Yamaha Amplifies Amazon Smart Home Capabilities with Built-in Amazon Music Services and Enhanced Alexa Voice Control

BUENA PARK, Calif., Oct. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Yamaha is further enhancing the music streaming services and smart home capabilities of its home audio products, bringing Amazon Music and enhanced Alexa voice control to its latest line of MusicCast-enabled products. This fall, over 15 current home audio products, including wireless speakers, AV receivers, sound bars and a wireless turntable, will receive a free firmware update to enable deeper integration with Amazon services and devices.

As one of the most popular music streaming services, Amazon Music is a welcome addition to an already robust lineup of built-in options offered through Yamaha devices, which includes Spotify, Pandora, SiriusXM Internet Radio, Deezer, TIDAL, Napster and Qobuz. Apple Music is available via AirPlay 2 support.

But the firmware update goes beyond simply adding Amazon Music to the lineup of built-in music streaming services offered in the newest generation of MusicCast products from Yamaha. In addition to expanding customers' access, the firmware update also opens up more capabilities for Alexa voice control of streaming services on supported Yamaha devices in any room. Through the firmware update, an Alexa device, such as an Echo or Dot, will be able to control and play Amazon Music, Pandora, Deezer, Gimme Radio and SiriusXM on any updated Yamaha device connected to a home Wi-Fi network through the MusicCast Smart Home skill. While support varies by region, additional music streaming services with Alexa voice control – plus evaluation of Amazon Music HD – is planned.

"We design our home audio products with state-of-the-art technology that evolves and grows with our customers and changes how you experience music. With MusicCast, customers can access dozens of stations and streaming services, thousands of artists and millions of songs," said Alex Sadeghian, director, Consumer Audio, Yamaha Corporation of America. "That freedom and flexibility includes the ability to control your devices with your choice of voice assistants, whether it's Alexa, Google or Siri. This is how music should be experienced in the smart home."

Access to built-in music services is available through the Yamaha MusicCast app, which allows playback on either a single device or multiple MusicCast devices throughout the home. MusicCast also allows whole home audio playback of the music stored on users' mobile devices, and – for sound bars and AV receivers – externally connected audio sources such as TV sound. MusicCast devices offer high-resolution audio support, plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Voice control is available via Google Assistant and Alexa devices, and with Siri on iOS via AirPlay 2.

Release Schedule
Firmware updates to the latest generation of MusicCast-enabled models will be released in several phases, delivering Amazon Music to all available regions this fall.

As part of this firmware release, the US and Canada will also receive enhanced voice control capabilities for Alexa (English only). Support for other languages and regions is planned for later this year.

Users will be automatically prompted to install the firmware via the MusicCast app. Those who have registered their products will receive an email notification when a new update is available.

Products receiving the firmware update for Amazon Music and enhanced voice control by Alexa devices, such as an Echo or Dot, are as follows:

October 23:

• Wireless speakers: MusicCast 20, MusicCast 50

October 31:

• Sound bars: MusicCast BAR 400 (YAS-408), ATS-4080
• AV Receivers: RX-Ax80 Series, RX-Vx85 Series, RX-S602 slimline AV receiver, TSR-7850, CX-A5200 AV preamp/processor
• XDA-QS5400 MusicCast Multi-Room Streaming Amplifier
• MusicCast VINYL 500 turntable

About Yamaha
Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA) is one of the largest subsidiaries of Yamaha Corporation, Japan and offers a full line of award-winning musical instruments, sound reinforcement, commercial installation and home entertainment products to the U.S. market. Products include: Yamaha acoustic, digital and hybrid pianos, portable keyboards, guitars, acoustic and electronic drums, band and orchestral instruments, marching percussion products, synthesizers, professional digital and analog audio equipment, Steinberg recording products and NEXO commercial audio products, as well as AV receivers, amplifiers, MusicCast wireless multi-room audio systems, Blu-ray/CD players, earphones, headphones, home-theater-in-a-box systems, sound bars and its exclusive line of Digital Sound Projectors. YCA markets innovative, finely crafted technology and entertainment products and musical instruments targeted to the hobbyist, education, worship, music, professional audio installation and consumer markets.

SOURCE Yamaha