivers, Yamaha has taken steps to make the process easier for those who wish to try. First, it might not be prominently displayed but there is a companion setup app, called AV Setup Guide, which makes wiring and setup far easier. First, the app asks which receiver you have and then it guides you through how to hook up the wires. Next it asks questions of how you want it set up. After you answer the questions, it sends the configuration to the receiver for you. Seasoned audiophiles will likely skip this step and dig straight into the on-screen menus, but this option is great for others with less experience as the back of the unit is loaded with different connectors. Yamaha should have really featured this more prominently because it is a standout feature of the unit. To help make your sound closer to that of a theater, a microphone is included to calibrate your speakers to your room and exact setup. Just plug it into the front and a feature called YPAO Sound Optimization is started. Just follow the on-screen steps and when you are done your system is optimized. Combined with the app, it helps take a lot of the technical work out of making your speakers sound as good as possible. Even without calibration, the RX-V685 stands out as having a very smooth, pleasant sound. It’s hard to describe but certain sounds, such as bass, just seem to thump and rumble more fluidly and with less harshness than most receivers.
Regardless of what equipment you have, chances are the RX-V685 can accommodate. Included are 5 HDMI inputs and 2 HMDI outputs. Why 2 HDMI outputs? Because it gives you the option to display the picture on a second screen, such as a projector or TV on your back patio. HDMI ARC is supported and if you don’t know what this means and have a new TV you should look it up or get help. HDMI ARC reduces wiring, improves sound quality in some cases, makes controlling your setup far easier. It even will support the new version called eARC in a future update. If you have a new 4K TV with the HDR10 you are still covered so those super vivid colors in newer videos will pass through without any loss of quality. If you have a record player, there is even a connection for those need a phono input.
Wireless surround speakers and multi-room audio can be added using the Yamaha MusicCast speakers. You can cut down the clutter of speaker wires for your home theater and add whole home audio. Just be aware this functionality only works with Yamaha MusicCast speakers.
Control is available multiple ways with the regularly being via an included remote control. The remote is entirely sealed on the front so there no problems with dust, food crumbs, and liquids messing up the buttons. The downside is the buttons are very flat and hard to distinguish in the dark. No backlight is included either so use in the dark might prove challenging. All is not lost though as there is an available companion app which is even easier to use in most cases. If that is still too inconvenient, you can even use the include scenes capability and set it up for control via it’s available Alexa skill. Then you can use your voice to turn the volume up or down and even change scenes. If you are a fan of Google Home, for now, capability is not available.
Overall, the entire review could be spent just naming all this unit is capable of, all the connections it has, and all the streaming services it has. The category is well defined so the same could be said of nearly any other receiver at this price point. Besides some standout features, such as guided setup through an app and smooth sound, the best way to determine if this receiver is right for you is to ask what is not included. The closest items to shortcomings would be very small. This unit doesn’t include Chromecast or Google Music support. There are simple workarounds for this, such as installing a Chromecast dongle, but if you are looking for those features integrated you will have to look elsewhere. Spotify functionality doesn’t work with the free version. If you need an AC passthrough to control a subwoofer, you won’t find it on this one.
To be quite honest, there is little fault to find on the RX-V685. At best, the shortcomings are small for an otherwise solid receiver. When using the companion apps, setup and operation is as easy as it gets for all the features. If you are in the market for a reliable receiver, from a reputable brand, that is easy to set up, and is easy to use then the Yamaha RX-V685 just might be the perfect receiver for you.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Bluetooth
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Excellent product.
