3DsoundSurge Reviews: Yamaha TSS1


	Mark Muschett puts Yamaha's TSS1 Dolby Digital / DTS 5.1 speaker system to the test

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Yamaha TSS1

Mark Muschett - Last updated June 21, 2001

Performance (Continued):

The advantages of true 5.1 over 4 speaker mode

When it comes to comparing 6 channel decoding such as offered on the Yamaha TSS1 to a 4 speaker downmix you get the benefit of a real, rather than phantom, center channel. Compared to 4-speaker mode the benefit of center channel is rather subtle when I had the front channels about 3 feet apart. You can still hear a difference but the only important difference is that you can now increase the volume of the center channel where most of the dialog is located to more clearly hear what is being said while keeping the other channels at a comparatively lower volume. This will of course only be useful if the movie doesn’t play a lot of loud sound effects in the center channel. When the distance between the left and right front speakers increases (as is typical if you sit further away from the speakers), the benefit of a real center channel becomes more significant as a phantom center is much less effective with that wide spread. When left and right satellites are 6-9 feet apart there is a clear benefit, beyond the separate volume control, to have having a real center channel. When separating the channel this far apart or wider you also get the benefit of a more room filling sound. 4.1 systems with integrated Dolby Digital decoders (like the BA7500 from Boston Acoustics and the ADA880/885/890 series) can deliver very good performance in a typical desktop seating arrangement.

In addition to the lack of a real center channel most 4 satellite plus subwoofer multimedia systems on the market lacks a separate subwoofer input so they will not be able to playback the LFE channel when used with an external decoder. A few notable exceptions that offer a separate subwoofer input are VideoLogic’s Sirocco Crossfire and MidiLand’s Mli-490. It’s clear from testing it in several DVD movies that very few really take advantage of it or at least in a manner that can benefit most multimedia systems. Based on some more recent testing I have done in a number of movies it seems to be less that it's not being used and more that the LFE effects tend to further emphasize the sub 50 Hz range. That’s a range where most multimedia subwoofers including the TSS1 sub are rolling off quite strongly. Again, if you increase the subwoofer output the LFE channel can make a noticeable but not significant difference on the TSS1. It's worth noting that if you use the TSS1 in its 4-speaker mode the LFE channel is still directed to the subwoofer.

Some software decoders (e.g. WinDVD 2000 2.2. multi-channel) will down-mix the LFE channel in 4-speaker mode and others don’t (e.g. PowerDVD 3). All the 4.1 systems with integrated Dolby Digital decoders that we have tested utilize the LFE channel.

Sound Performance

In DVD movies you will find explosions, music, ambient sound effects and dialog. This is just like what you will find in games but with better overall quality and dynamic range. As such, when it comes to the sound quality when playing DVD movies, most of the comments from the gaming apply with the exception of course being the system is designed to deliver 5.1 channel support for movies and 4.1 support for gaming.

To offer an excellent surround experience it's also important to have speakers that are well matched. If they are poorly matched you will notice significant discrepancies in the sound when some sound is moving from one speaker to the next, for example a car passing by. In providing the user with 5 identical satellites Yamaha has provided for perfectly matched transitions between the satellites. This does not amount to a night and day difference between systems that use different drivers for different channels. However, it can be quite noticeable when the most or one of the most important sound effects (e.g. a car) in the scene relatively quickly passes by across the front or from front to rear.

In case of dialog the voices are a quite clear and on par with the S4 7100 Plus, somewhat better than on the DTT2500 and a bit behind the BA7500 virtual center (only if seated close to the satellites otherwise the TSS1 has the advantage) and the larger center channel driver on the DTT3500. In no case was it a night and day difference with optimum placement and seating for all the systems compared. However, the real center channel of the TSS1 and other 5.1 speaker systems becomes an advantage with the wider speaker placements and more distant seating arrangement more typical of a home theater (vs a gaming) setup.

