Need help on buying new AV Receiver

[Strayan_Hades]

Hi,

I'm looking at upgrading from my Yamaha RX-V565 to a newer av receiver. To support formats such as Dolby atmos and Hdmi arc for my current 5.1 channel setup.

 

Just would like some expert advice on newer av receivers and current standards.

 

Cheers.

[johnt]

27 minutes ago, Strayan_Hades said:

Hi,

I'm looking at upgrading my Yamaha RX-V565 av receiver. To support newer formats such as Dolby atmos and Hdmi arc for my current 5.1 channel setup.

 

Just would like some expert advice on newer av receivers and current standards.

 

Cheers.

I don’t think that receiver supports updates. I can’t find anything about updating in the manual. I also have one and I don’t see a way to upgrade the firmware. I also think it’s too old to support atmos or other Spatial Audio codecs. It should have arc though.

[aggie113]

Assuming speaker setup like a 5.1/7.1 surround then I would look at current or last gen model versions that have the features you want.  Anything from the last 2-3 years should support any format you'll run across.  You may not know your speaker specs right now but it could help to learn them.  Things like the resistance (2-8ohms?) and how much power (watts) they can use are important to get the most out of them and keep your receiver from being stressed.   Everything out there will do 4k HDMI now, do you care what standard it is?  120Hz 4k is nice to have if you game on a console that supports it and run through the receiver.  Yamaha is a good brand if you wanted to stick with that.  Other bang for the buck brands like Onkyo and Denon are good as well.  Check out the current lineup and if prices don't match your budget be sure to google around for that brand's refurbished store as most will offer deals on slightly used or refurbished units and still provide some warranty on them. 
I wouldn't call any of this expert advice, just enthusiast level.

[Omon_Ra]

On 2/16/2024 at 9:27 PM, Strayan_Hades said:

Hi,

I'm looking at upgrading from my Yamaha RX-V565 to a newer av receiver. To support formats such as Dolby atmos and Hdmi arc for my current 5.1 channel setup.

 

Just would like some expert advice on newer av receivers and current standards.

 

Cheers.

The big question is what are you connecting to the receiver and what is your budget? What kind of TV/display (new 4K with HDR? or an older 4K without HDR/1080p display), what is your current speaker setup, what devices (Xbox, Playstation, PC, etc) are you using as well? This gets into a chicken-and-egg situation where if you really want the benefit of all the new features receivers have, you could end up needing a new display, additional speakers, and potentially new HDMI cables too (kind of depends on length of runs and other factors).

 

The lack of ARC on that receiver I can definitely see being annoying, so upgrading to a slightly newer receiver just for that would be nice. If you have a Samsung TV, I do know Samsungs and Yamaha ARC/HDMI-CEC can be a little wacky..the TV will power off the receiver, but turning on the TV won't always turn on the receiver. It depends on what 'input' the TV turns on to, the Samsung TV Plus or whatever they call it, or an HDMI input on the TV.

 

I personally would stick with Yamaha, any of the models with MusicCast (doesn't need to be the newerest RX-V# series or whatever) will have ARC (or eARC..if Atmos is definitely in your future, eARC is a sure way to make sure it will work between TV/receiver), and MusicCast is IMO the best remote control app for any home audio system. But if you're on a tighter budget, skip the MusicCast and just grab one of these: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_022RXV385/Yamaha-RX-V385.html?tp=179 . Check ebay and other retailers for a variety of options if you do want to expand to Atmos/7.1 channels. If you want Atmos, the receiver will need to be at LEAST 7 channels (Atmos is at minimum 5.1 + 2 'height' speakers, making 7 discrete channels). You will end up needing to get two more speakers and wiring as well.

 

Let me know if you have other questions or want some specific models/links... I worked as an AV tech for 5+ years so this was a pretty frequent request from clients, but a lot of it depends on your existing setup, budget, and what makes sense to upgrade first.

 

 

[Strayan_Hades]

On 2/19/2024 at 8:51 AM, Omon_Ra said:

The big question is what are you connecting to the receiver and what is your budget? What kind of TV/display (new 4K with HDR? or an older 4K without HDR/1080p display), what is your current speaker setup, what devices (Xbox, Playstation, PC, etc) are you using as well? This gets into a chicken-and-egg situation where if you really want the benefit of all the new features receivers have, you could end up needing a new display, additional speakers, and potentially new HDMI cables too (kind of depends on length of runs and other factors).

 

The lack of ARC on that receiver I can definitely see being annoying, so upgrading to a slightly newer receiver just for that would be nice. If you have a Samsung TV, I do know Samsungs and Yamaha ARC/HDMI-CEC can be a little wacky..the TV will power off the receiver, but turning on the TV won't always turn on the receiver. It depends on what 'input' the TV turns on to, the Samsung TV Plus or whatever they call it, or an HDMI input on the TV.

 

I personally would stick with Yamaha, any of the models with MusicCast (doesn't need to be the newerest RX-V# series or whatever) will have ARC (or eARC..if Atmos is definitely in your future, eARC is a sure way to make sure it will work between TV/receiver), and MusicCast is IMO the best remote control app for any home audio system. But if you're on a tighter budget, skip the MusicCast and just grab one of these: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_022RXV385/Yamaha-RX-V385.html?tp=179 . Check ebay and other retailers for a variety of options if you do want to expand to Atmos/7.1 channels. If you want Atmos, the receiver will need to be at LEAST 7 channels (Atmos is at minimum 5.1 + 2 'height' speakers, making 7 discrete channels). You will end up needing to get two more speakers and wiring as well.

