★ *REVIEWING: **amzn.to/2LFBUw3** & **bit.ly/2Y5hVK5** // NEED MORE INFO? ✔︎ THE ⬆︎DESCRIPTION⬆︎* ★ *QOTD: What do you think of Yamaha’s new look?* ★ *Love our outtakes? Be sure to watch to the end* ★ *COMMENT RULES:* - No outside URLs, RU-vid links or email addresses - Keep it civil. It’s okay to disagree, just don’t be a jerk about it.
FINALLY!!! my Yamaha Rx-6A review...! you are an absolute reviewer. The way you picturing and imaging the sound and quality. The depth of the understanding. I loved the review and loved the new look of Yamaha receiver!
One thing that he did not address that I think out of the box is an amazing selling point of this particular receiver. It's the room correction. It's not just normal room correction but it's multi point. due to the fact that uses up to I think six different points to find your overall sweet spot bubble.
@@sakadabara just 4K for now as that's all my TV puts out. I like that there's capability for expansion with firmware updates as a new TV is on the horizon...
I have this receiver. I had previous generations flagships Yamaha receivers, but because they were outdated with just 1080p pictures, I was forced to upgrade to the RX-V6A. The sound totally beats the previous generations. I also never used the extensive features of flagship receivers, so this one is perfect for me,.
I bought the denon s960h and returned it bought the yamaha and i have never looked back. The denon had too much bass. When i heard the Yamaha it was so much more detailed!! I love it!!!
3 года назад
I bought one as soon it came out, I am completely in love with it, great buy.
I picked up the TSR-700 and PS5 at their respective launches and connected it to a shamefully old Samsung 4K HDR TV using Zeskit ultra high speed HDMI cables. I agree with all your comments regarding sound quality. This AVR is indeed tough to beat in its class! I upgraded the firmware straight away. It’s pretty important that users of any modern device do not skip that step! I have not experienced any handshake issues with the PS5 that others have struggled with The PS4 was a bit finicky at first but was quickly resolved with some adjustments in the device settings. All my connected devices are displaying 4K HDR without issue. I never did see the HDR tag you mentioned though. Maybe I got lucky? LOVE the new look! I can see why many Yamaha fans may not like it but I enjoy the bold departure from their status quo. As always, your content and method is spot on! Looking forward to your next upload.
I am an Audiovisual installer and I've sold about 10 of these receivers. The ARC problem is the most annoying thing in the world. It will work fine for a few weeks straight, then all of a sudden I get a call from a customer telling me that they can't hear sound from Smart TV apps through their surround sound system. I've never had this issue with the previous Aventage models. We're really looking forward to yamaha solving this dilemma and/or releasing newer Aventage models ASAP!
@Alan Smithee Though I have never had any personal experience with this particular receiver or any NAD receivers at all, on paper this looks like a pretty capable unit. With a powerful 140 watts per channel and high resolution 9.2 capabilities it'll definitely get the job done. Another good thing about this receiver is the mobile app that allows you to stream music content directly to your theater room and Zone 2 area... I just happen to be more so of a yamaha guy. I would compare this receiver to Yamaha's RX-A3080. The yamaha is more powerful, $1,000 less and I can vouch for its sound quality. That NAD is pretty expensive. One problem is this receiver would be extremely hard to find at the moment. New models should be released shortly though.
Good to see AVRs concentrating on sound again. All AVR companies have to realise that in 2020 people that buy AVR are more concerned about audio quality rather then video, people that are more concerned about video are buying sound bars.
Excellent argument. I bet my 2001 Marantz SR 5300, and Harman Kardon AVR 500 would annihilate any receiver in the sound department of today with just old compressed Dolby Digital AC-3 or DTS through optical cable !
I purchased the RX-V6A about 2 weeks ago. I think your review was spot on, especially the part about using the MusicCast app for controlling the sound. I am not a gamer, so I have no concerns so far with the HDMI issue. I mainly stream my viewing content and play vinyl on my Yamaha MusicCast Vinyl 500. My main speakers are Ohm Walsh 2’s that I purchased in 1980. This receiver/speaker combination sounds amazing! Keep up the great work that you and Kristi do. You are my “go to” source for audio video.
Andrew, I had on order an A/V receiver that had great customer reviews. It would take about a month to arrive. When I found your reviews, I cancelled my original order and purchased the Yamaha RX-V6A because of your review of the Yamaha A/V receiver. I could not be happier. It is everything you said and more, the Phono inputs would not disappoint any vinyl audiophile, awesome clear, crisp, frequency range and separation. Playing my music workstation keyboard through the amp gives me awesome sounds using the preset Sound Field Effects. The comparison to more expensive A/V receivers I have owned is profoundly superior. Love watching movies now, as the audio is just so good. Thank you so much for doing such honest and in depth reviews. G
I never had the HDMI ARC sound problem you describe (intermittent sound from native 4K TV apps) until I upgraded from a 1080p TV to a 4K Samsung TV. So naturally, I figured that the problem was with the new TV. Fortunately I found the description of the problem 10:00 into your fabulous review. So a replacement TV was not needed - the problem was with my 2022 Yamaha RX-V6A. I think you understate the problem as annoying and a glitch. It has taken hours to troubleshoot and resolve this frustrating problem. Once I did, I locked the setting into a Yamaha scene button so that I never had to face it again. With that said, once you take the time to understand the sub-menus and customize the Yamaha to your liking, it sounds great. Both music and 4K material.
