The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus, isn't just heard, it's felt. It can transform stereo or 5.1 content into a room-filling sound experience, recreating a full home theatre system. Seven superior full-range speakers deliver incredibly sharp fidelity and clear mids. In addition, Dolby Atmos, Dts:X, Mpeg-h and 360 Reality Audio codecs support the breathtaking immersion. Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect with Dolby Atmos Music support and Chromecast built-in.
The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus, isn't just heard, it's felt. It can transform stereo or 5.1 content into a room-filling sound experience, recreating a full home theatre system. Seven superior full-range speakers deliver incredibly sharp fidelity and clear mids. In addition, Dolby Atmos, Dts:X, Mpeg-h and 360 Reality Audio codecs support the breathtaking immersion. Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect with Dolby Atmos Music support and Chromecast built-in.
in 3 offers
The lowest price for Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar | Plus right now is $1,499.00 at sennheiser-hearing.com, compared across 3 retailers.
The all-time low was $1,379.00 on 21 Apr 2026 — today's price is 9% above the lowest ever. That's a little above the best price we've seen.
Prices last updated 23 June 2026.
Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar | Plus
The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus, isn't just heard, it's felt. It can transform stereo or 5.1 content into a room-filling sound experience, recreating a full home theatre system. Seven superior full-range speakers deliver incredibly sharp fidelity and clear mids. In addition, Dolby Atmos, Dts:X, Mpeg-h and 360 Reality Audio codecs support the breathtaking immersion. Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect with Dolby Atmos Music support and Chromecast built-in.
The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus, isn't just heard, it's felt. It can transform stereo or 5.1 content into a room-filling sound experience, recreating a full home theatre system. Seven superior full-range speakers deliver incredibly sharp fidelity and clear mids. In addition, Dolby Atmos, Dts:X, Mpeg-h and 360 Reality Audio codecs support the breathtaking immersion. Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect with Dolby Atmos Music support and Chromecast built-in.
Last updated at 23/06/2026 21:47:29
AMBEO Soundbar Plus
Free delivery between 29 June – 7 July
Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus for TV and Music with Immersive 3D Surround Sound, Virtual 7.1.4 Speaker Setup, Built-in Dual Subwoofers, Advanced
Delivery between 28 June – 2 July $15.52
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
originally posted on bestbuy.com
There are two things that keep this soundbar from getting five stars it was incredibly close and the sound is amazing, but before I get there let me start from the beginning.The packaging for the soundbar is great using recycled materials is great. It is also very minimal which makes it less of a hassle to get rid of later on.The soundbar is extremely nice looking and for everything it is packing inside is a very manageable size. It fit under my tv without me having to get a new stand or adjust anything and be able to use my tv remote.Setup was a breeze I use a pair of Sennheiser headphones so I already had the app installed after a firmware update I had the soundbar up and running withing ten minutes. Now here is where the first issue to me comes up. The ... MoreThere are two things that keep this soundbar from getting five stars it was incredibly close and the sound is amazing, but before I get there let me start from the beginning.The packaging for the soundbar is great using recycled materials is great. It is also very minimal which makes it less of a hassle to get rid of later on.The soundbar is extremely nice looking and for everything it is packing inside is a very manageable size. It fit under my tv without me having to get a new stand or adjust anything and be able to use my tv remote.Setup was a breeze I use a pair of Sennheiser headphones so I already had the app installed after a firmware update I had the soundbar up and running withing ten minutes. Now here is where the first issue to me comes up. The soundbar has no info bar so you have to rely on a led light strip on the top of the soundbar for you information on how loud you have it and even then it hard to judge from my couch. I was able to remedy this by connecting the soundbar to the ARC on my tv and using my tv remote to control the volume. My tv then was telling what the soundbar was at, I am lucky in my case as I know not every tv does this.After that I started testing it out with several movies and while not perfect the Dolby Atmos sound is pretty good for a soundbar. It definitely sounds like there are more speakers around the room, but since the soundbar does not come with a sub you feel like you are missing something. For most tv watching this is fine you don't really notice the lack of low end bass. But once you started watching movies you really miss it. The good thing is that you can use any subwoofer that would normally work on a home theater system you do not have to use the one Sennheiser sells. Once you get a subwoofer connected this is easily a five star sounding system. I can ultimately live without the info bar but not coming with a soundbar I feel like is a big miss in this range of soundbar.would I recommend it yes but with the caveat of getting yourself a subwoofer to complete it the sound.
originally posted on bestbuy.com
TL; DR SUMMARY:If you are searching for a high end “immersive soundbar” that lives up to that claim look no further. The Ambeo Plus’s virtual surround is on par with a similar quality multi-piece A/V audio system without the clutter or spoiling the family room’s décor. Every channel is crisp, and discrete, especially the center, which in lesser soundbars can produce a slight echo or vibration quality. The bass is impressive for a soundbar. It’ll penetrate your bones if fed a well recorded soundtrack. If you still want bigger booms, there is Sennheiser’s optional wireless sub, or add any brand wired sub.The Ambeo Plus practically stands alone in its premium tier. The closest competitor might have a better spec sheet, like HDMI 2.1 inputs, which the Ambeo Plus ... MoreTL; DR SUMMARY:If you are searching for a high end “immersive soundbar” that lives up to that claim look no further. The Ambeo Plus’s virtual surround is on par with a similar quality multi-piece A/V audio system without the clutter or spoiling the family room’s décor. Every channel is crisp, and discrete, especially the center, which in lesser soundbars can produce a slight echo or vibration quality. The bass is impressive for a soundbar. It’ll penetrate your bones if fed a well recorded soundtrack. If you still want bigger booms, there is Sennheiser’s optional wireless sub, or add any brand wired sub.The Ambeo Plus practically stands alone in its premium tier. The closest competitor might have a better spec sheet, like HDMI 2.1 inputs, which the Ambeo Plus lacks, and that could be a legitimate difference if you are a regular PSP 5 or XBOX X gamer. But for best-in-class TV/Movie surround virtualization and sound quality plus good Wi-Fi music streaming options from just about any device too, Ambeo Plus is the one to get. One caveat though, make sure you compare your room with Sennheiser’s ideal set up in the Ambeo Plus manual, which is on its site. The Ambeo Plus is fantastic but to perform as designed it is demanding when it comes to placement.FULL REVIEW:I was optimistically excited when Sennheiser launched this more affordable “little brother” to its well-regarded, but luxury priced, Ambeo Max soundbar. After a few break-in days then putting it through its paces, to my ears, it’s no hype. Sound-wise it exceeds my expectations what a sound bar can do, though it’s not without a few annoyances, which I’ll discuss as I get into this review.To suggest the Ambeo Plus is affordable might raise an eyebrow. I get that, but, let me explain. If one bought A/V separates (receiver, speakers, sub) to match the sound quality and (phantom) surround the Ambeo Plus delivers the cost would be equal or more than the Ambeo plus. Minimally, a respectable A/V receiver is $500 alone; a Center Channel speaker, $200, etc., etc. It’s easy to suddenly find your cart total in high four digits. And even if the cost is similar, the beauty of the Ambeo Plus is you get all that immersive audio without having a collection of “wall wart” speakers cluttering your living room. That’s such a 20th Century look. (I know because I was a mere kid in the 80’s and my stereo was the proud centerpiece of my room). Speakers are functional, not decoration.For sure there are the lower priced soundbars, which are excellent for their tier, but they truly sit below the Ambeo Plus. The only other legitimate competition the Ambeo Plus has is from a company that rhymes with Tommy James and the Shondells hit song from 1968, Mony Mony. So, yes, the Ambeo Plus is expensive, but it’s also a good value too, assuming one can place it as Sennheiser suggests achieving that sweet Ambeo virtualization effect. If you are looking for a premium “theater experience” sound bar, not just a mere upgrade to your TV’s speakers keep reading.Before I get into my impressions of Ambeo Plus’s performances, a few details about build quality specs, and the set-up experience to give an idea what to expect when you