 

Let me know if you have other questions or want some specific models/links... I worked as an AV tech for 5+ years so this was a pretty frequent request from clients, but a lot of it depends on your existing setup, budget, and what makes sense to upgrade first.

 

 

Thank you for reply. So my current setup is 4 in-ceiling speakers, center speaker in-wall and a subwoofer (I'll update model names/details soon). I've been outputing the audio from my Sony Bravia 55inch VH1 to my av receiver with a digital audio cable. An using my Logitech harmony hub and control all my devices. Unfortunately my elite remote is no longer working (Faulty buttons). 

[Omon_Ra]

On 2/24/2024 at 10:14 PM, Strayan_Hades said:

Thank you for reply. So my current setup is 4 in-ceiling speakers, center speaker in-wall and a subwoofer (I'll update model names/details soon). I've been outputing the audio from my Sony Bravia 55inch VH1 to my av receiver with a digital audio cable. An using my Logitech harmony hub and control all my devices. Unfortunately my elite remote is no longer working (Faulty buttons). 

Having the in-ceiling speakers makes the Atmos upgrade considerably easier/logical. If you have floorspace or console space beside your TV, you just need some tower/bookshelf speakers to become your front left/right (which IMO is better than in-ceiling anyways, as the sound is pointed straight at you), and your front left/right in-ceilings become proper Atmos height speakers. And then there's also the added bonus of how easy it is to wire for the new fronts as well.

 

Currently the Yamaha A2A is on sale for $800, versus the regular $1000, and compared to the V6A at $750, IMO it's worth the extra $50. Aventage series has better electronic components and some added features above the V-series and what I think is a better industrial design...but that part is purely cosmetic and up to personal preference. Having said that, all of their new receiver ID is a nice update compared to their older RX AV receivers. Speaker models/brands are kind of irrelevant so don't stress too much about that. As long as they aren't considerably old (10+ years..but even then, many are fine at that age) that the surrounds could be rotting. 99% of in-ceilings will be 8 ohm and be able to handle the 100W of power from the receiver. If they are 6 ohm for whatever reason, you can change that setting in the receiver. Only other thing you'd need is a quality HDMI cable to run from receiver to TV, and you'll be able to use your TV remote for powering everything on/off and volume control. Unless there are other components obviously.

[Strayan_Hades]

On 2/26/2024 at 2:36 PM, Omon_Ra said:

Having the in-ceiling speakers makes the Atmos upgrade considerably easier/logical. If you have floorspace or console space beside your TV, you just need some tower/bookshelf speakers to become your front left/right (which IMO is better than in-ceiling anyways, as the sound is pointed straight at you), and your front left/right in-ceilings become proper Atmos height speakers. And then there's also the added bonus of how easy it is to wire for the new fronts as well.

 

Currently the Yamaha A2A is on sale for $800, versus the regular $1000, and compared to the V6A at $750, IMO it's worth the extra $50. Aventage series has better electronic components and some added features above the V-series and what I think is a better industrial design...but that part is purely cosmetic and up to personal preference. Having said that, all of their new receiver ID is a nice update compared to their older RX AV receivers. Speaker models/brands are kind of irrelevant so don't stress too much about that. As long as they aren't considerably old (10+ years..but even then, many are fine at that age) that the surrounds could be rotting. 99% of in-ceilings will be 8 ohm and be able to handle the 100W of power from the receiver. If they are 6 ohm for whatever reason, you can change that setting in the receiver. Only other thing you'd need is a quality HDMI cable to run from receiver to TV, and you'll be able to use your TV remote for powering everything on/off and volume control. Unless there are other components obviously.

Awesome. Also just confirming about Hdmi arc function does this mean I just have one Hdmi 2.1 connected to my TV and put all my inputs through the av receiver?  Similar to my current setup with digital audio cable.

[Omon_Ra]

36 minutes ago, Strayan_Hades said:

Awesome. Also just confirming about Hdmi arc function does this mean I just have one Hdmi 2.1 connected to my TV and put all my inputs through the av receiver?  Similar to my current setup with digital audio cable.

Yes and no, depends what your inputs are. I generally prefer to have gaming consoles/PC's connected straight to TV to reduce any potential input lag. The audio will be 'backfed' through ARC to the receiver so you'll still get the full 5.1/7.1/Atmos audio (if the content has it). Though I think that's kind of irrelevant with the state of receivers these days; especially so with ones that can support HFR (60+FPS) 4K, HDR, etc. You can turn off any image processing in the receiver if it makes wiring easier so it shouldn't really be a problem.

[vetali]

On 3/4/2024 at 6:28 PM, Strayan_Hades said:

Awesome. Also just confirming about Hdmi arc function does this mean I just have one Hdmi 2.1 connected to my TV and put all my inputs through the av receiver?  Similar to my current setup with digital audio cable.

ARC won't matter for that desired setup, ARC is if you have your inputs to your TV then you use your ARC input on your TV to feed sound back to your AVR. Do note that ARC only supports 5.1 compressed. Anything beyond will demand an e-ARC setup. HDMI 2.1 supports e-ARC.

 

If you are gaming the Yamaha RX-AxA line supports VRR and ALLM through firmware update. You have to set the inputs to 8k mode through the HDMI options though. Then it'll trigger the game mode on supported TVs.