There are two surprising things about this speaker box

Autumn is streaming time. It gets dark earlier and the damp, cold air doesn’t exactly invite you to sit outside longer in the evenings. So what could be better than snuggling up on the couch and discovering a new series for yourself? The only thing that can spoil the fun, at least in my household, is the sound. In my living room there is an average 4K TV. The picture is good, the sound is not. After all, the technology is housed in a slim case. There’s no room for bulky speakers. A soundbar could help. For this reason, I tried out the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar.

The long speaker box costs around 140 euros from the mail order company. A long way from the prices that Sonos charges for its cheap Ray model (299 euros), but also a long way from the absolute cheap product (starting at around 60 euros). For the money, Amazon promises a small sound miracle – but other things are completely missing.

If it says Fire TV, there must be no Fire TV inside

Although it says “Fire TV” on the packaging, the technology is not built into the soundbar. Background: Amazon sells sticks and set-top boxes under this brand, which you can use to add the Fire TV interface to old (and new) televisions. This in turn offers access to established streaming services and live TV content. Other manufacturers have long integrated Fire TVs into soundbars. Surprisingly, Amazon does not do this. The device also does not offer access to Alexa. But that is not really a disadvantage.

Because there is no technology involved, the soundbar is easy to set up. The power cable goes into the socket, the HDMI cable supplied is plugged into the HDMI ARC socket (or eARC). Every TV has this nowadays. Alternatively, the connection works via the optical input. The TV then passes the sound on to the soundbar. In the worst case, you still have to select the correct HDMI channel in the settings. And you’re done.

No cinema sound – but bass

Amazon also includes a separate remote control for controlling the device. You need this to find the right setting. You can adjust the bass and sound mode, for example. Here you can choose between dialogue, music and film. The difference between the three is not really noticeable, however. Everything is correct, you can also control the volume with the TV remote control. The soundbar also offers Bluetooth for connecting to your smartphone. It then works like a Bluetooth speaker. You can then use the buttons on the device to adjust the volume if necessary.

It’s all so basic that it’s fun. But this fun has its limits. For example, Amazon has omitted a proper volume indicator. Instead, there are only three LEDs that can show which area you are in. There is no longer a display on the TV either.

The remote control for the Fire TV Soundbar is small – and quickly becomes useless once you have found the right settings. (Photo: t3n)

And how does the soundbar sound? It is equipped with speakers with 20 watts each. The data sheet also states that the gadget supports DTS Virtual X. The format is supposed to deliver spatial sound. There is a button on the remote control that you can use to switch between normal and spatial sound; however, I heard very little 3D sound regardless of the setting. You probably shouldn’t seriously expect that from a 140 euro device.

Nevertheless, the soundbar has enhanced my TV experience. The powerful bass in particular surprised me and gave voices and soundscapes some emphasis. Explosions in action films no longer sound as tinny as with the built-in speakers. The soundbar reproduces voices much more naturally, music comes across better. But not everyone is happy with it. The film mode was usually set. My wife found the discrepancy between the dialogues and the soundscape too great in the selected setting. Action scenes were too loud for her, conversations too quiet. I didn’t find the difference so noticeable. Nevertheless: For the price, the sound is OK.

Conclusion

Amazon’s Fire TV soundbar makes it easy. You can use it if you want to improve your TV sound. It definitely delivers richer sound than the built-in speakers. The fact that Fire TV technology is missing seems strange given the name, but it’s not a big deal. After all, most TVs already offer access to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc. You have to be careful with the height. If the TV is on stands, the soundbar could end up in the picture in the worst case scenario. You’re also completely wrong here if you’re expecting a 3D cinema experience. The 140 euro device cannot offer that.

Tip: If you are planning to buy something, it is best to wait a few more weeks. Amazon’s second Prime Day 2024 will take place on October 8th and 9th. The mail order company is known for significantly reducing the price of its own hardware.