AVENTAGE Series 9 has an array of new upgrades from last year’s range including a new Surround:AI mode which optimises movie sound tracks in real-time, Alexa voice control ready-to-go with an Amazon Echo Dot included in the box, improved components including high-end ESS SABRE DACs and a brand new remote control.

“Series 9 continues the legacy of the award-winning AVENTAGE range, which is now in its ninth year and reasserts why Yamaha is at the forefront of the AV receiver market,” says Yamaha’s AV Division product manager Damien Henderson.

Surround:AI (available on the RX-A1080, RX-A2080 and RX-A3080)

Developed by Yamaha, Surround:AI analyses the movie or TV content in real-time and optimises the surround sound effect to suit the scene. Rather than manually selecting pre-set sound modes or having to commit to one configuration for the entire movie, the AI focuses on sound elements such as dialogue, background music, ambient sounds and sound effects to dynamically deliver the best sound field at any moment during the movie.

Voice Control

AVENTAGE AV receivers can now be controlled via voice commands using Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant. This added functionality comes off the back of the recent release of the Smart Skills and Custom Skills on the Australian Alexa Skills store.

Further, all AVENTAGE Series 9 AV receivers purchased from authorised stockists in Australia will come with a complimentary Amazon Echo Dot in the box so customers can take advantage of latest technology in voice control and home cinema.

An Australian Amazon account is required to use Amazon Alexa and Echo devices.

Made for Sound

All Series 9 models feature the latest in cinema surround sound technology – Dolby Atmos and DTS:X with revamped CINEMA DSP HD3 modes on the flagship RX-A3080 which features new signal processing algorithms and three sets of processors to reproduce audio with high quality.

In addition, DACs are used on the RX-A1080 and above with the ESS Technology’s ESS SABE PRO Premier DAC ES9026PRO with 32-bit Hyper Stream featured on the RX-A3080.

Versatile HDMI Configurations

In addition to supporting 4K Ultra HD video (including HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG) on all Series 9 models, an extra HDMI output has been added to the RX-A780 as well as the RX-A1080 and above models. This brings the tally to two outputs for the RX-A780 and a total of three outputs for the RX-A1080 and above, where two can be assigned to the main zone while the third can carry a second HDMI source at the same time.

Enhanced Remote Control Design

Although all AVENTAGE models work effortlessly with the Yamaha MusicCast app, those who prefer a traditional remote control will appreciate a newly designed remote control featuring a refined button layout, hefty grip and backlit buttons for the RX-A1080 and above.