bnrbeseth,

Just checking in on how your stuff is sounding with the HTR550?  Or have you upgraded?

I've been switching my yamaha RX-V661 and Onkyo 550 back and forth lately (my wife is getting sick of it) and i still have to say I prefer what the the Onkyo does in the sound department.  The yamaha is like listening to something in Mono, at times it feels as if the only thing that's on is the center channel and even then it's not very transparent. This is especially apparent when watching standard def content and sports broadcasts...

It's still puzzling to me.  The yamaha has ability to pass audio through HDMI where-as the HTR550 needs a Toslink digital optical cable... The yamaha also has the ability to accept the new HD audio codecs via my PS3 and HDMI...And the Yamaha has a bunch of DSP modes

It's hard for me to sit there and believe I have a HTIB with less features that I enjoy over a $599 MSRP Yamaha that has Burr Brown DACS and HDMI audio passthrough with a more capable power supply (My Onkyo says don't use speakers less than 8 ohms and the THD of the Yamaha is .6 vs the Onkyo's .9)....I have spent lots of time with the Yamaha's settings trying to get it right....But after a day or two I always start to notice a difference in sound. The Yamaha just seems to be a bit more dry and forward. The transparency of the Center channel is not there and the bubble of surround doesn't evevelop me like the Onkyo...When I'm wathcing content with the Yamaha it sounds like things are in front of me, with the Onkyo it sounds like things are all around me...When I listen to 2 channel music with the Yamaha it sounds like it's in mono..When I listen with the Onkyo it sounds like it is in stereo.  I feel my self straining to get into the surround field with the Yamaha vs just lying back and swimming in it with the Onkyo. Well, that's the best i can describe it...

 So my opnion still remains the same.  an HTIB receiver over a Yamaha RX-V661....And I'm still saving for an SR805....I'm done playing with all the options on the Yamaha.  My wife and I both want to start enjoying our summer....

I will say this though.  The build quality of the Yamaha presents itself as a much nicer looking piece of equipment. from the remote to the units beafy and powerful sophisticated look.  The onkyo can't touch the yamaha in audiophile appeal...Maybe that's why I haven't given up hope on the Yamaha just yet.  hard to imagine something that looks that good cannot sound as good as something that looks on the cheaper side.

BTW...The HTR550 and the SR605/606 look very similar.

Still want an update on your situation though.

Just trying to keep it real…Back with an update.  Before I was going to make a commitment to sell my Yamaha on ebay I wanted to try one more thing, the YPAO…Only problem was that since I got mine used on Ebay for pennies it didn't come with the mic for setup.  But just for fun I decided to use the mic that came with the Onkyo Audyssey.  Sure enough it worked.  So I ran YPAO with the the Audyssey mic and besides the fact that it set my crossover to 200HZ and had some phase warnings I was surprised with the EQ results.  Surround was much more spacious and bubbly which was my main gripe earlier.

I have also noticed the Yamaha provides a cleaner sound at louder volume levels.  I really am impressed with the sounds coming from my Yamaha RX-V661 now.  Picture seems to be a bit nicer on the Panny when using the Yamaha to pass through HDMI vs the HTIB Onkyo.  Black leves appeared more rich with the Yamaha.  I also prefer the way my sub integrates with the Aperions with the Yamaha, much smoother and transparent.   The Yamaha just seems to reveal more flaws in the original recording as I noticed Standard TV programming sounds flat compared to the Onkyo, it isn't until I watch some HD content or Blu Ray that the Yamaha really shows its power and Sound quality.  This seems to make more sense now seeing as how it has had soo many happy customers. 

I really didn't want to give up on the Yamaha seeing as how I get these additional features:

HDMI repeater that allows me to enjoy lossles PCM audio for my blu ray tracks

Outputs to hook up an amp which was not available on the Onkyo.  It is in my plans to one day add a separate amp to my system and I believe the RX-V661 will service as a competent signal processor for when I do.

So, the RX-V661 is back in the drivers seat and I am much, much happier with it now that I have pefromed the YPAO.  Conversely, the Onkyo Audyssey did not reveal favorable results so I always listened to that with EQ off.

So, I'm back in the bubble with the Yamaha.