Yamaha YST-SW315 10-Inch Digital Pro Series Subwoofer (Black)

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Product Details

Product Manual [1.71mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 14 x 15 x 17 inches ; 46 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 46 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Note: Gift-wrapping is not available for this item.
• ASIN: B00009W8XH
• Item model number: YST-SW315
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,462 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)

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  Electronics > Home Audio & Theater > Speakers > Subwoofers

• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 28, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Yamaha's YST-SW315 offers 250 high-efficiency watts--enough power to deliver shattering, movie-theater-like bass effects. Full enjoyment of Dolby Digital and DTS surround sources requires deep, clear bass. This is especially true with 5.1- and 6.1-channel sound, because the ".1" channel is dedicated to the bass frequencies. That means you not only need a subwoofer, but a high-power subwoofer capable of handling extremely low frequencies. The YST-SW315's down-firing 10-inch driver translates power into clean bass sound, and the YST-SW315 boasts a frequency response of 20 to 160 Hz (-10 dB at the extremes of the range).

The YST-SW315 delivers high power at deep bass frequencies, with excellent stability and low power consumption. This is made possible by the sub's highly efficient PWM (pulse-wave modulation) digital-drive power amplifier. The amplifier achieves superior conversion efficiency by minimizing power loss from the power transistors. It delivers stable audio power while minimizing AC power consumption and heat production. As it requires no output filter coil, it's extremely quiet with low distortion.

Yamaha's patented Advanced Active Servo Technology (Advanced YST) generates incredible bass from small speaker enclosures. This system 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-SW315 avoids firing sound into the legs of the cabinet by radiating in four directions. 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, continuously variable high-cut filter sets the highest frequency the subwoofer will deliver. It can be set anywhere from 40 to 140 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 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-SW315 has a signal-sensing circuit. 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. Two sets of inputs let the sub accept either line- or speaker-level inputs, while a handy phase normal/reverse switch makes it easy to phase the subwoofer with the other speakers in your system.

Three-way speaker terminals accept banana plug and a variety of other connectors, as well as speaker wire, and the YST-SW315's thick, rigid MDF cabinet reduces vibrations and resonance. The speaker's handsome black-ash finish blends in with room decor and complements many furnishing styles, and it's magnetically shielded so you can place it near a TV or computer monitor without degrading the picture.

What's in the Box
Subwoofer, user's manual, and warranty information.

Product Description

Don't let the compact design fool you. The Yamaha YST-SW315 Natural Sound Subwoofer uses 250 watts of clean power and a 10-inch down firing spruce cone driver to deliver movie theater-like bass effects and deep, clear low frequency musical sound. Volume Control enables matching of output to overall system volume Frequency Range - 20 to 160Hz Signal Sensing On/Off circuit Dual inputs 3-way speaker terminals Black ash finish MDF construction reduces vibration & resonance Size - 17H x 13-3/4W x 15-1/16D; weighs 42 pounds

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ideal Addition to any System, October 4, 2005

By	P. McGrath "prmcgr" (Orlando, FL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I picked up the Sony 8" (SA-WM250 100-Watt) Active Subwoofer recently, and it's quite nice (especially the price at under $100.00). But this smaller system can't hold a candle to the Yahama. This 10" system pumps out clean, crisp base and its cut-off option allows the user to limit the higher frequency response of the sub-woofer (and let your mid-range speakers do the job). The result - a pretty massive, well defined bottom that can be as subtle or as "in your face" as you like it and which will nicely compliment just about any existing audio/visual system.

Because I use a pair of smaller AAD speakers, I keep the volume level for the subwoofer at below 50%, but the frequency cut-off a bit higher (110 hz out of max 140hz) for a nicely balanced, very full sound. Another nice feature is a bass button selection for either (i) music, or (ii) movies. The latter provides maximum bass response - suitable for achieving something similar to what you get in movie theatres - the rumbling bass that lodges in your stomach. The former, music option, is ideal and very complimentary to my existing stereo arrangement.

If you're unhappy with the response of your shelf speakers (want more oomph?), you'll love this Yamaha subwoofer. It'll add depth to your existing system, and add real luster to your audio-video setup. I recently re-watched "The Two Towers" on DVD using the Yahama - the experience was truly like a return to the theatre.

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars audio bliss... with real nymphs!, September 5, 2005

By	cosmo "failure is always an option" (around home) - See all my reviews

Maybe I'm bias because I really like Yamaha, maybe, because I have kinda' good ears or, it's the fat check sitting on my table from Yamaha; but what ever it is I realllllllly like this sub-woofer.

