Specifications

WWW.AUDIOHOLICS.COM
2
review
Specifications
Yamaha YSP-1 Digital Sound Projector
YSP-1 Digital
Sound Projector
Review Date 3.5.05
Review Summary
Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Value Rating: 5/5
MSRP: $1499
Manufacturer
Yamaha Electronics
Pros
• Single-box, high performance, 42 digital
amplifier, surround sound system
• Very easy, 30-minute hook-up;
interconnects only.
• Dolby Digital 5.1 & DTS ES for movies,
Dolby Pro Logic II & DTS Neo 6 for music
• Decor-friendly, highest
partner-acceptance factor system
• Highly ergonomic, easy-to-use
and integrate remote control
• Plays impressively loud and clean
• Quality construction,
exemplary fit and finish
• Excellent value vs performance
Cons
• Requires subwoofer for
• full-bandwidth movie sound
• Some non-re-EQ'ed DVDs
can sound bright at high SPL
• Software set-up requires a learning curve
steering" audio processor chip. All of
the transducers are used for ALL of the 5
different steered channels – they are
NOT used as subsets; i.e. some for each
beam only.
4. It is a button-push configurable two-
channel, three channel, five-channel
and three LCR channel + 2 channel
surround-capable speaker system.
Forty-two transducers total; two 4.5" left
and right front mid-woofers on either side
of the master array of 40 approximately
1.25" diameter drivers. The crossover
frequency of the two 4.50" left-right mid-
woofer drivers is switchable to 80Hz,
100Hz or 120Hz to match with an
outboard subwoofer for which a low-level
output is provided. The mid-woofers'
handoff frequency to the 1.25" forty-
driver array takes place at 350Hz (1000
Hz in Corner-location mode).
5. It is the most decor-friendly, highest
wife-acceptance-factor, true surround
audio system ever designed. With the
debut of the Yamaha YSP-1, its product
execution, from the quality of materials,
to the stunningly elegant industrial design,
marks a high-point for performance vs.
value in a category-defining product.
Amp Section Maximum Output Power (EIAJ)
2 watts (1KHz, 10% THD, 10Ω) x 40
20 watts (100Hz, 10% THD, 4Ω) x 2
Speaker Section 1.5" (4cm) cone magnetic shielding type x 40
4.5" (11 cm) cone magnetic shielding type x 2
Input Jacks Two pairs Analog Audio (1V, 32 kΩ)
Optical S/PDIF Audio
Coaxial S/PDIF Audio
Output Jacks Subwoofer Pre-out (1V, less than 120Hz)
Video Out OSD (1Vp-p, 75Ω)
System Connector Jacks 1 System Control, RS-232C
Finishes Available Silver enamel perforated metal grille,
High-gloss black Plexiglas base
General Power
Consumption: 50 watts
Standby Power
Consumption: 0.5 watts or less
Dimensions: 40.56" x 7.69" x 4.62" (103cm x 19.4cm x 11.8cm)
Product Weight: 13 kg (28 lbs 10 oz)
The YSP-1 is based around digital
Sound Projector technology developed
over the past 7 years in Cambridge,
England, by 1 Ltd, a small hi-tech R & D
IP-licensing company founded by Dr. Tony
Hooley in 1995. Until now this technology
was only previously licensed to Pioneer of
Japan. For more information, please read
my exclusive interview with Dr. Hooley.
Secondly, the quality of the bird tweets and
thunderstorm seemed to sound much more like
the real thing. Since the whole Audioholics crew
was hearing this demo at the same time, I
tempered my enthusiasm for the moment while
we politely requested a sample for review.
What It Is, What It Is Not
The Yamaha YSP-1 is, quite simply, a single-
box, high performance home theater solution
which, by its very nature, integrates more easily
into a typical home environment than any
product that has come before.
To define it component-wise using standard
audio categories, the YSP-1's internal sub-
systems would break down roughly as follows:
1. It is an Audio Preamp/Processor
which integrates with analog or
digital video sources. The YSP-1
hooks up to both digital and analog audio
sources. Dolby Digital and DTS are built-
in for movies while Dolby Pro Logic II and
DTS Neo 6 can transform two-channel
music into five channel surround. The
number of inputs has been kept to a bare
minimum but, as will be seen, they will
support the most common configurations
for which this unit will likely be used. This
includes the capability to hook up to a
DVD player, a cable or satellite receiver
box (analog audio, digital video), an
analog or digital TV and even analog
audio from a VCR. Then there is the ever-
present aux digital input which can be
used for a digital cable TV, digital satellite
TV or game console.
2. It has forty-two channels of digital
amplification. The YSP-1 has forty 2.5
watt digital amplifiers, each tied directly to
its own 1.25" transducer within the array.
There are also two 20-watt digital
amplifiers which deliver power to two 4.5"
mid-woofers.
3. The YSP-1 has a proprietary (1 Ltd)
digital signal allocation and "beam