Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus: The world’s first 7.1.4-channel standalone soundbar
Significantly cheaper than its predecessor, the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus delivers 7.1.4-channel sound in style
Those looking to add a premium soundbar to their home entertainment system this September are spoilt for choice following the announcement of the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus.
Just two days after Bang & Olufsen revealed the world’s most expensive standalone soundbar – the Beosound Theatre – in Berlin last week, Sennheiser unveiled the Ambeo Soundbar Plus at an offsite IFA event of its own. It’s the follow-up to the German manufacturer’s Ambeo Soundbar, which received our Recommended award back in 2019, and is cheaper and smaller than its predecessor despite being the Plus model.
Sennheiser has rebranded the original Ambeo Soundbar the Ambeo Soundbar Max and will continue to sell it at £2,199, while the Ambeo Soundbar Plus is available to preorder now for £1,299, with the bar officially available from 22 September.
So what does that £1,299 get you? Well, for starters, the Ambeo Plus is the “world’s first” 7.1.4-channel standalone soundbar, so it promises to deliver a highly immersive experience. Dual 4in subwoofers handle low-end frequencies and are complemented by seven 2in full-range drivers and three virtual channels, with the whole system capable of outputting 400W (RMS).
The Ambeo Soundbar Plus supports all the advanced audio formats you’d expect from a premium bar, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and 360 Reality Audio, and also features built-in Chromecast and Alexa, support for AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect. In addition to those wireless connection options, the Ambeo Soundbar Plus incorporates an HDMI 2.1 (eARC) output, two HDMI 2.0 inputs, AUX and optical inputs and a USB port for supplying power to external devices.
That’s an impressive resumé and one that benefits from room and auto calibration sound technology, EQ presets, upmixing of stereo content and easy control via Sennheiser’s Smart Control app.
Like the B&O Beosound Theatre, the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus is modular, with the option to connect up to four newly launched Sennheiser Ambeo Subs to the setup for even greater bass response. Each Ambeo Sub houses an 8in woofer in a sealed enclosure, costs £599, and extends down to 27Hz while also supporting the same room calibration technology as the Ambeo Plus.
Sennheiser employed a rather interesting approach when creating the Ambeo Soundbar Plus: it exposed animals at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa to various frequencies and used their reactions to inform the bar’s tuning.
Quite how this will translate to a home audio experience when the bar is in your living room remains to be seen, but we hope to have a review of the Ambeo Soundbar Plus soon, so check back soon to read our thoughts on Sennheiser’s latest home audio solution.
In the meantime, be sure to stop by our roundup of the best soundbars on the market today or, if money is tight, our pick of the best budget soundbars, all of which are available for under £300.