When it comes to getting the most out of a standalone soundbar, no one manages to beat it Sennheiser’s Ambeo, And considering that device’s sky-high price of $2,500, you’d expect it to offer a great home theater experience. At IFA 2022, Sennheiser is joining the Ambeo lineup by introducing the new Ambeo Soundbar Plus. The price is a bit low, but it is likely that it will still be out of reach for many consumers. It costs $1,499.95, and pre-orders start today.

The Plus model is advertised as “the world’s first 7.1.4 standalone soundbar”. Sennheiser’s original Ambeo will remain for sale and is now being rebranded as the Ambeo Soundbar Max. It’s still bigger than the new Plus, so the name makes sense in this regard. The words “more compact” are mentioned several times in the company’s press release, so Sennheiser is really trying to underscore that distinction. It’s not a small soundbar by any means, but it’s less impressive than the Max.

Image: Sennheiser

But even at a smaller size, the Ambeo Soundbar Plus delivers the same captivating 3D sound output as the original, a secret sauce created by Sennheiser in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS. Read any review of the original Ambeo Soundbar Max, and yes, the surround sound effect is really impressive.

Image: Sennheiser

“Ambio Self-Calibration reads the acoustic properties of a room and then places seven virtual speakers around the listener, plus four more overhead,” Sennheiser’s press release states. “Users get to experience the depth, impact and spaciousness of a movie theater at home – without the fuss of extra cable or satellite speakers.”

That’s right: Sennheiser isn’t (again) offering satellite speakers of any kind for the Ambeo Soundbar Plus. but it Is Announcing a new, standalone subwoofer to go with it. The $699.95 Ambeo Sub has an 8-inch woofer with a 350W Class-D amplifier, and the company claims it can deliver “audiophile-grade bass at up to 27Hz.” You can wirelessly link up to four Ambeo Subs simultaneously in a home theater setup. The sub is designed to self-calibrate and take advantage of built-in mics to optimize the performance of a room’s unique acoustics.

Image: Sennheiser

The list of supported audio formats on the Ambeo Soundbar Plus includes Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and 360 Reality Audio. Sennheiser says that owners will be able to “create an exciting 3D sound experience with the stereo and 5.1 content that make it sound like an artist.” Like the Ambeo Soundbar Max, you also get several built-in streaming integrations, including Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, and Google Chromecast. Those features were added in March With the launch of Ambeo OS,

Clearly, Sennheiser is pleased to continue competing in the ultra-premium soundbar market against the best of Sony, Sonos, Bose and others. The company isn’t (yet) interested in making soundbars for less than $1,000, let alone anything budget-priced.

Both Ambeo Soundbar Plus and Ambeo Sub will be available in stores on September 22.