These are the settings that resolved the HDMI ARC sound problems (intermittent sound from native 4K TV apps) described at 10:00 into the review. With that said, the Yamaha is a finicky beast and occasionally does not pass through AV signals from ANY source. It “gets confused” and I have to reboot it (unplug it from the wall) to get it to remember. HDMI * HDMI Control ON. The settings in “Standby Sync” and “ARC” are applied. “Note: You need to perform the HDMI Control link setup after connecting HDMI Control-compatible devices.” I did this when I connected my new TV. * Standby Through AUTO. Selects whether to output video/audio, which is input through HDMI jacks, to the TV when the unit is in standby mode. AUTO: Automatically selects whether to output video/audio depending on the status of the connected device. ON consumes more power. * 4K Upscaling: ON. “Selects whether to use 4K upscaling of the HDMI video signal. If this function is set to “On”, 1080p content is displayed at 4K resolution.” I had this OFF before I got my new 4K TV. After new TV: ON slightly improves regular Cable programming. One reviewer (Ray) said that On made the signal blurry, but this was not true for me. * Standby Sych, Audio Output in Auto. * ARC On. * HDMI Video Format: MODE 1. There is a table in the Yamaha manual. Mode 1 is better. “Only use mode 2 if your display has issues handling the full UHD signal that is possible if using mode 1.” Sound * DSP Parameter: You can fine tune 8 parameters (room size, delays), but why? * Surround Decoder AUTO. Center Spread OFF. * All-Channel Stereo: You can fine tune it, but why? It sounds interesting but artificial. I sometimes play around with it and programmed it to one of the color buttons on the Remote. * Dialogue Level: “This is great for those with hearing loss.” Some reviewers (Ray) increased it to 3 (max). I tried this but found I had to reduce it to 2. (3 had too much Center in music and sports.) DTS Dialogue Control , Dialogue Lift (lifts apparent elevation of voices) cannot be changed and am not using. * Volume: Initial and Max Volume - did not touch. * Virtual Speaker: Turned OFF Virtual Surround Back Speaker (VSBS) - I already have rear speakers. Play with Dolby Speaker Virtual? It virtualizes Dolby ATMOS (Dolby “fakemos”). I left Off for now. * DTS Mode: Informs the BD (blu-ray disk) player about the DTS formats that the unit supports. Mode 1 is used normally. “Switch to Mode 2 if the BD player fails to properly output a DTS signal even when it is playing back DTS-HD or DTS:X content.” Mode 1 worked for me. Good luck!
The Airbus A320 is my all time favorite plane. This is also my hobby. I am also special needs. I love Yamaha Receivers as well. I own the Yamaha TSR-700 a rebranded model of the RX-V6A
I bought the Sony strdn1080 about a week before this came out. I had been waiting for it but finally gave up as it kept getting delayed. Honestly I'm glad. I've heard other people complain about the HDMI switching issue. That would drive me up the wall. The Sony is great. It didn't work well with some Klipsch speakers I bought however when I replaced them with KEFs it was amazing.
Can you explain how it doesn't work with Klipsch speakers. I have the Sony STR DH590 and I'm disappointed on the sound with my Klipsch bookshelf 5 1/2, and Klipsch 12'' subs speakers. It doesn't sound as good as my Pioneer VSX-830. The Sony STR DH590 sounds full, but as if it's missing the full spectrum of high frequencies and sort definition even after setting the treble to the max setting of 10. I want to return the Sony STR DH590.
Just bought the Yamaha RX-V6A. I love it! The clarity, and deep bass is prominent in every speaker. I also bought the Yamaha speaker along with the Subwoofer and center surround speakers. They perform fantastically well. Yamaha has always been known for music and sound. I love the rounded edges and glass look design. Looks very modern, futuristic and suits any room it sits in. THANK YOU Andrew for this review! It helps a lot and your advise is spot on!
Just bought the yamaha and love it. Haven't ran into the arc issue and I have pretty much the same settup. I ended up buying some rp280fa's because I wanted to get the most from it. Your review helped me feel comfortable with my purchase.
So my old receiver died about a week ago which led me down a path of looking for a new receiver and I was initially drawn to the Denon actually and I had purchased it (and had it shipped to the house). The next day I was looking around further, started finding some reviews making me second guess my purchase, and found your review on the Denon and then I saw your review on the Yamaha. Needless to say, I went and found a V6A in stock nearby, bought it, and now I have a Denon 960a in the box ready to be returned and I am very happy with the Yamaha so far. Sounds great and has the function I am looking for and then some. Also, the sound is a vast improvement on my previous receiver. And about the look....I love it. Now that I have it in my house, it has really become the visual focal point of my home theater system.
