Yamaha RX-V481BL vs Onkyo TX-8140 review

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An affordable AV receiver is always a good option to consider, so Yamaha RX-V481BL vs Onkyo TX-8140 comparison definitely makes sense.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Yamaha RX-V481BL has 5.1 versus 2.0 for Onkyo TX-8140. Regarding power, then RX-V481BL has such a W/Ohm ratio - 80/6 when TX-8140 has a power of 80/8, 110/6. The THD is 0.09% for the RX-V481BL but 0.08% for the TX-8140.

Audio features

Characteristics of digital to analog converter (DAC) are different, Burr-Brown 192 KHz/24-bit for RX-V481BL and AK4458 384 KHz/32-bit for the TX-8140. Only the RX-V481BL supports Bi-amping feature. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.

Connectivity

Both models have the ability to connect to the Internet via WI-FI. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. Spotify can be used on each receiver. The RX-V481BL can work with the audio stream from Pandora, Qobuz, JUKE, and the TX-8140 can receive a content from SiriusXM.

Video features

Only the Yamaha RX-V481BL has support for High dynamic range (HDR). Only the RX-V481BL provides HDMI signal transmission in standby mode. Both competitors are not able to scale the HDMI signal. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is not supported by these receivers. Only the RX-V481BL supports HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC). Unfortunately, HDMI eARC is not available on monitored devices. Of the two receivers in our comparison, HDMI CEC is present in only the RX-V481BL. The TX-8140 has 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-V481BL. Both RX-V481BL and TX-8140 can be configured using the Setup assistant.

Multichannel surround

None of the rivals equipped with Dolby Atmos multichannel audio decoder. The receivers do not support the surround sound technology DTS:X.