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I recently bought 1 receiver to power 2 outdoor Bose speakers and home theater speakers. The dual zones allows me to play different audio simultaneously in the backyard and home theater room. It's has a great mobile app that allows you to control the receiver by wifi and also by Bluetooth. I'm so satisfied with the product that I bought an identical receiver for my family room speakers. This receiver can also be controlled by Google Home.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Big Bang for the Bucks$$
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I had the receiver about a month now. I purchased this to replace a 20 year old Onkyo AV Receiver that still produce good sound but started to fail with the video. I wanted quality sound, Bluetooth, and 4K video for my OLED TV. I research several receivers and decided to go with a proven name. The price is a little steep but not when compared to some of the other big names with similar feature. Setup was easy but if you want a neat connection with your speakers I highly recommend banana plugs as the speaker wires go through the connectors sideways and a 7.1 system can get crowed. The Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer or YPAO microphone automatically optimizing the speaker & sub woofer settings for you so that is a plus. I had a similar mic on my Onkyo and don't know or care who created it first but it works and is a must for any receiver. There are plenty of options and features to use. The remote is huge and difficult to hold even with my extra-large hands. There is a phone app also.
I did have an issue after a week of use. The HDMI signal to my TV was lost and I was getting a No Signal on my TV. I could not figure out the issue for about an hour as no changes were made. It resolve itself so I am keeping an eye out for it. Other than that one incident, I am content and would recommend this receiver.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Bluetooth, Ease of use, Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Remote control
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Plenty of power and plenty of inputs!!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Yamaha RX-V685 has 630 Watts of peak power that it will put out over 7.2 channels (150 w per channel). This is a 4K Ultra HD / 3D home theater system receiver. I only have 5 speaker and a sub woofer hooked up at the moment and I am very impressed with the sound and output of this. It was easy to set up and you can download the Yamaha app to help with the set up if you like. I was able to connect it to my WiFi network and that allows me to stream music from a PC on the network which is a neat feature. The remote is pretty gigantic for what it is and you can’t directly select an input, of which there are many, you have to scroll thru them. I found a way around this by programming my Logitech harmony remote to directly select the inputs. Here are the inputs: 5 HDMI’s, 1 optical digital audio, 4 analog audio, 2 coaxial digital audio, 1 component video, 1 composite video, 1 USB, Phonograph, and 1 Ethernet. There are also two HDMI out connections for convenience as well. Configuring the speakers is not a strong suit of mine and I was thankful for the YPAO microphone that made the adjustments on the speakers for me. I just plugged in the mic, set it where my head would be while watching TV and followed the on screen prompts. This also works with Alexa, but I have not had a chance to test that part out yet. Yamaha gives you a full 2 year warranty on this which is great and you can also stream via Bluetooth as well. The display was able to show what was plugged into the HDMI input for most of my devices. Wii U, PS4, Xbox, TiVo…but the Nintendo Switch did not show up.
Great sound, and my favorite part is the 5 HDMI inputs, make this a great receive to own. My only gripe is connecting the speaker wire to the connectors in the back. It’s a little awkward to do by unscrewing the connector, inserting the speaker wire into the base and tightening the connector back down.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Very nice
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Good reciever I went with, it's nice to Rokk the house out again....
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Bluetooth, Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Remote control
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Perfect start to a home theater
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Beware this is the receiver only. It comes with the power cord, an AM and FM antenna, a remote and batteries for the remote. (Paper instruction manual as well.)
Installation was a breeze! Everything in the box was packed properly, and in order of importance. One of my favorite pieces in the box is the remote! The buttons are flat but defined, which is great for my family because I am constantly cleaning the remote and this makes my job much easier. The only drawback is there is no lights on the remote. When watching tv in the dark, unless you know the buttons (which you should learn pretty quickly) then you have to turn on the light to see what you are doing.
The reciever is lighter than it looks. But by no means does it mean that it is under powered. The sound quality produced by the receiver, is about the highest quality that I have heard in a long time. The hookups for the speakers are very simple and it can be done two ways, with banana plugs or bare wire. There are also multiple choice of inputs, two optical audio (which is the best in my opinion), digital coax, and RCA. There are five HDMI inputs and two HDMI outputs to use in multiple zones. There is also a analog video input and a phono analog for a record player.
Now for the best part, the features. WiFi, bluetooth connectivity, and built in applications like Iheartradio, pandora, Spotify, tidal and there is a generic for all other music streaming services. There is also a hard drive capability to stream from your hard drive and networking capabilities and there is TRUE one remote operation. You only need one remote for everything.
