For those who’ve read reviews for the Yamaha YAS-207 (hopefully including mine), there won’t be a ton of surprises here — and that’s a good thing. For example, if you’re planning on connecting your cable box, you’ll need one that supports Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, but if you’re planning on connecting a 4K Blu-ray player, you may want a soundbar that also supports common 4K audio formats like Dolby Atmos. On the higher end, you’ll find more niche features and soundbars powerful enough to fill a large room. If you don’t need Alexa or Wi-Fi support, the YAS-207 (which can be had for a bargain) is also a killer choice. You really can’t go wrong with either bar, and you’ll have to add quite a few more dollars to get upgrades like Dolby Atmos, which you can get from Vizio for as low as $500. At the back hub, you’ll find digital ports including HDMI ARC for connecting to your TV, a second HDMI port to connect a streamer or media player directly, Optical digital connection, and, new for this year, both Ethernet and Wi-Fi. The YMS-4080, as it's also known, is a single, two-channel soundbar with no included subwoofer and, as the name suggests, it boasts Yamaha… On the higher end, you’ll find more niche features and soundbars powerful enough to fill a large room. You’ll want a cable to connect, as my first attempt with an older one didn’t pass audio. On the other side are more affordable options like Vizio’s SB3621n-GB which drops a fair few features, but offers solid sound at less than half the price. The 209 serves up sneaky-good detail for your favorite films and TV shows. If you’re ready to get into the world of soundbars, or if you’re looking to upgrade your current soundbar to a more reliable brand, Yamaha’s are among the best available. Once you’ve determined how you want it all to work, make sure the soundbar you buy supports your ideal connectivity options (and don’t forget to buy extra cables if you need them). You may be be surprised at how much a well-placed subwoofer can improve your TV-watching experience. Similarly, if your TV doesn’t have an optical output and you want to use HDMI, make sure you buy a soundbar that has an HDMI input. A high-end soundbar with a low-end price tag, it strikes an ideal balance between audio quality, size, and format support. Before you buy a soundbar, go over your existing TV setup to make sure you know your specific connectivity needs. TV and movie audio comes in a variety of different formats, ranging from basic two-channel stereo to cutting-edge formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. … … If you’re ready to get into the world of soundbars, or if you’re looking to upgrade your current soundbar to a more reliable brand, Yamaha’s are among the best available. Like its predecessor, the YAS-209 brings to bear a smooth and relatively well-defined midrange, solid clarity up high, and plenty of thump from that squared-up subwoofer to hype up all your favorite films — all at a still-affordable price point. Only a handful of models are this expensive, but if you want the best sound available and don’t have a lot of room, you’ll need to pay a lot more. Different soundbars include a variety of features. It's almost identical to the ATS1070, but with a few more inputs. Luckily, it’s easy to make adjustments to EQ, soundstage and subwoofer level on the fly and, like the YAS-207, you may need to do so when switching between sources if you want the optimal experience. There are quick keys for Source (including “TV” for the ARC or Optical input); multiple surround sound/EQ modes like TV, Movie, Music, and Sports; as well as a Stereo key, which I vastly prefer over the other choices for music. While Yamaha is far from the first to omit all the cables you need, I’m going to go ahead and say this now: All soundbars with HDMI ARC need to include an HDMI cable! Yamaha YAS-207 Soundbar Review. Yamaha calls the SR-B20A "simple to use and simple to love," and the company is onto something—at least partially. Spotify fans can now stream over Wi-Fi via Spotify Connect. Twice the price of comparable sound bars. It has a great frequency response, and the subwoofer helps produce good bass. The Yamaha YAS-209 offers excellent sound quality in a compact soundbar. HDMI ARC is the preferred connection, which allows for easy control of volume and power with your TV remote (though you may need to turn CEC on in your TV’s settings). Voice / Dialogue. The YAS-109 is beginning to take home entertainment to another level altogether. Yamaha YAS-209 The YAS-209 soundbar is Yamaha's first smart speaker of any kind, and since its release last year it has remained one of my favorite soundbars, period. In these cases, the soundbar is often capable of projecting surround sound audio (like ambient sound effects or music) with different speakers, bouncing it off of the floor and walls. Dolby Atmos effects are simulated with up-firing speakers and may not perform well in all environments. Other Alexa favorites, like checking the weather, playing from streaming services (including Spotify, Deezer, Tidal, and others), setting timers, and controlling smart home devices, are also included. That’s a double yes if you’re looking for Alexa voice control and the future inclusion of multiroom audio support. Pick your favorite bass-heavy track or explosion-filled movie, and run some tests with the subwoofer in various locations. The built-in subwoofers are decent, but not exceptional. Decide how you’re going to set up your soundbar: are you going to connect it to your TV with an optical cable, or are you going to connect it to both your cable box and your TV with HDMI cables? Included remote is inadequate (control via smartphone app is a must). Soundbars are flat, rectangular speakers designed to sit directly beneath your TV and provide higher-fidelity audio — and they’re much more affordable than multi-speaker alternatives. I’m not saying the YAS-209’s design is boring, but if you looked up the word “nondescript” in the dictionary, well, you’d find no pictures of it because dictionaries typically don’t have pictures, but you get the point. Remote controls are great — until you lose yours. