Yamaha HTR-4066BL 5.1 Channel Receiver HDMI Input/Output 5/1

I didn't intend to purchase this receiver, but my 1999-model Marantz SR19 was getting a bit long in the tooth. It had no HDMI inputs, and I was having problems getting all my devices connected correctly. I had been happy with this 5.1 receiver, although the remote went bad several years ago and was replaced with a Harmony universal model. After doing a few days of research, I ran across some reviews of the Yamaha models. Many of the new receivers are made for 7.1 systems which require additional speakers, or provide extra zones for listening in other rooms. I did not want those features, so I was glad that the 5.1 receivers were still being manufactured. The only limitation is that 5.1 receivers occupy the lower (cheaper) models of receivers. The Marantz I was replacing cost me over $1700, so I wasn't looking for the cheapest receiver. Still, I couldn't pass up the price of the Yamaha HTR-4066, featured in Amazon Prime.Enough history, let me just say that I appreciate great sound, and have some audiophile components in my possession. Still, this receiver would be used mostly for our TV and DVD player. We have a high end 3d TV (Korean mftr), and a 3d Blueray disk player. I have Paradigm speakers for the front, center, surrounds, and subwoofer. I thought I had been getting great sound and video from my Marantz-controlled system. I was so very wrong!! When I setup the Yamaha, and watched a bit of Avatar on the Blueray, I was blown away. First, the video was so much clearer and detailed. And, the surround sound was tight, balanced, and had wonderful separation. I could not believe how improved everything was using this receiver. Even my spouse agreed.Setup was easy for me, but may be a challenge for some, depending on experience. There is s quick setup printout that is very helpful. Still, I read the manual, which is on a DVD. There is much more detail in it. It was so nice to use HDMI cables to connect my devices (BlueRay DVD, UVERSE digital box, and AppleTV) to the receiver. Then one HDMI cord fed the video signal to the TV. Later, I connected an older carousel DVD/CD player, Wii game system, and VCR using the component inputs on the receiver. For these units, you run just one video cable to the TV's AV video input. I also ran an ethernet cable to the receiver for internet connections to Pandora, Spotify, and internet radio stations.I was impressed with all the connection options of this receiver. There are too many features to go over here, but the Yamaha website is very good for reviewing the features of this receiver. I'll mention a few of the things I really like.1. The speaker setup and balancing is so easy. Plug in the included microphone, and you are prompted on what to do. This is so critical to getting the best sound for your listening room.2. The remote for this unit is rather nice. Of course, it has a myriad of buttons, but they are arranged nicely. I was able to duplicate the function of this remote with my Harmony remote; no problem.3. There is a button on the remote called Net. By pushing it, you can cycle the receiver to play Spotify (if you have a premium subscription), Pandora, Net radio, Airplay, and your mp3 device if is connected via USB.There is an onscreen display to help you navigate Pandora, Net Radio, etc. The graphics of the OSD are rudimentary and not very appealing. Still, it gets the job done. The receiver has messaging on the front panel that can be used if you don't want to use the OSD on your TV. It is so nice to hit one button and get Pandora to play. Net Radio lets you explore different genres of music from countries around the world....Celtic rock anyone?4. Each amp utilizes Burr-Brown DACs, which probably means nothing to most. Let's say, it ensures that the digital signal is converted to an analog signal using some high grade converters to make the sound as natural as possible. I credit these DACs for making the sound so natural and clear. I can now hear the dialog in movies so much better. Just pure, uncolored sound.5. If you want to play around with Yamaha's DSP settings (Munich orchestra hall, Roxy Theater, etc) have at it. Want just pure unadulterated sound, then hit the Direct or Straight buttons to bypass signal processing. The Enhancer is a great feature that helps restore the upper frequency information lost in some compressed music. It works well, and I find the effect rather nice.6. The power saving features of this amp are nice. It doesn't get very warm in use, and uses less power than my old Marantz.7. There is a free app that you can download for your iPod, iPad, and Android devices. It works quite well. Lets you customize the screen with your inputs, and you can use it to control the amp. It will also tap into the music on your device and let you play it through the receiver. It will also let you play Pandora or Spotify. Music tracks show the cover art, and here Yamaha gets high marks for a very nice user interface!There are many other features I like about this receiver. All in all, I don't think I've stepped down in quality from the Marantz system I had for so many years. In fact, I've increased the quality of the audio and video noticeably, and for far less than I had spent back in 1999.I am very pleased with this purchase. I have more than enough power to play my music and videos with the quality sound I expect from Yamaha. I highly recommend this unit, and I hope this review has been helpful.

Great unit does not communicate with my Sony TV but works great with my Bose surround sound

I liked my old Denon but it quit after about 8 years. This unit is very much an improvement. My home set up for a 5.1 system so I was happy to find this unit still available and at a good price. Music quality is outstanding and surround sound perfect. I do have trouble with movies as it is difficult to clearly distinguish the dialogue, and increasing volume can make the music too loud. Still working on settings, I don't consider this a problem with the unit and I don't like subtitles - if I wanted to read a book I'd buy the book. Don't pass up checking out a Yamaha unit for your next purchase, it is a quality piece of equipment and the sound is great.

Very easy to set-up and use. The bluetooth device that came only worked for about 1 month and then wouldn't stay on long enough to pair a device to it. We ended up having to buy a new bluetooth device to listen to the music

I use it for Airplay all the time in my room.

More than I expected it to be. Very Nice Unit.

My Denon 2602 was still going strong after 12 years but lacked HDMI inputs. The Yamaha 4066 has replaced my trusty Denon 2602 and there are no regrets. The Yamaha 4066 is chock full of features, has more inputs than I needed, and the audio quality is excellent. Some of the features that really impressed me:1) Configuring the 5.1 speaker layout was trivial, thanks to an on-screen television display via HDMI.2) Setting the subwoofer LTE cutover, levels and distance took all of 3 minutes and it sounds just perfect.3) AirPlay was an unexpected bonus. Using an IPad to play my Lossless music collection is just wonderful.I have zero regrets about replacing the Denon. The Yamaha 4066 is a solid little performer.