Yamaha AVENTAGE 2021 AV Receivers Bulk Up on Power and 8K Features

[AllenB]

I tried different HDMI inputs and the problem persisted. I have probably close to 100 measurements I've captured but only published a fraction of them in the report.

Gene, we really appreciate the work you put in testing the A6A.
Found a tiny typo in the article. Under the heading "HDMI Inputs" is a sentence ending, "the output level exceeded 650Vrms." I'm guessing the problem shows up at 650 millivolts?
Thanks.

 

[PacketofCrisps]

Can I just confirm that I'm reading the data correctly, the 22dB distortion is only on the C, and L & R surround channels, listening to pure stereo on the main front L&R won't be effected?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

So for A6A Measurements:

Internal (not using external amps) Analog Preamp section Front L/R: 0.001% THD+N

Pre-Out section Front Left, Front Right: 0.002% THD+N

Pre-Out section Center, Sur L/R: 0.05% THD+N

@PENG and others: Does ASR test ALL CHANNELS THD+N? Or mainly just Front L/R?

It seems like when I look at the Denon X8500 THD+N measurements on ASR, I see CH1 and CH2. I don’t see CH3, CH4, CH5. What about CH6-CH13? Unless I missed it.

I guess for the next year model, Yamaha will get ALL CHANNELS THD+N to be 0.002%, which would be better than the Storm and as good as the Trinnov.

So looking forward to seeing THD+N of CH1-CH11 on the next RX-A8B.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Can I just confirm that I'm reading the data correctly, the 22dB distortion is only on the C, and L & R surround channels, listening to pure stereo on the main front L&R won't be effected?

If you are using the Yamaha internal amp, the analog preamp section Front Left and Front Right is 0.001% THD+N, which is State of the Art (SOTA).

If you use the Front L/R Pre-outs, it is 0.002% THD+N, which is also SOTA.

 

[PacketofCrisps]

If you are using the Yamaha internal amp, the analog preamp section Front Left and Front Right is 0.001% THD+N, which is State of the Art (SOTA).

If you use the Front L/R Pre-outs, it is 0.002% THD+N, which is also SOTA.

That's good to know, Stereo music is the only time I do any 'critical' listening, surround I'm not as bothered about.

 

[OldAndSlowDev]

On the verge of cancelling my orders for my bike Dream Build and slowly starting to look at those Perlisten T7s...
But the only place you can find them in Canada is in British Colombia

 

[3db]

Did you mean 24 Gbps and 40 Gbps HDMI boards on the two different tiers of models?

No.

 

[Pogre]

That's good to know, Stereo music is the only time I do any 'critical' listening, surround I'm not as bothered about.

I'm with you there. These results wouldn't really phase me much if I owned a new Yamaha. I pretty much never do any critical listening outside of stereo and even at that .05% is still inaudible. Might be a li'l mud in the eye from a strictly numbers perspective but at the end of the day I don't see this really affecting anyone's enjoyment outside those who listen with their eyes.

 

[diablo676]

Yesterday I started to test attaching a MiniDSP DDRC-24 to the mains pre-out to test what Dirac does in my room. I was following some instructions which included running REW through the MiniDSP using the Java setting. Response looked weird. To confirm that all was okay I redid it with my normal ASIO4ALL settings, which was normal.

Though this was the channel with the best THD -

0.706% THD. though all at, or below, noise floor. So the odd .05% extra ain't gonna bother me much.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yesterday I started to test attaching a MiniDSP DDRC-24 to the mains pre-out to test what Dirac does in my room. I was following some instructions which included running REW through the MiniDSP using the Java setting. Response looked weird. To confirm that all was okay I redid it with my normal ASIO4ALL settings, which was normal.

Though this was the channel with the best THD -

View attachment 52535

0.706% THD. though all at, or below, noise floor. So the odd .05% extra ain't gonna bother me much.

Interesting. That was another question I had - AFTER you use Dirac or Trinnov or ANY Room EQ, what does that do to the THD+N?

So WHAT? If your THD+N is 0.0007% in Pure Direct Mode? If after you use Room Correction (Dirac, Trinnov, ARC, Audyssey, etc.), the THD+N becomes 1%?

