Love my ambeo. Got it paired with a svs sb3000. Worth the upgrade. Only negative is it can be querky. It will freeze and need to be unplugged and there are issues with the center channel dying. Had it happen twice but Sennheiser has replaced it both times. Even after the warranty ended
Yeah, I’ve since heard about the center channel issue. That’s great that Sennheiser replaced it after the warranty, though! And paired with an SB-3000?! NICE! 🤘
@@ealanosborne agree rear speakers would be great but would require a whole new sound bar. Would also love if all HDMI ports were 2.1. Only the earc is. Loved your review
Great review, thank you. I've got the smaller Ambeo plus but I've paired it with a Kef KC62 subwoofer. Sounds absolutely fantastic still and really happy with it. The max was just a but too big and as you state lack of wireless technology, i didnt want to take the gamble that rears may only be available for the plus and mini and the max gets advertised as the "all in one" solution. Would love for you to do a side review of the plus with a third party sub. Wouldn't bother with the Ambeo sub just doesnt have the grunt. :)
Excellent detail review as always! How about providing surrounds??? Plus you get to choose any sub! That will be a tough system to beat. Anyway, great content. Julio
Providing surrounds would require sennheiser completely rework their absolutely stellar calibration. Since soundbar and rears would be in tonally very different acoustic environments, creating virtual speakers will be much harder.
I have owned this bar and it is amazing for a single bar solution. If Sennheiser had added the ability to add optional rear speakers, wireless(preferably) or otherwise, it would've put over the top and I would still have it. Hopefully the next model will remain as it is with the rear speaker option and full bandwidth HDMI 2.1.
@@ealanosborne Are you reviewing passive soundbars? I thought I heard you say on a podcast that you would be doing a review on the Golden Ear SuperCinema bar... I have a Klipsch Heritage Theater Bar in my living room and I love the concept as well as the sound and ability to simply upgrade the AVR later. Having gone all in on Emotiva Speakers this past summer, not knowing what a ribbon tweeter sounded like, I'd love to hear the Golden Ear bar, preferably the XL, in conjunction with my Emotiva height and surround speakers. I do enjoy the sound of the speakers, a lot, but It would be nice to clear up floor space in my basement aka office, laundry room, media room... Side note Golden Ear was/is based about an hour or so from me in Baltimore
That’s what’s missing from it. Rear upfiring speakers and update the HDMI to 2.1 4k120/8k60. Continue to allow me to choose my sub, or better yet…subs.
Thanks for this. I really wanted a real world review of this. A couple of questions. 1) Can a fire stick be plugged into one of the inputs and the output then plugged into a (no earc) projector with (a very long) Hdmi cable. 2) you didn’t mention the differences between the max and the other variants. What are they? Anything that would affect the buying decision?
1) Correct, the bar itself acts as a mini AVR, so to speak, so you could have a Fire Stick plugged into one of the HDMI inputs and use the HDMI out simply as means to send out a video signal. 2) I touched on the differences a little, about how the Plus and Mini are newer, so they support the new wireless Ambeo subs, whereas the Max only supports a wired subwoofer (of your choice). Other than that, the Plus and Mini are just smaller versions of the Max with less power than the flagship. But the Plus in particular might have a slightly better overall immersive soundstage, given that it’s listed as a 7.1.4 system, with the Max being 5.1.4. 🤷♂️
@ealanosborne BTW this is all for a room which is 5.20×3.80metre - so not an overly large room, where the bass would be diluted out my the sheer size of the room.
@@annonymous3948 Yeah, that’s the best part about these Ambeo soundbars is that you can add any subwoofer you want via an RCA cable. And yeah, the KC62 should do fine in your space, since it’s compact, yet gets down DEEP! 🤘
I’ve had this bar for 2 years. Having come from bowers panorama and sony ht5000, I’m still surprised by the sounds I discover when I play a movie I haven’t seen / listened to with this bar
nice that you gave the dimensions / specs .. now what is that in proper terms ? I had to go look i up .. just a fraction under 127cm and weighs 18.5 kg ../ what's it like to be so backward you still carve your own tablets .. I guess you've heard of this new thing .. the "wheel" ?
The ambeo is only good if you have a small to medium non open concept room with 8 foot ceilings. Don't believe that it will sound like 3d as if somehow the bar which is sitting in front of you will some how magically make it sound like there are speakers behind you.
I have a living room set up the same as yours. To set up a AVR system would look “odd” with front speaker locations. So for watching movies? Which soundbar system would you go for?? IF you didn’t have another theatre with a AVR system to “compare” to also lol.
