Yamaha's new upscaling Blu-ray players aim to breathe new life into your old discs

By Kris Wouk July 14, 2016

yamaha bd s681 a1060 4k upscaling blu ray players player

If you own a 4K TV but aren’t exactly convinced that Ultra HD Blu-ray is going to catch on, Yamaha has the perfect solution for you.

On Wednesday, Yamaha introduced two new Blu-ray players, the BD-S681 and Aventage BD-A1060. Both of these models only support HD Blu-ray — not the new 4K Ultra HD format — but they offer 4K upscaling to ensure that your existing Blu-ray collection looks as good as it can on your 4K TV.

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“Yamaha Blu-ray Disc players have always delivered the most immersive experiences in picture quality and music fidelity and our latest models continue that tradition,” Yamaha Corporation of America A/V division general manager Bob Goedken said in a statement. “The Yamaha BD-S681 and Aventage BD-A1060 seamlessly and effortlessly deliver the highest quality playback of multiple audio and video formats and provide 4K video upscaling with the precision and reliability our customers expect.”

In addition to upscaling, both models include built-in Wi-Fi connectivity including support for BD Live features. Each model supports HD Blu-ray Discs, 3D Blu-ray Discs, DVDs, SACDs and standard audio CDs, complete with a CD Mode which reduces the speed at which the disc spins, reducing disc vibration and the issues it can bring.

The BD-S681 is the more affordable of the two models, and Yahama says this player is designed to work with its RX-V 81 line of receivers. In addition to the video features mentioned above, the player also supports high-res audio playback via its built-in USB port, with a 192 kHz / 24-bit DAC capable of playing back FLAC, Apple Lossless, and DSD streams up to 5.6 MHz.

The Aventage BD-A1060 also features high-res audio support, but ups the DAC to 192 kHz / 32-bit capability. For audiophiles planning on hooking the player up to a high-end amp, this model features balanced XLR outputs for noise-free long cable runs.

The The BD-S681 will sell for $330 and will be available in mid-July, while the Aventage BD-A1060 retails for $550 and will begin shipping in late July. For more information on both models, see the Yamaha website.

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