The A/V receiver is nothing new, however what’s new is the truth that A/V receivers are actually getting good options, higher connectivity, and extra options for the cash.
That’s nice information for shoppers, who may need receivers with assist for encompass sound and wi-fi requirements like AirPlay, with out having to shell out the money that may have been required just a few years in the past.
The newest firm to offer its lower-cost receivers an improve is Yamaha, which just lately took the wraps off of Yamaha RX-V 85 collection of receivers.
On the prime, you’ve acquired the Yamaha RX-V2085, which gives assist for 9.2 channels of audio, twin ESS Sabre DACs, and so forth. Extra attention-grabbing, nonetheless, are the lower-end fashions, just like the Yamaha RX-V485, which brings options you’ll usually count on in far dearer receivers to a value of below $400 (round £300, AU$550).
However with all these options, is the Yamaha RX-V485 finally price shopping for? We put it to the check to seek out out.
Design
A/V receivers are usually considerably cumbersome black packing containers, and the Yamaha RX-V485 is not any exception to that rule … however, so far as cumbersome black packing containers go, it actually doesn’t look dangerous. The unit is available in at round 17-inches extensive, nearly 7-inches tall, and 13-inches deep. That’s a reasonably customary measurement for A/V receivers like this, although it does appear to be a little shorter than some others, which is a pleasant contact.
On the entrance of the unit, you’ll get just about the whole lot you’ll count on. There’s an influence button on the left, which sits just a few inches above a headphone jack. In the direction of the middle is the place you’ll get the majority of the front-mounted controls, together with the flexibility to tweak the radio settings, change the “scene,” swap inputs, programming, and so forth, in addition to an aux port and a USB port. On the fitting, you’ll discover a big quantity knob.
The again, after all, is the place you get all of your connectivity: There’s one HDMI output which might be completely fantastic for almost all of people that use the system the best way it’s designed, and route all their sources by way of the receiver. To that finish, there’s 4 HDMI inputs, which needs to be fantastic. For sources that don’t use HDMI, you’ve acquired just a few different video inputs, and even a video output in case your TV doesn’t assist HDMI. You’ll additionally get sufficient connectivity for a 5.1 encompass sound system, which might be loads of connectivity for many shopping for a receiver on this value vary.
The distant is comparatively well-designed too, serving to be sure that it’s fairly simple to make use of. You’ve acquired energy controls on the prime, together with a scene selector, fast tuning buttons, quantity controls, enter controls, and so forth. Like most remotes, when you’ve arrange your receiver you’ll in all probability solely use just a few of the buttons, however the distant serves power-users who like to have the ability to tweak settings completely effectively, too.
Options
Whereas the design of this receiver is completely fantastic, it’s what’s below the hood that basically sells the Yamaha RX-V485.
Let’s begin with the wi-fi options, of which there are fairly just a few: The system helps Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Apple’s AirPlay, which could be very useful particularly for streaming music, although doesn’t appear as if you’re capable of stream video on to the receiver by way of AirPlay. Sadly, although, the Yamaha RX-V485 doesn’t appear to assist Google Forged – which we see as a reasonably main omission contemplating the AirPlay assist.
Nonetheless, for those who don’t use Apple units, Bluetooth remains to be there for everybody else, and whereas it is probably not nearly as good at integrating with different good dwelling options, it nonetheless labored completely fantastic for streaming audio in our checks.
One main characteristic that Yamaha is touting for this collection of receivers is assist for its MusicCast audio system, which primarily help you arrange the receiver to make use of MusicCast audio system as wi-fi encompass audio system. You’ll be able to’t use MusicCast audio system as the primary audio system in your setup, however it’s nonetheless a really good characteristic, and implies that you don’t should run cables round your front room for respectable encompass sound. We’ll assessment the standard of the audio system themselves individually.
Establishing the MusicCast audio system to work as encompass audio system was a bit of tough. First, you’ll should arrange the receiver and the audio system within the Yamaha MusicCast app, then hyperlink the receiver to the audio system. Then, you’ll should open the receiver settings from the receiver itself, and set your system to a encompass system, in case you had it arrange as an ordinary stereo system.
Whenever you hyperlink your MusicCast audio system and receiver, solely the receiver will present up in AirPlay, which could possibly be good, or dangerous, relying on the way you have a look at it. It’s good, for instance, as a result of it means the audio will play by way of your whole front room audio system simply. It’s dangerous, nonetheless, as a result of it means you may’t solely ship audio to at least one speaker, if for some purpose you need to.
One other good addition to the receiver is that it helps Amazon’s Alexa. With it, you need to use your voice to do issues like change the amount. It’s a pleasant contact, and one which labored fantastic, however we didn’t discover ourselves utilizing it a lot.
Different options are much less smart-home associated and extra conventional receiver-related, however nonetheless very useful. The receiver helps 4K HDR, Dolby Audio, and Dolby Vision, all of which ought to assist be sure that the video and audio high quality is excessive.
Subsequent up is the truth that the receiver helps two zones – that means as a substitute of getting one 5.1-channel system, you may have one essential Three-channel setup in zone one, and a 2-channel setup in zone 2. With this setup, you may play the identical supply to 2 zones on the identical time and management their quantity individually, which is a pleasant contact.
Efficiency
All of the options on provide are useful, however they’re restricted if the receiver doesn’t carry out. Fortunately, nonetheless, it performs completely effectively: the receiver sounds nice in any respect volumes and there’s little distortion, even at larger volumes.
In case your ears are very effectively tuned, you may begin to hear why the receiver is cheaper than some others, because of the barely restrained element within the higher frequencies, however finally the receiver sounds nice for the untuned ear, and good for many who know what to search for.
On the subject of specs, the receiver gives 80W of energy when two channels are in use, and a complete harmonic distortion of zero.09%, which is inaudible.
All that stated, you’ll seemingly get a bit of extra element and readability from a few of the dearer receivers within the vary, which exchange the usual Yamaha DACs with ESS Sabre DACs.
Last verdict
The Yamaha RX-V485 gives a ton of options at a wonderful value and it’s simple to suggest shopping for it, particularly for those who like the concept of utilizing Yamaha’s MusicCast audio system for encompass sound. For those who don’t, nonetheless, there could also be another choices.
We just lately reviewed the Onkyo TX-NR676, for instance, which gives lots of the identical good options at an analogous value, plus it helps a 7.1-channel setup plus one other two-channels for a second zone – so, for those who plan on going past the 5.1-channel setup, it might be the best way to go. The Onkyo unit additionally helps Google Forged, so for those who use Android or Google Chrome, it could possibly be a bit of extra helpful.
Nonetheless, regardless of the dearth of a few of these options, the Yamaha RX-V485 is easy-to-use, comparatively full-featured, and sounds nice. In the event you plan on utilizing 5.1-channels or much less, and gained’t miss the dearth of Google Forged, then it’s a wonderful choice to go for.