Yamaha YHT-S400BL Home Theater System Review

Product Specifications
Positive Aspects
Negative Aspects
Should You Buy?

Soundbar home theater systems are becoming extremely popular these days and it is all about saving space and saving money. The Yamaha YHT-S400BL boasts the ultimate compact design with no compromise to sound quality. In fact, this excellent soundbar system boasts a high quality 7.1 channel surround sound at an affordable price. But can it really deliver and meet your expectations? Continue reading to learn more.

Product Specifications Of The Yamaha YHT-S400BL Home Theater System

List Price: $600
Speaker Setup: 7.1 Soundbar
Wireless Subwoofer: Yes
Total Power (Watts): 150
HDMI Inputs: 3
3D Passthrough: Yes

Positive Aspects Of The Yamaha YHT-S400BL Home Theater System

Sound Quality
The Yamaha YHT-S400BL is a soundbar, which means that the sound all comes from the long, thin bar containing all of the speakers. Although this can't create true surround sound - the speakers won't be placed all around the room - it can replicate it in a compact format by delivering the sound at various angles that will trick your ears into thinking it's coming from a different direction.

This particular soundbar goes above and beyond many others by delivering 7.1 channel surround sound. Its wide sound field will make it appear as though the sound is coming from various side angles, even though it's all coming from the center of your TV (though it's very difficult for any soundbar to make it sound as if noises are truly coming from behind you). And the UniVolume feature helps keep sound levels the same between TV shows and commercials.

HD Audio
The Yamaha YHT-S400BL is designed to accept HD audio signals from compatible Blu-Ray disc players. This helps to create even more realistic sound that's more true to the original studio recording, as long as the specific movies you watch support it.

Price
This whole system comes in at an excellent price, under $400. This is comparable to many other soundbar systems on the market, except that the Yamaha YHT-S400BL gives you a more powerful virtual surround sound system in one of the sleekest designs currently available.

Compact
One of the most unique features of the Yamaha YHT-S400BL is the fact that the subwoofer is built into the receiver. This makes it a very compact system, especially considering the fact that the soundbar itself is only 2 inches thick. It also avoids the need to have cables running all over your living room. Although it's true that there are other soundbar systems available that are just as portable, they often offer fewer features and a 2.1 channel system rather than the YHT-S400BL's 7.1.

Don't be fooled into thinking that the size means it can't produce good sound, however. While it's true that a portable soundbar system like this is no match for a full surround sound system, the soundbar and the bass both pack a powerful punch. The center channel, in particular, creates fantastic quality sound for dialogue.

Design
Aside from the fact that it's so compact, the design of the Yamaha YHT-S400BL is also sleek and stylish. The thin soundbar should fit in front of just about any HDTV screen without obstructing your view, and you can also adjust the feet to match the size of your TV. If you do find it obstructing the view, simply remove the feet from the soundbar.

3 HDMI Inputs
Having 3 HDMI inputs is a real bonus from the Yamaha YHT-S400BL. What this means is that you can connect up to 3 HD devices up to the receiver. You can then connect all of these to your TV from the receiver, which is useful if your TV doesn't usually have enough HDMI inputs. You can use the remote control to choose which HD device you want to use.

Easy Setup
Another benefit of such a simple system like this is the fact that it's easy to get setup. There aren't too many steps to get the whole system up and running, and the setup menus will guide you through the various sound options to help your speakers sound the best they can.

Negative Aspects Of The Yamaha YHT-S400BL Home Theater System

Surround Sound Effects
Like any soundbar system, the Yamaha YHT-S400BL isn't as good as a full set of surround speakers. Although most of the effects are good, they don't always hit you from quite the right angle. This is only really noticeable for the ambient sounds that should come from right behind you: like most other soundbars, the Yamaha YHT-S400BL can't quite achieve this.

Should You Buy The Yamaha YHT-S400BL Home Theater System?

One of the most excellent features about the Yamaha YHT-S400BL is the fact that it is so compact. Whether you are searching for a good home theater system for a bedroom or small living room, this home theater system fits the bill nicely and will provide a massive improvement and enhancement over the standard TV speakers.

The Yamaha YHT-S400BL is reasonably priced, attractive in both style and design. More importantly, the audio quality it delivers is excellent. While it cannot be compared to full surround sound systems costing many times more, it is certainly one of the best soundbar systems currently available on the market. Get your Yamaha YHT-S400BL Home Theater System today from Amazon.com at a special price.

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