If you don’t have or want a lot of space for your sound system, soundbars offer a compact alternative. Sennheiser uses this principle with the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus To the limit: despite the lack of a subwoofer, the ultra-compact soundbar produces excellent sound that can compete with larger systems.
Amazon currently grants more than 400 euro discount on the premium soundbar. Prime customers also save on shipping costs.
Sennheiser Ambeo Plus: high-end sound in a small package
Sennheiser has come up with many ideas for the Ambeo Plus: there are nine speakers in the compact soundbar, which is considerably smaller than comparable models like these Samsung HW-Q995GC*. The soundbar does only 105 centimeters wide and 7.7 centimeters high. Is there really room for a complete sound system?
Yes, say Sennheiser and countless tests like that of Hifi.de And Computer image. Seven speakers are built into the soundbar. Two of them are directed upwards, two outwards and two bass speakers provide the necessary appearance. Sennheiser collaborated with the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) on development. The IIS is known for, among other things, inventing the MP3 format – more expertise is hardly possible.
The know-how is noticeable in the company. It’s hard to believe, but this little soundbar produces impressively powerful sound 3D sound including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Music also sounds excellent. The sound is optimized by the automatic calibration system, which emits test tones in different directions, analyzes the returning sound and optimizes the speaker settings accordingly.
Very well thought out premium soundbar
The Ambeo Plus also convinces in terms of its suitability for daily use. There are five sound modes, including a night mode with little bass and a voice amplifier that makes dialogues clearer. The variety of connections is also great. In addition to the obligatory HDMI output with eARC for Dolby Atmos, there are two additional HDMI inputs and even an optical digital input, a USB connection and an AUX input for CD players and other older playback devices.
Of course, the soundbar is suitable for the internet. Music can be streamed via WLAN, LAN and Bluetooth and with the app you always have everything in view. You can also give the Ambeo Plus voice commands via Alexa. The soundbar can be used with a maximum of four people Sennheiser Ambeo subs* to further enhance the surround sound.
Because despite all the praise, the soundbar ultimately does not come close to the 3D sound qualities of a Samsung HW-Q995GC or a full-fledged sound system. But Sennheiser shows that they are developing the Ambeo Plus really thought about it. If you don’t want large technical setups in your home theater, the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus is a very good choice for high-quality 3D sound.
The alternative comes from Samsung
A cheap alternative to the Ambeo Soundbar Plus is the Samsung HW-Q935GC for currently only 599 euros including shipping at Expert.
Samsung’s soundbar is impressive excellent price / quality ratio. For just 600 euros you get impressive 3D sound in a 9.1.4 configuration. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are supported. However, the HW-Q935GC lags significantly behind the Sennheiser soundbar when it comes to connections, finish quality and space requirements in the living room.