Philips is known for its developments, such as tape cassette and participation in the development of CD and DVD. But apart from that, the engineers of the company are good at improving what has already been made. So, for example, we can remember the Philips CDR 870 CD-recorder and the Ambilight televisions. The imagination of the company’s developers does not fade away even today. It would seem – everything possible has already been squeezed out of the idea of improving sound panels – see. Our material about their evolution. But the Philips have disproved this opinion – their soundbar has got the possibility to “disintegrate” into several parts..
Philips Fidelio HTL9100 Soundbar /12
Technical characteristics
Standard 4.1
Total power 210W
Sound Panel:
Power – 120W
Speaker dimensions – woofer: 2×64 mm
The sizes rhvhg – 1035x70x165 mm
Weight – 4 kg
Subwoofer:
The power is 90 watts
Speaker dimensions – 165 mm
Frequency range 20-150 Hz
Dimensions WxHxD – 200x510x200 mm
Weight – 5 kg
Interfaces:
Inputs – RCA stereo line input, digital optical input, digital coaxial, HDMI x2
Outputs – HDMI
Decoders:
Dolby Digital, DTS
Additional information:
Bluetooth support, wireless subwoofer connection, separate volume control bass, treble, wall mount capability.
Design
Externally the device looks like a flattened pipe, oval in cross-section, and an unpretentious box nearby.
Everything is clear with a box, it is a subwoofer. By the way – wireless.
But it is not so easy with the “pipe”. It turns out that on both sides on magnets two “figurines” are fixed, – removable wireless speakers, which provide the rear sound, and the soundbar turns into the surround sound audio system with “easy movement of hands”.
The built-in rechargeable batteries provide 10 hours of charge while you’re watching – and then you have to put them back on to recharge.
The solution is original, though not without controversy.
It would seem that the lack of binding to the main unit provides the freedom to move the “rear” units – they can be put on the sofa, a window sill, etc.p., – Seems to be convenient.
But, having played with it for a couple of days, the owner of such an original design can see a minus for himself/herself, because not everybody has a possibility to place somewhere the rear acoustic system. Imagine that your couch is against the wall and you’re used to watching movies lying down..
Of course, this is a special case, but it must be taken into account when buying, otherwise the system can easily turn into an expensive “two-day toy”.
But the wireless solution is very topical for the subwoofer, though nobody is surprised by such a construction any more.
The location of the remote “subwoofer” is probably the most difficult task when installing a home theater system. And, although we’re not talking about “adult Hi-Fi,” the location of the subwoofer in the room is also important, and the lack of “tethering” makes it easy to move it around – for the best results.
Signal transmission
Of course, the idea of decoupling speakers from the signal source is tempting – it has recently penetrated even into “serious” Hi-Fi.
I must say that the engineers of this company have long been “indulging” in wireless sound transmission in home theater systems. Back in the early 2000s you could still see Philips TVs with built-in DVD drive and remote speakers – the rear speakers were wireless. True, “just in case” the connection with a cord was provided in the rear.
Apparently, the rich experience of development has not been wasted – Philips designers made the signal transmission to the subwoofer and remote speaker at 5.8 GHz frequency, which should allow avoiding interference with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals.
Besides, the system is equipped with a sensor, which allows determining whether it is installed horizontally or suspended on the wall. Depending on the location, Smart Equalisation technology adjusts the sound parameters to your liking.
If you can dream up a little, the position sensor can be developed into an “anti-tamper” system – the same pendulum alarms are used. For example, the case will be shocked when the system changes its usual position or moves away from the apartment, but this will hopefully be implemented in future versions..
Interface and functionality
As we can see from the technical characteristics, the device has an analog line stereo input RCA , digital optical and coaxial inputs and, of course, HDMI and even two of them ?
Music can be played through both Bluetooth and a movie soundbar, turning the “movie” soundbar into an audio system.
The unit is capable of decoding soundtracks recorded in Dolby Digital and DTS. Moreover, if when you switch the selector from one input to another, the audio tracks have different coding, the smart device “notices” this and arranges in accordance with the coding.
Sound
The scene is good, no channel imbalance.
By the way, there is no separate central channel in the system – it is virtual, but if you don’t know it, you might not even guess about it.
Subwoofer blends seamlessly into the overall sound picture. The device is equipped with Double BASS technology emphasizing the depth and richness of bass frequencies – the bass is impressive.
True, when listening to music, especially compressed tracks, the tonal balance can shift to the upper middle and treble, which can make the sound seem “flattened. But the flip side of it is better panorama in movies, because exactly the upper frequencies provide the best scene, and this device is first of all a theatrical one.
This, however, can be tweaked by adjusting the treble and bass – in addition to the “embedded” presets there is such a possibility.
Subwoofer volume level is also adjustable separately, which – considering the shift of tonality upwards – will not be superfluous.
Summary.
Philips engineers have once again created an original design with the ability to integrate virtually any room.
Advantages
The following are some of the reasons for this: easy installation, position sensor, good scene…. The presence of a digital input allows you to use the system to sound out over-the-air TV, – if you have a digital output in your TV.
Flaws:
The audio material may show a shift of tonal balance to the upper middle and high frequencies.
Advice
: When adjusting the subwoofer, try the “slightly over half” position.
Price: 25,000 Dollars.
Can you provide more information about the issue with the flattened tube falling apart in the Philips Fidelio HTL9100/12 soundbar? Is this a common problem among users? Are there any recommended solutions or should we contact customer support for assistance?
Is the Philips Fidelio HTL9100/12 soundbar durable or prone to damage?