Yamaha RX-V467 AV Receiver Review

If you want to experience true surround sound you're going to eventually have to step up to a true AV receiver. While you can get by with one of those all-in-one systems or simulated surround like many sound bars and televisions can get you, the real path to surround will involve picking up a dedicated receiver like the Yamaha RX-V467. Now this is a brand new product and it sits in a precarious but strategic position among the entire Yamaha product line.

At $330, it gives you advanced features like the ability to decode the latest HD audio formats that come with  nearly all Blu-ray Discs, like dts Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD. It also comes with a microphone, so you can use Yamaha's YPAO (pronounced "why-pow") system to automatically setup, level, and even equalize your speakers. The RX-V467 even includes the newest HDMI 1.4 feature - Audio Return Channel. Now this is pretty impressive. With a compatible display (and this is new so you may have to wait a bit for these to hit the market) you can actually send audio FROM the TV back to the receiver over a single HDMI cable. Why is this important? Well, if you're like me and have your TV mounted to your wall, it means that you can plug cable TV or antenna right into the television, and still get that audio to your AV receiver. The same HDMI cable that brings audio and video TO your TV, can also send audio FROM the TV back to your Yamaha. Nice.

Now let's talk about what it doesn't do, so you know whether or not you want to spend the additional $100 to step up to the next model. The RX-V467 is a true 7.1-channel receiver, but it only has 5 amplifiers. Those last two channels are available as preamp outputs - that means you need another external amplifier before they get connected to any speakers. Most people I know can barely handle 5.1, so this probably won't be a big deal. This receiver also doesn't upconvert any of your analogue video sources to HDMI. That means that if you connect your old DVD player via component video (those red, green and blue cables) you will NOT be able to output that video from HDMI. This isn't a tragedy, it just means you'll need to buy some more cables online. Just remember, garbage in, garbage out... composite video in, composite video out. HDMI in... you get the idea...

There is also no on-screen display with the Yamaha RX-V467, so all of your configuration will need to be done while looking at the front LCD display. Overall this is an excellent receiver and a HUGE step up from the entry-level RX-V367. With real 5-way binding posts, 4 HDMI inputs, plenty of digital and analogue audio inputs and even an optional dedicated iPod dock connection, this receiver qualifies as one of the best bang for the buck products on the market.

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