Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus: Two minute overview
The Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus is a strong soundbar at an honest, however not distinctive, worth. Whereas that’s a non-controversial and pretty vanilla assertion, it’s a wierd state of affairs for Amazon for the reason that firm sometimes subsidizes its merchandise, particularly ones like Echo audio system and Fireplace TV branded TVs, to beat the market. It’s onerous to disregard that there are many cheaper choices, whether or not you’re contemplating a primary all-in-one soundbar or a 5.1-channel soundbar system.
Whereas I’m stunned that the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus shouldn’t be as discounted as most Amazon merchandise in comparison with the competitors, it is among the best soundbars I’ve skilled relating to ease of setup – all the pieces is already paired and also you simply should plug all of it in.
The efficiency is, as anticipated at this worth level, good however not nice. The encompass sound is immersive and the audio high quality is what you’d anticipate at this worth level. The sound doesn’t have fairly the readability of extra premium choices, however solely fussy listeners will discover.
The one huge challenge I had with the audio high quality is that the stereo picture shouldn’t be as large appropriately from the soundbar, which I’ll get into under. And whereas the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus is marketed as having Dolby Atmos, it doesn’t even have the bodily audio system for spatial audio, so that you gained’t discover it on any record for the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.
That stated, you possibly can do so much worse for a soundbar system at its worth level, whether or not you’re trying on the most elementary configuration or the 5.1-channel one, particularly when you see it discounted (as Amazon is wont to usually do with its merchandise).
Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus overview: Value & launch date
- First out there: December 2025
- Value: Beginning at $249.99 / £249.99 (about AU$400)
- Obtainable within the US and UK
The Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus is priced at $249.99 / £249.99 (about AU$400), and is only a standalone soundbar (together with an influence cable, HDMI cable, distant, distant batteries, and mounting package). The subsequent stage up comes with a wi-fi subwoofer and is priced at $374.99 (about £300 / AU$590). The maxed-out configuration (reviewed right here) provides encompass audio system together with the subwoofer for a 5.1-channel setup and prices $489.99 (about £390 / AU$770).
Surprisingly, that is extra mid-range than finances pricing, bucking Amazon’s typical mannequin of subsidizing its {hardware} for both market share or branding, particularly relating to both good dwelling gadgets or Fireplace TV ones.
So far as availability goes, these within the US have entry to all three configurations whereas solely essentially the most primary configuration is on the market within the UK. The Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus shouldn’t be offered in Australia.
Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus overview: Specs
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 37 x 5.2 x 2.5 inches (soundbar), 10.4 x 10.4 x 13.4 inches (subwoofer), 5.1 x 5.1 x 6.0 inches (rear audio system) |
| Speaker channels | 5.1 |
| Connections: | HDMI, optical digital, USB, Bluetooth |
| Dolby Atmos/DTS:X | Sure/Sure |
| Sub included | Sure |
| Rear audio system included | Sure |
| Options | DTS TruVolume |
Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus overview: Options
- Surprisingly stripped down function set
- Some EQ and audio modes out there via the distant
- Digital Dolby Atmos
Contemplating the branding, I used to be stunned to see how barebones the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus is. It doesn’t have built-in streaming the way in which Roku soundbars do, and it doesn’t have any Alexa-related performance. There’s no app both, so that you’re not going to have the ability to do any EQ fine-tuning (with an exception that I’ll point out under).
All EQ settings can be found through the distant. There are 4 audio modes: Film, Music, Sports activities, and Night time. I most well-liked the Film mode most because it appeared the least affected. Nevertheless, Night time mode is a pleasant addition because it retains any peaks within the audio from getting too loud whereas concurrently making all the pieces straightforward to listen to at low quantity.
There are additionally particular person bass and treble controls in addition to encompass sound quantity on the distant. A dialogue perform boosts the amount of dialogue to make it simpler to listen to – a terrific possibility for these with listening to loss, even when it’s a considerably delicate impact.
