It can be tricky to find a speaker that balances clear sound quality and manageable installation in a home theater speaker.
If we talk about home theater speaker systems, we think Yamaha speaker systems are some of the finest systems that provide high-quality sound with multiple smart features.
In this post, we will thoroughly discuss the features, reviews, advantages, and guidelines for purchasing Yamaha speakers so that it will be easy for you to figure out whether or not to buy them.
Yamaha NS-SP1800BL 5.1 Channel Home Theatre Speaker
This is an affordable 5.1 channel home theater speaker system with the advanced servo technology and high quality audio production. It’s highly sensitive so it can provide loud and crisp sound with lower wattage.
Alternate #1 – Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.4 Soundbar System
Nakamichi Shockwafe soundbar system provides a wide 360 degree surround sound experience. It’s a great option for people who want heavy bass as it has dual subwoofers.
Alternate #2 – Polk Audio 5.1 Channel Home Theatre Speaker System
The Polk Audio speaker system comes with a dynamic balance technology and bass radiators that ensure the sound produced is loud and clear with zero distortion. Their build quality is also excellent.
Quick Summary of the Main Product
Yamaha is best is famous for creating top-quality music instruments and audio devices. It provides the ultimate package of excellent sound quality, high-quality build design, and affordability. Yamaha NS-SP1800BL is a 5.1 channel home theater speaker that provides you with exceptional sound quality and multiple audio features.
The Yamaha speaker package comes with one center speaker, an 8-inch front-firing subwoofer and four satellite speakers. It provides a high quality audio with the inclusion of the right amount of speakers and amplification components. This speaker system has a unique and advanced Yamaha Active Servo technology that enables the speakers and amplifier to work at the same time. This results in the production of high audio levels with clarity and accuracy.
You have multiple mounting options for the additional satellite speakers and the subwoofers. Both can either be mounted on the wall or you can put them down on a shelf. No matter what the placement is, you will surely get the surround sound listening experience.
Each speaker is built to deliver a specific audio spectrum. The center and satellite speakers ensure the deliverance of crisp and clear sound. Bass production is adequately handled by high-quality subwoofers. The overall audio quality is loud, clear, detailed and smooth.
Features and Benefits
Build Design and Components
The Yamaha NS speaker system has a high quality main speaker with multiple additional audio components that will uplift your home theater experience. Following is the list of all the elements that are included in this speaker package:
- 1 center speaker
- 2 rear surround speakers
- 2 front speakers
- 0.5 inch dome tweeter
- 1 subwoofer
- 4 speaker pads
- User manual
- Warranty card
The 2-way center speaker delivers the major chunk of final audio with a clear and smooth sound. It further consists of 2.5 inch woofers, 0.5 inch dome tweeter, 2-way satellite speakers and an 8 inch high-powered subwoofer. All these audio components deliver a high quality cinematic sound which will boost your home theater experience.
High Audio Quality
The Yamaha NS-SP1800BL speaker system provides an impressive sound quality with advanced audio features. The multiple drivers and speakers ensure the adequate distribution of different audio frequencies and avoid any frequency interference. The satellite speakers are responsible to deliver clear sound at low and mid volume levels. On the other hand, the main centered speaker is focused on delivering clear vocals and a natural sound for a top-notch cinematic experience. Bass is controlled by the subwoofer on extremely high and low volume levels. The overall even distribution and placement of the speaker system creates a wide audio field with wide dispersion and high frequency response.
Magnetic Shield
Yamaha’s speaker system includes the magnetic shield feature that makes it unique from the other home theater speaker sets. All the speakers in this sound system have a magnetic shield that ensures the prevention of picture-sound interference. The picture-sound interference occurs with the close proximity with cable wire connections or satellite dish. The magnetic shield protection ensures the deliverance of high quality audio with no noise or distortion.
YST Technology
This Yamaha NS home theater speaker system comes with the exclusive Yamaha Active Servo technology that enables the speakers and amplifier to work together. This process ensures the elimination of unnecessary impedance production. The final audio output gets delivered with high sound pressures and a smooth quality. The linear motion of audio production affects the overall performance of the speaker system.
Surround Sound
The ultimate sound surround production enables all the speakers in the Yamaha NS system to blend together to deliver high quality and well-balanced sound. The frequency response of the speakers is ranging between 28Hz-50,000Hz. The surround feature boosts the audio deliverance capabilities of all the speakers, providing you the best sound experience.
Pros and Cons
- The Yamaha NS-SP1800BL 5.1 Channel speaker system comes with a classic design and multiple audio components. It is specially designed to provide a balanced and evenly distributed cinematic audio for your home theater.
- This speaker system will allow you to have a high quality sound experience with its magnetic shield and Active Servo technology.
