Yamaha 2021 receivers work with Xbox Series X, start at $1,300
Yamaha's new Aventage receivers offer seven 8K-compatible HDMI 2.1 inputs and come ready for next-gen gaming.
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The Yamaha A6A will be available in summer 2021 for $2,300
Yamaha has announced three new high-end receivers in its Aventage range, the RX-A4A, RX-A6A and RX-A8A, which the company says will not be affected by a bug preventing certain 4K signals from displaying. Prices start at $1,300.
Yamaha says the 4K/120Hz issue that affected the earlier RX-V6 won't affect the new Aventage receivers due to their updated hardware (more on this below). While most competitors only offer a single 8K input, Yamaha has taken the unusual step of offering 8K compatibility across all seven HDMI inputs (seven in/three out). These HDMI 2.1 inputs feature compatibility with 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz sources plus Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos/DTS:X.
The back panel of the A8A
The receivers offer streaming via the company's MusicCast platform and also offers voice control via Amazon Alexa, Siri and Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Assistant. The models also feature high-quality digital analog converters from Sabre.
All of the models include a feature called Surround:AI which "analyzes the DSP parameters and optimizes each sound element, such as dialogue, background music and sound effects, in real time."
Yamaha says the receivers feature high-slew-rate amplifiers which offer twice the performance of the previous generation.
Meanwhile, the company is expected to announce fixes shortly for the bug, which prevents the older receivers from displaying 4K content at 120Hz from Nvidia cards and Xbox Series X. Most 4K TVs and receivers are able to handle signals at 60Hz, but newer sources offer 120Hz for smoother motion. However, gamers would encounter a black screen when connecting these devices to a TV via these receivers at 4K/120Hz. Last week Denon and Marantz released their own free hardware dongle designed to circumvent the problem.
Yamaha's range of receivers will be available this summer. Details and pricing are below.
Yamaha Aventage RX-A8A ·
- 11.2-channel with Zone 2, 3 and 4
- 150-watt AV receiver
- $3,000
Yamaha Aventage RX-A6A
- 9.2-channel with Zone 2, 3 and 4
- 150-watt AV receiver with Zone 2, 3 and 4
- $2,200
Yamaha Aventage RX-A4A
- 7.2-channel with Zone 2
- 150-watt AV receiver
- $1,300