OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
VS AVERAGE
REVIEWS
Scored using Soundbars Methodology v3.0
Soundbars Methodology v3.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Soundbars Methodology v3.0: the technical score from the specifications is the base, and independent expert and video reviews (up to ±0.5 points), owner opinions (up to ±0.3) and best-of lists (up to +0.3) move it up or down.
Explore Soundbars Methodology v3.0

Yamaha SR-B40A review: 108 specs compared

Avg. price:~£180N. of audio channels:2.1Audio output power:?HDMI ARC type:eARC

Yamaha SR-B40A Review: Compare 108 technical specifications and 1 expert and video reviews to see how this product ranks in the Soundbars category and whether it is worth buying.

Yamaha SR-B40A
6.8/10

Overall score

Score
6.8/ 10
✕
What it is
Our main score for this model, 1–10. It combines specs, best-of lists, expert reviews and owners.
How we count it
Parts: Technical score 35%, List score 30%, Reviews score 25%, Sentiment score 10%
Marks: Each part gets a mark out of 10. For reviews, lists and owners, a typical model in this category gets about 8 and the best one gets 10.
No data yet: A part with no data shows "?". It counts as the mark of a weaker model in this category (4 in 5 models with data score higher). This way, models with reviews, lists and owners usually come out ahead.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 54% of models
Score components

35%

6.5

Technical score

30%

?

List scoreNot enough data yet, so we use 7.5, the mark of a weaker model in this category

25%

6.5

Reviews score

10%

?

Sentiment scoreNot enough data yet, so we use 6.8, the mark of a weaker model in this category

â–²Better than 54% of soundbars
7.6

Value for money

Value for money
7.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the soundbar's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a soundbar with a good balance between audio quality, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 55% of models
Score components

70%

6.8

Overall score

30%

9.6

Price

â–¼Worse than 55%
6.5

Technical score

Technical score
6.5/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 35% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 69% of models
Score components

25%

6.3

Audio

18%

7.2

Formats

16%

5.6

Connectivity

14%

7.9

Controls

12%

6.7

HDMI

10%

4.0

Streaming

5%

7.5

Design

â–²Better than 69%
6.5

Reviews score

Reviews score
6.5/ 10
✕
What it is
Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
How we count it
Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Every review counts the same: written or video, short or full test.
Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.6 for now.
Share: Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 62% of models

6.5

Mark 7.3 is below the typical mark 8.0 of this category, so it cannot lift the score above the technical score

80%

7.9

Average grade

20%

5.0

Popularity

Grades by review (1)
1 video: 6.0/10. We use 3 reviews; the 2 missing count as the category's typical 8.2: (6.0 × 1 + 8.2 × 2) ÷ 3 = 7.5. Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
User ratings collected online are not part of this score.
â–¼Worse than 62%
?

List score

List score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
How often independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers put this model in their best-of lists for this category.
How we count it
Points: The model in the most lists of this category gets 10; the others get 8 to 10 in proportion. In no list yet: 7.5. Lists count 30% of the overall score.
Enough data: Every list counts, even a single one. With fewer than 5 best-of lists in the category, this part is left out.
Lists with this model (0)
Not in any best-of list yet, so this part counts as 7.5. Models in a list get 8 to 10.
Not in any best-of list yet
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Where to buy
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Soundbars model ranking

Ranked #113 of 324 models in Soundbars (Overall score)

Technical Specifications of soundbar Yamaha SR-B40A

Technical score
Technical score
6.5/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 35% of the overall score.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 69% of models
Score components:

25%

6.3

Audio

18%

7.2

Formats

16%

5.6

Connectivity

14%

7.9

Controls

12%

6.7

HDMI

10%

4.0

Streaming

5%

7.5

Design

6.5
Reviews score
6.5
List score
?
Value for money
Value for money
7.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the soundbar's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a soundbar with a good balance between audio quality, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 55% of models
Score components:

