The Yamaha YSP 5600 is made to provide its listeners with immersive surround sound when watching movies using the latest 3D sound formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X (7.1.2 channels). It is really an impressive feat for just a single soundbar to do and will be great for home theater enthusiasts who are facing space constraints but still wants to enjoy surround sound.
You will still need an active subwoofer to supplement the overall bass performance and provide that thunderous low rumbling bass. There is a wide range of subwoofers to choose from and to find the right powered sub we will need to learn more about the Yamaha YSP 5600 sonic prowess as well as your subwoofer requirements. With this information, we will then be able to prepare a list of the subwoofers which you can go for and partner with your Yamaha YSP 5600 soundbar.
Table of Contents
Sonic Characteristics of Yamaha YSP 5600 Soundbar
Yamaha YSP 5600 is a rather large soundbar and it houses a total of 46 speakers which is really a lot. This includes 6 array speakers located on each side of the soundbar and they are tasked to deliver height channel audio playbacks. There are also two 4.5″ (110mm) woofers included and are driven with 40 Watts of power but they are not enough to provide us with body pounding bass frequencies. The Yamaha YSP 5600 supports 4K60p pass through and this allows us to enjoy a crisp UHD visual cinematic experience. Another notable feature will be the wireless music streaming via Bluetooth or AirPlay.
When positioned correctly and with the support from the room to allow the sound beams to be reflected accurately, the Yamaha YSP 5600 is able to project a wide and spacious surround sound field. The open soundstage envelops and immerses us into the movie, giving us pinpoint accuracy of the sound effects. Bullets flew past us from the rear to the front with precision. The subtle details are clearly reproduced as well, giving us a sense of presence and tension such as the creeping growl of zombies coming from behind. Yamaha YSP 5600 bass reproductions do lack the weight and impact though. For live concerts, there is a lack of energy as well.
More Details at Amazon – Yamaha YSP-5600 SoundBar
The Yamaha soundbar didn’t give us enough to truly have an exhilarating home movie experience and will fare better when an active subwoofer comes into play. All in all, the Yamaha YSP 5600 is still entertaining to listen to, and how well it projected the height audio is really impressive. The overall sound reproduction is clear and the bass performance is pretty tight. Adding a powered sub will definitely help with improving the home cinematic experience and before you start looking at subwoofers, you might want to start with learning more about your own subwoofer requirements.
Yamaha YSP 5600 Specifications
- Speaker Type: 7.1.2 channel Soundbar
- Drive Units: 44x Speaker Arrays, 2x 4.5″ (110mm) Woofers
- Wireless: Bluetooth, AirPlay, WiFi
- Inputs: 4 HDMI inputs (ARC), 2 Optical inputs, Coaxial input, RCA input, Ethernet
- Outputs: Subwoofer output, HDMI output
- Built-in Amplifier Power: 128 Watts total power
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 1100mm x 212mm x 93mm | 43.3″ x 8.3″ x 3.7″
- Weight: 11.7kg (25.8lbs)
Your Subwoofer Requirements
How big is your home theater room will determine the size and power of the subwoofer which you’ll need especially when the Yamaha YSP 5600 is only able to connect to a single subwoofer. The bigger your HT room is, the larger and more powerful of a subwoofer you’ll require to fill the room with sonic energy. For home theater use, we will recommend ported subwoofer due to its high bass output and can go louder more efficiently but if you prefer tighter and higher quality bass then a sealed sub will be the better option. For listeners who are looking to improve the midbass performance may want to look at midbass subwoofers instead.
You should also work on your budget as this will influence the number of subwoofer choices you could aim for and take this opportunity to see what other accessories you might need to improve your HT experience. The active sub will be taking up a permanent space in your room, so you might want to ask for your spouse’s approval. For listeners who have limited space, you can require either a compact size subwoofer or a powered sub that uses cabinet height to provide high bass output while maintaining a small footprint. These are some of the usual subwoofer requirements you might want to consider and you should add in more of your own while you are at it.
