Yamaha CX-A5100 Network AV Pre Amplifier 11.2ch

DTS:X™ is the next generation object-based, multi-dimensional audio technology from DTS. 
Unbound from channels, DTS:X conveys the fluid movement of sound to create an incredibly rich, realistic and immersive soundscape - in front of, behind, beside and above the audience - more accurately than ever before. The combination of DTS:X and Yamaha AV receivers will fill the room with multidimensional sound that makes you feel as if you are right in the middle of the story unfolding on the screen.


*DTS:X™ playback capability will be available via future firmware update.

Enter a new world of sound with Dolby Atmos®. It transports you from an ordinary moment into an extraordinary experience with captivating, multidimensional sound that fills your room with amazing richness and depth. Music, people, and objects come alive in breathtaking detail and flow in precise choreography all around you, making you feel like you are truly there. The combination of Dolby Atmos and Yamaha AV receivers will fill the room with multidimensional sound that makes you feel as if you are right in the middle of the story unfolding on the screen.

Yamaha provide multiple placement patterns for presence speakers that support Dolby Atmos, creating a sound field that’s ideal for your setup. Any layout can be appropriately reproduced, including the three-dimensional space of CINEMA DSP as well as Dolby Atmos. 

Furthermore YPAO R.S.C. which optimises the listening environment and fundamental high quality audio design takes full advantage of the detailed spatial localisation capability of Dolby Atmos.
The combination of Dolby Atmos and Yamaha AV receivers will fill the room with multidimensional sound that makes you feel as if you are right in the middle of the story unfolding on the screen.

The CX-A5100 is our flagship AV preamp, featuring the latest versions of 3D surround formats, advanced network functions such as WiFi and Bluetooth® compatibility, and full 4K support with HDCP2.2 compatible HDMI for the 4K era. In combination with the MX-A5000 power amplifier, you can enjoy not only a premier 3D sound field CINEMA DSP HD3 11.2channel full-spec reproduction but also new dimensions of surround sound as found in the newest movie theatres — in your own home.

The CX-A5100 supports the latest surround sound playback formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. In addition to conventional channel-based audio, it is possible to create a 3D space in which separate acoustic elements can move freely, giving a sensation of the motion of “objects” above the viewer’s head that fully realises the filmmaker’s intentions. What’s more, the revamped CINEMA DSP HD3 features newly developed signal processing algorithms to increase their appeal even further. With three sets of high performance processors for CINEMA DSP, it is possible to maximise the theatre sound effect, accurately reproducing a new dimension of realism for a sound field with a rich sense of presence unlike any system you’ve ever experienced. And by supplementing the limited number of speakers in a home system with CINEMA DSP to create the effect of a movie theatre space with alarge number of speakers, you can experience a realistic cinema sound field with the sense of truly being immersed in a movie scene.

The broad array of surround sound programmes, including 10 featured in the flagship Z11 receiver, features six Movie choices, including Spectacle for movies with strong visual and audio impact, Sci-Fi for SFX movies, Adventure to emphasise the sound of action movies, and Drama. Seven Entertainment programmes match the audio characteristics of sources such as sports, music videos, action games and roleplaying games. Compatibility with the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sound formats means you hear the full potential of every movie and music source.

All channels use ultra high performance ESS ES9016 DACs, which provide 192kHz/32-bit compatible superior SN ratio and dynamic range, ensuring faithful reproduction from Blu-ray and other players, as well as from high resolution sound sources input through networks. Matched to the design of the DAC circuit, which achieves stable ground potential (DAC on Pure Ground), they provide high precision D/A conversion. A new Volume IC realises low noise and superior sound orientation, and a superior low jitter clock circuit is used for clear and vivid network audio. In addition, the internal design separates the power supplies to the analogue circuit boards, eliminating high frequency noise interference from the digital circuits. The shielded power supplies restrict noise radiation and the large power transformer minimises vibration.

YPAO analyses room acoustics and performs speaker angle measurements, then calibrates audio parameters to achieve the best sound atany of several listening positions. The height of the presence speakers is also measured, to optimise the 3D sound field. R.S.C. (Reflected Sound Control) corrects early reflections for studio-quality sound. YPAO also uses 64-bit EQ Calculation for realising the most natural room acoustics possible.YPAO 3D provides automatic sound parameter optimisation that maximises the 3D sound field effectiveness of CINEMA DSPHD3 as well as Dolby Atmos.

The AVENTAGE line of high-performance AV receivers is based on the audio design concept of providing a massive, full-bodied sound for movie sound effects and the accurate reproduction of music sources. By expertly harmonising traditional and advanced technologies, every factor that affects sound quality, from materials and parts to construction, layout, vibration damping (unique foot) and “fine-tuning” the sound, is handled with no other thought than to achieve the best possible audio quality. As a result, every AVENTAGE model has the ability to reproduce the most subtle details of high-definition sound, so that listeners can enjoy a truly high-class sound studio experience at home.

