Yamaha Electronics Corporation introduces the RX-V1, the first-ever DTS-Extended Surround home theater receiver. The RX-V1, the first to offer Dolby Digital DTS Surround 6.1 Matrix and DTS-ES, made its worldwide debut today in Los Angeles with an exclusive audio and video demonstration at Ken Crane’s Home Entertainment Center.

“The RX-V1 is the most advanced, most captivating home theater receiver ever made,” said Steve Caldero, vice president, Yamaha Electronics Corp. “It is capable of delivering frequency response of more than 100kHz, thereby offering the highest audio resolution ever available to consumers. The RX-V1 brings amazingly lifelike sound detail to any home theater experience and represents a bold new direction in home entertainment.”

The new receiver is an expression of Yamaha’s Digital ToP-ART Design — an engineering, performance and quality standard for the new era of digital electronics. The RX-V1 incorporates a pair of newly designed LSIs which deliver High Density Cinema DSP. Other new digital features include the use of Burr-Brown PCM 1704 — 96 kHz, 24-bit — DACs for all 10 channels and a wide-range, precise digitally controlled analog volume control. It is an 8-channel receiver which maintains Yamaha’s flagship tradition of adding two front-effects speakers to the conventional surround array. The new receiver delivers 110 watts to the six full-range channels required by the latest DTS and Dolby surround formats, and 35 watts each to the two front effects channels. Total power for the 8-channel amplifier is more than 700 watts RMS. For future external decoders, the RX-V1 is also equipped with 6-channel analog inputs.

In addition to increased performance, the RX-V1 provides more surround programs and options than its predecessor, the DSP-A1. With the inclusion of a combined Dolby Digital 6.1 Matrix and DTS-ES, the total number of available programs has increased from 42 to 54 in the new receiver. The RX-V1 also features “Silent Cinema,” which delivers a believable multiple channel surround sound experience through conventional headphones. Finally, the receiver provides Virtual Cinema DSP, which allows listeners to enjoy much of the effect of multiple-speaker surround without need for rear speakers. The RX-V1 comes with a sophisticated new remote control capable of learning up to 150 commands for Yamaha components. The new remote is pre-encoded with commands for most major brands of audio/video components, but can also learn the commands for and operate other brands’ components. The RX-V1 is available in a black finish and has a suggested retail price of $3,199. The receiver is also available in an amber/champagne finish (RX-V1GL) and has a suggested retail price of $3,299.