There is little in the wide world of consumer technology that lacks lustre as much as the woefully weak audio that dribbles forth from the feeble speakers that come built into flatpanel TVs.
It’s always been that way since we, as a collective species, banished the lumpy old CRT set to the landfill of history and embraced the superior screen stylings of our new super-slim overlords, and in that embrace also accepted the ineffectual audio that came with it. Or at least we did for a bit.
Once it became painfully obvious that the much smaller speakers built into our sexy new thin frame TVs could only eke out equally thin audio, we saw that a solution was required; and that solution was… some kind of ‘bar’ of ‘sound’.
Altec Lansing was first to market with its “Sound of the Theatre” ADA106 back in 1998 and, despite being a more than capable multi-channel system that solved the sound problem with aplomb, it wouldn’t be until the early-to-mid 90s that the soundbar really rose in popularity to become the go-to solution for upping the audio ante.
Today, of course, few buy a TV without considering an accompanying soundbar. Even with impressive advances in flatscreen speaker tech, sticking a soundbar at the end of an HDMI from your TV gives instant access to far superior sound, including all the higher-resolution audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. Plus, depending on your audio demands, you can pick a basic soundbar up for just a fistful of tenners these days, so there’s no need to completely clear out the coffers either.
Specs
- Speaker channels: 2.0
- Audio power: 2x 20W
- EQ modes: Films, Music, Dialogue
- Audio codec: DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Digital
- Connections: HDMI, Digital Optical, USB-A, Bluetooth
- Compatibility: Smart TVs and smart TVs with streaming media players
- Dimensions: 610 x 90 x 65mm (LxWxH)
- Weight: 1.8kg
- Included in box: Fire TV Soundbar, remote, HDMI cable, power cable, 2x AAA batteries, wall mounting kit and Quick Start Guide
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Set-up
So, what are your specific needs? Enhanced stereo TV audio with a boost to bass that will make a massive difference to the whole viewing experience? Something easy to set up that can be up and running in a matter of minutes and which costs just under 120 quid? Something that’s compact, not uneasy on the eye and plays nice with all smart TVs? Hmm, nothing’s coming to mind… Aha, wait, what you’re describing is the recent release from the depths of the Amazon, the Fire TV Soundbar!
Measuring just 65cm in length and capable of doling out 2x 20W of top-notch noise, this space-saving soundbar comes complete with a remote (and batteries), HDMI cable, power cable, wall mounting kit and, of course, a quick start guide. In other words, all you need to get yourself and your telly set up and running in next to no time, free from any of the faff other sound solutions might present.
Connections options come in the shape of Digital Optical or HDMI, the latter into your TV’s eARC/ARC port being the preferred of the two, so quite literally ‘plug and play’, while Bluetooth is also present to let you bring the party by streaming music from a tablet or smartphone.
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Design
Decidedly minimalist in aesthetics, the Fire TV Soundbar comes in any colour you want, as long as it’s black, with a black grille covering running the entire length and five buttons on top for on/off, input selection, Bluetooth pairing, and volumes up and down, although the bundled remote also tackles all those tasks to make life even easier, not to mention considerably more sedentary.
On that looks front, there are those who might even call the design ‘basic’ and possibly even ‘boring’, but if compact is king for you and you have no interest in RGB lights distracting you from your viewing, then the Fire’s perfectly unassuming form should suit nicely.
Functionality
Created first and foremost to work seamlessly with Fire TVs, the Amazon soundbar also works with smart TVs and streaming media players, and with the mercifully minimum amount of packaging to deal with, I had the review model unboxed and ready to roll in a couple of minutes.
So, down to it. With the additional power output making an immediate and obvious improvement to audio performance, the Fire’s DTS Virtual: X and Dolby Digital lift proceedings to new levels, the former delivering a sumptuous and truly immersive virtual (all in the name) 3D surround soundscape, and the latter doing what Dolby Digital does best, bringing clarity to dialogue and enriching bass all-round for a heightened aural experience so good that you’ll wonder how/why you ever suffered sound without it.
Three built-in EQ modes cover Film, Music, and Dialogue to make operation even easier and ensure you’re always getting optimum performance whatever your content of choice, be that movies, tunes or games, and while there may be other options on the market offering more flexibility in that area, for those who just want to sit back and enjoy, the Fire is ideal.
Verdict
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Amazon Fire TV Soundbar
Is the Amazon Fire TV soundbar the best-sounding soundbar on the market? Well, that’s very much down to personal preference. For bass freaks, you may find the Fire a little lacking in that department.
The additional power output makes an immediate and obvious improvement. The Fire’s DTS Virtual: X and Dolby Digital lift proceedings to new levels, the former delivering a sumptuous and truly immersive virtual 3D surround soundscape, and the latter doing what Dolby Digital does best, bringing clarity to dialogue and enriching bass for a heightened aural experience so good that you’ll wonder how/why you ever suffered sound without it.
But, with no option to expand with a separate subwoofer, you may want to explore other audio-enhancing avenues. However, I found the low-end more than acceptable on Blade Runner 2049, which is basically just bass throughout.
As to music, for my genres of general choice, covering the spectrum from blues to rock to ska to reggae to (some) pop and classical, I was more than pleased with the audio pumped out for a soundbar of the Fire’s size… and price.
Measuring just 65cm in length and capable of doling out 2x 20W of top-notch noise, this space-saving soundbar punches above its weight, especially for the low cost of £120. It comes complete with a remote (and batteries), HDMI cable, power cable, wall mounting kit and, of course, a quick start guide. So, all you need to get your telly set up and running in next to no time, free from any of the faff other sound solutions might present.
In a nutshell, small but perfectly formed, the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar may not have all the bells and whistles of others of its audio-enhancing ilk, but it does what it sets out to do and it does it well, keeping setup and operation simple and bringing the love back to lacklustre sound.
Buy now £120.00, Amazon
