Introduction
Wow… A soundbar with wireless subwoofer for less than RM350? Really? Yup, SonicGear SonicBar BT5500 AirBass is the one. And that’s not all. It is also loaded with digital optical and HDMI (ARC) connections that not usually found in budget soundbar. Of course, it comes with other usual ones like AUX, Bluetooth 5.0, FM radio and MP3 player. And 65W total power output (RMS). Does it sound great? Let’s find out together…
Special Thanks
This review is possible thanks to below companies. Be sure to check them out…
- SonicGear for this SonicGear SonicBar BT5500 AirBass Soundbar
- Lotoo for Lotoo PAW 5000 DAP
Package Content & Design
Everything is nicely packed and protected. There are remote control, HDMI cable, stereo 3.5mm audio cable, power adaptor and screws in the package. No optical cable and user manual can found. Hmm…
Build quality is decent. The soundbar has metal housing with fabric speaker grill. And the subwoofer is made by MDF with plastic on top. Let’s have a closer look on them…
All the buttons and inputs are located on the right. You can use the buttons to navigate when remote control is not around. But you will hardly use them on daily usage. There is no LED display for audio source but small light indicator only by the way.
Here are all the inputs that you need. The HDMI (ARC) really comes in handy. Just connect it to your TV and you are ready to go. Same apply to optical port, connect to your TV box will do.
There are 2 anti-skid pads on both right and left. Same apply to the wall mount holes.
This is the 35W wireless subwoofer. Unlike normal one which needs to connect with audio cable, you can place this anywhere that you prefer. No cable is needed with MDF wireless connection. Keep it within 7m with the soundbar will do.
5.25″ bass driver and reflex port at the bottom. The tiny one is blue LED light by the way.
Performance Result
Yes, yes, yes… Both digital connections HDMI (ARC) and optical are working great! You get the cleanest audio quality through digital. As long as your TV and TV Box support them, you are good to go. Of course, other connections are working well as expected too. Built-in media player does support FLAC on top of the usual MP3. And FM radio works well even without external antenna.
Bluetooth range is good. Can reach up to 7m with obstacles like wall. As long as you are in the living room, you are good. In addition, it has almost no lag between video and audio thanks to latest Bluetooth 5.0. That’s great for games, movie on your smartphone and tablet no doubt.
SonicBar BT5500 remembers the last used audio source after power off. But it can’t remember all other settings like treble and bass volume. So better keep it as standby to avoid reconfiguration again and again.
To me, SonicGear BT5500 has bright sound signature. It has bright and clear treble. Decent bass amount but don’t expect much from it (not deep enough when compare to bigger subwoofer even on maximum bass level). Yes, that’s the lowest treble and maximum bass volume. But that’s not all. You still can change sound signature with 3 EQ modes – movie, TV and music. Just pick the one that you prefer. Personally, I prefer movie for clarity and music for more relaxing tone.
Compared to TV built-in speakers, 65W total power will rock your world. It can easily fill up the whole large living room. And surely brings a lot of excitements especially in the bass department (where TV ones lack). Yes, enjoy better sound and listening experience in all your movie, TV drama and games.
Advantages
- Sound fuller, brighter & louder than TV’s one
- Wireless subwoofer for extra bass
- HDMI (ARC) & optical support
- Bluetooth, FM & FLAC/MP3 player support
- Remote control included
- Decent build quality
Limitations
- Can’t remember treble/bass volume level
- Wish the bass is deeper
Conclusion
Want to level your TV sound experience? Be sure to check out SonicGear BT5500 with wireless subwoofer, HDMI (ARC) and optical. That’s not limited to TV only, all your mobile devices’ sound can be upgraded as well through fast Bluetooth connection. What are you waiting for? Get yours at Shopee or Lazada now.