There’s no bodily Dolby Atmos readily available – the marketed Dolby Atmos is digital, that means you don’t get a real spatial audio expertise. You get a full encompass sound expertise with the rear audio system at the least, so there’s a lateral 360-degree soundstage, simply not the vertical one which spatial audio gives.
Moreover the same old HDMI and optical digital connections, the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus additionally comes with Bluetooth, so streaming a Spotify playlist from a cellphone is easy.
The one space the place the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus is exclusive is that, when paired with sure Amazon Fireplace TVs, you may fine-tune the audio on a deeper stage within the TV’s settings.
Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus overview: Efficiency
- Sounds good however not the most effective decision
- Stereo picture is a bit slender
- Encompass sound is immersive
The sound high quality of the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus is fairly good. You won’t be impressed when you’ve used hi-fi tools or premium soundbars, however when you’re searching for your first dwelling theater encompass sound system, try to be fairly blissful.
Particularly, the high-end is only a tiny bit missing so the audio doesn’t fairly have the most effective readability and determination. This was particularly obvious when taking part in music I’m accustomed to, which simply didn’t fairly have the identical sparkle it often does. Nevertheless, it is a nitpick.
The mids are pretty effectively balanced in order that they sound full with out being compressed or distorted. And there’s a lot of bass out there from the subwoofer so that you get that rumble when watching films.
You possibly can modify the subwoofer through the bass settings on the distant to be much less impactful (or extra) in order for you. The treble, as talked about earlier than, can be adjustable through the distant, although I discovered the assorted ranges to be a bit of too delicate.
In terms of the soundstage, the left and proper channels are a bit of nearer collectively than I would really like. It’s because, despite the fact that the soundbar has left, middle, and proper channel audio system, the drivers and tweeters for the left and proper channels (every channel has a mid-bass driver and tweeter) each face straight forward. Regardless that the soundbar is 37 inches large, this isn’t sufficient separation if you’re sitting past a 1.5-meter distance from the TV.
Sure, all the pieces that’s alleged to be on the left sounds prefer it’s on the left and all the pieces that’s alleged to be on the fitting is there as effectively. However, the stereo picture continues to be a bit too slender.
The encompass sound, however, is a pleasure to take heed to. The encompass audio system provide a 360-degree expertise, even when it’s simply the ambiance of a online game like It Takes Two or random background characters speaking comparable to I skilled when watching Idiot’s Paradise. I additionally examined the encompass audio system with 5.1-channel audio mixes on YouTube, and it was enlightening to expertise the spaciousness these audio system ship whereas additionally confirming that you simply don’t really want to take heed to Bob Marley in something aside from stereo.
It’s price noting once more that, although this soundbar helps Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, that is purely digital as there are not any bodily upward-firing audio system. And I didn’t discover something resembling that vertical sense of house when watching films and TV with Dolby Atmos soundtracks.
Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus overview: Design
- Primary aesthetics and design
- LED indicator lights as an alternative of alphanumeric show
- Most superb tuning achieved via the distant
Aesthetically, the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus can greatest be described as utilitarian. All of the items are available a matte black. The items are additionally all fairly boxy, and you’d solely know that they had been made by Amazon as a result of every bit has the Fireplace TV brand imprinted in shiny black someplace on it. The assorted items don’t name an excessive amount of consideration themselves, aside from the truth that the sound bar is 37 inches large so that you’ll want a large sufficient floor to put in it when you’re not wall-mounting.
The ports on the again are surprisingly restricted to HDMI, optical digital, and USB. Whereas the HDMI port is ARC-enabled, I might have appreciated a second HDMI passthrough port. This is a matter I continuously discover with cheaper sound bars.
One other limitation is that there’s no alphanumeric show on the entrance, simply 5 LED indicator lights that shine via the entrance grill material to mirror what the amount or varied settings are as much as.
The controls on high of the soundbar are a bit extra restricted than on the distant, however the vital ones are right here, specifically: energy, supply, Bluetooth, quantity up, and quantity down.