I might want to try the Ambeo Plus since it’s compatible with the wireless subs so I can place them in more discrete areas. I like to hide things as much as I can. I still need to test the Samsung Q990C (or the new Q990D) since I have a Samsung TV. 🤷♂️
@@ealanosborne I’ll patiently…impatiently wait for your reviews lol. My Yamaha AVR is 8 years old, along with Paradigm Cinema 110ct (just to give me something and that kids could damage accidentally lol). Since my living is similar to yours, I’m realistic about my new/next set up.
@@ealanosborneGet the Kef KC62 and add the wireless kit. The two pair really nicely off of each other and sound incredible. Heck if you have the money get two Kef subwoofers 😃
I'm in Australia - I've found a 2nd hand one online - 4 moths old still with warranty at under 50% of original cost! What should I look out for when I check it out???
Just any physical damage, I guess, especially to the ports on the back, or damage to the outer shell/fabric across the speaker array. Other than that, at only 4 months old, it should hopefully work just fine! Fingers crossed!
im not knowledgable enough to know these things but im in the market for a soundbar and sound system and want to see my option this seems interesting but so is the dragon i was going to buy the dragon until i saw your remarks and want to know which option is best for me my living room is closed and the ceiling well it has decores and not flat it has square shaped designes walls arent flat more of a octogonal but the room is self is closed its a shed outside the house @@ealanosborne
That’s basically what AirPlay does. Check out this post explaining how Apple basically has their own version of Spotify Connect built into their devices 👇👇 www.reddit.com/r/AppleMusic/s/AJUdXHYZMn
@@countonme9893 to each their own, but you can pair any subwoofer to the Ambeo. And you can use two with a Y splitter 🤷♂️. All Sennheiser has to do is add rear speakers as an option and game over for the Dragon in my opinion.
I've connected a KEF KC62 subwoofer to the Sennheiser Ambeo Max soundbar, the best all-in-one sound bar and the most immersive dolby atmos experience, with the smallest most powerful subwoofer which gets down to 11hz up to 90db.
@@ealanosborne could you do a review of the Sennheiser Ambeo Max with the Kef KC62 subwoofer please. Alot of people do not want speakers dotted all around their living room (either due to space, or because of aesthetics) and so the Sennheiser Ambeo Max provides an all-in-one option - that isn't just a lazy-persons surround sound set up, but is truly shockingly amazing (hence why it is the best sound bar on the market, even if you include those sound bars which come with rear surround sound speakers and subwoofers). But although the Sennheiser Ambeo Max can get down to 30hz, it doesn't "pressurise" a room like a dedicated subwoofer can. So when you pair the best soundbar with the smallest most powerfull subwoofer woofer, the soundbar goes from amazing, to astonishing. I think alot of people would pair the Sennheiser Ambeo Max with the Kef KC62, as the Kef KC62 takes up next to no space and if people (such as myself) are willing to pay £2300 for an all-in-one dolby atmos sound bar - in order to save space, then we won't think it too much to spend a further £1200 on subwoofer (I got mine for £900 brand new so it was a steal) that you can place behind a corner tv cabinet (as I have done) where you get all the sensation of chest thumping bass, but without compromising on space. These two go so well together, as they give you everything you want i.e. truly immersive dolby atmos experience, with chest thumping bass down to 11hz - up to 90db, without taking up next to no space while they do so. Please do a review of the two of them together, we really would appreciate your feedback as to what you think of the setup. The Kef kc92 is still small for a subwoofer, but the kef kc62 is ridiculously small, so you literally can tuck it away anywhere. Plus, ad its made from aluminium it is rock solid - weighing about 14kg.
I feel Samsung 990c is mini dragon. For 1300$ u some amazing sound from sound bar and surround back with height and 1 sub. I was blown away by the sound especially with Blu ray atmos soundtrack that I sold my cheap 7.1 speaker set up & Av receiver.
I both have the Q990C and the Dragon. I agree regarding the Q990C being a mini Naka dragon. Q990C is the best overall soundbar for the price especially if you can get it for $650 under Samsung EPP discount. But my Nakamichi dragon dethroned my Klipsch Atmos 2 towers, center, 2 subs and 2 surrounds paired with Denon X32 sub eq from my theater room. The dragon delivers full immersion experience than my traditional 5.2.2 system especially when gaming. Overall I’m happy with both soundbar systems.
I have to disagree here. When it comes to sound clarity. The Dragon wins hands down. It's amazing the things you hear with the Dragon. I was watching the scene of a movie. The main characters was out on the street talking. It was the things happening around them you never noticed. The vocals in soft spoken scenes was crystal clear. Then when it comes to music. Watching the old unplugged performances was like being there. The next thing is the firmware upgrades. Unlike other manufacturers. You don't get this. Next up. The Dragon is the only speaker system with AVR DOLBY ATMOS. Yes their is a difference in Dolby ATMOS.
