Yamaha Aventage RX-A850

    Highlights

    • 7.2 Channels
    • 7.1 Channel Processing
    • 100 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)
    • Dolby Atmos
    • HDR10
    • 4K/60Hz Passthrough, 4K/60Hz Upscaling
    • Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet
    • Phono Input
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    Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

    Overview

    Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 was introduced in 2015. It is equipped with 7 channel amplifier with 100 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz and 2 channel driven) power per channel and is capable of 7.1 maximum channel processing. It supports Dolby Atmos, passes 4K/60Hz and upscales up to 4K 60p 4:4:4 video signal.

    We evaluated the a/v receiver and gave 85 overall score out of 100. Our ranking system is based on the amplifier specifications, audio and video features, connectivity, multizone capabilities, radio and many other details.

    Table of Contents
    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. 2015 Lineup
    4. Predecessor
    5. Successor
    6. Audio Section
    7. Video Section
    8. Multi-zone Playback
    9. Inputs and Outputs
    10. Evaluation
    11. Specifications  

    Here is a history of the series, where you can view and compare the main specifications of the receivers.

    Evolution of the series
    Model Year Chann. Power Dolby Atmos DTS:X HDR10 HDR10+ Dolby Vision Pass. Price
    RX-A2A Image cannot be found
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    		2020 7.2 100 W 8K
    RX-A880 Image cannot be found
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    		2018 7.2 100 W 4K
    RX-A870 Image cannot be found
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    		2017 7.2 100 W 4K
    RX-A860 Image cannot be found
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    		2016 7.2 100 W 4K
    RX-A850 Image cannot be found 2015 7.2 100 W 4K
    RX-A840 Image cannot be found
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    		2014 7.2 100 W 4K
    RX-A830 Image cannot be found
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    		2013 7.2 100 W 4K
    RX-A820 Image cannot be found
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    		2012 7.2 100 W 4K
    RX-A810 Image cannot be found
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    		2011 7.2 100 W 1080p
    RX-A800 Image cannot be found
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    		2010 7.2 95 W 1080p

    You can view their side-by-side comparison here: Yamaha RX-A2A vs RX-A880 vs RX-A870 vs RX-A860 vs RX-A850 vs RX-A840.

    Pros and Cons

    In this section we present pros and cons of Yamaha Aventage RX-A850.

    PROs

    •   Dolby Atmos
    •   DSD via HDMI
    •   Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic.
    •   HDR10
    •   New HDCP Version
    •   Analog To HDMI Upconversion
    •   Wi-Fi
    •   Bluetooth
    •   Works with Amazon Alexa
    •   8 HDMI Inputs
    •   USB Input
    •   Phono Input
    •   RCA Pre-Outs
    •   Composite Video Inputs
    •   Component Video Inputs
    •   Ethernet
    •   Analog Tuner
    •   Spotify

    CONs

    •   No Front Wide Channel Support
    •   No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
    •   No DTS:X
    •   No IMAX Enhanced
    •   No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
    •   No HDR10+
    •   No Dolby Vision
    •   No eARC
    •   No 8K Passthrough
    •   0 8K Input
    •   No Digital Radio
    •   No Pandora
    •   No Tidal
    •   Bluetooth 2․1 + EDR

    And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

    AVERAGE

    •   7.2 Channels
    •   Power Output - 100 W
    •   7.1 Channel Processing
    •   2 HDMI Outputs
    •   RCA Line Inputs
    •   2 Zones

    Yamaha 2015 Lineup

    In 2015 Yamaha released 6 new receivers. Here is the lineup:

    Yamaha 2015 Lineup
    ModelChannelsPowerMax. Ch. Proc.Pre OutsRoom Corr.Immersive AudioHDRZones Price
    RX-A3050 Image cannot be found
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    		9.2150 W11.211.2 YPAO sound optimization (R.S.C. with 3D, Multipoint and Angle measurement)Dolby Atmos
    DTS:X    		HDR104
    RX-A2050 Image cannot be found
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    		9.2140 W9.17.2 YPAO sound optimization (R.S.C. with Multipoint measurement)Dolby Atmos
    DTS:X    		HDR104
    RX-A1050 Image cannot be found
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    		7.2110 W7.17.2 YPAO sound optimization (R.S.C. with Multipoint measurement)Dolby Atmos
    DTS:X    		HDR102
    RX-A850 Image cannot be found 7.2100 W7.17.2 YPAO sound optimization (R.S.C. with Multipoint measurement)Dolby AtmosHDR102
    RX-A750 Image cannot be found
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    		7.290 W7.1 YPAO sound optimization (R.S.C.)HDR102
    RX-A550 Image cannot be found
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    		5.180 W5.1 YPAO sound optimization1

    You can view their side-by-side comparison here: Yamaha RX-A3050 vs RX-A2050 vs RX-A1050 vs RX-A850 vs RX-A750 vs RX-A550.