For me this unit is very economical. There are so many features in one device and definitely worth the price! So far there are there is only one drawback with the remote not lighting but that is all I can find so far.
Would you buy this system again? Absolutely!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Remote control
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic and well featured Receiver
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I have to say, it's been quite a while since I had a dedicated receiver. It's quite nice going back to one though.
Currently until I can get a different desk in my room I'm using my existing speakers from an Logitech Z5500 system and the system makes good use of them. Once I'm able I will be using some older circa 1980's Realistic Loud Speakers. I ran them about 15 years ago on an old AIWA receiver and they were incredible. Still are, just haven't been able to use them.
This receiver is incredibly well featured. The amount of HDMI connections is just was I was looking for. 5 in 2 out if you want to setup this receiver over 2 rooms, same with the audio. It features a Party mode, which I can't utilize as I don't have one of their wireless speakers. That enables you to broadcast the audio source to multiple rooms.
The Speaker connections are numerous as well. You got 7 Channels, plus 2 Presence speakers (Dolby Atmos) and also 2 Sub Pre-Outs. So you can have a true Surround Experience. Currently I'm using 5.1 at this time. That will change over time of course as I really want to take advantage of Dolby Atmos. With the price of Atmos speakers right now it's more a luxury than a necessity.
I currently have my Tivo and my PS4 connected to the receiver output to an older Vizio XVT42 TV. I've not had any issues with output or picture quality. No degradation at all and it's like it was hooked directly to the TV. If you do have the Video set to Direct, you will get resolution switching that will cause the picture to change resolution and result in what I would say is a 1-3 second delay. If you leave it to processing it will eliminate this effect and you'll have uninterrupted viewing as the Receiver will handle the scaling without issue. 720p upscaled stuff looks good, although I'm using an older TV so I could be doing a lot better in that Arena.
Sound quality is very good. There's a plethora of sound options as well. You can enable their Enhancement which makes things a fair bit brighter and brings a little boost to the low end. This also works when you have Headphones plugged in. The same also goes for the Surround Decoding. You can even use their DSP's with Headphones so you can find something that suits you. I really like that they added something called Pure Direct. This turns off all the other unneeded electronics in the receiver to give you a better listening experience so it's only powering the absolute needed electronics. I used a pair of Sennheiser HD595's that are now about 15 years old so they're well burned in. I streamed music directly through Spotify built in to the receiver and most music sounded great. Since these are meant for a more accurate reproduction they lack low end response so they're not as punchy but they performed great with the receiver.
For movies I tested quite a few, such as Ready Player One, Mad Max: Fury Road and many others and the movies sounded fantastic. If you're not using Atmos, you'd definitely be missing out like myself. It time though!
With music the sound again was great. This does all depend of course on your speakers and setup and listening preferences. I will say one thing I noticed was with Spotify, if you are listening through the receiver and say not through Bluetooth or through another device connected through RCA or a PC you cannot remove songs from the Queue. You can shuffle tracks from the Spotify app, but you cannot remove from the queue. While not a deal breaker, it does make you need to rely on playing through a device connected to the unit.
As a gamer, this was also a need to test. Games from the PS4 sounded fantastic. Although I think there is either something with the speakers, or the PS4 in regards to the loudness. I did have to crank the volume up in a lot of games. I also had to turn the volume up considerably when streaming Netflix on the PS4. I did not notice this to this degree on my PC. I have that setup through Optical Out from the dedicated sound card in my PC which is set to decode there. Sound position is of course excellent on the PC side. I've been playing Rise of the Tomb Raider which seems to be a great test for these with all the ambient effects in game. conversations are loud and clear without much fuss on adjusting any settings. It's a definite upgrade for sure.
