A relatively quick comparison of the Sennheiser Ambeo and Sonos Arc. Look further down for more in depth reviews. I talk about relative strengths and weaknesses and do an in depth sound comparison
I have both! for CLARITY and NATURAL REAL LIFE sound is the AMBEO! literally sonically it sounds much much more superior imo! Yes the Sonos has full surround but it doesn't truly add that much immersion and sometimes just adds distraction.... The Ambeo is super impressive for a stand alone soundbar with subwoofer
Ambeo is king! Will the Dragon conquer the Ambeo? Stay tuned and stay hungry, he he he. The Ambeo is bigger and allows for better mids. All these sound bars are not large and don’t provide mid’s, they rely on the cross over of the subwoofer. Where a pair of full range speakers are not capable of deep bass, they do a much much better job and have a warm sound that is very pleasing. And remember “win the game don’t put on no show”
I got a soundbar for the simplicity and an Arc based off your videos. My wife wasn't 100% on board, until she could connect to it over wifi through her iphone. Now, she loves it more than me.
I have the Sonos Arc and Ambeo. I managed to get a good discount on both and I’m glad I did as both are overpriced. The Ambeo sounds much better in every single way than the Arc. This video makes it sound like they are in the same league or somehow close in performance, but they are not. The Arc is good and the centre channel is fine but it’s upward firing speakers fail to deliver whatever they are meant to do. The Ambeo on the other hand succeeds where it is meant to, it can even simulate rear sound (it usually does this well with background noises rather than anything loud), meanwhile the Arc sounds like it is in front of you with the occasional high noise coming from the far left or right. If price is an issue, don’t buy either of these soundbars and go for something like a Philips B95/10 (or B97) as it’s a decent package and in terms of audio quality its around the same as the Arc with the added bonus of coming with a sub better than the sub3 and the sound bar itself has has better aluminium build quality instead of the wafer thin cheap plastic the Arc is made from. I know of so many people who accidentally put their thumb through the grill on their Arc when lifting it because it’s so delicate. If price isn’t an issue then you simply buy the Ambeo, because you want the best everything. I have a REL T5i sub with my one which works very well. But it’s fine without a sub. It won’t rumble the floor though, and that’s because you will have placed this on a table or wall mounted it, but trust me if you placed the Ambeo on the floor like you would a sub, it will shake the room. So it does deliver the bass, it’s just at a disadvantage that you wouldn’t place it on the floor. Think of it as a modified tower speaker tipped on its side.
Hey man thanks for this, appreciate the analysis. Could you expound on the “surround” capabilities of the Ambeo? How does it compare to an actual surround system? If one had to get this instead of surround channels, what would one expect. I had (well, still have) a surround system which I haven’t used for ages... and won’t for a while either, most likely, so it’s good to have an idea of what this can (or cannot) deliver.
@@kencur9690 Hi, I think if you had actual surround speakers on the sides or behind you, you would consistently get the surround sound without fail when it happens. But when the surround speakers aren’t in use you won’t get very much other than a bit of bass or low hum. Most films I watch usually use surrounds meaningfully around zero to three times per show on average so I don’t think they are worth it just for that. Video games probably make better use of surrounds over anything else and music won’t need them. The Ambeo will consistently utilise all its speakers for the best quality immersion and is the only soundbar which has upward firing speakers that work, but like surround they don’t get much use in movies. It’s like it conveniently plays to its strengths without slacking. In a way the Sonos Arc is similar to the Ambeo but it will not give you any virtual surround and it’s upward firing speakers don’t do anything. The Ambeo is the only Dolby Atmos soundbar that delivers Dolby Atmos. The others just tick a box on a spec sheet and require the listener to use their imagination. As for music, again the Ambeo soundbar works it’s magic and has offered the best music playback I’ve ever heard. It sounds better for music than my bluesound powernode (2021) and KEF LS50 Meta speakers for not much more money. When you add this to the Ambeo’s movie and game sound quality, it’s a clear win over any other soundbar and dedicated amp and speaker in its price. In summary, the Ambeo is a complete Hifi surround system which will deliver all the promises other sounbars don’t and will effortlessly sound better for music than a more expensive amp and speaker combo. In that regard it’s price tag suddenly goes from expensive to money saving. Edit: I forgot the mention the Ambeo app/ software is not very good and can result in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity issues. To overcome this you can use a external Bluetooth dac like the fiio BRA30 and/ or Sonos port (I have these connected to my one). Alternatively streaming through your TV or computer/ MP3 player or phone can overcome this at less cost.
