Love my ambeo. Got it paired with a svs sb3000. Worth the upgrade. Only negative is it can be querky. It will freeze and need to be unplugged and there are issues with the center channel dying. Had it happen twice but Sennheiser has replaced it both times. Even after the warranty ended
Yeah, I’ve since heard about the center channel issue. That’s great that Sennheiser replaced it after the warranty, though! And paired with an SB-3000?! NICE! 🤘
@@ealanosborne agree rear speakers would be great but would require a whole new sound bar. Would also love if all HDMI ports were 2.1. Only the earc is. Loved your review
Excellent detail review as always! How about providing surrounds??? Plus you get to choose any sub! That will be a tough system to beat. Anyway, great content. Julio
Providing surrounds would require sennheiser completely rework their absolutely stellar calibration. Since soundbar and rears would be in tonally very different acoustic environments, creating virtual speakers will be much harder.
I have owned this bar and it is amazing for a single bar solution. If Sennheiser had added the ability to add optional rear speakers, wireless(preferably) or otherwise, it would've put over the top and I would still have it. Hopefully the next model will remain as it is with the rear speaker option and full bandwidth HDMI 2.1.
@@ealanosborne Are you reviewing passive soundbars? I thought I heard you say on a podcast that you would be doing a review on the Golden Ear SuperCinema bar... I have a Klipsch Heritage Theater Bar in my living room and I love the concept as well as the sound and ability to simply upgrade the AVR later. Having gone all in on Emotiva Speakers this past summer, not knowing what a ribbon tweeter sounded like, I'd love to hear the Golden Ear bar, preferably the XL, in conjunction with my Emotiva height and surround speakers. I do enjoy the sound of the speakers, a lot, but It would be nice to clear up floor space in my basement aka office, laundry room, media room... Side note Golden Ear was/is based about an hour or so from me in Baltimore
The ambeo is only good if you have a small to medium non open concept room with 8 foot ceilings. Don't believe that it will sound like 3d as if somehow the bar which is sitting in front of you will some how magically make it sound like there are speakers behind you.
Great review, thank you. I've got the smaller Ambeo plus but I've paired it with a Kef KC62 subwoofer. Sounds absolutely fantastic still and really happy with it. The max was just a but too big and as you state lack of wireless technology, i didnt want to take the gamble that rears may only be available for the plus and mini and the max gets advertised as the "all in one" solution. Would love for you to do a side review of the plus with a third party sub. Wouldn't bother with the Ambeo sub just doesnt have the grunt. :)
Thanks for this. I really wanted a real world review of this. A couple of questions. 1) Can a fire stick be plugged into one of the inputs and the output then plugged into a (no earc) projector with (a very long) Hdmi cable. 2) you didn’t mention the differences between the max and the other variants. What are they? Anything that would affect the buying decision?
1) Correct, the bar itself acts as a mini AVR, so to speak, so you could have a Fire Stick plugged into one of the HDMI inputs and use the HDMI out simply as means to send out a video signal. 2) I touched on the differences a little, about how the Plus and Mini are newer, so they support the new wireless Ambeo subs, whereas the Max only supports a wired subwoofer (of your choice). Other than that, the Plus and Mini are just smaller versions of the Max with less power than the flagship. But the Plus in particular might have a slightly better overall immersive soundstage, given that it’s listed as a 7.1.4 system, with the Max being 5.1.4. 🤷♂️
I’ve had this bar for 2 years. Having come from bowers panorama and sony ht5000, I’m still surprised by the sounds I discover when I play a movie I haven’t seen / listened to with this bar
I have to disagree here. When it comes to sound clarity. The Dragon wins hands down. It's amazing the things you hear with the Dragon. I was watching the scene of a movie. The main characters was out on the street talking. It was the things happening around them you never noticed. The vocals in soft spoken scenes was crystal clear. Then when it comes to music. Watching the old unplugged performances was like being there. The next thing is the firmware upgrades. Unlike other manufacturers. You don't get this. Next up. The Dragon is the only speaker system with AVR DOLBY ATMOS. Yes their is a difference in Dolby ATMOS.
nice that you gave the dimensions / specs .. now what is that in proper terms ? I had to go look i up .. just a fraction under 127cm and weighs 18.5 kg ../ what's it like to be so backward you still carve your own tablets .. I guess you've heard of this new thing .. the "wheel" ?
That’s what’s missing from it. Rear upfiring speakers and update the HDMI to 2.1 4k120/8k60. Continue to allow me to choose my sub, or better yet…subs.
i am still going to stand by my statement.. and hear me out... $1500 is literally the CUT OFF point for a soundbar where you should just upgrade to an AVR.. $4000 for a soundbar is just asinine, and ive yet to hear a $4000 soundbar that sounds better than a $2000 AVR system/speakers.