Best Subwoofers to match with Yamaha YSP 5600 Soundbar
The SVS PB-2000 Pro is one of the best subwoofers to match with the Yamaha YSP 5600. It is a highly regarded and powerful 12″ ported subwoofer that uses a Sledge STA-550D amplifier to drive up to 1500 Watts of Peak power. SVS PB-2000 Pro can deliver subterranean bass frequencies of down to 16Hz and will rock your room with immense sonic energy. The high bass output of the SVS ported subwoofer will provide an exciting home movie experience and the PB-2000 Pro can handle most bass demands from high adrenaline action movies. It will be a suitable match with the Yamaha YSP 5600 soundbar.
More Information at Amazon – SVS PB-2000 Pro (Black Ash)
The Yamaha NS-SW300 will be one of the best subwoofers to pair with your Yamaha YSP 5600 soundbar and it is an ideal match since both are made by the same company. We can expect seamless integration and cohesive overall sound reproduction as the NS-SW300 should share similar sound signatures with the Yamaha YSP 5600. This is a modestly priced 10″ ported subwoofer with up to 250 Watts of power and has an impressive frequency response for the price (20Hz-160Hz). Both Yamaha NS-SW300 and YSP 5600 soundbar matches aesthetically well too.
More Details at Amazon – Yamaha NS-SW300 Powered Subwoofer
HSU Research ULS-15 MK2 is one of the best sealed subwoofers to go with the Yamaha YSP 5600 soundbar. Furthermore, it has two operating modes where one enables you to turn the ULS-15 MK2 into a midbass module. This is an ideal subwoofer for listeners who are looking for an MBM and you can switch the ULS-15 MK2 back to regular operating mode. The HSU Research ULS-15 MK2 is a 15″ sealed subwoofer with up to 2000 Watts of short-term power and has a frequency response of 20Hz to 200Hz (+/-1dB). It is capable of delivering articulate bass performance with plenty of slam and will also be great for music playbacks.
For listeners who have a large home theater room, the SVS PB-4000 will be an excellent choice for you and will be a powerful subwoofer partner for your Yamaha YSP 5600 soundbar. This is a 13.5″ subwoofer with triple front-firing bass ports and has a whopping peak power of up to 4200 Watts. If you use its extended mode, the PB-4000 could reach down to 13Hz bass extension (+/-3dB). This is an amazing ported subwoofer with the ability to produce incredible room-shaking bass frequencies and could handle almost all sorts of bass demands. There is finesse in its bass performance as well.
More Details at Amazon – SVS PB-4000 13.5″ Ported Subwoofer (Piano Gloss Black)
If you don’t feel like spending too much on an active subwoofer, you might want to take a look at the Klipsch R-100SW. This is a highly rated ported subwoofer with a very modest price tag and is also very well received by its satisfied owners, making it a worthy match for your Yamaha YSP 5600. The Klipsch R-100SW is a 10″ ported subwoofer with up to 300 Watts of peak power. Its bass performance is pretty impactful and clean but it doesn’t dig deep (32Hz) though. You can check out SVS PB-1000 Pro if you want a deeper bass performance and higher peak power but it will cost a bit more.
More Information at Amazon – Klipsch R-100SW 10″ Subwoofer
For listeners who have limited space but do not wish to compromise bass output, the SVS PC-2000 Pro is an exemplary choice for you and your Yamaha YSP 5600. The PC-2000 Pro has a cylindrical design where it uses the cabinet height to reduce footprint. It is a 12″ ported cylinder subwoofer with a frequency response of 16Hz-290Hz (+/-3dB) and has a continuous power of 550 Watts. The SVS PC-2000 Pro has exceptional bass performance and can deliver plenty of slams even though it has a unique design. It is an excellent active sub for HT rooms with tight spaces and a fine subwoofer partner for the Yamaha YSP 5600 soundbar.
More Details at Amazon – SVS PC-2000 Pro Ported Cylinder Subwoofer
To Sum It Up
With the support of a high-quality subwoofer supplementing the bass performance of your Yamaha YSP 5600, this will improve your home cinematic experience. We will suggest you pick a subwoofer from the list which suits your requirements the most. Arrange an audition and have a listen so as to see if you like its bass quality and performance. You might want to audition a few more subwoofers together with your Yamaha YSP 5600 soundbar if the first auditioning wasn’t successful or you are not confident with the auditioned subwoofer bass quality.
