Yamaha YAS-209 soundbar review

So, is it worth paying extra for these features? Or can you save a little and get the same experience? We put the soundbar to the test in our Yamaha YAS-209 review to find out.

The soundbar's sound quality, design features, set-up and value for money are all assessed before the Yamaha YAS-209 is awarded a star rating.

Here's why we think the Yamaha YAS-209 is the best mid-range soundbar you can buy.

To see how the Yamaha soundbar compares to its competition, read our Sonos Arc review and Sony HT-G700 review. Or, head straight to our best soundbar guide.

Jump to:

• Yamaha YAS-209 review: summary
• What is Yamaha YAS-209?
• How much is Yamaha YAS-209?
• Design
• Sound quality
• Yamaha YAS-209 set-up
• Our verdict
• Where to buy

Yamaha YAS-209 review: summary

Awarded four out of five stars, we were pleasantly surprised about how good the 3D sound, delivered by DTS Virtual:X, was – the sound was not directional at all and audio sounded almost identical from anywhere in the room. The other features deliver, too. Voice control via Alexa is a welcome addition and the specialist audio modes work well.

Unfortunately, there are just a couple of design flaws that stop it being awarded that last star. The subwoofer is pretty hefty in size so it won't suit all spaces. There's also the fact you can't see the LED lights when sat down because they're on the top of the soundbar. This may not be a major influence in your buying decision, but it does seem to be a design oversight on Yamaha's part.

However, this doesn't take away from the fact that the Yamaha YAS-209 is a great soundbar and one of the best mid-range soundbars we've tested.

Price: The Yamaha YAS-209 costs up to £429 and is available from retailers like Amazon and Currys, thought it is currently cheaper than its RPP price in both retailers.

Key features:

• DTS Virtual:X
• Wireless subwoofer
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled
• Built-in voice assistant Alexa
• Connect to Wi-Fi to stream Spotify and Amazon Music via Yamaha Sound Bar Controller app

Pros:

• Good-looking soundbar
• Surround sound via DTS Virtual:X
• Speech is crystal clear
• Voice control via Alexa

Cons:

• Subwoofer is big and heavy
• App isn't very user-friendly
• LED lights cannot be seen when sat down

What is Yamaha YAS-209?

The Yamaha YAS-209 is a mid-range soundbar from the brand. It doesn't have the capacity to share audio between speakers in the same way the more expensive Yamaha MusicCast Bar 400 does but has a much more sophisticated set-up than the entry-level Yamaha SR-C20A. At £429, the YAS-209 offers more than good sound quality with features including built-in Alexa and is also Wi-Fi-enabled.

What does Yamaha YAS-209 do?

The Yamaha YAS-209 features DTS Virtual:X and comes with a wireless subwoofer to give you strong bass and the experience of surround sound. The remote allows to control the volume of the subwoofer and soundbar independently and switch between the various sound modes. Alexa can also be activated via the remote.

• DTS Virtual:X
• Wireless subwoofer
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled
• Built-in voice assistant Alexa
• Connect to Wi-Fi to stream Spotify and Amazon Music via Yamaha Sound Bar Controller app

How much is Yamaha YAS-209?

The Yamaha YAS-209 has a RRP of £429 and is available from retailers like Amazon and Currys.

Is Yamaha YAS-209 good value for money?

At £429, the Yamaha YAS-209 can't be considered a budget soundbar but it doesn't quite push into the high £100s of the premium category either. Instead, it treads the line between the two and offers additional features not found in the affordable models but without certain sophistications or design elements found in the more expensive soundbars. And, it does a good job at navigating that space. The additions of voice control via Alexa, Wi-Fi and a wireless subwoofer enhance the experience and make the Yamaha YAS-209 worth spending a little more on.

Yamaha YAS-209 design

There are two main components to the Yamaha YAS-209; the soundbar and the wireless subwoofer. The addition of a wireless subwoofer, which isn't often included with the cheaper models, is there to provide some extra oomph to the bass. However, this does mean that you need some extra floor space for the subwoofer.

