Yamaha has proven to be a specialist in sound processing by using DSP (Digital Signal Processing) with their elaborate sound bars, and have shown that surround sound from a single box is possible, and that (almost) true cinema sound from a sound bar at a reasonable price is feasible with the YAS-103.
Yamaha YAS-103
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Sound Quality - 80%80%
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Features - 80%80%
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Ease of Use - 89%89%
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Build Quality - 80%80%
SUMMARY
As a compact and inexpensive expansion to your TV, the Yamaha YAS-103 is a real recommendation.
Good and clean sound.
Surprisingly good and cohesive bass.
Nice looking.
No HDMI.
Display a bit small.
Can sound harsh if played too loud.
Modern flat screen TVs offer excellent image quality, but usually only provide meager and thin sound. The remedy is a surround sound system with 5.1 speakers and AV receiver, or a much more practical and cheaper option; a sound bar! They consist of a single unit, often made for wall mounting just below the TV or lie in front of the TV on the TV stand, cabinet or bench.
What´s Up With The YAS-103?
Yamaha offers the YAS-103 as a value-priced version of their more popular and expensive sound bars. Just shy of $300, the YAS-103 is a convenient, powerful sounding and well featured sound solution for any inadequate TV.
The black plastic cabinet houses two 2.5-inch full-range drivers with 2 x 30 watt amplification, and the signal processing can handle either stereo or create a virtual surround sound field thanks to Yamaha's "Air Surround Extreme".
The YAS-103 has no separate subwoofer, but to achieve the powerful bass necessary for movies and music it uses two bass reflex loaded 3-inch drivers with an additional 60-watt amplifier for an extended bass response in the only 35 x 3-5/8 x 4-1/2 inch sound bar.
Features
Connection to a TV can be done via an optical or coaxial digital cable, alternatively using the analog RCA input if a digital output is not available on your TV - HDMI has probably been left out on the YAS-103 to keep the price down.
The Yamaha offers a Bluetooth receiver that enables wireless streaming of music via PC, smartphone or tablets. A suitable app for Android or Apple products is available for free.
Sound Quality and Listening Experience
The setup and installation of the YAS-103 is absolutely no problem, even for beginners, and the included remote control allows you to do all settings from the comfort of your couch. A built-in infrared repeater on the back relays signals from the TV remote control to the TV, which is very convenient if the sound bar happens to block the infrared receiver on the TV.
A "UniVolume" feature adjusts different volumes of various TV programs or commercials - ideal when zapping through the TV channels to avoid having your ears screamed off by some guy trying to sell you the latest shiny object that you really don´t need.
In the listening test, the Yamaha YAS-103 is characterized by a crystal-clear, dynamic sound, in which dialogues can be heard well and understood. At moderate levels even low frequencies are reproduced by the YAS-103 and gives action movies the appropriate weight and 'oomph'. Also, the virtual surround sound is quite convincing and expands the movie sound to another level and dimension. For normal-sized living rooms, the volume level and dynamic range of the YAS-103 is absolutely sufficient.
Conclusion
As a compact and inexpensive expansion to your TV, the Yamaha YAS-103 is a real recommendation. Sonically, the slim soundbar stunned us with crystal clear sound and exceptional bass, despite its small footprint. Its features, including Bluetooth, is enough for almost any situation, and its ease of use makes it no mystery. Yamaha YAS-103 is one of the most affordable entries to experience movies sound at home.
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- FEATURES
- SPecIFICATIONS
- IN ThE bOX
- Dual built-in subwoofers for rich bass with single-unit simplicity
- Bluetooth® wireless music streaming from a smartphone or tablet
- Extremely easy setup with a single-cable connection
- Learning feature lets you use your TV remote to control volume
- Low-profile design - mount on wall or place on TV stand
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