The sound quality on the V6A is amazing. I run Amazon Music HD & Ultra HD through a Fire Cube directly into the receiver. Input is PCM 2 channel converting into Neo 6 Music @ 24 bit /192 khz. Or, I could set the audio from the Fire Cube @ Dolby Digital Plus and run 24 bit/ 48 khz. There is a Yamaha firmware update available from 1.23 to 1.31 version since March. Not sure what it covers, however when I now use the SCI-FI mode on DPS, it reads input as DD+/DDEX. I don't have any problems with the eArc or ARC. Most times I forget to set it to ON with my Vizio TV. No difference in sound quality. Overall, I really enjoy the RX- V6A. Footnote: Any problems you come across and can't seem to fix, hit SETUP > FUNCTION>INITIALIZATION, and start over.
It is really nice to find reviews of products that most people can afford and enjoy without having to sell a kidney, on top of that your honest reviews about this "modest" gear are creating "content" for other reviewers if you know where I am coming from 😉 , so be it. Congratulations and happy Christmas.
I appreciate it and thank you very much for watching. My goal is to focus on products and conversations that I hope are useful to a wide range of people not just hardcore enthusiasts. Nothing against focusing on a genre, but as a person I find I don't stay to just one "thing", so I don't want this channel to become that either. Also, I think affordable gear is more exciting, for expensive gear BETTER sound amazing whereas cheap stuff leaves room for genuine amazement, which is just more fun...at least to me. Be well!
Just got one at a pawn shop warehouse sale, along with a Samsung Galaxy watch and a cymbal hard case for $20 (total)! The Yamaha had a note on it stating "powers off after 45 minutes." After cracking it open, I found one slightly loose power connector on the main board. Updating the firmware now. Wish me luck!
I just found one for $40 at a local thrift store, with the remote, Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it. (Was just being put out by an employee!) When I got it home the screen kept turning off after a few seconds, Was probably in some sort of weird mode, factory resetted it, everything works great now! This thing is over $800 MSRP now. Insane.
Dude, I'm going to make a point of buying this from your referral link as soon as it's available. You made me want to forgoe my waiting for the HDMI 2.1 problems to be fixed. Because I'd probably still get this.
I bought this receiver at the same time as the two new consoles were coming out. I like Yamaha and I loved the new look. Finally! I unfortunately had to bring it back to the store after 10 days. Wayyyyyyyy too many handshake problems with Apple tv 4k, the PS5 and the Xbox series X. I would lose audio for up to 2 minutes when switching inputs. The resolution would be wrong when I switched on the XBSX. The PS5 signal would just not be detected. Etc etc. I tried a variety of hdmi cables (all rated 48g). It was just unusable. Exchanged it for a Marantz sr5015. While it hasn't been 100% perfect, 95% of the problems are gone. So just be wary if you're buying this for the new consoles, maybe look for something else. And I wasn't even going for 120 fps or 8k. Just regular 4k at 60hz.
Finally a look that gets out of the 80's and 90's. But still black plastic. Brushed aluminum isn't that expensive, especially when scaled to production. That would really make this look incredible.
Go to Yamaha and let them know. The customer chat box was quick and easy to interact with. I mentioned the desire for the brushed aluminum look in this new line.
Just ordered one of these yesterday thanks to this review Andrew. So thank you buddy. You asked what we thought of the new look on the front of the AVR and I love it. Makes it look high end or premium as they say. Mine arrives direct from Yamaha in about a week or so and I am looking forward to it.
Brother, I really Love your style of reviewing! depth of content and the way you touch on the more ethereal aspects of good sound is what those with audiophile leanings want to hear..
Yamaha áudio e muito bom mesmo espetacular incrível mesmo garantia absoluta de altíssima qualidade preço justo excelente qualidade musical nada melhor do que falo
I got the Costco version (TSR 700) a week ago for $330, along with Sony Core bookshelves and center speaker, and an existing sub, to get started in home theater (3.1) for under $500 all in.
Have you had any issues with HDMI switching? I have had my eye on the same Costco model, but if there's a lot of issues, it will be a no go. Do you have the HDR bug that he mentions? The dropped audio?
@@911jason I haven't experienced any hdmi switching issues with my setup. My tv is 4 years old (LG OLED, no eArc), and I use a 2017 Nvidia Shield, no new consoles, so I don't have a bunch of cutting edge equipment. But everything I have works with no issues. HDR 10 through the Shield has also been flawless for me, although I know others have had issues with color banding with HDR content. I have not had the HDR label pop on screen as Andrew shows here
Good review. This receiver was at the top of my list, but honestly after monitoring all issues it has had I think it’s probably to be avoided. Considering the features it has and the low price it just screams cheap internals and cut corners. Anyone considering this should do their research and look at the avs owner thread on this product.
I hear you, I'm not happy paying money for 1,000 dollars item that has glitches and promises to add stuff to it later, I dont get it how companies are selling stuff that is not ready yet. They all do it? Earc is a massive screw up right now. I read somewhere that people should wait for next year tvs and receivers to give a chance to companies to catch up with the technology and do it right, out of the box.