Across the top of the soundbar are LED lights indicating when various features are in use. These include Alexa, Bluetooth and the 'Clear Voice' mode that boosts speech to make it crystal clear. Unfortunately, because these are on the top of the soundbar, you can't see them when sat watching the TV.

Many of these modes are also found on the remote. The remote can also be used to control the volume of the subwoofer and soundbar, which can be adjusted independently from each other.

• Style: Available in black only, the soundbar is long and slender with curved edges. The design of both the subwoofer and soundbar are classic and unlikely to stand out in most TV set-ups.
• Robustness: Both elements are quite weighty. The soundbar feels well-made and finished to a nice standard.
• Size: The soundbar is just under a metre long, while the subwoofer is 442cm tall, 19cm wide and 40.6cm deep. There are definitely smaller soundbars, like the Roku Streambar, available but the Yamaha YAS-209 is small enough to sit neatly on a TV unit.

Yamaha YAS-209 sound quality

Featuring DTS Virtual:X, the Yamaha YAS-209 does a pretty good job of living up to its promise of 3D sound. Audio sounds almost identical from anywhere in the room and works particularly well in the movie, TV and game modes. It isn't quite the full effect you would get with a full surround sound system but the Yamaha YAS-209 is also a fraction of the price at £429.

The TV mode is well-balanced and boosts background noise without drowning out any speech. This is helped by the Clear Voice mode that enhances on-screen conversations. This function is also useful when listening to the radio or podcasts.

Because the soundbar is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled, music can also be streamed from Spotify or Amazon Music. Again, music is well-balanced but you can fiddle with the volume of the subwooofer to suit your music preferences.

Yamaha YAS-209 set-up: how easy is it to use?

The trickiest element of setting up the Yamaha YAS-209 is how heavy the wireless subwoofer is. Weighing 7.9kg, the subwoofer is a little difficult to manoeuvre on your own, although it is possible. And while it wirelessly connects to the soundbar, it does still need to be connected to mains power. This does somewhat limit its placement.

In total, from the box to ready-to-go, the soundbar took just under 30 minutes to set up. A good chunk of this time was physically positioning the two devices and connecting them up to the TV. A small note; Yamaha does not include a HDMI cable so you will need to buy one separately.

The Yamaha YAs-209 also works with the brand's Yamaha Sound Bar Controller app. From this, you can set-up voice control via Amazon Alexa or link up your Spotify account. However, for day-to-day use, we found the remote to be more useful.

With the remote you can control the volume of the soundbar and subwoofer independently, plus choose various bespoke sound modes including for sport, music and gaming. All the functions are clearly labelled and easy to switch between.

Our verdict: should you buy Yamaha YAS-209?

The Yamaha YAS-209 is the best mid-range soundbar we've put to the test. This is the soundbar for you if want some of the more sophisticated features found in the premium models without the price tag. The soundbar is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled making it easy to stream music to and voice control via Alexa is accurate and responsive.

The sound quality is great, too. Featuring DTS Virtual:X, the soundbar throws out 3D sound that sounds almost identical from wherever you're sat in the room. It's well-balanced, too, and the subwoofer can be adjusted independently so you can get the bass level just right.

There are a couple of design flaws, like the LED lights being on the top of the soundbar so you can't see them when you sit down, but they're unlikely to be dealbreakers. Overall, the Yamaha YAS-209 is a decent soundbar that delivers quality 3D sound.

Our rating:

Design: 3.5/5

Sound quality: 4.5/5

Ease of set-up: 3.5/5

Value for money: 3.5/5

Overall rating: 4/5

Where to buy Yamaha YAS-209

The Yamaha YAS-209 soundbar is available from Amazon and Currys.

• £349 at Amazon
• £352 at Currys

Looking for more home audio and TV recommendations? Head to the Technology section or try our best smart speaker and best smart TV round-ups.