Marantz NR1508 vs Yamaha RX-V4A

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Review of Marantz NR1508 versus Yamaha RX-V4A will reveal the best features offered by the devices. According to the results of our review, Marantz NR1508 received 6.3 points out of 10 possible, and Yamaha RX-V4A was rated 6.5 points. The release date of NR1508 is 2016, and RX-V4A is 2020. RX-V4A is better suited for home theater use than the NR1508. Its sound profile is better balanced.

Main advantages Marantz NR1508 over Yamaha RX-V4A

Main advantages Yamaha RX-V4A over Marantz NR1508

Amplifiers

For the built-in amplifier, the devices received different marks - 5 and 6, respectively, on a 10-point scale.

The number of channels is equal to the number of possible connected speakers. Both receivers can handle the 5.2-channels configuration.

RMS stands for the actual power of the receiver. The higher this value, the louder the sound can be produced.

Audio features

The score for audio features is 7 of 10 for both receivers.

Bi-amping is the amplification of one speaker with two amplifiers. This amplification method has a positive effect on sound quality. Bi-amping is possible on the RX-V4A.

Most receivers now come with a microphone included. It is with the help of this microphone that the auto-calibration system functions, which adjusts the sound of the receiver to the room.

Connectivity

The connectivity of competitors in our comparison is markedly different, Marantz NR1508 scored 8, and Yamaha RX-V4A scored 9 out of 10.

Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for the receiver's control or even music broadcasting.

Streaming services

Now music streaming services are gaining more and more popularity. They allow users to listen to millions of songs by subscription.

Extensive connections

The presence of many connectors makes the receiver more versatile. But there are also narrowly targeted models, the number of connectors which are limited to a certain area of use. And when choosing their own receiver, users need to consider exactly your goals for using the receiver. For extensive connection, Marantz NR1508 got 6 points, but Yamaha RX-V4A received 5 points.

Marantz NR1508 is equipped with 6/1 HDMI inputs and outputs, and Yamaha RX-V4A has 4/1 HDMI inputs and outputs.

By using the HDMI ARC, we can get rid of additional audio cables for the forefront of high-quality sound, but also thanks to this technology, it becomes possible to use surround sound formats. The RX-V4A has HDMI ARC support.

HDMI eARC is the next step in the development of audio return channel technology, which works in conjunction with HDMI 2.1. Using eARC provides the highest sound quality for home audio systems. HDMI eARC is available on Yamaha RX-V4A.

The HDCP encryption protocol is now mandatory for most media devices. This security technology encrypts digital signals from one product to another. HDCP content-encryption protocol is present on Marantz NR1508 in the HDCP 2.2 version, and Yamaha RX-V4A has the HDCP 2.3 version.

Video features

The AV receiver is the heart of the home theater. And in this case, support for all current video formats ensures the best user experience, so it is very important to consider this when choosing a device. Video features of rivals in our comparison were rated 7 out of 10.

With the 4K pass-through feature, the AV receiver sends "native" 4K signals to a 4K TV from a video source without any processing. The NR1508 works with the 4K/60Hz video, and the RX-V4A has the 4K/120Hz.

The AV receiver passes "native" 8K signals from a video source to 8K TV without any encoding, with the 8k pass-through features. The 8K path-through is available on Yamaha RX-V4A.

Most of the AV receivers have a video scaling function, it is the process of reformatting the video signal to a higher resolution without losing the quality of the image. Upscaling the video signal resolution is possible with Yamaha RX-V4A.

Additional features

In terms of evaluating additional features, the NR1508 got 10 points, but the RX-V4A has 7.

Multi-room

As the center of a home media system, each multichannel receiver has an additional set of terminals for connecting the second set of speakers to create additional audio space in Zone 2 or even Zone 3 where audio can have the separate source.

Multichannel surround

For the ability to create multichannel surround sound, each of the receivers received 5 points out of 10.