Yamaha R-N1000A Network Receiver Bench Test Results!

[gene]

The Yamaha R-N1000A is a 2CH Network AV receiver rated at 100 watts/ch and has two features most stereo receivers don’t: bass management and HDMI ARC support. With MusicCast built in, all of your network streaming needs are covered.

The R-N1000A supports Yamaha’s proprietary MusicCast music streaming management software that lets you stream from your favorite services such as Tidal, Spotify, Pandora, etc or take full advantage of their built in high quality ESS SABRE ES9080Q Ultra DAC via USB for full DSD 11.2 MHz or 384kHz native playback. Yamaha also includes a high quality MM phono preamp for vinyl lovers. This feature set alone is what set the R-N1000A apart from its peers and why we awarded it our 2023 Product of the Year Award for the Stereo AV Receiver category.

Our full bench test report showcases its performance to determine if it lives up to their prestigious Top-Art performance.

Read: Yamaha R-N1000A Bench Test Report

The R-N1000A has a similar power plant to the Yamaha A-S801 I previously reviewed. Note the dual heatsinks each with 4 high-current output devices per channel and the large E-core transformer. You will see in my bench tests that this baby is happy driving 4-ohm loads.

 

[George MacDonald]

So, who is Yamaha targeting with this amp? How would this amp compare to an Aventage? What does it offer that an Aventage does not?

 

[MrBoat]

I like the amp, but I'm still more compelled to instead buy a used AVR over something like this. It feels to me more like a $1200 amp than a $1700 one, come 2024. I figure I can match the performance (at least in an audible sense) for less than a 3rd of the price of this.

Again, I understand that I am not the target market for products like this and that perhaps I am a bit dated with what things cost now and what features I could ever need, but for this price, I'd be inclined to spend less for even more stable power, even if that means lugging around extra channels/features I will never use.

I'm not a fan of the knobs on the Yamahas. Having them set all randomly cattywampus on the face would tend to excite whatever OCD I have.

 

[Trebdp83]

If I may add a correction, the R-N1000A does NOT support eARC, but rather ARC. It can only be connected to a TV supporting ARC/eARC and can NOT be directly connected to a disc player or streaming device. Because ARC is dependent on HDMI-CEC to function, HDMI Control must be turned on in the unit for it to work.

TVs supporting eARC must have it turned OFF and use ARC as the increased bandwidth out of eARC will not work over ARC. The TV, and any devices connected directly to it, as well as devices connected to the unit using optical or coaxial digital connections must be set to output PCM 2ch signals as the R-N1000A does NOT support DSD, Dolby or DTS signals from those particular digital ports. Though, DSD is supported over MusicCast and USB connection.

 

[gene]

If I may add a correction, the R-N1000A does NOT support eARC, but rather ARC. It can only be connected to a TV supporting ARC/eARC and can NOT be directly connected to a disc player or streaming device. Because ARC is dependent on HDMI-CEC to function, HDMI Control must be turned on in the unit for it to work.

TVs supporting eARC must have it turned OFF and use ARC as the increased bandwidth out of eARC will not work over ARC. The TV, and any devices connected directly to it, as well as devices connected to the unit using optical or coaxial digital connections must be set to output PCM 2ch signals as the R-N1000A does NOT support DSD, Dolby or DTS signals from those particular digital ports. Though, DSD is supported over MusicCast and USB connection.

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You are correct. I'm so used to reviewing multi-ch AVRs that I mistakenly wrote eARC instead of ARC. The review has been updated. thanks

 

[TLS Guy]

I like the amp, but I'm still more compelled to instead buy a used AVR over something like this. It feels to me more like a $1200 amp than a $1700 one, come 2024. I figure I can match the performance (at least in an audible sense) for less than a 3rd of the price of this.

Again, I understand that I am not the target market for products like this and that perhaps I am a bit dated with what things cost now and what features I could ever need, but for this price, I'd be inclined to spend less for even more stable power, even if that means lugging around extra channels/features I will never use.

I'm not a fan of the knobs on the Yamahas. Having them set all randomly cattywampus on the face would tend to excite whatever OCD I have.

