In this Dolby Atmos age of home cinema, it’s reasonable to expect a £999/$999-priced soundbar to support the immersive surround sound technology. But with Definitive Technology’s latest premium soundbar and subwoofer combo, the Studio Slim, the priorities lie more with sound quality, networking streaming and a stylish aesthetic you'd welcome in front of your TV.
On the former, the 3.1-channel Studio Slim bar features a one-inch aluminium dome tweeter and four three-inch drivers – each driven by a dedicated amplifier – with the accompanying sub bringing the brunt through an eight-inch woofer.
The US high-end brand has given it Google Chromecast support too, allowing owners to easily stream music and movies from a wide range of apps (including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Spotify and Tidal) from their smartphone to the bar over wi-fi. Being part of the Chromecast ecosystem also means the soundbar can be connected to Chromecast-enabled speakers to create a more wholesome audio system, and be controlled through voice commands (via an Android phone or Google Home-enabled speaker).
There’s the option to connect the Definitive Technology bar to a TV via HDMI ARC output, reducing the number of cables you need and enabling the TV remote to operate its volume. And while not Atmos-supporting, the Definitive Technology bar employs virtual surround sound designed to make its performance more immersive.
One-button EQ presets for music and movies are joined by a neighbour-friendly night mode for reducing bass response and squashing dynamics, while voices can also be amplified for when you’re watching dialogue-driven content.
The Definitive Technology Studio Slim soundbar (£999/$999) will be available from early November.
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