Overall the TSS1 performance is similar to what I said for games but we have to account for the fact that DVD movies offer superior sound quality compared to games and will pose an even greater challenge. Satellite clarity and subwoofer quality and extension becomes more important than in games where it's often more important just to get powerful exaggerated bass. For movies the explosions are usually powerful enough to please most listeners without any extra boost but I found the experience could be improved by boosting it somewhat to get greater low-end extension. That's because the explosions in movies are also much deeper (lower bass frequencies) and the significantly better dynamic range increases the importance of having a powerful subwoofer that can handle low frequencies well. The TSS1 even at loud listening levels is a good performer with solid performance down to around 40 Hz in far field testing. However, the extra deep (below 50 Hz) rumbles are something that challenge all of these types of systems and the TSS1 is a bit behind in this respect rolling off below 50 Hz more sharply than the other systems tested. Note that none of these 5.1 systems are getting down to 40 Hz, much less 30 Hz at neutral levels but some still deliver enough in that area to have greater impact than the TSS1.

The other thing that's important to note with respect to bass response in movies is there is no point in having a powerful subwoofer (or at least less point) if the Dolby Digital decoder's bass management scheme is not well matched to the speaker system. As shown in the performance section the TSS1 unit is well matched. Note that poorly matched integrated systems is not a problem we have seen testing systems that use custom integrated Dolby Digital decoders such as used in the DTT3500 and BA7500 but it can be a challenge when matching external decoders with fixed crossover points and small 5.1 speaker systems. VideoLogic's original DigiTheatre system where the speakers were designed with the decoders bass management limitations in mind is also well matched but it’s a flaw we had identified in the MidiLand ADS-2000 / S4-7100M/original combination (but not S4 7100 Plus).

So where does the Yamaha TSS1 fit into the picture of entry-level Dolby Digital systems when it comes to sound in movies? I think It's clearly ahead of the DTT2500 and when it comes to the DTT3500 there are strengths and weakness that will steer people in one direction or another but neither one stands out overall from the other for me. The S4-7100 also falls into that group on a pure sound quality basis but has much more volume potential if you are looking to fill a larger room with sound. I have never heard the original VideoLogic DigiTheatre system but based on what I know I expect it will offer much better all round quality but does cost a fair bit more (~$600).

There are some other multimedia 5.1 Dolby Digital systems on the market but no other mainstream units in this price range that we have listened to. There are of course several more expensive systems including the VideoLogic DigiTheatre DTS and Yamaha's own VS-10.

The TSS1 is clearly at its best as a Dolby Digital 5.1 / DTS 5.1 system, not so much because it sounds better than for games but because it's only in this mode that you get to take advantage of all the bells and whistles that make the TSS1 a good value. The DTS decoding feature is a nice touch that offers extra flexibility but having is more like a bonus. That is I would suggest that it not be used as the first reason to choose this system over another but it may tip the scales in the direction of the TSS1 after other sound quality and loudness factors are considered. In this price range the TSS1 is a strong option that is most worthy of consideration. That’s particularly so if having an amplified headphone output with virtual Dolby Digital and DTS support, optical and COAX inputs, a very user friendly interface with simple change between four channel gaming and digital input modes and average sound quality are more important that being able to play loud, play a bit more neutrally or get a bit deeper low end response.

Summary:

We have seen over the past months that there is no speaker system that will please everyone. Everyone's ear's, expectations and room acoustics is different and something that is fabulous for some will be only ok for others. For those that demand excellent quality and are prepared to pay several hundred dollars then there are options like the Videologic DigiTheatre DTS or perhaps the Yamaha VS-10 that are likely to please more people than most other multimedia Dolby Digital systems on the market.

The TSS1 is not going to win any awards on pure sound quality nor is it going to shake down anyone's house with extra loud volume. It also does not have a remote but given the volume limitations I have noted one is not really crucial, as it’s best suited for desktop use. Given these limitations for some people it won't be the right system with other hardware Dolby Digital systems having their own suite of strengths and weakness, not to mention the range of quality decoderless 4.1 and 5.1 systems on the market.

However just like Creative with their DTT line, Yamaha has delivered a system that I feel ends up being a much better value than the sum of its individual parts would have you expect and best of all it does it at a great price. You get Dolby Digital Decoding, DTS decoding, optical and COAX SPDIF inputs, front and rear analog inputs, an amplified headphone output, Silent Cinema headphone virtualization and an incredibly easy to use control interface. That combined with sound quality that did not disappoint for the price range makes the TSS1 to be an option very worth of consideration by anyone looking for a do it all system on a budget. Overall the TSS1 has what it takes to earn our 3DsoundSurge Surge of Approval. On a pure sound quality basis it would also earn a bronze medal of excellence but just as with the Creative DTT3500, when the additional flexibility for gaming is factored in along with the other features the system earns our Silver Medal of Excellence.