get it home. If this doesn’t interest you scroll down to the performance section below.The Ambeo Plus itself is low-key handsome. It’s slim-ish, unlike big brother Max, but it’s no shrinking violet. It makes its presence known by being heard rather than seen, which to me is a good thing. Its length mirrors a 55” TV with about 3” height, 5” depth. In this tight package are 9 speakers: Left, Right, Center at front, one on each side and four up-firing. So, correct placement of the Ambeo Plus is vital or the sound will be unbalanced, possibly muffled, with muted surround effects. There is a placement diagram in the manual, which is available on Sennheiser’s web site. It’s a must to study it before you buy to ensure Ambeo Plus will play well with your room’s layout. Briefly, it should be centered to a wall and have clearance on all sides, not inside a cabinet or cubby.The case is sturdy, attractive ABS plastic, the type found in an upscale car. A touch-sensitive control panel is on top, but, of course, the remote or app are the intended main control methods. I mostly use the app for control because, while the rarely used top control panel is backlit, the remote is not so it’s impossible to see the controls in the dark. That is my first quibble. Just as egregious, press a button on the remote and there is no on-screen display to guide the user. So, for example, press the “up” volume button and there is no on-screen display to show you the actual volume level. (Oddly, if you use your TV’s remote to control the volume the TV’s native OSD does pop up.) On the other hand, the app displays all the volume levels, modes, etc., and is obviously back-lit too so you can see it in the dark. So thankfully there is the app. More on the app in a bit.Compared to most other sound bars the Ambeo Plus offers a generous array of inputs for direct connection of A/V devices like streaming media or Blu-Ray players, though the two additional HDMI ports are only 2.0, not the more recent 2.1 -- disappointing given the Ambeo’s cost and premium stature. But these are basically extra ports that add to whatever your TV offers, so not a huge deal. The ARC/eARC out that connects to the TV is HDMI 2.1, of course, so if you have, say a game console that uses HDMI 2.1 you can hook direct to your TV’s HDMI 2.1 (if it has one) and not skip a beat.Audio-only inputs include coaxial optical, Stereo RCA, & mono RCA (for a sub). There is also a USB-A port to power a media player, if required. Bluetooth 5.0 and, more importantly Wi-Fi 6 for streaming from Spotify, Amazon Music and Tidal at the best audio resolution available from your respective accounts with each service. Streaming direct from your Apple device is also available via AirPlay 2. Google Chrome is also here. Another quibble: I don’t know why Sennheiser did not incorporate the latest Wi-Fi 6e standard given the importance of Wi-Fi connectivity to this product as well as it’s likely longevity in users’ homes.When you first open the box you’ll find… no plastic packing materials. Two thumbs up to Sennheiser. There is a tiny bit of plastic wrap protecting the soundbar’s trim, but that’s it. Everything else is brown paper and cardboard.OK, for the included accessories, everything you need for a basic set up via HDMI ARC/eARC is here: an 18Gbps Premium High Speed HDMI cable, an IR-remote control (button battery pre-installed), power cord, and various manuals. There is also a QR code link to the Sennheiser Smart Control phone app (iOS and Android) that needs to be downloaded for set up.Set up with the Sennheiser “Smart Control” app is straight forward and almost automatic. I used the iPhone version, but I imagine the Android experience is similar. After checking the usual data-use permission boxes the app configures Ambeo Plus’s Wi-Fi and Airplay 2. Then Ambeo Plus’s built-in microphones “reads the room” and calibrates itself for optimal surround. The Smart Control app is the “brains” of the soundbar. It’s loaded not just with basic controls that mimic the physical remote control, but also options to tweak the audio scenario pre-sets including a four frequency-range equalizer. There is also an option to adjust only the center channel volume. But my favorite button turns off the “AMBEO” indicator light on the front to eliminate that distraction in darkness. Be prepared to experiment with all these sound options after set-up so you know when to push what button. It’s a shallow learning curve, but there is a learning curve.Performance impression:Also included in my box, probably yours too, high anticipation and expectations. To my relief I was not disappointed. Pun intended: it’s clearly a well-engineered speaker system. I was truly amazed that a compact-ish group of speakers like this could fool me to believe I had actual speakers on my wall and ceiling. That’s the Ambeo sound advantage. If you have the kind of room the Ambeo plus demands, it’s well worth the price of admission.I’ll divide my impressions up between TV/movie audio and music. I’ll start with TV since theater-like surround is the chief reason to buy the Ambeo’s Plus. Ambeo Plus can decode all the major codecs, old and new, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, MPEG-H, Dolby Digital and DTS.When it’s fed a well mastered soundtrack the Ambeo Plus in a “neutral” mode is appropriately invisible but very effective. Example, this slim speaker box disperses convincing sound that convinces you are accompanying Maverick in Top Gun: Maverick as he races his jet through the canyon to his target. You hear and feel every hard breath, every woosh, every boom exactly where the action happens even though all the physical speakers are in front of the TV.But the not-so secret sauce is Sennheiser’s Ambeo 3D phantom surround. This is an optional mode that works in tandem with any source material. To my ears there is a noticeable difference with Ambeo on and off for TV and movies, not with the sound quality, but with the perceived surround effects. It is not a panacea for poor audio sources, and it’s not always necessary, sometimes even unwanted. But I found myself wanting it on more than not. In non-technical terms, it’s the difference between a cake without icing and with icing. Both are delicious but the icing cake has a more dynamic taste that lingers. Sometimes, however, it’s too much, or too little, but you adjust the icing to please for the perfect slice.The Ambeo effect adds that boost of intricacy and surround realism. Unlike other phantom surround technologies I’ve heard before, Ambeo aims the sound effect to where it should be rather than making a broad shot. Like any added effect sometimes adjustment is needed. For that the app has toggles to tone the effect down or up as
originally posted on bestbuy.com
Extra points to Sennheiser for keeping things green by not packing this speaker in any styrofoam.I ran into a couple of issues for both of my use cases. Trying to get the speaker connected via Bluetooth on my iPhone, was not as simple as a pair of headphones. Pairing wasn't so hard, but I had to make some extra adjustments to get any sound to come out. On my older Samsung TV, I also had to make a settings adjustment for ARC to work properly with the speaker. In both cases everything appeared fine but the speaker would provide feedback both with a red light and error noise. However, once I got them working, I had no issues controlling the speaker with either the remote or via the mobile app.You can easily crank the volume on this speaker to the max - which is ... MoreExtra points to Sennheiser for keeping things green by not packing this speaker in any styrofoam.I ran into a couple of issues for both of my use cases. Trying to get the speaker connected via Bluetooth on my iPhone, was not as simple as a pair of headphones. Pairing wasn't so hard, but I had to make some extra adjustments to get any sound to come out. On my older Samsung TV, I also had to make a settings adjustment for ARC to work properly with the speaker. In both cases everything appeared fine but the speaker would provide feedback both with a red light and error noise. However, once I got them working, I had no issues controlling the speaker with either the remote or via the mobile app.You can easily crank the volume on this speaker to the max - which is quite ear-splitting - with no distortion as far as I could hear. I will say though that if you're expecting bass you can feel, you will want to pickup a subwoofer. I tried to make adjustments via the app to attempt to pull more bass out of the unit but it just wasn't there to pull. If you do add a sub, you'll note there's no shortage of ports on the back of the speaker for various connection types.The remote is straightforward, letting you do most of the things you can do with the app instead outside of tweaking the different styles. Pro-tip: don't try to pull the plastic tab for enabling the batteries - you need to open the unit up and remove it. Speaking of the styles, you will definitely hear a difference in each offering, and on top of that, Ambeo takes the output to a new level. Ambeo just provides a more room-filling experience than what you get when it's turned off. I'm not sure there's a time I would disable it.The Smart Control app worked flawlessly for controlling the unit once it was setup, and is the only way to further tweak the default styles. However, I did choose to upgrade the firmware on the unit when I first got it. I don't know if the app hung up or what, but I waited an hour while it attempted to do so over Wi-Fi, restarted the app, and it was available shortly after.
