A number of manufacturers offer single-enclosure, multichannel speaker systems, but Yamaha’s new YSP-1100 Digital Sound Projector is one of the most convincing devices of its type that I’ve heard thus far. In an impressive demonstration at the Yamaha booth at CEDIA Expo 2006, a single YSP-1100 plus two Yamaha subwoofers did an unexpectedly good job of recreating 5.1-channel surround sound. In fact, Yamaha arranged a demonstration piece where individual channels—left, center, right, right rear, and left rear—each played in turn, and the little YSP-1100 did a creditable job of positioning each “virtual speaker� exactly where it ought to be. I must admit, though, that it was eerie to hear apparent sound sources behind me, even though there was really nothing back there but an empty wall.

Each YSP-1100 features two woofers and 40 (count ‘em) “beam drivers,� each with its own dedicated digital amplifier. As you can see from the illustration that accompanies this blog entry, the YSP-1100 also comes with a clever, microphone-equipped Intellibeam automated setup system. In theory, this should make YSP-1100 setup a simple, straightforward, three-minute proposition.

For listeners pressed for space, or resistant to the idea of running speaker cables all over the place, I think the YSP-1100 could be a workable and enjoyable solution. The DSP-1100 retails for $1699.95.

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