@@shemsureshot wow, that’s a very comprehensive answer, thank you, though you touched upon my main question briefly. Could you just go slightly more in depth with regard to ”surround” capability of the bar itself? What I mean is the perceived surround, which many times is a gimmick but I have heard some better ones which manage to provide a somewhat surround-y sound despite the lack of physical channels. To be clear, I will not be using this with other speakers in a small room: I will not have true surround, but does the bar on its own present a semblance of it? In other works, how is the audio projection? Does it throw it far enough to create depth and a feeling of wide soundstage?
@@kencur9690 Thanks. I would say you get a good surround from the Ambeo in particular from the left and right of you. It’s hard to explain but it can make it sound like noises are coming from outside your room, on occasion I’ve even stopped the film and had to check! On occasion it can convince you there is sound from behind, for example on resident evil 8 when a door shuts behind you it sounds like it did. But I’ve only noticed it does a rear effect when gaming. I think it uses the upward firing speakers to simulate the rears. It’s surround effect can also be immersive, for example there is a scene in Loki where he is in a busy office. This actually sounded like I was in the room with him where I could hear all the background chatter and movements around me. It’s very clever how it does all this and I think this is the best surround system I know of, without physical surrounds.
@@shemsureshot that’s exactly what I was asking. Cause I read that it does, and the marketing from Sennheiser claims it does... but I don’t want to trust that by itself. So it seems that it’s true: you did experience that “from outside” sound. Impressive. I might get it, since, as you pointed out, for a small apartment it might be the whole setup, and therefore not as expensive as the price alone suggests. Thanks again!
OMG this video is phenomenal thank you for your time. WoW I'll buy the SONOS. I have the old Sonos bar and I was wondering if I should upgrade. After watching several videos, your video was much more or exactly what I was looking for. Putting on my headphones like you said made all of the difference 100%. Love the humor. Thanks 😊
Ambeo is clearly aimed at its target channel in home theater blockbuster music enthusiasts. (Or to graduate legacy sound bar users toward that kind of viewing consumption). The Sonos, I found, was a bit too tin sounding for voices, but excellent in speciality I will agree that the Sonos is the better overall value for MOST streaming consumption
Great video and your humor is very much appreciated. Many audio folks take themselves increasingly seriously. I would live a bose 700 soundbar + sun + 700 surrounds vs the Sonos Arc + sum + surrounds comparison.
@@neverenoughtech I think the bar to get between the Bose and the Sonos is dependent upon the room you have the sound bar in. In my case, we have a silly half/vaulted-ceiling room that would require the upward firing speakers to be massive to have any effective Atmos effect. The Bose fit the bill for us because we find it does most everything really well and where it lacks in Apple Music service, there is still Airplay. It's not perfect, but neither is the room we have it in. Go figure - houses are different.
Bro quite the opposite. You can’t judge sound off of RU-vid. Do yourself a favor and actually go to a magnolia supported Best Buy and compare these two soundbars. I guarantee the ambeo sounds much better.
