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After a successful launch in the US last year, Amazon’s Fire TV Soundbar is at last making its way across the pond.
The Fire TV Soundbar, which is available for pre-order in the UK (and Germany) starting today, aims to provide an affordable audio upgrade over many TV’s built-in speakers.
With a sleek design measuring just over 60cm in length, the soundbar promises to deliver room-filling sound while maintaining a relatively unobtrusive presence in most living rooms.
From a technical standpoint, the Fire TV Soundbar offers a two-channel audio setup with support for DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Audio technologies.
However, there’s a twist in the story: despite its name, the Fire TV Soundbar doesn’t actually include any Fire TV streaming capabilities.
It’s an audio-only device (also known as, well, a soundbar), that promises to “connect seamlessly” with Fire TV devices. So what exactly does this new gadget bring to the table? Let’s go over the details.
Fire TV Soundbar: It’s All In The Name
One of the Fire TV Soundbar’s primary selling points is its straightforward integration with existing Fire TV devices.
Users who already own a Fire TV streaming stick (or TV) can control both their streaming device and the soundbar using a single remote, eliminating the need to juggle multiple controllers.
This ‘Fire TV Ready’ designation aims to simplify the overall entertainment experience for Amazon’s ecosystem users.
But here’s where things get a bit confusing. Contrary to what its name might suggest, the Fire TV Soundbar is devoid of any actual Fire TV streaming functions.
Unlike some competitors’ offerings, such as Roku’s Streambar which has a full streaming device already “baked into” the soundbar, Amazon’s soundbar is purely an audio solution.
And if you were expecting any of Amazon’s voice assistant capabilities – Alexa is also missing from the soundbar – so yes, it’s just… a soundbar, with the Fire TV brand mostly sprinkled in for good measure.
The soundbar does offer Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users to stream audio from smartphones, tablets, or other compatible devices when not watching TV.
In terms of physical connections, the Fire TV Soundbar comes equipped with HDMI, Digital Optical, power, and USB-A ports.
Audio Performance and Features
While we haven’t had hands-on experience with the UK version, reports from US users suggest that the Fire TV Soundbar offers a noticeable improvement over built-in TV speakers.
The device boasts two 20-watt speakers, which should provide ample volume for most living spaces.
The soundbar includes three EQ modes: Films, Music, and Dialogue. These presets are designed to optimise the audio output for different types of content, potentially enhancing the listening experience across various media types.
Support for DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Digital codecs suggests that the soundbar can handle a range of audio formats, including those commonly used in films and TV shows (but, as expected at this price level, there’s no Dolby Atmos support).
As always with budget soundbars, don’t expect miracles. They can’t really replace high-end multi-speaker setups, but they do usually improve the sound you get from flat TV speakers.
Pricing and Availability
Amazon has set an introductory price of £99.99 for the Fire TV Soundbar in the UK (with a suggested retail price of £119.99).
Pre-orders are currently open, with shipping expected to begin on July 29, 2024.
Why? What is the point? Every household pretty much has a sound bar and as for 20watts sound and no Alexa, I can envision Amazon dumping these technological scrap heap.