Sennheiser comes with a compact Ambeo soundbar
Sennheiser is showing its Ambeo Soundbar Mini at the IFA in Berlin, a smaller and cheaper variant of the previous Ambeo Soundbar Plus. The speaker bar has the same digital signal processor, but fewer built-in speakers and fewer connections.
The Ambeo Soundbar Mini measures 70 by 10 by 6.5 cm and has a built-in D-class amplifier, four full-range drivers and two subwoofers with a diameter of 4 inches. Like the two larger soundbars in Sennheiser’s range, the Ambeo Soundbar Plus and Ambeo Soundbar Max, the Ambeo Mini can create a virtual 3D soundstage by bouncing sound waves off the walls, making it appear as if there are speakers everywhere in the room. The soundbar is suitable for various object-based sound formats, such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and MPEG-H. You can adjust the speaker bar to the room via the four integrated microphones. Those microphones also offer the option to use Alexa, the Google Assistant or Siri.
The Soundbar Mini has the same DSP and the same operating system as the larger soundbars from Sennheiser. It also has the same WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, so you can use streaming services or stream audio from a smartphone, for example. Compared to the Ambeo Soundbar Plus, the Ambeo Soundbar Mini does not have upward-facing speakers. Sennheiser has also omitted the center speaker. Anyone who opts for Sennheiser’s smallest soundbar also has to make do with less connectivity. Unlike the Plus model, the Soundbar Mini does not have additional HDMI ports, except for the TV, nor does it have a subwoofer out, which allows the connection of wired subwoofers from other brands. Wireless connection of Sennheiser’s own Ambeo Sub is possible with the Mini.
The second image shows the Ambeo Mini next to Sennheiser’s previous soundbars: the Ambeo Plus and Ambeo Max.
The Ambeo Soundbar Mini will be available in stores from September 1. The recommended retail price is 799 euros. In addition to the new soundbar, Sennheiser is also showing a few new color variants of the Momentum 4 Wireless headphones at the IFA, which have been sold for some time: a dark blue or ‘denim’-colored version, and a black variant with copper-colored accents. Both are now available for 399 euros.