If you are wondering what the difference between Yamaha’s TSR, RX-V and RX-A series are, the answer is there are no major differences other than the model name and where it’s sold. For example, is Yamaha TSR-5830 vs RX-V583 the same receiver? The front and back panels are also exactly the same. The specs are exactly the same. You can also see that the same numbers 583 are used in the model name. The only difference is that TSR versions are sold in Costco at a significant discount compared to the RX-V versions.
One thing to keep in mind is that Yamaha doesn’t necessarily produce the same TSR version equivalent of RX-V and RX-A models. For example, in TSR-7850 (MSRP 489.99) vs RX-A780 (MSRP $699.95) vs RX-V685 (MSRP $649.95) comparison, you can see that the TSR model has a higher number 7 vs 6 in RX-V version. When looking at specs, everything looks the same except for output where the TSR-7850 actually has a higher rated wattage. Not only is TSR-7850 cheaper than RX-V685, it also has a little bit more power. What’s interesting is that TSR-7850 is actually closer in comparison to RX-A780. The receivers have identical specs and look identical on the outside. Other than RX-A being part of the Aventage line, maybe with higher quality internal components claimed by Yamaha, it looks to be exactly the same.
TSR-7850 specs >
RX-V685 specs >
RX-A780 specs >
If you are looking for a great deal on Yamaha home theater receivers, go for the TSR versions if you can find them. They are less expensive for the same receiver functionality and quality.
