Latest news with #MajorityElias
Tom's Guide
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Do you even need Dolby Atmos? I test soundbars for a living, and here's what I think
It's a fact of life: most of the best soundbars boast Dolby Atmos. If you don't know what Dolby Atmos is, first, why are you here? Second, don't worry, I'll tell you. So what is Dolby Atmos? Dolby Atmos is basically a spatial audio format built into soundbars (and other audio gear). It makes the sound feel like it's coming from all around you. On soundbars with extra channels like surround speakers and subwoofer, this sensation is all the more heightened. Soundbars come with channel setups; these act like codes, so you know what you're getting. For example, a 2.0 channel setup (like the Majority Elias, which I'll discuss later) has two stereo channels in the soundbar and no subwoofer or surround channel speakers. An 11.1.4 setup, like the JBL Bar 1300X, has 11 stereo and surround channels in the soundbar, a sub channel, and 4 Dolby Atmos channels. Confused? You're not alone. I know — it's actually really complex. Dolby Atmos is everywhere, but beyond its mad channel setups and confusing names, do you really even need it? Although I'd be the first person to jump at getting an epic surround home cinema setup, I can also acknowledge that my apartment doesn't really bode well for Dolby Atmos, and here's why. So if you get a cheaper soundbar, it probably has something called upfiring speakers. These types of soundbars lack channel (secondary) speakers, so they rely on speakers that shoot sound upwards to provide that surround-sound experience. For example, The Majority Elias (£99, UK-only) is a soundbar that has "Dolby Atmos". Those quotes are doing a lot of legwork right now. Sure, the brand paid for the Dolby Atmos license, and the upfiring speakers inside the soundbar that is somewhat capable of Atmos. However, if you live in an apartment like mine, these particular upfiring speakers are completely useless. I live in a gorgeous period property — it was built in 1792. As a result, my apartment's Georgian ceilings are high. Like, 16 foot high ceilings. Yep, I know. That's high. As a result, height upfiring speakers simply don't work in my home. Similarly, if your ceilings are angled (like, you live in a penthouse or your cinema room is the attic), the sound waves will struggle to bounce off the surface as planned. However, this is only the case for cheap 2 channel soundbars. If you have a soundbar with rear and side upfiring speakers and high ceilings, this probably won't be as much of an issue. So if you have flat ceilings between 8-12 foot tall, you're probably good to go. If you don't, your lovely upfiring speaker soundbar may as well be as Atmos-less as the $99 Sony HT-S100F, which you should definitely buy instead. Full candor, this soundbar used to be $99. The price just got raised to $159. This makes it far less competitive, which is a shame for Sony. Even so, it's probably the best cheap soundbar available on the market right now. It sounds excellent, much, much better than other $159 soundbars I've tested. The bass is great considering there's no subwoofer, and there's a range of listening modes. 5.1 is not Dolby Atmos — it is basic surround sound. If you haven't already noticed, basic tiers of even the best streaming services lack Dolby Atmos. You'll need to look for 'Dolby Atmos' in the audio quality section. Streaming services will literally say 'Dolby Atmos' in the movie information. If it says '5.1' that is not Dolby Atmos. It is more basic surround sound. It's worth noting that streaming services compress size of the file. This means the file will cut out elements at the high and low end of the frequency range to save space, and results in a weaker-sounding track. Just like with Bluetooth audio, you'll never get as high-quality audio on streaming as you will on Blu-ray. Netflix's cheapest tier ($7 a month), Disney Plus's cheapest tier ($10 a month), and Hulu ($10 a month), do not have Dolby Atmos. Apple TV+ ($10 a month) and HBO Max ($10 a month) have Dolby Atmos in the basic tier, so I'd recommend either of these sites for the cheapest way to get Dolby Atmos on streaming. Amazon Prime Video ($3 a month on top of Prime) offers Dolby Atmos on the ad-free tier, so would be a fantastic streaming service if you've already got a Prime account. You can even get a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime Video right now. For the best Dolby Atmos, I'd recommend getting some Ultra HD 4K Blu-rays. I test all soundbars with UHD 4K Blu-rays on a Panasonic Blu-ray player, and oh boy, does it make all the difference. Obviously. Not all 4K UHD Blu-rays have Atmos, though, so you'll still need to check the box. So, if you don't have the aforementioned streaming services, and you don't have 4K UHD Blu-rays, I don't think you need Atmos. The best Dolby Atmos soundbar I've tested is the JBL Bar 1300X — which is amazing. It's also $1,700. However, if $1,700 is just a little (or in my case, a lot) out of reach, I'd recommend the Polk Audio Signa S4. This 3.1.2 setup is $399, which is much more affordable than other surround soundbars I've tested. It's also often on sale for $299. Most people agree that more like 5.1.2 is the minimum, which would price you out of the Polk Audio option, too. However, in a pinch, I found 3.1.2 to be perfectly serviceable. It just won't be as good. As a result, if your budget is below about $300, then 'true' Dolby Atmos is likely not going to happen. The cheapest one I've seen recently is the TCL Q75H Class, a massive $599 (and that's cheap!). You can get a 3.1.2 setup for $300 (like the Polk Audio Signa S4 on sale), but a true Atmos soundscape (with real height channels) will definitely run more like $500. If you've got the following: Then yes, you do need a Dolby Atmos soundbar. And you'll have an amazing time immersed in movies, TV shows, heck, even gaming (if you have the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S). Dolby Atmos really does make movies feel more immersive. Obviously it will — it's literally an audio format designed for that sole purpose. If you can afford an excellent soundbar and you want to get 360° audio out of your movies, then by all means, get a Dolby Atmos soundbar. My favorite is the JBL Bar 1300X, but there are plenty more excellent options out there — all of which I've mentioned here. I adore this soundbar. It has a stonking 11.1.4 channel setup so it's truly Dolby Atmos and immersive. I felt like I was inside the TV screen, no matter what movie I was watching. It's high-quality, and has a premium price to boot. If you've decided you don't need a Dolby Atmos soundbar, Sony HT-S2000's $499 offering could be a fantastic purchase. The 3.1 channel soundbar is compact and has crisp dialogue.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I tested an ultra-cheap Dolby Atmos soundbar against a premium alternative, here's why it's worth spending the extra cash
