From desktop to bedroom, from 5.1 channels to stereo, Yamaha's versatile TSS-1 brings enveloping sound to any room where limited space is a concern. Even with 48 watts of total amplifier power, Dolby Digital as well as DTS surround-sound decoding, five tiny satellite speakers, and its own powered subwoofer, the TSS-1 is still conceivably portable enough to travel alongside your laptop--it would add drama and polish to any multimedia presentation.Finished in standard PC beige or home theater black, the TSS-1's dictionary-sized main unit houses the digital processor and amplifier/preamplifier (volume controls, etc.). Yamaha even includes a small stand, which lets you mount the controller either horizontally or vertically (our preference is vertical, as the unit is laid out that way).
Four small buttons let you select the input (Digital, four-channel, and two-channel), surround mode (Dolby Digital 5.1, four-channel Pro Logic, and 5.1-channel DTS), generate a test tone (to level-match speaker output), or mute the sound. A bank of corresponding green LEDs indicate your selections. Below these are three level controls (center channel, surround channels, and subwoofer) and a master volume control. Completing the front panel are a 0.125-inch headphone jack, a green LED power indicator, and an on/off switch.
The back panel is straightforward as well: you get coaxial and optical digital-audio inputs, analog RCA jacks for all speaker connections, and two sets of 0.125-inch stereo analog inputs, which will accommodate anything from your PC's analog output to the output of an MP3 player or even a portable CD player (two cables are provided for such connections).
A speaker-mode selector switches between two-, four-, or five-channel playback (the subwoofer is always on). The simple design is a blessing, but depending on your needs, you may find the inputs limited. There is no video switching and no analog RCA inputs for stereo or multichannel sources (as from a component CD or DVD-audio player, for instance).
The satellite speakers are cute little things, with champagne-colored grilles and Yamaha's tiny periwinkle-blue logo. A small foot can be adjusted in three positions, letting the speakers fire either straight ahead, up, or down, depending on the height at which you set them. In addition, two slots on the back of the satellites provide easy and effective wall mounting, while the matching powered subwoofer is a small cube that you can tuck under a desk or otherwise out of sight.
And the sound? Hooking up the TSS-1 to our PC makes an immediately apparent and major improvement to the sound over standard PC speakers. Sampling a variety of favorite jazz and vocal CDs revealed the system's good overall tonal balance, clarity, and richness, while the powered sub adds a nice sense of heft, if not the ultimate in bass extension (still, very good for just a 5-inch driver). Plopping in a five-channel DVD is also lots of fun, and we found our small office space seeming to morph into a larger, multidimensional soundscape. The TSS-1 plays loud enough for us, but high-volume freaks may need a larger system (and couch potatoes may miss remote operation).
Yamaha's TSS-1 is a well-designed, integrated system that should make a sweet addition to any PC, laptop, CD player, or small AV system. And thanks to Yamaha's unusually clear user's manual, it's also easy to set up and a breeze to use. Good warranty, too! --Wayne Garcia
Pros:
- Easy to set up and use
- Clean, well-balanced sound
- Good placement flexibility
- Choice of coaxial or optical digital-audio inputs
- Hookup cables included
- 1-year warranty
Cons:
- Limited input choices
- No video switching
- No remote control
Price: $249.99
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