I have ambeo max for 3 years now. Unfortunately, now when i press the Ambeo button , I start to hear the voices muffled. Like something is off.. loke the center channel is ""burnt"". I try to contact them but not any luck yet... Does anyone know what happened?? Great video btw..
@@madpwnz You would think, right? I didn’t experience it during my review, even though it was a loaner that’s been passed around to other creators. But as soon as I posted the review, there were comments about the center channel muffling issue.
@alexsmith1207 yes, they pay for the delivery and the replacement. Way after the warranty, as explain thek everything. Ups came pick it up and in a week I had it back. In a brand new box with everything in. Super happy!
I just got the HT A9 and the SW5 sub for Christmas but my choices before getting it was the ambeo and the q990c, but the deciding factor for me choosing the A9 was the spacial sound mapping. I just had to hear what all the hype was about the SSM. Now, I'm not saying that I'm having fomo with the ones I didn't get but I will say that the HT A9 hasn't given me that WOW factor yet. I replaced a Roku sound bar pro with the Sub and 4 surround speakers making it a 5.1 surround system that to me worked for what it is, but I wanted to upgrade and now I have the HT A9. I'm still not sure yet if it is an upgrade but I think that the more I listen to it the better it's starting to sound. Still thinking about the ambeo max but my return period for the HT A9 is about up, so I guess I can live with it with out the fomo.
Since you’re sticking with the HT-A9, you might consider getting a Sony TV next for a possible future upgrade. That will allow you take advantage of their Acoustic Center Sync feature, having the TV itself be the center channel. It may be the cherry on top. 🤷♂️
I do have a Sony 85" in my theater room but I'm rocking a Vizio 75" with the A9. I'd really like to get a new Sony TV but it'll probably be next Christmas before I can do a TV upgrade. Here's hoping. Thanks
I tried the HT A9 for a week. And I have a Sony TV. The A9 was not doing what I needed it to do. I was more impressed with my friend's less expensive ( < $300 ) soundbar. I returned the A9 and bought the Ambeo Max and a SVS SB-3000 sub. Never been happier. At another location I have the Dragon but have yet to hook it up. I say pack up that Sony and go for what makes you happy, especially at these price points.
I also had underwhelming experience with HT-A9 considering the hype. Only movie soundtrack it wowed me was Dune (part 1) where it excelled by miles compared to my custom 7.1.2 setup (Yamaha Aventage 2080 AV). But that seemed to be its limit. Like you, I didn't even have any return period option, once bought, you need to put up with it. I'm considering the Sennheiser Ambeo Max but now again in dilemma as some folks are reporting issue with its center channel.
Ambeo Max is amazing. Just finally upgraded from my Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 2- which was even more expensive than the Ambeo. Just like the B&Wm the Ambeo has bass that would make you think you're listening to a decent dedicated subwoofer. It's not quite as good as my Bowers & Wilkins in that regard but it's close. I would say they are equal in surround sound effect, both produce legitimate surround sound that is so good it's uncanny. Fit, finish and build quality is world's better on the Bowers & Wilkins, It was such a premium piece of kit. Overall sound quality was a bit better too but I now have a hell of a lot of updated features... Which is both good and bad. Simplicity has its own rewards. Overall I'm happy and think it's probably the second best soundbar ever made. Honestly, the Nakamichi Dragon is so overpriced for what you get and the quality. I can promise you the Ambeo is more refined in sound quality and better overall. Seek out an old Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 1 or 2- you can probably find them for next to nothing on the used market now. They originally retailed for around $3,000 in 2010 and they will pretty much destroy anything you're going to find today. Would be a fun review for you.
Until I can afford a binaural microphone (which aren’t cheap), I’m never going to perform a sound test on TH-cam. It never translates well, sonically. Just my 2 cents.
The HT-A9 is great, when I’m home to use it. Phantom rear sound is solid, I can hear sounds bouncing off my popcorn ceiling without issue. The phantom center is pretty good but occasionally you’ll hear just the right channel for a second. I’m always on the road so I have just bought a ONN Blast 5.1.2 for my OTR movies and games. It packs quite a punch for the space and price.
i am still going to stand by my statement.. and hear me out... $1500 is literally the CUT OFF point for a soundbar where you should just upgrade to an AVR.. $4000 for a soundbar is just asinine, and ive yet to hear a $4000 soundbar that sounds better than a $2000 AVR system/speakers.
