Skip to main content

Yamaha’s entry-level sound bar gets classier and more versatile

Yamaha’s YSP-5600 sound bar, which offers brilliant Atmos and DTS-X virtual surround sound, is one of the most impressive (and expensive) sound bars on the market right now. However, the company hasn’t forgotten those looking for a cinematic upgrade on a strict budget either, today unveiling the brand’s latest entry-level sound bar, the YAS-106.

An upgrade to Yamaha’s popular YAS-105, the next number up in the order offers a makeover of sorts in the design, as well as a few welcome new features.

Recommended Videos

The bar offers a sleeker, curvier design than the 105 while still offering the hallmarks of its sound engine, including dual down-firing “subwoofers” and twin bass reflex ports, allowing it to carve out some low-end thunder without the need for a separate wireless subwoofer.

But it’s the bar’s inclusion of HDMI support that marks the biggest change over its predecessor. Unlike the YAS-105, the YAS-106’s single HDMI input offers both HD audio and 4K video passthrough to directly connect your video component, be it a gaming console, Blu-ray player, or 4K UHD Blu-ray player. As Yamaha points out, the setup allows for accurate 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound audio support to correctly feed the system’s virtual surround DSP, and if your TV is equipped with ARC, you can use just a single HDMI cable to send audio and video, and also source TV sound back into the bar.

In addition to HDMI, the YAS-106 also offers a single digital Optical input, and Bluetooth connection to  stream music from your phone and connect to Yamaha’s handy Home Theater Controller app to control audio parameters wirelessly. If the single bar isn’t enough power for your home theater setup, the bar also provides a subwoofer output to wire up the sub of your choice.

While many of these features have become standard on pricier bars, it’s nice to see all those modern conveniences in one place on a bar with an MSRP of just $200. One feature the YAS-106 doesn’t offer is compatibility with Yamaha’s new multiroom audio system, MusicCast, which allows you to connect multiple Yamaha speakers and even A/V receivers in a Sonos like system over Wi-Fi. You’ll have to move up a few notches in the sound bar food chain to land those features.

That said, Yamaha’s new YSP-106 offers a lot of bang for its $200 price point. The unit is slated to hit shelves in mid-August.

Updated 8-9-2016 at 8:50 a.m. PST: This post has been updated with information recently added to Yamaha’s website, including the addition of ARC and Optical connection.

Ryan Waniata
Former Home Theater & Entertainment Editor
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…
The Beats Pill — our favorite Bluetooth speaker — at lowest price for Prime Day
The 2024 model of Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker on a table near a pool.

Are you planning to shop for Bluetooth speaker deals this Prime Day? You're should go for the Beats Pill, which is again available for its lowest-ever price of $98 from Amazon for the shopping event. The 35% discount on its original price of $150 will let you save $52, but you have to act fast. That's because we're pretty sure that stocks are already flying off the shelves for this amazing audio accessory, so before they're all gone, secure your own by pushing forward with your purchase immediately.

Buy Now

Read more
Our best budget headphones are even more affordable for Prime Day at 20% off
Side view of the 1More SonoFlow.

Amazon's Prime Day is finally here, bringing with it huge discounts for headphone deals. For a budget-friendly option that's even more affordable for the shopping event, check out the 1More SonoFlow. From their sticker price of $75, they're down to only $60 for $15 in savings, but there's no time to waste if you're interested because the offer may not last until the end of Prime Day. Push through with your purchase as soon as possible to get these headphones at 20% off.

Buy Now

Read more
Marshall Middleton Bluetooth speaker is 44% off for Prime Day, but not for long
The Marshall Middleton Bluetooth speaker on a bookshelf.

Bluetooth speaker deals are always popular during Amazon's Prime Day, and this year is no exception. We've found a lot of interesting offers, and this one is among our favorites -- the Marshall Middleton at 44% off, slashing its price to just $180 from $320 originally. We're not sure if this offer will stay online until the end of the shopping event, so if you want to take advantage of this $140 discount, you're going to have to complete your purchase as soon as you can.

$180 at Amazon

Read more