Is There An AV Receiver With HDMI 2.1?

HDMI is simply High Definition Multimedia Interface and its role is to connect media players with display devices. You might be asking yourself many questions about HDMI, What is the latest version? Are there devices that can use the latest version of HDMI? Is the latest HDMI effective and enjoyable to use? You are at the right place. In this article, we are going to take you through a deeper knowledge of HDMI and a number of the latest AV Receivers that can use the latest HDMI. We will also give you some of the best AV Receivers that use the latest HDMI and are available in the market.

Are There Different Versions Of HDMI?

HDMI came into the market in 2003 after its invention in 2002 by well-known companies such as Sony, Panasonic, Philips, and 5 other big companies. The producers and manufacturers have ever since worked on this product. Since the first invention of HDMI, there have been 7 versions of HDMI. Here is the evolution of HDMI versions since invention to present;

HDMI Version	Audio channels	Bandwidth	Max Resolution	Year
1.0	24 bit/192kHz(8ch LPCM)	4.95Gbps	1920 *1200 (60Hz)	2002
1.1	24 bit/192kHz(8ch LPCM)	4.95Gbps	1920 *1200 (60Hz)	2004
1.2	24 bit/192kHz(8ch LPCM)	4.95Gbps	1920 *1200 (60 Hz)	2005
1.3	24 bit/192kHz(8ch LPCM)	10.2Gbps	1920*1080 (120 Hz)2560*1440 (60 Hz)	2006
1.4	24 bit/192kHz(8ch LPCM)	10.2Gbps	4096*2160 ( 24 Hz)3840*2160 (30 Hz)1920*1080 (120 Hz)	2009
2.0	24 bit/192kHz(32ch LPCM)	18Gbps	4K (60Hz)	2013
2.1	24 bit/192kHz(32ch LPCM)	48Gbps	4K (120 Hz)8K  (60 Hz)	2017

Technology is growing very rapidly and very soon, hopefully, another version will be out. However, the latest version, HDMI 2.1 has not been widely used. Most people are still getting to know it and manufacturers of devices that use HDMI are still in the process of making devices that can effectively use the HDMI 2.1. Most devices in the market that can use HDMI 2.1 are from big companies such as Samsung, Sony, and Yamaha. We are going to take you through some of these devices, in our case, AV Receivers that use HDMI 2.1

Why Is HDMI 2.1 Unique?

HDMI 2.1 comes with amazing features especially for those who fancy gaming.

This version of HDMI can support very high resolution hence a wonderful pictorial display.

Here are some of the amazing HDMI 2.1 features;

For gamers:

1. enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC support) especially for DTS:X and Dolby Atmos
2. Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) for gamers
3. Quick Frame Transport (QFT) for gamers
4. Auto Low-Latency Mode (ALLM)
5. Quick Media Switching (QMS)

Other features:

The bandwidth of 48Gbps can support a very high resolution of up to 10K resolution and 4k(120 Hz) & 8k(60 Hz).

One unique thing about this HDMI 2.1 is that you must purchase a new Ultra-High-Speed HDMI cable to achieve a high resolution.

Are There AV Receivers With HDMI 2.1?

Few manufacturers have produced AV Receivers with HDMI 2.1 making the product very scarce in the market. Some of the manufacturers of these AV Receivers include; Yamaha, Marantz, Onkyo, Pioneer, and Denon.

Devices that use HDMI 2.1 are not so many. For instance, only LG, Samsung, and Sony have some of their TVs manufactured with the capability of using HDMI 2.1

In 2021, there is a need for you to use HDMI 2.1 since there are products such as PS5 and Xbox Series X which use HDMI 2.1.

What Are The best AV Receivers With HDMI 2.1? 

Yamaha and Denon have dominated the market as they have several AV Receiver models that are already in the market. Pioneer and Onkyo also have some AV Receivers in the market but they are not as popular as Yamaha and Denon

The following are some of the best AV Receivers:

1. Denon AVR-X2700H

This brand has some amazing features such as:

• Has an eARC HDMI output and another additional HDMI output. 
• It has 6 HDMI inputs and all of them support 4K/60Hz.
• It can successfully connect with HEOS wireless speakers since it supports multi-room connectivity.
• It is one input and an output port that support huge videos of 8K/60Hz to pass although not all media sources can pass images through them.
• There are 7 speaker terminals and 2 subwoofer outputs (also has outputs for Zone 2 speakers.
•  Can be connected to Bluetooth devices and dual-band Wi-Fi
• It has an in-built FM and AM tuner.
• Can be connected with any voice assistant.

You can check more specs about this device and its price by clicking on the photo or link below:

Pros

1. You can connect it to Alexa Google Assistant
2. It is compatible with HEOS speakers hence multi-room capability.
3. It comes with a dual-band WiFi
4. Has an eARC output port
5. You can connect it to 2 subwoofers and has 7 speaker terminals
6. Can facilitate large videos of 8K/60 Hz and 4K/120
7. It has an Airplay 2 support
8. It is installed with Zone-2 and Zone 3 Preamp outputs.
9. Has inbuilt AM/FM tuners.
10. Has several audio inputs such as; RCA x5, Coaxial x2, USB x1, Optical x2, and Phono x1.

