42

Yamaha Musiccast 50 Review

True Score

84
81
5

Experts

88
0

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Expert Rankings

The Yamaha MusicCast 50 delighted experts with its expanded connectivity and user-intuitive companion app, which they used to adjust sound preferences. They also lauded its well-balanced sound profile but were disappointed with its lack of speakerphone functionality and poor portability.

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Product Snapshot

Overview

The Yamaha MusicCast 50 is a high-end indoor speaker launched in early 2018. The speaker is available in either black or white, and it is capable of both Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. Its 360-degree speaker design allows it to create a wide soundstage, thereby creating an immersive listening experience that is relatively hard to come by even among the best speakers in the industry. Its connectivity is also pretty good, and when streaming music or movies through WiFi, its AirPlay latency is low enough not to cause any lag. The best Bluetooth speakers have a user-friendly companion app, which also applies to the MusicCast 50. Owners can customize their audio through its graphic equalizer or choose from various presets. This Yamaha speaker can also be paired with a similar Yamaha speaker (e.g., the Yamaha YAS 101 soundbar, which we’ve covered in our Yamaha YAS 101 Soundbar review), but if its design takes up a bit more space than is convenient, then maybe our Sonos One SL review or our Hitachi HSB32B26 Bluetooth soundbar review may present an alternative that is easier to place.

Consensus

our Verdict

The Yamaha MusicCast 50 was admired by expert testers for its WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity and its easy-to-use companion app. Reviewers from Rtings liked that the MusicCast app was easy to navigate and had a graphical EQ for quick sound adjustments. After their sound tests, they were also delighted to note that its sound was well balanced and that it also had a stereo output. Since it is AC-powered, it is not meant for outdoor use like the WONDERBOOM 2 is (see our Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 review), and although its bass response was not as deep as that of the best passive soundbar, testers were still satisfied with it. Specialists from Trusted Reviews also commended its rich mid-tone and liked its compatibility with Amazon Alexa.

Still, the MusicCast 50 isn’t quite as well suited as a computer speaker, but you can explore our AmazonBasics USB Powered PC Computer speakers review for that. Testers also didn’t appreciate its missing speakerphone functionality or its poor portability.

Reason to Buy

  • Works with Amazon Alexa
  • User-friendly app
  • Balanced sound profile
  • WiFi connectivity
  • Multi-directional sound

Reason to Avoid

  • No speakerphone functionality
  • Poor portability

Yamaha Musiccast 50 Specs

Battery LifeBattery Lifen/a
Built In MicrophoneBuilt In Microphonen/a
Charge TimeCharge Timen/a
SizeSize15-3/4" (w) x 4-3/4" (h) x 7-7/8"(d)
Smart AppSmart AppYes
Speaker PairingSpeaker PairingYes
Water ResistantWater Resistantn/a
WattageWattage35W + 35W (6Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)
Wireless RangeWireless Range10 m / 32.8 ft

All Specs

Test Results

Battery Life (Hours)0
Volume Output (dB)90.85
Low End Roll Off (Hz)64.42
High End Roll Off (Hz)7,782.915

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Product Comparison

Yamaha Musiccast 50 Review

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom Review

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom Review Draft

True Score

84
89
NR
NR

Ranking

#

42

/

260

#

9

/

260

#

/

#

/

260

Market Context

The Yamaha MusicCast 50 is a high-end indoor speaker launched in early 2018. The speaker is available in either black or white, and it is…

The Yamaha MusicCast 50 is a high-end indoor speaker launched in early 2018. The speaker is available in either black or white, and it is capable of both Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. Its 360-degree speaker design allows it to create a wide soundstage, thereby creating an immersive listening experience that is relatively hard to come by even among the best speakers in the industry. Its connectivity is also pretty good, and when streaming music or movies through WiFi, its AirPlay latency is low enough not to cause any lag. The best Bluetooth speakers have a user-friendly companion app, which also applies to the MusicCast 50. Owners can customize their audio through its graphic equalizer or choose from various presets. This Yamaha speaker can also be paired with a similar Yamaha speaker (e.g., the Yamaha YAS 101 soundbar, which we’ve covered in our Yamaha YAS 101 Soundbar review), but if its design takes up a bit more space than is convenient, then maybe our Sonos One SL review or our Hitachi HSB32B26 Bluetooth soundbar review may present an alternative that is easier to place.

The Yamaha MusicCast 50 is also AC powered while the Sonos Move is battery powered, but the Sonos Move has voice assistant functionality while the…

The Yamaha MusicCast 50 is also AC powered while the Sonos Move is battery powered, but the Sonos Move has voice assistant functionality while the MusicCast 50 does not. Also, the Sonos Move is both waterproof and dustproof, while the MusicCast 50 is not, but the MusicCast 50 is capable of stereo output, while the Sonos Move is not.

The Yamaha MusicCast 50 and the Yamaha MusicCast 20 are two very differently styled speakers; however, the MusicCast 50 has a rechargeable battery that the…

The Yamaha MusicCast 50 and the Yamaha MusicCast 20 are two very differently styled speakers; however, the MusicCast 50 has a rechargeable battery that the MusicCast 20 does not, and it has also got an AUX input that is missing from the MusicCast 20.

The Yamaha MusicCast 50 is capable of a WiFi connection, while the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM is not, but the HYPERBOOM is battery-powered while the MusicCast…

The Yamaha MusicCast 50 is capable of a WiFi connection, while the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM is not, but the HYPERBOOM is battery-powered while the MusicCast 50 relies on an AC connection. Still, the HYPERBOOM is also water resistant while the MusicCast 50 is not, and it can handle two simultaneous connections while the MusicCast 50 can only handle one.

Battery Life

n/a

11 hrs

Built In Microphone

n/a

Yes

Charge Time

n/a

2 hrs

Size

15-3/4" (w) x 4-3/4" (h) x 7-7/8"(d)

Smart App

Yes

Sonos app

Speaker Pairing

Yes

Yes

Water Resistant

n/a

Yes

Wattage

35W + 35W (6Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)

25W

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

81

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

88

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

84

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Score Breakdown

  • Rtings
    102.6

    Category Trust Score

    56
    The Yamaha MusicCast 50 is decent for music. With its ‘Bass Booster’ sound program enabled,… read more

    By:

    Andrew Williams
  • DXO Mark
    98.76

    Category Trust Score

    85
    “No bottom line found for this product” read more

    By:

    Unknown
  • Trusted Reviews
    48.27

    Category Trust Score

    80
    This large speaker offers sweet-sounding audio and generation-spanning features, but the bass needs to dig… read more

    By:

    Dagobiet Morales Alfaro
  • Which?
    62.66

    Category Trust Score

    NR
    Yamaha is a multi-room audio specialist, alongside companies such as Sonos and Bose, and it… read more

    By:

    Unknown
  • Choice
    44.5

    Category Trust Score

    100
    Very happy with the sound quality and interconnectivity with our Yamaha amp. We are jazz… read more

    By:

    Unknown

Customer Score Breakdown

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