Yamaha, a venerable name in quality music and home theater equipment, has just launched a new AV preamp and power amp that can form the heart of a music and movie system supporting up to 11.2 channels.
When I think of separates, Yamaha isn’t the first name that comes to mind, but these new separates sure to impress on the spec side of things. The CX-A5000 is an 11.2 preamp and features:
- XLR balanced connection (11 channel PRE OUT and 2 channel input)
- ESS Technology ES9016 SABRE32TM Ultra DACs for all channels including front and rear presence channels
- Cinema DSP HD3 with 33 DSP programs
- High density presence and richly detailed sound ensured by high sound quality parts and design
- Specially designed high rigidity chassis eliminates the effects of vibration for greater sound purity
- MHL® supports full HD video and audio from mobile phones and portable devices
- Network functions such as AirPlay® and AV Controller App
- Access to Pandora®, Rhapsody® and SiriusXM music streaming service
- FLAC or WAV 192 kHz / 24-bit audio playback
- Ultra HD (4K) pass-through and upscaling
- Yamaha video processing optimizes video content
- High-resolution Music Enhancer further heightens musicality from the original content
- Advanced HDMI® zone switching allows unprecedented AV switching to multiple zones
- HDMI: 8 inputs (1 on front) / 2 outputs with 3D and Audio Return Channel
- YPAO™ R.S.C. (Reflected Sound Control) sound optimization with multi-point / speaker angle measurement
- Full LED backlight learning and preset remote unit
- Versatile zone control up to four zones including Party Mode
- Handy trigger control
The pre-pro also features great network audio and video integration including AirPlay and DLNA compliance. If you have media anywhere in your home, you’ll be able to stream it. Some of those features include:
- DLNA® 1.5 certification
- HD Radio™
- HDMI front panel input for devices such as camcorders and digital cameras
- HDMI CEC with versatile control from AV receiver remote control
- Ability to change HDMI input while in Standby Through mode
- Charging of iPod, iPhone and iPad via USB when AV receiver is off
- Audio delay for adjusting lip-sync (0-500 ms)
- Macro, learning and preset capable remote unit
- Background video feature (for tuner and network sources)
As you’d expect from a flagship pre-pro, 4K video passthrough and upscaling is native on the unit.
The MX-A5000 11-channel power amp features:
- 150 W per channel (8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 0.06% THD, 2 ch driven)
- 170 W per channel (8 ohms, 1 kHz, 0.9% THD, 2 ch driven)
- Custom made, large-size toroidal transformer
- Current feedback power amp with three stage Darlington circuit
- 27,000μF custom block capacitors
- Specially designed high rigidity chassis and highest quality parts
- Noise resistant XLR balanced connections
- Bi-amping capability with channel selector
- High quality gold-plated speaker terminals
- Auto Power Standby
- Handy trigger control (trigger in / out and through out )
- Detachable high quality thick AC power cord
The MX-A500 allows you to switch between balanced and unbalanced inputs and has a trigger control to auto-power on the unit from your preamp. According to Yamaha, the MX-A5000 uses a current feedback power amp with a three stage Darlington circuit that has superior phase properties and is resistant to speaker impedance fluctuation. To fully realize its inherent power, it uses high quality parts with superior sound quality that were strictly selected based on listening tests. The power supply transformer is a specially developed high output, high efficiency, large size toroidal transformer. With two specially developed high capacity (27,000μF) block capacitors, it minimizes energy loss and features power supply capacity with generous headroom. This ensures sound capable of superior musical expression. The speaker output terminals are high quality gold-plated types and are compatible with Y plugs for optimum speaker connectivity.
The pre-pro and amp separates are for the poor audiophile who has been frugal with his expenses. MSRP for the CX-A5000 and the MX-A5000 is $2,999.95 each. If you can afford them, the combo sounds like a product well worth considering for a flagship setup. You can read more about the Aventage separates at: http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/aventage/
