The Yamaha CX-A5200 11.2-channel pre-pro and MX-A5200 11-channel power amp join the company’s Aventage lineup at CEDIA 2018.
Ahead of CEDIA next week, Yamaha has announced two new members of its Aventage lineup: the CX-A5200 11.2-channel preamp-processor and MX-A5200 11-channel power amplifier. The duo is designed for no-compromise performance and custom installation, with AI-based audio processing, balanced XLR connectors, professional-grade DACs (digital-to-analog converters), and integration with leading control platforms.
CX-A5200 AV Preamp-Processor
The CX-A5200 utilizes Surround:AI artificial intelligence to analyze a scene’s audio characteristics, focusing on soundtrack elements such as dynamic range, amount of dialog, the degree of sound effects, background music, and channel balance. It then compares the scene’s audio characteristics to a reference database of movie scenes and automatically processes the scene’s sound to optimize performance. Surround:AI is said to make dialog more intelligible in scenes with lots of background noise, deliver full-bodied sound for scenes with immersive sound effects, and ensure that you hear softly spoken dialog and soft background sounds.
To deliver high-performance surround sound, the CX-A5200 decodes Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks with up to 7.2.4-channel processing. To further heighten the sense of realism, Yamaha improved its Cinema DSP HD3 signal-processing algorithms to enhance the soundfield’s vertical dimension.
Yamaha Parametric room Acoustic Optimizer (YPAO) uses 64-bit EQ calculations to analyze and compensate for a room’s acoustic imperfections. Also, YPAO – R.S.C. (Reflected Sound Control) reduces the adverse impact of early reflections—sound reflected from the furniture and walls near a speaker—that can “muddy” the audio and reduce the ability to convey the precise spatial locations of sounds in 3D soundtracks.
Balanced XLR preamp-level inputs and outputs resist electrical and electromagnetic noise, keeping the sound pure, even with long cables that would otherwise create noise problems. XLR inputs are available to connect source components such as high-end SACD and CD players to the CX-A5200, while XLR outputs are used to connect the CX-A5200 to the MX-A5200 amplifier.
Features of particular interest to AV integrators include three HDMI outputs. Two can be used in home-theater rooms equipped with a flat-screen TV for daytime viewing and a projector for nighttime viewing. The third HDMI output distributes 4K video and audio to a display in another room.
The preamplifier integrates with home-control systems from Control4, ELAN Home Systems, RTI, and others. To AV integrators looking to diagnose issues, the CX-A5200 can be monitored remotely using the Domotz and Ihiji solutions. Users can also control commonly used functions using voice commands via Amazon Alexa-equipped devices.
The CX-A5300 provides seven 4K UHD HDMI inputs with HDCP 2.2 copy protection. All HDMI inputs and outputs can pass BT.2020 wide color gamut (WCG) video in three high dynamic-range (HDR) formats—HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG—from 4K sources to compatible displays. Wireless-connection options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, and Spotify Connect.
Yamaha’s MusicCast wireless whole-home audio system lets you stream music to MusicCast-enabled products throughout the house from thousands of Internet radio stations, popular streaming services, networked music libraries, and externally connected sources, all controlled from the Yamaha MusicCast app. Supported streaming services include Pandora, Spotify, SiriusXM Internet Radio, TIDAL, Deezer, Napster, and more.
MX-A5200 Power Amplifier
To complement the CX-A5200, Yamaha is also introducing the MX-A5200 11-channel power amplifier. It delivers 150 watts per channel (8 ohms, 20-20,000 Hz, 0.06% THD, two channels driven) using the highest quality components.
A large, high-output toroidal transformer and two specially developed high-capacity block capacitors provide loads of power with generous headroom. A specially designed chassis with rigid-frame construction and double bottom eliminates the transmission of sound-degrading vibrations from the amplifier’s power-supply transformer and other components. A symmetrical power-amplifier layout, with left and right sides physically and electrically isolated, is designed to optimize channel separation and boost the signal-to-noise ratio.
AV integrators can dedicate some channels to driving a home-theater system while assigning other channels to distribute music to in-wall and in-ceiling speakers in different rooms. A Bridge Tied Load (BTL) option boosts output to the front-left and front-right channels to enhance fidelity and volume. Likewise, the amplifier can be configured to bi-amplify up to five speakers to improve sonic accuracy and bass response.
The CX-A5200 is scheduled for availability in September for a list price of $2699.95. The MX-A5200 will follow in December for $2899.95.
If you’re going to CEDIA, you can see the CX-A5200 and MX-A5200 for yourself in Yamaha’s booth (3135).
Click here for more on the CX-A5200.
Click here for more on the MX-A5200.
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