Yamaha, the model that kicked off your entire ‘soundbar’ factor within the first place, is again in Dolby Atmos soundbar sport – and with a modular system it calls ‘True X’. It consists of a Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbar (the SR-X40A), a wi-fi subwoofer (the SR-X100A) and battery-powered wi-fi audio system (the WS-X1A; which can be utilized both as surround-sound channels in a house cinema system or as stand-alone Bluetooth audio system for music).
Every of the above could be bought individually, or at a modest low cost if you would like a giant system. For example, purchase the soundbar and the subwoofer collectively and also you get one thing referred to as the SR-X50A – it is available in a kind of L-shaped packing containers that’s the bane of each stockroom assistant’s life, and it’s what we’re testing right here. Has the look forward to Yamaha’s return to Dolby Atmos soundbar motion been value it?
Yamaha SR-X50A: Worth & Availability
The Yamaha True X SRX-50A soundbar-plus-wireless-subwoofer combo is on sale now, and in the UK it would set you again £799 or thereabouts. In the US it’s priced at $899. In the meantime in Australia you’re taking a look at AU$1299 or so.
Yamaha SR-X50A assessment: Options & What’s New?
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It’s been some time since Yamaha had a canine within the Dolby Atmos soundbar battle – and with the SR-X40A soundbar, it’s created a product that doesn’t conform too carefully to the present norm, regardless of what it’d appear like on the surface.
For instance, there is not any devoted centre channel right here. Obtained knowledge is {that a} centre-channel speaker driver is important in a Dolby Atmos soundbar – in spite of everything, the centre channel handles dialogue, and subsequently in principle does a lot of the heavy lifting in just about each film soundtrack. However Yamaha’s engineers determined {that a} 4.1.2-channel association was preferable, as a result of it permits more room within the soundbar to suit the bass drivers they wished, and permits for a wider sound.
So the soundbar is fitted with a pair of 46x66mm full-range ‘racetrack’ drivers firing forwards from the very ends of the soundbar. Simply inside them, however angled upwards to create the sonic peak that’s mainly the entire level of spatial audio soundtracks, are a pair of 52mm cones. Additional inside nonetheless, and firing straight upwards, are a few 75mm bass drivers. Every pair of drivers will get 30 watts of energy between them with which to do their factor.
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This association delivers a frequency response of 55Hz – 22kHz if the soundbar is getting used alone. As soon as wirelessly paired with the subwoofer, that quantity shifts to 100Hz – 22kHz, with the subwoofer utilizing its 160mm driver and 100 watts of energy to succeed in right down to 35Hz.
The connection between the subwoofer and the soundbar is wi-fi, however there are after all some bodily connections on the rear of the soundbar. A pair of HDMI sockets, certainly one of which is eARC-enabled, create a passthrough, and there’s an Ethernet socket in case your Wi-Fi isn’t as much as the duty. A digital optical enter is helpful to be used with older TVs, and there’s additionally a USB-A slot that’s for updates solely.
Yamaha SR-X50A assessment: Efficiency
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Let’s cope with the very first thing first: the shortage of a devoted centre channel doesn’t appear to carry the Yamaha SXR-X40A soundbar again within the slightest. Irrespective of if the scene is only dialogue, or if it’s a verbal trade within the midst of a colossal fire-fight, the Yamaha initiatives and defines voices with full positivity. Speech is detailed and distinct, and it sits securely on the entrance of a well-defined and expansive soundstage.
In addition to being able to making a convincing facsimile of a centre channel, these full-range racetrack drivers serve up spectacular width too. The Yamaha can unfold sound far past its bodily limitations, and may hold them organised and convincingly positioned on the similar time. And there’s enough chew and shine on the prime of the frequency vary to make you neglect there are not any devoted tweeters on this soundbar, too: when that tumbler shatters or these bullet-casings tumble to the ground, the SR-X40A’s treble response isn’t lower than persuasive.
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The soundbar’s general tonality when coping with film soundtracks is properly impartial, and it retains element ranges up at a powerful stage. The handover to the subwoofer is achieved with out alarms, and the sub itself controls low-frequency impacts properly. The world isn’t wanting subwoofers that simply grumble alongside in a monotone, however this isn’t certainly one of them – the SR-X100A is observant the place the assault of bass sounds is worried, and presents worthwhile variation in bass data ought to it’s required.
Switching to music (in stereo) highlights the subwoofer’s facility with tone and momentum much more readily – nevertheless it additionally extra readily exposes among the shortcomings within the soundbar’s efficiency. There’s a slight, however plain, sensation of edginess and phasiness when midrange modulates into prime finish, a slightly papery high quality to treble sounds that makes this a less-than-ideal music speaker. Change to some music mastered in Dolby Atmos and whereas there are fairly apparent features in scale and width, this tonal uncertainty isn’t actually alleviated.