If you just want good sound with your TV, that unit is a much better bet than the usual AVR offerings. The power amp is much better, and will drive four ohm loads at power without blowing up.

This is just the sort of unit that is needed in the market, and with a couple of good speakers and a sub, is a much better purchase than any sound bar.

It actually what most users who want good sound with their picture actually need.

There is only ARC and that means it would be difficult to place the unit at a distance from the TV, as the TV will have to be the switch for other devices such as disc players, TV boxes and streamers.

If I were Yamaha I would try and build on this, by adding a center channel and more HDMI inputs. It definitely needs eARC. Not having eARC is the biggest shortcoming to this unit. Then I think they would have a real winner.

We have had countless people join this form who think they need at least 11 speakers and multiple subs for good and satisfying results. Well, they don't. In fact for most rooms posted on here I would bet it is a downgrade.

I have a full blown Atmos system, a 3.1 and 2.1 system. Quite frankly I could be very happy with any of the three for years.

What people don't want is receivers that blow up fat too often and end up at the local recycling center. An even bigger fraud is units with all these amps crammed in, with totally inadequate power supplies. That is bad engineering and root cause of a lot of problems. I personally would never bring units to market with poor inadequate design. I can be certain that none of my mentors would have either. In many ways what we are passing off and encouraging is an absolute disgrace.

I think this unit is a ray of sunshine coming across the horizon and I wish it every success. They really need to look at what people's needs really are, as this unit comes up a little short in areas it should not, which is a pity.

 

[Trebdp83]

Integrated devices with eARC or ARC ports are popping up and some think any HDMI port is the same as any other HDMI port. The port here is very limited in its intended use. It’s useful only when there is no optical port to spare when wanting to get audio from a TV as everything here is limited to 2ch PCM.

I think any current Aventage AVR will do fine in a 2.1 setup. The cheap RX-V4A and RX-V6A/TSR-700 need not be mentioned here. But, for a 2.1 setup, the RX-A2A and RX-A4A are cheaper than the R-N1000A and support eARC as well as all of the other features of an AVR. Though, even the RX-A6A and RX-A8A do not have the USB-B port. It’s a shame that one is absent on most AVPs and AVRs these days.

For the price of the R-N1000A, one could pick up an RX-A2A and spend a grand on an external amp for the front channels and have many more audio and video features at their disposal than the R-N1000A. But, it is another option for those wanting nothing to do with multichannel audio or video processing in their system.

 

[MrBoat]

If you just want good sound with your TV, that unit is a much better bet than the usual AVR offerings. The power amp is much better, and will drive four ohm loads at power without blowing up.

This is just the sort of unit that is needed in the market, and with a couple of good speakers and a sub, is a much better purchase than any sound bar.

It actually what most users who want good sound with their picture actually need.

There is only ARC and that means it would be difficult to place the unit at a distance from the TV, as the TV will have to be the switch for other devices such as disc players, TV boxes and streamers.

If I were Yamaha I would try and build on this, by adding a center channel and more HDMI inputs. It definitely needs eARC. Not having eARC is the biggest shortcoming to this unit. Then I think they would have a real winner.

We have had countless people join this form who think they need at least 11 speakers and multiple subs for good and satisfying results. Well, they don't. In fact for most rooms posted on here I would bet it is a downgrade.

I have a full blown Atmos system, a 3.1 and 2.1 system. Quite frankly I could be very happy with any of the three for years.

What people don't want is receivers that blow up fat too often and end up at the local recycling center. An even bigger fraud is units with all these amps crammed in, with totally inadequate power supplies. That is bad engineering and root cause of a lot of problems. I personally would never bring units to market with poor inadequate design. I can be certain that none of my mentors would have either. In many ways what we are passing off and encouraging is an absolute disgrace.

I think this unit is a ray of sunshine coming across the horizon and I wish it every success. They really need to look at what people's needs really are, as this unit comes up a little short in areas it should not, which is a pity.