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. If you're looking to grab one of the best soundbars around, there's something that you'll almost certainly be seeking – Dolby Atmos support. And I wouldn't blame you. This immersive audio tech can provide a three-dimensional, natural sound profile to your viewing experiences that will really take movie nights to the next level. Luckily, I've been able to test a number of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars here at TechRadar – everything from ultra-cheap models around the $100 / £100 mark to more premium options in the $1,500 / £1,500 range. So, you might be wondering, if you can access Atmos at such a low price-point, is it really worth spending extra on a more elite option? Let's find out. A few months ago, I checked out the Majority Elias, a soundbar that's available in the UK for £99.95 (about $130 / AU$190). This budget standalone soundbar packs in Dolby Atmos support alongside upfiring speakers – something you need if you're looking to reap the benefits of Atmos' verticality. I tried watching a few movies with this soundbar, such as Top Gun: Maverick – a hit that gives Atmos plenty of space to showcase its strengths, with soaring jets and all-action onslaughts. During one scene where Tom Cruise's character flies his aircraft up at a rapid pace, the Elias offered a more expansive impression than my standalone TV audio, but it couldn't map his trajectory to a precise, true-to-life degree. The Elias is a 2.0.2 soundbar – it lacks a standalone sub and rear speakers, merely offering two forward facing and two upward firing speakers. Now, a lot of the more expensive models out there come with their own sub, maybe even individual rear speakers, meaning you get true surround sound. This really takes the effects of Atmos up a level, enveloping you in a layer of sound for high-calibre immersion. Its worth commending the Majority Elias for casting a decent spatial impression – but also noticing that despite having Atmos capabilities, they're fairly limited. Ultimately, the Elias also suffers from an issue that many cheap soundbars – including models like the Ultimea Nova S50 – struggle with. Namely, disappointing overall audio quality. I found that dialogue could sound fairly muddy when watching movies and TV shows and that it struggled with busier scenes where details could get hidden away in the mix. And what that unfortunately means is you're not going to be able to fully indulge in the joys of Dolby Atmos. With average or sub-par audio, more subtle artefacts can seem hidden – something you don't have to worry about with the Samsung HW-Q800D – a model I tested at the tail-end of 2024. The HW-Q800D has a list price of $999 / £749 / AU$1,099, so it's by no means cheap, but oh my do you still get your money's worth. First off, you don't have to face up to middling audio quality here – the HW-Q800D can do it all, from ultra-defined dialogue through to rhythmic music replication. But on Atmos specifically, the HW-Q800D can plate up phenomenal three-dimensional audio that fills your room effortlessly. When testing, I threw on The Boy and the Heron and the soundbar mapped the titular bird's flight expertly, tracing his every flutter. In an area consumed by fire, both the width from the soundbar's side speakers and verticality from its upfiring ones captured the frightening, heart-racing atmosphere of the opening scene to perfection, really involving me in the action. This model also comes with a dedicated sub, which adds incredible low-end power for those tense moments in movies and video games – or bass-heavy bangers in your music library. You're getting a total power output of 360W from the HW-Q800D, more than double that of the Majority Elias – so you can attain the kind of power needed for an authentic home cinema experience. Of course, if you have a bit more money to play with (lucky you), you can heighten performance by adding rear speakers with a model like the Samsung HW-Q990D. But there are cheaper options available that offer amazing Atmos. For instance, we still love the Sony HT-S2000 – a standalone soundbar that can often be found for less than $400 / £300. This bar harnesses virtual processing to make height effects in Dolby Atmos soundtracks like Top Gun exceed the verticality of your TV screen – pretty neat at this price-point! All in all, I'd argue that if you have the budget, spending extra on a higher-end Dolby Atmos soundbar is well-worth it. You can access more accurate mapping, impressive verticality and truly expansive sound, even with mid-range options like the Sony HT-S2000. Ultimately, a lot of budget soundbars lack the ability to plate up nuanced, fully three-dimensional audio – especially without surround channels. But if you are on a tighter budget, fear not – there are some excellent cheap options out there – albeit without Atmos. One of the best cheap soundbars is the diminutive Hisense HS214, which offers clear dialogue and impressive power for less than $100 / £80. I spent a month testing the 11.4.6-channel Nakamichi Dragon, and it's a Dolby Atmos soundbar on steroids I heard Philips' super-small new Dolby Atmos soundbar, and the sound is way bigger than I imagined