Another issue with this receiver is the volume when you set the volume negative 15 or 20 db the sound is still very strong but if you set the volume to 20 or 15 db the sound rattles . At zero db it should not make any sound but even at negative 10 db the sound is still very strong . Why ?
Same with our expensive Yamaha RX-A1040 purchased in 2015. The ARC handshake at times is lost but more importantly, there are too often events that no sound comes with the video or the volume control of the TV will not engage the Yamaha. Also, the onscreen displays (volume, mute etc) do not display on the TV. Solution is to disconnect the TV HDMI as well as the source HDMI, plug in again and all works as expected. This happens mostly when turning the unit off. If its left on, performance is solid. One noted concern though, this model was purchased in 2015 and has only HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.0 which limits our 4k signals. 4k these days requires HDCP 2.2 and by not being fully aware of engineering, you would think that a firmware update would have been developed to keep these well made and rather expensive AV receivers current with the HDMI connections. This would equate to a support issue since the firmware updates for this model have stopped years ago. Regarding the new front panel look and design, I wouldn't say its an improvement. There is an issue with the volume knob and the display being off center to the right. That makes the display hidden when viewing the front of the unit from the left of center. The other fact is, the front doesn't look "balanced" with the display off center and those displays need to be larger so they can be read 10 feet away more easily.
I picked up this receiver from Costco as the "Yamaha TSR-700" for $400, a Klipsch R-12SW for $180, and the Klipsch Reference Dolby Atmos Surround System (2x R-625FA, 2x R-41M, R-52C) for $800 at Costco.
@@movie_av_impulse worth the money, clear and loud and with the sub it packs quite some bass for music and movies... with the sub in the right spot u will feel the bass
thanks for calling out the Arc issues. I'm circling the airport on buying an AVR til the HDMI landscape becomes clearer. I typically own my AVRs for 5 years. Strange how no one is even committing to a timeline for a fix to the HDMI 2.1 issues - its all a bit too vague to me - Denon/Marantz/Yamaha just say a fix is coming. And connecting my Xbox directly to a TV when I have an AVR is not a fix, it's a workaround.
I love my RX-V6A. My experience with it largely mirrors yours. I haven't noticed the HDR display bug you mentioned, but I don't game and also have the onscreen display turned off. I have the eARC issue as well. Seeing "Decoder Off" is maddening. I don't need to use the TVs apps as I have an Apple TV, but I paid for the thing and I'd like it to at least function properly. In terms of sound though, I'm extremely happy with this and I find the MusicCast app to be terrific. Too many times apps like this feel like afterthoughts, but the MusicCast app is well designed and easy to use. It integrates perfectly with Qobuz.
Can you expand on your experience with the eARC issues? I also have an AppleTV that will be providing 95% of the content, are there daily issues or just occasional annoyances?
@@911jason Using the Apple TV via the RX-V6A to my TV has been fine. Since it's being passed through the receiver to the TV, I don't have to worry about eARC bugs.
@@Crandish99 I appreciate the info. But these are mass produced. So there is a good chance that you just got unlucky and got a defective one off the line.
If you have one of these (RX-V6A) or the RX-V4A and it works, your lucky. Im an Aventage dealer and weve been through 4 of the 6As and 2 of the 4As all with issues and returns. Stay away. Wait a few versions. Also, Aventage give you 3 years warranty vs. 1 year with main line receivers. Thats a huge difference
@@josexTv Stay with Yamaha. It is a better product in many ways. Scrape together a few more bucks and grab an RX-A780. You wont regret it. And like I said, 3 years warranty as long as you by from a Dealer register it (not an ad) lol.
@@Highqman1974 But then you're shit out of luck for future 4k/120 or 8K/60 if you buy the norm. Especially if you're doing a new PS5 too. Might as well wait for kinks to get roughed out or when the competition catches up with the times. 2.1 issue is the chip from Panasonic thats messing up. The Xbox X wont work...period. I've read... It's still early. 3 months and change now. Hopefully they get Firmware update Panasonic 2.1 fix done soon. Rumor is by this spring.
Great review as always Andrew! Might be worth mentioning it's $330 for the Costco version of this receiver on their site and in warehouse (TSR-700). AVSForum thinks they're basically identical and $330 for this receiver is a ridiculous value. On my RX-V6A I also ran into Dolby Vision issues with my Shield. It wouldn't pass the Dolby Vision signal until I switched to another input and then back. Just a weird quirk. There's not enough Dolby Vision content out there yet for me to use it enough where it's a big deal.
Although I don't think it was mentioned I did notice (during the very brief shot of the back panel) that the V6A has a Phono-Out for those of us who still have a many LPs from years gone by. My current Yamaha doesn't have that so I had to purchase a small third-party external preamp. When I upgrade my receiver that will be an important function for me, and would point me in the direction of the V6A. Thanks Andrew, and Best of the Holidays to everyone involved with making these reviews, and to all those who subscribe.
Similar background. I think my preamp does a better job than the built-in preamp in the RX-V6A/TSR-700. However, I still opted to use the built-in preamp as it keeps it simple with one less component, one less set of RCA cables, and one less power plug.