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t benefit from ideal placement. But you very soon come to understand that it is more, much more. No internet connectivity means all firmware updates must be done via the USB port. If you just need a basic soundbar for a secondary TV or a similar situation, you don’t need to spend more than this. Between $200 and $399, you’ll encounter the best values in Yamaha soundbars. Subwoofer audio is directionless, so you don’t have to be in front of one to hear sound from it. Take a moment to consider which audio formats you use most, and make sure the soundbar you buy supports them. However, for strong bass performance you need the additional power of a subwoofer. Thankfully, there’s now a better option: soundbars. Soundbars need to be plugged in, and in most cases, that means that when you turn your TV off, you need to turn the soundbar off separately. It’s a feature-packed way to ramp up your sound on a budget. (See our policy) Buying guide for best yamaha soundbars, YAS-209BL Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer, YAS-109 Soundbar with Built-In Subwoofers, YSP-5600BL 7.1.2-Channel Dolby Atmos Soundbar, YAS-207BL Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer, YAS-108 Sound Bar with Subwoofers & Bluetooth. Subwoofer audio is directionless, so you don’t have to be in front of one to hear sound from it. If you’re tired of digging through the couch cushions to find your remotes, or if you’re looking to integrate a digital assistant like Amazon’s. , expect to see the cream of the crop: soundbars that include every feature available and are built with premium finishes. Soundbars in this price range don’t usually include a subwoofer and are often not loud enough for TVs larger than 42 inches. Reviews for the real world. Please take our 3-minute survey, Unique styling and 46-speaker internals make this an elegant and remarkably capable sound bar. Yamaha claims this has been improved upon over the 207, and I did notice less icy sibilance this time around. BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. ... Plus, the Yamaha soundbar has a more traditional shape, a more responsive remote, and a good control app. Soundbars in this price range don’t usually include a subwoofer and are often not loud enough for TVs larger than 42 inches. Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks.Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. TV audio has always posed a conundrum for users: we spend hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars on cutting-edge 4K TVs, but the sound quality almost always sounds like an FM radio at best. Yamaha’s YAS-207 blew away the crowd upon its 2017 debut, offering a heady mix of clear and balanced performance and more features than a $300 soundbar has any right … It’s easy to forget to turn the soundbar off once you’ve powered down your TV, so pick up one that has an auto shut-off feature. A basic, no-frills soundbar that performs competently. The included wireless subwoofer can be placed anywhere. Yamaha YAS-107 soundbar review: This speaker delivers plenty of bang for the buck Highly intelligible dialog and great overall performance make Yamaha's sound bar … That said, Yamaha has done Alexa right in the 209. There are 44 beam drivers and two woofers in … We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. Hopefully, this is something that can be fixed via an update down the line. One other point of note: My TCL 6-series TV remote worked fine for volume and power, but wouldn’t power the unit down. Alexa users will be happy with a built-in Alexa feature. Yamaha created a nice low cost, good performing sound bar and if you are in the market for one then the Yamaha YAS-109 definitely deserves an audition. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Yamaha YAS-203 Sound Bar with Bluetooth and Wireless Subwoofer at Amazon.com. It has various basic features you might expect, but it has some you might not expect. Supports DTS Virtual:X, which deftly simulates the best-in-class DTS:X surround sound audio format. Get exclusive content, advice, and tips from BestReviews. The side-firing subwoofer looks almost exactly like a PC tower (save the glossy port in the front end) and begs to be stowed out of sight for its own anonymous existence. At the low end of this price range, you’ll find great models for any home. Good, but not great. Setting up the YAS-209 is extremely easy — as long as you’ve got an HDMI cable, as the 209 doesn’t arrive with one. The Polk … We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. The Yamaha YSP-5600 is a 7.1.2 soundbar capable of supporting Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object-oriented audio formats. There have been the noticeable soundbars along the way, spearheaded… Here’s what you need to know about the different price ranges. A. At first sight, it might look like an ordinary soundbar. Yamaha’s new SR-B20A budget soundbar is a peculiar product offering. The only reason that a wireless subwoofer wasn’t included was to … The Yamaha MusicCast BAR 40 is the latest entry-level soundbar from the company that practically pioneered the concept. It definitely expands the imaging a bit more, though as I’ve come to expect, the trade-off is less weight to the upper midrange and treble registers. 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