Denon 4700 or Yamaha RXA6A?

[jamiepm]

Folks,
At present I’m running a Denon 3300 running a Dali opticon 5.1 set up, and bi amping the fronts.

I want an atmos set up and I want to keep bi amping in the future , so both of these amps are on my shortlist

At present I’m well aware of the hdmi 2.1 issue of last year and as I own a series x Xbox, I’m not clear at present if Denon have subsequently changed the chip they now use and the Yamaha is pending a future firmware update, so either way i want to be sure whatever was the problem, won’t be an issue

I plan to buy the Dali phantom speakers just to keep within the same brand/same sound, and honestly think (to my ears at least) the current set up sounds great.

I know there is a price difference between the 2, so the question is the Yamaha worth the extra over the Denon?
Thanks Jamie

 

[gibbsy]

All Denons manufactured after May 2021 have the 2.1 HDMI problem sorted. Not too sure about Yamaha but I think the upgrade is still pending. If you're happy with the current sound you're getting from the X3300 then the X4700 is going to be better as it's has the AL32 processor on board which is very good. I'll not comment on the Yamaha as I've not listened to one for several years.

 

[dante01]

The A6 doesn't require a replacement HDMI board and includes an HDMI chipset not effected by the HDMI version 2.1 bug. It is only last year's V4, V6 and A2 models that are effected by the bug. This yesr's Aventage A4, A6 and A8 models have an entirely different chipset.

The HDMI 2.1 capabilities of the Yamaha models do however require a firmware revision to enable them. Yamaha haven't yet released this revision.

You'd ideally want to audition both these AVRs in order to determine which sounds best to you, preferably while powering the speakers you intend using with them. This isn't going to be something that is easy to arrange though given the scarcity of models and the willingness of retailers to facilitate such an audition.

 

[jamiepm]

Thanks both, so it’s clear the Denon is sorted for the hdmi, and the Yamaha is still pending…..

it’s been a long time since I owned a Yamaha amp, and equally I’ve forgotten how they used to sound, but if the sound is really ‘better’ then I’m happy to pay the premium.

decisions decisions

cheers Jamie

 

[Deleted member 901590]

I was going to ask if you had an AVR 3300 or an AVR-x3300, but I forgot about Gibbsy being a genius... you can't bi-amp the 3300

Anyway, you mention Atmos, just so that you're aware if you bi-amp the fronts, you are restricted to two height/ceiling/upfirers and can't have the full 4 (or 5 with Auro).

 

[jamiepm]

I was going to ask if you had an AVR 3300 or an AVR-x3300, but I forgot about Gibbsy being a genius... you can't bi-amp the 3300

Anyway, you mention Atmos, just so that you're aware if you bi-amp the fronts, you are restricted to two height/ceiling/upfirers and can't have the full 4 (or 5 with Auro).

Yeah my seating positions would only ever suit 2 atmos speakers, but thanks anyway for the heads up.

Cheers Jamie

 

[gibbsy]

If you're bi-amping then I take it you are doing it for stereo music purposes. It doesn't bring much to the party with surround sound and the low frequencies will be direct to the sub below 80hz anyway. The X4700 is certainly powerful enough to drive most speakers to ear damaging volume but with bi-amping you're splitting the power but taking it away from the remaining connected speakers. Still with a 5.1.2 even that is not going to be a big drain on the X4700.

How important is stereo music, if at all?

 

[jamiepm]

If you're bi-amping then I take it you are doing it for stereo music purposes. It doesn't bring much to the party with surround sound and the low frequencies will be direct to the sub below 80hz anyway. The X4700 is certainly powerful enough to drive most speakers to ear damaging volume but with bi-amping you're splitting the power but taking it away from the remaining connected speakers. Still with a 5.1.2 even that is not going to be a big drain on the X4700.

How important is stereo music, if at all?

Yep bi amping is for stereo music, I have tried them with single wire and to my ears there is less dynamic range/performance. I listen to a fair bit of music, then it’s movies and finally a bit of gaming In terms of what I use my kit for.

I have taken the plunge and gone for the Yamaha,albeit a blind audition,but if the sound isn’t for me I can return it and get the 4700h Denon

im sure either one will be audibly better than the current receiver

cheers Jamie

 

[gibbsy]

What I was going to recommend was to introduce a stereo amp that has HT by-pass making use of the X3300 pre-outs. Even the Yamaha, which admittedly should be better than the Denon in the music department, cannot compete with a pure stereo amp.

You'll make an improvement for sure but it will still fall short of a good music experience. I use a Rega Elicit-R alongside my Denon X6500. Now I base all AV amp buying around the Rega.

 

[gibbsy]

I would also add that the X4700 isn't in the same tier of competitor for the Yamaha RXA6A, that would be the X6700. The RXA6A should be a considerable upgrade over the X3300.

 

[jamiepm]

What I was going to recommend was to introduce a stereo amp that has HT by-pass making use of the X3300 pre-outs. Even the Yamaha, which admittedly should be better than the Denon in the music department, cannot compete with a pure stereo amp.

You'll make an improvement for sure but it will still fall short of a good music experience. I use a Rega Elicit-R alongside my Denon X6500. Now I base all AV amp buying around the Rega.

Yep whilst it’s another way to go , I just want a one box solution, but thanks anyway

cheers jamie

 

[jamiepm]

Just got the RXA6A running, it’s brilliant. I am however finding source set up a bit fiddly to navigate, but I’m sure I’ll make sense of it

thanks again

jamie