Yamaha True X Surround 90A Review: A Stunning Surround Sound System

Experience the power and precision of Yamaha True X Surround 90A, a premium surround sound system that blends cinematic depth with musical clarity.

A Soundbar Legend Evolving

If you're a soundbar enthusiast like me, you’ve got to tip your hat to Yamaha. This brand didn’t just jump into the game; it practically invented the modern soundbar scene back in 2005 with the Yamaha YSP-1 soundbar, a groundbreaking device equipped with an astonishing 42 speakers all working together to create immersive audio.

Fast forward nearly two decades, and the soundbar market has exploded into an array of shapes, sizes, and tech features. Dolby Atmos support? Almost mandatory now. Yamaha, the "grandparent" of soundbars, is determined to hold its ground against fierce competitors like Sonos, Samsung, and Sony.

Enter the True X Surround 90A soundbar — Yamaha’s bold statement to reclaim its throne. On paper, its specs look mighty impressive, but let’s dig deeper to see if this system truly lives up to its steep price tag.

The Price Tag: Premium Investment

Priced at approximately $3,500 USD, the True X Surround 90A soundbar is undeniably a high-end home theater setup. This positions it well above more budget-friendly giants like the Samsung HW-Q990F soundbar or Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar.

But who’s really in the arena here? Brands like Sennheiser and KEF come to mind as worthy alternatives — KEF’s XIO soundbar around $2,500 and the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max soundbar, which has dropped to roughly $2,000 now.

Here’s the kicker though: those competing products offer Dolby Atmos soundbars only. Yamaha’s package includes not just the soundbar, but also two wireless surround speakers and a subwoofer — a full surround experience.

Built Like a Tank: Design and Build Quality

The True X Surround 90A soundbar is a beast in the best way possible. The main soundbar measures a commanding 8.5 x 118 x 14.3 cm (height x width x depth), weighing in at a hefty 11 kg. That’s because Yamaha built it like a tank with a rigid metal chassis supported by two large rubber feet designed to minimize vibrations and distortion.

Despite its size, it’s not too tall, which means it will fit under most TVs without blocking your view. Plus, Yamaha thoughtfully includes wall-mount brackets for flexible placement.

Key Specs at a Glance:

• Connectivity: HDMI eARC output, HDMI 2.0 input, optical, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2
• Supported Formats: Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS:X, Auro 3-D
• Streaming: Yamaha MusicCast app (including Spotify, Amazon Music, Qobuz, Deezer)
• Size & Weight: Soundbar (8.5 x 118 x 14.3 cm, 11 kg), Surround Speakers (22 x 8.8 x 8.8 cm, 1 kg each), Subwoofer (38 x 24 x 41 cm, 12.7 kg)
• Voice Control: None

The front of the soundbar sports a fabric grille that adds a touch of sophistication to its bulky frame. A small display and three interface buttons provide direct control. The built-in display is a nice touch, but the system also offers on-screen menus for easier navigation.

Surround Speakers & Subwoofer

The wireless surround speakers, model WS-X3A, are sleek, covered in matching grey fabric with simple buttons on top for pairing and volume. They come with charging docks and USB-C ports for wired charging. At just 1 kg and compact dimensions, they blend well into many living rooms and offer the convenience of wireless placement.

Unlike some brands that have reduced subwoofer sizes for small rooms, Yamaha sticks with a formidable 12.7 kg, 38 x 24 x 41 cm black subwoofer. It’s wireless, but definitely commands its own space in your setup.

Technology That Sets It Apart

Yamaha hasn’t just pumped up the size — the True X Surround 90A’s soundbar houses an impressive 19 speakers, including newly designed oval midrange "race-track" drivers. Yamaha claims these optimize rigidity and reduce distortions, delivering powerful, balanced sound with rich midrange tones.

Four of these drivers sit in the soundbar’s core: two centered and one on each end, alongside three dome tweeters. That covers seven speakers, but what about the rest?

At each end of the bar, Yamaha installs six upward- and side-firing drivers inspired by the original YSP-1 — arranged strategically to bounce sound off ceilings and walls for Dolby Atmos height effects.

However, the rear WS-X3A speakers differ—they each only have a single 58mm full-range driver firing forward, plus two passive radiators. They lack upward-firing drivers, which impacts spatial diffusion — a point we’ll discuss more.

Pairing these rear speakers is a bit of a chore. You hold a button on the speaker to enter pairing mode but must then navigate the soundbar’s menu to complete the connection. This complexity detracts from ease of use.

Another quirk: the surround speakers can switch between "Solo" and "Surround" modes. If you want to use them as standalone Bluetooth speakers (a neat bonus), you’ll need to re-pair them with the soundbar later—a somewhat tedious process that might discourage portable use.

