Yamaha NS-P436 6.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System

by Yamaha

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 46 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0000W4U36
• Item model number: NS-P436
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #96,834 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Find out what the home-theater fuss is all about: hook your DVD player into a surround-capable audio/video receiver and Yamaha's NS-P436 multichannel speaker system and prepare to be enthralled by seamless, full-range surround sound. The NS-P436 is a 6.1-channel system offering front left/right, surround left/right, and a rear-center satellite/bookshelf speaker, a front center-channel speaker, and a 120-watt powered subwoofer, model YST-SW015. The system requires a 6.1-channel receiver for full enjoyment. If you're already set up for 5.1 sound (without the rear center-channel output), don't sweat it--you'll still get terrific performance (and you can always store one of the system's five satellite speakers for later on).

The satellites and the center-channel speaker all use acoustic-suspension designs with dual 2-inch drivers and a coaxial .5-inch tweeter mounted on one of the drivers. All are capable of handling amplifier power up to 100 watts (30 watts nominal power), and the complete system is finished in piano black for great looks as well as great sound.

The powered sub packs the most "under the hood," so to speak, with Yamaha's patented Advanced Active Servo Technology (Advanced YST) generating incredible bass from its small enclosure. Advanced YST uses negative-impedance feedback in the amp and a Helmholtz resonator in the speaker to provide strong and accurate bass.

QD-Bass (Quatre Dispersion Bass) technology uses a down-firing driver with square, pyramid-shaped reflective plates to radiate sound efficiently in four horizontal directions. The reflective plates (not used in other brands' down-firing subwoofers) negate any effects caused by the floor surface and reduce resonance between sound waves reflected from the floor and the unit. Most other systems use circular cones, but the YST-SW015, by radiating in four directions, avoids firing sound into the legs of the cabinet. Changing the height of the pyramid varies the acoustic load, permitting relatively simple high-cut adjustment and improving bandpass properties. QD-Bass also grants greater freedom of placement, since the sound radiates with equal effectiveness in all directions.

The user-adjustable, variable high-cut filter sets the highest frequency the subwoofer will deliver. It can be set anywhere from 50 to 150 Hz. For instance, if the filter is set at 75 Hz, only frequencies 75 Hz or below will be delivered by the subwoofer. This allows the sub's output to be matched to the lowest reproducible frequency of the other speakers in the system and the room's acoustics for a seamless presentation.

The rotary volume control permits the perfect matching of the sub's output to the overall volume of the system. The YST-SW015 has a signal-sensing circuit, too. When the subwoofer detects an audio signal, it turns its power on. When it senses no signal for several minutes, it shuts itself off.

Yamaha's BASS (Bass Action Selector Switch) tailors the sub's output for video or music at the touch of a switch. The sub accepts a line-level RCA input only, and a handy phase normal/reverse switch makes it easy to phase the subwoofer with the other speakers in the system (room placement greatly affects phase relationships).

What's in the Box
Five satellite speakers, a center-channel speaker, a subwoofer, all requisite cabling (including an RCA subwoofer interconnect), four non-skid subwoofer pads, and a user's manual.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Value for Money Sweetspot, February 27, 2007

By 

Nicadaemus "The Leader of the Rats" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yamaha NS-P436 6.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System (Electronics)

I've had these speakers for a little over a year now. I'm very happy with them. I have them hooked up to my Panasonic SA-XR55k receiver (another amazing value for money component) and they sound great for the money.

The sub is small but definitely puts out more than enough bass for my tiny NYC apartment (also was plenty for my previous medium sized living room). It is essential that you calibrate the frequency cut-off properly on the sub - this is the first thing I would do if things sound funny. I keep my reserved for fairly low frequencies, but to each his own.

Mounting the speakers was easy - 2 screws directly into the wall for each. Included white speaker cable was plenty long enough and blends nicely into the walls.

I really like the piano finish on these speakers as well. Definitely scored a few wife points (and space points) with this selection.

Biggest weakness would be in the midrange sounds - but this is the price you pay for satellite sub systems.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great small inexpensive system...no brainer, August 17, 2007

By 

T. Gentile "owned em all" (Pleasant Valley NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yamaha NS-P436 6.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System (Electronics)

OK, first understand what you are buying here. A complete 6.1 speaker system for $140. Second, realize that for this amount of money, most speaker systems stink. However, this one is actually very good and it looks great too. If you are not expecting the world for your $140 then you will be very pleased with this system. The gloss black sats and center are pleasing to the eye, and the small 6.5 in sub is an over-performer. Don't expect it to rattle your floors, but it will produce good solid bass for music and home theater.
This system has plenty of power handling ability, and will work well with most of today's budget and mid fi receivers. These sats are a bit power hungry as they are acoustic suspension type so the volume may need to be turned up a bit to get them to sing.
Again, don't expect this system to compete with $1000 mid fi systems. However, I believe it will do very well against other small budget systems that cost 2-3 times it's price. If you have a small to medium/small room, you should be very pleased with this budget system. I highly recommend it to those looking to enter the world of home theater.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yamaha NS-P436 6.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System Rocks, September 7, 2007

By 

SSINTX - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yamaha NS-P436 6.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System (Electronics)

the Yamaha NS-P436 6.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System combined with the Sony STR DG-710 Audio/Video Receiver is an excellent combination. Together they produce a top quality home theater surround sound experience at a very reasonable price. They deliver crisp clear audio as it was intended.