Yamaha VS-10 Cinemastation Entertainment System for PlayStation 2 and DVD Review

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(More customer reviews)I was looking for a compact stereo amplifier for $50. The amplifier would drive a pair of Celestion Little One speakers and connect to my cheap Apex DVD player (or my laptop). This amplifier would be for listening to MP3 and watching DVD movies. This mini amplifier/DVD player/speaker combination would be my secondary listening device. I already have a home stereo system on my living room.

I went on the web and did a little research. There are really not many choices for compact stereo amplifiers:
1. Sonic Impact T-Amp ($30 from Amazon.com): There are quite a few good reviews and DIY articles on T-Amp. The problem is I couldn't find any dealers/stores carrying T-Amp in Houston. I also was not comfortable with T-Amp's low 6-watt power output.)
2. RCA/Radio Shack Mini Stereo Amplifier from eBay ($30 plus shipping).
3. Compact shelf systems: A good compact system from Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo, or Nakamichi costs too much for my budget. Even a used unit could cost more than $100.
4. Home audio receivers: I don't need a second home audio receiver. Also, a decent receiver probably will cost me more than $300.

Anyway, I was able to find an eBay seller selling a brand new Yamaha VS-10 unit in Houston for $50. I contacted him and picked up this Yamaha VS-10 for $50 the same day. I did a checking on the Internet and found Yamaha VS-10 is a discontinued model. Some vendors still sell VS-10 with a NXSW-10 speaker system together for around $300.

This VS-10 was made in Malaysia. The package includes a pair of speakers, an amplifier, a remote control, and two cables.
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The amplifier is compact and quite heavy (12" width and over 10 lbs). It's fairly good looking. You can put the amplifier horizontally or vertically. The vertical position is good if you want to use this amplifier with your desktop PC. There is a huge heat sink on the back panel. It can only connect to one pair of regular audio speakers. Yamaha claims it has 2 x 25-watt output power. There is a proprietary connector that allows users to use Yamaha's NXSW-10 speaker system. I am not a big fan of Dolby Digital sound. I simply hook a pair of Celestion Little One speakers to VS-10.

Yamaha VS-10 has five DSP options: Virtual Surround, Game, Hall, Concert/Sports, Mono Movie. (Dolby Digital/Dolby Pro Logic/DTS and Digital Movie Theater/DTS Movie Theater options are available only with NXSW-10 speaker system.) There is a DSP Effect Off option which is basically the standard 2-channel stereo. There is no left-right channel balance control. There is a "True Bass" option which adds some bass to the sound. There are audio/video connecters both in the front and back panels. After just an hour of listening music, the amplifier gets warm. I think the amplifier should be put on a good ventilation location.

How do these DSP options sound? I don't have gold ears. I listen to classic and easy listening music mostly. Celtic Woman DVD was my choice for a test.

1. Virtual Surround option: This option supposedly makes two speakers sound like a five-speaker system. The input source needs to be Dolby Digital/Surround or DTS soundtracks. I put in Celtic Woman DVD. The music sounds very different and very interesting. I did enjoy watching/listening Celtic Woman DVD with this sound option.

2. Game, Hall, Concert/Sports, Mono Movie options: To be honesty, I couldn't hear much difference between those DSP options. They all sound weird to me.

3. DSP Effect Off option: With this option, VS-10 does a decent job to reproduce Celtic Woman music. I think I will use this "DSP Effect Off" option most of the time. I may use Virtual Surround option when I watch DVD movies.

The followings are my thoughts on Yamaha VS-10:
1. If all you need is a compact stereo amplifier for a small room, VS-10 is a good choice.
2. If you are a student living in a dorm, VS-10 is a good choice. Combined with a pairs of decent bookshelf speakers, it will definitely sound better than most fancy but low-quality computer speaker systems.
3. If you need a home theater system, this unit may not be your best choice.
4. If you need a home theater system but don't want to wire speakers all over your house, VS-10 is a good choice. It has a Virtual Surround option that makes two speakers sound like a five-speaker surround system.

BTW, I am very happy with Yamaha VS-10.

Pros:
1. It is a Yamaha product.
2. Good looking and fairly compact.
3. Excellent sound for the price I paid.
4. Front panel audio/video input.

Cons:
1. No left and right balance option.
2. Proprietary subwoofer connector.
3. Low quality speakers.
4. Get warm quick, need good ventilation.

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Product Description:
The VS-10 Cinema Station Natural Sound System is all the audio equipment needed to enjoy movies, music, and more in a single box. The VS-10 provides an easy way to make PlayStation 2 style systems and other new game machines or DVD players into instant home entertainment systems. The system includes a 5.1-channel amplifier/processor that deliver Dolby Digital and DTS and Yamaha surround modes. The system also includes five matched speakers and a subwoofer.The versatile electronic heart of the VS-10 is an amplifier processor that provides 25 watts to each of its five output channels. The VS-10 module decodes Dolby Digital and DTS signals and can reproduce 12 Yamaha surround programs including Tri-Field Cinema DSP and game modes. The VS-10 is easy to hook up. It has 3 audio and 3 A/V audio inputs, 2 optical and one coaxial digital inputs, and a front panel AUX input with optical terminal. In addition to its five speaker output terminals, the VS 10 has a subwoofer output so the dramatic deep bass, essential for true enjoyment of many games and movies, can be easily experienced. Discrete surround is the most advanced and realistic encoded surround sound for movies. Yamaha's exclusive Tri-Field processing applies Digital Sound Field Processing technology to Dolby Digital and DTS to create a true movie theater experience in the home. It develops independent enhanced sound fields for the front signals as well as for left and right surround. The Tru-Bass function accentuates the bass in two-channel operation mode. The VS-10 comes complete with six speakers. The front pair utilizes a 4" driver in a bass reflex design. The center channel speaker and surround speakers are an acoustic suspension design with 3" drivers. And the subwoofer uses a 6-1/4" driver and incorporates Yamaha's Advanced YST technology for dramatic bass. All the speakers are magnetically shielded so they can be placed near the TV or video monitor without degrading the picture.