Philips will launch three new soundbars with the aim of boosting your TV’s sound, as well as being flexible to suit different installations.
The first model is the B8500, which launches in September. It’s a full width soundbar, 900mm wide, and is specially designed to integrate with TVs that have a flat plate/central stand such as the upcoming OLED810 and MLED950 screens.
The driver configuration is 5.1, though the five-channels are through the main soundbar body and not any rear or surround speakers, with 300W of power dedicated to the LCR (left-centre-right) speakers. Those main speakers feature 2.25-inch drivers while the side-firing channels to spread sound out and way from the bar have a single 2-inch driver.
The .1 is provided by a 150W-powered subwoofer, which can be positioned vertically or horizontally for what position is practical or looks the best in a room. There’s Dolby Atmos and DTS X / Virtual X support, with HDMI 2.1, Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity and 4K/120Hz pass-through for games. The B8500 can also be controlled either via the remote control or the Philips Entertainment App.
Next is the B8200. It’s the slimmest of the new soundbars Philips is offering, so while it’s 811mm wide, it’s only 37mm tall and 42mm deep; ideal for TVs with central stands or TVs that crouch closer to the surface.
Sound is produced through the separate tweeter and racetrack driver in this 2.1 system. Power is 160W, with each speaker in the main bar receiving 15W (60W in total) and the accompanying twin driver subwoofer featuring 120W of power. Like the B8500, the subwoofer can be placed horizontally or vertically.
Dolby Atmos and DTS: Virtual X are supported, and the rest of the specs mirrors the B8500 with HDMI 2.1 eARC, Bluetooth 5.3 streaming and operation via the remote control or app.
The third soundbar that was announced at the TP Vision 25 event was the B6100. This model is designed to be the compact version, the one you’d go for if you’re short of space and have a TV that’s 48- to 55-inches in terms of screen size.
It too features a main bar and subwoofer, with 40W of power dedicated to each of the two speakers in the soundbar, and 120W reserved for the subwoofer. You get Dolby Atmos and DTS:X + Virtual:X compatiblity, HDMI 2.1 eARC and Bluetooth 5.4 streaming. As you can tell, the specs are consistent across the board, it’s the form factor and the flexibility it offers that’ll help in terms of which model you should go for.
At the TP Vision 25 event, we had a listent ot the B8200 and it sounded better than we expected for a slim soundbar. Clear and detailed but also warm in tone, with the subwoofer helping to drive a weighty sense of bass, we got the impression that the the new soundbars weren’t aiming for audiophile quality sound but an easy-going, listenable sound. The emphasis felt more on the practical nature of the bar, of being able to add one to whatever set-up you have in your home, a feeling that was more or less confirmed by Benoit Burette, the head of Audio Strategy and Product Planning Director at Philips Audio
No prices were announced for the new soundbars but they’ll be launching later this year, and we’ll be hoping to take a closer look when they arrive. In the meantime, keep an out for our review of the B6309 slim soundbar model that’s still available to purchase.
