In its size class, the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus is one of the best loudspeaker bars that can be placed under a television. It delivers an excellent sound in every discipline, conjures up a respectable virtual surround sound with Dolby Atmos and is very versatile.
Three years ago, Sennheiser introduced the mighty Ambeo Soundbar Max, which was a dream for home cinema enthusiasts but also extremely expensive at 2500 euros. With the Ambeo Soundbar Plus, the luxury loudspeaker bar has now received a more compact and 1000 euro cheaper successor. In the practical test, the newcomer convinces with an outstandingly good sound for films, series, games and music. In addition, the soundbar with Dolby Atmos produces an amazingly good virtual surround sound and is very versatile with a wide range of equipment.
With dimensions of 105.1 x 7.7 x 12.1 centimeters, the Ambeo Soundbar Plus fits perfectly under a 50-inch television. A total of seven loudspeakers are housed in the slim housing, five 2-inch full-range drivers and two 4-inch woofers. According to the manufacturer, the soundbar should thus represent a complete 7.4.1 home cinema system.
This is made possible by Sennheiser's Ambeo technology, which creates virtual surround sound. If films or series offer Dolby Atmos, this goes so far that ideally you can experience a three-dimensional sound as if real satellite loudspeakers were distributed in the room.
The connection options of the soundbar leave nothing to be desired. In addition to the TV HDMI connection (eARC), there are two other HDMI sockets, an optical input, a USB connection, AUX sockets and the option of connecting an external subwoofer via cable. There is also a LAN connection if WLAN is not available. External devices can also connect via Bluetooth, the Ambeo Soundbar Plus is compatible with Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect and Google Chromecast.
Sennheiser provides a full remote control for control, but the soundbar can also be controlled via the touch surfaces on its top or the associated app. And if you want, you can also activate the digital assistants from Google or Amazon for voice control.
In order to ensure optimal surround sound, the soundbar places the speakers virtually in the room, for which it needs to know its acoustics. That's why it's best to do a calibration first after you've connected it. The soundbar measures its surroundings by emitting different sounds and evaluating the reflections received via integrated microphones.
An Xbox Series X and the latest Apple TV 4K, both of which are Dolby Atmos-enabled, were used for the test. Since the connected television cannot do this, the sound from the devices was routed directly to the soundbar with an HDMI switch (Feintech VAX04101). The two HDMI ports are not an alternative since their standard 2.0 is not compatible with Dolby Atmos.
The sound of the Ambeo Soundbar Plus is actually great cinema for the ears. It is extremely clear and very defined, as is also the case with Sennheiser's top headphones. Nothing is muddy, even at high volumes there doesn't seem to be any interference. Voices are crisp and clear, every detail is heard and spread across a large space, especially when Ambeo is on. The basses are also very powerful for a soundbar, but an additional external subwoofer is still recommended to really go deep.
In the test, Sennheiser's new Ambeo Sub was responsible for the bass. It's a perfect complement, because it doesn't create a powerful bang, but works in a controlled and dosed manner. That means when action is called for, he lets it rip without rattling. In quieter scenes you hardly notice him in front of the TV, although his very low frequencies are very present. Unfortunately, around 700 euros are extra due for the sub.
The diversity of the soundbar is amazing, which not only sounds excellent with games, films and series, but can also easily replace the stereo system in the living room. The soundbar usually determines the best settings independently very well. But you can also select film, news, sports, music or a neutral playback in the app or by remote control. It is also possible to emphasize speech or reduce bass in night mode.
When playing games, films or series with Dolby Atmos, the soundbar actually produces surround sound. For this, however, the television must be placed appropriately and there must be as few obstacles as possible in the way of the sound. The virtual 7.4.1 system can only be guessed at in a corner under a sloping roof, as in the test room.
It was only when, after a temporary conversion - fortunately the TV has a platform with casters - a waterfall rushed through the room, did you hear the car behind you or debris from explosions flew past your head. Even under ideal conditions, the soundbar cannot replace a real surround system, but it comes pretty close.
All in all, the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus is currently one of the best soundbars you can buy - especially if you are looking for a compact solution for surround sound. However, it is very expensive and before you buy it, you should think twice about whether the TV, player and space have the requirements to be able to use all the possibilities of the versatile soundbar.
