Yamaha YAS-109 soundbar review: Decent sound output, a good add-on in Alexa

Though it has its limitations, the Yamaha YAS-109 is good if you want a decent device for everyday experience without having to spend too much on a soundbar

Often, dialogues of a movie are not clearly audible due to heavy bass of the audio device. That is when you realise the need for a soundbar with balanced tuning. Yamaha's latest soundbar, the YAS-109, packs a balanced sound output for a good movie experience and ensures the bass does not eat up dialogues if you're watching a movie.

This soundbar also has an in-built Alexa support to help you play songs on Spotify, check latest news, and set timers.

Design and build

The Yamaha YAS-109 soundbar has two 30W speakers and a 60W built-in subwoofer. It has a sleek design and it weighs 3.4 kg. The display panel has indicators for connectivity, Alexa, Bluetooth, sound, etc.

The fabric covering on the front gives it a clean and minimal look, and a sleek build and good looks mean you can place the soundbar anywhere you like. For connectivity, the soundbar has ports for the subwoofer, HDMI IN/OUT port and network.

The remote controller is tiny and fits in your hands easily. It has dedicated keys for Clear Voice and 3D Surround sound. Besides, it has keys for sound modes.

Sound quality

Yamaha YAS-109 soundbar offers clear mid and high ranges without cutting on bass. This is important as it doesn't become a struggle to listen to movie characters, especially if it is a drama you are watching. We watched The Irishman on Netflix and felt the sound output was fine and had the same experience while watching Peaky Blinders. The background music doesn't overshadow the vocals.

The only downside, however, is that the soundbar may not live up to your expectations if you someday decide to go loud with your music. If you want your soundbar to be too loud, you might prefer another Yamaha soundbar, the YAS-209 for Rs 35,490, with separate wireless subwoofer for more expressive bass. But if you have a small room, the YAS-109 should be more than enough. It projects the surround sound well but may not be able to do so in large spaces.

It has five sound modes — Movie, Sports, TV, Stereo, and Music — and you can switch among them using the remote controller.

Verdict

The Yamaha YAS-109 is a good audio option if you want a decent device for everyday experience without having to spend too much on a soundbar. It's basically meant for small spaces and may not be able to give the same experience in open areas and large rooms. The price tag of Rs 23,990 is interesting, and so is the in-built Alexa feature for this price range, considering there are few soundbars in this price segment with great sound tuning.