I got a 2.1 system that sounds great. Elac unifi reference urb62 Goldenear supersub xxl Nad c 389 For t.v movies and music and man does this thing have awesomeness to it. It's around 5400 at retail but I got stuff scratch and dent or on sale for 4050 or so for everything and man it works well for music and t.v This to me is the proper way to replace a soundbar if planning on spending over 2k. Get a integrated amp with hdmi and 2.1. That's a great middle ground imo. Which is what I rock.
@warmfreeze, opinions are like a-holes, everyone has one and nearly all of them stink. Yours stinks. Most people aren’t willing to rip out walls to run wiring in their living room. You have a dedicated theater room, then fine…..use an AVR and buy the various speakers required. I know that in living room that’s part of an open floor plan, I’m not having all sorts of speakers on stands for people/animals to trip over, especially with all the wiring required. I want something more streamlined, without so much wiring. There’s no place for an AVR and a bunch of speakers in that space.
@@donrichter3523 i was living in an apartment .. no holes.. there are a such thing as cable management that just sticks to the wall with 3m tape. 4 bookshelf speakers, center channel, celing mounted atmos speakers, reciever and a sub takes up about the same space.. if not less space because the only thing that was on my entertainment center was the receiver and center channel.. Just because you lack some imagination and knowledge doesn't mean i am "wrong"
You really should be sitting closer to a sound bar and it really shouldn’t be that high. Which is why things didn’t sound like they were behind you or above you.
Don’t waste your time with the Sony HTA9. The system has a defect in that any local wireless network will interfere with the signal to the speakers which causes the Sony speakers to cut out repeatedly. Sony is aware of the defect, but continues to sell the HT A9 system.
Its too bad this bar is plagued with a muffled center channel issue. Can happen within 1-3yrs of owning. Its all over AVS forum and reddit. Crutchfield also just had a recent review from a customer saying they bought it in 2020 and in 2023 it caught the muffled center issue. Good bar, just bad mechanics.
Since you're not bothered to translate your, unique to you, measurements in understandable metric ones for the rest of us I'll take the hint and skip your channel.
Now, we should compare it with the Beosound theatre.
There is always something better. I have the Max with one Sennheiser sub and it really is good.
Love my ambeo. Got it paired with a svs sb3000. Worth the upgrade. Only negative is it can be querky. It will freeze and need to be unplugged and there are issues with the center channel dying. Had it happen twice but Sennheiser has replaced it both times. Even after the warranty ended
Yeah, I’ve since heard about the center channel issue. That’s great that Sennheiser replaced it after the warranty, though! And paired with an SB-3000?! NICE! 🤘
@@ealanosborne agree rear speakers would be great but would require a whole new sound bar. Would also love if all HDMI ports were 2.1. Only the earc is. Loved your review
Awesome review as always. Thank you for what you do Ealan!
THANK YOOOOUUUU! :)
Great review, thank you. I've got the smaller Ambeo plus but I've paired it with a Kef KC62 subwoofer. Sounds absolutely fantastic still and really happy with it. The max was just a but too big and as you state lack of wireless technology, i didnt want to take the gamble that rears may only be available for the plus and mini and the max gets advertised as the "all in one" solution.
Would love for you to do a side review of the plus with a third party sub. Wouldn't bother with the Ambeo sub just doesnt have the grunt. :)
I added a second Ambeo sub and am now very happy.
Excellent detail review as always! How about providing surrounds??? Plus you get to choose any sub! That will be a tough system to beat. Anyway, great content. Julio
Providing surrounds would require sennheiser completely rework their absolutely stellar calibration. Since soundbar and rears would be in tonally very different acoustic environments, creating virtual speakers will be much harder.
I have owned this bar and it is amazing for a single bar solution. If Sennheiser had added the ability to add optional rear speakers, wireless(preferably) or otherwise, it would've put over the top and I would still have it. Hopefully the next model will remain as it is with the rear speaker option and full bandwidth HDMI 2.1.
Right?! That would be awesome!
@@ealanosborne Are you reviewing passive soundbars? I thought I heard you say on a podcast that you would be doing a review on the Golden Ear SuperCinema bar... I have a Klipsch Heritage Theater Bar in my living room and I love the concept as well as the sound and ability to simply upgrade the AVR later.
Having gone all in on Emotiva Speakers this past summer, not knowing what a ribbon tweeter sounded like, I'd love to hear the Golden Ear bar, preferably the XL, in conjunction with my Emotiva height and surround speakers. I do enjoy the sound of the speakers, a lot, but It would be nice to clear up floor space in my basement aka office, laundry room, media room... Side note Golden Ear was/is based about an hour or so from me in Baltimore
nuPro XS-8500 RC u can add wireless Rear and Atmos Speaker.
