Internet radio receivers

[Beef Oven!]

Many thanks, Micky.

A dealer in Dublin is offering me the following option:

Quad Vena amplifier
NAD 516 CD player
Bowers & Wilkins DM686 speakers
Speaker stands

A member of the dealer's staff will come to my home and set up the system. The total cost is €1,500. Richer Sounds in Belfast have the Yamaha for £699, which is roughly €850.

With the wealth of music available on internet radio stations and YouTube, I am currently gorging myself on Handel operas, I am listening to CDs less and less. The bottom line is that I can afford to accept the dealer's offer, but its theoretical superiority, I assume, might be wasted in my apartment living situation. I definitely, for the sake of my neighbours, do not want to bring the Vienna Philharmonic into my living room!

In my opinion and based on experience, you'd be better off with the Yamaha. With the Quad/Nad/B&W set-up, you'll not get what you've paid for because of your neighbour/apartment restriction.

[Dave2002]

Aha, what a good idea. In fact the new Yamaha does have Bluetooth, so that is well worth exploring. It will have to be my geek friend again, though, as such technology is beyond me! Thank you, anyway.

I was just casually glancing over this thread, and your mention of Yamaha kit with Bluetooth caught my eye. I was recently sent an email by Richer sounds trying to entice me to some new streaming units, and I wondered having looked at the specs whether in fact a decent streaming unit with Buetooth would be useful for us, and reasonable quality. While I'd be happy enough with internet based sound received directly, one or two others round here with iPads etc. might like to be able to stream via their own units to something with better quality sound. I don't really want to spend a fortune (or perhaps even anything ...) but if there is new kit out there which is modestly priced (say under £250) I might consider buying one and linking it in to a new system.

Which model Yamaha do you have?

[MickyD]

Many thanks, Micky.

A dealer in Dublin is offering me the following option:

Quad Vena amplifier
NAD 516 CD player
Bowers & Wilkins DM686 speakers
Speaker stands

A member of the dealer's staff will come to my home and set up the system. The total cost is €1,500. Richer Sounds in Belfast have the Yamaha for £699, which is roughly €850.

With the wealth of music available on internet radio stations and YouTube, I am currently gorging myself on Handel operas, I am listening to CDs less and less. The bottom line is that I can afford to accept the dealer's offer, but its theoretical superiority, I assume, might be wasted in my apartment living situation. I definitely, for the sake of my neighbours, do not want to bring the Vienna Philharmonic into my living room!

That is a very good price for the Yamaha, Dermot - over here in exorbitantly-priced France, I had to pay nearly 1000 euros for it, there is very little competition between shops as there is in the UK.

Like Beefy, I think given your living space, this set would do you nicely. I must say it is attractive to look at, too.

And bravo for gorging on Handel operas, I'm all for that!

[Dermot]

In my opinion and based on experience, you'd be better off with the Yamaha. With the Quad/Nad/B&W set-up, you'll not get what you've paid for because of your neighbour/apartment restriction.

Thank you, sir, for this sound advice which I intend to follow.

[Dermot]

That is a very good price for the Yamaha, Dermot - over here in exorbitantly-priced France, I had to pay nearly 1000 euros for it, there is very little competition between shops as there is in the UK.

Like Beefy, I think given your living space, this set would do you nicely. I must say it is attractive to look at, too.

And bravo for gorging on Handel operas, I'm all for that!

That confirms my own thoughts, Micky. I will phone Richer Sounds tomorrow and see if I can make an appointment to call in and have a listen to the Yamaha. Then it's a train trip to Belfast for which, as an old guy, I get free travel.

In rip-off Ireland, the Yamaha costs over €1,000. Belfast, however, is still part of the UK.

[Dave2002]

Is this the model under discussion - Yamaha RXA 680?

https://www.richersounds.com/yamaha-rxa680-black.html

Not sure I need one really.

[MickyD]

Is this the model under discussion - Yamaha RXA 680?

https://www.richersounds.com/yamaha-rxa680-black.html

Not sure I need one really.

