Yamaha
YAS-108
Yamaha YAS-108 (2018): 2.1 soundbar with dual built-in subwoofers, DTS Virtual:X, HDMI ARC, 4K HDR passthrough and Bluetooth.
Released 2018
MSRP $199.95
Check price on AmazonShop prices can differ.
- 2.1 speaker setup
- HDMI ARC
- 1 HDMI input
- Voice assistant
Overview
The YAS-108 is a Yamaha soundbar from 2018 with two subwoofers built into the bar. It is 890 mm wide, 53 mm high and 131 mm deep, and Yamaha lists a weight of 7.1 lbs (about 3.2 kg). It comes in black. It can sit in front of the TV or hang on the wall from its keyholes, and Yamaha says a built-in gyroscope adjusts the sound to the bar's position. Yamaha lists it as discontinued.
Yamaha lists two 2-1/8-inch cone woofers, two 1-inch dome tweeters and two 3-inch built-in subwoofers, with 120 W of total power (30 W x 2 plus 60 W for the built-in subwoofers).
The TV connects over HDMI ARC or optical (an optical cable is in the box). The bar also has an HDMI input, an analog input, a subwoofer output for an optional powered subwoofer, and Bluetooth for up to two devices. There is no Wi-Fi. Amazon Alexa support works over Bluetooth: Yamaha describes pairing an Amazon Echo device with the bar to play music or podcasts. Yamaha lists Clear Voice for dialogue, Bass Extension and the surround modes Music, TV program, Movie, Sport and Game.
You control the bar with the buttons on the unit, the included remote, the TV remote over HDMI CEC, or Yamaha's Home Theater Controller app for iOS and Android. The box contains the remote with batteries, the power cable, an optical cable, a wall mount template, wall mount spacers and the manuals.
What the specs mean
- 2.1 speaker setup: two main channels (left and right) plus a subwoofer channel. Here the subwoofer drivers are inside the bar, not in a separate box.
- HDMI ARC, not eARC: the Audio Return Channel sends the TV's sound to the soundbar over the HDMI cable. HDMI.org describes eARC as the newer version that adds high-bitrate formats such as Dolby TrueHD; the YAS-108 lists HDMI ARC.
- Audio formats: Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS Digital Surround. DTS Virtual:X is Yamaha's listed virtual 3D surround processing, which simulates surround and height effects from the bar alone.
- HDMI passthrough (4K60, HDR10 and HLG): a streaming box or console connects to the bar's HDMI input, and the bar passes the picture on to the TV in up to 4K at 50/60 Hz with HDR10 or HLG. Yamaha lists HDCP 2.3.
- No room correction: the YAS-108 has no automatic room calibration.
- No wireless add-ons: there are no wireless add-on speakers for the YAS-108. A wired powered subwoofer can be added through the subwoofer output.
Which soundbar is right for you?
| YamahaYAS-108 (current soundbar)MSRP $199.95Check price on Amazon | YamahaYAS-109MSRP $239.95Check price on Amazon | TCLAlto 8iMSRP $179.99Check price on Amazon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall value A rough features-for-the-price score, compared with every soundbar listed. Bars gain points for things like Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi and room tuning, and lose points without them. Dolby Atmos with up-firing speakers earns more than virtual Atmos. Cheaper bars lose fewer points, or none, for missing premium extras (Dolby Atmos, HDMI eARC, up-firing speakers). 100 is the best deal listed. Based on specs only, not on how it sounds. | 36 | 25 | 72 |
| Price-band value Like Overall value, but each soundbar is compared only with soundbars in its own price band: up to $300, $300–500, $500–800, $800–1,200 or over $1,200. 100 is the best deal in that band. Based on specs only, not on how it sounds. | 48up to $300 | 34up to $300 | 98up to $300 |
| Speaker setup | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.1 |
| Dolby Atmos | No | No | Virtual |
| Form factor | Bar only | Bar only | Bar only |
| Audio support |
|
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| Available inputs |
|
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| HDMI inputs | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Streaming support | None |
| None |
| Virtual assistants |
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| None |
| Soundbar dimensions | 890 × 53 × 131 mm | 890 × 53 × 131 mm | 1000 × 65 × 128 mm |
Specifications
Overview
- Overall value
- 36
- Price-band value
- 48up to $300
- Speaker setup
- 2.1
- Dolby Atmos
- No
- Form factor
- Bar only
Expandability
- Is extendable
- None
- Has wireless surrounds
- No
- Has wireless subwoofer
- No
Connectivity
- Available inputs
- Aux
- Bluetooth
- HDMI
- HDMI Arc
- Optical
- Streaming support
- None
- Virtual assistants
- Alexa
- Controllers
- Android App
- iOS App
- On Device
- Remote Control
- TV Remote Control
- App required
- Not stated
- Same-brand TV features
- Not stated
Audio & video
- Audio support
- Dolby Digital
- Dolby Pro Logic II
- DTS Digital Surround
- DTS Virtual X
- Room correction
- No
- Dialogue enhancement
- Clear Voice
- Night mode
- Not stated
- Passthrough
- 4K60
- HDR10
- HLG
- HDCP 2.3
- HDMI inputs
- 1
Design
- Soundbar dimensions
- 890 × 53 × 131 mm
- Wall mountable
- Yes
- Colors
- Black
- What's in the box
- Batteries
- Booklets
- Optical Cable
- Power Cable
- Remote control
- Wall mount spacers
- Wall mount template