Yamaha YSP-4000 Digital Sound Projector (black)

More on this product: review; user reviews; specifications; compare; shop

Print
E-mail
Share

CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
Detailed editors' rating

Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 4 reviews
See all user reviews

Product summary

The good: Single-speaker surround system with 40 1.5-inch "beam" drivers and two 4.25-inch woofers; built-in digital amplifiers, Dolby Digital, DTS, Neural, and proprietary surround processing; eliminates the need for an AV receiver; HDMI connectivity with analog video upscaling to 1080i; XM satellite radio-ready and FM tuner; autosetup with the supplied microphone.

The bad The bad: Expensive, lacks the dynamic muscle of an equivalently priced 5.1 channel system; no Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD decoding; no S-Video inputs or outputs; setting up multiple sources is likely to confuse and frustrate most users; most listeners will want to invest in a subwoofer for additional bass.

The bottom line: The addition of enhanced video connectivity options cements Yamaha's already excellent Digital Sound Projector technology as the go-to choice for single-speaker surround sound.

Specifications: Dimensions (WxDxH): 40.6 in x 4.6 in x 7.6 in; Color: Black; Power output: 2 Watt=20 Watt See full specs

Price range: $999.00 - $1,599.99

See all products in the Yamaha Digital Sound Projector YSP-4000 series

CNET editors' review

Reviewed by: Steve Guttenberg
Edited by: John P. Falcone
Reviewed on: 11/02/2007
Released on: 10/22/2007

If you're one of those people who don't want to "live with wires and boxes all over my living room," Yamaha's Digital Sound Projector series of single-speaker surround systems may be exactly what you're looking for. Building on the success of earlier models, the company's 2007 lineup comes in three flavors: the YSP-900 ($900), the YSP-3000 ($1,200), and the subject of this review, the YSP-4000 ($1,800). The top model is the first to offer 1080p/720p HDMI switching, analog video upscaling to HDMI, XM surround compatibility, and an FM tuner. The long, sleek YSP-4000 speaker has built-in power amplifiers, proprietary signal processing, plentiful connectivity, and uses 40 "beam" drivers to create a convincing illusion of multichannel sound. Just add a disc player and a TV and you're set.

The YSP-4000 is expensive, but it obviates the need to buy an AV receiver. The YSP-4000 delivered the best, most convincing surround sound we've ever heard from just one speaker. We only wish Yamaha invested more time in making the setup routine fully user-friendly: the surround calibration is a snap, but assigning inputs for multiple sources is likely to induce headaches for all but the most experienced users.

Design
A large perforated metal grille dominates the YSP-4000's front panel; the LED display relates volume level and processing status (there's also a volume control and input selector). We mostly used the remote control to handle those functions and execute the setup routines. It's not backlit, but we found the remote fairly easy to use in our dimly lit home theater. The speaker is 40.5 inches wide, 7.6 high, and 5.75 deep, and it weighs 34.6 pounds. It can be wall mounted with the optional SPM-K30 bracket ($80) or positioned on a shelf above or below your TV.

Yamaha's Digital Sound Projection Technology works by reflecting sound off walls, so bare walls work best, and objects in the room such as chairs, drapes, or furniture may have an adverse effect on the quality of the surround sound. Yamaha's IntelliBeam autosetup and calibration system couldn't be easier to use. Just bring up the onscreen menu (available over the HDMI connection), plug in the supplied microphone, and the completely automated procedure takes just a few minutes to complete. (Setting up multiple AV sources is considerably more challenging; see below.)

Calibrating the YSP-4000 for optimal sound is a snap, thanks to the included microphone and onscreen menu.

Yamaha now offers two matching subwoofers for use with the YSP speakers--the YST-FSW150 ($280) and the YST-FSW050 ($200)--they're slim, rack-mountable designs. It's also worth mentioning that the YSP-4000 is available in either black or silver.

Features
The YSP-4000 is more than just a speaker--it has built-in power amplifiers and the switching capabilities of an entry-level AV receiver. The speaker's 40 1.5-inch microdrivers project the front-left, front-right and surround channels' sound to reflect off your room's walls; the center channel's sound is projected directly from the YSP-4000 to the listening position. SRS Lab's TruBass technology is said to enhance the two 4.25-inch woofers bass response (the microdrivers and woofers are each powered by their own digital amplifier). Total power is rated at 120 watts.

Surround processing modes include Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS, DTS Neo:6, Neural Surround and Yamaha's proprietary Cinema DSP technology. The only thing missing is the latest Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD formats found on Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.

Most of the speaker's connectors are recessed into the rear panel: there are two sets of stereo analog inputs; two optical and two coaxial digital inputs (for surround sources); a dock terminal for Yamaha's YDS-10 iPod dock; an XM antenna jack for use with XM's Mini-Tuner Home Dock; and a subwoofer output. The two HDMI inputs (and one output) can handle video and audio. Video-only connectors include two sets of component-video and three composite-video inputs; and one set of component and composite-video outputs. Annoyingly, S-Video connections are completely absent. The RS-232C interface and IR input and output jacks are provided for use in custom installation systems. The front panel has a 3.5mm jack for handy connection with portable players.

The YSP-4000 offers an impressive amount of inputs (including HDMI ports, not shown here), but not all of them can be used concurrently.

See more CNET content tagged:: Yamaha Corp.,; amplifier,; XM Satellite Radio,; HDMI,; AV receiver

User reviews

Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 4 reviews
My rating: 0 stars Write review

Showing 3 of 4 user reviewsSee all 4 user reviews
4.5 stars

11 out of 12 people found this review helpful

"I'm Loving it!"

by ckk21 on December 31, 2007

read more
4.5 stars

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

"Incredible Sound from a Single Speaker"

by Unknown303 on January 6, 2008

read more
4.5 stars

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

"Awsome speaker"

by georgio75 on January 29, 2008

read more
See all 4 user reviews Write review

Submit your review

Yamaha YSP-4000 Digital Sound Projector (black)

1. Rate this product:: (Mouse over the stars to rate this product and click to set your rating.)
2. One-line summary:(Summarize your review in one line. 10 characters minimum; required.): 0 of 55 characters
3. Pros:(Tell us what you like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.): 0 of 250 characters
4. Cons:(Tell us what you don't like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.): 0 of 250 characters
Bottom-line summary:(Explain to us in detail why you like or dislike the product, focusing your comments on the product's features and functionality, and your experience using the product. This field is optional.): 0 of 5000 characters; Submit