Yamaha RX-A2020 AVENTAGE 9.2 Networking A/V Receiver Review

A

admin

Audioholics Robot
Staff member
The RX-A2020 retails for $1700 and is the 2nd to top-of-the-line receiver in Yamaha's 2012 Aventage (pronounced Ah-ven-taj) lineup (under the RX-A3020). The Aventage series has consistently impressed us with its build quality, sound quality, and abundant features, so the RX-A2020 has a lot to live up to. This year seems to be the year of 4K, Airplay, and network apps. With all of the potential options on the market, we were excited to see what Yamaha put together for the xx20 line-up. The receiver has 11 speaker connections, 2 independently controlled sub outputs, dual HDMI outputs, 3 powered zones, plenty of inputs, and a plethora of network features. Read on to find out how well all of these features are implemented and how the RX-A2020 stacks up against the competition.


Discuss "Yamaha RX-A2020 AVENTAGE 9.2 Networking A/V Receiver Review" here. Read the article.
 
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BoredSysAdmin

BoredSysAdmin

Audioholic Slumlord
Excellent review! My only slight gripe is with this part:
including 192K FLAC files.
I'd rather see it would say "HD FLAC" files or "192/24 FLAC files".
"192K Flac" just looks weird for me, it's not same as 192k Mp3 - which would indicate bitrate
 
gmichael

gmichael

Audioholic Spartan
I just picked up a RX-A3000 last year at a great sale price, so I'm not in the market for a new AVR right now. Still, it's good to see the progress being made. At this rate, the models available when I am ready to upgrade will be very advanced.
4k seems way off in the distance to me. I'm supprised to see Yamaha getting on the boat so early.
 
STRONGBADF1

STRONGBADF1

Audioholic Spartan
Thanks for the review.:)

I am really surprised that Yamaha still hasn't updated to be able to adjust below 62.5hz. I'm really unimpressed with the after YPAO measurements also. I would love to see a comparison test done the same way with the other room correction systems. I am still running my RX-V2500 and would love to see how the others compare so I can upgrade.
 
A

antagron

Audiophyte
Excellent review! My only slight gripe is with this part:

I'd rather see it would say "HD FLAC" files or "192/24 FLAC files".
"192K Flac" just looks weird for me, it's not same as 192k Mp3 - which would indicate bitrate

How about the part where he say "Uncompressed FLAC files". What? If you write for Audioholics, you should know FLAC files *ARE* compressed. What he meant to say was 24/96 FLAC files or something like that.
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
Nice review.

I was hoping that YPAO would be more effective in correcting room acoustics. I like the results obtained from YPAO on my RX-V1800 which is basic compared to that of the A2020. Maybe its academic at this point to see a flatter response??
 
Tomorrow

Tomorrow

Audioholic Ninja
Thanks for the review.:)

I am really surprised that Yamaha still hasn't updated to be able to adjust below 62.5hz. I'm really unimpressed with the after YPAO measurements also. I would love to see a comparison test done the same way with the other room correction systems. I am still running my RX-V2500 and would love to see how the others compare so I can upgrade.
Hey there, SBF1! I hope this finds you well.

You'll be glad to know that, in my experience at least, there seems to have been a large improvement in the YPAO system. I recently retired my RX-V2500 and splurged on an RX-A3010. The audio difference is quite notable. (It's possible the YPAO mike has improved...but it looks the same as the one with the 2500...so I don't think this is the source of the improvement.) The new unit's YPAO has smoothed out my room's FR by roughly 50% (through the entire system FR) over the 2500..measured by DVE disc frequency sweeps and an spl meter.

Unfortunately, I can't give you accurate YPAO improvement figures below my sub xovers. (I DO like the individual speakers xover ability that the 2500 does not have). I have too many filters in the loop already. I pretty much know my room modes, so I have tweaked the EQ system in each of my SVS PB12+'s and use an AntiMode 8033 on top of that. So much more than YPAO is playing with (pardon the expression ;)) my bottom end.

This is definitely the best my room has sounded for both 2-channel music and HT movie play. I've also set up the front presence speakers and they have added (again, IMHO) significant improvement in front action. Dialog lift works pretty well, too.

All in all, I think the 3010 was a painful but quite worthwhile investment. I would take the plunge on a 3020 if you can afford it...or perhaps find a deal on the soon-to-be-discontinued 3010. You'll love the 9.2 audio!

