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[oneeardeaf]

At low volume under 85 db, I found all them almost identical, with very subtle variation in the sound mainly in the lower frequency, I guess this due to the make difference, but everything changed with higher volume.
Comparison:
Yamaha HTR-3066 vs yamaha aventage 840 vs borrowed Marantz AV7702 + Emotiva vs yamaha aventage 840 + Emotiva.

With higher volumes I felt everything was tighter and cleaner with the Emotiva, specially the lower frequency, while I was confused if Marantz sounded better than the Yamaha, I am not sure if it sounded better also, may be it was just the higher paying cost(If i had the money, I would totally buy this), anyways, I stuck to the Yamaha 840, which did everything I wanted. I was a happy. The power amp did make me feel safer to push the speakers also.
Some expect opinion on this subject low end vs high end will be interesting.

My primary test song across all was Desert Dwellers - Wandering sadhu, joe satriani-rubina.
I spend a week with each, movies, songs etc and then last day before giving away Marantz mixed up everything for an hour each.

For $550 the Yamaha 840 is brilliant, can't believe technology is so cheap in such a small package.
Also the Yamaha now has the speaker out free, which i am using for zone 2 etc