YAMAHA CORPORATION's RX300A AV receiver is advertised as supporting Dolby Atmos without the need for ceiling speakers. A hands-on review examines how it reproduces the sound field using virtual Dolby Atmos despite incorporating a 5-channel power amplifier.
YAMAHA CORPORATION's entry-level RX300A AV receiver, which incorporates a 5-channel power amplifier, has been launched. It does not include the company's Cinema DSP, but is presented as featuring a simple design and ease of use. Its development is rooted in a tradition of sound-field creation technology dating back to the 1990s, although the current Cinema DSP is not included in this model.
Despite its 5-channel configuration, the unit supports Dolby Atmos and is said to reproduce a sense of height without ceiling speakers by using the Speaker Virtualization function. The Room Collection function is also introduced as a way to measure a room's acoustic characteristics with a dedicated microphone and optimise the sound.
In hands-on listening tests, the unit was connected to speakers including JBL's PROJECT K2 S9900 and LINN's CLASSIK UNIK for 4.1-channel playback, and was said to deliver reduced noise and an appropriate dynamic range. The virtualisation effect for Dolby Atmos can be experienced in 3 modes, STRAIGHT, MOVIE and MUSIC, with STRAIGHT receiving particularly favourable sound-quality feedback. The review emphasises that playback of Blu-ray content can provide a virtual experience of sound descending from above.
Bluetooth playback was also stable, with no noticeable issues when playing Qobuz or Radiko sources, and the balance between price and sound quality was highly evaluated. The overall assessment also noted that the unit could compete on sound quality with integrated amplifiers in the same price range, positioning it as a product that makes Dolby Atmos easy to enjoy.