Picked up the AMBEO today. Arc may be aesthetically better looking for home deco but audio re-production accuracy is just incomparable with the AMBEO. You get colored sound with SONOS if compared to the original source sound. Why I know this? I create content with the Ambeo VR microphone and guess which reproduce the recorded audio the truest as it was recorded.. It takes no guess work. If you're a looking to improve tv audio with simple connectivity, both systems are good with the eARC connectivity. But if you're looking to use older playback system formats like CDs or MD with Line In or Optical Input, you're out of luck with the Arc. Well you can, if you get their $449 port accessory. Sennheiser even lets you use 3rd party Subwoofers if you deem necessary. I'm happy with the Soundbar as it is. Adding sub and additional satellite speakers just tell how inadequate the sonos is if its calling itself a soundbar. I went with what I know gives the truest recording. And boosting volume up in default mode is more than adequate to make my living room rumble.
SO TRUE! Ambeo is super accurate! I love it! no replacement for displacement! the size of the AMBEO makes for the SOUNDSTAGE and just incredible movie experience and everyday experience! I paired it with an Martin Logan subwoofer with ARC room calibration and WOW! its just so clean and crisp!
You want theater sound you go for the Ambeo, not comparable to any soundbar on the market, it's 3D effect trumps any gimmick Atmos soundbar on the market, you get what you paid for and this system has been designed by engineers to fill a large hall.
Ended up going with the Arc, two Gen 3 Subs, and two Fives as rear surrounds. I like the flexibility of mixing/matching speakers, can upgrade/downgrade/add at anytime, easy to use app, and wireless placement of sub and surrounds for optimal placement. I like the one button select to add my Sonos Roam so I can listen to the news on the TV in the kitchen at a reasonable level without turning the volume up to +70% on the soundbar 35 feet away.
Actually what I heard was the mids are more natural on the ARC it also sounds more balanced, but the bass articulations are way better on the AMBEO , the AMBEO captures the space better.
The ARC 13.1 update for height sound adjustment paired with 2 sub gen 3s and 2 sl ones as surrounds is a match made in heaven..it gets really loud and sounds amazing best money I’ve ever spent👍
How noticeable is difference when height speakers volume is adjusted? I have q90r which supposedly had slightly worse Atmos effect then Sonos arc originally i wonder how much better is now?
Between these two i personally chose the Sonos Arc because for the price the sound is very good ..i don't think there is that much of a difference between Senheiser and Sonos .I think that Senheiser is good but not 2500$ good. Greetings from Romania and congrats for all the work you do and for the good humor you have!
I think the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar is so much better than the Sonos. You cannot tell even with your headphones on unless you hear them live side by side! Only then you can tell it for your personal taste. For my ears it's very clear the Sennheiser AMBEO is worth every cent! Even without a sub you'll get Dolby Atmos (if your source supports it). With Sonos on the other hand you'll have to add a sub (for about $ 800) and two more rear speakers (for another $ 1000) and you're still not where the Sennheiser AMBEO is! :D Of course Sonos has a multi-room system but I don't care about it. ;)
@@neverenoughtech Comes with the territory. You have more bars than the French Quarter in New Orleans. I do plan to buy this year but still waiting for 5.1.4 ATMOS, EARC, reliable operation, quality DSP’s. So far no one is hitting the sweet spot for me. Hoping someone puts it together.
@@BubbleMayhem Not yet. I think this years crop is just now releasing. The Samsung Q950A looks promising but waiting to see if it’s plagued with drops and disconnects like its predecessor.
I have tried various sound bars and now have an Arc w/ sub. My struggle has always been with dialogue. I’m sorry you didn’t spend more time comparing the differences using dialogue. I think the big take away is feature set. With only one HDMI on the Arc it’s a big design flaw.
Have you tried any of the more expensive Samsung atmos bars? I find them very good with dialogue, i have the q96r , have a/b with an Arc and for me It's no contest the q96r sounds so much better.
@@ScoobaGreek thanks. What I’m wondering is, does the tv effect the SQ having to run HDMI into Arc then to sound bar. That’s why a sound bar with pass through would be nice.