Agree about the arc audio drop out and having to reset the hdmi input. Bug really needs to be fixed. One thing that has helped is to turn the TV on then turn the Yamaha on and wait for 5 seconds before changing hdmi input. This gives the Yamaha a chance to recognise the original audio input. If you change the hdmi input straight away Yamaha gets confused.
Hi, I bought the Yamaha TSR 700 from Costco - it’s the exact product as the V6A. And it’s amazing - just like you said in your video - but it has some glitches. I’m using it with my Optoma Cinemax P2 projector. My primary video sources are Roku ultra 4k for streaming and PS4 for blu rays. When I connect my output of the receiver to an ARC port of the projector, HDMI input switching is hell. The screen keeps flashing and sometimes it takes upto 5 minutes for a stable signal. But once I switched the output from my receiver to a non ARC port on my projector, the switching is better/quicker but still glitchy. I have turned off arc (HDMI CONTROL option) on the receiver. And it does seem to work better. Also, replaced my regular HDMI cables with 4k certified cables. That helped too. But the switching between HDMI inputs is still glitchy when compared very smooth switching between inputs in my old 1080p RX-567 - which is 14 years old and still works like a champ - only it can’t process 4k content and Dolby atmos (Disney +)
I breifly had a Denon something and the surround staging was night and day better than my RX V6a, but the sound of the Yamaha was so much better. So I stuck with the V6a, but I am still waiting 17 months after buying it for the board upgrade to give me the features I bought it for.
That ARC is a deal breaker...... I would not put up with interruptions like that as a simple "glitch", that's a major defect. If you enjoy a lightbulb going dark and just dealing with it by shutting it down and turning it on again.....have at it. Or, what about your car in the highway? It's a defect. I don't care how cheap it is, it's just cheap. This a good review for pointing out that flaw.
One big thing I've discovered recently that holds me back from buying a new Yamaha, is if you use the receiver as the video switching device, not using ARC -there isn't a direct to source button on the remote. It forces you to select "next" and "previous" inputs and therefore setting up something like a Logitech Harmony controller ends up being a finicky nightmare.
Andrew firmware 1.26 just came out. It fixed the issue you mentioned in the video, ARC sound muted from time to time. I found that annoying too! But now it's gone
how is it going with the new firmware? Is it the bug Andrew talked about solved? also which tv do you have? I'm thinking of pairing this receiver with a qled
@@alexaras10 LG C7 2017 OLED model. The Arc issue has been resolved. Nvidia shield Dolby vision still can’t pass through. But for the price I don’t mind, the only dv application on nvidia is Netflix, I watch it directly from TV with ARC
Just found your channel. I think youre one of the best reviewers out there. clear and relevant. and the name of my favourite star trek actor to boot. will get this avr. Thanks!
For the record, this unit is NOT the costco version which may or not be different. Links are in the description if you want to check out the one in our review.
I have this one, but it's the Costco version, (the TSR-700), I use it for my outdoor speakers and so far it's held up great and plenty powerful for my 6, Polk Audio Atrium 6s
Yamaha along with many other manufactures in the home electronics category have started a really shady trend of selling non functioning features "pending firmware update"...these updates rarely actually happen despite people paying full price for the device....TVs, home theater receivers etc....and they make no apologies about screwing their customers....then they later release a newer model of that device with aforementioned feature working...they should offer a trade in option if they don't release a firmware update in a reasonable amount of time, and the newer model has that feature....if you're paying full price for something...all advertised features and functions should work out of the box...no BS excuses or "pending firmware updates".
Andrew, your reviews seem to be the main influence behind my recent purchases. That being the 55" LG Nano90 and the Yamaha RX-V6. I love the reviews man. You always put out a plethora of information for someone who's somewhat technical like myself, to examine and make a conscious and educated decision. After all its not everyday we get to spend thousands of dollars on quality equipment. Thanks again for your honesty and your service to the RU-vid community. God bless you.
Owner of that receiver, over a month by now. I love the musiccast app, its so easy to use. I like the looks of that receiver but since Im a gamer, I would like to use all of my next gen consoles capabilities such as VRR or 4k/120, but I cant for now. Maybe soon?
I purchased this receiver a few weeks ago. Since then i have spent at least an hour every day trying to correct problems. I finally concluded that there is something wrong with this receiver. Now i spend an hour every day trying to get in touch with Yamaha support. That seems to be an impossibility. Their email sign on does not work and phone contact is tedious.
I just replaced an RX v679, my 4th hdmi failure receiver, with the v4a variant. Theoretically a step down, the v4 has fewer inputs, less power. Sound quality is improved over the older models. My sources are an Aventage bd1060, AppleTV, ZuneHD dock, TV a Sony xbr930 Speakers Pioneer c22 a pair of large Advents, and a Yamaha sub. No rear speakers. Overall, my 6th AV receiver. A technics, pre hdmi, 2 Harman Kardon, now 3rd Yamaha. The son of a hifi nut, been buying and listening to hifi since 1972. I enjoy your videos, thanks for the work.
Excellent video! Really looking forward to this one. Still rocking a Yamaha RX-V671 but before I make the jump to a 4K display wanting them to fix the HDMI 2.1 issue.
