I think it is possible height increased from 13 cm to 7 cm that means it still has trouble fitting under TVs like LG’s C-series, which have a notoriously short stand, but unlike its predecessor, it likely won’t fit under larger models. Of course, it wouldn’t matter if Sennheiser had to compromise on sound in order to drop the soundbar’s price by the dollar and drop the height by inches. However, after hearing about the soundbar in two listening sessions today, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Sennheiser’s debut soundbar, released in 2019, was a niche product for several reasons. First was the price. At $2,499.95, it matched the cost of many traditional surround sound systems consisting of an AV receiver and multiple speakers. But perhaps even more important was its size. I say it with love, but the original Ambeo Soundbar (now he renamed the Ambeo Soundbar his Max) was a chunky boy and sells easily to anyone who wants to stand out in front of the TV I couldn’t. It’s $1,000 cheaper, but we think the price is just the second most significant change to Sennheiser’s second soundbar, the $1,499.95 Ambeo Soundbar Plus.
Highlights
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Sennheiser claims its virtualization tech is good enough that you don’t need it, so it doesn’t even support pairing additional speakers as dedicated surrounds. Having had the chance to hear the Soundbar Plus in demos, I tend to agree – a Sennheiser rep confirmed a number of demo videos, including one mixed with Dolby Atmos. The noise coming in from the surroundings was impressive. In some locations, staff turned off Ambeo virtualization.
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Some specs first. The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus has a total of nine drivers (two 4-inch woofers and seven full-range aluminum drivers). Two of these drivers radiate upward, allowing audio to bounce off the ceiling and work with 3D surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos and his DTS:X. Overall, Sennheiser claims the soundbar can give the impression of a 7.1.4 surround sound system. Note that Ambeo Plus, like its predecessor, virtualizes these channels and thus only creates this 3D sound ‘look’.
Surround His sound effect was made even more impressive by the contrast of hearing all sounds directly from the soundbar. You should practice this virtualization by having the soundbar measure a room with its four built-in mics. You’ll need to repeat this if you move the soundbar between rooms, but given the impressive results And it seems worth it.