Do it, buddy. Do it! :D
 
Z

Ziontrain

Audioholic Intern
Its 2012 and we are steaming to 2013.
- This product has a GUI that really does not belong on a consumer product released in the last five years
- The remote isnt exactly a best practice output either
- The room is clearly weak relative to what is technically possible in an affordable consumer product today. This because the processing power is weak and the old school OS inadequate

Then we get lipsick on the pig, such as airplay and "dual sub outputs" in a product that hmmm....doesnt do any EQ below 65hz. Okay....right...

How on earth does this review end up telling consumers to run and buy this product?

The AV receiver segment is lame compared to what is possible today at reasonable prices. And this product is a good example of the rot: year after year of "new" product that paves old cowpaths instead of building new highways.

Overly generous reviews like this will not help the situation ,at least if we want to get any improvement.

I appreciate that a few of these things are meekly listed as "suggestions for improvement". But honestly that should be titled something like "why you need to go back to the drawing board and come out with something worthy of a 2012 release date, before we recommend your product".
 
Cliff_is

Cliff_is

Audioholics Content Manager
Its 2012 and we are steaming to 2013.
- This product has a GUI that really does not belong on a consumer product released in the last five years
- The remote isnt exactly a best practice output either
- The room is clearly weak relative to what is technically possible in an affordable consumer product today. This because the processing power is weak and the old school OS inadequate

Then we get lipsick on the pig, such as airplay and "dual sub outputs" in a product that hmmm....doesnt do any EQ below 65hz. Okay....right...

How on earth does this review end up telling consumers to run and buy this product?

The AV receiver segment is lame compared to what is possible today at reasonable prices. And this product is a good example of the rot: year after year of "new" product that paves old cowpaths instead of building new highways.

Overly generous reviews like this will not help the situation ,at least if we want to get any improvement.

I appreciate that a few of these things are meekly listed as "suggestions for improvement". But honestly that should be titled something like "why you need to go back to the drawing board and come out with something worthy of a 2012 release date, before we recommend your product".
Ziontrain, you make some good points about the receiver market. Each year companies are adding new features, but I am still waiting for a receiver to really wow me. It is frustrating when a $50-$100 streaming device has more processing power and a nicer looking interface than a $2,000 AVR.

I did cover the outdated GUI and YPAO limitations in the review. It is true that the RX-A2020 receiver is not perfect, but with a few refinements (such as EQ below 62.5Hz, updated GUI, more internet features) it could really stand out.

As is, the receiver has the build quality, features, and performance of much of the competition. It also worked reliably in our tests. Therefore, I would recommend it; however, it was not rated 5/5 stars and did not receive a "highly recommended" title.
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
Its 2012 and we are steaming to 2013.
- This product has a GUI that really does not belong on a consumer product released in the last five years
WTF? If a GUI is more important to you than audio performance, use a laptop and hook it up to multichannel amp. I don't understand how people put so much importance on a GUIwhen it is the least used of all the features. Its set and forget. If you have to keep revisiting the setup, then there's something wrong with the receiver.

- The remote isnt exactly a best practice output either
What is best practise? I hate that expression as its totally meaningless full of vague nothingness. Most people use a after market programmable remote to control their system. No AVR manufacturer scores high points on this.

- The room is clearly weak relative to what is technically possible in an affordable consumer product today. This because the processing power is weak and the old school OS inadequate

Then we get lipsick on the pig, such as airplay and "dual sub outputs" in a product that hmmm....doesnt do any EQ below 65hz. Okay....right...

How on earth does this review end up telling consumers to run and buy this product?

The AV receiver segment is lame compared to what is possible today at reasonable prices. And this product is a good example of the rot: year after year of "new" product that paves old cowpaths instead of building new highways.

Overly generous reviews like this will not help the situation ,at least if we want to get any improvement.

I appreciate that a few of these things are meekly listed as "suggestions for improvement". But honestly that should be titled something like "why you need to go back to the drawing board and come out with something worthy of a 2012 release date, before we recommend your product".
So what is possible today? Please share with us.
 
Z

Ziontrain

Audioholic Intern
I did cover the outdated GUI and YPAO limitations in the review. It is true that the RX-A2020 receiver is not perfect, but with a few refinements (such as EQ below 62.5Hz, updated GUI, more internet features) it could really stand out.
I would again point out that what you pass of here as "a few refinements" are in fact a platform overhaul, as they require a step up: much more computing horsepower and a new OS. Thats why YPAO avoid the sub frequencies - cant handle it. But why would someone in 2012 release a product that claims to do room correction yet it can't even handle the frequencies that really need it the most?

