Yamaha RX-V4A REVIEW: A 5 Channel Amp to Remember

The 5.2 channel Yamaha RX-V4A is a sleek and stylish receiver that will look great in any home theater setup. With its black finish and clean lines, it has a modern and sophisticated look that will blend in with any decor. The RX-V4A’s looks a little bit like a cyclops with its large volume knob centered on its face. The front panel features a large display screen that makes it easy to navigate through the various input options and settings. Yamaha updated the design of their amps not too long ago and I think it works. The overall power output of the RX-V4A is about 80 watts per channel so the amp is more than capable for most home theater setups.

Yamaha RX-V4A Connectivity

First and foremost, the RX-V4A boasts four HDMI 4K & 8K ready inputs and one HDMI output, making it easy to connect all your HDMI-enabled devices. This includes your Blu-ray player, gaming console, and streaming devices. The receiver’s HDMIs also support HDCP 2.3 and eARC.

In addition to HDMI, the RX-V4A also has a USB input, which allows you to connect an external hard drive or USB stick and play your own music collection. And for those who prefer to stream music over the internet, the RX-V4A has an Ethernet network port, which allows you to connect to your home network and stream music from online services like Spotify and Tidal.

For those who want to connect their older devices, the RX-V4A also has digital optical and digital coaxial inputs, which are perfect for connecting your CD player or older gaming console. Plus, there are also three analog audio inputs, which are perfect for connecting your turntable or other analog audio sources.

The receiver also has two channel preout, which allows you to connect to a separate power amplifier, to enhance the audio experience. And for those who want to enjoy music in private, the RX-V4A also has a headphone output, which allows you to plug in your headphones and enjoy your music without disturbing anyone else in the room.

The amp as expected includes built-in Wi-Fi & Bluetooth, which allows you to stream music from your phone or tablet using services like AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, or the MusicCast App. This means you can easily play your favorite songs, podcasts, or playlists from popular streaming services like Pandora, Spotify, Amazon Music, SiriusXM, TIDAL, Deezer, and Napster.

RX-V4A Calibration

The Yamaha RX-V4A uses a calibration system called YPAO (Yamaha Parametric room Acoustic Optimizer). This system uses a microphone to measure the acoustic characteristics of your room and adjust the audio output accordingly. YPAO analyzes the room’s dimensions, speaker characteristics and the positions of the speakers. This system can also be easily fine-tuned using the on-screen display, so you can make adjustments to suit your personal preferences. Calibration takes a few minutes, but the results are well worth it.

Yamaha RX-V4A Sound Quality

One of the things that really stands out about the RX-V4A is its ability to create a sense of depth and dimensionality in movies. When watching a movie like “Inception,” with its complex layers of sound, the Yamaha RX-V4A really shines. It’s able to separate out all of the different elements of the sound and create a truly immersive experience.

The RX-V4A also produces clean, precise audio. This is especially important for movies with copious amounts of action and special effects, like “Avengers: Endgame.” With the RX-V4A, I could really feel the impact of the explosions and battle scenes, without detecting distortion.

The caveat with this is that when I cranked the volume too far I did notice some clipping. It’s not a deal breaker, but considering the amp only outputs about 80 watts/channel this is to be expected. If you need an amp for a larger room, you may want to consider an av receiver like the Marantz SR5015 or the Onkyo TX-RZ50. These amps are more expensive, but they have the extra oomph that a larger room demands.

The Yamaha RX-V4A is also a strong performer with music. Whether listening to a classic rock album or a modern pop record, the RX-V4A displayed power and clarity. For example, when listening to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon,” the RX-V4A really brought out the subtleties and nuances in the music.

Conclusion

Overall, the Yamaha RX-V4A is a great choice for anyone looking for high-quality sound for their home theater and music. With its powerful and immersive sound, dynamic range handling, ability to make music sound great, and a variety of advanced audio features, it’s a receiver that will keep you entertained for hours. The RX-V4A is ideal for small to medium sized rooms, if you need a receiver for a large room you may want to consider getting a beefier amp.