Yamaha has just announced its latest affordable budget soundbar, and it sounds like a very tempting package, especially when compared to the Sonos Ray, which claims to be the budget bar to beat on our list of the best soundbars.
The Yamaha SR-C30A will launch in October and will cost $279 / £299 / AU$399. It's basically identical to the Sonos Ray's official price, except with the Yamaha SR-C30A you get three features that the Sonos Ray doesn't: connectivity HDMI-ARC, Bluetooth wireless streaming, and most importantly, a wireless subwoofer to manage. the bass.
The Yamaha SR-C30A is very compact: the soundbar measures 600 X 64 X 94 mm / 23-5/8 x 2-1/2 x 3-3/4 inches, while the subwoofer measures only 160 X 335 x 364mm / 6-1/4 x 13-1/4 x 14-3/8 inches. That means it will work with the best TVs larger than 32 inches, while the subwoofer is small enough to fit even in small spaces, as this handy picture from Yamaha shows.
In terms of speakers, you get a very simple setup here: there are two 4.6cm speakers in the soundbar and one 13cm woofer in the subwoofer. That's fewer drivers than you get in the Sonos Ray (which has four), which can mean less dynamic and clear sound... however, the Sonos Ray's speakers have to deal with bass too, and Yamaha can deliver this work to the subwoofer. , which could greatly offset this disadvantage on paper.
Yamaha promises some kind of virtual surround sound support here, which can be controlled via an app, but we're skeptical about how effective it will be with just two riders – we'll find out how much it's worth once we get it right. our hands on it for review later in the year.
You don't get Wi-Fi or streaming connectivity, which is a downside compared to the Sonos Ray, but you do get multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, so you can switch at will between playing music from your phone and something like the Amazon Echo Dot. And being a Yamaha sound bar, the sound quality of the music will probably be pretty good, unlike many cheaper sound bars.
Our reviewers tested the equally inexpensive Yamaha SR-B20A and Yamaha SR-C20A and were very impressed with both, so we have high hopes for the C30A.
Analysis: everything revolves around this bass
With smaller one-piece soundbars like the Sonos Ray or Yamaha's own budget options, what tends to get lost in the overall sound is the bass.
We're not talking about wanting bangs to shake the house and shake pictures off the wall, but if you don't have a system with good bass, you'll be surprised what you're missing.
The example I always use is when I watch a movie with people surfing in a storm. Without a subwoofer, you can hear the waves crashing in detail, no problem. But with a subwoofer, you get a better idea of the danger and weight of those waves due to the deeper shock. It sounds more realistic, while adding a threat that is supposed to be in the sound, but not in a system with weaker bass.
So getting a package at this price with a subwoofer isn't just a bargain for people who want full sound from their TV but don't have a lot of space, it's also from a company you can be reasonably sure will get it. will do. a good job. seamlessly integrate sound between the two boxes (which can be a problem with cheap soundbar/sub combos).
The main sound bar is designed to handle mid and high range sounds from 22kHz to 210Hz (which covers most of the sound range, including speech and effects), while the subwoofer handles sound from 210Hz to 40 Hz. As mentioned above, having the subwoofer to handle the bass can really help free up the soundbar to deliver better sound at the top end.
We're a bit concerned about the lack of a center channel for vocals on the Yamaha SR-C30A though - it does have a vocal mode for clarity, but we'll have to see how that works out in practice. The big danger for this soundbar is that these days you can find the Sony HT-G700 soundbar and sub-assembly for around the same price, and that includes a second HDMI port and Dolby Atmos support.
Regardless of the outcome of our review, one thing is for sure: there's never been a better time to buy a soundbar on a lower budget.
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