The Yamaha YAS-70 differs from the higher-end YSP-series in that it contains only 6 speakers plus an included subwoofer, and it is a more budget-priced product which relied on more DSP than scores of speakers.. Each speaker provides a direct or reflected beam of sound to the listening position using what Yamaha calls "Air Surround."

More than just a fancy speaker, the YAS-70 provides amplification for all 7 channels along with FM tuner, iPod dock connector (with optional Yamaha YDS-10), Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS decoding, and even a 6-1/2 inch 100W subwoofer (as a separate unit). The main Air Surround unit has six 2-inch drivers with 35 watts of amplification per channel. Two of these six drivers combine to form the center channel, while the remaining four are used for left, right, left surround and right surround.

The system itself is very unobtrusive, coming in at around 37-inches in width, perfect for most 37-inch to 42-inch flat panel displays. We put it up to a 42-inch display and the width was about three inches less than the TV, but it still looked very appropriate and the black cloth grill blended nicely with our decor. The subwoofer is almost as easy to hide as a couple gallon jugs of milk. Not too shabby for a subwoofer.

Connections were easy as the system comes with six color-coded terminals on the rear. The remote control is a cross between the thin credit-card style remotes that come with many portable audio devices and a full AV receiver remote (but only due to the proliferation of buttons on its face). It features direct input selection as well as navigation controls and quick access to presets such as Movie, Music, Sports and Game. A quick level test mode can be brought up via the remote as well, aiding in quick adjustments to all the Air Surround speaker beams.

The left and right speakers did a fine job of producing a nice soundstage with 2-channel sources, though the subwoofer was a tad boomy and flabby compared to dedicated units we're heard (which cost a lot more of course). When engaging surround modes, the YAS-70 delivered a mixed bag. It did indeed provide an environmental effect of surround sound, however it certainly wasn't a replacement for dedicated surrounds (as we felt the YSP-series was apt to be for some).

During multi-channel music the system really created a vague sense of audio with very little directionality in the rear channels, while midrange frequencies seemed to be a bit recessed. Movies fared a bit better since the surrounds are meant to be enveloping and less direct, but dynamics felt a bit limited overall. During films like Saving Private Ryan we felt a good deal more comfortable with this system and actually enjoyed the effects. The room seemed to play a large part in the success of the surrounds, though perhaps less than the YSP series.

We would recommend the YAS-70 in a heartbeat for people on a budget that absolutely cannot run wires for surrounds. For anyone who can do better, we recommend a discrete system or stepping up to Yamaha's more effective single-box surround solution, the YSP-series Digital Sound Projectors.


Pros: Easy setup, inexpensive all-in-one speaker
Cons: Average sub performance, recessed midrange

Warranty
5 years