Even so, Yamaha is forging ahead having its sound base plans by updating the current SRT-1000 with a few intriguing features. The SRT-1500 is a superb sounding unit with lots of wallop in movies as well as acceptable music replay. But with identical performance on the earlier model, you've got a chance to really want HDMI transferring and Yamaha's proprietary music-streaming service to spend the extra $200.
Yamaha SRT-1500
In terms of pure value-for-money, the SRT-1000 is really a better buy. And when you really want multiroom sound, you could buy the Chromecast Audio, pocket the excess $150 or so, and hook your wire box's HDMI video output on to your TV.
If you've got a TV with a centrally-mounted pedestal stay, like the one pictured above, the Yamaha will support screen sizes around 55-inches. As a base no matter what the height is considering that the TV sits on top, but nevertheless the SRT-1500 is fairly squat at only 3 in . tall. It also actions 30. 75 inches large and 14. 6 in . deep.
The unit is constructed from MDF (medium-density fiberboard) and covered with all the near-ubiquitous brushed vinyl put also seen on goods from ELAC and Klipsch. Be aware that this finish mars rather easily, and a TV may easily gouge some nice holes on the lifetime of the solution.
The front panel houses the the principle controls, including volume as well as dedicated source indicators, along with the drivers are protected by a good metal grille.
While the inputs are at the back of the cabinet, there is also the convenient hatch built into the the surface of the unit, which means you should not get behind your TV unit to plug brand new things in.
The menu system is really a little perfunctory, and sometimes only a few that intuitive. For example to get into network settings there's absolutely no "Page 1" "Page 2" prompt, you just need to understand to press the create button twice.
The handheld remote control is a step above most sound bar offerings as it's an actual remote, not a credit card-size plaything. There are even pictograms to spellout the different sound alternatives.
Yamaha SRT-1500
If it wasn't for your different model number printed around the front you'd swear this became the SRT-1000, the less costly sound base Yamaha released in 2014. And if you don't fumble around at the back of the unit, you'd find it difficult to see what the dissimilarities are. There are two main features the excess cash buys: the SRT1500 provides a 4K-compatible HDMI input as well as output, as well as Yamaha's own MusicCast multiroom sound system. Otherwise, the two are usually essentially identical.
The SRT-1500 uses eight directional "beam" drivers that direct the sound all-around your room and that are flanked by two far more "traditional" oval stereo individuals. The beam drivers utilize phase-shifted technology to aim the beams at your walls. For bass, your SRT-1500 boasts two 3. 25-inch "subwoofers" which could get down to the claimed 45Hz.
While the vast majority of its competitors can only decode Dolby, the Yamaha are designed for both Dolby Digital as well as DTS Digital Surround. This specific makes the speaker a great all-rounder, suited to both TV audio along with the surround soundtracks of Blu-rays as well as DVDs.
The Yamaha comes with several unique preset modes but in accordance with local Yamaha representatives the principle effects are Clear Voice, TV and Stereo. While Movies and Music appear around the remote, these modes don't apparently work.
The HDMI 3. 0 connectors include compatibility with 60p 4K sources together with Audio Return Channel (for following your TV's audio). The base also features a digital optical input as well as an analog input, and also a subwoofer out if you need more bass.
Like most powered speakers these days, the SRT-1500 includes service for Bluetooth (both loading to and from), with the help of support for aptX that may improve sound quality with compatible devices. But the primary reason you'd buy this unit on the SRT-1000 is for MusicCast.
MusicCast is Yamaha's answer to Sonos, a multiroom system that integrates multiple streaming services as well as DLNA. The Wi-Fi-based service offers many benefits including support regarding hi-res music and the ability to use it a wide range of Yamaha products including it's 2015 receivers (as with all such systems, you'l need a MusicCast product for every single room). It's one with the slickest multiroom options available, but like all of the multiroom apps, it takes a preliminary learning curve. Of the services you'd want it includes only Pandora, Spotify Connect, Rhapsody and Sirius -- not probably the most complete lineup, but ALL RIGHT.
