Yamaha RX-V385 vs Yamaha RX-A8A review

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It makes sense comparing Yamaha RX-V385 vs Yamaha RX-A8A because they both are able to give some premium features.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Yamaha RX-V385 has 5.1 versus 11.2 for Yamaha RX-A8A. Regarding power, then RX-V385 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 70/6 when RX-A8A has a power of 150/8. The THD is 0.09% for the RX-V385 but 0.06% for the RX-A8A.

Audio features

Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, Burr-Brown 384 KHz/32-bit for RX-V385 and 384 KHz/32-bit for the RX-A8A. Only the RX-A8A supports Bi-amping feature. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. The Yamaha RX-V385 has support for AirPlay, and its competitor in our comparison - AirPlay, AirPlay 2. Only the RX-A8A supports Spotify.

Video features

HDMI signal transmission in standby mode is implemented in each of the devices. Both rivals can scale the resolution of the incoming HDMI signal. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.

Extensive connections

The Yamaha RX-V385 has 4/1 HDMI inputs/outputs versus 7/3 HDMI connectors of the Yamaha RX-A8A. The HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature supports both devices. HDMI eARC is available in each model. The Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) feature is present in most modern AV receivers and the models in our comparison are no exception. The RX-V385 supports the protection of digital content of the standard HDCP 2.2, versus HDCP 2.3 in the RX-A8A. The RX-A8A has a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. It is also worth noting that the ECO mode is presented in each of the receivers. The setup assistant will help you configure Yamaha RX-A8A.

Multichannel surround

Only the RX-A8A has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the RX-A8A.