Skip to main content

No space? No problem: Check out Yamaha’s epic $1,700 Dolby Atmos surround sound bar

At a small press event this week Yamaha unveiled an impressive new multi-room audio system called MusicCast, which encompasses 20 components rolling out over the next few months, including AV receivers, speakers, and sound bars. One of the more intriguing pieces Yamaha showed us at the event was a striking new sound bar loaded with dozens of drivers, and boasting Dolby Atmos support called the YSP-5600.

Constructed around a 44-speaker array of Yamaha’s beam drivers — and towing a whopping $1,700 price tag — the YSP-5600 is the kind of all-in-one home theater monster that only Yamaha could dream up. The bar’s miniature drivers (each just a touch over an inch in diameter) are employed throughout Yamaha’s so called “sound projector” lineup to create accurate immersion for those who prefer a less intrusive surround sound solution than heaps of wires and mounted speakers. But the YSP-5600 takes things even further than its predecessors.

To create 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos surround imaging, the bar boasts six “height channel” speakers on each side, which follow the same method as more traditional Atmos speaker designs, mimicking overhead speakers by bouncing sound off the ceiling. Yamaha’s sound projector line of products have been taking aim at surfaces from the front of the room to simulate traditional surround sound for some time now, but the Atmos channels lump in a “hemispheric” dimension for a whole new level of immersion.

The height channels combine with an arsenal of 32 front-loaded beam drivers. The system uses a controller app and microphone to sonically assess your home theater room, and adjust for an optimal surround sound experience. While Yamaha’s sound projection tech isn’t quite the same as a traditional surround sound setup it’s also not really virtual surround either, using real sound waves that sneak up behind you, or bounce off the sidewalls for a realistic experience, though its effectiveness is at the mercy of obstructions in your room.

Along with Atmos, the YSP-5600 will be upgradeable via firmware to support DTS’ flavor of overhead surround, DTS:X. And immersive surround sound is just a taste of the wide selection of bells and whistles that come loaded in this luxury-class bar.

As part of the new MusicCast system, the bar is compatible with up to 10 total speakers or receivers, all of which can be controlled via a centralized app to playback virtually any sound source in unison, or multiple sources individually. Like all MusicCast components, the bar also supports high-resolution audio at up to 24bit/192kHz, able to stream a wide variety of lossless audio files, from FLAC to DSD. The system also sports Bluetooth, Airplay, and even 4K UHD video passthrough at 60p via the HDMI connection. Other features include a variety of DSP settings, and Yamaha’s Clear Voice dialog enhancer.

Although the YSP-5600 is also loaded with dual 4.5-inch woofers, one thing it doesn’t have is a wireless subwoofer — surprising for a sound bar with such a mighty price tag. However, those who want to beef up the bass can attach their own wired subwoofer or, for an extra $150, add a wireless sub kit to the package.

Yamaha’s new behemoth of a bar is still mostly under wraps, launching in the U.S. in December. But you can bet we’ll be going ears-on with the bar as soon as possible to see how far Yamaha’s sound projection can take us — so stay tuned.

A version of this post also appears on our “brother site” The Manual.

Editors' Recommendations

Ryan Waniata
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…
Best streaming devices for 2023: Apple TV, Roku, and more
An Apple TV 4K sits on a media stand.

There now are so many ways for you to get all the shows and movies you want on all your favorite streaming services, be it Netflix, Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+. For many, using whatever is built into to your TV is just fine. That could be one of the more popular streaming platforms, like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or Google TV. But there are plenty of reasons to use an external streaming device, too.

The major players in the streaming device game — Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Roku — are all fighting for your money, so we're here to make sure you throw it at the right streaming device for you and your budget, which typically ranges from as low as $30 to as high as $200.

Read more
Walmart has a 75-inch TV for under $550, but you’ll need to be quick
hisense 65 inch roku smart tv deal walmart april 2023 r6 4k

If you're in the market for a giant 4K TV but don't want to break the bank, you've probably had your eye on some Hisense models. Hisense is famous for cheap 4K TVs. Today, one of their cheapest just got even cheaper. The 75-inch R6 4K TV just dropped from $598, a very reasonable price for a TV, down to $538. TV deals like this usually only pop up for refurbished TVs. Check it out before it's gone.

Why you should buy the 75-inch Hisense R6 Series 4K TV
The 75-inch Hisense R6 Series 4K TV is relatively affordable compared with other options at the same size, but it still comes with some of the most important features that you can find among the best TVs. The large display offers 4K Ultra HD resolution for sharp details, as well as High Dynamic Range for an impressive boost in colors and contrast. The 4K TV will also make it easier to follow fast-paced action scenes with the help of Motion Rate 120 technology, while DTS Studio Sound makes audio more immersive.

Read more
YouTube TV adds Magnolia Network and other FAST channels
YouTube TV on Apple TV.

YouTube TV has added a handful of channels of the FAST variety — that is, the sort of thing you'd find on an ad-supported service like Tubi or The Roku Channel. The additions are hardly the only FAST channels on the largest live-streaming service in the U.S., which has more than 5 million subscribers as of June 2022.

New to YouTube TV are Magnolia Network, Charge!, TBD TV, and T2. The CW also makes an appearance in the list of new channels after a new deal was reached earlier this spring.

Read more