If people are truly interested in finding out SOTA “SCIENCE”, let’s measure THD+N AFTER you apply the Auto Room EQ since it seems some people are selling their kidneys to buy those $20-30K AVP with Trinnov and Dirac.

 

[Pogre]

So what if your THD+N is 0.0007% in Pure Direct Mode? If after you use Room Correction (Dirac, Trinnov, ARC, Audyssey, etc.), the THD+N becomes 1%?

Or is it the speakers that add the distortion? From what I understand the speakers, pretty much all of them, add more distortion than anything else in the chain.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Or is it the speakers that add the distortion? From what I understand the speakers, pretty much all of them, add more distortion than anything else in the chain.

Excellent POINT.

So WHAT if THD+N in Pure Direct mode is 0.0007%? If after the Signal goes through Trinnov and Dirac and then through the Speakers, the FINAL THD+N is 1% or 2%?

 

[diablo676]

Interesting. That was another question I had - AFTER you use Dirac or Trinnov or ANY Room EQ, what does that do to the THD+N?

So WHAT? If your THD+N is 0.0007% in Pure Direct Mode? If after you use Room Correction (Dirac, Trinnov, ARC, Audyssey, etc.), the THD+N becomes 1%?

If people are truly interested in finding out SOTA “SCIENCE”, let’s measure THD+N AFTER you apply the Auto Room EQ since it seems some people are selling their kidneys to buy those $20-30K AVP with Trinnov and Dirac.

I ran the ASIO4ALL tests in Straight mode as I wanted to include the sub in the measurements. So the signal will have been through DSP. (I had removed the MiniDSP) If I did the tests again in pure direct the result would be almost identical above 80Hz.

The speakers and the sound bouncing around in the room add nearly all the distortion.

 

[Replicant 7]

Excellent POINT.

So WHAT if THD+N in Pure Direct mode is 0.0007%? If after the Signal goes through Trinnov and Dirac and then through the Speakers, the FINAL THD+N is 1% or 2%?

Or, what would THD+N be sitting 10ft from your mains? In Real World use, I say anyone would be hard pressed to hear 1% sitting 5 ft from any of your surrounds.

 

[VASKION]

So in the end it seems better to implement some room treatment on walls, floor etc. instead of room correction software in the AVR and just leave all these EQ features collecting dust

 

[Pogre]

Or, what would THD+N be sitting 10ft from your mains? In Real World use, I say anyone would be hard pressed to hear 1% sitting 5 ft from any of your surrounds.

I think a lot of speakers would be hard pressed to do better than 1% from any distance.

 

[Pogre]

So in the end it seems better to implement some room treatment on walls, floor etc. instead of room correction software in the AVR and just leave all these EQ features collecting dust

Or a combination of both. Positioning and treatments can do a lot tho. I think it's always best to optimize placement and positioning first and foremost then eq the rest of the way. I agree with you about treatments too, but there's some necessary homework and expense involved with that.

 

[OldAndSlowDev]

I'm with you there. These results wouldn't really phase me much if I owned a new Yamaha. I pretty much never do any critical listening outside of stereo and even at that .05% is still inaudible. Might be a li'l mud in the eye from a strictly numbers perspective but at the end of the day I don't see this really affecting anyone's enjoyment outside those who listen with their eyes.

By really focusing on tracking distortion on a SPECIFIC distortion test, I am able to catch it for treble between 1% and 1.5%. So when listening to an actual music score

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

So in the end it seems better to implement some room treatment on walls, floor etc. instead of room correction software in the AVR and just leave all these EQ features collecting dust

No, at the end of the day…..it’s best to go with WHATEVER sounds best to YOUR ears, not anyone else’s.

For me, I have to use Manual PEQ on my Yamaha. If I had a Denon/Marantz, I would be using Audyssey Bypass L/R + Dynamic EQ.

 

[diablo676]

I think a lot of speakers would be hard pressed to do better than 1% from any distance.

The UMIK-1 mike was slightly more than 10 feet from the mains when I ran the tests. Average THD of the mains and centre just under 1%.