Yamaha RX396

At a Glance

The RX‑396 is a piece from Yamaha’s late‑90s “Natural Sound” stereo lineup that behaves like a clean, no‑frills 2‑channel receiver that still holds up well for everyday listening. It delivers about 50 watts per channel into 8‑ohm speakers with low distortion, enough current to control most bookshelf speakers, and a phono stage that’s better than you might expect. The tuner section is straightforward, the chassis is solid without being heavy, and the overall voicing leans neutral‑warm with good clarity—very typical Yamaha of that era. Inputs are all analog RCA, making it ideal for vinyl, CD, tape, or a TV/streamer via analog out. Because it was an entry‑level model, the feature set is simple, but it has a track record of reliability. Unit is in good operating condition...no scratchy controls but the remote is gone.Read More