Yamaha True X Surround 90A Soundbar Review

Readers may remember Yamaha’s shock-and-awe campaign for the release of the 2005 YSP-1 flagship soundbar – a unit with an unprecedented 40 beam forming drivers to expand the sound output around the listener. It was followed by the 2015 YSP-5600, which, when discontinued seven years later, left a conspicuous gap in Yamaha’s small-form range. That’s not to say that the company hasn’t been busy – with its recent True X soundbar range expanding at a consistent pace – but there hasn’t been anything to get really excited about until now.

With a home theatre pedigree as expansive as Yamaha’s, it makes sense to borrow some of that special sauce when designing a new product, and this was done when work started in 2022 on the new True X Surround 90A. Collaborating on elements of the soundbar across both engineering and musical instrument divisions within Yamaha resulted in a dramatic rethink of the existing range. This showcases the knowledge, experience, and technology that are possible when combining Yamaha’s YSP, True X Surround AI, and 64-bit Aventage DSP to create a new benchmark in compact home theatre solutions.

Up Close

The True X 90A starts at the drawing board with a new chassis and visual design, a new subwoofer and new WS-X3A surround speakers. The so-called ‘Front Speaker System’ sets itself apart from the competition with a purposeful 1.6mm black metal frame housing the various elements, which sits upon two large, round, resin feet. Along the front face, we have a surprisingly functional display that again brings AVR elements, displaying your paired speakers, volume, input and decoder options, among other contextual elements. Flanked by black fabric, the display is situated among the main LCR channel drivers.

Left and right channels each feature a 25mm dome tweeter and a 50x108mm oval driver, while the centre channel has the same tweeter but with two 50x108mm oval drivers. Yamaha refers to these as its ‘Racetrack Eye-Shaped’ design. While most oval soundbar speakers tend to be a more rounded rectangle to maximise driver surface area, the company has engineered a more eye-shaped oval, which sacrifices some surface area. However, it is claimed that by eliminating the sharper edges, these drivers provide a more balanced high-frequency response.

Each of these channels is powered to a claimed 100 watts, with a combined frequency response across the woofer and tweeter of 120Hz to 20kHz, crossing over at around 3.2kHz. Along the top face, each end is perforated to allow for six 28mm beam forming drivers (for a total of 12 across both ends) to perform height duties. Every one of these is independently powered, with a claimed frequency response of 500Hz to 20kHz, and is physically mounted at a 70-degree angle. These are what Yamaha call their YSP system, or Yamaha Sound Projection. While the drivers are dimensionally and mechanically the same as those found in the YSP-5600, the voice coil and cone material have reportedly been updated to improve performance and clarity, according to Yamaha.

While up-firing height channels are not a new concept in the soundbar arena, what distinguishes Yamaha’s implementation is the technology. By using multiple, individually powered drivers, Yamaha’s DSP is able to control the time delay for each driver separately, which effectively allows the X90A to create a directional soundwave and aim its overhead speakers across a range of 30 to 90 degrees, flexible enough to suit a variety of ceiling heights and seating distances using this directionality and focus.

This front speaker, while being quite bold in design, is thankfully not oppressively large, measuring in at a solid 11kg and 1,180x85x143mm [WxHxD]. While these things are subjective, I think it’s a great look and design choice by Yamaha, which should really appeal to those who might not have the space but love the appearance of the classic home theatre receiver, or those who are just tired of plastic and fabric everywhere.

The wireless subwoofer is also a new design exclusive to the True X 90A, with a 170mm (6.75 inch) driver, rated to 100 watts and with a claimed frequency response of 33-120Hz. This is housed in a newly designed bottom-port system that Yamaha calls the ‘Symmetrical Flare Port’. This combined effort by the company’s engineering and musical instrument development teams is intended to provide high-performance bass from a small footprint by controlling air turbulence. Its size sits around the mid-point of soundbar solutions at 241x378x414mm [WxHxD] and 12.7kg.

Lastly, we have the new WS-X3A True X surround speakers. Functionally the same as the X1A that formed part of Yamaha’s previous soundbar packages, this steps up with two 58mm full range drivers powered by 18W of inbuilt amplification and twin passive radiators. Accordingly, the X3A is larger – measuring 88x220x88mm [WxHxD] – and fractionally under 1kg each. Like previous iterations, the X3A can be used as a surround or as a portable Bluetooth speaker, and can be charged via USB-C or the two included charge-docks – thank you, Yamaha, for including two, versus the one charge dock in the True X X50A package. The surrounds will only automatically switch on with the system when connected to power, so if you are using them on battery power, you will need to manually turn them on.

Under the hood, Yamaha remains tight-lipped on technical specifications such as amplifiers and DACs, but is not shy about features. The True X 90A includes the same Qualcomm QCS407 64-bit DSP processing as the Aventage RX-A8A receiver, as well as the Aventage featured Surround: AI processing. We also have support for Dolby Atmos, DTS-X and Auro3D. MusicCast multi-room support is onboard, along with Tidal, Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2. Physical connections comprise Ethernet, optical digital in, HDMI eARC, and – continuing the receiver trend – there’s even a second HDMI input which supports 4K60 for those wishing to add their media-player/console directly to the soundbar rather than using the TV as a switching device. We also have internet radio and music server support, and of course Wi-Fi and Bluetooth too.

Setting up is straightforward, as the on-screen display will support your preferences in speaker setup, surround and overhead levels and calibration, tone control and so on. However, this OSD is very much in the style of any other Yamaha product, so don’t expect flashy animations – it's function over style here. While a remote control is included, it lacks the flashy design of the rest of the system, and you get as much control from the MusicCast phone app, which is what you’ll generally be using to adjust your preferences. Setting up the beam angle and focus was singularly exciting, as you can actually hear the improvement in the height perception as the beam angle reaches the ideal position.

