It’s a small, few-frills soundbar for $250.
Yamaha
Yamaha has introduced a new soundbar that blends Dolby Atmos audio with a compact, space-saving design. The B200A soundbar is pretty petite at 23.5 inches wide and 2.5 inches high. It can be wall-mounted to save surface space, but is also small enough that you could fit it below most desktop displays for immersive audio when gaming. The speaker will be available in November of this year for a very reasonable $250.
The Dolby Atmos surround sound capability is the real standout here, and Yamaha says the B200A can deliver “3D immersive sound” despite its small size and driver count (two plus a subwoofer). That built-in subwoofer should help boost lower frequencies, and there’s a “Bass Extender” option for additional juice. There are four preset modes for different listening situations, as well as Clear Voice technology that aims to ensure dialogue comes through cleanly over background audio or music.
There aren’t many bells and whistles to speak of here, but sometimes, simple is a good thing. With a single HDMI port, as well as a 3.5mm audio jack for the old school listeners, setup shouldn’t be complicated. It should pair easily with any TV or gaming monitor setup, and it has Bluetooth connectivity for streaming audio from a phone. It’s not the least expensive soundbar on the market, but it’s a very long way from the most expensive. Yamaha’s B200A seems like a promising soundbar option for anyone looking to dip their toes into the world of Dolby Atmos without breaking the bank.