Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar

Main design

Sennheiser Ambeo weighs around 18kg with rather a large size of 127 x 12.7 x 17.7 cm, it is quite large, so when used with small TVs, it will be disproportionate; mounting an 85″ TV on the wall is great.

Sennheiser is very generously equipped with many connection ports on the speaker’s back, including 3 HDMI 2.0a ports, HDMI eARC, Digital-optical-Out, Subwoofer-Out, and RCA-In for older audio equipment. The speaker also supports streaming music via Chromecast WiFi and Bluetooth.

Configuration

Inside Sennheiser, Ambeo is 13 drivers developed with exclusive technology, including two 3.5-inch drivers facing up, five 1-inch tweeters with aluminum tip, and six 4-inch woofers.

As mentioned above, Sennheiser Ambeo supports most of today’s advanced audio technologies such as Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, DTS and DTS:X, and 3D MPEG-H audio technology. In addition to the HDMI eARC connection, Sennheiser Ambeo is compatible with Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HDR10+ picture technologies, and a 4K pass-through.

After the latest firmware update recently, Sennheiser has resolved the connection and image-audio synchronization errors of Sennheiser Ambeo. Still, you should have 1 HDMI 4k Ultra cable; a little good HDR will be better because the bandwidth is quite large. I use Elecom’s wire; it feels good because it meets many high-end image and sound standards. The new firmware update also improves compatibility with the Smart Control app and fixes a few minor bugs.

Setup process

The Sennheiser Ambeo soundbar speaker, plugs into the TV (via the HDMI eARC port) and connected to the sources, will begin the sound setup process.

Users only need to plug in the calibration microphone (Calibration Microphone) into the front of the speaker to start the process of automatically customizing the sound according to the room space.

Depending on the space and layout of the room, this stage will be very quick or a little longer. But slowly, because the microphone placement will have a lot of impact on the sound results after auto-calibrate, in my experience, using a meter to measure things doesn’t work as much as you bring the microphone to me. You sit and listen, place it horizontally so that the top of the microphone is at ear level, then press the self-measurement function.

Remember that when you change the position of the soundbar, for example, if you are placing it on a table, then change it to mount it on the wall, we also need to run this function again. When adding a separate sub-woofer like the Rel T9i that I am using, I also have to let the Ambeo Soundbar measure the room again, so the new bass is smooth and not buzzing, dull, or blurred.

Remote Control

Some controls such as volume adjustment or power on/off the soundbar can be used with the TV remote (HDMI CEC). Sennheiser Ambeo’s remote is also not too complicated to use. Two dedicated keys on the remote include the Ambeo key to turn on / off the DSP and the multitasking key to control the music stream; the other keys, just by looking at them, you know what their features are. Remote also allows quick switching between different audio modes such as Movie, Sport, Music to suit each entertainment needs.

You will need the Sennheiser Smart Control app for other features that require a little more complicated connection or customization. One of the most important features is the EQ adjustment to customize the sound quality to your liking further. The App also allows to turn off Eco Mode so that the soundbar starts up faster.

Music experience

When placing the microphone is done well, as I mentioned above; when listening to music, turning on the DSP through the Music preset, I can listen to most of today’s Music with very commendable sound quality. Midrange and treble sound thick hit strong. As for bass, I find that if I leave the default bass in the flat form of the Music preset, the bass sounds strong enough, clear, not too strong, but lacks the “wow factor” (that is, something that makes you have to ” wow! It’s too much”). When I listen to bolero music, I feel fine. Through to genres like Dream Pop, for example, the album Oncle Jazz, Numb version, jazz pieces with dense contra-bass flips by Charlie Haden or Archie Shepp. The amount of bass in flat EQ does not create a way to drop the beat to catch your ears; listen to it with the round force I often hear.

I need to push the low bass and upper bass up two steps in the EQ Setting to solve this. So, no matter what music I listen to, I find the amount of bass satisfying enough.

I use sub-woofer Rel T9i. I’ve had this one for a long time but rarely use it in the big room because two pairs of Totem Forest Signature have more than enough bass. Tuck the T9i into position, I adjusted the crossover from 50Hz, rerun the room correction. Listen to Metro Area’s Sort Hoop already. Extremely clear. The dynamics of the Ambeo Soundbar are pushed up a lot. And yet, if you listen to Ambient Techno like Paula Temple, you’ll see the Edge of Everything album test sub-bass. Ambeo Soundbar and T9i harmonize very well to create a dense, thick, and heavy atmosphere like the first three tracks of the talented DJ’s album.

For Jazz and Blue or yellow Music, I find the bass range when adding the sub sounds unnatural and has the same flexibility as the Music of the Ambeo Soundbar when turning on the Music Preset, adjusting the EQ as I mentioned above. Adding a sub-woofer to listening to Music, in my opinion, is not very necessary.

Movie

In my room, the Ambeo Soundbar itself, when in Movie preset mode, has enough bass. My room is about 20m2, so it’s not too difficult for the soundbar to show. I used three and a half months before I brought the Rel T9i to this side room and all my Music and movie activities were good; I am very satisfied with the money spent because the mid and treble are good, the effects 5.1 or Dolby Atmos is clear, thrilling, creating a great space.

Sitting in the open room, 6 Undergrounds watched brutally suffocating; the sound is very lively because of the movie’s fast pace, and the soundtrack is extremely good. When combined with the Sub-woofer, the bass creates the “vibrating” space commonly found in theaters. When the soundbar is good, it can’t be faulted with a good sub-woofer combination. It seems that having a sub-woofer also helps the soundbar escape, explode, be louder, and more alive. The sound of racing cars, gunfire, and swearing at it kept making me unable to sleep, very uncomfortable because it was 2 am. Thanks to the murmuring bass that the sub-woofer adds, and a few spaceship movies like Prometheus, Gravity reveals a dark, heavy background that covers the story.

Conclude

In general, I am very satisfied with this room to watch movies and listen to music. Listen to Music and watch movies with joy in your heart with only two audio devices, the Ambeo Soundbar and the Rel T9i sub; turn on the sub when watching movies, turn on the sub when listening to Music.