From guitar amps to Hello-Fi techniques, Yamaha’s turned its practised hand to all kinds of audio tools through the years. However one sonic accent has all the time eluded its skilled contact: the common-or-garden Bluetooth speaker. Till now.
Meet the WS-B1A – Yamaha’s first transportable Bluetooth speaker. And with three-shades-of-grey styling that gained’t offend critical listeners, it adopts an understated look in step with Yamaha’s grown-up gear. The one distinction? This fabric-clad cuboid stands simply 10cm tall.
With a palm-sized footprint of 80cm sq., the natty noise-box harbours a single 5.5cm driver inside. The way it sounds would require an ears-on expertise, however Yamaha reckons the WS-B1A follows its “TrueSound” method. Which, in plain discuss, ought to imply a balanced and sensible hear.
However don’t go considering Yamaha’s Bluetooth speaker has to remain beside your stereo: regardless of its glorious acoustic lineage, that is additionally a speaker that’s constructed to go walkabout. With an IP67 ranking, it’s good towards water and dirt – making it perfect for audiophile seashore meet-ups. And at 490g, it sits between the Sonos Roam and JBL Flip 6 within the weight stakes, each of that are hardly lardy.
Want a speaker to seize and to go? 12-hour battery life is par for the course, whereas the non-compulsory CC-T1A charging base can maintain it boosted and able to boogie. Or if you would like a storage setup that’s nearer to Yamaha’s Hello-Fi roots, you can too wall-mount the WS-B1A on an ordinary screw.
All this, at a worth that undercuts its closest rivals: the WS-B1A will set you again £99 when it launches in November. Simply in time to your festive playlist, even it’s barely exterior the stocking-filler bracket.
