Yamaha ATS1030 Review – Incredible Sound In A Slim Bar
2021 Update:
The ATS1030 is no longer being sold online. Our recommendations are now the ATS-1080 or the YAS 209. Both are upgrades to the 1030 at a similar price range.
Check them out below:
- 120 Total Watts
- Bluetooth Enabled for Wireless Streaming
- 4K Ultra HD Pass-Through
- 1 Optical, Analog and HDMI Input
- Includes Optical Cable
- Easy setup with HDMI or Optical cable and automatic subwoofer connection.Waterproof : No
- Wireless subwoofer for deep bass and flexible placement. Center unit-36-5/8 × 2-1/2 × 4-1/4 inches, Subwoofer-7-1/2 × 16-1/2 × 16 inches
- Clear voice for enhanced dialogue clarity
- Alexa built-in for voice control of your sound bar, playing music, listening to news, setting alarms and timers, asking questions, controlling smart home devices, and more
- With Alexa, playing music is as simple as asking for a song, artist, or genre from Amazon music and more
No home today is complete without a ginormous flat panel TV, thanks to technology. It is without a doubt that these TVs give you an incredible viewing experience. But sadly the same cannot be said of its audio quality.
That is why soundbars came into existence. Not only do they match their slim and Smart TVs in width, but they also match their picture quality with an amazing sound. They obviate the need for a sound system and the cumbersome cords that go with it as they act as an all-in-one sound system.But how do you find the best one from the zillion options on the market especially when you don’t want to buy an expensive high-end model?
The answer to this question is the Yamaha ATS1030 which is high on features to leave you awestruck. But even better is its affordable price tag that will give cheap soundbars a run for their money. Read our review below to find out more about the Yamaha ATS1030 sound bar.
Yamaha ATS1030 Specs
- Wireless audio streaming with Bluetooth technology
- Surround sound with Yamaha’s air surround technology
- Two built-in subwoofers for powerful bass
- Easy set-up involves only a single optical cable
- Mobile app for control using your smartphone
- Backed by a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty
Can the Yamaha ATS1030 Replace Your Sound System?
More often than not the easiest way to get a quality product is to buy it from a name brand. But this approach may not work if you have a small budget as name brands are usually more expensive than others.
But every now and then top brands also come with really affordable products with great features. The Yamaha ATS1030 is one such soundbar system that is good news for the budget-conscious consumer who does not like to compromise on quality or a great sound.
From in-built sub-woofers to a sleek design to wireless Bluetooth connectivity to an amazing overall sound and more, the ATS1030 has a lot going for it. Below we tease each of its features in great detail to help you decide if it is the right one for your requirements.
Sound
It is unbelievable how a single unit is able to produce so much sound quality. Even though sound bars are more associated with powerful low-ends, the Yamaha ATS1030 goes one step further and gives you equally impressive mids and high-end.It is equipped with dual sound drivers and two down-firing sub-woofers that together give you a rich and full sound.
But the icing on the cake has to be the incredible surround sound experience that you get with the Air Surround Extreme technology. This proprietary technology from Yamaha gives you the same experience as a 7:1 channel surround but in a single unit. Both voice and sound can be heard with the best in clarity.The Clear voice is heard in the front and the accompanying background sound is heard at the back for a true surround sound experience. You quite literally have to hear it to believe it.
Incredible Bass
Unlike some other soundbar systems, the Yamaha ATS1030 does not require you to buy separate sub-woofers. This is because the ATS1030 is equipped with its own set of powerful sub-woofers that give you an unbelievable bass sound.
There are two 3” subwoofers that give you a deep and thumping bass for the low-end frequency range. You can crank up the volume and still enjoy distortion-free sound for a real cinema-like experience right at home.
The bass sound is further enhanced by the use of linear bass reflex ports. They reduce wind noise and give a much superior bass sound.There is also Yamaha’s very own Advanced Bass extension feature that works in the surround mode which will give you an unbelievable amount of bass for a speaker its size.
Blu-Now you will know exactly what you were missing when you were just using your TVs inbuilt speakers.
TV Integration
You probably have enough remote controls to fumble with and so you don’t have to add another one to the chaos. The Yamaha ATS1030 sound bar can be controlled by using your TV remote thereby further reducing clutter in your home. Just use your TV remote to turn the volume up, down or completely mute the Soundbar.
Bluetooth
Not only can you use the soundbar as a sound system for your Smart TV, you can also use it like regular Bluetooth speakers. Pair your smartphone, tablet, computer or other Bluetooth sources to stream music wirelessly.