Actually, it’s with Dolby Atmos content material – regardless of if it’s music or a film – that the Yamaha is at its least convincing. Or, extra accurately, it fails to correctly persuade the place the ‘peak’ facet of Dolby Atmos sound is worried. Regardless of precise, bodily speaker drivers dealing with upwards the place fairly a couple of rivals use digital sound processing to create an impression of sonic peak, and regardless of being examined in a room with ceilings of unremarkable peak, the SR-Z40A doesn’t make all that spectacular an try to put sound above the highest bezel of the TV it’s accompanying.
Yamaha SR-X50A assessment: Design & Usability
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An organization as pragmatic and grounded as Yamaha isn’t going to get carried away the place the design of its soundbars and/or subwoofers is worried – and so the SR-X50A appears precisely as you’d count on. And it’s constructed and completed to the kind of customary you’d count on of Yamaha, too.
Every aspect of the ‘True X’ vary is offered in certainly one of three finishes: black, carbon gray or mild gray. The soundbar is a purposeful-yet-tidy 63 x 1015 x 112mm (HxWxD) – which makes it a really good match, when it comes to width, for the most effective 48in TVs, however received’t look underpowered beneath something as much as, say, 75in.
The subwoofer, in the meantime, is an equally manageable 407 x 187 x 409mm (HxWxD) – and, after all, the character of its connectivity means you may place it just about anyplace it has entry to mains energy and stays inside wi-fi vary of the soundbar. Its forward-facing reflex port makes it a bit extra relaxed about positioning than it in any other case could be, too.
The acoustic fabric that covers nearly all of the soundbar and the subwoofer’s driver appears and feels good, and is utilized flawlessly. The remainder of the subwoofer is pretty prosaic vinyl-wrapped MDF, however let’s be sincere: you’re unlikely to need or want to the touch it when you’ve received it positioned. The general high quality of end is definitely acceptable for the asking value, and Yamaha’s determination to make use of a kind of bronze/copper color each for the soundbar’s bodily controls and the discreet branding is an effective one. The identical color is used for the labelling above the little row of lights that point out precisely what the system is as much as.
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These bodily controls run to ‘energy on/off’, ‘enter choice’, ‘quantity up/down’ and an ‘motion’ button that sees most of its motion while you’re initially organising the soundbar’s Wi-Fi connection. There’s additionally a ‘mute’ button for the built-in mics, in case you don’t wish to benefit from the built-in Amazon Alexa voice help. The subwoofer, in the meantime, arrives pre-paired to its partnering soundbar in case you purchase the SR-X50A package deal – in case you purchase the SR-X40A soundbar by itself after which determine so as to add the SR-X100A subwoofer at a later date, there’s a bit ‘setup’ button on the sub to facilitate pairing.
Management – up to a degree – is offered through the Yamaha Sound Bar Controller app that’s free for iOS and Android. It’s helpful for accessing your Spotify, Tidal and QQ Music accounts, controlling quantity and balancing subwoofer output in opposition to soundbar output, and deciding on your sound mode (select from ‘stereo’, ‘customary’, ‘film’ or ‘sport’). You may as well swap the ‘bass extension’ and ‘clear voice’ choices on or off. In fact it’s not probably the most logical app round, and never particularly thrilling to have a look at – nevertheless it’s received what you want, and that’s what’s most necessary.
All of those capabilities are duplicated on the system’s distant management handset. It’s fabricated from exhausting, cheap-feeling plastic, goes with out backlighting and may very well be extra logically laid out – nevertheless it’s purposeful. It’s not not like the management app inasmuch because it’s received all the pieces you want, but you’ve seen it carried out higher.
Yamaha SR-X50A assessment: Verdict
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Should you’re after broad, energetic and impactful film sound, the Yamaha SR-X50A is a system with loads to advocate it – and its customary of construct and end, together with its understated beauty, will win admirers too.
But it surely’s on shaky floor in terms of music playback, and the ‘peak’ aspect of its Dolby Atmos presentation is on the underwhelming facet too. That it is not as Atmos-y as is good leaves the door open to fairly a couple of price-comparable options…
Additionally think about
Samsung’s HW-Q800B is similar to the Yamaha SR-X50A in configuration (aside from the shortage of centre channel, after all), creates good sonic width and has great low-frequency presence – virtually an excessive amount of, in actual fact.
Should you can reside and not using a subwoofer and HDMI passthrough, then the Sonos Arc stays a really aggressive Dolby Atmos soundbar – and its membership of the world’s main multiroom ecosystem doesn’t do any hurt, both.
