Sennheiser has carved out a notable niche in the premium soundbar market with their amazing (and expensive) AMBEO products. Their latest offering, the AMBEO Soundbar Mini, brings that premium sound to a more “entry level” – by Sennheiser’s pricing standards – product. You can learn more in my latest review.
The AMBEO Soundbar Mini sells for $799 (affiliate link), and is designed for those who may not have the luxury of a spacious living room but still desire an immersive audio experience. Sennheiser also offers a bundle that includes the AMBEO subwoofer for an additional $399. In my testing I found it works best in smaller spaces like apartment living rooms or a small bedroom.
The AMBEO Soundbar Mini relies on your television’s audio return channel (ARC) HDMI port for its audio input. For those with newer TVs supporting eARC, the soundbar can also handle lossless audio formats like Dolby TrueHD ATMOS and DTS:X. However, for TVs without eARC, it supports compressed audio formats including the ATMOS audio delivered over most major streaming services. Unfortunately there are no other physical inputs.
The soundbar does offer wireless audio options, including Chromecast, Bluetooth, and AirPlay 2. However, it’s worth noting that audio quality over Bluetooth or Airplay will not be as crisp as it will be over a wired connection.
Internally, the soundbar boasts six speakers with a total output of 250 Watts RMS, covering a frequency range of 43Hz to 20kHz. The optional subwoofer, which I found enhances the audio experience significantly, operates wirelessly and adds depth to the lower frequencies that the soundbar can’t handle on its own.
The setup process is straightforward, requiring a connection to Wi-Fi and some initial automatic calibration to optimize the sound for your room’s acoustics.
In terms of performance, the AMBEO Soundbar Mini impressed me with its immersive audio quality. I tested it in different room settings with various compressed Dolby Atmos content from Disney+, and the soundbar consistently delivered an enveloping sound experience. It’s not quite on par with a full home theater system with discrete speakers, but it’s remarkably close and certainly a step up from other compact soundbars I’ve reviewed.
For music lovers, the soundbar might fall short due to its lack of direct audio inputs and reliance on compressed audio sources. It does attempt to upmix stereo sound to create a more immersive experience, but dedicated audiophiles might want to seek more robust options.
The soundbar’s operation is intuitive, with a remote control for basic adjustments and an app for more fine-tuned settings. You can control volume through your TV remote and switch audio sources or adjust sound modes via the soundbar’s remote or app. The app provides deeper insights into the audio being decoded and allows for more precise adjustments to the soundbar’s settings.
The Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Mini is an excellent choice for those with smaller living spaces looking for a significant upgrade from standard TV speakers. While it may lack extensive input options and requires a commitment to the Sennheiser ecosystem for the full experience, its performance in delivering immersive audio in compact environments is the best I’ve experienced to date.
Disclosure: Sennheiser provided the sound bar free of charge for this review, however they did not review or approve the content before it was uploaded.