Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus
400 W, 7.1.4 Channel
A TV sound that makes walls shake: Sennheiser Ambeo Plus
2.11.2023
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
The Ambeo family has been complete since autumn. Mini, Plus and Max. The Mini is a compromise for small living rooms and the Max is intended for sound enthusiasts – or so I thought. I tested the Ambeo Plus – and it turned out to be the absolute sweet spot for my living room.
At the IFA in September, I was able to take a close look at the complete Sennheiser soundbar family. The Mini’s demo in a 25-square-metre room completely impressed me. While the 2019 Ambeo, now called Ambeo Max, is used in outdoor cinemas and large auditoriums.
Only, who will buy the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus? It’s somewhere in the middle. Neither fish nor fowl, you might think.
It also costs an impressive CHF 1,239. For this price, you get a perfectly usable 5.1 surround set with a subwoofer. The Ambeo Plus also delivers where it needs to: great sound, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Sony 360 Reality Audio and a design that blends discreetly into the surroundings of any living room. All without the surround system hassle of cables and screws.
Looks: blends in with any living room
What immediately catches my eye are the dimensions of the soundbar: 105 centimetres long, twelve centimetres wide and eight centimetres tall. The latter is particularly important, as you usually place a soundbar directly under the TV. I initially feared that it’d be too high and protrude into the picture. If, like me, you have a TV with a central stand, you should definitely measure it before buying. Luckily, eight centimetres is wide enough for my 65-inch LG C3. If you have two feet – on the outer edges of your TV, that is – you’re all good, no worries.
The Ambeo Plus houses nine drivers delivering a total of 400 watts. Seven of those nine are 50 mm full-range drivers, the other two are subwoofers. Those each have a diameter of ten centimetres. Both are «upfiring», i.e. directed upwards and mounted on the outside. Two of the seven broadband drivers are located next to it. The other three are located in the centre of the soundbar.
Sennheiser has equipped this middle section of the Ambeo Plus with a fabric cover. A plastic base with discreet branding is hidden underneath. On top, there’s a plastic grid on the left and right. The design is well thought out, all the important buttons are discreetly positioned but easy to reach. I like the curved edges – they prevent the soundbar from looking too clunky.
The control panel is located at the top centre, also made of plastic. That’s where you’ll find touch-sensitive controls for volume, Bluetooth and the audio player. You can also mute the built-in microphone here – this way smart assistants (Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant) won’t be listening in. An LED bar lights up in different colours depending on the playback source. Bluetooth is sensibly blue, Spotify green and so on. Luckily the lighting turns off over time – it’d be annoying when watching TV.
Connectivity: whatever you want
The most important feature up front: the soundbar is a standalone by default. You can, of course, order a subwoofer as well, connecting it either via the so-called «Pre out Sub» cable or Bluetooth. I opted for the latter in this test. When going for a soundbar, why not take «wirelessness» as far as I can?
There are numerous available connectivity options for the TV. An analogue RCA port (cinch), an optical interface and HDMI, the nowadays almost logical choice. One of them supports the 2.1 standard including eARC. If your TV supports this standard, use it – you’ll be able to enjoy lossless Atmos.
The downside? The other two HDMI ports on the Ambeo Plus only support HMDI 2.0. So if you still own a games console, such as an Xbox Series X or a PS 5 for example, you’ll have to do without 4K/120 hertz passthrough support when gaming.
Last but not least, there’s also a USB and an Ethernet connection – the latter can be connected to the router for easier setup. However, I had no problems setting up the bar via Wi-Fi.
Speaking of wireless, the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus supports Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect. In other words, it also works as a loudspeaker for music.
Performance: you’ll find what you’re looking for, no matter what
Essentially, you control the soundbar via the Sennheiser Smart Control app. I used it in my test to calibrate the sound. The Ambeo Plus emits audio for three minutes and measures the standard noise level, the structural conditions and any obstacles near the soundbar.
