Yamaha YSP-2200 digital sound projector
Like other YSP soundbar systems, the Yamaha YSP-2200 offers the illusion of speakers all around without the associated boxes and wires. In essence, the Yamaha bounces sound off the walls, from just two sources (including the subwoofer) to give a room filling sound that could easily convince you in to thinking there’re many more speakers in the room. At the heart of this Yamaha soundbar are no fewer than 18 separate digital power amplifiers, driving 16 ‘sound beam’ drivers and two bass units, located in a separate subwoofer. IntelliBeam ensures optimum multi-channel set-up by constant and precise monitoring and analysis of sound output via the supplied plug in microphone. A wide choice of beam settings let you tailor the sound to your exact requirements including whether you’re listening to stereo music or film in surround sound. Thanks to the separate subwoofer, this soundbar also has real clout! Twin drive units power the bass along with real conviction – just like at the cinema. As What Hi-Fi magazine went on to observe, the resulting sound quality is pretty special: “With Inception’s majestically powerful score, the Yamaha shines, retaining full control over dynamics, avoiding high frequency brittleness and, when necessary, powering out the bass with genuine enthusiasm.”
Yet the real beauty of the YSP-2200 is just how simple it all is to set up. Simply connect your sources by HDMI, wire up the sub, use the automatic set-up and you’re ready to go. Because the bass drivers are located in a separate unit, the main soundbar can be very thin. At just 9cm in height, its profile is low enough for the soundbar to be placed in front of TVs without obstructing the picture. A further neat touch is the infra-red repeater that forwards remote control commands, should the soundbar block the sensor. If all this wasn’t enough, the YSP-2200 is compatible with the Panasonic VIERA system, allowing you to control the basics of the soundbar with your TV’s remote. The subwoofer is versatile, too. Place it vertically or horizontally, the unit is slim enough to fit the tightest of spaces.
If it’s a non-intrusive soundbar solution you’re looking for then, clearly, there’s little better than the Yamaha YSP-2200. As What Hi-Fi concluded, “The YSP-2200 is the best Digital Sound Projector yet. A great home solution.”
