Yamaha RX-V373: 5.1-Channel Model with 4K Pass Through and 3D Support

The Yamaha RX-V373 is a receiver from Yamaha's low-end products. It has a 100W power supply and supports most modern surround sound formats (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, and others).

Design

On the front panel, the unit has a clean and minimalistic interface. The control panel isn't cluttered with unnecessary buttons. There are input select buttons, buttons to adjust the sound, etc. All of them are labeled which appears to be very helpful when you only start getting acquainted with the unit. There is also a moderate-sized LCD display. It shows the volume level, sound mode, the selected input, etc.

The receiver is simple and convenient to use, so I give it 10/10 for the design.

Features

The RX-V373 is a more affordable analog of the Yamaha RX-V675. The main difference between them is the fact that the last one has more channels (7.2 vs 5.1).

There is nothing outstanding about the Yamaha RX-V373 specs, but they justify the receiver's value. Though it has a 4K pass-through functionality, it can't offer a 4K upscaling feature that was quite disappointing for me. However, the 3D compatibility is a great bonus.

Sadly, the streaming functionality of the receiver is quite limited. In order to cut the price, Yamaha avoids supplementing the model with network-related features, so it can't stream music from Spotify, DLNA, etc. However, fortunately, this model does support iPod playback.

The Dynamic Range Compression function made it possible not to adjust the volume level manually every time you need it. It automatically balances the range between the loudest and the quietest sounds.

The Yamaha RX-V373 remote control has dozens of different buttons meaning that most functions can be activated with a single press. You even can use it to control the connected devices, switch between the preset sound modes (Movie, Music, etc.), select an input source, control the FM/AM radio, etc.

For the price, the receiver's functions are generally satisfying and can be rated at 8/10.

Performance

Connecting the receiver to my bookshelf speakers, I was amazed by how powerful and balanced their sound turned out to be; it seemed to me that I bought new speakers! However, at 85W per channel, the receiver isn't powerful enough for large floorstanders.

The model provides a lot of functions for sound calibration. I personally like the receiver’s sound programs. The Adventure program, for example, can make you feel like you are in a real movie theater when watching an action movie.

The receiver works almost as I was expecting, so I estimate its performance at 9/10.

Sound Quality

The RX-V373 decodes both standard- and high-resolution formats, and even supports the SACD playback. On the whole, the sound is balanced, natural, and clear. The dialog reproduction is lively and clear.

The receiver also has the Subwoofer Trim function that separates low frequencies and makes them more pronounced, cleaner, and balanced. It even prevented my old subwoofer from rumbling at high volumes.

The sound quality is superb and therefore gets 10/10 from me.

Connectivity

The Yamaha natural sound AV receiver RX-V373 can't offer a wireless option, but its wired connectivity will allow you to connect quite a lot of devices simultaneously:

• 4 HDMI inputs and one output;
• USB input;
• 2 component inputs;
• 4 composite inputs;
• 2 digital optical inputs;
• 2 coaxial inputs;
• 4 analog inputs;
• subwoofer pre-out;
• headphone jack./li>

Unfortunately, there is no Wi-Fi/Bluetooth support, but the number of ports for wired connectivity is quite large, so I give it 8/10.

Setup

Firstly, you need to arrange all the components of your audio system properly (use illustrations in the manual for this). Secondly, you need to perform all the connections, i.e. connect your speakers/TV to the receiver. Then, plug in the power cable, turn the unit on and follow the user-friendly on-screen instructions.

Thanks to Yamaha's patented YPAO technology, the setup was a breeze. It's even able to detect if your speakers were wired incorrectly.

Like all the budget Yamaha receivers that I have tested, the setup process of this model is really straightforward, so I give it 10/10.

Conclusion

As you can see from this Yamaha RX-V373 review, although this model is inexpensive, it's equipped with most functions that a modern receiver should have (Dolby support, 4K pass through, etc.). It will be pretty much enough for a computer or home audio system, but for a full-fledged home theater system, it simply won't provide enough power.