Yamaha Updates Best Selling DTS Virtual:X Soundbar

Yamaha today announced a “reimagined” version of its best-selling soundbar, the YAS-107, the model just below the Top Pick-designated YAS-207 we reviewed last fall.

Slated to ship in July, the new YAS-108 boasts DTS Virtual:X surround processing in a low-profile single-chassis design with simple connections and an appealing $200 price. The bar can be mounted on the wall or placed on a cabinet or shelf in front of the TV without blocking the screen thanks to its 2-inch height.

The revised model features enhanced Bluetooth connectivity for quick pairing and now supports simultaneous streams from two Bluetooth devices with the ability to switch between them without first having to disconnect one.

Onboard DTS Virtual:X processing creates a “life-like, immersive 3D sound field that envelops you in sound that moves around and above you, all without the need for separate front-, surround-, and height-channel speakers,” according to Yamaha. In addition to reproducing immersive formats such as DTS:X and Dolby Atmos, Virtual:X works with stereo and multichannel soundtracks. The soundbar also includes Yamaha’s Clear Voice technology to improve the audibility and clarity of dialogue in movies and TV shows.

Like the YAS-107, instead of offloading bass to a separate subwoofer, the YAS-208 has two built-in “subwoofers,” which supplement a pair of tweeters and woofers — all housed in the single, ported enclosure.

Connectivity-wise, the YAS-208 covers the bases with both optical and analog audio inputs and an HDMI connector with an audio return channel (ARC).

For more information, visit usa.yamaha.com.

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