App control and wireless streaming added to best-selling sound bar

App control and wireless streaming added to best-selling sound bar

Yamaha’s number one selling surround sound bar, the YAS-101, is set to be outpaced by the YAS-103, which adds two very exciting and sought after features in app control and wireless music streaming.

The YAS-103 echoes the design of its predecessor with subtle lines, a single-body construction, elongated bass reflex port and twin down-firing subwoofers built in. The addition of Bluetooth connectivity, however, is where the real difference between the two models becomes apparent.

The new Bluetooth capability of the YAS-103 enables wireless streaming of audio from compatible phones, tablets and laptops. Whether listening to music or watching movies, the YAS-103 delivers the benefits of both convenience and improved audio. In addition, the YAS-103 introduces app control via Yamaha’s free Home Theatre Controller for iOS and Android devices without requiring a wireless network. The interface promotes user-friendly operation with intuitive adjustment of sound modes, inputs and other settings using familiar gestures. More sophisticated functionality of the app extends to fine-tuning the calibration of the sound bar to the listening environment. A Bluetooth standby mode is also able to be engaged to enable the sound bar to turn on/off via a Bluetooth device.

Employing Yamaha’s exclusive AIR SURROUND XTREME technology, the YAS-103 differentiates itself from competing sound bars by offering a surround sound experience with support for Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround formats. Not limited to boosting the volume of stereo sources, audiences are able to enjoy movies in surround sound with up to 7 distinct channels produced by the YAS-103.

Overall sound quality is another significant improvement over the popular YAS-101. Despite replicating the appearance of the YAS-101, the YAS-103 delivers improved sound from all sources to further enhance the customer’s experience. As a surround sound bar, not just a sound bar, Yamaha has invested significant resources and engineering to deliver an audio experience worthy of the Yamaha badge.

Other popular features to make a return on the YAS-103 include Clear Voice to accentuate dialogue, Lip Sync (audio delay) and UniVolume to minimise discrepancies in volume level between channels, ad breaks and input sources. Usability is also retained with the learning of remote control functions facilitating the use of a single TV remote control, and an IR repeater located on the rear of the YAS-103 to communicate remote signals if the sound bar blocks the path to the TV.

The YAS-103 sound bar is available now at a recommended retail price (RRP) of $299. The model is equipped with 1 coaxial input, 2 optical inputs and an additional analogue input.