The neatest new
system from
Yamaha
Home Theater is the Yamaha Digital Sound Projector. This
innovative and exciting component creates true surround sound with a
single component. The component itself is attractive and sleek.
It is a
slender, silver-tone speaker that can be wall-mounted or not. Because
of its versatility, it’s easy to take with you when you move.
It can be used with a plasma, LCD, or rear projection television.
Additionally, because it is only one
component, there is no complicated installation procedure. The wiring
is simple…no drilling into walls, because the component sits
directly below your viewing screen. And all with optimal multi channel
sound!
The sound projector itself is composed of
many speakers, each with an individual amplifier. The projection
technology sends each sound to a different part of the room, where it
rebounds off the walls, creating the auditory illusion that there are
speakers behind the listener.
When the owner first sets up the Digital
Sound Projector, he will specify the size of the room and positioning
– room width, room length, speaker position, and listener
position. In addition, if the room is an odd shape, this Yamaha home
theater component is easily recalibrated. Using the provided
microphone, and the built-in system, the setup is very easy and quick.
Yamaha’s Digital Sound Projectors
come in several models. Some include iPod compatibility, built-in FM
tuners, and component inputs. Other features include on-screen display,
night listening mode, and an elegant, slim profile. Prices range from
$900 to $1,800. Yamaha systems can be found at several retailers,
including Fry’s Electronics, Hi-Fi Buys, as well as smaller
retailers.
The digital sound projector system is unique
to Yamaha at this time. It is assumed in the industry that it will
become more common, because it is such a successful realization of
immersion sound. With traditional surround sound systems, the speakers
that are placed behind the listeners help contribute to the artificial
feeling.
With the technology Yamaha home theater uses
in its digital
sound projectors, this artificial quality is practically eliminated.
Reviews of the system by consumer sources and audio-centric
publications have been wonderful.