Specifications

Yamaha YSP-1 Digital Sound Projector
Subjective Score Card
The scoring below is based on each speaker doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are
weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating equal to:
Performance x Price Factor/Value = Rating
Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in
question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing speakers in future reviews that have
lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate speakers
solely based on performance, and each reviewer has their own system for ratings.
Audioholics Ratings Scale:
Outstanding (reserved for features or areas that exceed market norms)
Above Average
Average
Below average
Very poor
Yamaha YSP-1 Digital Sound Projector – MSRP: $1499
Yamaha Electronics
6660 Orangethorpe Avenue • Buena Park, CA 90620
[phone] • www.yamaha.com/yec
HARDWARE
Yamaha DVD-S1500
Infinity Intermezzo 1.2S
Infinity CSW-10
Hand-made DH Labs interconnects
LMS (Loudspeaker Measure System by Linear X)
Impact Acoustics XLR cable
DESCRIPTION
DVD-Audio/Video SACD player
850-watt (EIA Dynamic) subwoofer w/R.A.B.O.S.
650-watt (EIA Dynamic) subwoofer w/R.A.B.O.S.
Frequency response measurement system
50' XLR cable for LMS microphone
Associated Test Equipment
The naturalness of the YSP-1's center
channel sound is carried through to all other
channels in equal measure. That it may falter to
an extent when trying to portray left-right
information, widely splayed out within an overly
large, corner placement environment serves
only to outline one of the sole limitations of this
marvelous machine. (Perhaps, a bit more
tweaking could be done with respect to Image
Location?)
The ease with which the YSP-1 can engulf
the listener in a three-dimensional, immersive
environment, especially with a very typical,
acoustically live room is head-and-ears above
most wall or ceiling-mounted surround speaker
systems. Women notice this honest portrayal-
of-naturalness difference immediately. Plus
there are no ugly protuberances adorning their
walls or sound attempting to be hidden within
the walls. No ugly wires either.
That the YSP-1 easily and handily out-
performs the popular cube systems in the same
price ballpark isn't the point. Rather, Yamaha's
Digital Sound Projector hopefully marks the
first, almost perfectly executed volley in a new
consumer electronics category - Digital Sound
Projectors. Bravo!
By Patrick Hart
Email - [e-mail]
Non-exclusive reprint rights have been provided to
Yamaha Corporation to reprint and freely distribute
this review. Any other uses or instances of this
review by other parties or by Yamaha Corporation
are prohibited without prior approvals from
Audioholics. The original review can be viewed
online at www.audioholics.com
METRIC
Build Quality
Cosmetic Design; vs. genre
Design Execution; fit & finish
System Hook-up
Ease-of-Software-Set-up
Power; 20W x 2, 2.5W x 40
Subwoofer Bass; 20-120Hz
Satellite Bass; 80-200Hz
Midrange; 200-2000Hz
Treble - 2-20KHz
Center Ch; vocal articulation
Lft-Ctr-Rt; spectral balance
Surround Immersion
Surround Specificity
Remote ergonomics
Remote functionality
Overall
Value
RATING COMMENTS
Superb, category-defining,
very high-quality construction
First-of-category:
Timeless, understated elegance
Materials and colors
beautifully integrated
Simplest of all systems tested to date.
Only 5 or 6 inter-connections!
Completely new set-up concepts,
Owner's Manual barely adequate
Perfectly matched to & shared among
all drivers. Low THD, high SPLs
External
subwoofer required
Good to 80Hz lower limit, excellent performance,
sealed 4.5" mid-woofers
Very good octave-to-octave
spectral balance
6.1KHz peak, required for beam throwing,
degrades audio-only listening
Excellent when properly EQ'ed per
program w/treble & bass
Narrowed L-R image width w/corner
location w/3 Beam+Stereo mode
3-D, floating-in-space effect. Trumps 2-D ±90º
side monopoles & rears
±90º "image-bubble" width not optimal in large
room, corner location
Non-lit.
Otherwise excellent layout
Integrates easily, works most functions of
ancillary equipment (TV, DVD)
n/a
3
/4
3
/4
3
/4
3
/4
1
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