The Ambeo is crying out for rear up firing speakers as a option until then its not a good fit for me , everything else ticks which is a shame.
That’s what’s missing from it. Rear upfiring speakers and update the HDMI to 2.1 4k120/8k60. Continue to allow me to choose my sub, or better yet…subs.
@@donrichter3523 yes it would be a game changer
Thanks for this. I really wanted a real world review of this.
A couple of questions.
1) Can a fire stick be plugged into one of the inputs and the output then plugged into a (no earc) projector with (a very long) Hdmi cable.
2) you didn’t mention the differences between the max and the other variants. What are they? Anything that would affect the buying decision?
1) Correct, the bar itself acts as a mini AVR, so to speak, so you could have a Fire Stick plugged into one of the HDMI inputs and use the HDMI out simply as means to send out a video signal.
2) I touched on the differences a little, about how the Plus and Mini are newer, so they support the new wireless Ambeo subs, whereas the Max only supports a wired subwoofer (of your choice). Other than that, the Plus and Mini are just smaller versions of the Max with less power than the flagship. But the Plus in particular might have a slightly better overall immersive soundstage, given that it’s listed as a 7.1.4 system, with the Max being 5.1.4. 🤷♂️
Your thoughts on a Sennheiser Ambeo Max soundbar ~ paired with a Kef KC62 subwoofer???
That would be an AWESOME combo! I’m amazed that the KEF KC62 is so compact, yet it gets down to an astounding 11 Hz?! Wow… 🎉🙌
@ealanosborne and to confirm, is the Sennheiser Ambeo MAX compatible with the Kef KC62?
@ealanosborne BTW this is all for a room which is 5.20×3.80metre - so not an overly large room, where the bass would be diluted out my the sheer size of the room.
@@annonymous3948 Yeah, that’s the best part about these Ambeo soundbars is that you can add any subwoofer you want via an RCA cable. And yeah, the KC62 should do fine in your space, since it’s compact, yet gets down DEEP! 🤘
@@ealanosborne thanking you
👀
👃
🫦
Great review! Looking forward to your Samsung 990C video.
Hopefully soon! 🤞🤞
I’ve had this bar for 2 years. Having come from bowers panorama and sony ht5000, I’m still surprised by the sounds I discover when I play a movie I haven’t seen / listened to with this bar
nice that you gave the dimensions / specs .. now what is that in proper terms ? I had to go look i up .. just a fraction under 127cm and weighs 18.5 kg ../ what's it like to be so backward you still carve your own tablets .. I guess you've heard of this new thing .. the "wheel" ?
😂😂😂
The ambeo is only good if you have a small to medium non open concept room with 8 foot ceilings. Don't believe that it will sound like 3d as if somehow the bar which is sitting in front of you will some how magically make it sound like there are speakers behind you.
Ever considered reviewing bowers and Wilkins formation duos
I’ve considered it! Haven’t had a chance to make any connections with B&W, though… 🤔
I have a living room set up the same as yours. To set up a AVR system would look “odd” with front speaker locations. So for watching movies? Which soundbar system would you go for?? IF you didn’t have another theatre with a AVR system to “compare” to also lol.
I might want to try the Ambeo Plus since it’s compatible with the wireless subs so I can place them in more discrete areas. I like to hide things as much as I can. I still need to test the Samsung Q990C (or the new Q990D) since I have a Samsung TV. 🤷♂️
@@ealanosborne I’ll patiently…impatiently wait for your reviews lol. My Yamaha AVR is 8 years old, along with Paradigm Cinema 110ct (just to give me something and that kids could damage accidentally lol). Since my living is similar to yours, I’m realistic about my new/next set up.
@@ealanosborne just looked up Ambeo. I love surrounds so that is a must in my set up. Keep up the great content bud!
@@ealanosborneGet the Kef KC62 and add the wireless kit. The two pair really nicely off of each other and sound incredible. Heck if you have the money get two Kef subwoofers 😃
I heard there was a audio lag where the sound didnt sync with the lip movement. Did you experience this?
Hmmm, nope. I did not experience this. 🤔
I'm in Australia - I've found a 2nd hand one online - 4 moths old still with warranty at under 50% of original cost! What should I look out for when I check it out???
Just any physical damage, I guess, especially to the ports on the back, or damage to the outer shell/fabric across the speaker array. Other than that, at only 4 months old, it should hopefully work just fine! Fingers crossed!
