Podcast #1002: New Flagship Receivers and Should you buy an 8K TV

In this week's show we look at the number of DVD, Blu-ray and UHD discs that have been released, run down the new flagship receivers from Denon and Yamaha, and answer the question, should I buy an 8K TV? Plus we read your email and take a look at the news.

DVD & Blu-Ray Release Report

Your resource for DVD & BLU-RAY titles released in the domestic market. Latest Report...

New Flagship Receivers Launched

It's that time of year again. Time when we drool over the new receivers that will be coming out soon. This week we have announcements from Yamaha, Denon, and Marantz. OK Denon and Marantz are essentially the same company but we like things in threes.

Denon AVC-X8500HA

• 13- channel amplifier monolithic power amplifier 210W per channel
• 8K/60Hz pass-through or upscaling, 4K/120Hz pass-through for gaming, and support for the latest HDMI specifications.
• 13.2 channel processing to power up to a 7.2.6 or 9.2.4 speaker configuration
• HDR / HLG / Dolby Vision / HDR10+ / Dynamic HDR
• Full Specs here

Price and availability

$4299, June 2021, Upgrade to A-spec for existing AVC-X8500H owners: $599

Marantz AV8805A

• 13.2 channel processing, 15.2 channel XLR and RCA outputs, and flexible amplifier stages
• 8 HDMI inputs and 3 outputs. One dedicated 8K input supports 8K/60Hz or 4K/120Hz pass-through capability, while Dolby Vision, HLG, HDR10+, 21:9 video, 3D, BT.2020 pass-through and HDCP 2.3 copy protection standard is supported on all HDMI inputs.
• Features exclusive Marantz Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module (HDAM) technology that provide ultra-fast slew rate, true wideband performance, and maximum dynamic range for optimum sound quality.
• Full Specs here

Price and availability

$4799, June 2021, Upgrade to A-spec for existing AV8805 owners: $599

Yamaha RX-A8A

• 11.2-channel 150-Watt with Zone 2/3/4
• 4K120 and 8K60 HDMI with HDCP 2.3 and eARC (7 in/3 out)
• Dolby Vision, HDR 10+ (with firmware update)
• pre-outs
• Full Specs here

Price and availability

$2999, June 2021

Yamaha RX-A6A

• 9.2-channel (with 11.2-channel processing) 150-Watt surround sound with Zone 2/3/4
• 4K120 and 8K60 HDMI with HDCP 2.3 and eARC (7 in/3 out)
• Dolby Vision, HDR 10+ (with firmware update)
• pre-outs
• Full Specs here

Price and availability

$2199, June 2021

There is also the RX-A4A and RX-A2A with lesser features costing $1299 and $799 respectively. The A2A being the only one without full pre-outs.

You don't need an 8K TV — ask me again in a decade

We found this article written by Brian Westover at Tom's Guide that confirms what we have been saying for a while now that you don't need an 8K TV. We feel that 8K is simply hype to get you to part with your money. Some of Brian's key arguments:

Brian has seen demos, as have we, that are very impressive. Brian uses the analogy of looking through a window. He also states that these demos have been on very large screens. On smaller screens the excitement decreases.

At smaller screen sizes — the sort that are actually affordable — 8K resolution is much less impressive. An 8K picture is best enjoyed on screens that measure between 75 and 100+ inches, much larger than most 4K TVs in the home, since an 8K display is essentially four 4K displays stitched together into one seamless picture. Larger screen sizes may be getting more popular, but 85-inch TVs are simply too large for most homes, and that's the range where 8K really looks its best.

We agree with Brian that at smaller screen sizes the difference is negligible. We disagree with Brian that a 75 inch screen can showcase the benefit of 8K. At 75 inches one can barely see the benefits of 4K! No, for 8K you need 100+ at a minimum.

But the main issue is content. There isn't any and it will be a long time before it becomes available. The studios were already mastering in 4K and down converting to 1080P. Once TV technology caught up it was a matter of finding a way to get 4K content into consumers hands. It was easy enough to get 4K onto a disc. The main title fit on one disc while the extras were moved to supplemental discs. Streaming was made possible by better compression on more powerful hardware through bigger network pipes. And finally, ATSC 3.0 will allow for it to be broadcast straight into your home.

Moving to 8K is going to require far more bandwidth, new mastering technology, and of course new more expensive TVs. It is unlikely that there will be that kind of wholesale change in how content is created for years. All for the benefit of the third most important part of the TV specifications following contrast and color. Which brings us back to screen size. If and when there is 8K content, will you have room for a 100+ inch screen? Probably not. Save your money and pick up a nicer 4K TV now and don't worry about 8K.