Here’s a quick and dirty look at Yamaha’s digital sound projection, in the new model YSP-800. This system uses one main speaker unit, which houses 21 microdrivers. The delays are timed on these drivers to trick your brain into hearing positional audio. Cool stuff.
A couple of problems exist with this model, but they aren’t necessarily deal-breakers.
1) You’ll need a subwoofer. But that’s ok, because with any decent sound system, you’re going to need a subwoofer. Just factor in the additional cost.
2) The room needs to be relatively symmetrical. This can be a problem, and could lead to sound quality tradeoff.
The good: Self-powered single-speaker virtual surround system; 2 4-inch woofers paired with 21 1.5-inch microdrivers; built-in Dolby/DTS surround processing and digital power amplifiers eliminate the need for an A/V receiver; autosetup capability.
The bad: Works best in barely furnished, symmetrically arranged rooms; needs to be paired with a subwoofer for optimal sound quality.
The bottom line: Yamaha’s second-generation single-speaker YSP-800 Digital Sound Projector is more affordable and easier to set up, and it sounds better than last year’s model.
If you don’t have a receiver, and have a symmetrical room, this could be a great choice for around 600-700 bucks.
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