AVR will be outdated maybe that’s why they’re not moving that route. It will be replaced by soundbars and smart speakers.
Hey Ealan. Honestly Nakamichi or Ambeo. Which one sounds better?
Nakamichi - better overall fidelity and power. Ambeo - better overall immersive effects.
@@ealanosborneif you had to chose one which one would it be ?
@@MrFaleh1129 Ambeo in my open concept living room. The Dragon surrounds get in the way, honestly, even though they sound great.
im not knowledgable enough to know these things but im in the market for a soundbar and sound system and want to see my option this seems interesting but so is the dragon i was going to buy the dragon until i saw your remarks and want to know which option is best for me
my living room is closed and the ceiling well it has decores and not flat it has square shaped designes walls arent flat more of a octogonal but the room is self is closed its a shed outside the house @@ealanosborne
Sadly,it doesn't have Apple Music connect for Hi-Res lossless/lossless.
That’s basically what AirPlay does. Check out this post explaining how Apple basically has their own version of Spotify Connect built into their devices 👇👇
www.reddit.com/r/AppleMusic/s/AJUdXHYZMn
AirPlay is now part of the latest software update
I love this bar. Sennheiser’s Ambeo tech does height effects well, especially with Lord of the Rings and every Harry Potter movie
The dragon is better.sorry
@@countonme9893 to each their own, but you can pair any subwoofer to the Ambeo. And you can use two with a Y splitter 🤷♂️. All Sennheiser has to do is add rear speakers as an option and game over for the Dragon in my opinion.
@@countonme9893Especially with subwoofers and surround sound speakers.
BLUESOUND PULSE SURROUND would be my choice
I've connected a KEF KC62 subwoofer to the Sennheiser Ambeo Max soundbar, the best all-in-one sound bar and the most immersive dolby atmos experience, with the smallest most powerful subwoofer which gets down to 11hz up to 90db.
I’ve requested the KC62 from KEF as of last week. Hopefully it’s coming soon. Or perhaps the new KC92. 🤞
@@ealanosborne could you do a review of the Sennheiser Ambeo Max with the Kef KC62 subwoofer please. Alot of people do not want speakers dotted all around their living room (either due to space, or because of aesthetics) and so the Sennheiser Ambeo Max provides an all-in-one option - that isn't just a lazy-persons surround sound set up, but is truly shockingly amazing (hence why it is the best sound bar on the market, even if you include those sound bars which come with rear surround sound speakers and subwoofers). But although the Sennheiser Ambeo Max can get down to 30hz, it doesn't "pressurise" a room like a dedicated subwoofer can. So when you pair the best soundbar with the smallest most powerfull subwoofer woofer, the soundbar goes from amazing, to astonishing. I think alot of people would pair the Sennheiser Ambeo Max with the Kef KC62, as the Kef KC62 takes up next to no space and if people (such as myself) are willing to pay £2300 for an all-in-one dolby atmos sound bar - in order to save space, then we won't think it too much to spend a further £1200 on subwoofer (I got mine for £900 brand new so it was a steal) that you can place behind a corner tv cabinet (as I have done) where you get all the sensation of chest thumping bass, but without compromising on space. These two go so well together, as they give you everything you want i.e. truly immersive dolby atmos experience, with chest thumping bass down to 11hz - up to 90db, without taking up next to no space while they do so.
Please do a review of the two of them together, we really would appreciate your feedback as to what you think of the setup. The Kef kc92 is still small for a subwoofer, but the kef kc62 is ridiculously small, so you literally can tuck it away anywhere. Plus, ad its made from aluminium it is rock solid - weighing about 14kg.
@ealanosborne can you do a review of the Sennheiser Ambeo Max soundbar when paired with Kef KC62 subwoofer, they are astonishing when paired together.
@@annonymous3948 Unfortunately I had to send back the Ambeo Max after I reviewed it. 😭
@@ealanosborne NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Ealan, between ambeo max, B&O beosound stage or devioalet, which one would you recommend? Thanks!!
Sorry, I can’t speak to the Beosound or Devialet. Never had a chance to witness those in person.
Can we use a SVS sub with the Ambeo max...?🙂
You sure can! 🤘
@@ealanosborne Thank you so much.....🙏🙂
Monster soundbar😊
What about the sennheiser ambeo plus I heard that nice too
I bet it is! 🙌
I feel Samsung 990c is mini dragon. For 1300$ u some amazing sound from sound bar and surround back with height and 1 sub. I was blown away by the sound especially with Blu ray atmos soundtrack that I sold my cheap 7.1 speaker set up & Av receiver.
Do you have the 990c or the Dragon?
