New Yamaha RX-V1600/2600 midlevel receivers: Can you say HDMI?

[Woochifer]

Just looking on a spec/feature sheet, it looks like Yamaha has hit the sweet spot with their upcoming midlevel receiver lineup. Their new RX-V1600 and 2600 models bump up the output by about 10 watts/channel and add an XM satellite radio tuner (like their entry level models did earlier this summer).

But, the big news with the 1600 and 2600 is that both of these models have HDMI 1.1 switching, which means that they can switch and decode both the video and audio streams. The HDMI audio decoding means that the receiver can directly decode DVD-A signals without requiring an analog output or proprietary digital link. JVC has included HDMI 1.1 switching with their receivers since spring, but I don't believe that they implemented the audio streaming with their first models. In addition, the 1600 and 2600 will convert analog composite, S-video, and component video to HDMI, AND upconvert 480p signals into 720p/1180i HDMI signals. Good news for anyone with an assortment of analog and digital video sources, and for anyone who actually plans on braving the early adaptor path for HD-DVD and/or Blu-ray.

Obviously, this totally ups the ante for every manufacturer at the midlevel price point (around $1,000). Just as the RX-V1400 and 2400 two years ago put pressure on competing brands to include auto calibration and parametric equalization with their midlevel models, the 1600 and 2600 is also a sign that HDMI upconversion and integrated video/audio streaming thru the HDMI connection will likely be a very common feature by this time next year.

The only bad news in this introduction is that Yamaha has now bumped up its price points by $200 to match Denon's higher prices. The RX-V1600 will list for $1,100, while the RX-V2600 will list for $1,300. Just two years ago, the RX-V1400 was introduced at $800. The audio features on the newer models (except for the HDMI audio streaming) are not all that different from the 1400 and 2400.

Denon's recently announced AVR-3806 will also include HDMI switching and audio streaming. The Denon and Yamaha models trade off in that the Denon AVR-3806 can use the Denon Link digital audio connection that allows for digital connections with DVD-A AND SACD (provided that the universal player also uses a compatible digital link), while the Yamahas do analog video to HDMI conversion.

Good news is that if you don't plan on using any of the new features, you can now buy the 1500, 2500, and 3805, which already have lower list prices, at closeout prices.

http://www.audioholics.com/cedia/ced...1600receiv.php