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Yarra 3DX soundbar uses an app to shift the audio sweet spot
Our latest audio demo at CES 2018 came from Comhear's highly-anticipated first consumer device, the Yarra 3DX. While soundbars claiming audio superpowers are a dime a dozen, the Yarra 3DX has been through two successful crowdfunding campaigns (on Kickstarter and Indiegogo) on the strength of its beamforming chops. With a DSP tied to each of its 12 33mm drivers, the company says this speaker is capable of delivering binaural audio precisely to listeners and can create up to three audio sweet spots, all controlled via its app. We got a peek at the Android version of the app, which can be used for beam selection, presets and more. With a simple slider, the operator could shift the audio focus around a virtual room, and switch the speaker between near or far-field operation.
Yamaha's YSP-900 Digital Sound Projector: a 5.1 sound bouncer that works
The YSP-900 Digital Sound Projector joins Yamaha's high-end YSP-1100 in their digital sound projector line-up of simulated surround-sound speaker-bars. As a followup to the YSP-800, the YSP-900 comes in silver or black and introduces the "My Beam" and "IntelliBeam" functions previously found only in the YSP-1100. Just press and hold a button on the remote control and the My Beam function will instantly "beam" the sound in your direction -- useful for the hard-of-hearing or late-night movie fests while the rest of the household slumbers. IntelliBeam then, is the auto system calibration software which optimizes the unit's placement in the room. Just keep in mind that the sound will bounce best in a rectangular room with the couch offset from the center of the back-wall. That limitation aside, Yamaha's sound projectors come highly touted for quick and not-so-dirty home theater setup. Hitting Japan on February 22nd for ¥94,800 or about $602. Better yet, these will come Stateside soon enough.