@@MrBjorn6 990c
I both have the Q990C and the Dragon. I agree regarding the Q990C being a mini Naka dragon. Q990C is the best overall soundbar for the price especially if you can get it for $650 under Samsung EPP discount. But my Nakamichi dragon dethroned my Klipsch Atmos 2 towers, center, 2 subs and 2 surrounds paired with Denon X32 sub eq from my theater room. The dragon delivers full immersion experience than my traditional 5.2.2 system especially when gaming. Overall I’m happy with both soundbar systems.
I have to disagree here. When it comes to sound clarity. The Dragon wins hands down. It's amazing the things you hear with the Dragon. I was watching the scene of a movie. The main characters was out on the street talking. It was the things happening around them you never noticed. The vocals in soft spoken scenes was crystal clear. Then when it comes to music. Watching the old unplugged performances was like being there. The next thing is the firmware upgrades. Unlike other manufacturers. You don't get this. Next up. The Dragon is the only speaker system with AVR DOLBY ATMOS. Yes their is a difference in Dolby ATMOS.
I have ambeo max for 3 years now.
Unfortunately, now when i press the Ambeo button , I start to hear the voices muffled.
Like something is off.. loke the center channel is ""burnt"".
I try to contact them but not any luck yet...
Does anyone know what happened??
Great video btw..
Apparently "muffled center channel" is a somewhat common thing that happens to that soundbar after a few years? So I've read...
Dammit....when you pay the most expensive soundbar by far (especially before 3-4 years) you expect some decent 10 years of working on 100%....
@@madpwnz You would think, right? I didn’t experience it during my review, even though it was a loaner that’s been passed around to other creators. But as soon as I posted the review, there were comments about the center channel muffling issue.
@@madpwnzSo what happened did Sennheiser replaced it or just wondering what I should get for durability of course since my pockets is small
@alexsmith1207 yes, they pay for the delivery and the replacement. Way after the warranty, as explain thek everything.
Ups came pick it up and in a week I had it back.
In a brand new box with everything in.
Super happy!
I just got the HT A9 and the SW5 sub for Christmas but my choices before getting it was the ambeo and the q990c, but the deciding factor for me choosing the A9 was the spacial sound mapping. I just had to hear what all the hype was about the SSM. Now, I'm not saying that I'm having fomo with the ones I didn't get but I will say that the HT A9 hasn't given me that WOW factor yet. I replaced a Roku sound bar pro with the Sub and 4 surround speakers making it a 5.1 surround system that to me worked for what it is, but I wanted to upgrade and now I have the HT A9. I'm still not sure yet if it is an upgrade but I think that the more I listen to it the better it's starting to sound. Still thinking about the ambeo max but my return period for the HT A9 is about up, so I guess I can live with it with out the fomo.
Since you’re sticking with the HT-A9, you might consider getting a Sony TV next for a possible future upgrade. That will allow you take advantage of their Acoustic Center Sync feature, having the TV itself be the center channel. It may be the cherry on top. 🤷♂️
I do have a Sony 85" in my theater room but I'm rocking a Vizio 75" with the A9. I'd really like to get a new Sony TV but it'll probably be next Christmas before I can do a TV upgrade. Here's hoping. Thanks
I tried the HT A9 for a week. And I have a Sony TV. The A9 was not doing what I needed it to do. I was more impressed with my friend's less expensive ( < $300 ) soundbar.
I returned the A9 and bought the Ambeo Max and a SVS SB-3000 sub. Never been happier. At another location I have the Dragon but have yet to hook it up. I say pack up that Sony and go for what makes you happy, especially at these price points.
I also had underwhelming experience with HT-A9 considering the hype. Only movie soundtrack it wowed me was Dune (part 1) where it excelled by miles compared to my custom 7.1.2 setup (Yamaha Aventage 2080 AV). But that seemed to be its limit. Like you, I didn't even have any return period option, once bought, you need to put up with it.
I'm considering the Sennheiser Ambeo Max but now again in dilemma as some folks are reporting issue with its center channel.
If you don't check the surround sound bar nakamichi Golden dragon you need to check it is something else
Ambeo Max is amazing. Just finally upgraded from my Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 2- which was even more expensive than the Ambeo. Just like the B&Wm the Ambeo has bass that would make you think you're listening to a decent dedicated subwoofer. It's not quite as good as my Bowers & Wilkins in that regard but it's close. I would say they are equal in surround sound effect, both produce legitimate surround sound that is so good it's uncanny. Fit, finish and build quality is world's better on the Bowers & Wilkins, It was such a premium piece of kit. Overall sound quality was a bit better too but I now have a hell of a lot of updated features... Which is both good and bad. Simplicity has its own rewards. Overall I'm happy and think it's probably the second best soundbar ever made. Honestly, the Nakamichi Dragon is so overpriced for what you get and the quality. I can promise you the Ambeo is more refined in sound quality and better overall. Seek out an old Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 1 or 2- you can probably find them for next to nothing on the used market now. They originally retailed for around $3,000 in 2010 and they will pretty much destroy anything you're going to find today. Would be a fun review for you.
