Yamaha Separates? The CX-A5000 AV Preamp and MX-A5000 11CH Amplifier is here!

[admin]

For years we've been pleading and begging Yamaha to offer a separates solution and now it looks like they've finally pulled through.

The Yamaha CX-A5000 is an 11.2 AV processor with all of the latest audio and video CODEC support. It's easier to discuss what this processor doesn't have than to highlight all of its features. For $3k this AV processor looks to be a compelling product.

The Yamaha MX-A5000 is an 150 wpc x 11 power amplifier that features a massive centralized power supply and filter bank and it seems to pair nicely with their new preamp. The MX-A5000 is also $3k.

Yamaha CX-A5000 AV Processor & MX-A5000 Amplifier Preview

What do you think? Are you ready for a Yamaha Pre/Pro? All that seems to be missing is their signature orange frontpanel display of yesteryear

 

[adk highlander]

Hmm. Now that looks interesting. I have not owned a Yamaha product in many years but now that may change. I wonder where the street price will end up. I don't think my local B&M carries Yamaha. I will have to bug him.

 

[gracilism]

OK, complete newbie here. Is having them separate just a way to provide enough power to all channels? Also, where do you find source material that can be played in 11.2?

 

[GlocksRock]

OK, complete newbie here. Is having them separate just a way to provide enough power to all channels? Also, where do you find source material that can be played in 11.2?

You can use Dolby Pro Logic IIx, or PLIIz which probably isn't found on yamaha receivers, but yamaha has it's own Cinema DSP modes that will create a 11.1 or 9.1/7.1 form a stereo source up to 5.1 source material. Also there are a couple moives encoded for dts neo:x 11.1, Expendables 2 and Dredd are the only ones I know of at the moement.

 

[haraldo]

I'm more on music, thinking.... simplicity is key
Read: I'm a 2 channel guy
Why on earth do we need 11.2

It seems like Yamaha put more technology in here than Boeing did in their 787 Dreamliner

Isn't quality better than quantity?

 

[haraldo]

Hmm. Now that looks interesting. I have not owned a Yamaha product in many years but now that may change. I wonder where the street price will end up. I don't think my local B&M carries Yamaha. I will have to bug him.

How about budget for speakers

 

[its phillip]

I'm more on music, thinking.... simplicity is key
Read: I'm a 2 channel guy
Why on earth do we need 11.2

It seems like Yamaha put more technology in here than Boeing did in their 787 Dreamliner

Isn't quality better than quantity?

Yamaha has plenty of 2ch offerings...and quality and quantity are not mutually exclusive.

 

[slipperybidness]

In general, I am a Yamaha fan (even though I haven't owned one of their products for the last couple of years). I was always impressed with build quality, reliability and sound quality.

I should be really excited for this, but somehow I just don't see it. Not for the $3000 each anyway. Maybe at half that price I would be all over it. Like ADK says, maybe it will all depend on street price.

 

[haraldo]

Yamaha has plenty of 2ch offerings...and quality and quantity are not mutually exclusive.

Thx, I know Yamaha has some, probably, really good 2 channel offerings.... I say probably because I don't know for myself first hand
But the thing is, if you wanna buy 11 speakers, quality of what you can buy is MUCH LOWER than if you settle for 2, or 5.... for that matter!

I would much rather have 2 really really good speakers than a whole bunch of mediocre ones....

 

[its phillip]

I'm certainly not advocating somebody go out and buy 11 mediocre speakers...but if they have the money for $6000 electronics, hopefully they have the money for some really quality speakers all around. I can of course enjoy a movie in 2ch, but I always enjoy it more in surround. I don't have the money for stuff like this anyway

 

[haraldo]

I'm certainly not advocating somebody go out and buy 11 mediocre speakers...but if they have the money for $6000 electronics, hopefully they have the money for some really quality speakers all around. I can of course enjoy a movie in 2ch, but I always enjoy it more in surround. I don't have the money for stuff like this anyway

Well, you could have 11 quite good speakers, or you could have a set of Vandersteen Model 5 Carbon's or Von Schweikert VR44
I'm sure what would work at least better for music....... probably even movies......