No, it's this one, Dave...which I note has now dropped by about 200 euros, even in France, dammit!

https://www.boulanger.com/ref/1086843

[MickyD]

That confirms my own thoughts, Micky. I will phone Richer Sounds tomorrow and see if I can make an appointment to call in and have a listen to the Yamaha. Then it's a train trip to Belfast for which, as an old guy, I get free travel.

In rip-off Ireland, the Yamaha costs over €1,000. Belfast, however, is still part of the UK.

Did you manage to get hold of it, Dermot?

[Dave2002]

No, it's this one, Dave...which I note has now dropped by about 200 euros, even in France, dammit!

https://www.boulanger.com/ref/1086843

Ah - so more of a system than a single component then.
Interesting to note that the CD player part also features internet radio streaming, but the tuner appears to be FM only, whereas the one I mentioned also does DAB.

[MickyD]

Ah - so more of a system than a single component then.
Interesting to note that the CD player part also features internet radio streaming, but the tuner appears to be FM only, whereas the one I mentioned also does DAB.

The CD player incorporates both internet and FM, but there is no DAB function - for some strange reason, France has never got round to the latter, it simply doesn't exist here, you can't even buy a portable DAB radio!

[Dave2002]

The CD player incorporates both internet and FM, but there is no DAB function - for some strange reason, France has never got round to the latter, it simply doesn't exist here, you can't even buy a portable DAB radio!

I thought that France did have a different digital radio system - just not DAB. Some other countries have gone for newer variants of DAB - e.g. DAB+ - but maybe France just hasn't. I haven't kept fully up to date with this area recently.

What about digital radios in cars in France? Are they not made to include DAB or some variant to be compatible with other continental countries?

[Dermot]

Did you manage to get hold of it, Dermot?

Life is never that simple, Micky. Richer Sounds in Belfast do not have it in stock. They can order it from Yamaha as a ''special order''. This means that I have to pay the full amount upfront, without having a demonstration beforehand. It is not quite buying blind - I have the benefit of your helpful comments - but if I am not happy with it, I have no come back. The store in Dublin that advertises it, also does not have it in stock.

If I may ask you two further questions, Micky. I am aware that you had someone set up your system for you, but does the Yamaha come with a printed instruction manual? If not, how is the set up information imparted? I have done a search online, via Google, for an owner's manual without success.

I know the Yamaha has Bluetooth, but can a smartphone or tablet also be connected to it through a 3.5mm aux in cable?

Once again, many thanks for your assistance.

[Dermot]

The CD player incorporates both internet and FM, but there is no DAB function - for some strange reason, France has never got round to the latter, it simply doesn't exist here, you can't even buy a portable DAB radio!

Well, you have the set, Micky, but the following appears to state that it does have DAB. Assuming I am reading it correctly, which is not a given.

https://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/audio_visual/hifi_systems/mcr-n870d/specs.html#product-tabs

[Beef Oven!]

Life is never that simple, Micky. Richer Sounds in Belfast do not have it in stock. They can order it from Yamaha as a ''special order''. This means that I have to pay the full amount upfront, without having a demonstration beforehand. It is not quite buying blind - I have the benefit of your helpful comments - but if I am not happy with it, I have no come back. The store in Dublin that advertises it, also does not have it in stock.

If I may ask you two further questions, Micky. I am aware that you had someone set up your system for you, but does the Yamaha come with a printed instruction manual? If not, how is the set up information imparted? I have done a search online, via Google, for an owner's manual without success.

I know the Yamaha has Bluetooth, but can a smartphone or tablet also be connected to it through a 3.5mm aux in cable?

Once again, many thanks for your assistance.

This isn't the same model, but the setup should be pretty much the same

[MickyD]

I thought that France did have a different digital radio system - just not DAB. Some other countries have gone for newer variants of DAB - e.g. DAB+ - but maybe France just hasn't. I haven't kept fully up to date with this area recently.

What about digital radios in cars in France? Are they not made to include DAB or some variant to be compatible with other continental countries?

Hi Dave. I have to confess that I have never gone into the subject in great detail, but whenever I ask in electrical shops in France about DAB radios, the personnel have no idea what I am talking about! Maybe I'm wrong, but I am pretty sure that over here, it is only FM reception in cars. I don't think the French have ever gone into DAB radio broadcasting.