The Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus is the latest addition to the AMBEO lineup. It is also the world’s first 7.1.4 standalone soundbar, and also the more affordable entry in the AMBEO range.
The Soundbar Plus features the same groundbreaking 3D sound found on the AMBEO Soundbar Max–previously known as the AMBEO Soundbar–which was developed in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS. The Soundbar Plus is more compact than the Soundbar Max and is perfect for modern apartments.
Powered by the AMBEO|OS platform, the AMBEO Soundbar Plus also supports music streaming services from multiple platforms, such as Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and TIDAL Connect. It also works with Google Assistant-enabled devices with Chromecast built-in and provides integration with Alexa Built-in and Apple Siri.
The Soundbar Plus can be paired with the wireless AMBEO Sub, a subwoofer built around an 8” high-end proprietary woofer and a 350W Class-D amplifier. And thanks to a closed enclosure, Sennheiser says the Sub can deliver audiophile-grade bass down to 27Hz.
Sennheiser designed it such that you can connect up to four subwoofers to scale the bass performance. The AMBEO Sub also comes with a far-field microphone built-in that helps the subwoofer self-calibrate to adapt to the acoustics of your room.
We’re told that the AMBEO Soundbar Plus works great for a square area of 20m2. Pairing it with the AMBEO Sub, a space of 40m2 would be ideal. The Sennheiser representative mentioned as well that for an untreated room, a four-metre height would be best in his personal opinion. Our demonstration space was a fair bit smaller than these ideal conditions, but the ensemble sounded pretty impressive all the same, albeit a little too loud–but you can always dial the volume down.
But in any case, there’s no doubt about its ability to deliver a rousing atmospheric experience despite its small size; its ability to reproduce detail is rather impressive as well. If you’ve ever thought poorly of soundbars, then the Soundbar Plus might change your mind.
As you would expect, this kind of technology doesn’t come cheap. The AMBEO Soundbar Plus is priced at $2,299 and the AMBEO Sub costs $1,099. It’s cheaper if you buy them as a bundle, which will set you back $3,098 instead of $3,398. Both are now available at authorised Sennheiser Consumer Hearing web stores and selected authorised retailers.