Yamaha MusicCast What Is It and How Does It Work?
Yamaha MusicCast: What Is It and How Does It Work? GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Home Theater & Entertainment > Audio 63 63 people found this article helpful
Wireless surround sound only works with Yamaha receivers made during or after 2018. MusicCast's central pitch is its wireless control. Through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, you can send, receive, and share music and audio through compatible Yamaha products. These products include home theater receivers, stereo receivers, wireless speakers, soundbars, and powered wireless speakers. The downside is that it's a closed system, meaning its products and features are only designed to work with other Yamaha MusicCast devices. It's also not backward-compatible with the older versions of Yamaha MusicCast. Apple Airplay, Pandora, Spotify, SiriusXM, Rhapsody, and any Bluetooth audio device can be played through MusicCast. Any turntables, audio cassette decks, Blu-ray/DVD players, and other receiver-based hardware can be controlled and played through speakers on the MusicCast app. The app is separate from Yamaha's iOS and Android AV Controller App, but you can navigate between the two for tighter control of home theater components. MusicCast supports hi-res audio playback for compatible products. If a product is not compatible with hi-res audio, MusicCast down-converts the signal to 48 kHz, which is roughly equal to CD quality. It is DLNA-compatible, which means it can access and distribute audio from DLNA certified devices, such as PCs, NAS (Network Attached Storage) drives, and media servers. There are a couple of downsides. MusicCast cannot send 5.1/7.1 channel audio from a MusicCast-enabled receiver to an external playback device, but it can provide a two-channel mix-down for multi-room or multi-zone distribution. MusicCast supports compatible wireless sub and surround options. If you want to control those devices through MusicCast, you need a MusicCast-compatible receiver.
Yamaha MusicCast: What Is It and How Does It Work?
MusicCast sends home audio to every room, but there are some limits
By Robert Silva Robert Silva Writer San Diego State University Robert Silva has extensive experience in consumer electronics and home theater product sales and sales supervision; he has written about audio, video, and home theater topics since 1998. Robert has articles published on HBO.com and Dishinfo.com plus has made appearances on the YouTube series Home Theater Geeks. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on November 2, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share EmailIn This Article
Expand Jump to a Section MusicCast Core Features MusicCast and Alexa Step-by-Step: Install and Launch Compatibility Bottom Line In 2003, Yamaha introduced a functioning wireless multi-room audio system called MusicCast. Since then, a lot has changed in the multi-room and wireless connectivity space. To compete, Yamaha delivered a total revamp of its MusicCast concept for modern audio systems, with a particular focus on wireless usability. Yamaha Corporation of America Wireless multi-room, or whole-house audio, has made inroads in recent years, Sonos being a well-known example. Still, there are others, including HEOS, Play-Fi, Samsung Shape, Apple Airplay, and Qualcomm AllPlay, that offer ways to control and listen to music and audio throughout your home.MusicCast Core Features
What We Like Connects receivers, wireless speakers, and soundbars to one wireless ecosystem controlled by a smartphone. Works with Apple AirPlay, Amazon Alexa, Pandora, Spotify, SiriusXM, Rhapsody, and any Bluetooth audio device. Works with turntables, audio cassette decks, Blu-ray/DVD players, and other physical media connected to a compatible receiver. Compatible with hi-res audio and DLNA. What We Don't Like A closed system designed to work only with other Yamaha MusicCast devices. Cannot send 5.1/7.1 channel audio from a MusicCast receiver to an external playback device.Wireless surround sound only works with Yamaha receivers made during or after 2018. MusicCast's central pitch is its wireless control. Through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, you can send, receive, and share music and audio through compatible Yamaha products. These products include home theater receivers, stereo receivers, wireless speakers, soundbars, and powered wireless speakers. The downside is that it's a closed system, meaning its products and features are only designed to work with other Yamaha MusicCast devices. It's also not backward-compatible with the older versions of Yamaha MusicCast. Apple Airplay, Pandora, Spotify, SiriusXM, Rhapsody, and any Bluetooth audio device can be played through MusicCast. Any turntables, audio cassette decks, Blu-ray/DVD players, and other receiver-based hardware can be controlled and played through speakers on the MusicCast app. The app is separate from Yamaha's iOS and Android AV Controller App, but you can navigate between the two for tighter control of home theater components. MusicCast supports hi-res audio playback for compatible products. If a product is not compatible with hi-res audio, MusicCast down-converts the signal to 48 kHz, which is roughly equal to CD quality. It is DLNA-compatible, which means it can access and distribute audio from DLNA certified devices, such as PCs, NAS (Network Attached Storage) drives, and media servers. There are a couple of downsides. MusicCast cannot send 5.1/7.1 channel audio from a MusicCast-enabled receiver to an external playback device, but it can provide a two-channel mix-down for multi-room or multi-zone distribution. MusicCast supports compatible wireless sub and surround options. If you want to control those devices through MusicCast, you need a MusicCast-compatible receiver.