Major issues with Yamaha Musiccast

[Hintermann]

Just over 2 years ago I set up a Home Cinema system in the lounge of our apartment in Banglaore, India, where we spend 6 months of the year. This was based on a Samsung 4K TV, 4K BD player and the local Tata Sky satellite TV all of which are working fine with no issues whatsoever. The problem is with the WiFi based Yamaha Musiccast audio system, comprising of the following components:

- Yamaha RX-V685 Receiver (with Musiccast)
- Yamaha NS-P350 speakers (central, left & right; cabled)
- Yamaha SW300 subwoofer (cabled)
- Yamaha Musciccast 20 (locally WX-021) wireless surround speakers.

Of these, the wired front/central speakers and subwoofer work fine; but the Musiccast surround speakers do NOT. It was professionally set-up by a Yamaha technician and he has returned to try and resolve the issue repeatedly without success. What happens is that the Musiccast 20 rear speakers lose their Wifi link with the receiver and stop working whenever there is a power cut or surge (which is frequent in India) despite the fact that the powerful generator kicks-in in 12 seconds. Resetting the surround speakers afterwards is very hit and miss, the latter more often than not.

I tried plugging the powered rear speakers via voltage stabilizers but in vain. I then tried a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) device to maintain constant power to speakers but that also failed to solve the issue. I finally removed the voltage stabilizers from the speaker plugs and plugged one of them onto the mains side of the UPS device and for the past 16 hours it has worked; I am keeping my fingers crossed.

But I am not sure if we have found the solution or if there is something else more reliable that we can try. Please help!

[slimdude]

This is the reason why I don't like wireless speakers for a home theater because they are subjected to interferences and loss of strength being extracted from other wireless devices. I tend to go strictly wired for all of my speaker connections, to ensure of maintaining their maximum sound quality.

[Hintermann]

Originally Posted by slimdude

This is the reason why I don't like wireless speakers for a home theater because they are subjected to interferences and loss of strength being extracted from other wireless devices. I tend to go strictly wired for all of my speaker connections, to ensure of maintaining their maximum sound quality.

I couldn't agree more. Back home in the UK, we have a superb system based around Cambridge Audio speakers and subwoofer, all fully wired and fantastic output. The layout of that room also made it easy to set the system up. But here in India, the Home Cinema is located on the 2nd floor of a 3-floor mini apartment block and the hard concrete based floor makes it impossible to run cables though. If push comes to the shove I can run cables in the niche of the false roofing of the room but that will mean discarding the expensive Yamaha Musiccast 20 surround speakers and replace them with those accepting cables. Due to various charges associated with imports, quality AV equipment is very expensive in India, sometimes twice as much as it would cost in the UK.

[Hintermann]

Update: I discovered that having uninterrupted power supply (UPS) to the Musiccast 20 speakers alone was not enough. When the power fails, the Yamaha Receiver goes from standby to power-off for 12 seconds while the generator kicks in. In that time, the Musiccast link gets broken.

I am now getting a UPS device connected to the receiver as well and see how it goes. If even that fails to solve the issue, I'll have to get cabled surround speakers.

[sperezmore]

Originally Posted by Hintermann

Update: I discovered that having uninterrupted power supply (UPS) to the Musiccast 20 speakers alone was not enough. When the power fails, the Yamaha Receiver goes from standby to power-off for 12 seconds while the generator kicks in. In that time, the Musiccast link gets broken.

I am now getting a UPS device connected to the receiver as well and see how it goes. If even that fails to solve the issue, I'll have to get cabled surround speakers.

That will be my advise to you no matter what

Regards,

[Hintermann]

Originally Posted by sperezmore

That will be my advise to you no matter what

Regards,

D'accord. I think you are right and I might be forced to go the way of cabled rear speakers. Considering the costs involved for such things in this part of the world, I was hoping to get away with fixing the current Musiccast issue. I am going to complete the "repair" in a couple of days and after that will give it a fortnight and see how it works. If not satisfied, I'll have to get rid of the Musiccast 20s, bite the bullet and invest on wired speakers.

So that I can plan for that eventuality, I'd like advice on the best balanced choice of cabled rear speakers. As mentioned above, the existing kit consists of Yamaha RX-V685 Receiver, Yamaha NS-P350 speakers (central, left & right; cabled),Yamaha SW300 subwoofer (cabled) and Yamaha Musciccast 20 (locally WX-021) wireless surround speakers. The first 3 devices are working perfectly and would like advice on the best choice of cabled rear speakers (2 only; room arrangement will not allow 7.1) and will balance well with the existing cabled central and front speakers and the subwoofer. AFAIK, there is no cabled Yamaha equivalent of the Musiccast 20 wireless jobs.

[Hintermann]

Update: Once I attached UPS devices thus ensuring uninterrupted power supply to the Wifi router, AV Receiver and the Musiccast 20 speakers and then reset the whole system, things have been excellent....for about 20 days. I had a setback in my battle with the missus to replace the 20s with Q-Acoustics 3020! cabled rear speakers; she owns the house and would not allow me to run cables though the decorative false ceiling etc. But if I have any further issues with the Yamaha Musiccast 20s, I'll have more 'evidence' to fight my case.