As part of the no-compromise design policy, Yamaha created an advanced chassis with strong rigidity. Chassis stiffness is enhanced by an H-shaped cross frame that boosts mechanical strength, by adopting aluminium side panels that increase the stiffness of the housing, and by a three-ply structure with independent top cover and side panels. Any external vibration from the rack or other sources is damped by heavy insulators. The A.R.T (Anti-Resonance Technology) Wedge in the centre of the bottom cover acts as an additional vibration countermeasure and firmly supports the internal circuits and delicate parts. In addition, this model has a double bottom chassis and rigid bottom frame to further enhance chassis rigidity and reduce the transmission of vibration produced by the large power supply and other internal components.

Electrical noise may be generated due to connection with other AV components and even to the connection between them, as well as from other sources of external noise. To ensure that the CX-A5100 is not affected by this distortion, it uses balanced connections that are highly noise resistant—the same type generally used in pro audio equipment. Even the RCA unbalanced connection uses a ground sensing transmission method that achieves simple balanced transmission. Even when each channel is used independently, the impact of noise flowing between the preamp and power amp is removed, minimising sound quality deterioration due to the connection. XLR terminals allow use of the long cables that may be needed to connect a subwoofer. The CX-A5100 also allows balanced audio input connection to high grade source components such as CD players.

This AV receiver is equipped with Bluetooth functionality to let you enjoy easy wireless music playback from smartphones and other devices. Yamaha Compressed Music Enhancer is now optimised for Bluetooth audio transmission to ensure that your music will have vivid, lively sound quality even during wireless playback.

This AV receiver completely supports with the latest HDMI standards. Thanks to transmission of 4K video at 60 frames per second pass-through, you can fully enjoy the high definition video quality of 4K without degradation. It also adheres to the HDCP2.2 copyright protection standard for 4K video transmission, and supports HDR (High Dynamic Range) Video which provide enhanced picture quality by simultaneously enabling greater detail for both the dark and bright parts of an image.


*Firmware update is required to enable HDR, and Firmware update schedule is to be decided.

The 21:9 aspect ratio support is designed to show films recorded in the Cinema Scope format. When these films are viewed in the usual 16:9 ratio, you see black bars at the top and bottom of the screen; 21:9 eliminates these bars. By supporting 21:9 resolution, this model will be able to pass it through so that movies and games feel much more immersive. 
*This feature is not supported with some PC monitors with specific IT specification design.

MusicCast is a new revolution in network audio, use all your MusicCast products together or separately, it’s completely up to you. Control it, all from one app, designed to be intuitive, quick and simple to use. Use a soundbar, a wireless speaker, an AV Receiver, HiFi audio whichever suits you best, mix and match then expand your MusicCast system as time goes on. All new from Yamaha, the MusicCast system brings everything to everywhere for everyone.

MusicCast employs a high performance wireless network to deliver music and audio enjoyment. It can stream digital music content from your smartphone, PC or NAS to other MusicCast devices in your home. It can also share the music from external devices such as a TV or BD player connected to the CX-A5100. Audio content from Bluetooth-connected smartphones or tablets can also be streamed to MusicCast devices in multiple rooms.

The CX-A5100 is equipped with the latest Bluetooth technology, making wireless operation more convenient than ever. You can stream music from the CX-A5100 to Bluetooth headphones for private listening or to Bluetooth speakers.

Wi-Fi Built-in capability allows wireless connection with your household wireless router, greatly simplifying system connections to enjoy network audio and music streaming services. If no Wi-Fi router is available, the unique Wireless Direct feature not only allows you to stream music directly from your smartphone or tablet via AV Controller App's Music Play feature, iOS's AirPlay etc, but also control your receiver using the AV Controller app.

Hi-bit high-sampling extension up to 96 kHz / 24-bit can be applied to lossless 44.1 / 48 kHz content such as from a CD (2-channel PCM) or a FLAC file for further heightening of the musicality in the original content.

This AV receiver provides a variety of network functions that enable you to access more sources and also enhance operation. You can connect the receiver to your home network or internet to enjoy Internet Radio, Spotify*, Pandora®*, JUKE*, Napster®*, Rhapsody®*, SiriusXM* or music stored on a NAS and home PC. The AV Controller app (from iTunes App Store or Google play) lets you control various functions from your iPod, iPhone, iPad or Android phones / tablets.
*Music service availability varies by region.

This AV receiver lets you use the Yamaha AV Controller app that is downloadable from the iTunes App Store or Google Play to control power on / off and volume, select input and DSP modes and operate other functions from an iPhone or Android devices. You can also use in as many as 23* different languages and customise the interface by hiding unused icons and renaming functions. A tablet version is also available.
*As of spring 2014

This AV receiver is equipped with a variety of sound programmes that utilise Yamaha's original DSP technology. They allow you to easily create sound fields like actual movie theaters or concert halls in your room and enjoy natural stereoscopic sound fields. Now you can use the AV Controller app to adjust DSP parameters to your preference to match the type of music / movie or the mood you want to achieve. There are two modes, Basic and Advanced, that you can choose according to the type of adjustments you want to do.

