Sony STR-DH790 vs Yamaha RX-A8A

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An overview of Sony STR-DH790 and Yamaha RX-A8A will help us understand the many features that the devices are equipped with. According to the results of our review, Sony STR-DH790 received 5.3 points out of 10 possible, and Yamaha RX-A8A was rated 9.4 points. The release date of STR-DH790 is 2018, and RX-A8A is 2021. And as a result of the review, it becomes clear that STR-DH790 is inferior in audio processing features to RX-A8A.

Main advantages Sony STR-DH790 over Yamaha RX-A8A

Main advantages Yamaha RX-A8A over Sony STR-DH790

Amplifiers

For the built-in amplifier, the devices received different marks - 7 and 10, respectively, on a 10-point scale.

The number of channels is equal to the number of possible connected speakers. The Sony STR-DH790 supports 7.2-channels sound, but Yamaha RX-A8A supports a 11.2-channels configuration.

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

Audio features

After reviewing the audio features of each model, we can rate the STR-DH790 8 out of 10, and the RX-A8A - 9.

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.

Speaker A/B switching allows you to change between the main and sub speaker set. Sony STR-DH790 can work with the main and additional set of speakers - and switch between them.

Connectivity

The connectivity of competitors in our comparison is markedly different, Sony STR-DH790 scored 6, and Yamaha RX-A8A scored 9 out of 10.

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

Wired internet connection via RJ45 allows receiver faster connection than wireless or even use NAS storages. Wired connection via RJ45 is possible in the RX-A8A only.

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, Sony STR-DH790 got 7 points, but Yamaha RX-A8A received 10 points.

Sony STR-DH790 is equipped with 4/1 HDMI inputs and outputs, and Yamaha RX-A8A has 7/3 HDMI inputs and outputs.

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 Sony STR-DH790 in the HDCP 2.2 version, and Yamaha RX-A8A has the HDCP 2.3 version.

Connecting a vinyl player or phonograph is possible using a Phono input which is represented by mini-jack or RCA connectors. Only the RX-A8A has a Phono interface.

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 the STR-DH790 were rated 7 out of 10 against the 9 for the RX-A8A.

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 STR-DH790 works with the 4K/60Hz video, and the RX-A8A 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-A8A.

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-A8A.

Additional features

In terms of evaluating additional features, the STR-DH790 got 6 points, but the RX-A8A has 10.

Voice control allows you to control the basic functions of the receiver through a smartphone, smart speaker or using the microphone that comes with the kit. The RX-A8A can be controlled by voice via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Josh.AI. Yamaha RX-A8A has the ECO mode.

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

Sony STR-DH790 got 7 points for the multichannel surround sound and Yamaha RX-A8A got 8.

Auro 3D gives a bit more versatility than Dolby Atmos or DTS:X and provides a hemispherical sound and enables a receiver to produce 3D sound stages. Yamaha RX-A8A has Auro-3D on its feature list.