It’s been a good few years since soundbars rocked into our lives and proceeded to confuse everyone wondering what they were for, and how they were capable of doing what they were for. Now, they’re pretty much a standard household item, with models suitable for every space, and every budget. But much like everything else in this industry, a low price certainly isn’t the be-all-and-end-all. Quite the opposite in fact.
If you want the best, you have to pay for the best. It’s the same with speakers, as it is for soundbars. But what you can get for your money these days will make you quickly forget the price.
Case and point…
The Yamaha YSP-5600 Digital Sound Projector is Yamaha’s flagship and, to this very day, the ultimate soundbar. Certainly for Yamaha, and quite possibly every other brand too seeing as they are still the industry leaders. You can get one with the matching subwoofer, or just as a standalone soundbar.
It is a “sound projector” in the sense that it is not true surround sound, but it still bounces and “project” sound around the space they occupy in such a way that it emulates surround sound most indistinguishable from the real thing. This is due to them using multiple array speakers and “IntelliBeam technology” to precisely aim channels of sound around the room:
“The surround sound is formed from 44 specially arranged speakers making 46 speakers in total which is more than ever in a YSP Sound Projector. The six ceiling speakers on each side of the unit provide 3D surround sound as with a 7.1.2-channel system and it is compatible with the all-new surround sound formats Dolby and DTS Atmos: X. A total of ten CINEMA DSP 3D programs are supported in three categories. The Dialogue Lift raises the volume of dialogue while Clear Voice gives clearer dialogue reproduction.” ~ Yamaha
It’s this technology that has arguably pushed Yamaha at the forefront for all things soundbar, with the added benefit of the multi-room streaming capability of MusicCast fixing it even more firmly which, of course, the Yamaha YSP-5600 comes fully equipped with. This means it can stream to other MusicCast models as part of a multi room system.
The YSP-5600 sits way above the (already superb) YSP-2700, but offers even more, specifically it is the very first Dolby Atmos soundbar. It goes far beyond the 7.1 channel sound of the YSP-2700, offering up a cinematic quality of 7.1.2 channels, meaning the sound projects up, and bounces down to you, resulting in 3D sound that would cost many, many thousands more to replicate with a full array of Atmos speakers. Another beneficial feature is the Dialogue Lift function, which assists in projecting the dialogue at the correct height, aligning in much the same way as the cinema speakers, but with the added comfort of your home.
The YSP-5600 also supports the latest HDMI standards. This means the high definition video quality of 4K is available without degradation. All in all, the Yamaha YSP-5600 is the kind of gadget that will redefine your viewing experience entirely, whilst remaining the slim and convenient soundbar so easily placed around any home. Yes, it’s much dearer than the YSP-2700, but it’s certainly worth it. A full cinematic experience, plus multi-room streaming and a whole host of other features that this blog simply couldn’t accommodate.
Want to take a closer look at what else the Yamaha YSP-5600 brings to the table? Click here for the full listing (including the tech specs), and see what makes it the ultimate in our eyes, and others.
One thought on “Is the Yamaha YSP-5600 the Ultimate Soundbar?”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I’ve never been a great fan of Soundbar’s in general – but this does indeed look interesting!