I got a 2.1 system that sounds great. Elac unifi reference urb62 Goldenear supersub xxl Nad c 389 For t.v movies and music and man does this thing have awesomeness to it. It's around 5400 at retail but I got stuff scratch and dent or on sale for 4050 or so for everything and man it works well for music and t.v This to me is the proper way to replace a soundbar if planning on spending over 2k. Get a integrated amp with hdmi and 2.1. That's a great middle ground imo. Which is what I rock.
@warmfreeze, opinions are like a-holes, everyone has one and nearly all of them stink. Yours stinks. Most people aren’t willing to rip out walls to run wiring in their living room. You have a dedicated theater room, then fine…..use an AVR and buy the various speakers required. I know that in living room that’s part of an open floor plan, I’m not having all sorts of speakers on stands for people/animals to trip over, especially with all the wiring required. I want something more streamlined, without so much wiring. There’s no place for an AVR and a bunch of speakers in that space.
@@donrichter3523 i was living in an apartment .. no holes.. there are a such thing as cable management that just sticks to the wall with 3m tape. 4 bookshelf speakers, center channel, celing mounted atmos speakers, reciever and a sub takes up about the same space.. if not less space because the only thing that was on my entertainment center was the receiver and center channel.. Just because you lack some imagination and knowledge doesn't mean i am "wrong"
@@countonme9893 to each their own, but you can pair any subwoofer to the Ambeo. And you can use two with a Y splitter 🤷♂️. All Sennheiser has to do is add rear speakers as an option and game over for the Dragon in my opinion.
I feel Samsung 990c is mini dragon. For 1300$ u some amazing sound from sound bar and surround back with height and 1 sub. I was blown away by the sound especially with Blu ray atmos soundtrack that I sold my cheap 7.1 speaker set up & Av receiver.
I both have the Q990C and the Dragon. I agree regarding the Q990C being a mini Naka dragon. Q990C is the best overall soundbar for the price especially if you can get it for $650 under Samsung EPP discount. But my Nakamichi dragon dethroned my Klipsch Atmos 2 towers, center, 2 subs and 2 surrounds paired with Denon X32 sub eq from my theater room. The dragon delivers full immersion experience than my traditional 5.2.2 system especially when gaming. Overall I’m happy with both soundbar systems.
That’s basically what AirPlay does. Check out this post explaining how Apple basically has their own version of Spotify Connect built into their devices 👇👇 www.reddit.com/r/AppleMusic/s/AJUdXHYZMn
@ealanosborne BTW this is all for a room which is 5.20×3.80metre - so not an overly large room, where the bass would be diluted out my the sheer size of the room.
@@annonymous3948 Yeah, that’s the best part about these Ambeo soundbars is that you can add any subwoofer you want via an RCA cable. And yeah, the KC62 should do fine in your space, since it’s compact, yet gets down DEEP! 🤘
I just got the HT A9 and the SW5 sub for Christmas but my choices before getting it was the ambeo and the q990c, but the deciding factor for me choosing the A9 was the spacial sound mapping. I just had to hear what all the hype was about the SSM. Now, I'm not saying that I'm having fomo with the ones I didn't get but I will say that the HT A9 hasn't given me that WOW factor yet. I replaced a Roku sound bar pro with the Sub and 4 surround speakers making it a 5.1 surround system that to me worked for what it is, but I wanted to upgrade and now I have the HT A9. I'm still not sure yet if it is an upgrade but I think that the more I listen to it the better it's starting to sound. Still thinking about the ambeo max but my return period for the HT A9 is about up, so I guess I can live with it with out the fomo.
Since you’re sticking with the HT-A9, you might consider getting a Sony TV next for a possible future upgrade. That will allow you take advantage of their Acoustic Center Sync feature, having the TV itself be the center channel. It may be the cherry on top. 🤷♂️
I do have a Sony 85" in my theater room but I'm rocking a Vizio 75" with the A9. I'd really like to get a new Sony TV but it'll probably be next Christmas before I can do a TV upgrade. Here's hoping. Thanks
I tried the HT A9 for a week. And I have a Sony TV. The A9 was not doing what I needed it to do. I was more impressed with my friend's less expensive ( < $300 ) soundbar. I returned the A9 and bought the Ambeo Max and a SVS SB-3000 sub. Never been happier. At another location I have the Dragon but have yet to hook it up. I say pack up that Sony and go for what makes you happy, especially at these price points.
I also had underwhelming experience with HT-A9 considering the hype. Only movie soundtrack it wowed me was Dune (part 1) where it excelled by miles compared to my custom 7.1.2 setup (Yamaha Aventage 2080 AV). But that seemed to be its limit. Like you, I didn't even have any return period option, once bought, you need to put up with it. I'm considering the Sennheiser Ambeo Max but now again in dilemma as some folks are reporting issue with its center channel.
You really should be sitting closer to a sound bar and it really shouldn’t be that high. Which is why things didn’t sound like they were behind you or above you.