| Total audio power | 400W (RMS) |
AMBEO Soundbar Plus
Free delivery between 29 June – 7 July
Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus for TV and Music with Immersive 3D Surround Sound, Virtual 7.1.4 Speaker Setup, Built-in Dual Subwoofers, Advanced
Delivery between 28 June – 2 July $15.52
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
There are two things that keep this soundbar from getting five stars it was incredibly close and the sound is amazing, but before I get there let me start from the beginning.The packaging for the soundbar is great using recycled materials is great. It is also very minimal which makes it less of a hassle to get rid of later on.The soundbar is extremely nice looking and for everything it is packing inside is a very manageable size. It fit under my tv without me having to get a new stand or adjust anything and be able to use my tv remote.Setup was a breeze I use a pair of Sennheiser headphones so I already had the app installed after a firmware update I had the soundbar up and running withing ten minutes. Now here is where the first issue to me comes up. The ... MoreThere are two things that keep this soundbar from getting five stars it was incredibly close and the sound is amazing, but before I get there let me start from the beginning.The packaging for the soundbar is great using recycled materials is great. It is also very minimal which makes it less of a hassle to get rid of later on.The soundbar is extremely nice looking and for everything it is packing inside is a very manageable size. It fit under my tv without me having to get a new stand or adjust anything and be able to use my tv remote.Setup was a breeze I use a pair of Sennheiser headphones so I already had the app installed after a firmware update I had the soundbar up and running withing ten minutes. Now here is where the first issue to me comes up. The soundbar has no info bar so you have to rely on a led light strip on the top of the soundbar for you information on how loud you have it and even then it hard to judge from my couch. I was able to remedy this by connecting the soundbar to the ARC on my tv and using my tv remote to control the volume. My tv then was telling what the soundbar was at, I am lucky in my case as I know not every tv does this.After that I started testing it out with several movies and while not perfect the Dolby Atmos sound is pretty good for a soundbar. It definitely sounds like there are more speakers around the room, but since the soundbar does not come with a sub you feel like you are missing something. For most tv watching this is fine you don't really notice the lack of low end bass. But once you started watching movies you really miss it. The good thing is that you can use any subwoofer that would normally work on a home theater system you do not have to use the one Sennheiser sells. Once you get a subwoofer connected this is easily a five star sounding system. I can ultimately live without the info bar but not coming with a soundbar I feel like is a big miss in this range of soundbar.would I recommend it yes but with the caveat of getting yourself a subwoofer to complete it the sound.
TL; DR SUMMARY:If you are searching for a high end “immersive soundbar” that lives up to that claim look no further. The Ambeo Plus’s virtual surround is on par with a similar quality multi-piece A/V audio system without the clutter or spoiling the family room’s décor. Every channel is crisp, and discrete, especially the center, which in lesser soundbars can produce a slight echo or vibration quality. The bass is impressive for a soundbar. It’ll penetrate your bones if fed a well recorded soundtrack. If you still want bigger booms, there is Sennheiser’s optional wireless sub, or add any brand wired sub.The Ambeo Plus practically stands alone in its premium tier. The closest competitor might have a better spec sheet, like HDMI 2.1 inputs, which the Ambeo Plus ... MoreTL; DR SUMMARY:If you are searching for a high end “immersive soundbar” that lives up to that claim look no further. The Ambeo Plus’s virtual surround is on par with a similar quality multi-piece A/V audio system without the clutter or spoiling the family room’s décor. Every channel is crisp, and discrete, especially the center, which in lesser soundbars can produce a slight echo or vibration quality. The bass is impressive for a soundbar. It’ll penetrate your bones if fed a well recorded soundtrack. If you still want bigger booms, there is Sennheiser’s optional wireless sub, or add any brand wired sub.The Ambeo Plus practically stands alone in its premium tier. The closest competitor might have a better spec sheet, like HDMI 2.1 inputs, which the Ambeo Plus lacks, and that could be a legitimate difference if you are a regular PSP 5 or XBOX X gamer. But for best-in-class TV/Movie surround virtualization and sound quality plus good Wi-Fi music streaming options from just about any device too, Ambeo Plus is the one to get. One caveat though, make sure you compare your room with Sennheiser’s ideal set up in the Ambeo Plus manual, which is on its site. The Ambeo Plus is fantastic but to perform as designed it is demanding when it comes to placement.FULL REVIEW:I was optimistically excited when Sennheiser launched this more affordable “little brother” to its well-regarded, but luxury priced, Ambeo Max soundbar. After a few break-in days then putting it through its paces, to my ears, it’s no hype. Sound-wise it exceeds my expectations what a sound bar can do, though it’s not without a few annoyances, which I’ll discuss as I get into this review.To suggest the Ambeo Plus is affordable might raise an eyebrow. I get that, but, let me explain. If one bought A/V separates (receiver, speakers, sub) to match the sound quality and (phantom) surround the Ambeo Plus delivers the cost would be equal or more than the Ambeo plus. Minimally, a respectable A/V receiver is $500 alone; a Center Channel speaker, $200, etc., etc. It’s easy to suddenly find your cart total in high four digits. And even if the cost is similar, the beauty of the Ambeo Plus is you get all that immersive audio without having a collection of “wall wart” speakers cluttering your living room. That’s such a 20th Century look. (I know because I was a mere kid in the 80’s and my stereo was the proud centerpiece of my room). Speakers are functional, not decoration.For sure there are the lower priced soundbars, which are excellent for their tier, but they truly sit below the Ambeo Plus. The only other legitimate competition the Ambeo Plus has is from a company that rhymes with Tommy James and the Shondells hit song from 1968, Mony Mony. So, yes, the Ambeo Plus is expensive, but it’s also a good value too, assuming one can place it as Sennheiser suggests achieving that sweet Ambeo virtualization effect. If you are looking for a premium “theater experience” sound bar, not just a mere upgrade to your TV’s speakers keep reading.Before I get into my impressions of Ambeo Plus’s performances, a few details about build quality specs, and the set-up experience to give an idea what to expect when you get it home. If this doesn’t interest you scroll down to the performance section below.The Ambeo Plus itself is low-key handsome. It’s slim-ish, unlike big brother Max, but it’s no shrinking violet. It makes its presence known by being heard rather than seen, which to me is a good thing. Its length mirrors a 55” TV with about 3” height, 5” depth. In this tight package are 9 speakers: Left, Right, Center at front, one on each side and four up-firing. So, correct placement of the Ambeo Plus is vital or the sound will be unbalanced, possibly muffled, with muted surround effects. There is a placement diagram in the manual, which is available on Sennheiser’s web site. It’s a must to study it before you buy to ensure Ambeo Plus will play well with your room’s layout. Briefly, it should be centered to a wall and have clearance on all sides, not inside a cabinet or cubby.The case is sturdy, attractive ABS plastic, the type found in an upscale car. A touch-sensitive control panel is on top, but, of course, the remote or app are the intended main control methods. I mostly use the app for control because, while the rarely used top control panel is backlit, the remote is not so it’s impossible to see the controls in the dark. That is my first quibble. Just as egregious, press a button on the remote and there is no on-screen display to guide the user. So, for example, press the “up” volume button and there is no on-screen display to show you the actual volume level. (Oddly, if you use your TV’s remote to control the volume the TV’s native OSD does pop up.) On the other hand, the app displays all the volume levels, modes, etc., and is obviously back-lit too so you can see it in the dark. So thankfully there is the app. More on the app in a bit.Compared to most other sound bars the Ambeo Plus offers a generous array of inputs for direct connection of A/V devices like streaming media or Blu-Ray players, though the two additional HDMI ports are only 2.0, not the more recent 2.1 -- disappointing given the Ambeo’s cost and premium stature. But these are basically extra ports that add to whatever your TV offers, so not a huge deal. The ARC/eARC out that connects to the TV is HDMI 2.1, of course, so if you have, say a game console that uses HDMI 2.1 you can hook direct to your TV’s HDMI 2.1 (if it has one) and not skip a beat.Audio-only inputs include coaxial optical, Stereo RCA, & mono RCA (for a sub). There is also a USB-A port to power a media player, if required. Bluetooth 5.0 and, more importantly Wi-Fi 6 for streaming from Spotify, Amazon Music and Tidal at the best audio resolution available from your respective accounts with each service. Streaming direct from your Apple device is also available via AirPlay 2. Google Chrome is also here. Another quibble: I don’t know why Sennheiser did not incorporate the latest Wi-Fi 6e standard given the importance of Wi-Fi connectivity to this product as well as it’s likely longevity in users’ homes.When you first open the box you’ll find… no plastic packing materials. Two thumbs up to Sennheiser. There is a tiny bit of plastic wrap protecting the soundbar’s trim, but that’s it. Everything else is brown paper and cardboard.OK, for the included accessories, everything you need for a basic set up via HDMI ARC/eARC is here: an 18Gbps Premium High Speed HDMI cable, an IR-remote control (button battery