Why You Can Trust CNET Yamaha YAS-207 review: Mid-priced sound bar that lives up to high expectations
The Yamaha YAS-207 is an excellent sound bar package which offers sound quality which soars above others' at the price.
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The Yamaha YAS-203 has long been a favorite here at CNET, it won our Editor's Choice award back in 2014, and so expectation for its replacement is high. Like, really really high. We'll even go so far as to say that the YAS-207 is one of the most requested reviews we've had by readers in years. So this product better be good!
Yamaha YAS-207
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
In the three years since its predecessor debuted there have been some tweaks to Yamaha's original formula, and they're all positive. The price is similar at around $300, offers an extra sound mode -- DTS Virtual:X -- for simulated surround, as well as HDMI connectivity.
With prices eroding fast -- Polk just announced a $130 sound bar, for example -- the budget end has never been so competitive, but the Yamaha wins through with an immersive sound and ease of use. Overall its sound quality rated the same as the much cheaper Vizio SB3621, but the Yamaha has a more immersive sound.
The Yamaha YAS-207 is available now for $299, £349 and AU$599.
Design and features
The specifications list isn't the only thing that's changed, it's also the cosmetics. The YAS-207's faux-leather plastic top and cloth grill surround make it less like the YAS-203's "sports car bumper" and more like a piece of furniture. The 207 does without the IR repeater of the old model but it's also shorter -- down from 3.125 inches to 2.375 inches -- so it's less likely to block your TV's IR port. Of course wall-mounting using the keyhole mounts makes this a non-issue but be aware that it will poke out from the wall about six inches.
The front of the unit features touch-sensitive controls and a sensibly labelled LED readout, though the display is not quite decipherable from the couch. This is a pity as the device is without any on-screen display for your TV.
The sub that accompanies the main unit is large (7.125 inches wide by 17.25 inches high by 15.75 inches deep) and it also has a cloth grill that looks removable... but isn't. The sub is front-ported and wireless so you can easily tuck it in a corner or next to your couch.
Lastly, the remote. It's probably the only thing that Yamaha hasn't changed over previous products. It's somewhere between a credit card and a small clicker and has the buttons you need. But be aware that your own TV remote may be better, or you could try Yamaha's own HT Controller app which operates by Bluetooth for further control options.
The YAS-207 features compatibility with both Dolby and DTS soundtracks. One thing to note is that it's the first sound bar to include DTS Virtual:X -- a virtual surround mode for stereo systems. The soundbar features a set of four 1.75-inch woofers paired with two tweeters while the subwoofer features a 6.5-inch driver.
Connectivity consists of a 4K-compatible HDMI input/output, Bluetooth, a 3.5mm analog input and an optical port. The speaker also includes a USB port for firmware updates, but as there's no display it's hard to check which firmware you have. It's important to note that the earliest versions shipped without DTS Virtual:X and so if pressing the "Surround" button doesn't turn the LED blue you need to update.
First impressions
The very first thing we noticed about the speaker's sound was its wide imaging regardless of where we stood in the room, even without DTS Virtual:X processing turned on. Sitting centered in front of the YAS-207, and 7 or more feet away, yielded the widest and most accurate image.
We also liked that it's so easy to adjust the subwoofer's volume level, and switch on the "Bass Extension" feature directly from the remote. We regularly took advantage of those two controls as we listened to movies and music, making on-the-fly adjustments to the YAS-207's bass balance.
Listening
We started delving deeper into the YAS-207 with the "Moonlight" DVD, and were immediately impressed with the sound that filled the front wall of the CNET listening room. This film's mix doesn't have special effects, but the street and interior scenes sounded realistic, Nicholas Britell's subtle music score was gorgeous, and dialogue was natural and clear.
To test the YAS-207's home theater stamina we played a bunch of battle scenes from the World War II-era "Hacksaw Ridge" on Blu-ray. The YAS-207 handled artillery blasts without strain, but the movie's sound was more transparent when we reduced the volume to a moderate level. The YAS-207's Clear Voice feature slightly improved dialogue intelligibility.
Switching over to the Polk MagniFi Mini sound bar and subwoofer system shrank the soundstage's dimensions, but the little system sounded clearer and more immediate, while the YAS-207 was duller. The MagniFi Mini's sub was no match for the YAS-207's much larger box which rendered "Hacksaw's" mayhem with more oomph. The YAS-207's overall sound was fuller and weightier, the MagniFi Mini sounded like what it is, a much smaller system. The YAS-207's mellower presentation was easier on the ears and so there was less of a chance for listener fatigue to set in over long listening sessions.
There's a refinement to the sound of the YAS-207 that makes it easy to listen to, especially with the DTS Virtual:X/3D Surround Playback turned off. Yes, it did a good job creating large, immersive sound fields, but the quality and tone of the sound changed from one movie to the next, so we didn't always use it. DTS Virtual:X sometimes sounded much brighter than the YAS-207's standard surround mode, and we were more consistently satisfied with it turned off. That said, we were impressed by the way the DTS mode expanded the sound fields of most of the movies we played. Try it, you might like it.
With music the YAS-207's capabilities were a bit better than average for sound bars, and the Replacements' "Don't Tell A Soul" album rocked out more convincingly than what we coaxed out of the MagniFi Mini. The Polk wasn't bad, but its size limitations were clear. The YAS-207 was more credible with most genres.
Should you buy it?
The rulebook has changed in the three years since the YAS-203 was released and it's now possible to get a crazy-good system for the cost of a week's worth of groceries. In particular the Vizio SB3621 offers better value for money, and also sounds great, but it can't generate the same level of immersion as the Yamaha.
The YAS-207 was so good we sometimes forgot we were listening to a sound bar, and just enjoyed the movie we were watching. That's high praise indeed for this affordable system! If you want a step up from ultra-budget speakers, we'd recommend this Yamaha.