The catch
Yamaha RX-A2A
HDMI audio is excluded from Zone 2, and powered Zone 2 takes over the height amplifiers. Check which HDMI hardware revision you have.
Side by side
Yamaha RX-A2A vs RX500A: A2A keeps sources apart by room, RX500A needs less shelf depth
Quick verdict
Independent, supported Zone 2 sources or five to seven HDMI players make A2A the choice. An external Zone 2 amp can preserve main-room heights, but A2A Zone 2 excludes HDMI source audio. RX500A is the better fit for a four-source system with less shelf depth. Before cable and cooling clearance, RX500A is 319 mm deep, whereas A2A is about 371.5 mm deep and also needs its HDMI board revision checked for high-refresh gaming.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
A different kitchen program takes a different route, and a volume button won’t do it
Say one person wants a film and another wants music while cooking. RX500A Zone B can’t separate their programs, because it shares the main input even with the volume set independently. A2A Zone 2 can pick supported sources separately, and its line output can feed another amplifier so the main room keeps 5.1.2. HDMI audio is the catch. A streamer connected by HDMI alone doesn’t qualify as an A2A Zone 2 source, so check how the music will get to the receiver.
Where this comes from
The zone source table and amplifier assignment, matched against household members doing different things at the same time. Independent volume is kept distinct from independent content.
The catch
Yamaha RX500A
The main source is shared by Zone B, which also borrows the height pair. Four HDMI inputs are available.
Yamaha RX-A2A
- Why pick it
- A supported non-HDMI source needs to play on its own in the kitchen, with a suitable zone amp if the heights must stay active.
- Direct permanent connections are needed for five to seven HDMI sources.
- The catch
- HDMI audio is excluded from Zone 2, and powered Zone 2 takes over the height amplifiers. Check which HDMI hardware revision you have.
Yamaha RX500A
- Why pick it
- Four HDMI inputs do the job, and the shorter body helps a shelf installation with proper ventilation.
- Your route is the documented Google Cast or a supported Connect service, and independent Zone B content is not something you need.
- The catch
- The main source is shared by Zone B, which also borrows the height pair. Four HDMI inputs are available.
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What this page compares
Yamaha RX-A2A vs RX500A for family films, kitchen music and a shallow media shelf, covering Zone 2 restrictions, source capacity and the A2A HDMI board.
5.1.2 works on either seven-channel Yamaha, and for a shared family room they are realistic alternatives. That is most true when an older AVENTAGE offer goes up against the newer RX500A.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
A film in the main room, different supported music in the kitchen
Zone 2 sources on A2A can be independent as long as they aren’t HDMI. Plan the amplification and input routing.
- Yamaha RX-A2A
- Better fit
- Yamaha RX500A
- Caution
A ventilated shelf with limited depth, and four sources
RX500A has a body about 52.5 mm less deep.
- Yamaha RX-A2A
- Caution
- Yamaha RX500A
- Better fit
Five to seven players on HDMI
Seven direct inputs are on A2A.
- Yamaha RX-A2A
- Better fit
- Yamaha RX500A
- Caution
An HDMI streamer as the only feed for A2A Zone 2
HDMI audio isn’t available to A2A Zone 2. RX500A shares its main source instead of choosing independently.
- Yamaha RX-A2A
- Not suitable
- Yamaha RX500A
- Caution
In practice
Differences you will notice
A different kitchen program takes a different route, and a volume button won’t do it
Say one person wants a film and another wants music while cooking. RX500A Zone B can’t separate their programs, because it shares the main input even with the volume set independently. A2A Zone 2 can pick supported sources separately, and its line output can feed another amplifier so the main room keeps 5.1.2. HDMI audio is the catch. A streamer connected by HDMI alone doesn’t qualify as an A2A Zone 2 source, so check how the music will get to the receiver.
How we worked this out
The zone source table and amplifier assignment, matched against household members doing different things at the same time. Independent volume is kept distinct from independent content.
A shallow shelf can matter more than three extra sockets
RX500A is 319 mm deep. The published depth of A2A converts to about 371.5 mm, roughly 52.5 mm more. On furniture where the rear plugs are already hard to reach, the shorter body may leave more room for supported cable bends and access. This isn’t a safe-clearance calculation, and both still need the ventilation and installation space their manuals call for. If all four sources fit on RX500A, inputs left unused on A2A may not be worth the deeper installation.
How we worked this out
14.625 inches times 25.4 equals 371.475 mm, which rounds to about 371.5, against 319 mm. Bare dimensions don’t establish that it will safely fit an enclosure.