pre-installed), power cord, and various manuals. There is also a QR code link to the Sennheiser Smart Control phone app (iOS and Android) that needs to be downloaded for set up.Set up with the Sennheiser “Smart Control” app is straight forward and almost automatic. I used the iPhone version, but I imagine the Android experience is similar. After checking the usual data-use permission boxes the app configures Ambeo Plus’s Wi-Fi and Airplay 2. Then Ambeo Plus’s built-in microphones “reads the room” and calibrates itself for optimal surround. The Smart Control app is the “brains” of the soundbar. It’s loaded not just with basic controls that mimic the physical remote control, but also options to tweak the audio scenario pre-sets including a four frequency-range equalizer. There is also an option to adjust only the center channel volume. But my favorite button turns off the “AMBEO” indicator light on the front to eliminate that distraction in darkness. Be prepared to experiment with all these sound options after set-up so you know when to push what button. It’s a shallow learning curve, but there is a learning curve.Performance impression:Also included in my box, probably yours too, high anticipation and expectations. To my relief I was not disappointed. Pun intended: it’s clearly a well-engineered speaker system. I was truly amazed that a compact-ish group of speakers like this could fool me to believe I had actual speakers on my wall and ceiling. That’s the Ambeo sound advantage. If you have the kind of room the Ambeo plus demands, it’s well worth the price of admission.I’ll divide my impressions up between TV/movie audio and music. I’ll start with TV since theater-like surround is the chief reason to buy the Ambeo’s Plus. Ambeo Plus can decode all the major codecs, old and new, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, MPEG-H, Dolby Digital and DTS.When it’s fed a well mastered soundtrack the Ambeo Plus in a “neutral” mode is appropriately invisible but very effective. Example, this slim speaker box disperses convincing sound that convinces you are accompanying Maverick in Top Gun: Maverick as he races his jet through the canyon to his target. You hear and feel every hard breath, every woosh, every boom exactly where the action happens even though all the physical speakers are in front of the TV.But the not-so secret sauce is Sennheiser’s Ambeo 3D phantom surround. This is an optional mode that works in tandem with any source material. To my ears there is a noticeable difference with Ambeo on and off for TV and movies, not with the sound quality, but with the perceived surround effects. It is not a panacea for poor audio sources, and it’s not always necessary, sometimes even unwanted. But I found myself wanting it on more than not. In non-technical terms, it’s the difference between a cake without icing and with icing. Both are delicious but the icing cake has a more dynamic taste that lingers. Sometimes, however, it’s too much, or too little, but you adjust the icing to please for the perfect slice.The Ambeo effect adds that boost of intricacy and surround realism. Unlike other phantom surround technologies I’ve heard before, Ambeo aims the sound effect to where it should be rather than making a broad shot. Like any added effect sometimes adjustment is needed. For that the app has toggles to tone the effect down or up as
Extra points to Sennheiser for keeping things green by not packing this speaker in any styrofoam.I ran into a couple of issues for both of my use cases. Trying to get the speaker connected via Bluetooth on my iPhone, was not as simple as a pair of headphones. Pairing wasn't so hard, but I had to make some extra adjustments to get any sound to come out. On my older Samsung TV, I also had to make a settings adjustment for ARC to work properly with the speaker. In both cases everything appeared fine but the speaker would provide feedback both with a red light and error noise. However, once I got them working, I had no issues controlling the speaker with either the remote or via the mobile app.You can easily crank the volume on this speaker to the max - which is ... MoreExtra points to Sennheiser for keeping things green by not packing this speaker in any styrofoam.I ran into a couple of issues for both of my use cases. Trying to get the speaker connected via Bluetooth on my iPhone, was not as simple as a pair of headphones. Pairing wasn't so hard, but I had to make some extra adjustments to get any sound to come out. On my older Samsung TV, I also had to make a settings adjustment for ARC to work properly with the speaker. In both cases everything appeared fine but the speaker would provide feedback both with a red light and error noise. However, once I got them working, I had no issues controlling the speaker with either the remote or via the mobile app.You can easily crank the volume on this speaker to the max - which is quite ear-splitting - with no distortion as far as I could hear. I will say though that if you're expecting bass you can feel, you will want to pickup a subwoofer. I tried to make adjustments via the app to attempt to pull more bass out of the unit but it just wasn't there to pull. If you do add a sub, you'll note there's no shortage of ports on the back of the speaker for various connection types.The remote is straightforward, letting you do most of the things you can do with the app instead outside of tweaking the different styles. Pro-tip: don't try to pull the plastic tab for enabling the batteries - you need to open the unit up and remove it. Speaking of the styles, you will definitely hear a difference in each offering, and on top of that, Ambeo takes the output to a new level. Ambeo just provides a more room-filling experience than what you get when it's turned off. I'm not sure there's a time I would disable it.The Smart Control app worked flawlessly for controlling the unit once it was setup, and is the only way to further tweak the default styles. However, I did choose to upgrade the firmware on the unit when I first got it. I don't know if the app hung up or what, but I waited an hour while it attempted to do so over Wi-Fi, restarted the app, and it was available shortly after.
After listening to the sound that comes out from this Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus all i can say is this is really a state-of-the-art audio system as described by manufacturer, this has been designed to deliver a truly immersive and high-quality sound experience. With its 7.1.4 channel configuration, the soundbar offers a true surround sound experience, putting the listener right in the middle of the action. The AMBEO technology further enhances the soundstage and provides clear voice and detailed sound that is a real treat to the ears.The soundbar has two built-in subwoofers that are designed to deliver powerful bass and enhance the overall audio experience. The subwoofers are optimized to work with the soundbar and provide a smooth, distortion-free sound, ... MoreAfter listening to the sound that comes out from this Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus all i can say is this is really a state-of-the-art audio system as described by manufacturer, this has been designed to deliver a truly immersive and high-quality sound experience. With its 7.1.4 channel configuration, the soundbar offers a true surround sound experience, putting the listener right in the middle of the action. The AMBEO technology further enhances the soundstage and provides clear voice and detailed sound that is a real treat to the ears.The soundbar has two built-in subwoofers that are designed to deliver powerful bass and enhance the overall audio experience. The subwoofers are optimized to work with the soundbar and provide a smooth, distortion-free sound, making the AMBEO Soundbar an ideal choice for music, movies, and gaming.you can connect around 4 external wireless subwoofers to this and comes with all latest HDMI 2.1, RJ45, USB, Optical and RCA PortsThe AMBEO Soundbar features advanced streaming connectivity options, allowing users to easily stream audio content from their smart devices, gaming consoles, and other sources. The soundbar supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, built-in chromecast and AirPlay 2, making it easy to connect with different devices and enjoy audio content wirelessly. The soundbar also supports high-resolution audio formats like DTS-X Dolby Atmos ensuring that users can enjoy their favorite songs and movies in the highest quality.One of the nicest feature this soundbar have is room calibration it will take couple of minutes to analyze the space calibrate and fill the whole room with best soundIn terms of design, the AMBEO Soundbar is sleek and modern, making it a perfect addition to any home entertainment setup. The soundbar is finished in black, giving it a sophisticated look, and the compact design makes it easy to integrate into any living space. The soundbar is also designed to be user-friendly, with simple controls and an intuitive interface, making it easy to adjust the audio settings to suit your preferences and the remote comes with this soundbar is of premium quality come with lot of presets too, The Smart Control app is a life saver you can control all the functions of the soundbar via this appOne of the standout features of the AMBEO Soundbar is its ability to create a virtual 360 surround sound experience without the need for additional speakers. This makes it an ideal choice for those who want a premium sound system but do not have the space for multiple speakers. The AMBEO technology uses advanced algorithms to create a spacious and realistic soundstage, putting the listener right in the middle of the action.This soundbar also have handsfree voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Apple and Google Assistant and also can be integrated with Spotify, Tidal etcIn conclusion, the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus is a premium sound system that offers an immersive and high-quality audio experience. With, advanced connectivity options, and sleek design, the soundbar is a great choice for those who want a premium sound system for their home entertainment setup. The soundbar's ability to create a virtual surround sound experience without the need for additional speakers makes it a versatile and convenient choice for lot of music lovers
The Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus is an exceptional feature loaded sound bar. I have spent the past week testing out the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus and have had an overall amazing time testing it out. I feel that when paired with a good subwoofer or even just left alone, this set-up for the price compared to other sound bars currently available simply can't be beat.When opening up the Sennheiser AMBEO Plus, I was very impressed with the packaging and how well they were able to fit everything inside a relatively slim package compared to other sound bars I have gotten in the past. The soundbar itself and even the remote both feel very well made. Everything involved in the set-up process was very straightforward. Included in the box is of course the soundbar, ... MoreThe Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus is an exceptional feature loaded sound bar. I have spent the past week testing out the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus and have had an overall amazing time testing it out. I feel that when paired with a good subwoofer or even just left alone, this set-up for the price compared to other sound bars currently available simply can't be beat.When opening up the Sennheiser AMBEO Plus, I was very impressed with the packaging and how well they were able to fit everything inside a relatively slim package compared to other sound bars I have gotten in the past. The soundbar itself and even the remote both feel very well made. Everything involved in the set-up process was very straightforward. Included in the box is of course the soundbar, the remote, a HDMI cable, power cable, and set-up guide. I also liked that there are plenty of ports for connecting other speakers/subs if you choose to.Originally, I had tested it for a few days just straight out of the box without downloading the app or updating the firmware. Even out of the box you will get an amazing experience out of any type of content. After downloading the app, it became clear that I really should have done that from the start. The app takes you through more of the set-up process including room calibration, which brought even better sound out of this thing, and any pending firmware updates. With the app, you can control things like the volume, AMBEO function, Preset Sound configurations, turn on Night mode, etc. Your phone can basically become your remote. If neither are good enough, there are touch controls on the top of the soundbar itself, which is a nice "touch"....I personally believe that where the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus really shines is with Music. Movies and Shows/Podcasts still sound great and it delivers a nice and full sound and everything is crystal clear, but for some reason, at least to my ears, Music on this soundbar really stood out. Maybe once I add a dedicated sub, that will change and movies will stand out and it will give more of a movie theatre feel to it.In conclusion, I think for those of you looking for a very solid option in the ever expanding sound bar market, the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus is a great option that should be able to hold its weight for years to come. I personally may add a sub just for the extra bass and vibrations, but even without one, I think most people, myself included, will be very happy with the sound that it produces out of the box.
PROS+ Truly Amazing Surround Sound From A Single Bar+ Dolby Atmos and DTS:X Sound Incredible+ Ambeo Mode Opens Up The Soundstage Significantly+ Audio Fidelity is Class Leading+ Ability to Pair Multiple Sennheiser Wireless or Wired 3rd Party Subwoofers+ Auto Calibration For Your Room With Built-In Mics+ Dedicated Center Channel and Clear Voice Enhancements+ Night Mode+ Lots Of Customizability With Multiple Audio Modes And EQ In App+ Relatively Compact Footprint+ Minimalist DesignCONS- When Using Ambeo Mode With Some Sources, The Audio Can Sometimes Sound “Processed”- For The Best Experience, You Will Definitely Want To Add A Subwoofer (Extra Cost)WHAT WOULD MAKE IT BETTER- Lights on The Top Of The Soundbar That Indicate The Codec Playing (e.g. ... MorePROS+ Truly Amazing Surround Sound From A Single Bar+ Dolby Atmos and DTS:X Sound Incredible+ Ambeo Mode Opens Up The Soundstage Significantly+ Audio Fidelity is Class Leading+ Ability to Pair Multiple Sennheiser Wireless or Wired 3rd Party Subwoofers+ Auto Calibration For Your Room With Built-In Mics+ Dedicated Center Channel and Clear Voice Enhancements+ Night Mode+ Lots Of Customizability With Multiple Audio Modes And EQ In App+ Relatively Compact Footprint+ Minimalist DesignCONS- When Using Ambeo Mode With Some Sources, The Audio Can Sometimes Sound “Processed”- For The Best Experience, You Will Definitely Want To Add A Subwoofer (Extra Cost)WHAT WOULD MAKE IT BETTER- Lights on The Top Of The Soundbar That Indicate The Codec Playing (e.g. Dolby Atmos or DTS:X) Aren’t Really Visible When Seated (Need to Use The App To Verify). Add Them To The Front Instead- The Ability To Buy & Add Optional Dedicated Wireless Surround Sound Speakers Would Be A Nice Add-On For One More Level Of Immersion If People Wanted ThemTHE LONG AND SHORT OF ITThe Sennheiser Ambeo Plus soundbar is a great choice for anyone looking for a compact and high-quality audio solution. It is truly a standout in terms of audio quality. Not only does it support high-end audio codecs such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, but it also offers an immersive, multi-dimensional audio experience with its Ambeo 3D audio capabilities. The ability to add (up to 4) Sennheiser wireless subs, or your own dedicated wired subs from a 3rd party, is amazing for immersion. Sometimes the sound can get a little too “processed”, especially when upmixing stereo or lower channel sources using the Ambeo mode, but in most cases the sound is incredible, and with a few setting adjustments, can easily be tailored to your own preference. After over a week of putting this bar through its paces, I am still frequently amazed by how effective it is at doing exactly what it says it is going to do. It has been a lot of fun pulling out my favorite movies, games, and music to see how I could push this bar, and in almost all cases, it handled them in a way that defied my already high expectations. It does work best when fed the highest end codecs or high-resolution audio, but in all regards it is still a heavyweight performer. It isn’t cheap for a single soundbar, but with the sheer audio fidelity and shockingly good surround sound performance, you’d be hard pressed to find a better all around solution for the price. I highly recommend this if you are in the market for a high-end all-in-one soundbar solution.THE BREAKDOWNAs an amateur home theater enthusiast, I have a lot of experiences with soundbars at all levels of price, size, and brand. I wouldn’t call myself an audiophile, but I do think I have a pretty discerning ear for sound quality, and can be a bit picky when it comes to my own home set-up. In this regard, I already own the older Sennheiser Ambeo Max soundbar, which is still incredible, but is undeniably big, bulky, and not at all subtle. So when sennheiser announced a smaller, more refined, Ambeo Plus soundbar, I was really excited to see how the brand could take the incredible performance of the Max and bring it to a more affordable, more room friendly, and updated design. In almost all regards, they delivered with huge success.UnboxingTo start, unboxing and setting up the bar is easy. You do get a sizeable quickstart guide with the bar, but really it comes down to connecting everything (including a sub if you bought one or are bringing your own), powering it up, downloading the app, and then performing the self calibration. The self-calibration uses built-in mics in the bar, so you don’t need an external mic, and takes about 3 minutes to complete. The app has a nice display to walk you through what it is doing during calibration, and if you need to re-calibrate, the process is very seamless. Once calibrated you have a few demos available in the app to showcase the performance of the bar (including DTS:X and Atmost demos), which is a good first introduction into what the unit is capable of.App & RemoteSpeaking of the app, beyond calibration & demos, you can adjust pretty much everything you would want to via the app. This includes sound profiles (e.g. movie, music, neutral, adaptive, etc.), adjust the center volume and clear voice setting, night mode, EQ your sound profiles, adjust the strength of the Ambeo virtualization, adjust your subwoofer volume, view what codecs are playing and how many channels they use, firmware updates, and more. In general the app is responsive and works well, but I always prefer reaching for the remote when I can over my phone. Thankfully, the remote is pretty nice, with the ability to adjust most common things you would be changing regularly (like sound profiles and night mode) all from the remote. The only weird thing that takes some getting used to is the multi-function button, which does act as a mute for TV, and play/pause for music, but does take away having a dedicated always available mute button for all cases.DesignAs for the actual design of the bar, it isn’t small per-say, but is certainly more in-line with soundbar sizes today (and is much smaller than the massive Ambeo Max). Its about 41” wide, 3” tall, and 4” deep. Its wrapped in a cloth cover that looks good, and has a matte black cover with the sennheiser logo and touch controls that looks very sleek. Behind the metal grills you can see the up-firing drivers and built-in subwoofers. There is an LED lightstrip on the top that acts as the visual cue for things like volume, input, firmware updates, calibration status, voice assistant, and much more. There is a little guide that comes with the bar on how to interpret the different light color and pattern cues of the LEDs, but generally it isn’t too bad to get the hang of. It isn’t quite as nice as a dedicated screen on the front of the bar to give you information, but does look a bit more modern and once you get used to it, tells you most everything you need to know. There are also little LED indicators on the top that turn on if you are sending Dolby Atmos or DTS:X context to the bar, but they can really only be seen when standing over the bar, so their utility is less relevant when just sitting down to enjoy some content. To view codec info, more often than not you will want to use the app. All around, it is a