Cons

1. Media sources such as Xbox Series X cannot have their huge videos of 4K/120fps going through it.
2. Compared to other AV Receivers, this one has only 7 speaker terminals, unlike the others which may have 9.
3.  Videos of 8K/60fps and 4K/120fps can only be accommodated by one eARC HDMI Input and output.

2. Yamaha RX-V4A

This is one of the cheapest AV receivers in the market with HDMI 2.1

Find out its price and latest ratings by clicking this link:

Here are some of its key features;

1. It comes with a Bluetooth transmitter and Bluetooth Receiver
2. Can connect to 2 subwoofers 
3. Can be connected to 5 speakers via its 5 terminals.
4. It has the following single inputs for each; optical and coaxial.
5. It is fitted with 4 HDMI inputs and can have 4K/60Hz videos, HDR/HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG.
6. Yamaha RX 4A has 1 eARC port.
7. Has one USB port.
8. All of its HDMI Ports can support HDCP 2.3
9. It has a few buttons, unlike some other AV Receivers.
10. It has 3 analog outputs (RCA).

Pros

1. Its additional features can support voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri.
2. It has an in-built AM/FM tuner
3. Setting it up is simple and fast as there are readily available guides on the AV setup Guide app and YPAO mic.
4. Has 2 band WiFi connectivity ( Dual-band WiFi connectivity)
5. Fitted with a USB port
6. It can support Airplay 2
7. Comes with MusicCast hence Multiroom
8. Has both Bluetooth transmitter and Receiver.
9. It is one of the most Economical AV Receivers.
10. Has both optical and coaxial inputs.

Cons

1. This model does not have phono inputs installed
2. Not all channels have Preamp output
3. It has HDMI 2.1 port but its firmware update is not produced
4. Only supports Dolby Vision and not Dolby Atmos.
5. It also cannot support DTS:X

3. Onkyo TX-NR6050

Onkyo also joined the market in competition with Yamaha and Denon. They came up with several AV Receivers but we are going to take a detailed look at this TX-NR 6050 model.

Click on the photo or this link to find out more specs:

Features and pros 

• It supports Apple Airplay, Google Apps, and Amazon Alexa Voice Control.
• It has zone 2 for video and audio.
• Can support 8K/60Hz resolution.
• It is built to provide services like; Pandora, TIDAL, and Spotify.
• 4K/120 Hz HDR videos can pass through.
• It has VRR, ALLM, and QFT features.
• Has HDMI 2.1 port.
• It is certified with THX.

Cons 

• 8K/60Hz is only supported by Zone 1 
• 4K/120 Hz resolution is only produced by Zone 2 when you are using two separate HDMI sources.

FAQs

What features should I consider when purchasing an AV Receiver with HDMI 2.1?

Technology is advancing to make the use of electronics more comfortable and less tedious. When purchasing an AV Receiver with HDMI 2.1, it is important to look at the following features;

• The Power strength – your need for more speakers and subwoofers will determine the power strength that you want from an AV Receiver. Many speakers will require you to purchase a powerful AV Receiver
• Inputs and outputs- you may need to connect a variety of sources to your AV Receiver and to achieve this, it is important to consider the output and input specs.
• Other fancy features such as WiFi, Airplay, Bluetooth, Multiroom and Multizone, Chromecast, AM/FM tuners, and services like Pandora, Spotify. All these features are necessary for the current technology. It is advisable to purchase an AV Receiver with these latest features to avoid obsolescence soon.

Are there other AV Receiver models with HDMI 2.1?

We have looked at a few models above but there are other models from the above-stated manufacturers. Some of these models include (click the links below to find specs for these models):

• Denon AVR-X4700H
• Denon AVR-X6700H
• Yamah RXV6A + TSR-700 & TSR-400 – https://usa.yamaha.com  
• Marantz; SR5015, SR6015, SR7015 &SR8015 – https://www.marantz.com 
• Pioneer Elite VSX-LX505 – https://www.pioneerelectronics.com 
• Onkyo TXRZ50, TX-NR7100,TX-NR6100, TX-NR5100 – https://www.onyousa.com 

Are there bags associated with AV Receivers with HDMI 2.1?

This is one of the biggest concerns which might hold you back from purchasing an AV Receiver with HDMI 2.1, and an 8K receiver to be specific.

In 2020 the following problem was discovered; when a computer with Nvidia RTX-3080 graphics was connected to an AV Receiver then connected to a TV with 8K you will discover that the screen goes blank when a resolution of 8K/60Hz HDR or 4K/120Hz.

The problem is mostly associated with Yamaha, Denon, and Marantz receivers when connected to HDMI 2.1 circuitry made by Panasonic as was established by a specialized German magazine (Heise) after research.

The above problem still doesn’t have a remedy but we will update when it is out.

It is important to be aware of this fact before purchasing.

Conclusion

The above explanations and specs will guide you before you purchase the latest AV Receiver with HDMI 2.1. Click on the links provided to get more specs and prices for the given product of your choice.