70%

6.8

Overall score

30%

9.6

Price

7.6
N. of audio channels
2.1
This soundbar offers 2.1 audio channels, more than 42.2% of soundbars and equal to 27.6% of soundbars.
Audio output power
?
Max SPL
?
Min frequency
33 Hz
Market range: <20 Hz – >120 Hz
This soundbar reaches a minimum frequency of 33 Hz, lower than 82.1% of soundbars and equal to 0.5% of soundbars.
Max frequency
22,000 Hz
Market range: <19k Hz – >20k Hz
This soundbar reaches a maximum frequency of 22,000 Hz, higher than 95.2% of soundbars and equal to 3.1% of soundbars.
Show more
Dolby Atmos
yes
This soundbar supports Dolby Atmos. 70% of soundbars include this feature.
DTS:X
no
This soundbar does not support DTS:X. 16.7% of soundbars include this feature.
Dolby TrueHD
yes
This soundbar supports Dolby TrueHD. 83.9% of soundbars include this feature.
DTS-HD Master Audio
no
This soundbar does not support DTS-HD Master Audio. 7.6% of soundbars include this feature.
Dolby Digital Plus
yes
This soundbar supports Dolby Digital Plus. 75% of soundbars include this feature.
Show more
N. of HDMI inputs
0
Market range: <0 – >5
This soundbar has 0 HDMI inputs, fewer than 41.5% of soundbars and equal to 58.5% of soundbars.
Wi-Fi connectivity
no
This soundbar does not support Wi-Fi connectivity. 28.8% of soundbars include this feature.
Wi-Fi version
N/A
Bluetooth connectivity
yes
This soundbar supports Bluetooth connectivity. 4.6% of soundbars include this feature.
Bluetooth version
?
Show more
Smartphone app
yes
This soundbar has smartphone app. 57.7% of soundbars offer this feature.
Remote control
yes
This soundbar has remote control. 17.5% of soundbars offer this feature.
Control panel
yes
This soundbar has control panel. 5.5% of soundbars offer this feature.
Voice assistant compatibility
?
Far-field microphones
no
This soundbar does not have far-field microphones. 7.1% of soundbars offer this feature.
Show more
HDMI version
?
HDMI ARC type
eARC
This soundbar has eARC as its HDMI TV-audio return type, which is more advanced than what 71.5% of soundbars and the same as what 28.5% offers.
HDMI-CEC support
yes
This soundbar supports HDMI-CEC. 29.2% support HDMI-CEC.
HDMI pass-through resolution
none
This soundbar passes through none, which is lower resolution than 27.2% of soundbars and equal to 72.8% of soundbars.
HDMI pass-through frame rate
none fps
This soundbar supports HDMI pass-through up to none fps, lower than 21.4% of soundbars and equal to 78.6% of soundbars.
Show more
AirPlay
no
This soundbar does not support AirPlay. 19.9% of soundbars include this feature.
Chromecast built-in
no
This soundbar does not support Chromecast built-in. 11.4% of soundbars include this feature.
Spotify Connect
no
This soundbar does not support Spotify Connect. 20.8% of soundbars include this feature.
TIDAL Connect
no
This soundbar does not support TIDAL Connect. 9.2% of soundbars include this feature.
Amazon Music native support
no
This soundbar does not support native Amazon Music. 13% support native Amazon Music.
Show more
Width
?
Height
?
Thickness
?
Weight
?
Build material
plastic
This soundbar is built from plastic, which is more premium than 3% of soundbars and equal to 92.6% of soundbars.
Show more

Yamaha SR-B40A vs the average soundbar

246810TotalAudioFormatsConnectivityHDMIStreamingControlsDesign
  • Supports Dolby Atmos
    This soundbar supports Dolby Atmos, the average soundbar does not.
  • Supports Dolby TrueHD
    This soundbar supports Dolby TrueHD, the average soundbar does not.
  • Subwoofer included
    This soundbar has subwoofer included, the average soundbar does not.
  • Supports Dolby Digital Plus
    This soundbar supports Dolby Digital Plus, the average soundbar does not.
  • Companion smartphone app
    This soundbar supports smartphone app, the average soundbar does not.
  • 0.5 in inch larger subwoofer driver size
    This soundbar has a higher subwoofer driver size than the average soundbar (6.5 in vs 6 in). The average soundbar uses a subwoofer driver size of 6 in.
    6.5 in vs 6 in
  • 2,000 Hz higher max frequency
    This soundbar has a higher maximum frequency than the average soundbar (22,000 Hz vs 20,000 Hz). The average soundbar has a maximum frequency of 20,000 Hz.
    22,000 Hz vs 20,000 Hz
  • 17 Hz lower min frequency
    This soundbar has a lower minimum frequency than the average soundbar (33 Hz vs 50 Hz). The average soundbar has a minimum frequency of 50 Hz.
    33 Hz vs 50 Hz
  • Subwoofer included
    This soundbar has subwoofer included, the average soundbar does not.
  • 0.5 in inch larger subwoofer driver size
    This soundbar has a higher subwoofer driver size than the average soundbar (6.5 in vs 6 in). The average soundbar uses a subwoofer driver size of 6 in.
    6.5 in vs 6 in
  • 2,000 Hz higher max frequency
    This soundbar has a higher maximum frequency than the average soundbar (22,000 Hz vs 20,000 Hz). The average soundbar has a maximum frequency of 20,000 Hz.
    22,000 Hz vs 20,000 Hz
  • 17 Hz lower min frequency
    This soundbar has a lower minimum frequency than the average soundbar (33 Hz vs 50 Hz). The average soundbar has a minimum frequency of 50 Hz.
    33 Hz vs 50 Hz
  • Supports Dolby Atmos
    This soundbar supports Dolby Atmos, the average soundbar does not.
  • Supports Dolby TrueHD
    This soundbar supports Dolby TrueHD, the average soundbar does not.
  • Supports Dolby Digital Plus
    This soundbar supports Dolby Digital Plus, the average soundbar does not.
  • Companion smartphone app
    This soundbar supports smartphone app, the average soundbar does not.
  • No night mode
    This soundbar does not support night mode, the average soundbar does.
  • No AUX input
    This soundbar does not have AUX input, the average soundbar does.
  • No USB playback support
    This soundbar does not support USB playback support, the average soundbar does.
  • 8.5% lower review score
    Reviews score
    6.5/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
    How we count it
    Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Every review counts the same: written or video, short or full test.
    Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
    Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.6 for now.
    Share: Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    â–¼ Worse than 62% of models

