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I originally made this post in 2021, which highlighted a fault with the Nuvoto-made HDMI 2.1 chipset, which affected every AV receiver at the time and broke 4K 120Hz output for gaming on consoles.
Companies promised these problems would get fixed but were extremely slow to roll out the change. Denon and Marantz AVRs made after May 2021 had the bug fixed. Yamaha has only recently rolled out a firmware update that added HDMI 2.1 4K120 and 8K120 support, about a year after they launched their receivers.
AV Receivers with working HDMI 2.1 4K 120Hz in 2022
Thankfully, halfway through 2022, most of the issues are resolved, but not all.
Onkyo AV Receivers
The Onkyo TX-NR6100 launched late last year and was confirmed to have working HDMI 2.1 4K 120Hz at launch. It is attractively priced and well-reviewed.
It is available from Amazon US for under $800, and according to Keepa, it has been under $700. Annoyingly there is limited UK supply; the EU store for Onkyo has it for £849, which is less of a bargain.
Denon AV Receivers
All the new Denon made since May 2021 should now be OK. This includes:
- Denon AVR-A110
- Denon AVR-X6700H
- Denon AVR-X4700H
- Denon AVR-X3700H
- Denon AVR-X2700H
- Denon AVR-S960H
The Denon AVR-X2700H is your cheapest option for £600, available from Richer Sounds, and Peter Tyson. US buyers can get it from Amazon.
The Denon AVC-X3700H is regarded thanks to its superior calibration using the top-tier version of Audyssey (MultiEQ XT32). It is a big jump in price at around £980 and available from Exceptional AV or Seven Oaks in the UK.
Marantz AV Receivers
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marantz NR1711 7.2 Channel AV-Receiver, HiFi System for Home... | Buy on Amazon |
- Marantz AV7706
- Marantz SR8015
- Marantz SR7015
- Marantz SR6015
- Marantz SR5015
- Marantz NR1711
The Marantz SR5015 is the most affordable option and the same price as Denon at £600, available from HyperFi.
The Marantz SR6015 is compatible with the Denon AVR-X3700H, but many people seem to prefer the Denon. The Marantz also currently costs more at £1150 from Richer Sounds.
It is quite expensive on Amazon.com, too.
Yamaha AV Receivers
Back in April, Yamaha rolled out the 1.65 firmware update, which enabled 8K60Hz/4K/120Hz and HDR10+ support on the Yamaha RX-A8A, RX-A6A, and RX-A4A. HDMI 2.1 features such as VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), QFT (Quick Frame Transport) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) are still missing.
In the UK, the Yamaha RX-V4A seems to be in short supply, likely due to the attractive price of £500. Peter Tyson allows you to order it with an ETA of late July.
The Yamaha RX-V6A is your best bet at £649 from Peter Tyson. Plenty of other stores are reporting this out of stock too.
Both the Yamaha RX-V4A and RX-A6A are quite affordable in the US, priced at $500 and $700, respectively. The RX-A6A doesn’t appear to have new stock at the moment.
Nuvoto HDMI 2.1 Fault
With the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles, gamers can now enjoy games at up to 4K resolution with a 120Hz frame rate.
This coincided with the launch of many TVs and AV receivers that supported HDMI 2.1, which is needed to be able to handle the high bandwidth requirements of 4K high refresh rate gaming.
Not many TVs launched with 120Hz support and HDMI 2.1 in the 2021 product line-up but LG, Samsung and Sony all have 2021 models out, and 55-inch options start from around £1200.
Things are a little trickier if you want to integrate your console with a home theatre system using an AV receiver.
Yamaha, Denon and Marantz have launched receivers that have HDMI 2.1, which should offer 4k/120hz HDR and 8k/60 HDR. However, the HDMI version 2.1 chipsets, made by Nuvoto, that all the manufacturers use for this have/had a bug that prevents passing through uncompressed 4K/120. The big, reportedly, doesn’t affect the PS5.
The solution has been to connect your console to the TV and use the eARC equipped HDMI port to pass back the audio to your receiver. For people without eARC, there is the SHARC eARC Audio Converter.
[Update] From May onward, any receiver made by Denon and Marantz has had the fix integrated into the receiver.
Previously, Sound United, who own both Denon and Marantz, have developed an SPK618 HDMI adaptor that takes an HDMI input signal from the gaming source and delivers the corrected HDMI data to the AVR, thus remedying the error and allowing a 4K/120Hz or 8K/60Hz signal to pass.
AV Receivers that were affected by the HDMI 2.1 bug
Anyone that bought a receiver that has an issue with the HDMI but can apply for a free adaptor, and they should be shipping now.