nicely designed soundbar that is more understated than most, including its big brother the Ambeo Max.Sound QualityWhile the soundbar may be more understated in design, it is definitely not when it comes to what counts most: the sound quality. I have heard lots of soundbars do virtual surround sound, but this one truly needs to be heard to be believed. It doesn’t just make the sound “bigger”, but it genuinely feels like there are speakers in your room you didn’t know were there. I won’t go as far as to say it is as accurate or high fidelity as having dedicated surround speakers all over your room, but there are times where you wouldn’t know the difference. This is most noticeable with Dolby Atmos or DTS:X movies. One of my favorites to test is Ready Player One, during the opening race scene. It genuinely sounded like a train was flying past the left side of my room, and that king kong was overhead. When I played the opening chase from No Time To Die, you could hear gunshots whizzing around the room like it was full of speakers. My room is not perfectly symmetrical, with the right side opening up to a hallway, but I still very much had the impression of surround sound on both sides of me, even in spite of less surfaces to reflect sound off of than an ideal room would have.Likewise, music sounds great on the Ambeo Plus, with clear vocals and an ability to really scale the sound beyond the small footprint of the bar. Where the sound only really begins to falter a bit for me is when upscaling stereo or lower channel sources up to 7.1.4 with the Ambeo mode. At times the sound can almost be too “processed” sounding, and you lose some of the detail from those stereo tracks. Thankfully, you can easily turn off the Ambeo mode and set the bar to “Neutral” for a much more faithful representation of the tracks in those cases.One of my favorite features is the ability to add your own subwoofers to the bar. I have two subs I used previously with my room, and they calibrated perfectly with my Ambeo Plus. Once added, the subs blended great into the soundscape, and really opened up the low-end frequencies that the Plus can’t hit on its own. It doesn’t sound bad at all without a sub, but if you really want to take things to the next level, I highly recommend adding the wireless one that goes with the plus, or a wired sub of your own. Likewise, I wish that Sennheiser sold optional wireless rear speakers you could sync to the bar. It is amazing for surround sound on its own, but with dedicated rear speakers that could sync to the bar and calibrate, it would take the bar that much higher for those of us who want the option, since rear surround sound is always the hardest to emulate with virtualization. Overall though, it really is one of the best sounding all-in-one speakers I have ever heard, and will blow you away with what it can do when given the right material. If you want the one of the absolute best soundbars on the market today, and you don’t want to fill your room with speakers, you should definitely put this one high on your list.
I have owned several sound bars and home theater systems over the last 15 years, as well as some Sennheiser headphones and earbuds, and I am honestly blown away at what this soundbar is capable of.For the last 4-years I’ve been using a JBL 3.1 Soundbar in my living room, and a 10+ year old Sony HT-CT260. The Sony was a great value back in the day for the build and sound quality, having held up without issue over several moves from apartments to houses. The JBL, on the other hand, was something that I always thought sounded better on the showroom floor of Best Buy than in my house. Needless to say, I opted to replace my living room experience with one of the priciest soundbars on the market, the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus. While not Sennheiser’s flagship, that would be ... MoreI have owned several sound bars and home theater systems over the last 15 years, as well as some Sennheiser headphones and earbuds, and I am honestly blown away at what this soundbar is capable of.For the last 4-years I’ve been using a JBL 3.1 Soundbar in my living room, and a 10+ year old Sony HT-CT260. The Sony was a great value back in the day for the build and sound quality, having held up without issue over several moves from apartments to houses. The JBL, on the other hand, was something that I always thought sounded better on the showroom floor of Best Buy than in my house. Needless to say, I opted to replace my living room experience with one of the priciest soundbars on the market, the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus. While not Sennheiser’s flagship, that would be the even more expensive Ambeo Max soundbar, this thing did not disappoint at all.Out of the box you get the soundbar itself, a nice hefty remote, power cable, and a premium HDMI 2.1 cable capable of supporting eARC and UHD, HDR (including Dolby Vision). The remote even has little rubber pads on the bottom to prevent it from slipping off an armrest or coffee table. Setup was a breeze, and since my 4-year-old Sony 4K TV doesn’t support eARC, I continued setup with standard ARC and plugged both my Xbox Series X and Apple TV 4K right into the back two HDMI ports. It’s nice to know this supports the latest standards should I upgrade my TV in the future. Also, side note, the ENTIRE box and packaging, excluding the plastic handle, is fully recyclable so nicely done Sennheiser.Once booted up, I followed the instructions and downloaded the Sennheiser Smart Control app. This part was REALLY cool, in my opinion. The app and the soundbar’s built in microphones worked together to essentially SONAR my living room, bursting out digital soundbites and scanning how long they take to echo off the walls so that it can digitally place speakers around the room for a pseudo-7.1.4 Dolby Atomos experience. Other reviews I’ve seen call this a 5.1 system, and I agree based on the speaker setup of the unit, but in all honesty the sound beaming capabilities of this soundbar give Sennheiser a good argument for calling this thing a 7.1.4 system.The sound profile on this bar is phenomenal. I didn’t have a way to measure its sound curve, but to my ears, comparatively to both my JBL and Sony soundbars, this unit delivers such clear crisp clarity across all frequencies. My JBL really felt like the bar itself had very little bass and mid-range, and the sub would only really fill in the bass leaving the whole audio experience to feel a little piercing and just not at all full. That is the opposite on this soundbar, where I can clear here every frequency with superb clarity. The bass on this unit is quite substantial for its size and I was quite impressed, though I think it could benefit from pairing subwoofer to achieve a true home theater experience. For that I would suggest looking into either a wired subwoofer (which is very cool that this thing has an option for) or Sennheiser’s own Ambeo Sub that pairs wirelessly to the Ambeo Plus. Cheaper soundbars don’t generally give you the option to add a wired subwoofer, so you’re usually stuck with the one it comes with the unit, or one sold from the manufacturer designed to pair with your bar. The fact that they give you the option is very nice, especially since you’re already buying a +$1K soundbar and their wireless option at $600 retail is certainly not the cheapest option.The sound profiles that I used primarily were Normal, Movie and Adaptive, and I chose to leave the Ambeo setting turned on for most of my listening. The Ambeo setting is what essentially the magic behind the 3D listening experience of this soundbar. Most soundbars do a nice job with stereo and some Dolby Audio, but Dolby Atmos with the Ambeo setting turned on is just an incredible home theater experience. One of my first times booting up the unit was to play NBA 2K 2023, and the sound immersion was unlike anything I ever expected to get out of a soundbar. It literally sounded like I had speakers behind me, giving me a feeling of being in an NBA arena. Movies and TV shows sound even more amazing, and there’s TONS of content mixed in Dolby Atmos available on Netflix, Apple TV+, and tons of others. Heck, YouTube TV even supports 5.1 audio, so my general TV watching experience has been improved for content that supports it. Just incredible sound immersion.Some other things to consider with this soundbar:• I found that audio from my TV to the sound bar via HDMI ARC sounded worse than audio from devices directly connected to the soundbar. Turns out my TV had a setting turned on called Clear Audio Plus. Turning this setting off greatly improved my sound quality. There may be a similar setting on your TV to check if you aren’t getting the sound profile you are expecting.• I personally bought the Ambeo Sub to pair with this bar, and I would highly recommend it. This bar can support pairing up to 4 wireless Ambeo Subs, which may be overkill for some and useful for others. It just adds that little bit of low end it was missing.• If you do pair this with a subwoofer, or if you move, replace or add furniture in your room, then you’ll want to re-calibrate your soundbar to adjust to your new space/layout.• There were a handful of times the first day after setup where the app couldn’t find the soundbar on my network, but I haven’t had any issues since then.• You can link Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, and it also supports Chromecast. I haven’t used these features yet, I already have several home assistants around the house that it seems overkill to me to have it in the soundbar itself, though I imagine if you are casting content then you could use voice control to pause or rewind content.• This soundbar is Apple AirPlay compatible, and I loved this feature for listing to my Apple Music library while doing chores around the house.• The Ambeo Subwoofer is $599, on top of the $1,500 soundbar. Other wired options are available for much cheaper, but beware of degrading your overall experience by pairing a cheap sub with a high end soundbar.Sennheiser is known for audio quality, and they hold true with this offering. What this soundbar offers is the ability to basically add Dolby Atmos, not just surround sound, to your house or apartment without the need for rear speakers. That is incredible. Yes, you are paying a bit of a premium, but it’s a quality known brand in this space, and quite frankly you are getting incredible sound quality and features for the price.
