Yamaha just announced a slew of new soundbars — three, to be exact. Of course, each one is designed to give a nice little boost to the sound coming out of your current TV setup. Well, some are going to give a bigger boost than others.
The “entry-level” model is the YAS-201, which features a low-profile soundbar and a 100-watt wireless subwoofer. The system also includes a few Yamaha extras. First up is Surround Xtreme, which boasts 7.1 channels of virtual surround sound, as well as support for Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound formats. Also included is the UniVolume feature to get rid of those volume spikes and Clear Voice, which boasts better overall dialogue. Yamaha plans to start shipping the YAS-201 in November, with an MSRP of $449.95.
For something with a little more power, Yamaha also has the YSP-4300 and YSP-3300 Digital Sound Projectors. Each one has Yamaha’s proprietary YSP front surround sound technology and a 130-watt wireless active sub.
Yamaha has packed the YSP-4300 with 22 individual speaker drivers — each of which has its own amplifier. This model also has two additional woofers in the center, 324 watts of power, a front-panel USB port, and an FM tuner. The YSP-3300 has 16 speaker beam drivers and two woofers, promising a total of 262 watts.
Both the YSP-4300 and the YSP-3300 have something called “Target Mode,” designed to aim sound at a specific listening position. Other common features include Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD decoding, 10 CINEMA DSP programs, four HDMI inputs with 3D and ARC support, adjustable feet, and built-in IR repeaters.
The YSP-4300 and YSP-3300 should also start selling in November. Expect to see MSRPs listed at $1,899.95 and $1,599.95, respectively. All three models also work with the upcoming YIT-W12 yAired transmitter, which allows users to stream music from an iPod, iPhone or PC right to the soundbar. That little perk will be available in November for an extra $59.95.