To each their own, I reckon. I do like it, performance wise. I just don't need this amp. I have no picture to worry about. Just 2.1 with dsp. I can use 2 channels of reasonable amplification from anything, as long as there is enough headroom and audible distortion is low. I have been using a pre-hdmi Denon that someone gave me, since 2016, daily, and I listen loud. It still going. IIRC, it's from around 2004 or so. It's a tank of around 120wpc/8Ohm and has powered all of my side projects too. I actually have two of the same. The second one was $75 and without a scratch on it. These two receivers have made me a fan of the brand. That many years of hard use being on 12+ hrs/day and still with no sign of giving up?

In my case, the Yamaha doesn't really do anything more than what I am already using. I'd love to shop for new electronics but this other stuff just won't die. From this point, I am not going to gain $1700 worth of audible upgrade.

I am glad to see a 2-channel (and with basic tone controls) with 100WPC and bass management, which has been a gripe of mine for awhile. I'm just glad that I know where to find reliable power with roughly the same audio performance for much less, is all. For $1700, and being that they are saving the cost of all the other channels, I'd be expecting more like 140WPC/8Ohm. 2 channels at 100WPC still feels like a $1200 receiver to me.

Just look at it. 120wpc of beauty right at the front of my desk. Had t take it out of bypass mode so you could sneak a peek. What a noble piece of gear it is!

 

[George MacDonald]

For the amp only having ARC instead of eARC: I wonder how much difference it would make since it can only accept 2 channels of input anyway. At the same time, others mention that "If you only want [2 channel] sound from the TV... ", but today's TVs regularly put out multi-channel and ATMOS via eARC -- so connecting this amp to the TV would eliminate all that. But then, that's where eARC could really come in: attach the peripherals (Apple TV, etc.) to the amp and then send the video to the TV -- but with only ARC then, wouldn't the video be limited --- or am I conflating ARC with the limitations of HDMI 1.4?

 

[Trebdp83]

There are no HDMI inputs other than the ARC port here. It’s a 2ch PCM affair from the ARC, coaxial and optical ports. TVs and devices connected to them should all be configured for 2ch PCM/Stereo output to avoid audio signal output issues.

Because ARC requires HDMI-CEC to work, certain TV commands will switch the integrated’s source input to ARC. This can be an annoyance. Better an eARC port that can work without HDMI-CEC being ON.

 

[highfigh]

I like the amp, but I'm still more compelled to instead buy a used AVR over something like this. It feels to me more like a $1200 amp than a $1700 one, come 2024. I figure I can match the performance (at least in an audible sense) for less than a 3rd of the price of this.

Again, I understand that I am not the target market for products like this and that perhaps I am a bit dated with what things cost now and what features I could ever need, but for this price, I'd be inclined to spend less for even more stable power, even if that means lugging around extra channels/features I will never use.

I'm not a fan of the knobs on the Yamahas. Having them set all randomly cattywampus on the face would tend to excite whatever OCD I have.

I had one of these and if I changed the tone controls, it never bothered me because even that looked good. I sold it because it became very difficult to find anyone who could service it. In order to clean the volume control, the knobs/buttons and face needed to be removed, then the control needed to be un-soldered from the main circuit board before it could be released from the panel behind the face. Once it was out, screws needed to be loosened, so that the control could be cleaned and it wasn't like most, it had wipers for each source input. Yeah, that was fun......

Man, it sounded sooo good, though. Super-low noise level, too.

 

[highfigh]

There are no HDMI inputs other than the ARC port here. It’s a 2ch PCM affair from the ARC, coaxial and optical ports. TVs and devices connected to them should all be configured for 2ch PCM/Stereo output to avoid audio signal output issues.

Because ARC requires HDMI-CEC to work, certain TV commands will switch the integrated’s source input to ARC. This can be an annoyance. Better an eARC port that can work without HDMI-CEC being ON.

Once again, polluted HDMI rears its ugly head.....

 

[highfigh]

If you just want good sound with your TV, that unit is a much better bet than the usual AVR offerings. The power amp is much better, and will drive four ohm loads at power without blowing up.

This is just the sort of unit that is needed in the market, and with a couple of good speakers and a sub, is a much better purchase than any sound bar.

It actually what most users who want good sound with their picture actually need.