A new unit in the box doesn’t tell you which A2A HDMI hardware it has
A new-condition A2A offer from older stock may look appealing, but being new doesn’t prove which HDMI board is inside. Yamaha documents a front-panel check for the revised hardware. Before you count the receiver as ready for that setup, confirm the board and firmware against the exact gaming signal. Even on the revised A2A, the high-refresh inputs are 24 Gbps, so don’t assume the 40 Gbps capability of another Yamaha model. This is a check to make before buying, and it doesn’t claim that every A2A listing has the older board.
How we worked this out
The official board identification procedure, matched against new stock still on sale and gaming use today. Nothing is assumed about the age of any seller’s stock or about performance.
Plan your receiver connectionsLay out my system
Check a documented speaker layout against HDMI sources and external-amplifier plans.
Yamaha RX-A2A
Check this one yourself
Make sure this unit has the required HDMI hardware update before you count on 4K/120Hz.
Yamaha RX500A
Handles your setup
Runs 5.1.2 on its own built-in amplifiers. Takes 3 HDMI devices, 1 of them at 4K/120Hz. Use the required HDMI signal format, compatible cables and a display that accepts the requested signal.
A powered subwoofer does not count toward the speaker channels. This checks one main room. Check Zone 2, bi-amping and unusual speaker assignments yourself. Leave room for ventilation, and confirm HDMI settings, cables and speaker impedance before you install.
Option A
Yamaha, US black standalone receiver
RX-A2A
A supported non-HDMI source needs to play on its own in the kitchen, with a suitable zone amp if the heights must stay active.
- Best for
- A supported non-HDMI source needs to play on its own in the kitchen, with a suitable zone amp if the heights must stay active.
Facts we checked
- Main layout: Seven amps, 5.1.2 or 7.1
- Direct HDMI sources: Seven
- Second-room program: Independent supported Zone 2 sources, no HDMI audio
- Body depth: 14 5/8 inches, about 371.5 mm
Option B
Yamaha, RX500A B
RX500A
Four HDMI inputs do the job, and the shorter body helps a shelf installation with proper ventilation.
- Best for
- Four HDMI inputs do the job, and the shorter body helps a shelf installation with proper ventilation.
Facts we checked
- Main layout: Seven amps, 5.1.2 or 7.1
- Direct HDMI sources: Four
- Second-room program: Zone B shares the main input
- Body depth: 319 mm
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Yamaha RX-A2A | Yamaha RX500A | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main layout | Seven amps, 5.1.2 or 7.1 | Seven amps, 5.1.2 or 7.1 | Four physical heights alongside five ear-level speakers aren’t possible with either. |
| Direct HDMI sources | Seven | Four | Three additional compatible players can stay connected to A2A. |
| Second-room program | Independent supported Zone 2 sources, no HDMI audio | Zone B shares the main input | A separate volume control by itself doesn’t let the kitchen choose its own program. |
| Body depth | 14 5/8 inches, about 371.5 mm | 319 mm | Before plugs and ventilation, RX500A is about 52.5 mm less deep. |
| Retain heights during zone playback | External Zone 2 amplifier route | Powered Zone B takes the height pair | A2A gives you a separate amplification route, within its source rules. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Yamaha RX-A2A
- To hold on to 5.1.2 while a second room plays, you need a separate zone amplifier and a supported source.
With Yamaha RX500A
- If your sources grow past four, an extra HDMI switch is another component to verify.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
You can’t do without independent, supported content in the second room
Go with Yamaha RX-A2A. The separate Zone 2 route comes with A2A.
Four sources are enough, and the depth of the receiver is what limits you
Go with Yamaha RX500A. RX500A has the shorter body, though clearance is still needed.
Decision guide
Before you buy
Films and kitchen music should coexist, with no added equipment that fails to fit the furniture.
What this page can’t tell you
- We name no winner on measured sound or calibration. The A2A hardware and zone-source qualifications apply alongside the buying recommendation.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the AV receivers we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yamaha RX-A2A |
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| Yamaha RX500A |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Yamaha RX-A2A
A supported non-HDMI source needs to play on its own in the kitchen, with a suitable zone amp if the heights must stay active.
Direct permanent connections are needed for five to seven HDMI sources.
See price & reviews on AmazonYamaha RX500A
Four HDMI inputs do the job, and the shorter body helps a shelf installation with proper ventilation.
Your route is the documented Google Cast or a supported Connect service, and independent Zone B content is not something you need.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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