Speaker setup was relatively painless. This is primarily due to their YPAO. Included with the receiver is a Microphone. You can set this up a couple ways, either by holding ear level, or recommended on a tripod. The configuration takes approximately 2-3 minutes on a 5.1 system, and if you're using both Presence and Surround L & R speakers for 7.1.2 audio it will take probably around 5 minutes. It does an excellent job of adjusting the speakers automatically for you, this includes loudness, distance and gain if need be. You can accept their recommendations and save them to the unit as well. You can also go in and edit them afterwards so if you want say your center channel or Sub to have more gain, go for it. I did have to alter mine only due to the fact that the speakers are not full range, only mid-range speakers.
Setting up everything is all done on-screen so it's pretty straightforward. The menus are in-depth and it can be easy to get lost in so many options. Some are a bit redundant as the Settings and Menu buttons on the remote will actually bring up similar options which i think is of course redundant. The interface is pleasant, one thing I did notice that wasn't available is a Dimmer. You cannot adjust the brightness on the display of the unit, that or I'm clearly overlooking it. It's not bothersome though, but it would be a welcome addition in future update.
The Remote is quite featured, though it does not light up, which is unfortunate. It's got a rubberized top to it and the back is like that of a diamond patterned metal floor. It certainly fits well in the hand and I don't feel like it will drop or fall out of my hand.. It's quite tall as well so it may feel a bit unwieldy to some. Despite this, there is an app you can download that will supplement the Remote and most of it's features. This is certainly a viable option if using this receiver in a home theater that may be out of sight or behind you. Being able to control it from the App is fantastic though. It's quite easier in my own opinion to adjust things from it as I have an actual screen. The app is quite well designed and integrates well with things like Spotify for streaming.
If you are in the market for well featured receiver for under $1000 this is definitely worth a look. With the inputs, outputs, audio features, wired and wireless function, multi-room support and so on, it's really a great receiver for the price point. Especially given the wattage it's capable of delivering.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Remote control
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great features and and hardware
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is an excellent receiver for it's price range. You get high end features like positional audio support with Dolby Atmos and DTS X. HDCP 2.2 on ALL HDMI ports. And speaking of which, enabling HDR takes no effort or additional settings, it just works. This can sometimes be a headache on other receivers I've used. Great sound as well, and very easy to set up with the included mic. If I had to nitpick anything with this receiver, is that I wish it had one more HDMI input, but 5 are fine for most setups, I'm sure. Another minor thing - the remote is rather large. It looks nice and feels great, and it has this cool diamond-plating-like texture on the back. Just seems a little too big. It seems to switch inputs and to HDR quicker than other receivers I've used as well. The menus are very snappy, though its design may not look quite as nice as some others. But, as easy to use as this is, you probably won't have to spend much time in them after you're all set up. A nice little note too - the receiver detected My PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. It automatically set the input names for them. Pretty nice touch.
Pros: Dolby Atmos, DTS X, great features, super easy setup, great sound
Cons: Large remote, could use one more HDMI (5 a probably enough for most)
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
Intermittent
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Home theater setup by Geek squad. It is intermittent and drop tv and goes to music. I was told by the agent to purchase hdmi enhancement antennas and I transmitters. $380. I have the agent 3 times and left messages and called and talked to Geek Squad twice. It has been nearly a month and no response. I was charged Omer a $1000 dollars for equipment and labor!!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Yamaha Serves Up Excellence Once Again
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Yamaha has now released its newest of the RX-V receivers - the RX-V685, a 7.2 channel receiver. I am upgrading from a previous RX-V version - the V475. With the Yamaha RX-V685 includes an FM antenna wire, AM antenna, YPAO microphone, remote control with 2 AAA batteries, and quick setup guide. The power wire is permanently attached to the rear of the unit.
Rather than go over ALL the specs which you can already find on this BestBuy.com page, I'll try to give more observations of those specs instead.
PROS:
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* Great sound, great options within the setup to get the exact sound you want on any input or function. Those settings can be saved so not to have to be changed each time the unit powers up or when changing scenes/inputs.
* Front LCD display can be dimmed for low-light viewing.