    6.5

    Mark 7.3 is below the typical mark 8.0 of this category, so it cannot lift the score above the technical score

    80%

    7.9

    Average grade

    20%

    5.0

    Popularity

    Grades by review (1)
    1 video: 6.0/10. We use 3 reviews; the 2 missing count as the category's typical 8.2: (6.0 × 1 + 8.2 × 2) ÷ 3 = 7.5. Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
    User ratings collected online are not part of this score.
    6.5 vs 7.1
  • 8.5% lower review score
    Reviews score
    6.5/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
    How we count it
    Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Every review counts the same: written or video, short or full test.
    Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
    Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.6 for now.
    Share: Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    â–¼ Worse than 62% of models

    6.5

    Mark 7.3 is below the typical mark 8.0 of this category, so it cannot lift the score above the technical score

    80%

    7.9

    Average grade

    20%

    5.0

    Popularity

    Grades by review (1)
    1 video: 6.0/10. We use 3 reviews; the 2 missing count as the category's typical 8.2: (6.0 × 1 + 8.2 × 2) ÷ 3 = 7.5. Reviews count 25% of the overall score.
    User ratings collected online are not part of this score.
    6.5 vs 7.1
  • No AUX input
    This soundbar does not have AUX input, the average soundbar does.
  • No USB playback support
    This soundbar does not support USB playback support, the average soundbar does.
  • No night mode
    This soundbar does not support night mode, the average soundbar does.

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

6.0
TechTrick Review
≈ estimated
23/11/2024
Hands-on review · sound tests and feature comparison
Verdict
The Yamaha SR-B40A delivers good sound for the money, but it is overpriced and has major gaps in features.
Overview video
Overview video
Overview video
Overview video
Shop video
Shop video
Overview video
Brand video

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Yamaha SR-B40A

  • Clear vocals in films, helped by dialogue enhancement.
  • The subwoofer in the box gives strong bass that reaches down to 33 Hz.
  • Dolby Atmos and Dolby TrueHD both play.
  • A smartphone app gives control over the sound.
  • Instruments stay well separated in music.
  • Bluetooth connects a phone without cables.

What customers don't like about Yamaha SR-B40A

  • There is no DTS:X, so those soundtracks are not supported.
  • There is no HDMI pass-through, so a player cannot run through the bar.
  • Height sound is virtual, because the bar has no upward-firing drivers.
  • Chromecast, AirPlay and Spotify Connect are all missing.
  • There is no multiroom support, so it cannot join other speakers in the house.

Verdict

Clear vocals are the first thing you notice with the Yamaha SR-B40A, a 2.1 bar with its subwoofer in the box. The bass reaches down to 33 Hz, so films get real low-end weight. Dolby Atmos and Dolby TrueHD are both supported, and dialogue enhancement helps speech stand out over effects. A smartphone app gives control over the sound. Reviewers praise the strong bass from the sub and the way instruments stay separate in music. The trade-off is what is missing. There is no DTS:X and no HDMI pass-through, and the height effects are virtual because there are no upward-firing drivers. Newer connections like AirPlay and Chromecast are absent too. It suits a buyer who watches mostly films and TV in a living room and wants clear speech with solid bass, and does not need a long list of extras.

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