Yamaha has unveiled two new 8K AV receivers that are set to offer gamers a raft of cool features – and they could be the perfect stablemates for the upcoming PS5 and the Xbox Series X.
According to Yamaha, the RX-V4A and RX-V6A will provide "faster, smoother, and uninterrupted entertainment and gameplay with auto low latency mode (ALLM), variable refresh rates (VRR), quick frame transport (QFT) and quick media switching (QMS)."
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The company says that this will ensure compatibility with "ultra HD TVs and emerging 8K setups", as well as "the latest gaming platforms" arriving later this year.
The PS5 is expected to launch between October and December this year, while the Xbox Series X is confirmed to be released in November 2020.
However, there's a catch – according to What Hi-Fi?, these gamer-friendly features, as well as support for your 8K TV, won't be available at launch. Instead, they'll come via a firmware update that's "tentatively scheduled for December".
All the inputs
So, what features will be available at launch? Both AV receivers will come with support for Yamaha's MusicCast technology, so if you already have some Yamaha kit at home, you should be able to hook them up seamlessly for multi-room audio.
Automatic room calibration means that the RX-V4A and RX-V6A should sound great in any room, while support for wireless rear speakers gives you the option of creating a cable-free surround sound system.
Both devices also offer voice control via Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri (via AirPlay) and a range of connection options.
While both AV receivers are competitively priced, the more expensive of the two comes with a few extra features.
The 100-watt RX-V6A, which costs $599.95 / £649 (about AU$840), boasts a 7.2 channel setup and seven inputs, including HDMI 2.1 with HDCP 2.3 and eARC.
The RX-V6A is also getting Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, for immersive cinematic sound – though these features are coming via another firmware update in the first few months of 2021.
If you're not bothered about Dolby Atmos support, you may prefer the cheaper RX-V4A. Costing $439.95 / £449 (about AU$615), this 5.1-channel 80-watt receiver has only four inputs, but will still come with 8K support and all those nifty gaming features (once that crucial update lands).
