I'm going to be as fair as I can with this review.
There is one thing above all others you need to know. This 5.1.2 soundbar setup is an entry level system. Your expectations for anything greater should be tempered.
I was very impressed with the ease of the setup. It took me longer to unpack everything than it did to actually get it operational. Great plus point.
Sadly, from then on, the only thing I felt was disappointment.
I connected to my TV and set all of my equipment to pass through, putting the entire audio decoding efforts in the hands of the system. The results were far less impressive than I hoped.
I want to make this clear. I wasn't expecting the earth. Considering the price of other systems on the market, I knew this one wasn't going to be the best. Nevertheless, I was expecting more than I got.
With a 5.1 soundtrack from a high quality source, the dialogue is very tinny and disproportionate. In some ways, it sounds much like I would expect from a laptop speaker.
Additionally, the tone seems to change as I move around the room, getting more or less tinny.
The manufacturer does recommend that the bar is at ear height. When I am positioned at that height, there is improvement but the tinniness remains strong.
The sub does add a little to the dialogue. But, if you look at the audio spectrum as a whole, this system seems incapable of reproducing a noticeable portion of it accurately. Thus, voices do not sound right no matter what.
I thought things couldn't get worse, but my disappointment was not over.
Next, I Bluetoothed my phone and played Atmos quality music. The bass was punchy but limited. There was little treble and the midranges were cold. The overall tone of it was harsh.
There are several equaliser modes, all of which sound quite similar except the Dialogue option with dampens pretty much everything except vocal frequencies.
Just to be certain, I listened to a number of different sources over a few days. I was forced to conclude this system is not for me.
I should say, however, I am used to rich and high quality audio filled with fidelity. A lack of space forced me to choose a soundbar over a system with a separate amp and speakers.
Other points...
It's a good looking system. Well designed in it's asthetics. However, if you have a TV with a central stand, you won't be able to tuck it under your Tele because of the 6-pin loop cable that connects the two halves of the bar.
The connectivity options are good. HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, Optical, and a headphone-style input, there won't be much you cannot connect to it and switching between those sources is very easy with the remote.
Conclusion:
With this being an entry level system, others in this price range will doubtless be similar. Going by the other reviews here, this one may possibly even a stronger candidate than some others.
But the fact is, if you're like me and require a rich and full range to your listening experience, I'm sorry to say, you'll have to spend quite a bit more than this.
It's not a terrible system and for the price and what you get with it, it may even be one of the better ones. But for me, it is not so.
Edit: Having left this review, I was contacted by Ultimea customer services. Their agent made valiant efforts to try and resolve my issues.
One star added for excellent customer service.
Edit 2: I connected my PC to the soundbar directly for 5.1 audio while gaming. While playing the video feed to my TV cut out seven times in around an hour. This could be because this particular unit is faulty, or because it cannot truly handle 4k 60hz HDR content out of the box.
Either way, I'm forced to remove a star.
- VIDEO
5.1.2ch True Dolby Atmos Soundbar- Nova S80Ultimea Direct UK
Image Unavailable
Image not available for
Colour:
Colour:
-
-
-
- To view this video download
Videos for similar products
Compare with similar items
This item  ULTIMEA 5.1.2ch Sound Bar | Recommendations  | Ìý  | Ìý  | Ìý  | Ìý  | |
| Price | Currently unavailable. | £169.99 | -4%Ìý£239.00 RRP: £249.95 | £149.99 | £102.48 | £299.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jan 14 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Jan 15 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jan 14 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jan 14 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jan 14 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sold by | — | Ultimea GmbH | iZilla | Ultimea Labs | Ultimea GmbH | Ultimea GmbH |
| speaker size | 20.32 centimeters | 5.72 centimeters | 2.25 inches | — | 5 centimeters | 7.09 inches |
| power source | Corded Electric | Corded Electric | Battery Powered | Corded Electric | Corded Electric | Corded Electric |
| connectivity tech | — | HDMI, Optical, RCA, USB, Bluetooth 5.3 | Auxiliary, Bluetooth, HDMI, Optical | HDMI-eARC, Optical, Bluetooth 5.3, AUX, USB | Bluetooth 5.3, Optical, AUX, USB ( HDMI Not Supported ) | HDMI, Optical, Bluetooth, Auxiliary, USB |
| speaker type | 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos Soundbar, 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos Surround Sound System | Soundbar, Surround Speakers, Wireless Subwoofer | Surround Sound | Soundbar, Subwoofer | Surround Sound | Soundbar |
| mounting type | Wall Mount, Tabletop | Tabletop Mount / Wall Mount | Wall Mount | Wall Mount, Tabletop | Tabletop Mount, Wall Mount | Wall Mount |
| weight | 6.7 kilograms | 5.3 kilograms | 5.83 kilograms | 3.2 kilograms | 4.3 kilograms | — |
| control method | remote | remote | remote | remote | remote | application |
| model name | Nova S80 | Poseidon D50 | EVEREST | Nova S50 | Aura A30 | Poseidon D70 |
| surround channels | 5.1.2 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 2.1 | 5.1 | 7.1 |
| woofer diameter | 20.32 centimeters | — | 6 centimeters | — | 10 centimeters | 6.5 inches |
| subwoofer diameter | 20.32 centimeters | 5.25 inches | 5.25 inches | — | 10 centimeters | 6.5 inches |
