Review: Yamaha True X Surround 90a Dolby Atmos Soundbar System

Another baffling omission, especially on a high-end system with surround speakers that can be placed almost anywhere: There’s no room correction.

Limited Streaming

Yamaha MusicCast via Simon Cohen

Yamaha True X Surround 90a Review Not Quite Perfect

Music streaming is a mixed bag, largely because of Yamaha’s limited options. The True X Surround 90A supports Apple AirPlay, Tidal Connect, and Spotify Connect, but it doesn’t work with Google Cast or Alexa Cast. It works with DLNA servers, but unlike some other Yamaha products, there’s no Roon support.

I found that the MusicCast app’s native support for streaming services proved to be the most reliable high-quality option, though sadly, it’s a very limited set: Amazon Music, Qobuz, Deezer, SiriusXM, and Pandora. Bluetooth is also an option, but with only SBC and AAC codecs, it’s best for casual listening.

Still, listening to lossless, hi-res FLAC tracks from Amazon Music and Qobuz was exhilarating, especially when using the All listening mode.

Bottom line? Yamaha’s True X Surround 90A can enthrall you with its clarity and precision. It adds breathtaking realism to movies and shows, often revealing details that lesser soundbars obscure. Much of that performance translates to music, too, as long as you don’t mind its streaming service limitations. The fully wireless surrounds provide excellent immersion and a lot of flexibility, both in terms of placement and use as a secondary sound system.

But Yamaha charges a hefty price for the True X Surround 90A, and with a big investment comes big expectations. The lack of inputs, the lack of control over the center channel level, and the absence of room correction are serious omissions. Apple Music subscribers who want to get the highest-quality audio should also note the absence of any way to get a lossless or Dolby Atmos signal to the soundbar, without the use of an intermediary device like an Apple TV 4K. That’s a lot of compromises.

This makes it hard to give the True X Surround 90A an unqualified recommendation. But if you value its strengths and don’t mind its weaknesses, Yamaha’s flagship is a good, if pricey, sound addition to any TV setup.