I have a living room set up the same as yours. To set up a AVR system would look “odd” with front speaker locations. So for watching movies? Which soundbar system would you go for?? IF you didn’t have another theatre with a AVR system to “compare” to also lol.
I might want to try the Ambeo Plus since it’s compatible with the wireless subs so I can place them in more discrete areas. I like to hide things as much as I can. I still need to test the Samsung Q990C (or the new Q990D) since I have a Samsung TV. 🤷♂️
@@ealanosborne I’ll patiently…impatiently wait for your reviews lol. My Yamaha AVR is 8 years old, along with Paradigm Cinema 110ct (just to give me something and that kids could damage accidentally lol). Since my living is similar to yours, I’m realistic about my new/next set up.
@@ealanosborneGet the Kef KC62 and add the wireless kit. The two pair really nicely off of each other and sound incredible. Heck if you have the money get two Kef subwoofers 😃
I've connected a KEF KC62 subwoofer to the Sennheiser Ambeo Max soundbar, the best all-in-one sound bar and the most immersive dolby atmos experience, with the smallest most powerful subwoofer which gets down to 11hz up to 90db.
@@ealanosborne could you do a review of the Sennheiser Ambeo Max with the Kef KC62 subwoofer please. Alot of people do not want speakers dotted all around their living room (either due to space, or because of aesthetics) and so the Sennheiser Ambeo Max provides an all-in-one option - that isn't just a lazy-persons surround sound set up, but is truly shockingly amazing (hence why it is the best sound bar on the market, even if you include those sound bars which come with rear surround sound speakers and subwoofers). But although the Sennheiser Ambeo Max can get down to 30hz, it doesn't "pressurise" a room like a dedicated subwoofer can. So when you pair the best soundbar with the smallest most powerfull subwoofer woofer, the soundbar goes from amazing, to astonishing. I think alot of people would pair the Sennheiser Ambeo Max with the Kef KC62, as the Kef KC62 takes up next to no space and if people (such as myself) are willing to pay £2300 for an all-in-one dolby atmos sound bar - in order to save space, then we won't think it too much to spend a further £1200 on subwoofer (I got mine for £900 brand new so it was a steal) that you can place behind a corner tv cabinet (as I have done) where you get all the sensation of chest thumping bass, but without compromising on space. These two go so well together, as they give you everything you want i.e. truly immersive dolby atmos experience, with chest thumping bass down to 11hz - up to 90db, without taking up next to no space while they do so. Please do a review of the two of them together, we really would appreciate your feedback as to what you think of the setup. The Kef kc92 is still small for a subwoofer, but the kef kc62 is ridiculously small, so you literally can tuck it away anywhere. Plus, ad its made from aluminium it is rock solid - weighing about 14kg.
Until I can afford a binaural microphone (which aren’t cheap), I’m never going to perform a sound test on RU-vid. It never translates well, sonically. Just my 2 cents.
The HT-A9 is great, when I’m home to use it. Phantom rear sound is solid, I can hear sounds bouncing off my popcorn ceiling without issue. The phantom center is pretty good but occasionally you’ll hear just the right channel for a second. I’m always on the road so I have just bought a ONN Blast 5.1.2 for my OTR movies and games. It packs quite a punch for the space and price.
im not knowledgable enough to know these things but im in the market for a soundbar and sound system and want to see my option this seems interesting but so is the dragon i was going to buy the dragon until i saw your remarks and want to know which option is best for me my living room is closed and the ceiling well it has decores and not flat it has square shaped designes walls arent flat more of a octogonal but the room is self is closed its a shed outside the house @@ealanosborne
Don’t waste your time with the Sony HTA9. The system has a defect in that any local wireless network will interfere with the signal to the speakers which causes the Sony speakers to cut out repeatedly. Sony is aware of the defect, but continues to sell the HT A9 system.
I have ambeo max for 3 years now. Unfortunately, now when i press the Ambeo button , I start to hear the voices muffled. Like something is off.. loke the center channel is ""burnt"". I try to contact them but not any luck yet... Does anyone know what happened?? Great video btw..
@@madpwnz You would think, right? I didn’t experience it during my review, even though it was a loaner that’s been passed around to other creators. But as soon as I posted the review, there were comments about the center channel muffling issue.
@alexsmith1207 yes, they pay for the delivery and the replacement. Way after the warranty, as explain thek everything. Ups came pick it up and in a week I had it back. In a brand new box with everything in. Super happy!
Its too bad this bar is plagued with a muffled center channel issue. Can happen within 1-3yrs of owning. Its all over AVS forum and reddit. Crutchfield also just had a recent review from a customer saying they bought it in 2020 and in 2023 it caught the muffled center issue. Good bar, just bad mechanics.
Since you're not bothered to translate your, unique to you, measurements in understandable metric ones for the rest of us I'll take the hint and skip your channel.