* Responsive and durable remote control. This design keeps liquids out of button crevices.
* Receiver has the ability to play music via cell phone using the Yamaha "MusicCast Controller". In addition, you can also change settings within the AV Controller app and setup the receiver via the AV Setup Guide app. Unfortunately, I am unable to utilize the MusicCast function currently.
* Receiver has 2 HDMI OUT ports which comes in handy when you want to have 2 TVs showing the same thing in separate areas of the home. There are many settings that can be used with this "Zone2" concept.. too many to list here. It extends past the old A/B speaker selection button.
* Receiver connects to your network via ethernet cable or wirelessly. I used ethernet for maximum throughput and performance. I switched to wifi briefly (to test) and had no connectivity issues.
* Receiver can play audio with built-in Spotify (see Con below for Spotify)/Pandora, via bluetooth, Apple Airplay, via USB storage, and via media servers (PC/NAS)
* Has a phonograph input (rare). I will be hooking my turntable up to the receiver at a later date.
* As with most receivers made today, it allows for HDMI ARC connection. If you don't have an optical output on the back of your TV, this will come in handy if you play movies from apps built into the smart TV.
* The AV Controller app is really good for seeing all the scenes, inputs, and surround sound modes without having to scroll through them all on the receiver itself. It has a great interface & includes most of the buttons on the remote itself.
CONS:
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* Though the new remote control design keeps liquid out of what would otherwise be crevices around the buttons, it makes the buttons a little more difficult to press.
* Setup can be a bit tedious if you have a number of devices and speakers to setup and calibrate.
* I wish there was a way to change individual speaker volume levels via the front display only while watching TV. I have read the instructions and tinkered with it - and if you want to change any dB level of an individual speaker, the whole screen must change to settings in order to change them. On my previous Yamaha, I was able to have a small pop-up box on the TV screen (and front of receiver) that was semi-transparent where I could make changes while still being able to view what I was watching. You are, however, able to change the "tone" via the AV Controller app (bass & treble levels) but not individual speakers without bringing up the full-screen menu on the TV.
* You can only listen to Spotify via the receiver if you are a premium Spotify member. If you are a free Spotify member, the only way you can listen to Spotify is via "Bluetooth" input connection (using Spotify on the other device). I could never get Spotify to play until I went to BT input... and on the Yamaha AV Controller app, it stated (while in BT mode) that that option was only available to premium Spotify subscribers. I did not see this information in the owners manual.
* When Pandora is running (and possibly Spotify if you are premium), you can run without the TV being powered up; however, if your TV is on, the receiver shows the album art, artist, album, and song name in the middle of the screen while the time is in the upper-right of the screen under a permanent "Pandora" logo. My complaint here is that a screensaver mode is never triggered nor could I find any settings for a screensaver when listening to Net Radio. I believe many TVs are now being created to avoid screen "burn-in" images but I still would like for there not to be a static image on my TV for long periods of time. A screensaver when listening to music would be nice here so possible screen damage does not occur regardless.
OTHER OBSERVATIONS:
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* The remote is long and heavy compared to earlier models Yamaha has made. It can be used as a night stick if necessary.
* There is no printed user manual. You will have to download it here in .pdf format: https://usa.yamaha.com/files/download/other_assets/3/1161703/web_AV17-0164_RX-V685_om_UCRABGLFH_En_A0.pdf That is the only way to read about the hundreds of features of this product as not everything is obvious in the menus or in the Quick Setup Guide which is provided.
* Setup can be a bit tedious if you have a number of devices to setup and calibrate. If you just want basic functions and sound, you may want to opt for a lesser Yamaha model as this one could be a little cumbersome for a non-tech person.
* Firmware update out-of-the-box was simple. The process was automatic and took about 20 minutes to complete.
* Having stated the individual speaker setting issues, I did use the YPAO mic to initially setup the unit according to the users manual. It miscalculated the distance of the sub the 1st time. I re-ran YPAO setup, and it calculated better. I still made some small tweaks here and there for my listening preference but it was a decent baseline t ostart from. In the end, most of the YPAO settings ended up being changed.