@@CarlosPerez-eb5er Oh okey! yes i second that, very big and stupid design flaw , i guess Sonos/Apple always want to be special, "simplicity" is not always the best way. I don't know if the tv itself effect the SQ, i know with earc you have losless SQ so i really think the quality from the playing source is the biggest factor not the tv itself. But this is only my own throught and experience im not an expert :).
@@ScoobaGreek I am now using a Bose SoundTouch 300 I had before the Sonos Arc replaced it. To my surprise the Bose is doing a better job with dialogue. Bigger is not always better. The Bose does lack some features the Arc has but a least one HDMI and Arc pass through.
Hard to give an opinion here because we are listening to a recording of a speaker and listening thru different devices. I think you should give your final thoughts from hearing in-person.
Obviously but they are compared on the same listening device. He is not reviewing audiophile nor the quality of the sound by itself. You can clearly hear the difference between the two.
Always strikes me as somewhat amusing when video creators release audio comparison clips between two much higher quality speaker systems than what I actually own over something like RU-vid which compresses the sound. Still at the same time, I also appreciate the anount of effort the author put in trying to convey the differences to us.
it's valid if it's a comparison video like this one, because then both of the system is on the same playing ground and you can pick up the difference from there.
Some of us do own higher end speakers than these, and since soundbar tends to sound worse than normal speakers costing significantly less. I don't think it apply tobthis video. Now there is a sound comparison demo between HE1 and Shangri-la Sr... That is tough to have a system to listen to that.
I had decided I was getting the Ambeo or the Q950T. If you want theater effect those two seemed like the best. I just happen to find $700 off on the Ambeo before a good Q950T sale.
Tbh I'd rather you just tell us which one do you prefer for each use and I'll take your word for it, since with all the compression and alteration that happens to the sound from your capturing device to the video editing software to the youtube compression to my headphones the sound is gonna be nothing like what you're actually hearing, so these sound comparisons aren't really much useful. It's fine if you wanna do them, but I'd rather you not "let us decide" which one sounds best since we can't compare them nearly as well as you can having them in front of you, tell us your own preferences and I'd rather trust those than what comes out of my cheap headphones.
Yeah ... I hear you. Bar to bar the Ambeo offers more sonic intrigue - but Ambeo sound is also more prone to go off the rails - requires more babysitting to craft peak sound - more buggy - if price is not a major consideration it’s still not a cut and dry decision.
Another Great video thank you. 😊 Sonos has upped their prices at least here in the UK where the Arc has jumped from £800 to now £900 which is steep I think, has it been increased by the same amount in the States? I’m glad I got my Arc when I did at £800, I’m saving for the Sub now 😊
This comparison has pointed out that neither soundbars are acceptable without a subwoofer. They both sound fine, and I don't really hear a $1700 difference without more auditioning. So I'd pick Arc + Sub + (One SL's x 2) for the same price.
The Ambeo gives you marginal benefits with significant babysitting ... this is assuming you don’t want surrounds - in which case well obviously real surrounds win that game
the $1700 difference requires the perfect room conditions (perfect square, low ceilings). dont buy the bar if you can take advantage of its use. even Sennheiser explains in the manual how everything needs to be before connecting.
what was the sound setting on the tv w/ sonos? Since you said, it does not play DTS? That will alter the comparison as the signal being accepted by both soundbars are different, right?
I have had my ARC for 4 months... paired with sub and ones.. ive never been blown with the sound the ARC, always find it very tinny sounding even with a sub... its an average soundbar for me.
Facts. I literally don’t know what people are hearing when they review this soundbar. I literally think they’re doing something we don’t know about. But when I went in the magnolia store yesterday. The ambeos sound significantly better. If I had to grade the sound and sound stage on these two. I would give the ambeo a 10 for sound quality and 9 for sound stage. Keep in mind it’s just one sound bar. And I would give the arc a 7 for sound quality and 6 for sound stage.
Yeah, the Arc itself is basically a centre channel speaker with a bit of range on the left and right. It can’t do bass so the sub is essential and the Ones don’t do lows very well. You might find it better to link the Arc with a pair of Fives as rears to help get some actual depth to your sound. It’s as if the Arc deliberately lacks anything to encourage you to buy more upgrades. It’s good but overrated.