All fine-tuning is finished on the distant. Fortunately, it’s straightforward to make use of and has separate bass and treble buttons to cycle via ranges in addition to a button to activate/off encompass sound, which has its personal quantity up and down. There are additionally EQ preset and dialogue buttons.
Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus overview: Setup & usability
- Already paired out of the field
- Straightforward to make use of
- No actual show for present settings
Organising the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus couldn’t be simpler. Every part is available in one huge field – all of the packaging appears to be supplies that may be recycled – and simply must be eliminated and plugged in.
The soundbar, subwoofer, and rear audio system are already paired so that after all the pieces is plugged in and powered on, the soundbar will register the opposite items. A wall-mounting package can be included, although it’s only for the soundbar. The toughest half (until you’re planning on mounting) is placing the batteries within the distant.
So far as utilizing the soundbar, it’s additionally simply as easy. The buttons on the sound bar itself are a bit primary so it’s worthwhile to hold monitor of the distant to get many of the performance. However switching sources and adjusting the audio to style inside its limitations is pretty foolproof.
I do want there was a entrance panel alphanumeric show for suggestions when making modifications. As an alternative, you need to depend on the indicator LEDs and take heed to a voice immediate to know what setting you’ve modified. And when you’re not paying shut consideration, you need to modify once more to search out out what it was on.
- Setup & usability rating: 4.5 / 5
Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus overview: Worth
- Good, however not nice, deal for a encompass sound soundbar system
- Can discover cheaper, although lesser, 5.1-channel sound bar choices
- Similar cash can get better-sounding choices, however with fewer channels
I’ll sound a bit of confused when discussing the value of the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus by saying it’s without delay reasonably priced and overpriced. At $489.99 (about £390 / AU$770) for the encompass sound configuration, it’s a great mid-tier system for the value that comes with a big soundbar, subwoofer, and two rear audio system. But, it’s priced increased than one would anticipate from the likes of Amazon, particularly contemplating how gentle on options it’s.
That is notably highlighted when contemplating the Ultimea Poseidon D50, a 5.1-channel sound bar system that goes for a paltry $119.99 / £149.99 (about AU$180). Certain, the Ultimea comes with many extra compromises with barely worse audio and construct high quality, however it’s additionally a lot, less expensive.
In fact, you may spend the identical quantity on one thing that’s not fairly thought of premium and get a a lot smaller bundle. Take into account the Sony HT-S2000, a 3.1-channel system that counts digital Dolby Atmos as a fundamental attraction. It does have usually higher audio high quality. Nonetheless, you need to pay $499 / £449 / AU$695 for it.
Ought to I purchase the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus?
| Part | Notes | Rating |
| Options | The function set is pretty stripped down, particularly when you don’t personal a Fireplace TV to pair it with. Dolby Atmos isn’t true spatial audio | 3.5 / 5 |
| Efficiency | Stereo picture is a bit slender, however the sound high quality is fairly good total. The encompass sound, particularly, is a deal with | 4 / 5 |
| Design | Utilitarian and simple design, although an alphanumeric show would have been good | 4 / 5 |
| Setup & usability | Already paired out of the field, this soundbar is straightforward to arrange and simply as straightforward to make use of | 4.5 / 5 |
| Worth | Reasonably priced, although a bit of greater than I believe it ought to value for what’s on provide. An excellent, however not nice, deal | 4 / 5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus overview: Additionally take into account
How I examined the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus
- I used the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus for a pair weeks
- Examined with each TV, films, and music
I used the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus system usually for per week. I used it with TV reveals, films, and music. I examined the assorted EQ choices and audio modes in addition to performed round with all the opposite settings out there, such because the dialogue mode.
After testing, the Amazon Fireplace TV Soundbar Plus appears to be a decently priced 5.1-channel system that leans a bit on the Fireplace TV model, providing largely comfort and the encompass sound expertise, and never a lot else.
I’ve examined a whole lot of tech gear over time from laptops to keyboards and audio system, and so have been in a position to make use of my experience in direction of giving an trustworthy and honest opinion, to not point out a essential eye, to any product I check.