    Predecessor

    Here we are comparing Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 to its predecessor RX-A840 and displaying the major changes.

    UPGRADES Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 vs Yamaha RX-A840
    Dolby Atmos vs
    Dolby Surround Upmixer vs
    Music Playback via USB MP3, WMA, AAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, DSD vs MP3, WMA, AAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC
    High Resolution Audio Formats via USB Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, DSD vs Apple Lossless, WAV, FLAC
    HDR10 vs
    Bluetooth vs via optional YBA-11 adapter (sold separately)
    Works with Amazon Alexa on MusicCast (Voice control using your Alexa device like Echo, Dot, Tap and Show) vs
    MusicCast vs
    DOWNGRADES Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 vs Yamaha RX-A840
    MHL Input vs
    USB DC Out Port vs (USB DC output 5 V / 0.5 amp)
    Less RCA Line Outputs vs 1
    Less Composite Video Outputs 1 vs 2
    Party Mode vs
    Napster vs
    Lower Maximum Effective Output Power (8 Ω, 1 kHz, 1 channel Driven, JEITA) 160 W (10% THD) vs 165 W (10% THD)
    Lower FM S/N Ratio Mono/Stereo: 65 dB/64 dB vs Mono/Stereo: 71 dB/ 70 dB

    For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 vs RX-A840.

    Successor

    In 2016 Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 was replaced by Yamaha RX-A860. Let us now have a look at some important differences between Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 and its successor.

    UPGRADES Yamaha RX-A860 vs Yamaha Aventage RX-A850
    DTS:X up to 5.1.2 vs
    DTS Neural:X vs
    DTS Dialog Control vs
    PEQ for SUB Down to 15.6 Hz vs Down to 31 Hz
    BT.2020 color space vs
    Dolby Vision vs
    HLG vs
    Party Mode vs
    Napster vs
    Higher FM S/N Ratio Mono/Stereo: 69 dB/67 dB vs Mono/Stereo: 65 dB/64 dB
    DOWNGRADES Yamaha RX-A860 vs Yamaha Aventage RX-A850
    Lower S/N Ratio (Phono MM, IHF-A) 95 dB vs 96 dB

    For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 vs RX-A860.

    Audio Section

    7 channel Amplifier

    Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 features 7 channel power amplifier. It is rated at 100 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) and is able to drive 4 ohm speakers.

      AMPLIFIER
      Channels7.2
      Power Output100 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven)
      Front Wide Channel Support
      THX™ Certification
      Continuous 6 Ω Rated
      Certified 4 Ω Performance
      Bi-amp Capability

      Speaker Configurations

      Yamaha Aventage RX-A850's 7 channel amplifier can be assigned for different speaker configurations.

      • Dolby Atmos Configurations: The following speaker configurations are supported for Dolby Atmos:
      • 5.2.2 with internal amplifier.
      • Configurations without height channels: There are also other speaker configurations available which do not include height channels:
      • 5.2, 7.2 with internal amplifier.
      • 2-ch Bi-Amp: Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 allows you to bi-amp up to 2 main channels simultaneously. During bi-amplification two amplifiers are used for one speaker. One amplifier powers the midrange and tweeter section of the speaker and another amplifier powers the low frequency woofers. Each amplifier is less loaded and performs better. In order to use this feature speakers must have 2 pairs of connectors.
      Yamaha Aventage RX-A850
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      Dolby Atmos

      Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 supports Dolby Atmos. It is a cinematic audio format in which sounds exist as individual entities, called audio objects. In Dolby Atmos, any sound can exist as an independent audio object, free of channel restrictions. They can be precisely placed and moved anywhere in your room, including overhead, to flow above and around you in three-dimensional space. Through the use of audio objects, overhead sound, and all the richness, clarity, and power of Dolby sound, Dolby Atmos turns your room into an amazing place for entertainment. The format supports up to 128 simultaneous independent audio objects in a mix for rich, realistic, and breathtaking sound. It recreates the director's original concept through descriptive metadata to provide customized playback for home theater and delivers sounds above you through overhead speakers, special upward-firing Dolby Atmos speakers, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar.

