Buena Park, Calif. – Yamaha is expanding its presence in the under-TV speaker-base business with the launch of a $349-suggested SRT-700 to complement the larger $499 SRT-1000 launched last year.
The new model, available this month, is designed for TVs up to 42 inches, while the current model is sized for TVs up to 55 inches.
“The SRT-700 is a solution for consumers “who want the same high-quality viewing experience in their bedrooms or dens as they have in their main TV rooms,” said Bob Goedken, GM of Yamaha’s AV division, of the base’s smaller size.
The 21.5-by-11.75-inch model incorporates Dolby Digital, stereo Bluetooth,120-watt output, dual 3-inch subwoofers, app control via Bluetooth, one optical input, one digital input and IR learning to be controlled from a TV’s remote control, which will turn the base on and off, adjust volume and activate the mute function.
The base also incorporates proprietary Air Surround Xtreme technology to deliver virtual surround through its two 1.5-by-3.9-inch front-firing cone drivers, generating surround images without dedicated surround speakers, the company said.
The $499 SRT-1000 adds multiple enhancements, including 10 drivers and proprietary Digital Sound Projector technology said to deliver “true” surround without separate surround speakers by reflecting sound beams off the walls. The technology is also used in many Yamaha soundbars.
Other additional features in the step-up model include DTS 5.1 decoding, 126-watt output, aptX over Bluetooth, an additional coaxial input, and UniVolume, which maintains a consistent volume level between different channels and input sources and between TV programs and commercials.
