Yamaha wants to remind people of their place at the top of the home theater industry, with its two surround receivers at the cheaper end. Namely RX-V4A (5.1) and RX-V6A (7.2).
8K and HDMI 2.1
The new RX-V series supports both 8K, HDMI 2.1 and the dynamic HDR10 + and should therefore be future-proof for the time being when 8K resolution becomes commonplace in normal homes.
Today we are doing well with 4K, but the first 8K TVs have already arrived and the transition can go fast. Although this time too we get the eternal discussion about whether one can see the pixels at all at these levels, it is just as certain that the sun will rise tomorrow as well, that the higher resolution will come. The question is when, not if.
The two newest models in the RX-V series are called RX-V4A and RX-V6A, and have five and seven amplifier channels, respectively. The most affordable RX-V4A has 8K support on all four HDMI inputs, while three of the seven inputs on the RX-V6A support the new super resolution. That a receiver has good video support in the HDMI circuits is a prerequisite when using it as a switch, where you connect both a Blu-ray player, game console and TV box through the receiver.
3D sound
When it comes to true three-dimensional sound with separate height channels, Yamaha has been doing it longer than most. Even when the competitors only had 5.1 sound, Yamaha has insisted that their presence channels, as they have called their channels dedicated to speakers mounted on the ceiling above the front speakers.
Now there have finally been standardized 3D audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS: X, something that Yamaha has been a little reluctant to embrace. Especially at the cheaper end.
The seven-channel receiver RX-V6A has the characteristic presence channels, so you can connect a 5.1 system with two additional speakers in height. One would then also think that these could be used for Dolby Atmos, but that format supports Yamaha only virtually and then only after a firmware update. This means that the other speakers, placed at ear level, are manipulated to record a sound that sounds like it is coming from above, when the receiver is lined with Atmos material. But who really does not. Whether the present speakers are disconnected in this context, or also used here to make the sound picture larger, we are waiting for an answer.
In addition to Dolby Atmos, the RX-V6A supports DTS: X, while the RX-V4A which is a 5.1 receiver does not support any of them.
Both receivers have an extended audio return channel (eARC), which means that they take high-definition audio out of the TV through the HDMI output. To ensure stability during long cable runs, Yamaha has also amplified the current signal through HDMI to 300 mA, up from the HDMI requirement of 50 mA.
Facts Yamaha RX-V6A
- 7.2 channels, 100-watts pr. channel, possibility for Zone 2
- 8K / 60Hz & 4K / 120Hz, HDMI 2.1 with HDCP 2.3 and eARC (7 in / 1-out)
- Dolby Atmos, DTS: X and Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization (requires update)
- YPAO Multi-point automatic room calibration
- Voice control with Amazon Alexa, Siri (via AirPlay 2) and Google Assistant
- MusicCast multi-room app control with optional wireless rear speakers
- Price: 749 £
Facts Yamaha RX-V4A
- 5-1 channel, 80-watt pr. channel
- 8K / 60Hz & 4K / 120Hz, HDMI 2.1 with HDCP 2.3 and eARC (4 in / 1-out)
- YPAO Multi-point automatic room calibration
- Voice control with Amazon Alexa, Siri (via AirPlay 2) and Google Assistant
- MusicCast multi-room app control with optional wireless rear speakers
- Price: 549 £
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