★★★★★ 5
Can't ask for more from a 7.1 or 5.1.2 receiver
Style: Receiver, Style: Receiver
My previous Yamaha receiver was 10 ys old, and was an entry level 5.1 model (RX-V373). I accidentally fried it by putting my phone's USB connector in. I have been wanting to upgrade for a while the last few yrs but waited it out until receivers have 8k pass through (so whenever 8k becomes more of a thing I can keep this new one a bit longer). The 3773 had 4k pass through when I got it 10 yrs ago, well before 4k became as available as it is now for example, which was one reason I held out on replacing as long as I did. This time around I decided to step up into the premium Aventage line of Yamaha. It was between this & the A4A, not a huge price difference, but I would have needed to replace my entertainment center since the A4A is too deep to fit. Didn't seem worth it & now I'm really happy with my choice. My living room set up (in a condo) has 2 surrounds, to add 2 more would require building mounts on the wall (couch is against the wall with 2 surrounds on side tables) which I don't want. This has 7 channels to allow for 2 Atmos front firing speakers which I got & love how immersive it sounds. Bi-amping the front towers is an option, but that uses 2 extra channels so the Atmos front speakers can't be connected at the same time as bi-amping. I experimented with biamping & biwiring & couldn't hear any difference so I have the fronts biwired, allowing for the 2 Atmos front connections. New features/improvements from my old receiver include more power/watts, lower THD & better sound, streaming music directly from the receiver with Music Cast, and it processes Atmos & DTS audio. One key feature all the Aventage models have that the RX ones don't is the 5th foot in the middle, which was designed & tested to improve the sound with more stabilization. Aventage also has a 3 yr warranty (vs 2 for RX). The top of the line RX model looks identical in specs which I also considered but it just sounds like this 1st Aventage model is slightly better with it its parts & sound quality, and not that much more. Especially since I got the A2A on sale for 999.95 (vs the 1200 price). I actually bought this for 1150 which was a teeny mark down, and then saw Amazon put it on sale for 999.95 shortly after (about 2 weeks). Amazon customer service was great when I called about that, and they credited the difference. Back to the receiver...2 subwoofers can be connected, and an amplifier for the 2 front speakers can be connected as well through pre outs. Probably more improvements but those are the main ones. Along with this receiver upgrade, I also upgraded my subwoofer & added a Nvidia Shield Pro streamer (due to it handling Atmos & 4k upscaling of lower hd content, which my Roku Ultra cannot do). My system now includes Polk TSI 400 front towers Polk CS20 center, Polk T15 surrounds (all of these Polk speakers are from 10 yrs ago as well & still work great for me, they sound better too with this receiver). I added Klipsch R-41SA Atmos front firing speakers, and upgraded from a Polk PSW505 subwoofer to an SVS SB3000 (night & day difference with that upgrade!). Have a Roku Ultra from a few yrs ago, and the Nvidia as well now. The TV also will be upgraded at some point, but I'm perfectly content with it now (is a 7 yrs old 55 inch 4K Sony Bravia). This receiver also processes Dolby Vision which I'd need a new TV for, as well as eArc which this receiver also has. Over time I will continue adding to my set up. A decent record player is next, and a current blu ray player (the one I have is rather old & only has 1080p). Then a new TV & A 2nd sub (will get another SVS SB3000). The last & most expensive upgrade will be the rest of the speakers. From Polk to B&W most likely, but when I get to this I will compare both at the same price point as I am still very impressed with the quality of my Polks for their price point. I also plan to add an amp (Emotiva most likely) to power the fronts. Another reason I was ok with the A2A watts per channel for now (100 with 2 channels driven for music, unsure what it is at 5.1.2 but it's plenty especially with the thunder the SVS sub provides even at low volumes, and the ability to boost dialogue in addition to the center channel. I'd rather get a dedicated amp for more music power than a higher priced receiver just due to more watts. Very pricey to do all of this at once (in particular the speakers & amp), but for now I am thrilled with how much better everything sounds with these phase 1 upgrades. Highly recommend it, if you are coming from an entry level budget receiver this can pump more life into your current speakers.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2023
,
and
Promo Codes Available: