If you don’t have an audio receiver, but want one, there aren’t much better deals available than the Yamaha YHT-4950U home theater system. You get six speaker units — center, left, right, rear left, rear right, subwoofer — plus an entire receiver, all for just $420. For comparison, the well-regarded Onkyo TX-NR6100 receiver costs $680 on its own, let alone the speakers.
Beyond its value, this Yamaha system delivers clear 5.1 surround sound audio, of course. For those intimidated by futzing with technical setups, this comes with what Yamaha calls a “Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer.” Simply place this neat little device where you plan on listening to your content, let it analyze your room’s acoustics, and the system will automatically switch itself to the best possible settings for your spatial context.
And if you’re like, “I want different spatial contexts,” the YHT-4950U also offers what Yamaha calls CINEMA DSP technology, which mimics the “dynamics of the listening environment” of venues like the Roxy Theater and places like European cathedrals.
Or you can just listen to really good sound this receiver offers by default.
