5 out of 5
Great sound, bar none…
Surround sound has become one of the best experiences for home entertainment since its mainstream availability in the early 1990s.As years progressed the systems available became both more affordable and much more technologically advanced with surround sound encoding from the likes of DTS and Dolby; all with their large array of formats and various codec specifications. Some of the earliest surround formats were placed onto some VHS tapes with ‘Dolby Surround’. Naturally DVD carried the most surround formats due to it being able to carry various surround modes and audio. These days Blu-ray can carry a lot of surround sound options because of the huge data capacity that a Blu-ray can contain – it’s all uncompressed data which means maximum quality is available instead of it being lost.
As surround sound has become popular, we would all like to be able to enjoy it; even if we don’t have a room large enough to contain the vast and complex sets of speakers, AV surround receivers and the sub-woofer which can take occupy tremendous levels of space due to the sheer size that they can be found in. Thankfully, due to recent development from mainstream manufacturers of Hi-Fi and Home Cinema electronics, we can now enjoy all of the fun of surround sound in a small, all-in-one, compact and price-friendly package: often referred to as either a Soundbar or a Sound Projector.
It does sound an unusual feat, but surround sound can now be enjoyed from a single unit, as opposed to the mass of equipment previously mentioned. You probably might ask ‘how can one unit, presumably centred in the centre of the room, be able to provide all of the surround sound I had once experienced from multiple speakers and components’? Well, in response, it is very simple in theory. Soundbars feature a huge range of different sized component speakers, all of which are angled in different positions. The reason why they’re angled is because the sound that they produce is carried by sound waves which correspond when they are reflected off any walls or furnishings that may be in the audio waves’ path. The sound reflects and audio waves then travel back to the listener who will enjoy the sound of simulated surround. You might have noticed the word ‘simulated’. Simulated is the correct adjective as the Soundbar emulates the whole experience once produced by the multiple speakers and components of a traditional surround sound set-up. Taking the cover off, for example, the Yamaha YSP-4100, you’ll see a large series of miniature speakers at slightly varying angles. On either end there is two larger speakers, of which, are designated to produce the main sound of the standard stereo channels. Like a traditional stereo speaker set-up, these are angled head-on, as opposed to being aimed to reflect off items around the room. The advantages being that the Soundbar is both a more cost-effective solution, a much more economical solution in terms of space and easier to set-up correctly, as opposed to the traditional multi-speaker systems of 5.1 and 7.1 systems.
Sub-woofers are designated the task of producing, as their name suggests, bass below that of a standard speaker. Most Soundbars will require a subwoofer to create the same quantity of bass that a traditional system may produce. However, many manufacturers of Soundbars do give ideal matches of subwoofers to their Soundbar systems. It is ideal to match manufacturers of both subwoofer and of Soundbar, purely in order to maintain the overall integrity of sound being produced. An over powerful subwoofer can drown out the sound of the Soundbar system. B&W (Bowers & Wilkins) have recommended that their ‘Panorama’ Soundbar should be used with a corresponding ASW608 subwoofer from them. However, don’t panic, some manufacturers, such as Yamaha, have made Soundbars that come with a subwoofer in the price. This means that both subwoofer and Soundbar have been specifically built to work alongside each other for maximum sound quality and integrity.
This means that a great sound set-up for surround has been achieved at unbelievable value for money. The Yamaha YSP-2200, complete with independent subwoofer, has been our most successful sale item this year. So, for all to enjoy the experience of quality surround sound, we have put this on offer especially for Christmas. For £789 you’ll get a hugely advanced Soundbar, complete with matching subwoofer, along with a special £80 loyalty voucher for customers to enjoy on their future purchases from Hifi Gear. It’s our little Christmas gift from us to customers both old and new.
For a great sounding and looking soundbar on a budget, the Yamaha YAS-101 is an excellent choice, for a compact unit it really packs a punch !
For demonstrations and advice, we can be of service. We love the Soundbar very, very much. We can demonstrate the aforementioned Yamaha YSP-4100, B&W Panorama, along with additional manufacturers’ Soundbars, at our store in Gloucester. However, we are available by e-mail and telephone for instantaneous professional advice from experienced users and audio fanatics.