      • Dolby Surround Upmixer: If the content is not mixed in Dolby Atmos then the Dolby surround upmixer will expand the audio to all channels including ceiling speakers. The upmixer has replaced the Dolby Pro Logic II family with improved upmixing algorithms.
      DECODING
      Dolby Atmos
      Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
      Dolby Atmos Music
      Dolby TrueHD
      Dolby Digital Plus
      Dolby Surround Upmixer
      Dolby Pro Logic PLIIx
      Dolby Digital EX
      DTS:X
      DTS Neural:X
      DTS Virtual:X
      DTS Neo Neo:6
      DTS-HD Master Audio
      DTS-HD High Resolution Audio
      DTS 96/24
      DTS Express
      DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, Matrix 6.1
      IMAX Enhanced
      Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer

      Sound Processing

      • Adaptive DRC: Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 features Adaptive DRC (Dynamic Range Control) which automatically adjusts the dynamic range of the sound according to the volume level. This ensures that you hear clear dialog and vocals, and all sound effects at comfortable levels. There is no need to adjust the volume level as you listen; everything from whispers to big explosions will be heard clearly and comfortably at the same volume setting. It also tones down loud TV commercials, and is ideal for low-volume, late-night listening, when you do not want to disturb others.

      Room Calibration

      Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 comes with YPAO (R.S.C. with Multipoint measurement) room correction system and includes the calibration microphone.

      • YPAO: The Yamaha Parametric room Acoustic Optimizer (YPAO) function detects speaker connections, measures the distances from them to your listening position(s), and then automatically optimizes the speaker settings, such as volume balance and acoustic parameters, to suit your room.

      Video Section

      HDMI

      Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 features 8 HDMI inputs. It has 2 outputs which work parallelly and output the same signal.

      • 4K/60Hz Passthrough: All inputs pass up to 4K/60p 4:4:4 video signal.
      • 4K Upscaling: Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 can upscale up to 4K 60p 4:4:4 from HDMI and analog sources.
      • Analog To HDMI Upconversion: The a/v receiver supports video upconversion, so you can connect your analog Component and Composite video sources and Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 will output them via HDMI. This means that you will need only one HDMI cable to connect to your TV.
      • HDCP 2.2 Copy Protection: All inputs and outputs are HDCP 2.2 compliant which is a requirement for 4K/HDR copy-protected content transmission.
      • 3D Ready: Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 is able to pass 3D video through HDMI.
      andh3>HDR (High Dynamic Range)

      Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 supports HDR (high dynamic range) video formats such as HDR10. High dynamic range video has greater dynamic range than standard dynamic range (SDR) video with brighter whites and deeper blacks. The result is greater contrast and more details in dark and bright areas, better color and depth.

      • HDR10: HDR10 uses the wide-gamut Rec. 2020 color space. It sends static metadata via video stream to the TV which calibrates its screen brightness and color according to that. HDR10 supports 10-bit color which corresponds to 1024 shades of the primary RGB colors. It is technically limited to a maximum of 10,000 nits peak brightness, however common HDR10 contents are mastered with peak brightness from 1,000 to 4,000 nits.
      Yamaha Aventage RX-A850
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      VIDEO FEATURES
      HDR10
      HDR10+
      Dynamic HDR
      BT.2020 color space
      Dolby Vision
      HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma)
      HDBaseT Compatible
      Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC)
      HDCP Version2.2
      QMS (Quick Media Switching)
      ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode)
      VRR (Variable Refresh Rate)
      QFT (Quick Frame transport)
      3-D Ready
      Video Signal Passthroughup to 4K/60p 4:4:4
      Video Signal Upscaling up to 4K 60p 4:4:4

      Multi-zone Playback

      Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 offers multi-zone playback which allows you to play different input sources in 2 different rooms.


      Zone 2

      • Powered Zone 2: You can use the unit's 2 amplifier channels by connecting Zone 2 speakers directly to the speaker terminals. The remaining 5 channels will be left for main zone amplification.