Thank you for your insight! 🎉
Well, I feel like the actual sound test isn't presented as it maybe "copyright contents"
Until I can afford a binaural microphone (which aren’t cheap), I’m never going to perform a sound test on TH-cam. It never translates well, sonically. Just my 2 cents.
The HT-A9 is great, when I’m home to use it. Phantom rear sound is solid, I can hear sounds bouncing off my popcorn ceiling without issue. The phantom center is pretty good but occasionally you’ll hear just the right channel for a second. I’m always on the road so I have just bought a ONN Blast 5.1.2 for my OTR movies and games. It packs quite a punch for the space and price.
i am still going to stand by my statement.. and hear me out... $1500 is literally the CUT OFF point for a soundbar where you should just upgrade to an AVR.. $4000 for a soundbar is just asinine, and ive yet to hear a $4000 soundbar that sounds better than a $2000 AVR system/speakers.
I got a 2.1 system that sounds great.
Elac unifi reference urb62
Goldenear supersub xxl
Nad c 389
For t.v movies and music and man does this thing have awesomeness to it. It's around 5400 at retail but I got stuff scratch and dent or on sale for 4050 or so for everything and man it works well for music and t.v
This to me is the proper way to replace a soundbar if planning on spending over 2k. Get a integrated amp with hdmi and 2.1. That's a great middle ground imo. Which is what I rock.
@@Echo-jg8is really not sure what point you attempted to make.. was that your piss poor attempt to troll some random person on the internet?
The dragon does
@warmfreeze, opinions are like a-holes, everyone has one and nearly all of them stink. Yours stinks. Most people aren’t willing to rip out walls to run wiring in their living room. You have a dedicated theater room, then fine…..use an AVR and buy the various speakers required. I know that in living room that’s part of an open floor plan, I’m not having all sorts of speakers on stands for people/animals to trip over, especially with all the wiring required. I want something more streamlined, without so much wiring. There’s no place for an AVR and a bunch of speakers in that space.
@@donrichter3523 i was living in an apartment .. no holes.. there are a such thing as cable management that just sticks to the wall with 3m tape.
4 bookshelf speakers, center channel, celing mounted atmos speakers, reciever and a sub takes up about the same space.. if not less space because the only thing that was on my entertainment center was the receiver and center channel..
Just because you lack some imagination and knowledge doesn't mean i am "wrong"
You really should be sitting closer to a sound bar and it really shouldn’t be that high. Which is why things didn’t sound like they were behind you or above you.
Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome, Craig!
Don’t waste your time with the Sony HTA9. The system has a defect in that any local wireless network will interfere with the signal to the speakers which causes the Sony speakers to cut out repeatedly. Sony is aware of the defect, but continues to sell the HT A9 system.
In the picture the tv is much to high to look at not good for your head. The sound is also to high. Thats no good picture.
No living room is perfect, work with what you have😎
I would love for someone to gift me a Amebo soundbar
If you’re implying that I get to keep the Ambeo Max, you’re wrong. I’m sending it back tomorrow, in fact. Fun while it lasted! 🎉
It's s wallet slayer for sure
Can you please donate AirPods for me 😢Mine are broken
r/TvTooHigh
How can you watch tv so high. Broken neck.
worst tv and soundbar setup
😂🤣✌️🎉
Its too bad this bar is plagued with a muffled center channel issue. Can happen within 1-3yrs of owning. Its all over AVS forum and reddit.
Crutchfield also just had a recent review from a customer saying they bought it in 2020 and in 2023 it caught the muffled center issue. Good bar, just bad mechanics.
The Samsung soundbars do that. I had it with the q800b and the q930c. Don’t get it, why it seems to be a common issue
Since you're not bothered to translate your, unique to you, measurements in understandable metric ones for the rest of us I'll take the hint and skip your channel.
😂😂✌️👋
These videos are to long , just tell us how good it sounds , compared to other similar systems
That’s what chapter markers are for, buddy. And there are some. 👍
@@ealanosborne buy nakamichi. thank me later
He wasted more time commenting🤦🏿♂️😂 @@ealanosborne
Still samsung 990 is the best!!
TwiNK