I’ll be completely honest; upon getting the opportunity to review the AMBEO Soundbar Mini and AMBEO Sub, it surprised me just how little I knew about Sennheiser’s latest offerings, in which their new range looks seemingly set to challenge the best that both Sonos and Bose have to offer in the Hi-Fi audio department. While not as pricey as something like those aforementioned brands, we’re definitely getting close. But even at A$1299.95, the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Mini might be one of the most compact, minimal and best-sounding alternatives we’ve ever had the pleasure to review.
The optional additional AMBEO Sub might also cost a pretty penny at A$1,119.95 but certainly provides enough bang for your buck when it comes to booming lower levels across the sound stage. We’ll do our best to touch on all the features both products have to offer but I will leave this sub until last.
The AMBEO Soundbar Mini
This option actually sits at the bottom of the Sennheiser soundbar hierarchy, with the AMBEO Soundbar Plus sitting at A$2499.95 and the AMBEO Soundbar Max sitting at a whopping A$3999.95. That being said, the AMBEO Soundbar Mini still has a lot to offer. You’re still getting a 7.1.4 soundbar with Dolby Atmos support and state-of-the-art AMBEO virtualization, which helps bounce sound around the room. You’re also getting a bunch of ways to connect and interact with it, including advanced AMBEO OS connectivity via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Amazon Alexa and even Google Chromecast.
The design of the AMBEO Soundbar Mini is also incredibly sleek and minimal. While I intend to wall mount my 65″ LG CS OLED TV at some point in time, it currently sits on my TV unit, with a heavy central stand that is also incredibly low and sleek, but a little too low for most soundbars. Thankfully, the AMBEO Soundbar Mini is the first soundbar I’ve managed to fit under there without covering a small portion of the lower screen. The all-black design and fabric front certainly keep things on the down low, with onboard controls up top for volume, input and microphone control.
The AMBEO Soundbar Mini even outputs 250W (RMS) of power, which is impressive considering this is their smallest option. The 7-channel sound stage also does a great job at bouncing sound around the room, which benefits from the acoustic three-minute calibration via the Sennheiser Smart Control app. You can certainly get louder soundbars at this price, but there’s plenty working in this soundbar’s favour to keep things clear and crisp at all volume levels, free from any distortion and crackling.
The AMBEO Soundbar Mini includes front-firing 1.6-inch left and right speakers, angled side-firing 1.6-inch left and right speakers, and up-firing 4-inch left and right woofers. The woofers generally falter as the weakest part of the experience, but it’s only really because the sub makes that much of a difference when on. The AMBEO virtualization technology aims to deliver that 7.1.4 home theatre alternative, without having to fill the room with extra cables and speakers. It even supports additional 3D sound codecs like Dolby Atmos, DTS X, MPEG-H, and 360 Reality Audio for some impressive compatibility. Unfortunately, the soundstage felt a little too small for my 65-inch TV. But at the same time, even Sennheiser recommend this for smaller 55-inch and below panels.
The AMBEO Sub
The 8-inch AMBEO Sub is also minimal and sleek, but certainly packs a punch with 350W of down-firing power, providing some solid bass for the entire AMBEO Soundbar range. But it’s far from overkill. It’s optimised for 2.0 stereo when listening to music and even utilises AMBEO mixing for up to 5.1 virtual surround sound when watching movies. It’s incredibly balanced when watching most things, however, providing some deep thundering claps, without overpowering the sound stage. This does admittedly have much to do with the quality of the soundbar, but I’ll give it a pass nonetheless.
While we’ll touch a bit more on the Sennheiser Smart Control app later, it’s worth noting here that Night Mode can be activated to keep the sub free from heavy bumps and thuds late at night, particularly when watching movies or gaming. While I normally use a headset late at night when gaming, I thought I would give this feature a try while my partner was sleeping. And no complaints here. It keeps things to a low rumble but still manages to feel incredibly balanced at the same time.
The AMBEO Soundbar Mini brings the inbuilt woofers from 50Hz at mid-levels to 100Hz at higher levels when used on their own. The beauty of the AMBEO Sub, however, is that it cranks those levels at only 30Hz, and quickly throws those lower notes into the stage at 50Hz, meaning the soundbar never has to compensate for things to sound natural and even accurate. While I can’t imagine anyone pairing up to four of these things with the AMBEO Soundbar Mini (which it strangely allows), the noticeable difference a single sub makes certainly justifies the existence and pairing of the AMBEO Sub.
Software
For the sheer amount of inbuilt and additional 3D sound codecs both of these products support, there’s plenty to do within the Sennheiser Smart Control app. Both the soundbar and sub are easily paired once you’ve connected to Wi-Fi and set these up, but I would also recommend updating the firmware and conducting the three-minute acoustic calibration to get the most out of the experience moving forward.
HDMI eARC users will only need to use their remote for volume control, but it can be controlled via the app if the remote is too far. You can switch between HDMI and Bluetooth inputs and even select between presets for things like music and movies, which amplify different channels and areas of sound throughout the room. I found the standard Adaptive preset worked best in the end anyway.
Another huge feature that is becoming increasingly more popular is dialogue clarity. Via the Voice Enhancement option, users can boost the dialogue through select channels, making dialogue come across clearer and louder, without having to adjust the overall volume levels. While I’ve been using it in Sonos soundbars and appreciate it there, it simply works wonders here, as it rarely overpowers the balanced sound stage. Beyond this, you can also toggle the AMBEO experience on and off, which essentially provides that simulated surround sound throughout the viewing area.
Final Thoughts
While the steep price might weigh heavy in the minds of some, there’s certainly plenty of value to be gained from either the AMBEO Soundbar Mini, or AMBEO Sub, or simply pairing the both of them. The soundbar’s sound stage is certainly better suited to smaller TVs (55-inch and below) but holds its weight on slightly larger panels, as it did on mine. But through support for multiple 3D sound codecs, 7.1.4 channel support and a nifty and easy-to-use Sennheiser Smart Control app, this is certainly one of the best mini soundbar options and general pairings on the market today.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Excellent audio quality; 250W (RMS) power from a small design; Sub works great a lower levels; Easy to use companion app
Lowlights: Steep price point; Weak soundbar woofers
Manufacturer: Sennheiser
Price: A$1299.95 (AMBEO Soundbar Mini) and A$1119.95 (AMBEO Sub)
Available: Now
Review based on unit supplied by Sennheiser.
