![]() Parker Hall/Digital TrendsĬonnecting Alexa is simple and relatively painless, too. ![]() Your TV remote should also automatically control the bar’s volume and power (though you may need to turn on CEC in your TV settings). After setting up the bar, connect to your TV’s HDMI ARC port from the corresponding port on the back of the bar and you should be ready to listen – the bar typically defaults to the HDMI ARC port. SetupĪs long as you’ve got an HDMI cable (this soundbar doesn’t come with one) and a phone, setting up the YAS-109 is a breeze. One complaint - and something we first noticed on the larger YAS-209 bar - is that you can’t adjust the volume of Alexa independently from the bar, so she can shout at you a bit when you’re listening to quieter content. If you’ve got a Dolby Vision or HDR10+ TV, you’ll either want to connect correspondent outboard devices directly, or possibly for a more expensive soundbar that can handle them, but for most budget TV models (aside from standouts like TCL’s 6-series models) this won’t be an issue anyway. The HDMI input supports 4K HDR video passthrough, including HDR10, but lacks the ability to pass through Dolby Vision or HDR10+. With Alexa on-board, the YAS-109 works just like a smart speaker In terms of audio and video features, the bar features Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS Digital Surround, and DTS Virtual: X technology, designed to expand the soundstage on both the horizontal and vertical planes. The YAS-109 offers both HDMI ARC and a second HDMI input port, meaning you can easily connect to your TV without losing a precious HDMI input, allowing you to connect a video game system or outboard streaming device directly. Many lower-tier soundbars lack even an HDMI ARC port, instead relying on optical connection for audio. Soon, you’ll also be able to use the soundbar as part of a larger multiroom speaker setup, as Yamaha claims support will be added later this year. (Excluded from the package currently are features like drop-ins and announcements through your smart speaker collection.) Parker Hall/Digital TrendsĪnother great thing about Alexa is that you can use verbal commands to mute or change volume, which can be awesome if you don’t feel like reaching for a remote. You can even use Alexa to change sources, which is awesome if you’re trying to swap between a video game system and your Smart TV, for example. You can ask for weather or news, set timers, and even ask the soundbar to play your favorite tunes on Spotify (the bar also features Spotify Connect). With Amazon’s smart assistant on-board, the soundbar quickly becomes (nearly) as functional as any other smart speaker in your house. There are a couple features that set this Yamaha bar above more affordable competitors like the Vizio SB3621n-G8, but first and foremost is the inclusion of Alexa. At this price, though, we can’t really knock Yamaha there. Yamaha even included a button to summon Alexa, again, for those who don’t want to speak her name aloud.Īs with most affordable soundbars, we do wish there was a better digital display - or a digital display on the remote like we’ve seen from Vizio and others - to help better navigate settings and volume levels. A rounded rectangle, it features individual source selection buttons, and the ability to quickly toggle between virtual surround, Clear Voice, and six different EQ settings without multiple presses. The remote is small and simple, but it gets the job done. We’re impressed with how well the bar blends into the background. There’s also a button on the top of the bar for summoning Alexa without a wake word alongside dual microphone ports that let you speak to her. Get up closer, and you’ll find indicators for source selection, digital surround sound, and Clear Voice - a Yamaha-designed setting aimed at making sure you can hear everything they’re saying on screen. Like the YAS-209, the top of the bar has a simple LED display that’s slightly angled so it can still be seen from the couch, with various levels of lighting indicating overall volume from a distance. Parker Hall/Digital TrendsĮven the display and indicator lights are stealthy (for better or worse). Simple, cloth-covered bars, they seem explicitly designed to occupy space below your TV without ever averting your gaze. It might seem like an insult, but we’re actually impressed with how well the latest YAS soundbar models blend into the background. Vizio reinvents its soundbar line, including an Atmos bar with rotating speakers Polk’s $249 expandable React Soundbar packs virtual 5.1 surround sound and Alexa Yamaha’s new compact soundbar is small enough to fit on your desk
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