Yamaha YHT-4930UBL 5.1 Channel Home Theater (Home Stereo: Complete Review)

This is going to be the Yamaha YHT-4930UBL review; a system that I use to have before I built my own. Was it any good, and how does it hold up in today’s vast selection of home theater systems?

Better yet, is it one that you should consider right now? Well let’s find out!

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YAMAHA YHT-4930UBL UNBOXING

The manner in which things have been packaged here is without a doubt commendable.

Instead of placing everything in a single box, each component is wrapped in a protective covering, placed in their own Styrofoam setting so they don't move around during shipping, then placed in their own individual boxes, which are then placed inside the larger box that houses everything with plastic straps for extra security.

It's clear that keeping the electronics inside safe was a top priority, so this is definitely something to appreciate. The only difference is that it may take a little longer to remove everything, but that's certainly a worthwhile tradeoff, as I'm sure the vast majority would prefer to have their items arrive pristine rather than scratched or even broken.

In terms of what's included in the box, it's pretty standard fare. The warranty, instruction manual, information about other products, and some legal information are all included. Then you get your four satellite speakers, center speaker, subwoofer, receiver, and room calibration microphone, which we'll go over in more detail later.

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YAMAHA YHT-4930UBL APPEARANCE

Moving on to the more aesthetic side of things, the speakers themselves are fairly understated, with a black glossy finish and the Yamaha logo on the bottom (top for the center speaker)

The subwoofer is also a little glossy, with a port on the side for more bass detail. The receiver, of course, is made of metal and features ventilation holes on the top as well as an LED display. There's no need to be concerned about things standing out because they'll blend in perfectly with your decorum.

YAMAHA YHT-4930UBL SPECIFICATIONS

There is a lot to say about the specifications and features that this system has.

• To begin with, the receiver is 17.13 inches wide, 6 inches tall, and 12.4 inches deep, with a weight of approximately 16.3 pounds.

• The subwoofer measures 11.4 inches wide, 11.5 inches tall, and 12.9 inches deep and weighs 17.6 pounds.

• The center speaker measures 10.9 inches in width, 4.4 inches in height, and 4.6 inches in depth and weighs 1.6 pounds.

• The other four satellite speakers measure 4.4 inches wide, 6.9 inches tall, and weigh 1.3 pounds.

• The system's total power is 725 watts, with dynamic power ratings for the front, left, and right channels of 110 W at 8 Ohms, 130 W at 6 Ohms, 160 W at 4 Ohms, and 180 W at 2 Ohms. They can also go up to 25 KHz, while the subwoofer can go down to 30 Hz, which is plenty low for content.

• The receiver has 17 digital presets and supports resolutions up to 4K60p 4:4:4 while also being compatible with HLG, Dolby Vision, HDR10, and BT.2020; basically, full HDR and extended color support is provided.

• There are also four HDMI slots and a Toslink (optical) cable slot for devices that do not support HDMI.

• The calibration microphone jack is located on the front of the receiver, along with buttons for controlling sound presets, accessing the menu, and turning the current input.

This is a condensed look at some of the more important specs you should be aware of, but if you want the full list, you can find it here.

YAMAHA YHT-4930UBL FEATURES

There are a lot of features in this system, so I'll quickly highlight some of the most important ones. One of the most well-received additions has to be Bluetooth playback support. Of course, 3.5mm wired connections are supported, but the addition of Bluetooth means you'll have more options for how you play your music or content.

Simply connect it to a smartphone or music player, and you're ready to go. Another game-changing feature to be aware of is the inclusion of Yamaha's own room calibration software via the included microphone.

What does this imply? Simply plugging this small mic into its dedicated input causes it to do all of the calculations and calibrate your speakers for you, without you having to do anything else. Isn't that cool?

This is known as YPAO (short for Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer), and it does all of the work for you, resulting in perfectly calibrated speakers tailored specifically to your room by simply plugging it in and pressing a button.

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HOW TO SET UP YAMAHA YHT-4930UBL?

When it comes to setup, the fact that everything you need is included makes things a lot easier. Don't connect the power cord until you've finished configuring the system.

Find a location for each of your speakers, ensuring that your center is equal distance from your front right and left speakers and is around ear level when seated. Left and right surround speakers should be placed directly to the sides of your seating position.

Then, as we discussed earlier in the unboxing section, strip the speaker wire and insert it into the back of the center speaker, making sure that the other end goes into the part of the receiver labeled center. Because it's spring-loaded, you'll need to push the tab back and insert the wire before letting go so it clamps down on the wire.

The surrounding left and right speakers are the same. Because the front left and right screws are screw types, you would unscrew the cap until you see the exposed hole, insert the wire, and then screw it back down.

Remember that one terminal on the back of the speaker is red and one is black, indicating that one side is positive and the other is negative.

It doesn't matter whether you use the positive or negative side of the wire, but whatever you choose, make sure you stick with it for each speaker. Assume one side of your wire has a black line and the other does not. Then you decided that the one with the black lines would be the negative side.

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HOW DOES YAMAHA YHT-4930UBL SOUNDS?

So that's all well and good, but how does it actually sound? To be honest, it's pretty darn amazing. When watching movies, the voices sounded crystal clear, the surround effects were convincing and realistic, and the subwoofer hit lower than I expected.

If you're coming from TV speakers, you're in for a real treat. Expect a significant improvement in terms of quality. This system will demonstrate what you've been missing in such a way that you'll wonder why you didn't get it sooner. It's fantastic.

While the characteristics and seating in a room are arguably the most important influences when it comes to getting great sound, things just sounded great without having to do much other than use the included room optimizer microphone.

Keep in mind that the optimizer mic is something you should definitely use before doing anything. It will calibrate everything for you so that you get the best sound possible for your particular room. It's very simple to use because you simply plug it in and press the start button when you're ready.

That being said, here are a few pointers to keep in mind when using it. Music works really well with this system too luckily, as there were no signs of any kind of distortion or stress on the system, even when turned really high.

That to me is an indicator of quality because I’ve had systems in the past that would sound harsh and just downright unpleasant at higher volumes.

CONCLUSION: YAMAHA YHT-4930UBL

So, I hope you enjoyed this Yamaha YHT 4930UBL review, in which I provided some insight into whether or not this is a system worth your time. In a nutshell, yes, it absolutely is. If you want to take your movie nights to the next level, this is the one you should get.

There's a lot to like about it and very little to dislike. Plus, as I previously stated, everything you need is included, so you don't have to worry about that. It's simply a good choice all around.

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