- The two-way satellite speakers, a center channel speaker, dome tweeter and a powerful subwoofer provides you with a standard midrange frequency with much clear vocals at multiple audio volumes. These features will surely lift-up your home theater experience.
- The bass response is quite impressive and accurate because of the high powered subwoofer. It ensures the deliverance of smooth and deep audio at high volume levels.
- The Yamaha NS speaker system provides you with multiple placement options. You can easily mount the additional speakers on the wall or you can simply place them on a shelf. The mounting instructions are clearly explained in the user manual. You can adjust the system placement according to your preference.
- The Yamaha NS speaker wiring is thin and does not look heavy duty. If you don’t have any fixed wiring placement and hooks, then you might end up damaging the main wire by excessive placement changes. So in order to avoid that, it is important for you to plan the wiring placement beforehand.
- If you are a music enthusiast or an audiophile then you might find the overall performance lacking in different aspects. Although the sound quality and vocal clarity is impressive, it does get a bit distorted and unclear at certain audio levels.
Social Proof
To see if the Yamaha NS-SP1800BL home theater speaker system actually delivers the performance they claim, we went online to read different customer reviews.
Most of the users had a positive response, especially to the speaker design, audio features, and performance. The top reviews were about its ability to produce a balanced sound with decent bass response.
The users also liked its wide range of frequency responses and expanded audio dispersion. The easy mounting system and the sound blending techniques were appreciated. Most of the customers agreed to the fact that the product features and overall sound quality is worth the price. Following are some top customer reviews from Amazon:
More Recommendations!
#1: Best 3D Alternative to Yamaha Home Theater Speaker System - Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.4 Soundbar System Review
The Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra is the premium soundbar system with 360 degree audio dispersion and Dolby Atmos sound surround.
It is a complete audio system with multiple speakers and woofers that ensure the deliverance of a high quality cinematic experience. The main soundbar, four modular sound surround speakers and dual wireless subwoofers collectively produce an acoustic suspension and stereo sound performance.
The wireless Bluetooth connectivity features allow you to stream music from different applications by connecting your audio electronics and media players. The audio sensors and dual center channels deliver the audio vocals with clarity, precision and accuracy.
Features of Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.4 Soundbar System
- 360 degree sound dispersion
- Dolby Atmos sound surround
- Wireless connectivity
- Dual wireless subwoofers
- SSE technology
- UHD/HDR support
- Acoustic suspension
- Multiple placement options
- High quality/undistorted sound quality
- Multiple connectivity options
- Automatic sound optimization
- Easy installation
- Not an appealing design
Best 3D Alternative
The best 3D alternative is Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.4 Soundbar System because it is an impressive package of speakers and soundbar that delivers premium sound surround with multiple connectivity options. It is also a great option if you want high-quality cinematic sound, subwoofers, and easy installation.
#2: Best Stereo Sound Alternative of Yamaha Home Theater Speaker - Polk Audio 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System Review
The Polk Audio 5.1 Channel is a surround sound home theater speaker system with the premium Polk sound quality and multiple speaker sets which can be used separately.
The two floor-standing tower speakers consist of a 1 inch tweeter, 6.5 inch midrange driver and two 6.5 inch bass radiators. These audio components ensure the deliverance of stereo sound quality with clarity and smoothness.
All the speakers come with dynamic balance technology which delivers a three-dimensional audio with a powerful bass response. This speaker system is compatible with many AV receivers that allow you to have different setup options.
Features of Polk Audio 5.1 Channel Home Theatre Speaker System
- High powered subwoofer
- Dynamic balance technology
- Three-dimensional sound surround
- Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD
- Supports HDMI ARC and eARC
- All-in-one audio system
- High audio resolution
- Easy setup
- Powerful bass response
- Affordable price
- You will have to buy the AV receiver separately
Best Stereo Sound Alternative
The best stereo sound alternative is Polk Audio 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System because it provides you with the all-in-one audio system for your home theater with high-quality audio dynamics. It is not only affordable but delivers high performance and sound.
Guide to Buy
Space
The size of the room and where you place the speaker are important factors to think about before you purchase a speaker. You need to buy a speaker system that is appropriate for your room size for the best.
If your theater room is small then you can go for buying a speaker set which has bookshelf sized speakers so you can get the right amount of audio with the best placement options. If your theater room is considerably wider then you can buy an audio setup with 7-10 inch floor-standing speakers and bookshelf speakers.
It is always better to have more speakers in the setup when you have a large room. It will allow you to have a much wider and multi-dimensional audio experience.
Selection of Speakers
When you will start searching for the home theater speaker set, you will find many different types of speakers providing you with a list of options to choose from.
There are some speaker sets that have floor-standing speakers, some have bookshelf speakers and some come with soundbars. Generally, the home theater systems come with either 5.1 channel or 7.1 channel speakers. The selection of speakers depend on the room size, your budget and the audio preferences.
