Yamaha RX-A4A Review

This Yamaha RX-A4A review will take an in-depth look at one of the best AV receivers available on the market today. Previous models in the RX-A series have been very popular, and this one is sure to continue that trend. We’ll go over the features, specs, design, and performance of this AV receiver to help you determine if it’s the right model for your home theater setup.

Build and design

The Yamaha RX-A4A measures 17.1 x 6.8 x 14.6 inches and weighs just over 20 pounds, so it’s not too big or too heavy to be inconvenient to move around. It’s made to be placed in a standard AV rack and has plenty of ventilation to keep it cool during operation.

The front panel is fairly straightforward, with the power button, volume control, and input selection buttons located near the top. There are also indicator lights for power, input, and surround mode. The receiver has a clear glass finish and houses all the buttons and controls, while the back panel is packed with ports and connections.

Features and specs

The Yamaha RX-A4A’s specifications are next. It is a 7.2-channel AV receiver with a maximum power output of 100 watts per channel. The receiver has 2 Multi-room zones and ESS SABRE DACs for superior sound quality. There is also a Music Enhancer included to improve the frequency response of compressed audio files.

The RX-A4A has a total of 7 HDMI inputs and 3 outputs, which is more than enough for most home theater setups. It also features advanced voice recognition and control with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri. You can use your voice to control various functions of the receiver, such as power, volume, input selection, and surround mode.

Also, this AV receiver comes with a remote control and an iOS/Android app for controlling it remotely. So you can stream music from Pandora, Spotify, and other streaming services using the built-in app.

The only drawback that happened to me while using the receiver was that it can take a few seconds for the audio signal to adjust and actually play.

This model is able to decode high-resolution audio files up to 24-bit/192kHz and has a frequency response of 20Hz-20kHz. Also, the receiver supports 4K Ultra HD, 3D, and Dolby Atmos and also includes Yamaha’s Cinema DSP 3D technology, which creates a virtual surround sound environment that is faithful to the original soundtrack. This is a fantastic feature for action and sound-based movies or TV shows.

Another characteristic I find very special is Surround:AI that automatically adjusts the sound field to match the content you’re watching. When I was watching a concert, the sound was focused on the center of the room, but after I switched it to a football game, the sound was more evenly distributed around the room.

Sound quality

I do video games, music, movies, and TV as well as my 4k HDR Blu-rays and MKV files on my computer hooked up to the receiver. The YAMAHA RX-A4A’s features have so far handled everything just fine. The highs are crisp and detailed, the mids are well-balanced, and the lows are deep and authoritative. Besides, the receiver does a great job with all the different audio formats. I don’t have Atmos speakers, but even without them, the receiver still creates a realistic soundscape.

Also, I think passthrough mode is worth mentioning here. Shortly, this feature enables you to route the video signal through the receiver while it’s on standby. I found it useful for playing a game late at night with headphones through your controller; no need for the amp to be on and muted, or have headphones through the amp. Overall, I’m very pleased with this receiver.

Verdict about Yamaha RX-A4A