YSP-1100 First Impressions and Build Quality
I remember spying the YSP-1 at the 2005 CES Expo in Las Vegas. Audioholics is no stranger to this technology, but I had never personally gotten my hands on a Digital Sound Projector to review. With that about to change I readied a couple of reference rooms and thought about different ways I'd like to test such a progressive product. Many companies have employed dual channel virtual-surround systems using various technologies (and even some gimmicks) but I had never heard any systems that truly worked well enough to satisfy anyone who had previously heard respected discrete surround sound. It's one thing for your Aunt Martha to listen to two speakers with DSP and phase delay and be impressed with the "surround-effects" it's an entirely different thing to impress a seasoned listener. Well, I'm writing this review in real time, so I'll let you know when I'm impressed-right now there's a world of potential given Yamaha's reputation for understanding DSP and I've resolved myself to be "skeptimistic".
First Impressions
The YSP-1100 is a third-generation product, so Yamaha has had plenty of time to refine what was already a pretty impressive looking package. One of the things that attracted me about doing a review of their newest Digital Sound Projector was that Yamaha had added in the ability to automatically set up the IntelliBeam using a YPAO-like configuration process. Mark my words, I'll do both a manual and automated setup, but the presence of this "convenience" feature takes this product and makes it much more user-friendly for the intended consumer and custom installer audience.
The system itself is a combination of 42 drivers and amplifiers along with all of the basic electronics you'd find in a digital AV receiver. This means that the YSP-1100 can take the place of an entire 5.1 surround system. From 6 boxes (5 speakers and a receiver) down to just 1 box is bound to make lots of spouses very happy.
In comparing the YSP-1100 to the original YSP-1 we reviewed in 2005, there are several notable differences and improvements:
|
YSP-1100 (3rd generation) |
YSP-1 (generation 1) |
|
| MSRP: | $1,699 | $1,499 |
| Finish: | Silver or Black |
Silver |
| Auto Setup: | Yes | No |
| Room EQ: | Yes | No |
| Weight: | 28.7 lbs. | 28.6 lbs |
As you can see, the majority of changes with the system occur in software. The addition of more DSP power to handle YPAO-like optimizer setup functionality is the largest improvement and deserves kudos. The original YSP-1 was a bit difficult to setup and became a bit of a hassle for non-installers to configure. Manual configuration is still available, of course, but this is a stellar improvement that should be a "Page 1" notation.
Build Quality
The YSP-1100 is available in either silver or black. The non-removable grill cover is made of steel that is carefully designed not to ring or rattle. It also works well with the design to not disrupt the intended frequency response of the system. The effect of the unit as a whole, with it's almost 29 pounds of mass, is that of a serious piece of equipment. If this unit were designed any sturdier it would be suitable for military use. Let me just explain something- I wanted to get y'all a picture of the actual drivers. Well, after removing about 40 screws and still not coming to the end of what I needed to safely remove the steel grill I gave up and reassembled the unit (and after going though this process I recommend that no one try this). That's what I call build quality!
The gloss black lower portion of the Sound Projector carries a blue LCD screen which delivers valuable information in a way that is easily visible but not overt or intrusive (i.e. you won't be blinded or drawn to it like a moth during movies). As part of my deconstruction mission I did manage to get ahold of the LCD panel for a closer look. The components I saw were all of high quality (most of the real interesting technology is located behind the YSP-1100 front panel and drivers, not below it).
Design Overview
The very nature of this system shows that Yamaha is fully capable of combining form and function into a stylistic box that looks as good as it performs. From the blue LCD display on its piano gloss black finish to the silver or black steel grill which covers the 42 drivers, Yamaha's YSP-1100 is an elegant piece to look at. As we mentioned, it will fit well underneath a 42-inch flat screen and it almost begs to be wall-mounted. With this type of system there is a ton of flexibility in placement but the best rooms are going to want to cater to this box, not use it as a last resort for rooms that cannot support rear speakers. To do that would be a shame.