There are speaker systems that come with additional audio components like subwoofers, satellite speakers and rear channel speakers. Keeping in mind all these features and factors, it is for you to decide and select the appropriate set of speakers for your home theater audio.
A/V Receiver
There are many speaker systems that come with an AV receiver and in some systems you will have to separately buy the AV receiver. It is important to check the quality and compatibility of the receiver if you are buying it separately. The latest AV receivers come with many new features.
So, it is important for you to check some important features which are explained below. If you are new into setting up a home theater system then it is better for you to get an all-in-one speaker system which includes the AV receiver too.
Power Capacity
The power compatibility of your speakers and AV receiver is important. The total power output is measured in watts. When you are buying a receiver for your speaker set, make sure that it is powerful enough to handle the power capacity of the speaker.
A standard AV receiver should at least deliver 100 watts of power to the audio channels. If the power handling capacity doesn’t match then the entire system might break up due to excessive power voltage.
Connectivity Options
It is important to check the connectivity ports and multiple connectivity options available on the AV receiver. Following are some connectivity options available:
HDMI: The HDMI input ports are important to connect multiple devices like gaming consoles, DVD-players or laptops. You can also use this port for the conversion of data or for streaming different audio channels. A standard AV receiver should have at least three HDMI ports.
Video Conversion: The latest AV receivers some with video conversion and upscaling features. Video conversion feature allows the conversion of video signals into digital audio signals. This allows you to connect your audio and video devices with the TV using the HDMI cable. The upscaling feature basically upscales the lower resolution signals to higher resolution signals for a better appearance on the big screen.
HDMI 3D Pass-through: HDMI pass-through means that audio/video streams that pass through the AV receiver do not get processed. The streams will only be displayed on the screens. The latest high end AV receivers come with a 3D pass-through that accepts and processes the signals. That ensures a better and high quality final display.
Build Quality
We highly suggest that you check the construction and hardware of the speaker before purchase. The construction should be sturdy with heavy build material without compromising the sound quality.
Usually, sturdy material in speaker grills and mounting brackets can cause vibrations at high volumes. This might cause the sound to distort. Therefore, we suggest you avoid this and look for a speaker that has a durable build but doesn’t affect your listening experience.
The overall design and look of the speaker set is also an important factor to consider. You would surely want an audio set that will merge with your home theater aesthetics. If your audio system has floor-standing speakers then make sure to get additional padding for the floor nobs
The additional padding would be safer and will also give a better overall look to the speakers. The build quality of bookshelf speakers should be lightweight yet powerful. These speakers also come with grills that can be customized. Some grills are paintable so you can easily set them according to your theater aesthetics.
Resistance
Resistance in speaker systems refers to the transfer of sound signals between the amplifier and speaker. It is measured in ohms. The different resistance ratings are 2, 4, 6 and 8 ohm. The higher the resistance will be, the more power will be required to drive the sound signals.
A higher resistance rate might end up distorting the final audio output. On the other hand, lower resistance speakers will have a clearer and smooth audio output. It is important to check the resistance rating for adequate compatibility with the speakers.The excess or shortage of power can break the working of the entire system. Your speaker can have more resistance but it cannot have a shortage of resistance then what is actually required.
Surround Sound Processing
Surround sound is an important feature to consider while buying theater speakers. It provides a much fuller and multi-dimensional listening experience. The latest speaker systems and receivers come with Dolby Atmos surround sound that provides high quality and true cinematic sound experience.
That’s why we think it is ideal for anyone who wants an HD cinema surround sound experience. It does not only offer high definition sound but also depth and clarity.
Additional Features
There are some additional features that are present in many speaker systems and AV receivers.
Radio Tuners: Although there are many internet radio channels that can be streamed live through the wireless connection but there are some AV receivers that have built-in FM/AM tuners. You can always look up for this feature if you require the streaming of your local radio channels.
Remote Control: Remote control is present in almost every speaker system. However, the functions and features are different in different speaker models. It is important to get the one that has easy functioning with a good build quality.
Wires/Cables: The additional wires and connection cables are always good to have since they allow you to connect the media player devices if they are not compatible with the wireless connection. The quality and build materials of the cables are also important to consider.
Wrapping Things Up
We hope this detailed review of the Yamaha NS-SP1800BL 5.1 Channel Home Theatre Speaker will help you find the best home theater speaker system for yourself.
It provides you with a classic design and multiple audio components which are specially designed to provide balanced and evenly distributed cinematic audio for your home theater. It offers great audio output with its sound surround production that enables all the speakers in the system to blend to deliver high-quality and well-balanced sound. The amplifier and subwoofer give you an appropriate bass response so you have the best sound experience possible.
If you are setting up a home theater for the first time and you are looking for a system with good quality and easy installation then we think the Yamaha speaker set is definitely worth a try.