Yamaha SRT-1500
The Yamaha SRT-1500 besides looks like the SRT-1000, both the speakers sound alike. You can say that because we still possess the SRT-1000 on hand, and compared both the sound bases, and were thoroughly impressed with all the sound of both ones!
We started our SRT-1500 auditions with all the recently released "Roger Waters: The Wall" concert Blu-ray. The actual music's wide dynamic range didn't faze the SRT-1500 1 bit, and there was lots of power to fill our own compact CNET listening place with sound. The quiet snatches of sound files between the music that comprises "The Wall" really showed journey SRT-1500's "surround" capabilities. The speaker projected sound wide and forward to the room, superb for a single-cabinet product although obviously not to ever the extent you'd obtain from true 5. 1 channel home-theater systems.
The Wall's vocals and spoken word discussion sounded natural and plainly articulate, and acoustic instruments were especially nice. Soundstage depth and dimensionality were greater than most sound bars and bases in the SRT-1500's price class.
We were very happy to hear that the SRT-1500's large soundstage didn't collapse when we moved from sitting centered throughout the room from the SRT-1500 up to either side of your couch. No other brand's sound base are capable of doing that!
We turned up the heat with the "Mad Max: Fury Road" road-rage-fueled Blu-ray and were perfectly satisfied with the SRT-1500's low bass output. In our little listening room, we didn't feel shortchanged by the lack of a separate subwoofer.
Larger spaces absorb more power, however, if you decide to have a big place and/or crave loud, heavy bass, you can convey a separate sub. Using the remote control you can actually fine-tune the sound base's subwoofer/bass volume level, and we exercised that feature a reasonable amount as we listened by using a pile of Blu-rays as well as CDs.
CDs sounded fine around the SRT-1500 with either Music or Music playback settings. Music produced the more substantial soundstage, but added a slightly swishy "tizz" on the sound of cymbals. Transferring to Stereo reduced that distortion. Sound quality regarding stereo music was satisfactory at low to reasonable volume, but we became less satisfied with the sound when we turned up the volume. That's legitimate with most sound basics and 'bars, and the SRT-1500 isn't better or worse in comparison with average at playing music loud.
Yamaha SRT-1500
We tested the unit's chance to stream MusicCast wirelessly together with its Bluetooth restreaming capacity. If you're listening to hi-res music or anything at all lossless, it's probably better to wire this unit, and in particular when you live in the building with competing Wi-Fi cpa networks.
Streaming the Arctic Monkeys more than Ethernet sounded fine without the need of dropouts, though it lacked your dynamism and bass of the good stereo system your money can buy. Streaming over wireless in your Wi-Fi-saturated office was fraught with peril with multiple dropouts -- even when listening to MP3s.
Such as other MusicCast speakers, the SRT-1500 will be able to both receive and send Bluetooth streams, and we were particularly interested to discover how well it may stream music out to your Bluetooth speaker. In order to try this, we paired the Yamaha with all the Naim Mu-so desktop speaker, and found that while the sound was better in comparison with expected, the synchronisation of music between them was an issue. Given that you can certainly only stream Bluetooth to your speaker mainly within earshot anyway, the lag we noticed -- with Pandora running strangely ahead around the restream, and behind about MP3s -- would avoid you from trying this kind of again. Not surprising provided the $1k difference in price, the Naim sounded better having its Bluetooth version of "Scythian Empires. " It had a weightier bass and also a more expressive midrange regarding Andrew Bird's warbling emotive voice. This suggests that the Bluetooth output in this device is actually pretty good, and you might utilize it to stream to your bedroom Bluetooth speaker and turn the quantity of the main unit down.
The Yamaha SRT-1500's home theater chops are excellent. It produces a broad, room filling sound, this plays loud, bass potency can be quite decent, and dialogue can be clear. Like most sound bars and 'bases, the SRT-1500's sound quality with music is a lot less than stellar.
All told, we felt identical way about the considerably less-pricey SRT-1000. The only reason to search for the SRT-1500 on the SRT-1000 are features just like MusicCast and HDMI, and for most people, those extras aren't worth the price.
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