Well, you don't have to wait for IFA 2022 to see Sennheiser's next soundbar in its impressive Ambeo family - you can find out more on Amazon now. Or, at least, it could at the time of writing - we'll explain all the key features below in case it's gone before you see it.
Here's the listing for the new Sennheiser Ambeo soundbar (Opens in a new tab), and here's the listing for a new optional accompanying mini subwoofer (Opens in a new tab).
Featured by user djsimmz and posted on AVSforum (Opens in a new tab), the new Sennheiser Ambeo soundbar features seven full-range drivers to deliver 3D sound, plus two four-inch in-bar subwoofers to make an all-in-one device. in one with good bass.
3D sound was the trick the original Sennheiser Ambeo 3D was so famous for, but it was huge and very expensive. It's still a favorite among home theater enthusiasts (and writers) who have tried it, but the best soundbars these days are much cheaper and still offer great Dolby Atmos 3D sound, so it's hard to recommend to many people here in 2022.
This is where the new version comes in, presumably. We can't see the prices at the time of writing, but djsimmz points to a price of €1500, which would make it a very high end for a soundbar, but that's not out of line with the best single model options. body like Sony. HT-A7000 or Devialet Dione at all.
But this is where the new Ambeo goes crazy. It doesn't have to be a one-piece soundbar. As mentioned above, Sennheiser will obviously also be selling the Ambeo Sub, which will be a small subwoofer unit with a single eight-inch driver. While the soundbar alone will be able to hit bass depths of around 37Hz, the subwoofer will drop it down to around 27Hz, according to Amazon's listing.
Of course, adding a wireless subwoofer is nothing out of the ordinary. So how about the fact that you can add up to four Ambeo Subs to work with your soundbar? And remember there are still two subwoofers in the soundbar!
The listing says that the Ambeo system will automatically calibrate the sound of the subwoofers to match their placement in your room, so you'll get a great balance of bass from the entire setup.
There will also be an app that allows you to customize sound modes and more for all settings. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are supported, along with the rarer 360 Reality Audio format. For music, you can stream via Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, Spotify Connect, Tidal, and Chromecast.
Why four submarines?
The ability to add multiple subwoofers to your setup might sound strange, but it's a sign that Sennheiser is making this system to high-end expectations, despite being a bar-based system.
The thing about low-frequency sound is that, assuming it's calibrated correctly and doesn't rattle walls, it doesn't actually travel very far compared to mid- or high-pitched sound waves.
I recently visited a home installations showroom with an elite home theater setup: a high-end laser projector, elaborate Bowers & Wilkins speaker system, comfortable chairs for about 8 people...get it? This system had four subwoofers, one in each corner, because that's the only way to ensure even, undirected bass reaches everyone in the room.
So it seems that Sennheiser is really thinking of the modern home cinema enthusiast here. Someone with a large living room and one of the best 4K projectors or maybe one of the best 85-inch TVs, but wants to be able to easily hide the subwoofers, which they can do, because the Ambeo Sub has the same volume size as the the subwoofer you get in the ultra-compact Yamaha SR-C30A.
Maybe you don't want four, maybe you just want two for the best bass experience with your 55-inch TV. Or you can just stick with the built-in bass if you prefer things neat.
I think it all sounds great, and given the pedigree of Ambeo's soundbar heritage, I'm expecting big things here.
In fact, you have to wonder if that will take some of the punch out of the sails of the vaunted Sonos Sub Mini - the original Sonos Sub can be used alone or in pairs, so assuming the Sub Mini is the real deal, it's worth it. better to at least offer the possibility of two working together now…