The affected receivers include:
Denon AV Receivers
- Denon AVR-A110
- Denon AVR-X6700H
- Denon AVR-X4700H
- Denon AVR-X3700H
- Denon AVR-X2700H
- Denon AVR-S960H
Marantz AV Receivers
- Marantz AV7706
- Marantz SR8015
- Marantz SR7015
- Marantz SR6015
- Marantz SR5015
- Marantz NR1711
How to check if your Denon and Marantz AV receiver has the HDMI 2.1 bug
Any receiver made after May 2021 should be problem-free, but of course, you won’t know if a seller is selling a newer or older version. You can check using the serial number.
Sound United has confirmed that models with the serial number *******70001 onwards are from the latest production runs (i.e. May 2021 onwards) and will therefore already be HDMI 2.1 bug-free.
Yamaha 2020 AV Receivers to get a hardware update sometime later this year
Yamaha has also announced that the RX-V4A, RX-V6A, RX-A2A, TSR-400 and TSR-700 receivers all have an issue with pass-through of 4K/120Hz and that a future hardware update is required.
This HDMI board update is complimentary to customers for 24 months after the program starts. You will need to register to find out the next steps, but the updates should be available late summer.
Yamaha 2021 Receivers – will support 4K/120Hz & 8K/60Hz but not at launch
[June Update] 4K/120Hz & 8K/60Hz is hopefully be fixed with the new 1.65 firmware update
It seems that the HDMI 2.1 saga continues into 2021 AVR launches. Yamaha has just announced the RX-A8A, RX-A6A and RX-A4A. While these receivers have HDMI 2.1 and support all the advanced features it offers, many of them will not be enabled at launch.
4K/120Hz, 8K/60Hz, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Automatic Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Quick Frame Transport (QFT), and Quick Media Switching (QMS) will not be present at the launch.
Similarly, the new advanced Aura 3D audio format will also not be present at launch.
Considering how long it has taken Denon and Marantz to fix their AVRs, it is a little hard to recommend any of these new Yamahas until all the features are fully enabled.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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Hi.
I saw somewhere that the 4K 120Hz works fine with Sony PS5.
Is that true?
With Yamaha RX-V4
Yes, it seems the PS5 should work, the issue appears to affect the Xbox Series X and PCs with Nvidia RTX30 cards. Don’t hold me to this statement though. More info here: https://europe.yamaha.com/en/news_events/2020/2020_avr-hdmi-caution.html
There does seem to be some debacle surrounding the HDMI chipsets onboard the Yamaha models. These chipsets are apparently capped at 24Gbps- More info here: https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1629971809
24Gbps doesn’t seem like it should be an issue for PS5 gaming with 4K 120Hz
I read in other forums that for the Denon and Marantz bug was fixed in units produced since may 2021. https://www.avforums.com/news/denon-and-marantz-avrs-made-after-may-2021-are-hdmi-2-1-bug-free.18985
New stock should be OK, beware second hand. You can check the serial number to know.
What abiut AVRs from other manufacturers like Onkyo? I was told that Onkyo TX-RZ820 can support full 4k/120 HDR+ passthrough.
The Onkyo website states it can do 4K/60 Hz Pass-through. It is quite an old receiver too, so it is probably using HDMI 2.0 not HDMI 2.1
I’m stuck between the Denon AVR-S960H and the Onkyo TX-NR6100. Denon was $750 but just had a price increase to $850. The Onkyo is $799 and it seems the previous HDMI bugs of earlier models have been worked out. Any advice for which to purchase?
It looks like my information may be a little out of date.
I bit of Googling seems to indicate that you should be fine with the Onkyo TX-NR6100. The only reported issue I could find on AV Forums turned out to be a user error. Reddit confirms that the NR6100 has enough bandwidth on the HDMI port for 4k 120hz HDR, whereas the cheaper 5100 is limited to 24GBPS. HDTVTest have also done a video stating this is the 1st HDMI 2.1 AV Receiver that Does 4K 120Hz with PS5 & Xbox Series X Bug-Free
Don’t hold me to that though! I’d suggest buying from a retailer that offers easy returns so you can confirm yourself.
Your time and expertise is much appreciated. I do have both a PS5 and Xbox Series X for my two sons. I utilizing two zones and whomever arrives first gets the zone with the bigger TV. Similar to what I think were your findings, the Onkyo seemed to be the better of the two. I’m just hesitant because I’ve never owned Onkyo products. Most any review I can find on the 6100 is usually pretty solid as well. I’m thinking I’m going to make he purchase in the next couple days because my old receiver (Denon AVR-X3000) has been in the shop twice in the last 6 years for power cycling and just randomly started again. I’ve tested with no wires attached and it still does it, so nothing shorted.
Onkyo is just as good as Denon/Sony etc. I think it will work well for you.
How are any of these budget, 2.1 receivers should half the cost of their 5/7.1 counterparts not on the same level or more cost wise.
HDMI 2.1 (or HDMI 2.1a, to be precise) which is required for 4K 120Hz and eArc. I am not talking about 2.1 audio.