YAMAHA FLEXES MUSCLES WITH NEW HOME CINEMA FLAGSHIPS
Off the back of this week's announcement from Yamaha with its flagship 2-channel product offerings, Yamaha once again proves it has what it takes in the home cinema category with two new product announcements.
The new 11.2 channel flagship pairing includes the CX-A5200 AV Preamplifier and matching MX-A5200 power amplifier that it says "epitomise the world-class performance, innovation and unsurpassed quality which has become synonymous with the AVENTAGE series".
Featuring many updates from the predecessor models, a new Surround:AI mode developed exclusively by Yamaha is said to optimise the surround sound effect in real-time to best suit the scene of a movie.
Damien Henderson, Product Manager for Yamaha Music Australia’s AV Division, told StereoNET:
For close to a decade, AVENTAGE has represented the pinnacle in home entertainment. This legacy is now reaffirmed with our latest breakthrough technology, Surround:AI, as we continue to push the limits of home cinema.
Surround:AI focuses on elements such as dynamic range, dialogue, sound effects, background music and channel balance to dynamically deliver the best sound field at any moment during the movie, rather than using pre-set sound modes.
As expected, the CX-A5200 includes provision for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats with up to 7.2.4 channels of surround processing. Yamaha says it has also further refined its CINEMA DSP HD3 processing algorithms, enhancing the sound field's vertical dimension.
The CX-A5200 utilises two ESS Sabre Pro Premier DAC chips (ES9026 PRO) for 32-bit processing with exceptional signal-to-noise ratio.
It features seven 4K UHD compliant (HDCP 2.2) HDMI inputs, three HDMI outputs and is capable of passing the BT .2020 wide colour gamut video in three HDR formats including HDR10, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG).
There's also a full complement of balanced XLR pre-outs including two subwoofer pre-outs and a stereo input for high-end source components.
Moving on to the MX-A5200 amplifier, it delivers 150 watts per channel (8 ohms, 20 Hz – 20kHz, 0.06% THD, two channels driven) into 11 channels and utilises a large high-output toroidal transformer and two high-capacity block capacitors for massive power and headroom.
Channels can be assigned in a variety of configurations, including a Bridge Tied Load (BTL) option that is said to boost output to the front stereo channels for "enhanced fidelity and volume". The MX-A5200 can also be bi-amped for up to five speakers.
Yamaha's new flagship home cinema components will be available later this year (CX-A5200, September) and (MX-A5200, December) and will sell for $3,899 RRP each. Both products feature a 5-year extended manufacturer's warranty with a 2-year replacement period.
Yamaha will feature at this year's 2018 Melbourne International Hi-Fi Show in Lake 3, October 12-14 at the Pullman Mercure Hotel, Queens Road Albert Park. Tickets on sale now.
For more information visit Yamaha.
Further reading: Home Cinema Discussion
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Marc Rushton
StereoNET’s Founder and Publisher was born in England and raised on British Hi-Fi before moving to Australia. He developed an early love of music and playing bass guitar before discovering the studio and the other side of the mixing desk. After writing for print magazines, Marc saw the future in digital publishing and founded the first version of StereoNET in 1999.
Posted in: Home Theatre
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