The Listening

The True X Surround 90A is a true Yamaha flagship product. Forget everything you might think about the current Yamaha soundbar range because the X90A sets a new standard for Yamaha soundbar performance. Tonally, it reflects the classic Yamaha Natural Sound, a digitally bright and clear mid and high frequency, with accurate and nuanced bass that never treads close to being overpowering. Dynamically, it sets a high bar compared to previous iterations – at all volume levels, it provides clear and accurate reproduction across the channels, and the new subwoofer design is a standout element of this.

While Yamaha traditionally doesn’t do overblown bass like some brands, the compact new unit provides exceptional performance for its size, whilst remaining surprisingly taut and accurate too. Combine these elements with the beam-forming height channels, which work to provide an enveloping sound field, and I was genuinely impressed by what the X 90A can do. My only gripe is the price. Yamaha has priced this at the very top of the market, and while you do get a lot of performance for the money, it’s inevitably going to have more of a niche appeal compared to the middle of the market, where most of its competitors sit.

The newly remastered 4K Blu-ray of Jurassic Park in Atmos lets you experience the 1993 hit like never before, and the X 90A makes light work of this presentation. The opening raptor attack is pre-empted by the nighttime jungle noise, with the chirping insects wrapping around the listener, while the snorting raptor noises sharply rise from the rear surrounds. A single-piece soundbar simply cannot replicate such dimensional sound cues. While the rear surrounds do have a warmer tone than the front bar, this doesn’t detract from the cohesion of the sound field. If anything, this helps to reinforce the rear effects where the front might rely more on the soundbar. Bass performance is clear in the Montana Badlands scene, where the radar machine fires a shell into the ground. The initial explosion is heavily weighted across the sub and bass drivers in an impactful way, but the deep reverberations of the bass note as it reduces over time through the canyon show the extension and control of this compact sub.

Moving to the T-Rex attack, and the YSP speakers hammer the driving rain through the height channels – this is undoubtedly the most impressive height-channel replication I have experienced in a soundbar – moving from simply the sense of an elevated listening field to a clearer representation of specific height effects. This is a tantalising proposition for 3D audio fans who may not have room for dedicated height speakers. Experimenting with Surround: AI during this scene yields dividends too, as it leans on the engineered strengths of the DSP and speakers to expand the soundfield and direct effects more confidently around the room. It’s the difference between the T-Rex roars coming from your TV, versus coming from inside the room.

2025’s Sinners is a unique fusion of vampire horror and blues musical – and the 4K Atmos mix is suitably supportive. As Sammie belts out his I Lied To You blues performance, we hear the clear differentiation between the blended instruments, particularly as the guitar and vocals sway around the room and listening space. It’s an eclectic mix of styles that demonstrate not just the surround and height abilities, but also the channel separation of the LCRs, with enough width to be noticeable when an audio effect is thrown to either side of the screen. The intensity of this scene is perhaps the pinnacle of the movie, and the X 90A does not disappoint.

Much like waiting for Yamaha to release a new high-end soundbar, I’ve also been waiting for the 4K Blu-ray release of Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, and this Atmos soundtrack was another opportunity for the strengths of the Yamaha to shine. In particular, the scene where Tom Cruise’s character dives to Sevastopol to retrieve the Entity’s source code is a special moment.

The oppressive low-frequency bass tones capturing the underwater pressure add menace to the setting in a way that’s not harsh, as a larger ported subwoofer might be, but there’s still more punch than you’d expect from a 100W driver. Combining the deep rumbling groans of the huge submarine slowly tumbling towards the abyss, with the added brass musical accompaniment, the low-frequency effects create an effective symphony of dread that makes it a memorable scene. As the sub overturns, we get dramatic height effects from the rushing water, crashing torpedoes, and the incredible sound of a huge machine that was never meant to move in this way – at a confident volume level that should satisfy most cinephiles.

Musically, Yamaha has imbued the X 90A with as much character from its AV receivers as possible – and the subwoofer has more opportunity to stand out here. Eric Clapton’s Somebody’s Knockin' at My Door from the Slowhand at 70 Blu-ray disc is a vibrant, bluesy performance. As someone who previously owned an Aventage receiver and NS-555 speakers, I was impressed at how consistent Yamaha has managed to make this range. I found the X 90A meets and even exceeds the performance I saw from that package, but maintains the same tonal character for those who appreciate the crisp and dry Yamaha sound.

The guitar riff and drums carried confidently through the front speakers, but the performance widened dramatically with the introduction of the piano and organ elements that expanded through the soundfield. Testing out Surround: AI on music yields mixed results – while I appreciated the improved blending of sounds in the listening space, I tend to avoid the departure from the source intention. But for those who have this preference, it does a solid job at opening a special perception of the audio – and even more when you use 3D Music mode. This engages the height speakers and instantly wraps the guitar and vocals up and over my ears, giving a clear vertical space. The tight bass from the subwoofer amply reinforced the bass guitar and drum backing, to give the whole performance an immersive feel.

Sacrifice from Elton John showed clear high frequency percussion, a deep bass rhythm and rich textured vocals. I was impressed that the kick drum was able to distinguish itself clearly from the underlying resonant bass, without noticeable distortion or becoming lost. Great engineering here from the Yamaha team, and the quality of vocals – along with the synth and guitar – play energetically in the brightness of the Yamaha sound.

The Verdict

The True X 90A takes the standard set by the previous True X bars and raises it in almost every conceivable way, with satisfying movie performance and classic Yamaha ingenuity that deserves to wear the three-forks badge. This is a dynamic and exciting soundbar solution that is tempered only by the steep price of admission.

For more information visit Yamaha