On the plus side, the subwoofer uses an 18 cm driver and a unique Symmetrical Flare Port design, which minimizes port noise by 20 dB, resulting in deep, clean bass that never sounds overwhelmed or muffled—no matter how intense the scene.

Connectivity and Streaming

The soundbar’s rear panel offers a modest but functional set of ports: HDMI eARC output, 4K pass-through HDMI (sans 4K/120 Hz for gaming), optical input, Ethernet, and USB for updates. Supporting Dolby Vision and HDR10+ is a welcome bonus.

Wireless streaming is solid — AirPlay 2 lets Apple users beam tunes directly, while Yamaha’s MusicCast app handles other streaming services and media servers. Compatibility spans key formats: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro 3-D.

Add to this a variety of sound modes:

• Clear Voice: Enhances dialogue clarity.
• Bass Extension: Boosts low frequencies.
• Stereo & Surround: Tuned for music playback.
• Auro 3-D: Tailored for live music immersion.
• Surround:AI: Uses algorithms to adapt sound fields depending on content.

Interestingly, the system defaults to upmixing all audio via Auro-Scene (Auro 3-D), even for Dolby Atmos content. You can switch to Dolby Surround mode, but it’s not the default.

One downside: no automatic room calibration. Yamaha expects users to manually set beam angles and speaker distances, which can be confusing. They suggest calculating beam angles by subtracting the soundbar’s height from ceiling height—a task far less intuitive than the mic-based calibration found on rivals like KEF XiO or Samsung HW-Q990F.

Sound Experience: Power Meets Nuance

Despite the setup hurdles, the True X Surround 90A soundbar delivers impressively rich and powerful sound. Its subwoofer stands out as one of the best I've experienced in a soundbar package.

Testing with the 4K Blu-ray of Dune 2, especially the Harakonnen ambush scene, the system shines with a dramatic and full-bodied sound. The Freemen’s sword swings hit clean and sharp, without harshness. Dialogue is crystal clear even during tense moments, and the subwoofer rumbles controlled bass that adds genuine weight to the experience.

Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack, notably the track "Flight To The LAPD" from Blade Runner 2049, pulses with dynamic energy through the setup, the bass tight and precise without flab.

Switching to the alien invasion chaos of Battle: Los Angeles, Dolby Atmos effects soar overhead, but the spatial presence is less enveloping than expected. Unlike some top-tier soundbars with a "sound bubble" that surrounds you, this Yamaha projects height but struggles to extend effects deeply into the room.

This shortfall ties back to the rear speakers’ design. Their forward-only drivers limit sound dispersion, creating a tonal mismatch between front and rear, and leaving a gap in the surround field. Instead of enhancing immersion, the rear sound sometimes distracts from the on-screen action.

It’s a shame because the rest of the system is top-notch. One can’t help but wish Yamaha had opted for dedicated upward-firing Atmos speakers rather than hybrid Bluetooth units.

On the musical front, the True X Surround 90A soundbar impresses. Streaming "Aurora’s Churchyard" from Tidal, the sound remains rich and immersive. Bon Iver’s "From" showcases smooth, textured guitars and crystal-clear vocals, proving the system’s versatility beyond movies.

Final Thoughts: Almost Legendary

The Yamaha True X Surround 90A soundbar is simply exquisite — but it falls just short of true greatness.

Yamaha delivers a soundbar and subwoofer combo that provides powerful, detailed, and captivating audio for both films and music. While extra atmosphere and user-friendliness would be welcome, these aren’t the primary blockers.

The real issue lies with the surround speakers, which unfortunately degrade the overall sonic picture rather than enhance it. You could ditch them and still have a great setup, but that feels wasteful considering the premium price.

Ultimately, I’d love to see Yamaha either include specialized Atmos speakers or omit surrounds altogether to bring down costs. As it stands, this magnificent system earns high praise—but stops short of a five-star crown.

Summary Scores:

• Sound: 4/5
• Build Quality: 4/5
• Features: 3/5

“The True X Surround 90A provides a powerful, balanced sound with rich mids and a deep, distortion-free bass that impresses in cinematic and musical contexts.” — Review Insight

FAQ

• What formats does the Yamaha True X Surround 90A support? It supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS:X, and Auro 3-D formats.
• Does the system include wireless surround speakers? Yes, it comes with two wireless WS-X3A surround speakers and a wireless subwoofer.
• Is there automatic room calibration? No, Yamaha does not provide automatic calibration; users must manually adjust beam angles and distances.
• Can the surround speakers be used as portable Bluetooth speakers? Yes, but switching between Bluetooth mode and surround sound mode requires re-pairing, which can be cumbersome.
• Does the soundbar support 4K/120Hz passthrough for gaming? No, the HDMI passthrough supports 4K HDR but not 4K/120Hz.

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