      Zone B

      • HDMI Output: Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 offers HDMI output for Zone B. This means that it can send two different HDMI signals to two displays.
      ZONES
      Number of Zones2
      Powered ZonesZone 2
      Zone 2 OutsLine output
      Zone B Video Output HDMI
      Zone GUI
      RS-232C Interface
      +12V Trigger Output1
      Remote (IR) Input/Output1 / 1
      Party Mode
      >

      Inputs and Outputs

      Audio

      • Phono Input: There is an MM phono input with built-in phono stage for connecting the moving magnet cartridge output of the turntable directly to the a/v receiver.
      • Analog Pre-Outs: Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 has 7.2 preamplifier outputs which allow you to connect the a/v receiver to the external power amplifier. You may want to use a high quality external amplifier for certain channels, usually for front L/R and center, and use the a/v receiver to power the rest.
      • Analog Line Inputs: There are 5 line inputs for analog audio connection.
      • Digital Inputs: 2 optical inputs and 2 coaxial inputs are available for digital audio connection.
      • Headphone Output: There is a 6.3 mm (1/4") headphone output jack on the front panel.

      Video

      • HDMI:
      • Inputs: 8 (1 front)   Outputs: 2
        8K Inputs: 0
      • Composite Video: Connect you VCR, Laserdisc player and other old video equipment with composite video cables.
      • Inputs: 5   Outputs: 1
      • Component Video: Component video connection gives you the higher quality video compared to the composite video connection. So in case your old DVD player and other equipment do not have an HDMI output but have Component video output use this connection over the composite one. Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 supports up to 1080i resolution on Component video connectors.
      • Inputs: 2   Outputs: 1

      Front A/V Inputs

      • HDMI, USB, Analog Audio, Composite Video
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      TERMINALS
      HDMI Inputs8 (1 front)
      HDMI Outputs2
      8K Inputs
      USB InputiPod® / iPhone®, USB memory, portable audio player
      USB DC Out Port
      Optical Inputs2
      Optical Outputs
      Coaxial Inputs2
      RCA Line Inputs5 (1 front)
      RCA Line Outputs
      XLR Line Inputs
      Phono Input
      Multi-Channel Input
      RCA Pre-Outs7.2
      XLR Pre-outs
      Composite Video Inputs5 (1 front)
      Composite Video Outputs1
      S-Video Inputs
      S-Video Outputs
      Component Video Inputs2
      Component Video Outputs1

      Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 Evaluation

      We evaluate Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 and give score of 85 out of 100. We also give separate scores for 6 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new receiver is added to the database.


      OVERALL
      85

      Amplifier

      EXCELLENT
      89

      We give Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 a score of 89 for Amplifier features.

      •   7.2 Channels
      •   Power Output - 100 W

      Audio Features

      GOOD
      81

      We give Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 a score of 81 for Audio Features features.

      •   7.2 Channels
      •   No Front Wide Channel Support
      •   7.1 Channel Processing
      •   Dolby Atmos
      •   No Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
      •   No DTS:X
      •   No IMAX Enhanced
      •   No Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer
      •   DSD via HDMI

      Video Features

      GOOD
      83

      We give Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 a score of 83 for Video Features features.

      •   HDR10
      •   No HDR10+
      •   No Dolby Vision
      •   No 8K Passthrough
      •   Analog To HDMI Upconversion

      Connectivity

      EXCELLENT
      87

      We give Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 a score of 87 for Connectivity features.

      •   No eARC
      •   New HDCP Version
      •   Wi-Fi
      •   Bluetooth
      •   Works with Amazon Alexa
      •   8 HDMI Inputs
      •   2 HDMI Outputs
      •   0 8K Input
      •   USB Input
      •   RCA Line Inputs
      •   Phono Input
      •   RCA Pre-Outs
      •   Composite Video Inputs
      •   Component Video Inputs
      •   Ethernet
      •   Bluetooth 2․1 + EDR

      Zones

      GOOD
      81

      We give Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 a score of 81 for Zones features.

      •   2 Zones

      Radio

      GOOD
      84

      We give Yamaha Aventage RX-A850 a score of 84 for Radio features.

      •   Analog Tuner
      •   No Pandora
      •   Spotify
      •   No Tidal


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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