There is only ARC and that means it would be difficult to place the unit at a distance from the TV, as the TV will have to be the switch for other devices such as disc players, TV boxes and streamers.

If I were Yamaha I would try and build on this, by adding a center channel and more HDMI inputs. It definitely needs eARC. Not having eARC is the biggest shortcoming to this unit. Then I think they would have a real winner.

We have had countless people join this form who think they need at least 11 speakers and multiple subs for good and satisfying results. Well, they don't. In fact for most rooms posted on here I would bet it is a downgrade.

I have a full blown Atmos system, a 3.1 and 2.1 system. Quite frankly I could be very happy with any of the three for years.

What people don't want is receivers that blow up fat too often and end up at the local recycling center. An even bigger fraud is units with all these amps crammed in, with totally inadequate power supplies. That is bad engineering and root cause of a lot of problems. I personally would never bring units to market with poor inadequate design. I can be certain that none of my mentors would have either. In many ways what we are passing off and encouraging is an absolute disgrace.

I think this unit is a ray of sunshine coming across the horizon and I wish it every success. They really need to look at what people's needs really are, as this unit comes up a little short in areas it should not, which is a pity.

We could have better power supplies, but the FTC would have to require all channels driven with full bandwidth in testing, rather than one or two channels @1KHz. A clock radio can do 1KHz- I don't know why they allow it, other than for some companies to show a bigger number and as we all know, this is America, where the favorite word is "MORE".

Bigly.

I swear, audio manufacturers don't ask people what is needed or wanted- if they did that, we would see very different equipment.

 

[highfigh]

I wouldn't mind seeing a review of the JBL integrated amp- 120W/ch @8 Ohms, 220W/ch @4 Ohms, it has more inputs that many and it has pre-out. Spec sheet is pretty weak, though.

https://www.jbl.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-masterCatalog_Harman/default/dwecbbfb55/pdfs/SC03953_JBL_SA750_Spec_Sheet_HR_110422.pdf

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I wouldn't mind seeing a review of the JBL integrated amp- 120W/ch @8 Ohms, 220W/ch @4 Ohms, it has more inputs that many and it has pre-out. Spec sheet is pretty weak, though.

https://www.jbl.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-masterCatalog_Harman/default/dwecbbfb55/pdfs/SC03953_JBL_SA750_Spec_Sheet_HR_110422.pdf

That does look pretty cool.

These cost too much for me. But if I were to get an integrated amp, it would have to look very cool and have great network streaming.

 

[highfigh]

That does look pretty cool.

These cost too much for me. But if I were to get an integrated amp, it would have to look very cool and have great network streaming.

I use a Yamaha WXC-50 for MusicCast and some other audio inputs- before I returned the preamp in my rack, I was using it as the preamp (it can be set to operate as a fixed-level source with switching or with variable level control) and the streaming works great, although I tend to listen via Pandora and local storage with a little network radio. Yeah, they're pricey but the options tend to be: integrated amp or separates that would have more input/output capabilities, which make integrated amps less of a good value. They occupy less space- other than that, meh. I can't think of any decent integrated amps that don't include streaming but if someone has a 'Sonos house', they probably don't want to mix the brands. I haven't done much searching because I don't really need one at this point, but if a streaming device (Sonos/Heos/MusicCast/Bluesound Node) would be connected to a router the same way as a NAS AND have the same abilities as the others, network capable preamps/integrated amps/AVRs/some newer Stereo receivers could use DLNA to retrieve the tracks.

 

[davidscott]

Nice review, Thanks Gene.

 

[George MacDonald]

That does look pretty cool.

These cost too much for me. But if I were to get an integrated amp, it would have to look very cool and have great network streaming.

Actually it looks very much like a 20 Watt Sony I owned back in the 70's.

 

[PENG]

Actually it looks very much like a 20 Watt Sony I owned back in the 70's.

Also the Luxma 20 W amp. May be most 20 W amp looks like that.

 

[highfigh]

Also the Luxma 20 W amp. May be most 20 W amp looks like that.

View attachment 65722

If it's that large, is it ClassA?