The new Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus condenses the benefits of the original AMBEO Soundbar (now renamed as Max) into a more compact format, re-imagined with the addition of the AMBEO Sub. This brings the concept to the reach of more consumers, while bringing the acoustic innovations of the original design to a wider market. Because while the market is currently inundated with soundbars that promise Dolby Atmos sound, the AMBEO truly delivers on the immersive sound experience, made possible by several cutting-edge Fraunhofer technologies: the upHear product family and the MPEG-H Audio system.
Two upHear technologies are used to perfectly match the immersive sound of the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus to the room it is placed in. The upHear Immersive Audio Virtualizer is a codec-agnostic post-processing technology that powers the authentic 3D sound of the soundbar. Thanks to it, the device creates high-quality spatial sound that eliminates the need for the rear speakers typical for traditional surround setups. This is achieved by the technology’s sophisticated device-specific processing, which was designed to create high-end sound and deep bass even with more compact devices.
In addition, the advanced upHear Calibration algorithm tunes the upHear Immersive Audio Virtualizer to the room and device position. During the setup process, the calibration technology uses the integrated microphones of the soundbar and subwoofer to analyze the room. Based on the collected data, the soundbar optimizes the playback for the specific environment. To round off the advanced features of the AMBEO Soundbar Plus, the upmix feature of the upHear processing turns even stereo content into a 3D music experience.
"We were keen to partner again with Fraunhofer IIS to bring high-end sound into even more homes through the AMBEO Soundbar Plus. The upHear and MPEG-H Audio technologies are an impressive combination that we rely on to provide outstanding experiences to discerning listeners," says Maximilian Voigt, Product Manager AMBEO soundbars from Sennheiser.
The powerful combination of upHear technologies creates an ideal sound stage for the immersive experience delivered by the MPEG-H Audio system, which is natively supported in the new soundbar. Its more accessible format and price point open the door to the enjoyment of Next Generation Audio to an even wider audience. This includes playback of 360 Reality Audio immersive music, which is based on the MPEG-H Audio system and available globally on many streaming services including Amazon Music Unlimited, Tidal, Deezer, WOWOW, and nugs.net. In markets such as South Korea or Brazil, where MPEG-H Audio is the only mandatory audio codec of the latest TV broadcast systems, the AMBEO Soundbar Plus will make immersive, personalized sound available to many households.
"We are excited to be part of the continued AMBEO success story. Our upHear technologies were created for exactly this kind of application and in combination with the Sennheiser brand’s expertise in audio products, both can unleash their full potential," says Sebastian Meyer, Product Manager at Fraunhofer IIS.
Expanded Possibilities
The expansion of the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar line-up, with the new AMBEO Soundbar Plus and the AMBEO Sub brings best-in-class immersive sound into more homes, generating a breathtaking cinematic and music listening experience as a single system. Users get to experience the depth, impact, and spaciousness of a movie theatre at home, and the combination is great for listening to music since the system automatically adapts its sound to the content that’s being played. Customizable presets are also available, along with an equalizer and more in the recently updated Smart Control App.
Apart from 360 Reality Audio and MPEG-H Audio, the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar also supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X source content. The Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus uses the AMBEO|OS platform that enables multiple music streaming services, such as Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, and works with a Google Assistant-enabled device with Chromecast built-in. Furthermore, it provides seamless integration with Alexa Built-in (where available) and Apple Siri.
The new AMBEO Sub expands the immersive sound with extremely deep bass powered by the AMBEO virtualization technology, featuring an 8" high-end proprietary woofer, paired with a 350W Class-D amplifier. With a design that matches its incredible sound quality, the closed enclosure ensures bass down to 27Hz. The multi-sub array technology also allows users to connect up to four subwoofers to scale bass performance and calibrate them individually for optimal sound, while a wireless connection provides for a neat and clean room without the need for any cables.
The AMBEO Sub also extends the advanced self-calibration with a built-in far-field microphone that allows the device to precisely learn the acoustics of the room and adjust to every environment in combination with the AMBEO Soundbar Plus.
The Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus and AMBEO Sub will be available from September 22, 2022. The AMBEO Soundbar Plus has an MSRP of $1,499.95 USD, and AMBEO Sub has an MSRP of $699.95 USD. The Sennheiser AMBEO range of consumer devices is now operated by Sonova Holding AG under license from Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co. KG.
www.iis.fraunhofer.de
www.sennheiser.com
www.sennheiser-hearing.com