Don't even suggest the idea of having 11 speakers the quality level of Von Schweikert VR44, no normal people can afford that......

Although the electronics we're talking about here is not what you'd match with the above mentioned speakers.

But I still see your point and respect your point of view
Probably, "everything is big in Texas"

have to go to bed now as it's 12:18am over here, I'm sure there will be lots of interesting posts when I wake up tomorrow

 

[templemaners]

Pretty cool from Yamaha, but I don't think I'd ever go more than 7 speakers, unless I had a room with really tall celings where height speakers could work.

 

[Grador]

The two outputs can deliver different content from any input on the processor (not just digital ones).

If I'm understanding this correctly, this is a feature not present on any other piece of hardware I've seen.

As for the 11 channels being to much: I completely agree, but at this point 11.1 is rather expected for a top of the line processor. Some people (not necessarily many) would scoff at it for not doing that, while no one is really harmed by disregarding the ability. Releasing only one power-amp and making it 11 channels, now that's more than a little bizarre.

 

[3db]

Gene!!! Can you test them??? Will you test them??? Finally Yamaha comes out with seperates. If I had the coin, I would love to own the pair. The only crucial thing missing which was already mentioned is the Yamaha Orange. Bring it back Yamaha. Who cares if its not as efficient as the me-too blue lamp stuff

 

[gene]

Gene!!! Can you test them??? Will you test them??? Finally Yamaha comes out with seperates. If I had the coin, I would love to own the pair. The only crucial thing missing which was already mentioned is the Yamaha Orange. Bring it back Yamaha. Who cares if its not as efficient as the me-too blue lamp stuff

Eventually I will likely test these products. I am pretty backlogged testing other amps at the moment. I agree, I won't upgrade my Yamaha RX-Z7 in my family room system to a Yamaha successor until they come out with one with an orange display. I really identify Yamaha with that personally and I will keep dinging them until they switch back to orange

 

[3db]

Eventually I will likely test these products. I am pretty backlogged testing other amps at the moment. I agree, I won't upgrade my Yamaha RX-Z7 in my family room system to a Yamaha successor until they come out with one with an orange display. I really identify Yamaha with that personally and I will keep dinging them until they switch back to orange

If ya need help dinging them let me know. I'd be more and happy to help you there. All you have to do is look at the orangel glow and you knew without a doubt that it was a Yamaha.

 

[gene]

If ya need help dinging them let me know. I'd be more and happy to help you there. All you have to do is look at the orangel glow and you knew without a doubt that it was a Yamaha.

cast your vote here:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/amps-pre-pros-receivers/70628-yamaha-ditches-signature-orange-frontpanel-display-new-v-receivers-3.html

 

[3db]

I can't. Apparently, I have already voted. Maybe I'll start this pole on other sites, and then mail Yamaha the links to all of these polls.

 

[panteragstk]

I have to say the 11.1 thing has piqued my interest. I'm interested to see what more those extra channels add to the movie experience. Especially since yamaha uses their own DSP and not DSX or NEO:X.

I tend to just use straight decoding now, but every once in awhile I'll use Dolby Pro Logic IIx. It really is difficult to hear the "extra" back speakers, but I'd have to think the extra front channels could add to the soundstage, if you have a big room that is.

 

[Casey01]

Yamaha Separates

Even though I am a current Yamaha owner (AVR 3010)and fan of their equipment, there are two issues about these new products that bother me. Assuming the MSRP you quoted is accurate, the pre-amp alone is considerably more expensive than their top-of-the line AVR which from what I can see is that all this is, pretty much just the same AVR without the amps and, of course, the standard pre-pro addition of balanced outputs. They also could have offered as an option the original very "audiophile looking" champagne color that was available with many of their separates back in the nineties the last of which was available on their excellent RXV1 AVR around 2000-2001 that I still own sitting on a rack and being used in one of my stereo systems.

Unfortunately, it is still pretty much like everything else, any color you want as long as it is black.