It probably goes without saying that built-in television speakers are atrocious. Nothing hurts the home theater experience like watching a movie on a 70"+ 4K television while listening to the audio produced by the television's built-in speakers.When you have the option, a receiver with a full 7.1 hardwired Dolby Atmos speaker setup is obviously the way to go. Considering the investment in such a system, however, in addition to the challenges with installing everything in an already finished room, soundbars have become a very nice option for improving the home theater experience through improved audio.This is the first soundbar I have ever owned. Prior to this, I actually used two Apple HomePods linked together through my Apple TV to provide audio in several of ... MoreIt probably goes without saying that built-in television speakers are atrocious. Nothing hurts the home theater experience like watching a movie on a 70"+ 4K television while listening to the audio produced by the television's built-in speakers.When you have the option, a receiver with a full 7.1 hardwired Dolby Atmos speaker setup is obviously the way to go. Considering the investment in such a system, however, in addition to the challenges with installing everything in an already finished room, soundbars have become a very nice option for improving the home theater experience through improved audio.This is the first soundbar I have ever owned. Prior to this, I actually used two Apple HomePods linked together through my Apple TV to provide audio in several of my rooms. I was hoping that a soundbar would provide a more elegant and less cumbersome or problematic solution as I would occasionally have issues with the HomePod stereo pair failing and hearing audio from only one speaker at a time.To begin, the unboxing process was stellar. Given that perception often defines our reality, I was very impressed with the quality of the box and how the soundbar was meticulously packaged. The directions were provided using icons and they seemed pretty clear... Use an HDMI cable to plug the source audio and video into the soundbar and then run a second HDMI cable from the soundbar to the television. That's all there is to it! Unfortunately, however, the ease of such a setup eluded me. I could plug the Apple TV into the soundbar and I could hear the audio. As soon as I plugged the soundbar into my television, however, the audio stoped and I had no picture.After about 30-45 minutes of troubleshooting (which was a little annoying given the cost of this soundbar), it appeared as though the problem was with my 70" Toshiba television. From what I could tell, the television was returning (or trying to return) an audio signal back to the soundbar through the ARC (audio return channel). There are three HDMI inputs on the television and this occurred regardless of which input I used. Further, in using the smartphone app (which I will talk about in a little bit), every time I plugged the TV in, the soundbar automatically switched inputs internally from the Apple TV (which had audio) to the television (which did not have any audio). I could try to switch the input back to the Apple TV manually through the app, but the soundbar always switched itself back over to the television. There was no way for me to "lock" the input from the Apple TV. When I switched the exact same setup to a computer monitor with an HDMI input and, subsequently, another television in another room, I did not experience any problems at all and things worked as simply as they should have from the start. As a result, I was a little annoyed that the primary television I was planning on using along with this soundbar appeared to be incompatible with the soundbar. (I even changed all of the settings on the television to turn of ARC and other remote device control features to no avail.) I was hoping that maybe a firmware update to the television would help, but there were no upates available (I was running the most current version of the television's firmware).With that problem out of the way (given an apparently incompatible television), the setup process was relatively simple using a smartphone app that you need to download through the appropriate android or Apple app store. The soundbar will perform a self-calibration in the room and I would recommend sitting in the center of the room while that is occurring because it absolutely blew me away how a soundbar at the front of the room can simulate surround speakers around the room. I heard sounds coming from the sides and behind me while it was calibrating knowing full well that the speakers were directly in front of me. Honestly, it was a little wild and impressive.Once setup, the soundbar worked seamlessly with my Apple TV and television, allowing me to control everything through the single Apple TV remote. When I turn everything on, the Apple TV, soundbar, and television all turn on. When I turn them off, everything turns off. When I adjust the volume through my Apple TV Siri remote (or my iPhone through the simulated remote), the soundbar volume adjusts accordingly. I also like the feature that will accentuate the dialogue through the center channel of the soundbar to help eliminate problems with the music, sound effects, and other audio overpowering the movie's or show's spoken dialogue. There are also settings through the smartphone app that allow you to select the type of listening experience you want, whether it be music, a movie, or you can let the soundbar determine that automatically for you. A limitation I noted, however, is that it is not possible to manually adjust these settings. The treble, bass, and other similar settings are not customizable (or, if they are, I have not been able to find where they can be customized).While this unit includes subwoofers, they are relatively small and, in my opinion, the bass produced by the soundbar is pretty paltry. It is possible to hook up a separate, stand alone subwoofer to the soundbar, which is something I am planning on doing because, when watching a movie, there really is no bass that helps you "feel" the audio as one would expect from a full home theater setup.So, in summary, one problem is that, until you purchase the soundbar and try to hook it up, you will not know if your television is incompatible with the soundbar. Assuming your television is compatible, however, the setup is very simple using the smartphone app and the soundbar performs its own customization and calibration for the space in which it is installed. The audio is crisp and clear, and the surround sound is incredible (in my opinion) for a system that has the speakers all sitting in one location at the front of the room. As far as audio quality is concerned, the soundbar sounds great but lacks that deep bass that you can feel when listening to music or watching a movie. If you are going to pick up a soundbar like this, I would highly recommend also buying a stand alone subwoofer to plug in to it to address that shortcoming.Again, this is my first soundbar, so I do not really have other soundbar experiences against which I can perform a comparison. Given that I previously used full-size (not mini) HomePods in a stereo pair for home theater audio, however, there really is no comparison. The audio sounds just as good, but the surround sound from the soundbar is simply superior to anything produced by the HomePods. (It is also possible to connect to the soundbar through bluetooth, I believe, which provides additional listening options that are not necessarily available through Apple-centric HomePods.) The soundbar does allow for two different HDMI inputs as well, so it is possible to use it across more than one audio source. (It is also a nice feature that the brightness of the lights on the soundbar can be adjusted as well, especially in a darker room.)So, what is my final verdict? If you have the ability to install separate, discrete surround sound speakers (including a subwoofer) within your room with a receiver, that is your best option for the best movie or television audio experience possible. Given cost and other limitations of doing so, however, having a soundbar is not a bad compromise that still remains light years ahead of using whatever built-in speakers you have in your television. This unit is expensive and provides great sound, but the bass is lacking and you may want to also buy a subwoofer to supplement the unit. After all of that, including the television challenges I experiences, I am still very happy with the soundbar (even though I am now using it in a different room because I am not replacing the 70" Sharp television hanging on the wall in my other room).
