Yamaha RX-V2065 Preview

One doesn't have to try very hard to get excited about Yamaha's new receiver offerings. They definitely have been taking some big leaps lately. One thing we've really liked is their new interface. We've completed the preliminary review of the new neoHD Media Centers and have been impressed. While the system does have some quirks, it is very intuitive to the neophyte.

For many enthusiasts, this is a warning sign. They equate "ease of use" with "lack of quality." Yamaha has always been known for their quality so this leaves the enthusiast confused. Is Yamaha losing their edge? Are they giving in to the masses? Or are they managing to actually make good receivers easy to use?

The Yamaha RX-V2065 is the latest in the '65 series of receivers. At $1399 MSRP, it is currently the most expensive. At that price point you'd expect a lot of performance, and you'd get it. With 130 watts per channel, all the latest HD audio formats decoded internally, dual subwoofer outputs, high end DACs and attention to detail in maintaining audio fidelity, the RX-V2065 doesn't disappoint. On the video side, you have analogue upscaling to 1080p and dual (simultaneous) HDMI outputs.

The RX-V2065 is network ready though not wireless enabled, meaning you'll need to get an Ethernet connection into your home theater in some way. If you do, you'll find Internet radio, Rhapsody, and network streaming support for most of the common file formats (WAV, MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC). Of course the Yamaha RX-V2065 is designed to work flawlessly with Yamaha's MusicCAST2 MCX-RC100 Commander and has DLNA support.

You're not going to have much of a problem connecting most of your devices as inputs are plentiful. There is a USB port on the front of the unit for portable audio players and flash drives, though they require the addition of the YDS-11 Universal Dock for iPod support (and this dock has its own rear multi-pin connection). The unit is XM and Sirius ready, has an HD Radio receiver, and supports iTunes tagging. The new on-screen display "GUI" will include album art for applications that can support it and iPod song titles will also be displayed on the front of the receiver. The list of features really goes on.

The RX-V2065 allows you to interface and control it with an Apple iPhone using a special application program.   You can even set it to notify you about a new firmware update which can be engaged directly from your iPhone.

The real question, however, is what your $400 gets you over the cost of Yamaha's RX-V1065 receiver - priced at $999 for the mathematically challenged. Well, for starters, you get 25 more watts per channel, something that just about everyone will appreciate. The RX-V2065 has network capabilities which can be huge for some (especially those with Rhapsody accounts or who just love Internet Radio). The second HDMI output, while simultaneous, is better than the single one the RX-V1065 plus the RX-V2065 has a 5th HDMI input. Other than that, it gets a 3rd zone and a second remote. Both the extra zones are audio only - a bit disappointing considering some of the competitor's offerings). Still, all in all, it's a nice boost for the money.

Conclusion

The Yamaha RX-V2065 has a lot of bang for the buck. All the receivers currently on the market with network capability have higher price tags. Add to that the years of manufacturing that Yamaha has under their belt and you've got a lot to get excited about. What's really interesting is what Yamaha will offer next. The RX-V2065 may not be the last '65 model out of the AV giant, or they may indeed wait to further beef up the line again with the subsequent '66 series.  We just don't know what will be in the next step up from here.

For more information about the Yamaha RX-V2065, click here.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.