Yamaha has come up with the goods again with 5 moderately priced receivers that come with features that we usually see in more expensive equipment. And it’s good to note that as with Yamaha’s tradition, sound quality has not been sacrificed for budget reasons.
What’s new in the 2013 lineup is MHL, or Mobile High-Definition Link. It is an HD video and digital audio interface for connecting mobile phones and portable devices to the receiver. The MHL standard supports up to 1080p/60 high-definition (HD) video and 7.1 surround.
Except for the entry level RX-V 375, the four networked receivers includes one MHL-compatible HDMI input. The RX-V775WA and RX-V675 have their MHL port on the front which is convenient for connecting a compatible smartphone. The RX-V575 and RX-V475 have their MHL port on the back, which is better for connecting a Roku Streaming Stick out of sight. Another new feature is “high-speed HDMI switching”. This is indeed a welcome improvement given how slow AV receivers switch inputs sometimes.
Other than that, features wise are quite similar to last year’s models. You can check out their full features list on Yamaha’s site, but here is a quick feature guide and pricing:
- RX-V375 ($299.95): 5.1 channels, four HDMI inputs
- RX-V475 ($449.95): 5.1 channels, five HDMI inputs, MHL, Ethernet, AirPlay
- RX-V575 ($549.95): 7.2 channels, five HDMI inputs, MHL, Ethernet, AirPlay
- RX-V675 ($649.95): 7.2 channels, six HDMI inputs, GUI, powered second zone
- RX-V775WA ($849.95): 7.2 channels, Dual HDMI outputs, 7.1 pre-outs, included Wi-Fi dongle
We will be doing a full review of each of the receivers in due course.