@@1youngkash Yeah I have them both and can’t understand how the Arc is made out to be somehow an alternative in the same league as the Ambeo. It makes no sense!
I love Sennheiser, best headphones I've ever owned, but that thing is just ridiculous 😂 Also, you don't have nearly enough subs. Fantastic channel sir.
the difference you hear at 14:30 is not the ambeo try to overule the sonos(bragging or a trick) it is REAL dolby atmos the way it should be heared but less people have experienced because it is not a mainstream experience. the ambeo does not use software to process atmos like the sonos(and almost any soundbar), it has a real dedicated Dolby chip build in, a chip they had to went to dolby for, a chip only sennheiser and Nakamichi (dragon) have in their product. it is how Dolby want you to hear Atmos at its best, it is like the movies are recorded. this is the commin mistake in comparisson vids, you can't even compare these two, maybe only for music, then again soundbars pretty much suck for music, they are build for movies, the rest is versatile option. you need components for music period.
My problem with a lot of soundbars is many had music in the movies that was too much louder than the dialogue on some movies or scenes. Especially Atmos movies. But then I think Klipsch and Sonos have the opposite problem. Dialogue in those seems too overpowering and I don’t get enough immersive effect. I wish they had a slider to adjust it. LG had options to have volume for each speaker on my last LG bar but the dialogue was too weak still.
I owned the Sonos Arc and sub, and after fiddling with a lot of settings, I just could not for the life of me hear dialogue that clearly. It had a really BIG sound but the dialogue got buried in the highs and the bass, it seemed. I now have the Q990B, and I can make out dialogue 95% of the time and no longer need subtitles. The Sonos definitely had a bigger, cleaner sound. And was much better for music. But for anything with dialogue, as an overall package, you can’t go wrong with the Samsung (if you can live with some bugs and glitches tho) P.S. I did also find my ears kinda wincing and recoiling from the highs on the arc. There was something about it that was grating my ears
problem is there are no perfect soundbars, it all depend on your evirement and calibration skills. but if you want something close to perfection and have less consessions you choose for the ambeo. for me personaly (i owned sonos) i did not like mainstream wellknown soundbars.
Hi Daniel! Can I do this? This is what I plan to do next week once I buy my new 85" LG or Samsung Television. Can I connect 2 corded subs and 2 cordless subs for a Quadrophonic woofer settings?!? Is it possible to connect 4 pieces of Surround 3 Speakers?!? 2 at my sides and 2 at my rear................. Surround 3 Speakers R-80SWI Wireless Subwoofer R-12SW 400w 12" Subwoofer (Corded RCA) I am expecting an answer from you!
I see lots of people who need eARC support for their next gen systems and HDMI 2.1 TVs. The Vizio M51A seems like a really great deal on paper, $299 at costco and has eARC and decodes everything but doesnt have upfiring speakers; I'd love to see a comparison to the JBL 9.1 which seems to be generally considered the best value eARC/Atmos bar. Is the JBL 9.1 really $600 better? Which is the best value for budget minded folks who want to get top audio from PS5/XSX/RTX cards?
hello I would like to ask you if it is possible to connect a receiver to this soundbar and use the soundbar as a center speaker and front speakers. Thank you for your answer
I got both with in full systems but the Sennheiser is just in another level. Sonos full system probably have better surround but if you place the Ambeo in the right position, it can certainly deliver and also better soundstage. On top of that, Ambeo + SVS sub will definitely slaughter the sonos system. Only the dragon can compete.
