Now, it looks like integration of multimedia protocols, standards, devices and pretty much anything you could think of when speaking about the contemporary AV is pedaling fast towards values considered impossible or most unfeasible some years ago. The perfect expression for this is the freshly-announced flagship receiver from Yamaha, the RX-Z11.

The Yamaha RX-Z11 is indeed a piece of gear you've been constantly dreaming about but no one really thought such perfection was to be achieved in such a short time - basically there is absolutely nothing you could want to connect to this receiver and the RX-Z11 not be able to comply with (irons, stoves and cheese do not count, we're not about cartoons here).

It sports seamless support for the latest multimedia technology around the globe, including Windows Vista and pretty much everything that ends with or relates to "HD": Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, 30/36bit Deep Color, xvYCC, 5 HDMI inputs - including one on the front panel - and two HDMI outputs, as well as analog to HDMI 1080p upscaling and HDMI Audio upconversion.

The Yamaha RX-Z11 sports 11.2-channel sound and the internal High Current Amplification delivers crystal-clear digital sound in 7x140W plus 4x50W, using proprietary algorithms for the 3D imaging, using special formulas to create a tri-dimensional soundstage with no equal. This new receiver supports pretty much anything when it comes to common sound, AAC/WMA, MP3, WAV and the likes and can even connect to an external HDD via the two USB ports.

Yamaha RX-Z11 can even administer your iPod player via the optional dock as well as store multiple sound settings for the different listening zones you may have defined; HD radio, XM HD, everything is supported and just waiting for you to make good use of it. And to further prove the flexibility of the sound arrays that can be obtained and administered by means of the RX-Z11, Yamaha presents few options:

"11.2 channels in the main home theater/music room
-11.2 channels in the main room with two additional fronts bi-wired
-9.2 channels in the main room with the fronts bi-amped
-7.2 channels in the main room, four channels in the second room and two channels in the third room using Intelligent Assign
-7.2 channels in the main room, two channels in the second room, two channels in the third room and two channels in a fourth room using Intelligent Assign
-5.2 channels in the main room, two channels in the second room, two channels in the third room and two channels in a fourth room
-5.2 channels in the main room with the fronts bi-amped, two channels in the second room and two channels in the third room"


The RX-Z11 will be introduced and demoed at the 2007 CEDIA in Denver, Colorado, 6-9 September and the announced price is somewhere around $5,500.

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