I looked around a long time for the right sub, and, I like to think I got a good one here.
You want power? Ok, it's only 250 watts -not 1,000 watts like Velodyne, but in my room (30 by 18ish with a 25 foot ceiling) it ROCKS.

I love music, all kinds; loud or quiet no matter I like both, but I do like depth more than volume. However, I believe if you are going to listen to something real loud, being able to feel the music is as important as being able to here it.
And let me say you can FEEL music if you want to.
one of the things I love most about this sub is it's range; it can (maybe) reach 20 hertz. 20 hertz! that is astounding.
20Hz is the lowest frequency the human ear can hear, in fact it's starting into the range of sounds that are felt more than heard.

Maybe I have good ears and maybe I don't, but to hear rich airy low-end, and, bass notes. yes! bass NOTES! bass is not one big boomy lump of noise, it's huge, open, grazing pasture of distinct sounds!

In short, music sounds great, even hip-hop (which I don't like) sounds, well, better.
Also, their is no need to turn the volume way up to hear a improvement; at very quiet levels too, you can hear good clean bass notes. But, if you do a lot of quite listening, we're talking back ground music levels: disable the auto-on feature and manually turn it on and off, because if you happen to be listening to something quiet, even if you still can here low notes from this, it does not seem to be enough signal to keep the auto-on, well... on.

It improves movies as well, take something with a lot of dynamics like, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" or, "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" there are a lot of sudden loud, and very low sounds in those movie's and the Yamaha handles it all with aplomb.

With most of the controls are on the front set-up is and tweaking is made easy, and if you are wondering about the "BASS" button: if the button is in the "music" position you will have to turn the volume to a higher level to shake the termites out of the walls than if its set to the "movie" position (I think "music" is a flatter frequency response).
As this review seems to be getting a bit long I'll some it up:
yes, there are far better subwoofers out there (like from B&W), but I don't have the money for those, and if someone gave me a 1,000 watt Velodyne I would take it in a heartbeat- but, I wouldn't want to give this one up too.
It's a absolute pleasure to listen to.


Update: I have run some test tones on this subwoofer, and well, it can not reach 20Hz. 38Hz seems to be the limit for usable bass, although it is still audible to around 32Hz, 20Hz is a stretch.
If 38Hz sounds to high: their are not many movie's or CD's that have any sounds below 35Hz. And very, very few have sound below 25Hz.
Although it does not go as low as I would have hoped, it is still a good sub for the money, and still worth a five star review.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Your Own Personal Earthquake In A Box, September 12, 2008

By	M. Pickering (MI, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

As I have surround sound systems in several rooms of my home, I own quite a few subwoofers. Although I have purchased subs from different manufacturers in the past, I have found that Yamaha subs give the biggest bang (or thump) for the buck. The YST-SW315 is a perfect example of Yamaha's ability to deliver serious bass frequencies from a rather simple, low cost device.

I purchased the YST-SW315 for my home office, to provide extra depth for the surround system that I have connected to my computer and other A/V equipment. The SW315 subwoofer sits on the floor, hidden below a corner desk unit. This sub enclosure measures 13-3/4" (W) x 16-15/16" (H) x 15-1/16" (D), and weighs roughly 42 lbs. Although it's not extremely small, this sub really doesn't take up that much room. It is a fairly square shaped box with a flat surface, so you can always sit something on top of it if you desire. I have the sub hooked to my surround receiver via the line level inputs. However, there are also speaker level inputs and outputs, for those that wish to connect the subwoofer inline, between their stereo amplifier and stereo speakers. It is magnetically shielded, so this subwoofer can be placed next to anything without worry of magnetic interference from the speaker itself.

The YST-SW315 subwoofer utilizes two technologies that are unique to Yamaha.

* Advanced YST - Advanced Yamaha Active Servo Technology is a unique system in which the speaker and amplifier work together to cancel out impedance so the speaker unit has a perfectly linear motion. Advanced YST helps to ensure the highest levels of sound pressure and overall performance.

* QD-Bass Technology - Quatre Dispersion Bass technology uses down-firing drivers with square, pyramid-shaped reflective plates to radiate the sound efficiently in four horizontal directions. The reflective plates negate any effects caused by the floor surface and reduce resonance between sound waves reflected from the floor and the unit.

