 |
| YAMAHA - V 373 |
The cheaper RX-V373 picked up the Award for best AV amp under £350 – and it’s now even cheaper, offering an outstanding value-to-performance ratio. It’s ‘only’ a 5.1 system (100W a channel), so you don’t have quite the flexibility for your speaker set-up as with the other amps here, but at the level it’s aimed at, this is unlikely to be a huge issue.
There are four high-speed HDMI inputs, offering 3D support and future-proofing 4K pass-through technology. There’s a USB port in the front for plugging in your iDevice or thumb drive for music playback, but you won’t find networking options on board for any wireless streaming here. That might be expected at this price point, but we do find the lack of video upscaling disappointing – it’s a feature you’ll find in some of its competitors.
Another niggle is that there’s only one set of binding-post connectors – for the front speaker channel. The rest of the channels make do with spring-loaded connectors. It’s a cost-saving exercise, so not something unseen on kit at this price,
but nevertheless it’s something the other amplifiers on test manage to avoid. Still, what it might lose out on in the battle of the spec sheets, it more than makes up for in performance. Setup isn’t quite as easy as for the other two amps on test, but once done (and you do have to do it only once, after all), you’ll reap the rewards with every listening.
Big sounding, yet subtle
During the opening scene of The Dark Knight, the Yamaha picks up subtleties that had been lost or less defined when listening to the same scene with the Sony. As the camera pans over the city buildings, the faint hum of traffic is heard all around you, the uneasy single note of the soundtrack drawing you into the action that’s to come. Then, the weighty thud of the glass window being blown out, packing enough punch to make even a veteran watcher of this scene jump.
It’s ‘big-sounding’ for its price, and it spreads sound smoothly and expressively around the room – so much so that you don’t really miss the rear surrounds of a 7.1 system. From the voices of the Joker’s minions to the soundtrack underneath, you feel involved in every uncomfortable minute of the bank robbery as, one by one, the sound of tight, controlled gunshots pierce the mix. The Yamaha is a master of dynamics too. When playing Beyoncé’s live Blu-ray, all the nuances of her voice are conveyed well and with enthusiasm, with impeccable timing and a strong, well-balanced connection to the instrumental accompaniment beneath. CD performance offers more of the same, with great rhythm and impressive separation. This is an accomplished addition to any entry-level home cinema setup. It might not be the most stylish or best specified option here, but its excellent performance speaks for itself. It remains a worthy five-star winner.
Rating ★★★★★★
FOR Impressive dynamics and detail; 4K compatible; an immersive, expressive sound
AGAINST Only 5.1 channels; no 1080p video upscaling; spring-loaded connectors
VERDICT Produces a dynamic, exciting sound not often heard at this level. A class act
0 yorum:
Yorum Gönder