The AV Controller app is extremely useful for controlling various functions in multi-zone installations. Zone selection is easily done by choosing zone icons, which can be changed (bedroom, kitchen, etc.). You can control power on/off, input selection and the volume level in each zone, and also rename the zones. The app also shows when the Party mode is being used, and allows volume control of the Party function.

This AV receiver supports AirPlay, which means they can accept wireless music streaming from iPod touch, iPhone or iPad, as well as from iTunes on Macs or PCs. This makes it easy to enjoy music from your mobile devices or computer on your home theater system. You can use view metadata such as song title, artist name as well as album art* via AV receiver's on-screen display.
*Some models don't support album art display.

With the Spotify app on your smartphone, you've got instant access to millions of songs. And now you can stream those songs to your Yamaha system by using Spotify Connect. Just hit play to start streaming music. What's more, when you've been listening on your smartphone outside and come inside, the song immediately streams to your AVR—like magic, you enjoy uninterrupted music. You can also personalise playlists and receive phone calls while listening to music.

*The Spotify app and premium account are required. Visit spotify.com for more details.
Try Spotify Premium for free on your Yamaha Home Entertainment System for 30 days.
http://spotify.com/yamaha
*Spotify service availability depends on regions.

A USB port on the front panel allows convenient connection of an iPod / iPhone, which also charges when connected. Because the digital signal from the iPod / iPhone is transmitted directly to the AV receiver, there is no signal loss or interference, so you enjoy the best possible sound quality. In addition, you can use the receiver’s remote control unit to operate the iPod / iPhone music playback functions.

Many live and classical albums have no gaps in the music. Gapless playback ensures that there are no pauses between audio files. This provides playback with no interruptions, the way it was meant to be heard.
* Compatible with WAV, FLAC and ALAC file formats, and input from USB / PC / NAS.

AV Setup Guide is an app that makes it much easier to perform receiver setup, and also assists you with cable connections between the AV receiver and source devices. It guides you through various settings such as speaker connections, TV and source device connections and power amp assignment. System illustrations and actual AV receiver images help you understand how to make the connections between devices, for much quicker system setup. It is available in multiple languages. Designed for iOS and Android tablet.

Yamaha’s high-end video projector engineering expertise has produced various advanced processing techniques that are applied to this AV receiver. These include edge adaptive deinterlacing to smooth out jaggy noise, motion adaptive deinterlacing to detect moving or still images for precise pixel-by-pixel processing and multi-cadence detection including 3-2 pull-down. Proper processing makes viewing enjoyment complete no matter what video source or content.

Yamaha’ s latest Graphical User Interface has a high resolution display with clear, easy-to-use menus and also includes a selectable Status Bar that shows input source, volume level, DSP mode and audio format. The GUI provides a choice of eight languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese and Chinese, and can be displayed over both normal and 3D pictures.

The SCENE PLUS function simplifies operation by providing one touch power-on along with selection of the desired source and the appropriate DSP programmes. SCENE PLUS offers a choice of 12 SCENE selections, four of which can be assigned to the second zone in a multi-zone system. SCENE PLUS can be selected from the front panel, remote control, GUI and even from the AV Controller app.

Human ears have less sensitivity to high and low frequencies, especially at lower volumes. YPAO Volume applies loudness EQ correction to automatically adjust high and low frequency levels as volume changes. Using the YPAO measurement results, EQ correction is optimised to your system settings and listening environment.

The Virtual Presence Speaker function makes full use of centre and surround speakers to create virtual presence speakers. Enjoy CINEMA DSP 3D Mode surround sound even in environments where speaker installation is limited. In addition, This model also features a Virtual Surround Back Speaker function. Even without using surround back speakers, you can experience more natural sound from behind you.

Even when it is impossible to install surround speakers behind the listening position, Virtual CINEMA DSP reproduces virtual 7-channel surround sound filled with realism, from only two front speakers. The Virtual CINEMA FRONT feature lets you place two surround speakers and a centre speaker at the front to enjoy virtual 7-channel surround sound with even higher quality and resolution, as well as superior rear virtual sound localisation. Adding two additional front presence speakers provides a three-dimensional sound field that gives you a feeling of its height and depth and of the vertical movement of the sound. You get more flexibility to arrange your speakers inside the room, along with easy enjoyment of high quality surround sound.

When music is encoded into a digitally compressed format like MP3, the frequency response suffers. Yamaha’s Compressed Music Enhancer employs sophisticated digital signal processing using exclusive algorithms to restore what was lost, so the music always sounds the way it should.

While standard HDMI zone switching can only send HD video programmes to the main and second zones, Yamaha’s Advanced HDMI Zone Switching adds the capability to choose from all audio and video sources for playback in either zone. An on-screen graphical user interface makes it easy to browse and select content to enjoy from the second zone no matter what is being played in the main zone.

The CX-A5100 provides two Trigger Out jacks that enable control of connected component functions such as power on/off and input selection. The MX-A5000 or another amplifier or subwoofer with a Trigger In jack can be connected to allow use of the convenient Trigger function.