I'm glad you were able to get one for review. I ended up purchasing the Costci-exclusive TSR-700 variant of this and I love mine w/the Jamo set-up. I do have to say, I cancelled my Tidal subscription specifically because Musiccast doesn't really support any of the advanced audio features Tidal offers, as do a lot of the other means through which I could use the app. I really wanted to test the Atmos and 360 audio features but they weren't supported on Musiccast, which is bizarre considering it works on Atmos-ready A/V receivers like this.
Yeah, TIDAL's Atmos implementation has gone from being rock-solid to buggy on a lot of devices. It's now hit or miss whether or not it will work though any number of devices we have in house. I don't really like the sound of Atmos music, so it doesn't bother me if it doesn't work, but I understand if others are troubled by it. As for MQA support and whatnot, I also understand if companies don't want to pay for that license as it's more than just money they have to fork over to get that certification. This is why a lot of products actually can or do unpack the MQA info, but just can't display the badge or have the logo appear on screen. Something I learned from a manufacturer a little while back.
The latest firmware update has: 4k mode1: 4k120, 4k60 hdr, 4k mode2: 4k60, 8k mode: 8k60/4k120 hdr. The issue is that i don't have the means to test 8k
I opened my V6A yesterday. There was an update. I have 4K 60 FPS playing games and movies via my Xbox series X. Fingers crossed for a functioning 4K 120 FPS update.
Worked for me at first too at 4K/60, but then I updated the firmware to 1.26 and now I get a black screen on both Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. I'm returning this piece of junk.
@@SIFTDGames How do you know which version update you have? I believe I have the latest update. I have an HDMI 2.1 38mbps cable, Samsung 90t, and it works fine. I’ve been playing Warzone for several hrs the past two weeks, 3 movies, and a few other games.
@@felixr6307 When you go to update the firmware on the unit it will tell you which version is installed. I also noticed that if you set the receiver back to factory defaults it does not go back to the prior firmware. I reset the receiver and 1.26 is still installed. You have not been playing at 4K/120. You're playing at 4K/60.
@@SIFTDGames Ok. I updated to the 1.26 now. It’s working fine at 4K 60fps (Samsung input spec reads it as “3840x2160 60p”). Sorry you had to put up with a black screen. I hope they can pull off 120 fps. I might return and repurchase until the firmware drops. I heard the other receivers only ‘kinda’ work for PS5.
@@felixr6307 DON'T TOUCH ANY SETTINGS ON THE RECEIVER. LEAVE IT ALONE. When I started manually adjusting things that's when I got the black screens. New issue is that the receiver won't pass audio through ARC. Thing is a piece of junk. I'm returning it and will wait until known issues are fixed.
Are the current generation of Yamaha receivers a lot better than the 90's vintage ? I have RX-V2400 that has served me well for over 15 years. It's main drawback is no HDMI but connecting via component inputs has been fine until now,
I purchased the RX-V6A almost two months ago. I can attest to the accuracy of your review comments. It excels in music reproduction, and in multichannel Dolby Atmos. It's shortcoming is the 'bug' on switching sources. In my case in switching from the Roku input to the 4k Bluray player, it drops the video signal, but not the audio. I have to turn off the TV, the source and the receiver and restart, then full sink is achieved. A minor niggle in my opinion in comparison to the poor musicality of other receivers in its class. I love the new looks, and its prowess for streaming multiple music apps. Lastly, the HDMI 2.1 future update will work with upcoming compressed 4k@120 and 8k signals that will be surely used by streaming apps (read RU-vid, Netflix). I'm not a gamer, as such the current HDMI 2.1 issue (does not pass full uncompressed 4k@120) does not apply to non gamers. Thanks AR, excellent work as usual.
Actually its the opposite, the Panasonic branded hdmi 2.1 chip in these 2020 receivers can decoded uncompressed 4k/120 (which PS5 and RTX30 series uses) but is having problems with compressed 4k/120 (which Xbox Series X|S uses via a compression called DSC). Denon and Marantz use the exact same chip and already have the PS5/RTX30 series working at 4k/120 and seem optimistic about getting Xbox working in the future. Unclear how any of these issues impact 8k...the focus has been 4k/120 because of gaming.
Hmm... Initially it looks like a 2010 Harmon Kardon Receiver wearing high heels. I prefer the button and knob Yamaha look myself. A proud owner of several.
I'm so glad you did a review on this Yamaha. I was going to go with the Denon AVR-S960H, but was reconsidering after seeing your review of it. I was left thinking, "well, what now? I wonder how the Yamaha RX-V6A is?" I'm pretty much sold on the Yamaha now. I just hope that "HDR" icon bug doesn't bother me. Maybe they'll get a fix for it. This will be a great replacement for my 10+ year old Onkyo that's on it's last leg.
I don't game, but I've watched plenty of HDR content on disc and streaming and have never once seen this bug. I also have the onscreen display disabled, so perhaps that's why.
