The new Yamaha YAS-71 Air Surround Extreme product has been hitting the stores in the last few weeks. This amazing surround bar system gives unparalleled performance and ease of use like never before. A big difference between the YAS-71 and previous YAS-70 is the utilization of HRTF technology. HRTF stands for Head Related Transfer Function, an audio processing that uses the science of how we hear from our left and right ears. Using this technology, there are able to deliver a realistic 7.1 surround sound experience with only one main unit and the included subwoofer. An easy way to experience how good it sounds is to use the test tone conveniently located as “TEST” on the remote control. Not only does the YAS-71 offer excellent surround sound, it also has iPod dock capability with the optional YDS-11 dock, features a FM tuner, has two digital audio inputs and an analog audio input. This Air Surround Extreme mounts easily to the wall with only two screws and uses two easy-to-connect wires to make it functional. To top it all off, check out the sleek piano black finish and smooth lines making the YAS-71 the most attractive Air Surround ever. With so much going for it, the Air Surround Extreme should be a wrap for any one.

Broaden your audio horizons:

Do you listen to music or a movie from a couch? Ever move from one end to the other? Of course you do! Not only does the YAS-71 allow you to change the settings of your seating position, it also allows you to choose how you want to listen depending upon the number of people present. For example, if you are the only person listening leave the Air Surround system in Normal area mode (do nothing). However, suppose you want to play XBOX 360 or PS3 and a few people are sitting in front of the YAS-71. Simply toggle the area button on the remote control to change the setting to Wide mode. Now everyone can appreciate the gunfire hovering behind his and her heads. Go ahead, try it out and broaden your audio horizons.

Overview: The Yamaha YAS-71 Front Surround System provides surround sound experience from just two speaker units (Center Unit, Subwoofer Control Unit) without the need for the usual multi-speaker system. The Front Surround System provides seven channels (with the appropriate sources) from the Air Surround Xtreme unit and robust bass from the subwoofer. You can listen to DVD movies and other sources, including stereo sources like TV in dynamic surround sound. In addition, the design is both elegant and flexible because there is no need for speaker boxes placed around the room, no need for lots of speaker cables, and both units can be positioned in the center of a wall or in a corner.

Audio Inputs: The YAS70 Subwoofer/System Control Module has 4 digital/analog inputs. The Yamaha system features a stereo RCA analog input (Input 34, a digital coaxial input (Input 3 and two digital optical inputs (Input 1 and 2) for connecting external analog and digital audio sources.

System specs: * video-shielded * system frequency response: 35-20,000 Hz * 210 watts total power (70 watts x 2 for the sound bar, plus 70 watts for the sub) * three digital audio inputs (two optical and one coaxial) * one analog audio input * remote control * glossy black finish * warranty: 2 years Sound bar: * 2-way acoustic suspension speaker design * four 3" woofers * two 1" balanced dome tweeters * Air-Surround XTREME technology with 24kHz HRTF (head related transfer function) for smooth lifelike sound * Extended Stereo technology widens the sound field in front of the sound bar * Compressed Music Enhancer improves sound quality with compressed music formats like MP3 and WMA * 4 surround sound modes: Movie, Music, Game, and Sports * 2 listening zones: Narrow (for personal use) and Wide (for group listening) * built-in Dolby® Digital, DTS®, and Pro Logic® II surround sound decoding * iPod® integration (requires optional Yamaha YDS-11 dock) * iPod song titles display on the sound bar's front panel * Bluetooth® compatible with optional Yamaha Bluetooth Wireless Audio Receiver (YBA-10), sold separately * wall-mountable * 31-1/2"W x 4-1/4"H x 4"D * weight: 11 lbs. Subwoofer: * bass-reflex speaker design * 6-1/2" cone woofer * rear cover to hide connections and wires * 7-13/16"W x 17-3/4"H x 18-11/16"D * weight: 28.7 lbs.

HRTF, or Head Related Transfer Function, is the compelling technology found in the new YAS-71. So what is HRTF? To state it simply, HRTF is a mathematical description of how we hear and how we localize those sounds that we do hear. When sound hits us, it also reflects and is absorbed by our head, ears, and torso. This will affect what something sounds like and can make it difficult to localize where a sound is really coming from. If that sound is captured and modulated (through HRTF), it can be perceived as being behind us even though it would be coming from the front. HRTF normally works on a narrow frequency (0-8khz), but Yamaha engineers have expanded that range significantly (0-24khz) in order to make the Air Surround the most effective simulated surround bar on the market. HRTF is a highly studie d and very complex scientific technology, but with Yamaha you get all the benefits without putting on a lab coat!

iPod Dock Compatible: This system is equipped with the Dock terminal that allows you to connect a Yamaha iPod universal dock (YDS-11, sold separately) where you can station your iPod and control playback of your iPod using the supplied remote control. The YDS-11 is audio compatible with iPod photo (4th generation),  iPod video (5th generation), iPod classic (80/120/160GB), iPod touch (1st/2nd generation), and iPod nano (1st/2nd/3rd/4th generation).

For those who really appreciate gaming, music and movies, the RX-V665 is the place to start. This multi-functional receiver is full of valuable features that make it stand out from the rest. The 665 features automatic YPAO setup and system calibration, plenty of connectivity with 4 HDMI inputs and the ability to hook up 12 total sources, the multi-channel compressed music enhancer, updated Scene buttons, and high resolution audio processing. 

Even though the RX-V565 is quite impressive there are a number of reasons why you should step up to the RX-V665. The RX-V665 is both XM and Sirius satellite ready, so simply add the matching antenna(s), subscribe to the service and you are ready to go. Listening to over 100 channels of commercial free music or Howard Stern cannot get any easier. A high current amplifier and Digital ToPART construction improve upon the sound quality while Cinema DSP 3D processing allows for the use of a pair of front effects speakers. These so-called presence speakers add a sense of height to games, music and movies intensifying the home theater experience in a unique way. In fact, use Dialog lift to center the sound image on the screen so it seems like the actors are speaking right at you instead of the sound orig inating below or above the screen. The RX-V665 can be used to power a 2nd Zone of audio and features 12v triggers and remote in/out connections to make custom installations work flawlessly.

Bluetooth technology has been getting more and more popular over the years because it is a wireless connection system that works and is easy to use. However, instead of just using it for a cell phone earpiece you can now use it for high quality music transfer, called A2DP or stereo Bluetooth. A2DP stands for Advanced Audio Distribution Profile and creates high quality stereo transfer by better utilizing its bandwidth. Bluetooth's available bandwidth is divided between two layers, a data layer and a voice layer. Mobile phone headsets use the voice layer, a small amount of dedicated bandwidth. All other Bluetooth communication happens through the much wider data layer. A2DP technology sets aside a section of the data layer and sends high quality audio through it. With this new technology, you can stream music to other devices that suppor t it like headphones or stereo equipment. However, to work properly both devices (transmitter and receiver) must be A2DP compatible. 

All of the current Yamaha receivers can take advantage of this wireless music playback using the optional YBA-10 stereo bluetooth adaptor