The latter’s remote control allows you to turn on the television and the R-N2000A with a simple touch of a button, and controls the volume. We hooked it up to a TV that had an Apple TV media player connected to it. We also used the R-N2000A in an audio/video context using its HDMI socket. In contrast, the Yamaha will not work miracles with old recordings where the bandwidth is shortened. In addition, the voice is slightly elevated above the instruments, which serves to reinforce its authority, unlike in other systems where everything is stuck in the same plane. The intonation, the breaths, the end of notes, absolutely everything is described. Listening to the vocal jazz of Emilie-Claire Barlow, on her latest album Spark Bird, her presence is striking. The R-N2000A gives way to the music and faithfully reproduces it just as it was recorded. Nothing dominates and there is no excessive heat. It seems to be playing out right in front of our eyes as its presence converges on the centre stage, yet it doesn’t prevent the rest of the message from unfolding in the background. The voice is perfectly outlined, and the presence of space between the instruments is distinct. On tighter recordings like Eric Bibb’s blues album Ridin’, the effect of presence is striking. It gives the impression of total control. Everything feels natural: at no point does the amplifier seem to force or project the sound. The reverb information fully enhances the experience by giving an impressive sense of openness.

2, the speakers completely disappear allowing the music desks to express themselves in all their glory throughout the room. When listening to great orchestral formations such as Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. The R-N2000A has a deep and vertical soundstage. The bass is articulate and demonstrates a certain depth, yet the Yamaha doesn’t overdo it or sound cartoonish. There’s plenty of it across the entire bandwidth, with a powerful sonic bubble that sits centre stage. The main characteristic that immediately stands out is the substance. Fear not, it holds on to our Dynaudio speakers with an iron fist. To judge the dynamic capabilities of this integrated Yamaha, we start with Demuir’s electro. In our semi-prepared test room, the result is pretty convincing, so we’ll let you imagine an unprepared room.

The sound stage gains texture across its entire width, and the bass also becomes less distorted. The centre gains clarity, with voices even more clearly defined against the rest of the message. It would be a waste not to take the 30 seconds calibration requires as it improves the sound on all levels. As a result, we were able to identify how this calibration worked, which is essential for us.

Yamaha style player