My tip: sit down during calibration and wait – or just leave the room. If there’s any extra noise, the soundbar automatically cancels the calibration and requires a restart. What’s more, those noises the bar makes aren’t exactly pleasant.
After calibration, however, I decide against using the app permanently to control the bar. I switch to the remote control that Sennheiser includes in the scope of delivery. The app does everything the remote control can – I’m just generally not a fan of manufacturer apps if I can avoid them.
The remote control is very simple and self-explanatory, made of plastic with rubberised buttons. In addition to selecting the sound source and volume control, you can use it to choose sound presets. Sennheiser offers the Movie, Music, News, Sports and «Neutral». During my test, I often went for Neutral – it’s an all-rounder preset that reproduces musical elements, voices and sound effects in a balanced way. You’ll also find Night and Voice mode on the remote control. Night mode reduces the bass, which your neighbours should like. Voice mode emphasises dialogue – it’s particularly useful in action films with lots of sound effects and noise.
Last but not least, there’s the Ambeo button. When activated, the bar should provide 3D audio, even if the content you’re watching doesn’t support Atmos.
The external subwoofer? Only if you live alone
You’ll have noticed my enthusiasm in places while reading this article. I’ll just come out and say it: what the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus is able to achieve from a bar design standpoint is simply great. Yes, it deserves this strong a compliment.
From the first time you plug it in, it changes the way you watch movies. Even ancient flicks with mediocre sound become powerful. By chance, I’ve got an Agatha Christie night planned for the first day of the test. The soundbar’s efficacy can even be heard in the 1964 crime thriller Murder Most Foul – the bar doesn’t just work with Dolby Vision support. Dialogue is clearer, more details can be heard and the soundscape is broader.
This becomes all the more apparent when watching the 2023 version of Boogeyman on Disney+. The film supports Atmos – perfect immersion, even if my enthusiasm for the movie itself is limited. The upfiring drivers and subwoofers create a feeling of height and depth that could rival a movie theatre. Especially during jumpscares, the basses are never too loud, or too intense I should say. If the subwoofer is placed on a hard floor, you’ll feel the bass in the pit of your stomach.
But even without a subwoofer, the bass is an experience without lacking any necessary precision. The soundscape isn’t distorted despite the intensity of the bass. I even think the subwoofer isn’t absolutely necessary. Especially not if there are neighbours you should be considerate of. You’ll also save a lot of money if you limit yourself to the soundbar.
The Ambeo Plus is also impressive at higher frequencies. It moves quiet sounds
into the foreground well – without changing the volume. This only succeeds by emphasising and precisely peeling out the sound. The same applies to dialogue, especially if Voice mode mentioned above is activated. It’s all crisp and precise.
Here’s a tip: I’d deactivate the Ambeo feature for native Atmos content. It enhances the Dolby Atmos effect even more, but somewhat at the expense of precision. Dialogue in particular is given a little too much reverb. For content without Atmos, however, the Ambeo feature is a great addition. The function can be switched on and off in seconds using the special Ambeo button on the remote control.
Verdict: worth the price – even without a subwoofer
Sennheiser’s Ambeo Plus is a great soundbar. It was able to draw me into movies and shows like no other. The fullness of sound, the richness of detail, the precision and the bass are reproduced cleanly and reliably. I also like the Ambeo feature, which provides a good surround experience to older content too.
The manufacturing quality is also first class. It fits perfectly into larger living rooms. Mine’s about 25 square metres, but the bar would easily fit 40, especially if you prefer doing without an external subwoofer. If your room’s smaller, the Ambeo Mini could also suffice – but it hasn’t yet proven itself, a detailed test is required.
The subwoofer also delivers a first-class performance. However, it’s almost overkill for the average living room.
Header image: Florian Bodoky
I've been tinkering with digital networks ever since I found out how to activate both telephone channels on the ISDN card for greater bandwidth. As for the analogue variety, I've been doing that since I learned to talk. Though Winterthur is my adoptive home city, my heart still bleeds red and blue.