I don't know much about Advanced YST and QD-Bass Technology, but I do know this subwoofer sounds great. Although relatively small, this little speaker box packs quite a punch, and fills the room with deep sound that you can feel as well as hear. I use this subwoofer for a combination of listening to music, for computer game play and for watching movies. There is a button, on the subwoofer control panel, that lets you select "Movie" or "Music" mode. There is a noticeable sound difference between the two modes, so a user would definitely want to utilize this button when switching between watching movies and listening to music. The control panel, which is located on the front side of the subwoofer cube, also contains a volume knob, an auto standby (on/off) switch, a high cut filter (on/off) switch, and a high cut filter adjustment knob. The auto standby feature is very handy, as it allows the subwoofer to power itself up when it receives sound and goes into standby (sleep) mode when no sound is present after about 5 minutes. Power consumption, while in standby mode, is only 0.5 watts, so I personally love the convenience and energy efficiency of the auto standby feature. If you prefer to power the subwoofer on and off manually, the main power switch is located on the back of the unit, rather than on the control panel itself. Next to the on/off power switch is also a Phase Control switch, so you can select whether you want the sub to work in normal or reverse phase. I will not go into what phase changing does to the sound, but audiophiles will understand that reversing the phase would be the same as reversing the positive and negative wire connections on the back of a loudspeaker. It simply changes whether the speaker cone moves inward or outward to produce sound waves.

The high cut filter adjustment control works very well, allowing you to determine the high-end frequency cutoff of the speaker. Obviously a subwoofer is meant to produce very low frequency sounds, so being able to cut out somewhat higher frequencies can produce much cleaner, punchier bass sound. This control allows you to customize the bass sound, to best match the speakers that you have producing the higher frequencies. When set correctly you should experience a full bodied sound, without any dropouts in the frequency range between the main speakers and the subwoofer.

Here are some technical specs of the YST-SW315:

* Advanced YST Technology
* QD Bass Technology
* High Efficiency Power Amplifier: 250-watts nominal / 270-watts dynamic power
* Multi-Range Driver: 10" Cone
* Magnetic Shielding
* Phase Control Switch: Normal or Reverse
* High Cut Filter: 40 - 140 Hz
* Auto Standby
* Bass Action Selector System: Movie Mode or Music Mode
* Inputs: Line-level in (RCA phono x 2), Speaker-level in (heavy-duty post x 2)
* Outputs: Speaker-level pass-through (heavy-duty post x 2)
* Frequency Response: 20 - 160 Hz (-10 dB)
* Power Consumption: 80-Watts (operation) / 0.5-Watts (stand-by)
* Warranty: 2 years (parts & labor)

Overall I have been extremely pleased with the Yamaha YST-SW315 subwoofer. The flat-black cabinet fits in well with most of today's stereo equipment, and this model is also available in silver and glossy piano-black finishes as well. It is small enough to hide behind a piece of furniture but looks good enough to leave out in plain view. There is an air outlet port on one side, so you will want to make sure to place the cabinet in an area where the air can escape without restriction, otherwise the sound will be affected in a negative way. A few inches of clearance should prove adequate for the air to move freely. The speaker cone itself is located on the bottom of the cabinet, which fires down toward the floor and therefore doesn't require any special clearance. The bass produced by the YST-SW315 subwoofer is very solid and punchy, and gives very little audible distortion at even high volume levels. I feel that this subwoofer is excellent for a mid-sized family room or living room, but may not be well suited for an extremely large room, unless you added a second subwoofer (one for each channel - left & right). My home office measures roughly 16' x 18', and this subwoofer is able to fill that room with gut-rumbling bass very well. I leave the SW315 in auto standby mode at all times, as I find this feature to work very well. It should be noted, however, that there is about a 6-second delay before the subwoofer begins working, after it receives a signal from your audio source. This may prove annoying for those that use the subwoofer for music. But for movie watching it really isn't an issue since the sub only misses the first few seconds of the opening music score (usually a movie preview that comes on before the actual movie begins).

Although I cannot guarantee that this subwoofer will prove to be perfection for every consumer, I honestly cannot find one fault in this device. I have pushed this speaker pretty hard in the past, and I have yet to notice any serious distortion or the typical overpowering boomy sound that many subs produce. The YST-SW315 produces clean, punchy bass at just about any volume level, and when adjusted correctly will not overpower the rest of your audio. It has a powerful built-in amplifier and looks, feels, and sounds very well made. Since this subwoofer has exceeded my expectations, and is an incredible value for the price, I am giving the Yamaha YST-SW315 10-inch Digital Pro Series Subwoofer 5-stars. I highly recommend it for anyone that is looking to add solid low-end frequencies to their stereo or home theater audio system.