I reviewed both with a Sub. Per dollar I was underwhelmed by the Ambeo. Maybe just couldn’t get the right space. If the bass frequency range and amplitude in that range is important than go ARC. If you want the best technical sound you’ll want to fiddle with the Ambeo. I’d go with Arc especially if money is a consideration. It also gives you the opportunity to get surrounds in the future which makes it even more compelling against the Ambeo
@@neverenoughtech thanks ! Sonos surrounds are not at option (lack of space) that's I'm considering only arc + sub gen3 vs ambeo. Sonos with sub can get around 35% cheaper than ambeo. I've seen you review but couldn't find compassion arc+sub vs ambeo only .
I clicked on this video just to comment that I know, I know Sennheiser is the winner. They are the bleeding edge cutting top of the line engineers in audio AND they made a sound bar with that specific price! It's a solid and easy win. Now if it's Bluetooth and Sennheiser then don't do it, it's garage but otherwise unbeatable
Went to the magnolia store today in Best Buy. The ambeo sounds 10 times better. I had it on 40 and was engulfed but the sound. The Sonos sound a lot weaker. The bowers and Wilkins sounds better than the Sonos. And I went in there specifically for the Sonos arc.
@@neverenoughtech it’s just me. I literally just got out the Navy June 3rd. Don’t have the need to lie at all. But you seemed a little subjective. The Sonos did not sound no where near as full as the ambeos. Again I was there for the Sonos and just so happens I saw the ambeo. I listened to it. And as far as a set of speakers in front of me. It has much better sound placement than the Sonos.
@Mr Mr well hey. That’s also your opinion. But soundbar to soundbar. The Sonos arc can’t compare to the ambeo. That’s facts. You can quantify it however you want to.
the clip was aimed from the beginning. who is it constantly moving the soundbar? no one and therefore the weight of the soundbar is not an argument either. a comparison of the sound quality showed that Sonos sounded thin and unconvincing. Sonos may be smart, but sound is still the most important thing about the soundbar, and unfortunately, Sonos was no match for Ambeo.
I'm trying to decide between the Arc w/sub, lg sn11rg and the jbl 9.1. coming from a TCL Alto 9+. Looking for the best and most convincing Atmos effects. The dialogue and bass on the TCL is actually quite good, just looking for more convincing 3D sound. I also ran into dts not being supported the other day when trying to watch a movie from my PS5, had to plug the PS5 directly into the soundbar in order to get PCM
I will be picking up my Sennheiser on Tuesday to pair with my 2020 LG CX TV. I'm replacing my outdated 5.1 Samsung Blu-Ray player. I ordered the Klipsch SPL-120 Powered Subwoofer after the fact just in case so that will be arriving later. As the PS5 doesn't have an optical port, this will be a welcomed improvement over the TV speakers (as decent as they are)
@@AdamTVi I'm in the process of returning mine for a full refund as it's not working. Regardless of how it's connected, I eventually get a loud, constant buzzing sound. I contacted the seller since last Thursday and to date I've not gotten a response so I completed the return to seller section on Amazon today. So now I have a Sub coming in and no soundbar to connect it to. This is the worst customer experience I've ever had and I'm 34
I love your content man! but you missed the boat here. I really wanted your opinion on it. I’ve heard so many glowing reviews on the Ambio including multiple reviews that said the Ambio really can stand on its own without a subwoofer.
You made my Alexa try to sign up for Spotify. I hate Alexa’s single wake word. For $2500, you can get the Arc, two Ones, and two subs WITH the ability to upgrade. Only two downsides being the lack of DTS for us old schoolers and eArc TV requirement to get the most out of the system.
Well at least your Alexa did something ... if that makes you feel better. Amazon Alexa speakers have “Alexa”, “Amazon”, “Echo”, and “computer” as wake words. Change in settings.
@@neverenoughtech I have dabbled with new wake words but Alexa is the popular one in the house. I just prefer Google’s two word “hey, Google” to be the better option. Love your content by the way. I’ve been a subscriber for awhile now and am always happy to see a new video.
