Yamaha BD-A1060 is another attempt by a company to fill the niche that Oppo once filled. It is approximately the same price as its inspiration and has similar technical specifications. For those unfamiliar with what made Oppo famous, the comparison means this product seeks to provide the highest sound quality for money spent while still paying close attention to video quality. Perhaps most notable about this device is its affordability in comparison to Oppo’s outputs. This makes it a solid point of entry for newcomers to hi-fi audio/video setups.

**The reviewed region-free version has been professionally modified and is not available in department stores, however, you can purchase one here.**

Audio Quality

The Yamaha BD-A1060 has been constructed with audio/visual fidelity at the forefront. This fidelity starts at the device’s build quality, and it is no slouch in this regard. A thick chassis contains the BD-A1060’s internal component, a combination of steel and aluminum to provide weight and reduce vibration. To further exacerbate this, a magnetic shield separates its power supply and audio boards. The result is a device which has very little vibration. This reduces interference and provides significantly better audio output than many other players.

To further improve audio quality, there is a “CD Mode” built into the device. This temporarily reduces the speed at which audio discs spin and disables HDMI ports to further reduce vibrations.  The BD-A1060 also features two channels of high-grade XLR audio terminals at its rear. This is perfect for those who wish to connect the device to other XLR-ready equipment in the vicinity. The device’s built-in Digital-Analog Converter (DAC) will be familiar to any audiophile. In short, it alters the audio signal being output and presents crisp sounds, clear sounds.

Video Was Not An Afterthought

While audio is clearly the main draw here, the BD-A1060 is no slacker when it comes to video either. Alongside 4K/UHD compatibility, the BD-A1060 also features 4K upscaling for non-UHD video. This is a fantastic addition to the device, as it provides another layer of quality to its visual fidelity.  Support for 3D video is also built into the BD-A1060. This is ideal for those who have or are starting a collection of their favorite 3D films.

Miracast functionality allows users to stream content to the player through a Miracast-supported smartphone. Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct allow you to stream content directly from other devices on your network. Traditional streaming services are not included, they are not missed as a result of the alternatives available. It is also worth noting that the device has Dropbox compatibility, allowing users to play content they have uploaded to the cloud storage network.

Region-Free Features

The Blu-ray player’s region-free features are phenomenal. The result is that one can use this BD-A1060 with any voltage in the world. This makes it perfect for those who travel or live outside of the United States of America. Blu-ray discs and DVDs from around the world function perfectly, great for individuals who moved to other countries or collect foreign films. The worldwide voltage feature requires nothing more than the flick of a button to switch between 120 and 220 volts. This gives owners the ability to use their BD-A1060 in North America, Africa, Asia, or Europe with no need for voltage conversion. We found that its internal Pal/NTSC conversion offered compatibility with nearly any television. This Blu-ray player is ready-to-go and comes equipped with everything you could possibly need out of the box.

Other Thoughts

The Yamaha BD-A1060 is a fantastic device at this price point. The BD-A1060 is profoundly similar to Oppo players of a similar price. Yamaha fills a niche that was left empty upon Oppo leaving the high-end Blu-ray player market. Yamaha’s decision to pursue high-end audio and 4K/UHD compatibility with this device was clever. As a result, they have succeeded at the task of developing a new player of such caliber. In similar devices, audio is often considered to be the main star of the show. This is undoubtedly true here, but not to the detriment of other features. The inclusion of some streaming options, 4K/UHD upscaling, and 3D video all raise this particular player above its competitors.

The model reviewed came from 220-Electronics.com, a business which custom-modifies devices to be region-free and work with varying wattages/voltages. Devices purchased elsewhere will lack the region-free features that we have reviewed here. We suggest you turn to 220-Electronics if you are interested in these aspects of the BD-A1060.