I'm writing this post on a phone that has far more horsepower and 10x better human interface design than the receiver we are discussing. Why is this the case? A receiver is meant to be the heart & soul, the control unit of your home audio visual system. The article talks about zone 2 zone 3 etc. Truth is the thing is not even an up to date device for controlling one zone. Another example of the lipstick on the pig, your "new" or "advanced" eatures" are the shiny but mostly useless distractions meant to distract from the basic fact that last years' dross has been rehashed and slung out again at or higher pricepoint.

We gotta start calling a spade a spade. This sector is growing stale. And there is no way they will change when the "journalists" are in on the industry game rather than calling them out on it.
 
Send Margaritas

Send Margaritas

Audioholic
I liked the review, thanks.

I've got the 2010, and like it very much. I was surprised they dropped the Pandora config, for I use that a lot and like it.

Like the reviewer, I like the GUI config (and the iPad app) a great deal. I think the comments in that regard are very much overblown, and without merit. I'd certianly not want to pay any more for ROMs/EPROMs necessary to support/store 'better (read larger) icons and fonts'. I'm not confident that the comments were supported by use of the GUI.

I do concur that the manual parametric EQ 62.5 Hz choice was curious, but that capability to equalize each pair of spears in a 9.2 environment is powerful, and very nice.

Again, the biggest negative I saw in this was dropping Pandora.
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
I would again point out that what you pass of here as "a few refinements" are in fact a platform overhaul, as they require a step up: much more computing horsepower and a new OS. Thats why YPAO avoid the sub frequencies - cant handle it. But why would someone in 2012 release a product that claims to do room correction yet it can't even handle the frequencies that really need it the most?

I'm writing this post on a phone that has far more horsepower and 10x better human interface design than the receiver we are discussing. Why is this the case? A receiver is meant to be the heart & soul, the control unit of your home audio visual system. The article talks about zone 2 zone 3 etc. Truth is the thing is not even an up to date device for controlling one zone. Another example of the lipstick on the pig, your "new" or "advanced" eatures" are the shiny but mostly useless distractions meant to distract from the basic fact that last years' dross has been rehashed and slung out again at or higher pricepoint.

We gotta start calling a spade a spade. This sector is growing stale. And there is no way they will change when the "journalists" are in on the industry game rather than calling them out on it.
Like i said, get a laptop and mate it to a multichannel poweramp iif GUI, network streaming, and post processing are important to you and you are an apple or android fanboy. I'm in it for the overall build quality that Yamaha comes up without fail and I prefer quality audio amplifiers than bells and whistles.
 
Z

Ziontrain

Audioholic Intern
Amplification is already well solved and audibly transparent in any decent, self-respecting product of this price range. As such it's about as commodified as a light bulb.

As for "build quality", the same is true. Whether built in China, Malaysia or whatever, these things are built to global ISO-based standard. But if you believe that the "fifth foot" has audible benefit, then clearly these facts won't register at all.
What it comes down to is that most of what constituted "quality" is now actually commodity - it can be delivered cheaply by almost anyone. The brand therefore adds no value if it does not make real progress beyond the things that were problems 20-30 years ago. And no, the brands arent going to make that progress unless the press start being more critical and proactive.

BTW you'll understand how commodified this sector is when shortly the OEMs start buying up these failing brands.
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
Amplification is already well solved and audibly transparent in any decent, self-respecting product of this price range. As such it's about as commodified as a light bulb.

As for "build quality", the same is true. Whether built in China, Malaysia or whatever, these things are built to global ISO-based standard. But if you believe that the "fifth foot" has audible benefit, then clearly these facts won't register at all.
You shouldn't assume.... it makes an as? out of you and not me. No where did I state such ridiculous belief about the 5th foot.


What it comes down to is that most of what constituted "quality" is now actually commodity - it can be delivered cheaply by almost anyone. The brand therefore adds no value if it does not make real progress beyond the things that were problems 20-30 years ago. And no, the brands arent going to make that progress unless the press start being more critical and proactive.

BTW you'll understand how commodified this sector is when shortly the OEMs start buying up these failing brands.
Its very apparent from the various forums I frequent where other AVR manufacturers are suffering from quality control problems regardless of the origin of the country that builds them. Your idea of a universal commody of quality is just so wrong in every aspect. Sorry to derail your train. :rolleyes:

Yamaha isn't going anywhere BTW
 
A

ACsGreens

Full Audioholic
BTW- For what it's worth Yamaha, unofficially, is going to release an update that places Pandora and Sirius back onto the receivers. Just thought you all may want to know, unnoficially. ;)
 

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