@@neverenoughtech videos like this help us navigate the different options out there, I am intrigued by the Klipsch sound bar though, but I'm all in on Arc
Yes and No! SVS and others have a small transmitter box that needs to be plugged into power then plugged into the Ambeo Sub out! On the sub there is another small box that plugs into the LFE on the sub. This is a receiver box which also needs to be plugged in but gives yo the wireless option. You can connect two subs this way but would need two receivers and the one transmitter from SVS. There are subs out there with built in receivers for wireless connectivity and you would just be required to buy the transmitter.
Seems to me that soundbar tech adds too much coloration to the sound that could divert from the creators original intend. With traditional home theater setup with good almost flat frequency response speakers. You get a more accurate sound and better 360 effect regardless room shape.
Dude. The first comparison made no sense to me. Why would you criticize the Ambeo for weak dialogue when you had it set to the setting that gives the most immersive ness at the cost of weaker lower dialogue? Why not compare dialogue with Ambeo boost set to normal then off vs the Arc? When you’re focused on Dialogue. I never set Ambeo boost to the highest setting.
@@neverenoughtech definitely arc missing on lower tones - main disappointment compared to previous generation. Without sub sounds worse than soundbars 50% cheaper.
hi, Im Hernán from Argentina... Maybe Ambeo sounds better as an standalone device but, the big difference, IMHO, it´s the REAL surround on ARC.. it´s incredible...way better than any surround i tested since Dolby Surround on 1995.... ARC SUB is good but a little boomy...and the problem with ARC is the center channel...you cannot adjust it... Besides of the anemic center channel "presence" i don´t miss my old mid range 2000 dollars HT ( which i Still have but stored) Do you had the chance to test the whole Sonos package.. I´m not a fanboy BTW... i always suffer the center channel problem on ARC Thanks!!
ARC ALL DAY!!! SONOS ALL DAY!!! Arc is a center channel and it does its job better than any center channel in the WORLD!!! I have two subs and four play fives plus several play ones through out.... My guests are left speeless.
I love the Sonos setup, my kids and wife like the simplicity. The ARC alone sounds like shit to be honest, but once you add the Sub, wow! Then adding the surrounds makes it much better. Now that a second sub can be added too!
I roll with Arc. I don’t think it sucks but definitely not a home theater in one bar. I think Sonos is positioned to be the undisputed greatest (soundbar kit) if they amp up the bar a bit and support more upward firing speakers ... on top of the simplicity they offer.
$2500 for a soundbar ? I'd rather buy a multi speakers ht with surround receiver. I build a cheap ht with yamaha speakers and denon receiver. the feel of spatial audio really2 good ! the sounds came from everywhere..
Well you cant compare soundbar to soundbar. Ambeo offers surround sound sonos on its own doesnt. To have fair comparison it would need to be full sonos setup vs Ambeo with decent 500-600 sub. price difference around 700 these days. Ambeo would win in low frequency department as the sub like svs can go to 20Hz giving more cinema like effect whereas Arc perhaps would have an edge in music
A little as it’s as wide as a 50 inch tv. It would look a pinch odd but it’s a good system - wouldn’t make that the deal breaker. Also not impossible you would get a slightly larger tv in the future
If is possible play only the same clips. I like both for my room i cannot put rear speakers i choose the Ambeo obviously. Sounds better but not 1700$ better, more like 400-450$ better.
I think if I mainly wanted better sound than my tv and loud in your face dialogue I would go with an Arc or Klipsch. If you want high fidelity detailed sound and don’t mind a lot of dynamic range that sometimes produces very loud music and jump scares in your movies, Ambeo is the way to go. I think some people are missing the fact though if you want more dialogue heavy sound you can have that with the ambeo also. Just turn off the boost. You might think that defeats the purpose of the Ambeo but it doesn’t. You could still turn on boost for the big movie titles like action movies or horror.
It was hard for me to know you were using a klipsch sub with the Ambeo. For me, my ears are tuned to Ken Kreisel subwoofers. But, most importantly, demo disc's to me, mean nothing. You simply need to play an actual movie, and or music. Love your style of reviews, thanks!
