5 Yamaha Surround Sound Options For Any Budget
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A good surround sound system can make a big difference in your home entertainment center, but they tend to be a bit on the pricey side — especially when you start looking at top-end brands like Bose and Sennheiser. There are a few other reputable audio brands out there that make quality surround sound systems that can be found for just about any budget, however.
Yamaha is one of the oldest and most trusted names in audio equipment. The company makes everything from car speakers to grand pianos, but it also makes some quality surround sound speakers. There are two types of surround sound the company offers: Digital (or virtual) surround sound is typically the more affordable variety.
It works by angling sound from a single forward-facing bar so that the audio reverberates off the walls of the room you are sitting in and makes certain sounds feel as if they are coming from beside or behind you. True surround sound is a bit more expensive, and requires a bit more setup since it involves setting up additional satellite speakers around the circumference of the room.
I've been tinkering with sound systems for years and I've often found that one of the most reliable ways to get the most bang for your buck is to choose a budget, and then compare specs and look for the most highly rated option available. Not everyone's finances are the same though, so here are five Yamaha surround sound systems that should give you something to consider no matter your budget.
YAS-109
There are a couple of options on the more affordable end of the Yamaha lineup. The two most notable choices are the SR-B20A and the YAS-109, which both retail for very similar prices. The SR-B20A goes for right around $200, while the YAS-109 is $220, making them both very attractive to a budget-minded buyer.
These two Yamaha soundbars are very similar in terms of design. They are roughly the same size, they both have 2.1 channels with built-in subwoofers, 120 W output, and they both offer DTS:X virtual surround sound and Bluetooth. Even so, there are a few subtle features that set them apart. There are a couple of reasons why the YAS-109 might be worth the extra $20.
To start, it has Alexa voice control built-in. This means that it's Wi-Fi compatible, and comes with all of the amenities you can expect from the virtual assistant, such as voice controls and music streaming capabilities. It also has 4K passthrough, so you don't have to split HDMI cables for audio and video from your TV if you don't have a separate audio output option. Finally, while the tweeters and woofers are roughly the same size on both models, the YAS-109 offers slightly larger midrange cones, which should give it a slightly fuller and more robust sound.
GearLab gave the YAS-109 a four out of five stars in their review, stating "This soundbar will without a doubt improve your home theater experience and is a budget way to get a lot more from your big flat screen."
SR-C30A
While having built-in subwoofers in a soundbar is certainly better than having no subwoofer at all, audiophiles know that truly cinematic low-end audio is meant to be fired into the ground. This is what gives you that visceral sense of vibration that makes you feel like the source of the sound is right there in the room with you.
The SR-30A is the cheapest sound bar Yamaha sells that comes with its own dedicated subwoofer. It retails at $249.95, putting it one rung above the cheapest options, but still coming in at an incredible value. This is a 90W output bar with a 50W subwoofer. It comes with Dolby Audio virtual surround sound, and has special modes for stereo, standard listening, movies, and video games. It also has Bluetooth.
CNET gave this system a 7.9 out of 10. They argued that the Klipsch Cinema 400 offers better audio quality for the price, stating, "The main advantage of the Yamaha SR-C30A is its smaller — much smaller — size." Tech Radar offered similar notes about the smaller sound bar. "At a mere 600mm (23.5 inches) wide, it'll fit happily beneath small TVs or gaming monitors, and its light weight means you could take it from room to room if you want without much hassle," they said.
YAS-209
For the final soundbar on our list, we have the Yamaha YAS-209. This soundbar combines the best aspects of the last two systems into one, magnificent whole. It has DTS:X digital surround sound, 4K passthrough, and Alexa built-in, just like the YAS-109, but it's even more powerful as a 200W soundbar. Not only that, but it also comes with a wireless 100W subwoofer that's more powerful than the one that comes with the SR-C30A.
This makes it the best of both worlds, combining full sound, top-tier digital surround sound, a feature-rich design, and powerful low-end. Of course, this jump in quality is also matched by a jump in price, as the MSRP for the YAS-209 is $349.95. This is far from the most expensive sound bar on the market, but it's also definitely not cheap either.
CNET was quite impressed with this soundbar in its review, however. They gave it an 8.4 out of 10, remarking that its design and features were its greatest strengths. "If you have a blockbuster you're itching to see at home ... then the Yamaha YAS-209 will suit you well," they said. "Though some may also consider the Sonos Beam, it's Yamaha's subwoofer that helps it pull ahead in terms of sound quality."
YHT-4950U
Now we can finally move on to the two true surround sound home theater systems that Yamaha currently produces, the first of these being the YHT-4950U. This is a 5.1-channel system that includes an AV receiver with a 70W amplifier, a 30W center speaker, two 30W front-channel speakers, two 30W surround speakers, and a 50W, 8" subwoofer. It has HDMI, USB, optical, coaxial, composite, and 3.5mm inputs and outputs, Bluetooth, and an AM/FM tuner.
This also comes with a cool feature for setting up your speakers. Few rooms are perfectly designed for surround sound, but Yamaha home theater systems use Yamaha YPAO room optimization to calibrate your speakers so that they are optimized for whatever space they're in. The system sells for $599.95, but can often be found steeply discounted from retailers like Amazon.
There haven't been many professional reviews of this system as of yet, but it's one of the highest-rated products on Yamaha's website with a 4.7 out of 5 stars, and currently has a 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Reviewers seemed to enjoy the sound quality, the overall value of the set, and the fact that it's easy to set up. Some users wished that the speakers were larger, and there were a handful who seemed to have received defective components in their kit, which is something to be aware of if you do decide to get this system.
YHT-5960U
Finally, we have the YHT-5960U. This is the larger and more expensive of Yamaha's true surround sound home theater systems. It sells for $679.95 MSRP, making it the most expensive system on this list, though Amazon seems to regularly offer steep discounts on this system as well.
The YHT-5960U is physically very similar to the 4950U. It's another 5.1 channel system that comes with an AV receiver that has a slightly larger 80W amplifier, a 30W center speaker, two 30W front speakers, two 30W surround speakers, and a 50W, 8" subwoofer. The main differences between the YHT-5960U and the other sets on this list are the features: This system has Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, and can wirelessly stream Pandora, Spotify, Napster, SiriusXM, TIDAL, Deezer, Qobuz, and Amazon Music HD.
It has MusicCast multi-room audio, which works with both AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect. It's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled and can be voice-controlled with Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant. This makes it easily the most versatile option for interfacing with a smart home network. Then to top it off, this system also has YPAO automatic room calibration.
This system also has not received many professional reviews, but it has a 4.5 out of 5 stars on Yamaha's website and a 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Reviewers seem to enjoy the sound quality, ease of setup, and overall value — while most negative reviews seem to have been from people who were having issues with the remote.
Our methodology
I've set up a few home theater systems over the years, and I've often found that comparing specs and professional reviews is one of the best ways to narrow down your candidates before making a purchase. To make this list, I started by taking a look at the soundbars and home theater systems that are currently available on Yamaha's website. I eliminated any of them that didn't offer surround sound and then proceeded to choose the five highest-rated models spaced across multiple price points.
I compared the specs lists on them to other, similarly priced, Yamaha products to make sure they offered the best performance and most compelling features. I then looked up professional reviews for these products to make sure that they performed well in live testing, and not just on paper. Professional reviews were not available for a couple of them, so I instead referred to customer reviews on Amazon.