At IFA 2022, Sennheiser launched Ambeo Plus which is a smaller and more affordable alternative to its existing soundbar. It still sounds great but we had hoped to get rear speakers this time.
Sennheiser's original soundbar, now called Ambeo Soundbar Max, will remain available while Ambeo Soundbar Plus is a smaller and fully integrated 7.1.4-channel solution that supports Dolby Atmos, DTS:X 360 Reality Audio and MPEG-H, powered by the Ambeo OS platform.
- "The AMBEO Soundbar Plus and AMBEO Sub build on the success of the award-winning AMBEO Soundbar Max, ranked by reviewers as the best soundbar in the world," said Maximillian Voigt, Sennheiser Product Manager, at IFA 2022. "Thanks to the deep, immersive sound and more compact housing, our new AMBEO Soundbar Plus offers even more choices for those who want a home theatre experience with audiophile-quality sound."
Ambeo Soundbar Max and Ambeo Soundbar Plus. Photo: Sennheiser
First listen
FlatpanelsHD attended the presentation in Berlin. It was a short presentation but it was still clear that Sennheiser Plus is still a quite powerful TV speaker.
Also read: Review: Sennheiser Ambeo soundbar
In an almost perfectly square room Ambeo Plus delivered an immersive sound experience. Sennheiser flipped on an off the Ambeo function meant to deliver immersive sound and the difference in was striking; the soundstage became much wider, with added height perspective for Dolby Atmos content. It was not a fully immersive experience like the one you can get with full Dolby Atmos system but still fairly convincing when considering that all of this comes from a single unit that does not take over your living space.
Sennheiser Ambeo Plus. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
We did not get a good chance to evaluate bass because for the presentation Sennheiser had paired it with no less than three of the new Ambeo Subwoofers (a total of four can be connected) that are optional. With three subwoofers paired, bass response was obviously excellent – down to 27Hz.
Sennheiser Ambeo Plus. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
Rear speakers, please
We asked Sennheiser about it decision to not offer rear speakers for any of their two soundbars and they argued that the value proposition of the Ambeo soundbars is that it is a single unit and that their research had shown that the majority of buyers did not want rear speakers.
That may be true but why not just make it an optional purchase like the subwoofer to make everyone happy?
Ambeo Plus overall builds on the same virtues of Ambeo Max, now in a smaller and more living room friendly package that is a little less powerful but still a beast in its class. Its main limitation remains the lack of surround rear perspective and that is a shame as it could be easily remedied.
Ambeo Soundbar Plus can be pre-ordered now for €1,499 / $1,499 with shipping starting later in September. The Ambeo Sub costs €699 / $699.
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus – specifications
Channels: 7.1.4
Amplifier: 9x class D amplifiers
Total audio power: 400W (RMS)
Total number of speakers: 9
Audio processing: Quad Core 1,8GhZ SOC
Woofers: 2x 4" Cellulose Cone Driver
Full range: 7x 2" Aluminum Cone Fullrange Driver
Frequency response: 38Hz – 20 Khz
HDMI TV (eARC) OUT: 1x HDMI eARC (HDMI 2.1)
HDMI IN: 2x HDMI 2.0a
OPT IN: 1x S/PDIF, sampling rates: up to 192 kH
AUX IN: 1x Stereo RCA sockets
USB: 1x USB socket (type A), for power supply for accessories (external devices): 5 V, 1 A;
Subwoofer SW Pre-OUT: 1x Mono RCA, max. 2 V
Operating system: Ambeo OS
Audio formats: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X 360 Reality Audio and MPEG-H
Connectivity: Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect
Microphone input for room calibration: 4x built-in far field high-precision microphones
Dimensions (with feet): Approx. 105,1 x 7,7 x 12,1 cm
Dimensions (without feet): Approx. 105,1 x 7,5 x 12,1 cm
Weight: Approx. 6,3 kg
WiFi: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
WiFi transmission system: 2 x 2 MIMO
ETHERNET: 1x RJ-45 Ethernet socket
Bluetooth version: 5.0 Classic/BLE |
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