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CNET editors' rating:
3.5
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 4 reviews
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Product summary
The
good: Stylish single-speaker system; two 4.5-inch woofers, 40 1.5-inch microdrivers; built-in digital power amplifiers eliminate the need for an A/V receiver; generous connectivity options; optional wall-mount bracket.
The
bad: The sound quality is not as good as the surround effects; pricey, and you'll have to shell out more for a subwoofer.
The
bottom
line: With the YSP-1 Digital Sound Projector, Yamaha's bleeding-edge speaker technology creates a convincing surround-sound effect, but the quality won't satisfy audiophiles.
Specifications: Type of speaker: five channel speaker ; Dimensions (WxDxH): 40.6 in x 4.6 in x 7.6 in ; Color: Silver ; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 03/14/2005
- Released on: 03/01/2005
If you're installing the YSP-1 yourself, we recommend sticking with the Easy Setup--the Manual routine's complexity will scare off all but the most committed audiophiles or tech-savvy installers. We started our auditions with the Easy option, but once we plowed through the Manual setup routines, the YSP-1's surround effects projected further out into the room, with greater specificity.
Yamaha's Digital Sound Projection technology works by the focusing the sound into "beams" that are reflected off of your side and rear walls. You'll achieve the best results only when those walls aren't broken up with sound-absorbing chairs, drapes, or bulky furniture. We had to rearrange our room to accommodate the YSP-1's placement requirements. Sparsely furnished rectangular rooms will likely sound better than cluttered, asymmetrical rooms.
In addition to the YSP-1, you will need to purchase a subwoofer to supply the deep bass for the complete home-theater experience. Yamaha is currently developing a sub for use with the YSP-1, but any worthwhile subwoofer should be up to the job.
The YSP-1 features a pair of 4.5-inch woofers and 40 1.5 inch microdrivers--the woofers have 20-watt amplifiers, and each 1.5-inch microspeaker is powered by its own 2-watt amp. That adds up to a total of 120 digital watts. Yamaha claims the 40-driver array, along with a whole lot of digital signal processing, creates five distinct virtual speaker channels: front left, center, and right, and left and right surround.Connectivity covers a wide range of hookup contingencies: there are two sets of stereo analog jacks (for your TV, VCR, or iPod, for instance); two optical digital inputs and one coaxial digital audio input to accommodate a DVD player, satellite/cable box, and so forth; a video output that delivers the setup menu to your TV; and a subwoofer output. Oh, and there's even an RS-232 interface that can be used with compatible home automation systems.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 4 reviews
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Showing 3 of 4 user reviewsSee all 4 user reviews
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55 out of 60 people found this review helpful
"This is a gem, pretty surprising results from a "single speaker""
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40 out of 40 people found this review helpful
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40 out of 40 people found this review helpful
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