The AMBEOS soundbar could not have been easier to set up. The only connections required are the power cable and an HDMI cable (provided) to the ARC port on the TV. I found the Sennheiser app on my Android smartphone very intuitive and easy to use. It connects to the bar using BLE and from that point I could connect the soundbar to my Wifi network and I was all set. I did not have a subwoofer, but that looked like an easy setup as well. A firmware update was applied during the setup; it was taking a very long time and I was getting concerned there was a problem, but it finally completed and the setup finished. The setup includes doing a “room calibration” that optimizes the sound based on the size and shape of the room and what’s in it.There are a number of ... MoreThe AMBEOS soundbar could not have been easier to set up. The only connections required are the power cable and an HDMI cable (provided) to the ARC port on the TV. I found the Sennheiser app on my Android smartphone very intuitive and easy to use. It connects to the bar using BLE and from that point I could connect the soundbar to my Wifi network and I was all set. I did not have a subwoofer, but that looked like an easy setup as well. A firmware update was applied during the setup; it was taking a very long time and I was getting concerned there was a problem, but it finally completed and the setup finished. The setup includes doing a “room calibration” that optimizes the sound based on the size and shape of the room and what’s in it.There are a number of controls and settings, and most are available in three ways: buttons on the soundbar, the remote control, and the app. When connected to the ARC port, the TV can also control the volume.This replaced a decent but not high-end soundbar and the difference in sound was immediately apparent. It’s a very rich sound and I was also impressed at how much more clearly dialog comes through, even without using the voice enhancement option. And this is with standard streaming sources without advanced audio features.Our TV is not a recent model and doesn’t support some of the advanced sound codecs that the AMBEOS uses. So to see what the soundbar would really do, I connected our Blu-ray/DVD player to one of the HDMI inputs on the soundbar itself instead of to the TV. The soundbar was then fully handling the audio and forwarding just the video to the TV. When I put on a DVD with Dolby surround sound I was completely blown away. Sound seemed to be coming from points in the room where there is no speaker. However they do it, it is impressive!Another convenient feature that I made use of is that the AMBEOS appears as a Chromecast device on my network. I was able to add it using the Google Home app and it’s now possible to play music with a command as simple as “Play music on my soundbar”. This is a lot easier than connecting to it directly with Bluetooth since most music apps support the casting feature.Sennheiser has obviously paid attention to the smaller details as well. For one thing, the way the product is packaged in the box is very well done, with everything well protected and easily located. Another example is the remote that they provide. They have added weighting internally to give it some heft so that it doesn’t have the “cheap” feel of most small remotes. It’s very well done and has individual buttons for most of the commonly used features. The exception is the multi-function button at the top of the remote that can act as a mute or pause/play button depending on what audio connection is active, and has other functions if pressed more than once or held. Confusing to say the least.One negative issue is that it takes about 15 seconds (seems longer!) after turning on the TV before sound starts coming out of the soundbar (our previous soundbar came on almost immediately). Another problem is lack of documentation. The startup guide the type that is getting common, with a lot of Ikea-esque pictograms and not much verbiage. The best bet is to download the full user guide, which has everything you need to know, but is more difficult to find on the web than it should be. This is about the only way you would know what the various light colors and patterns on the control panel mean. In addition, their web site is a bit thin on offering tech support and seems more geared to standard customer support issues such as with orders. This product is a lot more complex than their traditional headphone range and they might want to provide a better tech support contact interface, especially at this price point.The sum-up is that, for a company not known to have many products in this market space, Sennheiser has done an outstanding job with this product with just a few opportunities for improvement.
The Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar is the type of soundbar that shines without an external subwoofer but when youadd your own decent subwoofer the soundbar itself tends to lose some of its advantage.For a bit of background I previously used a tried and true very expensive wired 5.1 surround sound system for over 15 years till bit by bit over the years my rear channels gave out and eventually my receiver started to fail. All I was left with was an absolute monster of a subwoofer (500w) and a couple of left/right speakers. It was at this point I converted to a soundbar setup. The only requirement being it had to have an aux subwoofer port to continue to use my excellent subwoofer.I have used three soundbars starting with a very inexpensive Vizio sub $100 soundbar ... MoreThe Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar is the type of soundbar that shines without an external subwoofer but when youadd your own decent subwoofer the soundbar itself tends to lose some of its advantage.For a bit of background I previously used a tried and true very expensive wired 5.1 surround sound system for over 15 years till bit by bit over the years my rear channels gave out and eventually my receiver started to fail. All I was left with was an absolute monster of a subwoofer (500w) and a couple of left/right speakers. It was at this point I converted to a soundbar setup. The only requirement being it had to have an aux subwoofer port to continue to use my excellent subwoofer.I have used three soundbars starting with a very inexpensive Vizio sub $100 soundbar before upgrading to a $250 Yamaha Yas-108 4 years ago and now the Sennheiser AMBEO. All three soundbars have an external aux port for a subwoofer. My review will reflect on price:performance along with compared to a proper, wired 5.1 setup.Arriving neatly packaged with a professional presentation, setup was quick and painless. It offers optical and HDMI in options which was nice and connecting it to my Sony 65" Z9F took less than 5 minutes (if that). It is not small by any stretch of the imagination and is much bigger than my Yamaha which in turn was much bigger than my Vizio.There is a firmware upgrade and using a Smart Phone and their app is pretty much mandatory but available free of charge.You use the app to not only update your firmware but also to "map" your viewing room (it works in tandem with the bar itself) and let it know you use an external subwoofer if so desired. The app is pretty easy to navigate.Once I had everything setup, I flipped on my AppleTV and started testing recently viewed programs that included Foundation, Carnival Row and Avengers Infinity War.PROS:One FANTASTIC feature of the Ambeo is the dialogue enhancement. One complaint I had about the previous two soundbars was absolutely dialogue enhancement and truly bringing it to the forefront for listening. The Ambeo makes it so front and center it stands clearly distinct from all the other ambient sounds without overpowering them. To me this is the star of the show. Dialogue is clear and distinct regardless of what is going on.Many small, nuanced audio details I could only pick up with a good set of headphones are now easily discernable with the Ambeo vs non-existent or sometimes muffled with my other soundbars. The Sennheiser shines with mids and highs and clarity. The seperation is top notch.Compared to the other soundbars, running the Ambeo by itself it more than passes the stand alone basic bass test and is worthy. It doesn't rattle and produces what I would call strong, average bass with decent punch. It doesn't compare to a competent, true, externally powered subwoofer but it provides enough to where if you are unable (or unwilling) to connect an external subwoofer, you will still get a good overall soundscape. It is nothing earth shattering, wall shaking or floor rumbling but will get the job done.The room mapping does allow the Ambeo to project and seperate the soundscape to some degree providing and richer and more immersive experience when viewing programs.I found many of the space scenes in Foundation were projected much more properly than my other soundbars.The Ambeo is clearly heads and tales above $80-$300 soundbars for highs and mids and lows in stand alone fashion with no external sub woofer.The remote is nice and oversized and solid to hold and use.CONS:The problem is once you do connect a good subwoofer, much of the bass advantage disappears as my same sub hooked up to my previous two soundbars provided equal amounts of punch and kick negating much of the advantages of the Ambeo low end reproduction. Running the Ambeo without an external sub and the difference is like night and day (Sennheiser does offer an external subwoofer for this model too) in regards to a true bass experience when watching cinema or listening to music. If you are considering a soundbar of this class and price, you might want to figure out if you plan to use an external subwoofer.Even with the firmware upgrade, I found myself sometimes having to turn it off and on several times to either work or recognize my Sony Z9F signal. I never had this problem with my Yamaha.While it maps your space for sound projection and immersion, I never once got a true surround sound experience or effect even remotely comparable to my true 5.1 setup. I can definitely hear and appreciate the sound processing and seperation and it is far better than my other soundbars but for a true surround sound experience you are going to need to purchase a real 5.1-7.1 setup. There just is no substitute.With all its advantages, it is still $1400.00 for a soundbar and I was getting 80% of what the Ambeo provided for 20% of the price with my Yamaha. The Ambeo is for someone where price is no object and you start heading into the, "I want the best of the best," echelon of Soundbars.SUMMARY:So where does that leave the Ambeo? While I love the voice enhancement, excellent high, mids and stellar sound, it can't compete with a real 5.1 system nor a real external subwoofer. If you are expecting a true surround sound experience or "deep and kicking bass" you will be disappointed. I found myself routinely enjoying it while also questioning if it was worth the premium price when a lower end sound bar coupled with a decent external subwoofer would offer much that is offered at less than half the price?On the other hand, if you're looking for a competent all in one soundbar that provides fantastic highs, mids and lows for what they can pack into an under the TV soundbar and do not desire that extended theatre like bass or true surround sound experience, you can't go wrong with selecting this Sennheiser Ambeo. Setup is a breeze, updating and calibration is quick and painless and it works fairly easy and straight forward and is most definitely a step about the lower tier sound bars on the market.
| Total audio power | 400W (RMS) |
