Yamaha YHT-390BL Home Theater in a Box Reviews
Yamaha YHT-390BL Home Theater in a Box (Black)
Product Description
The YHT-390BL home theater system has full 5.1-channel surround sound with top class features such as HDMI switching with 1080p video pass through, iPod and Bluetooth compatibility, CINEMA DSP, compressed music enhancer for richer sound with compressed music formats like MP3 and WMA, and 4 SCENE buttons, making switching between listening profiles and sources easier than ever with 13 preset SCENE templates. 2 volume-setting functions are included for additional convenience. The YHT-390BL receiver is capable of delivering large amounts of reserve power for accurate reproduction of the high-energy peaks that are especially prevalent in digital audio sources. This system features dual HDMI inputs and 1 output that can handle all HD formats including 720p, 1080i and 1080p so you can connect 2 HDMI sources, such as a DVD player and an HD set-top box, and enjoy the highest possible quality with an HD display. You have a choice of 8 unique Yamaha CINEMA DSP surround programs to bring out the full audio potential of your entertainment sources.
Yamaha YHT-390BL Home Theater in a Box Customer Reviews
Awesome 5.1 system with three HDMI inputs
By Nathan Beauchamp "Dakotad555" (Oak Park, IL USA)
I spent months picking a stereo system, reading reviews, listening to different systems at big box stores, and ultimately settled on this one.
The reason is simple: this 5.1 system sounded better than any other I tested, even those that cost twice as much! The sound quality of this system is simply amazing at this price. You could drop 3x as much on a Bose system and be less satisfied.
Pros:
3 HDMI inputs with full 1080p pass through. Have a lot of devices? No worries. You can connect a game console, a cable box, and a DVD player, all with zero loss of resolution and picture quality. There are more expensive systems that lack this feature. However, the audio pass through from HDMI cable will goes directly to your tv, meaning you have to run a seperate digital sound cable from your DVD player or CableBox. Not that big a deal as optical and digital cables are cheap these days, but it does mean one more cable to worry about.
Amazing sound quality. This system has a powered sub woofer, which is a MUST for high quality, deep bass. Other systems in this price range lack this feature. The speakers are solid wood construction. Although not glamorous, they feel so much better than plastic, and will still be around when cheaply made plastic bodied speakers are in a land fill.
The speaker themselves produce accurate, high quality sound, from the highest highs to deep bass. I put them through their paces with both DVDs and music CDs, and everything I threw at them sounded wonderful. (My test included "Hero," "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," and "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi," to test the surround sound processing. For music quality, I tested "The Killers: Sam’s Town," "Copeland’s Clarinet Concerto," and "Metallica: S&M."). Surround sound processing was great in entertain: surround mode. This system has made watching movies an TV a new experience!
High quality built from the amp to the speakers. Some other systems I considered ran VERY hot (Like the Onkyo HT-SR800). You could feel the heat coming off the amp without even touching it. This system runs a lot cooler, and makes me less worried about it burning out. It also helps the other devices in my audio cabinet stay cool and happy.
Many pre-sets, and a reasonably well designed remote. The remote is functional but not exceptional. One of my few frustrations with the system is it’s limited ability to change the speaker pre-sets. You can only switch between a few of them with the remote. I frequently have to change them by hand using the buttons on the front of the amp. I’ve adjusted to this my making use of the four presets for "DVD watching, TV Watching CD Listening, and Radio Listening" each of which you can assign your own audio presets. Now, depending on what I want to watch, I can hit 1 button and I’m done. My wife loves this feature as she can get a DVD going in about five seconds without headaches!
Cons:
The speaker wire that comes with the set is thin. Spend the cash to get some good 16 gauge wire (and by good, I don’t mean overpriced Monster brand wiring!). Any solid 16 gauge wire will work.
This system has exceeded my expectations. I have some quibbles with the remote design, but presets take care of the majority of them. If you want amazing sound from a 5.1 system for under $400, you can’t do better. You can even spend twice as much and get less for your money than you do with the Yamaha YHT-390BL.
By T. M. Schultz (Tampa)
I bought this system after researching for two weeks. I was looking for a system under $500. I was also looking for a system that did NOT include a DVD player as I want to upgrade to a Blue-ray player later on. I liked the price at Amazon and the fact I didn’t have to pay sales tax and shipping. When I received the system, I placed the speakers where I wanted them (I also purchased the iPod dock which I think should have been included). You will have to cut and splice the speaker wire but that is not a big deal. My system is hooked up to an HDTV and it sounds great. There are plenty of hook-ups in the back so you can build on this system. There are better products out there but for the money, I think I made out like a bandit. I really love this system!
By W. Koch
This is my first surround system, and I was lucky I happened to stumble across it. I was a bit leery about the quality when I first saw the price, but I read others’ reviews and know that Yamaha is a reputable brand, so I went with it.
I hooked up my DVD player and XBox 360 via TOSlink, and everything sounds superb! I was amazed when the first movie I watched with this system tricked me into thinking there was lightning outside, when it was coming from the surround speakers! I’d definitely recommend this to anyone looking to get a reasonably priced entry level system.
I ordered it with a pair of these Atlantic 77305018 Satellite Speaker Stands (Black) which work fine for holding the front speakers next to the TV.
EDIT: I should mention that I bought this Philips Spooled Speaker Wire - 100ft - 16 gauge with the system because one of the other reviews stated the wire that comes with the system is pretty cheap. I didn’t even really look at it, I just used the Philips wire.
EDIT: I just hooked these Polk Audio Atrium 45 All-Weather Speakers (Pair, White) up to the system as my "B" speakers out on my patio, and that sounds great too!
Further information and buying options clicking here >> Yamaha YHT-390BL Home Theater in a Box (Black)