AURAL HYGIENE

These devices will clean up your TV's sound and give your movies real bite

Regular readers may have R detected a pattern here; this round-up is part two of a two-part series aimed at highlighting the best soundbars in the most popular part of the market. Last month we turned our spotlight on the top budget 'bars - those sonic boosters that lift your TV's sound from something that is as flat as the screen that produced it into the realms of three-dimensionality, clarity and substance.

This month, we move up a notch to consider more premium soundbars more specifically those costing between *50K and 1.5L. For this kind of money you can expect a significant step up in sound quality; better detail, greater scale and a more finessed approach to dynamics being the most obvious markers. All of which can make the difference between your TV and movies being merely enjoyable and becoming truly immersive.

As well as better sound, you will also find more features in this price bracket. All of the products here, for example, can process Dolby Atmos signals in one form or another (sometimes several forms) and offer wider connectivity than their more affordable cousins. One even comes with a separate subwoofer.

So, whether you are stepping into soundbar territory for the first time or looking to upgrade, we invite you to peruse our pick of the step-up models.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Mini

Sennheiser's smallest soundbar is a sonic swing and a miss

Sennheiser’s Ambeo lineup has been a benchmark of premium soundbars since it launched in 2019. The Soundbar Max, its original super-sized soundbar, has sat steadfastly on our Awards list since then, while last year’s Soundbar Plus model was a stellar five-star soundbar that threatened to unseat Sony’s excellent HT-A7000.