The sound bar has a Bluetooth standby mode which will automatically turn the Bluetooth feature on or off as necessary. This helps in reducing the soundbar’s overall energy consumption.
Design
The Yamaha ATS1030 is very good-looking with a glossy finish and a minimal design. The front panel has a very streamlined look to go with most Smart TV designs. It has small LED lights to show you the input and mode that is selected. There are also slim and discrete buttons for power, volume, and input.
There are two feet on the bottom for placing it on a flat surface. These feet are removable to suit a wall-mounted set-up. The back has the holes for wall mounting and the necessary ports for wired connectivity.
Mobile App
As we are a smartphone generation, it only makes sense to get the best out of these phones. The ATS1030 can also be controlled with your smartphone with the HT controller or the Home Theater Control app. Both iOS and Android users can download this free app and it lets you change a number of sound settings of your soundbar for the best sound experience.
Uni-Volume
It can be quite annoying to have different volume levels when you change your TV channels or when adverts are played in between shows. But you will never face this problem when you use the ATS1030 as it comes with the Uni-volume feature that automatically adjusts the volume from different sources for a consistent volume level.
You can even turn this features on or off depending on your TV’s performance. No more do you have to worry about waking up your sleeping child or scare your pet with a sudden surge in volume.
Clear Voice
Not only does the ATS1030 give you an incredible bass sound, it also comes with a clear voice feature that makes listening to dialogues more enjoyable. This feature increases the level of the voice level frequencies without increasing the level of the overall sound. The result
Clutter-Free
The ATS1030 adds an excellent sound quality to your movies but without unsightly cables everywhere. As it has a super sleek body and slim body it makes you TV unit look neat and organized.
Input Ports
All the ports that you need for wired connectivity are placed in a small depression at the back. There are left and right analog inputs, a coaxial input, and two optical digits inputs. You can connect one of these optical input ports to connect to your DVD or Blu-ray player and connect the other to your TV’s tuner.
TV Remote Repeater
A thoughtful addition to the soundbar is the TV remote repeater on the back of the device. What this basically does is that it repeats the IR signal from the remote and passes it to the TV. This is a useful feature because sometimes the placement of the sound bar can block the Infra-red receiver of your TV. So the TV remote repeater is a sort of bypass to overcome this issue.
Compatibility
The ATS1030 supports the common surround sound formats like Dolby and DTS digital surround to give you the best movie and sound experience.
Easy To Install
Forget elaborate set-up of sound systems that you had to do in the past in order to get the best sound experience. You had to decide on the right placement of the speakers and then there were also the different colored wires to add to the confusion.
The sound bar, on the other hand, is super simple to install as all you will need to do is simply use the optical cable provided in the box to connect it to your TV. It doesn’t get easier than this.
The ATS1030 beautifully blends in with any TV and you can even wall mount it if desired. To make the wall mounting easier a cardboard template with drill holes is provided in the box. But if you don’t want to go through the hassle of wall mounting it, you can then simply place in on a TV stand as it comes with two stubby feet.
These feet help keep the soundbar stable on any surface and prevent movement due to vibration. You can even completely remove the feet and place it on the stand for a more minimal look.
Warranty
As with any product, a standard warranty period reassures the quality. Coming from a reputed brand such as Yamaha, quality and durability is a given. The ATS1030 is backed by a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty for a complete peace of mind.
Pros
- A compact sound bar with an in-built sub-woofer
- Brilliant 7:1 surround sound
- Bluetooth feature for wireless convenience
- Free mobile app for smartphones
- Great for those with hearing issues
- Easy to install and use
Cons
- No HDMI port for connecting to Smart TVs
You might also like our articles Sony HDR CX440 reviews, Canon Vixia HF R700 review and Baofeng BF-F9 V2+.
Conclusion
The Yamaha ATS1030is simply a great sounding soundbar that is not only good looking but is also easy on your pocket. It is not without a reason that it has some great customer reviews and is one of the top-selling soundbars on the market.
If you are looking to upgrade your TV’s sound so that you can watch movies and your TV shows with super sound, then the ATS1030 will be a great choice. It is compact, durable and comes from a great name such as Yamaha who are known for producing quality sound and musical devices. Go ahead, get one yourself and treat your ears to some amazing sound. Your TV viewing experience will never be the same again.
Resources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soundbar
- http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/virtual-surround-sound.htm
- http://www.build.com.au/how-soundbar-works
- http://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-connection/setting-up-sound-bar-tv-audio
- https://www.crutchfield.com/S-x90KUQrfVwc/learn/sound-bar-connection-and-setup-guide.html