Yamaha unveils Aventage Home Cinema AV Receivers with HDMI 2.1 and Auro-3D

Yamaha unveiled the new range of Aventage home cinema receivers. Three Yamaha AV receivers models are arriving this summer: Yamaha Aventage RX-A4A, RX-A6A, and RX-A8A. The design is the same that we also find on the lower-end product (A2A): the completely black livery is 2/3 glossy and has a horizontal groove that breaks the continuity of the lines.

In the center is the knob that adjusts the volume flanked by a display showing information on the operation. A second smaller knob is placed near the right side for selecting the source. There are no physical buttons except for the one dedicated to switching on and off, all the other keys have been replaced with touch controls for greater cleaning of the lines.

Dimensions are nearly identical for all three Yamaha AV receivers: A4A measures 435 (W) × 191 (H) × 442 (D) millimeters, A6A is slightly taller (192mm) while A8A is also deeper (477mm). Instead, the weight changes: 16.2 kilograms for the A4A, 20.3 kilograms for the A6A, and 21.4 kilograms for the A8A.

• 

• 

The construction includes a double bottom frame on the A6A and A8A. Brass is also used on the latter while on all of them we find the fifth foot ART (Anti-Resonance Technology) Wedge, which unlike previous generations of Yamaha Aventage is not placed in the center of the lower side but is moved forward, a change which according to Yamaha reduces even more effectively the vibrations caused by the transformer. On the A8A Yamaha stereo receiver some solutions used on the MX-A5200 power amp have been taken: specifically, wiring of the same thickness which further improves the sound performance.

The processing of the audio signals is entrusted to two different types of chips. The main DSP is the 64-bit Qualcomm QCS407 SoC which is flanked by the Texas Instruments DA81Y. There are various filters and settings for listening and modes optimized by artificial intelligence such as Surround AI. Then there is the automatic calibration YPAO RSC (Yamaha Parametric room Acoustic Optimizer Reflected Sound Control) enriched with the Low-Frequency Mode, a technology that detects the connections of the speakers, measures the distances from them to multiple listening positions, and optimizes settings such as the volume balance and acoustic parameters.

• 

• 

The new Yamaha Aventage mini home amplifier range can play tracks in all major formats including Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, DTS: X, and DTS-HD Master Audio. A6A and A8A also add Auro-3D up to 11.1 channels which will come with a firmware update; Auro-Matic Upmixer technology allows you to perform an upmix by recreating an enveloping 3D effect with any type of track.

All-new Yamaha AV receivers can be integrated into multi-room systems thanks to the MusicCast platform. We also find MusicCast Surround, a feature introduced in 2018 to simplify the installation of surround channels. By adding two MusicCast 20 or MusicCast 50 speakers you get two wireless rear satellites. The same system also allows you to add the MusicCast SUB 100 subwoofer.

As for music, compatibility with songs in MP3, WMA, WAV (384 kHz / 32-bit), MPEG-4 AAC, FLAC (384 kHz / 24-bit), ALAC (96 kHz / 24-bit) is guaranteed , AIFF (384 kHz / 32-bit) and DSD up to 11.2 MHz. Connectivity to the network via Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Gigabit Ethernet also allows you to take advantage of services such as Amazon Music HD, Spotify, Pandora, Napster, SiriusXM, Tidal, Deezer, and Qobuz. Then add Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and a front USB port. Yamaha has also included Alexa or Google Assistant via external speakers.

• 

• 

All Yamaha audio receiver models are equipped with 7 HDMI 2.1 inputs and 3 outputs with support for the 40 Gbps band (10 Gbps for 4 channels) and HDCP 2.3. Support for HFR, ALLM, VRR, QFT, and QMS will come through a new firmware, exactly like on RX-A2A, which has not yet been updated, probably to ensure perfect operation with the aforementioned novelties (on some Marantz and Denon products they are not missed problems). The Yamaha AV receivers can upscale up to Ultra HD resolution and support HDR in HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG formats.

Overall, there is a phono input and the analog outputs at 9.2 (A4A) or 11.2 channels (A6A and A8A). Higher-end products also add component video input, balanced stereo input, and output over XLR.

Yamaha RX-A8A Specifications

• 11.2 channels, 150 W into 8 Ohms (20 Hz – 20 kHz, 2 channels driven, 0.06% total harmonic distortion)
• Possibility to control Zones 2, 3 and 4
• HDMI 2.1 with HDCP 2.3 and eARC (7 in / 3 out)
• 8K / 60Hz and 4K / 120Hz (7 inputs / 3 outputs)
• Dolby Atmos, DTS: X, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, Surround: AI, Auro 3D
• YPAO RSC automatic room calibration with multi-point measurement, precision EQ, and Low Frequency Mode
• AV Setup Guide app, MusicCast, and web setup
• Complete control even with home automation and smart home systems
• Voice control with Amazon Alexa, Siri (via AirPlay 2)
• Price: $2,999.95 on Bhphotovideo.com and Adorama.com

Yamaha RX-A6A Specifications

• 9.2 channels, 150 W into 8 Ohms (20 Hz – 20 kHz, 2 channels driven, 0.06% total harmonic distortion)
• Possibility to control Zones 2, 3 and 4
• HDMI 2.1 with HDCP 2.3 and eARC (7 in / 3 out)
• 8K / 60Hz and 4K / 120Hz (7 inputs / 3 outputs)
• Dolby Atmos, DTS: X, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, Surround: AI, Auro 3D
• YPAO RSC automatic room calibration with multi-point measurement, precision EQ, and Low Frequency Mode
• AV Setup Guide app, MusicCast, and web setup
• Complete control even with home automation and smart home systems
• Voice control with Amazon Alexa, Siri (via AirPlay 2)
• Price: $2199.95 on Bhphotovideo.com and Adorama.com

Yamaha RX-A4A Specifications

• 7.2 channels, 110 W into 8 Ohms (20 Hz – 20 kHz, 2 channels driven, 0.06% total harmonic distortion)
• Possibility of controlling a Zone 2
• HDMI 2.1 with HDCP 2.3 and eARC (7 in / 3 out)
• 8K / 60Hz and 4K / 120Hz (7 inputs / 3 outputs)
• Dolby Atmos, DTS: X, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, Surround: AI
• YPAO RSC automatic room calibration with multi-point calibration, precision EQ, and Low Frequency Mode
• AV Setup Guide app, MusicCast, and web setup
• Complete control even with home automation and smart home systems
• Voice control with Amazon Alexa, Siri (via AirPlay 2)
• Price: $1,299.95 on Bhphotovideo.com and Adorama.com