Two days ago, Part 1 of this little immersion was released. Just a quick recap: The Harman Group treated us to an immersion of their new products with brands including JBL, AKG, Harman/Kardon, and Denon. We reviewed small and portable devices like the JBL Synchros and the AKG Y50. We also reviewed big, home-theater-like setups like the Harman/Kardon Omni and a Dolby Atmos system for the home. Due to the number of gadgets we got our hands on, this article had to be divided into smaller bits. This time, we’re going through the home theater side of the Harman Group. We tested out Harman/Kardan Omni, the JBL Cinema SB350 Soundbar, and the home version of the Dolby Atmos sytem.
Harman/Kardon Omni Wireless HD Audio System
These speakers take surround sound to the next level. Or have they taken it too literally? The Omni system isn’t a 5.1 surround sound home theater system. It’s surround sound in the literal sense. The Omni speaker is small, but big enough to be more than portable speakers. What makes these surround sound is when a number of these speakers are used as a set. You can set one up in each room and they connect to each other via Bluetooth. The system goes up to five at a time, like a 5.1 setup. The speakers are available in two variants: the Omni 10 and the Omni 20, which is bigger than the former. There’s also a separate Adapt plug-in that, well, adapts your current speaker system to that of the Omni system. There’s also a downloadable app so you can take the music whichever room you go to.
Dolby Atmos Home Theater
If you’ve been cinema-hopping, you may have heard of the Dolby Atmos. It’s a three-dimensional sound system that adds the perception of height, in addition to the perception of distance and direction in the surround sound standard. Not only can you hear where the sound is coming from, but you can hear how high up it is. I haven’t experienced it myself. That is, until Harman put us before their very own Atmos theater system. They managed to put together a Dolby Atmos in their makeshift living room at the Sound Gallery. Dolby Atmos is 5.1.2 surround sound, adding its own number to the 5.1 standard. Besides the five speakers and a subwoofer, there are two smaller speakers that are the key to whole system. They create the illusion of height.
We tested the system using only the Atmos trailers. Only a very select number of commercial films are Atmos-compatible in their home release. The trailer was a trek through a rainforest. The most amazing part was when a bird flew overhead. We all looked up to see if there really was a bird overhead. It was a wholly new and immersive experience.
If the heart of the system is the two small speakers on top of the TV, the brain is the Denon AVR-X4100W player that controls all nine devices, which is the only Atmos-compatible player so far. At least for home use.
JBL Cinema SB350 Soundbar
If 5.1.2 is way over your budget line, perhaps a soundbar might be better. We also tested JBL’s new soundbar. A soundbar is only a 2.1 system, but its engineering is said to emulate that of a 5.1 system. It’s meant for smaller apartments and condos because of its size and price. The bar itself can be mounted on the wall above a flatscreen or on the table on which the same TV is on. The subwoofer wirelessly connects to the bar so it can be placed anywhere convenient. As for the test, I could feel the definite boost as compared to replying on the TV’s speakers. But it’s definitely less than an actual 5.1 system. It retails for P19,990.
![](https://2ndopinion.ph/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/300x250.png"")