Hi Andrew, I love your reviews, your style and detail - keep it up! Eventually I narrowed it down to Yamaha V6a or Sony 1080. Bought the Yamaha for that slight better quality in sound... (€660) The HDMI switching happened so often over these 2 months that it became a nuisance! In my case I have to physically unplug the HDMI cable from the TV itself and switching the Yamaha OFF and ON again and reinsert the HDMI in the TV. Setting the TV to internal speakers isn't enough. Why is this issue common on most receivers?! Having said all this, I would have preferred the Sony since it's a very close runner up in sound quality and no HDMI switching problem!! Perhaps my comment will help future audiophiles to have a less irritating life. Ben (Malta)
I'm planning to buy this receiver. So if I have only one source of hdmi that is from TV and the source stays always the same will I still get the same issue?
This is an attractive unit - it looks clean, modern, and minimalist. Those side air vents are a nice design touch. I welcome this new look as I find traditional receivers from Sony, Yamaha, Denon, etc quite ugly to be frank.
My 10 year-old Denon AVR died a few weeks ago. I never like the sound anyway (used to have a NAD stereo receiver). I borrowed a Yamaha RX-A720 Aventage from a relative. Wow! I love the sound, dramatic improvement over the Denon. How would the RX-V6A compare with the "older" A720 for audio quality? Also how would it compare to a Marantz NR series (say, 1711 or 1710) which I'm also looking at. My listening is about 75% music (stereo) and 25% movies.
I use an older entry level Yamaha AV receiver for my kid's living room setup and it's been able to take the slew of abuse my then toddler and now elementary School kids have and are still throwing at it. You can hear the filter-down tech and sound quality from their flagship components on their base level devices. The new range looks really refreshing and I am actually looking forward to their new design language for their AV components and replacing the one my kids are using once they find a way to break it!
Crazy timing for you to upload this video. I was searching your channel for best budget receivers yesterday and i was torn, this is a clear win for me thanks so much.
I bought an AVR-X1600H in January 2020 (open box @ Best Buy for $420, not $600) and I'm loving it! The HEOS app has opened a world of online streaming services that is on par with CD quality using Spotify. The audio is pure and has some reserves (175 w/ch max), it's a 7.2 with zone 2 output. The only negative is the USB processing. Playing music files (mp3, FLAC, or wav) is "hit or miss" playing flawlessly.
the tiny screens a bit annoying but since you can use your ipad /iphone as interface now its no big deal , i like the a6a it looks like the sweet spot in the current yammy line up
I bought this receiver 3 weeks ago, first i did try the budget onkyo 5.2 but one of surround clip connectors broke, so I returned it , in 3 weeks I almost try all the functions , yes it did cost more but happy so far .I am using a 3.2.2 profile all Rb42 Miccas and 2 Onkyo speaker as presence and 2 yamaha subs ,more than enought for a 30m2 room, also happy to be able to listen DSD SACD directly from the hdmi output of my sony player 800mk2, great upgrade from my 10 years old 5.1 marantz 1403 that now I use as stereo receiver only, Cheers!!!
@@SIFTDGames they've been completely upfront about it not supporting HDMI 2.1 yet. it's not a bug if they never said its supposed to work, they've said fall 2021 for Xbox support. (spring for ps5, rtx)
Great video! Another video suggestion would be one that covers how you critically listen to speakers and amps. Would help viewers like me understand the lingo better. What does a forward midrange actually sound like?
First let me start off saying I happened across your channel few days ago and have watched several of your videos and reviews. Your presentation and editing skills are great when putting these together! IMO what viewers need is someone to do like a a computer build video! Build a HT system step by step including why you chose what you did. Second install it all. And third show step by step setting all the settings and what they do. Another is what most of your viewers want! A Champaign sound on a wine budget so to speak. Most viewers have a budget. Maybe a 2000.00 build a 3000.00 build and so on. These are just thoughts of a consumer that loves great sound both in movies and music. I guarantee this will up your sub count. ink about it! what does want? A 10000.00 sound on a 3000.00 dollar budget! And to get the most bang for their buck and then how to set it up. A little about me. I started my first system of HT back in the 80's after hearing my first one. I am now on my third system and my replaced units go into my mechanic shop and I work to 7.1 music.
