OTHER TECH

Yamaha Movie chops and universal audio to boot

The Short Form

$550 / YAMAHA.COM/YEC / 800-492-6242

Plus

•Good ambience and depth. •Good clarity even at loud volumes.

Minus

•Bass-heavy on music. •Slow disc handling.

Key Features

•Rated power satellites, 750 W total at 10% THD; subwoofer, 150 W at 10% THD •5-disc universal DVD changer plays standard DVD and CD plus DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, DivX, Kodak Picture CD, JPEG, DVD-Audio, SACD, CD-R/RW, WMA, and MP3 •Progressive-scan component-video output •3 surround and 4 sound-field modes •4 picture presets •Control center 17.125 x 3 x 16 in •Front L/R satellite 6.5-in woofer, 0.75-in tweeter; 13 in high; 8.75 lbs •Center two 3-in woofers, 0.75-in tweeter; 14.625 in wide; 5.375 lbs •Surround 3-in woofer, 1/2-in tweeter; 8.25 in high; 2.625 lbs •Bass module 6.5-in driver; ported; 7 x 15.75 x 18 in; 26.5 lbs

The conservative, uncluttered styling of Yamaha's DVX-C700 system (in black or silver) understates its ample features. Its five-disc DVD/CD changer plays SACD, DVD-Audio, and just about anything else you can throw at it. Four movie and four music surround modes are available, including Dolby Pro Logic II for expanding stereo programs to multichannel and even a Silent mode that provides virtual surround sound through a pair of ordinary headphones. The six-piece speaker package is anchored by a compact bass module.

SETUP Yamaha provides clear wiring diagrams, but neophytes may be at a loss when it comes to fine-tuning - the manual briefly mentions adjusting speaker delay, for example, but doesn't clearly say how to do it. You get a single 100-foot length of speaker wire from which you must cut and strip a section for each satellite - a bit inconvenient, but it does let you customize lengths for your installation.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE I called upon Dolly Parton to demonstrate two-channel sound for me with her new recording, Those Were the Days. A rock-solid image rooted Parton center stage, with good ambience around her and the band, but a mild bump in the mid- to upper bass frequencies - not uncommon in budget-priced HTiB systems - exaggerated the bass to where it was overpowering her voice. Turning down the subwoofer in the setup menu improved the balance between voice and band, though.

The bass was less tamable on multichannel music. I initially balanced the system for movie viewing, but the bass module boomed its way through several surround music tracks. Neither turning down the sub level nor moving the module away from the wall fully cured the boominess. On the heavily produced DVD-Audio reissue of Bonnie Raitt's Nick of Time, which features a lot of instruments mixed hard to the rear, I had to lower the surround levels to keep the focus on Raitt's voice. I then spun a more spartan production, the Sara K. Super Audio CD Play on Words. Here again, the bass instrumentals eclipsed Sara's voice.

MOVIE PERFORMANCE On the other hand, the DVX-C700 acquitted itself nicely on movies, as demonstrated when I watched Sahara on DVD. This movie pummels the listener with as many bullets, projectiles, and explosions as any slammin' soundtrack around. The Yamaha played quite loud without distortion and imparted oomph to the artillery shells - nothing to shake the house, but not bad for a small bass box. The opening fusillade was well defined - I could hear individual cannons firing rather than a blur of explosions. Dialogue between Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz was clear throughout without being edgy. Overall, the system conveyed palpable depth and ambience.

OPERATION Yamaha's remote wasn't the easiest to use among this bunch, in part because the oft-used volume keys are the same size and shape as the surrounding keys and are buried in the lower button grid. And given the system's bass-heavy character, the lack of a dedicated button to adjust bass level was notable - you'll need to visit an onscreen menu for that. Disc loading and selection were also considerably more leisurely than with the other systems here.

BOTTOM LINE The Yamaha DVX-C700 performed well on movies and two-channel stereo, and slightly less well on surround music, although a system that plays all your DVD-Audio discs and SACDs at this price is still a boon. Overall, it'll give the Cineplex a run for its Raisinets.