The present review is aimed to compare two AV receivers - Yamaha RX-V385BL vs Sony STR-DH790 that are meant to satisfy the needs of cinema and music lovers.
A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Yamaha RX-V385BL has 5.1 versus 7.2 for Sony STR-DH790. Regarding power, then RX-V385BL has such a W/Ohm ratio - 70/8, 145/6 when STR-DH790 has a power of 90/6. The THD is the same and is 0.09%.
Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, Burr-Brown 384 KHz/32-bit for RX-V385BL and 192 KHz/24-bit for the STR-DH790. Only the STR-DH790 supports Bi-amping feature. The Sony STR-DH790 can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.
Both models do not have WI-FI support. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. Each of these units does not support Apple Music. Competitors do not have built-in Spotify service.
Both AV receivers support HDR10 technology (High dynamic range). Compared AV receivers retain the quality of 4K/60Hz signal when transmitting from a source to a TV or projector. HDMI signal transmission in standby mode is implemented in each of the devices. The RX-V385BL can scale the input HDMI signal, unlike the STR-DH790. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.
Each receiver has 4/1 HDMI inputs/outputs. 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-V385BL supports the protection of digital content of the standard HDCP 2.3, versus HDCP 2.2 in the STR-DH790. Receivers do not have a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player. A voice control is not available. An ECO mode is only available for the RX-V385BL. The setup assistant will help you configure Sony STR-DH790.
Only the STR-DH790 has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the STR-DH790.