These are the settings that resolved the HDMI ARC sound problems (intermittent sound from native 4K TV apps) described at 10:00 into the review. With that said, the Yamaha is a finicky beast and occasionally does not pass through AV signals from ANY source. It “gets confused” and I have to reboot it (unplug it from the wall) to get it to remember. HDMI * HDMI Control ON. The settings in “Standby Sync” and “ARC” are applied. “Note: You need to perform the HDMI Control link setup after connecting HDMI Control-compatible devices.” I did this when I connected my new TV. * Standby Through AUTO. Selects whether to output video/audio, which is input through HDMI jacks, to the TV when the unit is in standby mode. AUTO: Automatically selects whether to output video/audio depending on the status of the connected device. ON consumes more power. * 4K Upscaling: ON. “Selects whether to use 4K upscaling of the HDMI video signal. If this function is set to “On”, 1080p content is displayed at 4K resolution.” I had this OFF before I got my new 4K TV. After new TV: ON slightly improves regular Cable programming. One reviewer (Ray) said that On made the signal blurry, but this was not true for me. * Standby Sych, Audio Output in Auto. * ARC On. * HDMI Video Format: MODE 1. There is a table in the Yamaha manual. Mode 1 is better. “Only use mode 2 if your display has issues handling the full UHD signal that is possible if using mode 1.” Sound * DSP Parameter: You can fine tune 8 parameters (room size, delays), but why? * Surround Decoder AUTO. Center Spread OFF. * All-Channel Stereo: You can fine tune it, but why? It sounds interesting but artificial. I sometimes play around with it and programmed it to one of the color buttons on the Remote. * Dialogue Level: “This is great for those with hearing loss.” Some reviewers (Ray) increased it to 3 (max). I tried this but found I had to reduce it to 2. (3 had too much Center in music and sports.) DTS Dialogue Control , Dialogue Lift (lifts apparent elevation of voices) cannot be changed and am not using. * Volume: Initial and Max Volume - did not touch. * Virtual Speaker: Turned OFF Virtual Surround Back Speaker (VSBS) - I already have rear speakers. Play with Dolby Speaker Virtual? It virtualizes Dolby ATMOS (Dolby “fakemos”). I left Off for now. * DTS Mode: Informs the BD (blu-ray disk) player about the DTS formats that the unit supports. Mode 1 is used normally. “Switch to Mode 2 if the BD player fails to properly output a DTS signal even when it is playing back DTS-HD or DTS:X content.” Mode 1 worked for me. Good luck!
First off: Thank you for bringing the firmware update to my attention - I had not noticed the small blue envelope on the front of the receiver. Even after updating, the Yamaha continues to be a finicky beast. Every few months it won’t pass through any AV signals. I have to shut everything down and electronically stop/start the various devices to get the overall system to work. But the Yamaha usually does its job coordinating signals from various sources and sounds great when it does.
I got the Costco Yamaha tsr-700 which is supposed to be something like this receiver. Even though nearly everyone is having color banding issues and various other problems and every review I have found people claim to be returning this receiver back to the store.. I am hoping Yamaha provides the update to fix these video problems soon. PLEASE YAMAHA!!!!!! RELEASE THIS UPDATE FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!
The hdmi 2.1 not working makes this pointless for me while I wait for the update. Yes I need 4k/120hz. In have to get up and change ports anything I wanna play at 120 hz 😒
So glad you did a review the v6a. There’s not much out there on them yet. Now I can’t wait to get mine I already have one pre-ordered for the end of the month To pair with my TCL r635. Just hope they can fix any HDR issues as that’s all I’ve been watching so far with this new TV.
@@Audiovont I have not sadly. Decided to wait for this problem to be solved before I invest and probably get a cheap soundbar as a stop gap until then because as nice as my 55CX is I'm still using built in speakers lol.
Thank you Andrew for this Great video, I am happy owner of TSR-700 unit ( V6A twin brother) when I bought it I looked for two key factors, PS5 2.1 HDMI 4K/120, 8K/60 compatibility and second Hi-Res/Audio where I read Yamaha was using a Texas Instruments DACs includes the 384 kHz / 32-bit BB PCM5102A, a state-of-the-art DAC designed for Hi Res/DSD more expensive AV systems. Finally, I can shared my own experience with a former RX-V571 that was retired after 12 years in service without a flaw on any department and I was amazed this system came with a DAC Burr Brown 24-bit/192kHz on early 2010´s that uses the same bit same rate that you can find on a recent Marantz NR1711. In conclusion, I consider Yamaha´s background on music industry back up the high fidelity sound on Yamahas AV compared to competitors. By the way, I have paired my Yamaha TSR-700 with 7.1 KEF speakers system and music really comes back to life.
Andrew, it's because of you I decided to pull the trigger on purchasing a V6A. I'd been running a 2009 lower-mid-grade Denon (AVR-1610), which I've been quite pleased with since 2009. I purchased an open-box V6A, which was stuck in failed firmware update status. I quickly fixed that, but it's been a long road, working with Yamaha's settings, in comparison with Denon. What I've learned: First: Running multi-point YPAO is essential beyond belief, when compared to a quick "Single" point calibration. Second: This unit is definitely less punchy than my old Denon. But although it's taken me much longer than the 2 minutes of listening you described, I have been falling in love with the sound. If you read this, would you mind answering 2 questions? 1. Did you adjust any speaker levels (subwoofer in particular) to get the sound you prefer? 2. Do you run your own equalizer settings, or YPAO "flat" or other? Thanks!
I have the Yamaha TSR-700 which is similar to this receiver. Unfortunately even with the HDMI 2.1 board upgrade the TSR-700 only supports 24gbps bandwidth. For 4k 120hz 10bit HDR I need at least 40gbps. Is there a receiver in a similar range and quality of the TSR-700 that has at least a 2.1HMDI port with 40gbps or better?
I now exactly that eARC problem from my RX-A860, solution is the same: switch my LG OLED TV to internal speaker and back to eARC. Sad to hear, that they did not manage to fix this over the years. Hoped, I can fix this with an upgrade to a newer model.