CONCLUSION:
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Most people who like to have external speakers as opposed to a speaker bar will be quite impressed with the RX-V685. It has more options than most people will know what to do with. If you're an audiophile, you won't go wrong with this unit at all. It has plenty of power at 630W to feed all your speakers and create plenty of sound. The pros outweigh the cons by quite a bit. In addition, you the the Yamaha quality which is usually much better than many of their competitors. Great job, Yamaha.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Bluetooth, Ease of use, Setup
Cons mentioned:
User interface
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Another great receiver from Yamaha!
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Setup and initial tuning is a breeze. Easy to operate. The user interface can take a little getting used to (easy to get trapped in sub-menus when functions hang). Hitting the settings button and going back in always gets you back on track. This is a minor knock, I really like this thing. Inputs are HDMI; PS4, 4Kblueray, 4k Chromecast. Haven't tested the airplay feature, bluetooth works well. Its driving Center, Towers (separate sub inputs) and rear bookshelf speakers so a 5/2, not 7/2. Would recommend and will stick with Yamaha next time around.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Features, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
3rd Times a Charm!
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I was in search for a new AVR for a home theater setup. I first purchased an Onkyo which sounded amazing but I had issues with my Bluetooth going in and out. That could have been a phone issue but there were also some quirks I didn’t like so I swapped it for a Denon. The Denon, to my ears, didn’t sound as good as the Onkyo and the Bluetooth also cut out. It also had a few quirks I did not like. I tried the Yamaha and it is perfect for my needs. It transitions great from cable to Netflix app without missing a beat and has a host of nice features that in my opinion goes above and beyond the previous models that I tried. I’m very pleased with this purchase and with Best Buy for the no hassle returns.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Setup, Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Remote control
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Adequate power, very versatile
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Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Easy setup, reproduced sound faithfully, good 4K pass through. Power is adequate for the room. Remote is very tall. I miss being able to select hdmi number directly (as I can on my old Yamaha remote). User must press forward or back arrow, with no display of unit is off (pass through function).
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
This is a fantastic AV Receiver!
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I am very impressed with the Yamaha RX-V685BL AV Receiver. It replaced a very nice Denon that I had, but finally died on me. The Yamaha is far more superior to the Denon units that I looked when it was time to replace. Superb audio, video, user friendly and easy on the wallet. Unbeatable combination!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Bluetooth, Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great sound
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Con:
1. Switching from one input to the next takes time for it to switch.
2. The intennas at the back are weak and flimsy. I bent one badly after bumping into it slightly.
3. By now, it should come with video App, such as Netflix, Hulu, and etc.
4. The weight of the remote is heavier towards the top half. This causes you to think it is upside down, or though you have no trash.
5. Need tv to see setup.
Pro:
Clean and clear sound.
Not as heavy as expected.
Have many options of adjustments.
Blue tooth
Ability to send sound back to the receiver through ARC.
There are many other pros and cons, but those are for starter. Overall, the receiver produces enough power to do what I wanted, and with clean clear results. Like any other product out there, you need to have a good combination of the unit, speaker, room, and settings to get it to your personal liking. I would recommend this unit as a solid unit.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great sound and value
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I bought this unit to replace a 7-year-old Harman Kardon AVR1710 that just gave up the ghost. The Yamaha is a major improvement in features and interface. I wasn't able to A/B the sound between the two, but the Yamaha sounds great. The build quality of the Harman Kardon was notably poor: the Yamaha weighs twice as much.
I use Zone 2 to feed my whole house audio system (through a separate amp). I haven't quite dialed in all the settings for that setup, but it's working well.
I like the option to configure "scenes". I have an older Harmony One remote, and they don't have a profile for this device, so through some trial and error I was able to use the scene configurations to help resolve some issues I was having in configuring the remote.
Great value. You won't go wrong with this one. Hope it holds out for more than 7 years.