NEW YAMAHA SOUNDBARS EMBRACE ALEXA
Yamaha is introducing two new soundbars, the YAS-209 and YAS-109, making it easier for you to connect, control and enjoy your favourite music, movies and more, with native Alexa voice control.
Yamaha has bragging rights to being the originator of one of the world's first soundbars. Some generations later, these new models offer enhanced music playback capabilities and feature Wi-Fi connectivity to play tunes through Spotify Connect, Amazon Music and Alexa-supported music services.
Aesthetically, the YAS-209 and YAS-109 boast a fresh, ultra-slim design for movie and music enthusiasts for discrete placement in front of their TV or wall-mounting without the need of an additional bracket.
The YAS-109 features built-in subwoofers while the YAS-209 includes a separate wireless subwoofer, providing flexible placement options and even more expressive bass.
Yamaha didn't take any chances with the Alexa mics. They collaborated with the Alexa team at Amazon to implement the preferred method for microphones, focusing on both quality and spacing.
The built-in Alexa feature provides volume lowering capabilities, which automatically decreases the volume of movies or music to help receive a voice command. The included remote contains a dedicated button to initiate Alexa control. Additionally, Alexa can be muted when desired, or turned off completely when the soundbar is powered down.
The new soundbars incorporate Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround decoding, as well as DTS Virtual:X for immersive, virtual 3D surround sound.
Both soundbars feature Yamaha Clear Voice technology, which improves the audibility and clarity of dialogue in movies and TV shows while maintaining overall sonic quality. The feature especially shines during action scenes and live sports programs when background sounds might otherwise overwhelm dialogue and narration.
Connectivity includes HDMI input and output with ARC. 4K high dynamic range (HDR) video is supported for use with HDMI-connected 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc players or 4K streaming media players. Both soundbars support CEC, enabling audio control with compatible TV remotes. An optical input is provided for use with other devices without HDMI connections.
Besides Spotify Connect and Alexa enabled music services, Bluetooth functionality adds music from your smart device.
Finally, a free app available for both Apple and Android mobile devices gives you yet another way to control inputs and volume. The same app allows for playback of music stored on a smartphone via Wi-Fi.
Available now, the YAS-109 will sell for $399 RRP, while the YAS-209 will sell for $599 RRP and both come with a bonus 90 days free access to Amazon Music Unlimited.
For more information, visit Yamaha.
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Jay Garrett
StereoNET’s resident rock star, bass player, and gadget junkie. Jay heads up StereoNET as Editor for the United Kingdom and Europe regions. His passion for gadgets and Hi-Fi is second only to being a touring musician.
Posted in: Home Theatre | Lifestyle | Smart Homes & IoT
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