Sonos Beam has been our top pick for compact soundbars for a while now. It offers a lot in a small package and the second-generation version also supports more immersive Dolby Atmos audio. However, the Beam doesn’t have stimulating drivers, so the impact of that spatial sound is limited. That’s not a problem with Ambeo Soundbar Mini ($799.95), Sennheiser’s smallest soundbar yet featuring its impressive Ambeo 3D audio technology. It produces more sound power with dual woofers plus all its virtualization tricks, in a unit roughly the same size as the Beam. However, the more powerful sound comes at a significantly higher price.
Design
While the overall shape of the Ambeo Soundbar Mini is similar to the Sonos Beam, there are differences in the details. In particular, Sennheiser has opted for illuminated (dimmable) Ambeo branding in the front right corner. The top panel of the mini also tilts from back to front and the sides are wrapped in fabric all the way around. At the top, there are controls for volume, playback, Bluetooth, input selection, and microphone mute. There is also a white light that lengthens from left to right as the volume increases.
The Ambeo Mini is about an inch and a half wider than the Beam at around 27.25 inches, but the height and depth are almost identical. Not that you have to move the speaker much, but the Mini also weighs almost half a kilo more than its main competition. Still, this is a compact unit that’s the perfect size for smaller living rooms and spaces where you don’t have room for a larger sound bar.
Inside, there are four 1.6-inch full-range drivers. Two of them are facing forward, while two more are at the ends, tilted slightly outwards. A pair of four-inch woofers are placed near the center of the soundbar, but face upward. Sennheiser has also included six class D amplifiers capable of 250 watts of power. Four far-field microphones handle room calibration and you’ll need to ensure they are activated before the process can be completed.
Sound quality
It’s impressive what Sennheiser has managed to get out of a small speaker. When listening to music, there is fantastic bass that provides plenty of low-end punch to TesseracT’s progressive metal drum beats and Kaytraminé’s hip-hop musings. Even if a sound bar has woofers, most living room speakers can’t muster enough bass to be useful as a music setup without an additional subwoofer. That’s not the case here. Still, you’ll want to consider an Ambeo Sub if you plan to use it in a medium to large sized room, as bass tends to get lost in larger spaces. The Mini also supports Sony’s 360 Reality Audio and MPEG-H if you like those, but Ambeo does a great job of enhancing stereo content.
The key feature of the Ambeo Soundbar Mini is Sennheiser’s 3D audio technology. It’s been a staple of the company’s sound bars since the first Ambeo model in 2019. The two larger, more expensive Sennheiser sound bars have more drivers, including two upstream units in addition to the two upward-facing woofers inside the Ambeo Soundbar Plus. The Mini does a solid job with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X content, but the effect isn’t as immersive since it relies more on virtualization. I especially enjoyed the immersive directional audio in the Quidditch matches during my annual fall viewing of the Harry Potter series. This soundbar still gives you a 7.1.4 setup after the room calibration puts in virtual speakers. It’s the same channel layout as the Plus, although that larger unit has seven total drivers and two woofers for fuller sound and a more immersive experience.
Software and features
Like many smaller soundbars these days, the Ambeo Mini connects to your TV via HDMI eARC. It supports HDMI 2.1, which is the latest specification that allows for higher resolution (up to 10K) and higher frame rates (up to 120 fps) thanks to higher bandwidth. Most new TVs have at least one HDMI 2.1 port and both PS5 and Xbox Series X support it.
All Ambeo Soundbar Mini settings can be accessed in Sennheiser’s Smart Control app. This includes initial setup and room calibration, the latter of which takes about three minutes to complete. First, you have the ability to switch sources between HDMI, Bluetooth, or Spotify Connect. There is also a volume slider here and just below that are the Ambeo 3D audio on/off buttons. The company offers a few sound presets below, with Adaptive, Music, Movie, News, Neutral, and Sports as options. During my testing, I found Adaptive to be best suited for seeing and hearing the most, so I kept it locked there. Lastly, the main interface of the app provides access to the Night Mode and Voice Enhancer features in case you need them.
There is a more detailed settings menu, but I’ll just point out one item. Both Audio and System are where you’ll need to go to add an Ambeo subwoofer to the Mini (the same hardware is available in both places). Once you do this, you can adjust the volume of the additional speaker and enable a tool called Phase 180. This balances the bass of the subwoofer when placed near the soundbar. Sennheiser says that otherwise the bass may have a hollow character and this helps correct this. You will also need to recalibrate the system once you add a sub, which you can do from this menu.
The Mini runs Sennheiser’s Ambeo operating system, which allows for a host of connectivity options. You’ll connect primarily over Wi-Fi, but as I already mentioned, Bluetooth is here too. Wi-Fi gives you the option of Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, plus built-in Alexa and Google Chromecast. Wireless connectivity also allows you to easily use the Mini as part of a multi-room setup. I was able to select it and a HomePod from the connections menu in Apple Music without any additional setup. The company promises “a future-proof experience” thanks also to “regular” updates to the Ambeo operating system.
The competition
As you’ve probably guessed, the Ambeo Mini’s main competition is the Sonos Beam. Whose second generation version debuted in 2021 and, above all, offers Dolby Atmos and a new cover. While the speaker sounds great and does an admirable job with Atmos, it doesn’t have stimulating drivers, so the immersive audio effect is limited. However, Sonos still achieves a level of immersion through some virtualization tricks with extra height and surround channels. Plus, it’s $300 cheaper than the Mini, even after Sonos raised the price to $499. You’ll probably also want a sub for the Beam, which costs another $429 or $799 depending on which model you choose (there’s a Beam and Sub Mini bundle that saves you $45).
If you’re sold on Ambeo technology no matter the cost, the Plus and Max soundbars are worth a look. Sennheiser has dropped prices since its debut, as the Plus now costs $1,119.95 and the Max costs $1,999.95. Like the Mini, neither of them come with an Ambeo Sub, which costs an additional $599.95 and is the only one these soundbars are compatible with. There’s no denying that these Ambeo models can deliver incredible audio, but you’ll pay a premium for the technology.
Wrap
With its smallest soundbar yet, Sennheiser continues to prove just how good its 3D audio technology is. He Ambeo Mini Soundbar It delivers impressive sound in a small package, including big bass punch without a dedicated wireless subwoofer. It does an admirable job with Dolby Atmos content, although the Mini works better in smaller rooms. There’s no denying that this is a very good home entertainment speaker for its size, but the company makes you pay a high price for its sophisticated technology.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sennheiser-ambeo-soundbar-mini-review-excellent-and-expensive-183045244.html?src=rss
