Yamaha AVENTAGE RX-A680 vs Yamaha RX-V485BL review

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The present review is aimed to compare two AV receivers - Yamaha AVENTAGE RX-A680 vs Yamaha RX-V485BL that are meant to satisfy the needs of cinema and music lovers.

Amplifier

A significant difference between the receivers in the number of channels, Yamaha AVENTAGE RX-A680 has 7.2 versus 5.1 for Yamaha RX-V485BL. Regarding power, then AVENTAGE RX-A680 has such a W/Ohm ratio - 115/8, 145/6 when RX-V485BL has a power of 80/6. The THD is 0.08% for the AVENTAGE RX-A680 but 0.09% for the RX-V485BL.

Audio features

Competitors' digital to analog converter (DAC) is identical to Burr-Brown 384 KHz/32-bit. Both the AVENTAGE RX-A680 and the RX-V485BL support Bi-amping. Each of the AV receivers can transmit an audio signal directly to the amplifier and bypasses any DSP processing.

Connectivity

WI-FI modules have the same characteristics: 2.4/5GHz. Rivals from our review have Bluetooth support. The Apple Music service is implemented on considered devices: AirPlay, AirPlay 2. Spotify can be used on each receiver.

Video features

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. Both rivals can scale the resolution of the incoming HDMI signal. The HDR standard - Dolby Vision is supported by these receivers.

Extensive connections

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 AVENTAGE RX-A680 supports the protection of digital content of the standard HDCP 2.3, versus HDCP 2.2 in the RX-V485BL. Receivers do not have a built-in phono stage for connecting a vinyl player.

Additional features

Each of the AV receivers from our review supports 2 Multi-room zones. The AVENTAGE RX-A680 supports voice control via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and the RX-V485BL - Google Assistant. It is also worth noting that the ECO mode is presented in each of the receivers. Both AVENTAGE RX-A680 and RX-V485BL can be configured using the Setup assistant.

Multichannel surround

Only the AVENTAGE RX-A680 has a Dolby Atmos multichannel audio format support. A surround technology DTS:X is supported only by the AVENTAGE RX-A680.