It’s no secret that the very best factor you are able to do to improve your TV watching expertise is to purchase higher audio system to connect to it. Whether or not that’s a soundbar, bookshelf audio system, or a full encompass sound system, your ears will thanks.
That’s true sufficient for film watching, but it surely goes doubly once you use your TV for gaming. A encompass sound system enables you to hear each footstep creeping up on you, each little bit of the ambiance that the sound designers needed you to really feel, and simply usually a extra immersive expertise.
We’re taking a look at one such encompass system right now, the $1,099 Enclave CineHome II 5.1 Wi-fi House Theater Encompass Sound System. Wait. Wi-fi? Can that actually sound good? Learn on to seek out out.
So, what’s all of it about?
Earlier than we begin, it’s value mentioning you’ll need a pal that can assist you transfer the field as soon as delivered. It’s just below 53lbs, and the field isn’t enjoyable to maneuver round solo (sure, I came upon the exhausting method).
When you open the field, you’ll discover an 8-inch downward-firing subwoofer, three Left/Proper and Middle audio system that each one have a 3-inch mid-range driver, and one 1-inch tweeter, with the Middle speaker additionally having a second 3-inch mid-range driver. Then there’s two bi-pole compact rear audio system, every with two 2-inch drivers inside, and the CineHub that ties all of it collectively. Every of those audio system has a keyhole and a threaded insert for wall or stand-mounting, which is nice for conserving them out of the way in which.
The system helps Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, DTS Digital Encompass, and PCM, protecting nearly all of Dolby’s encompass choices. If you need Dolby Professional Logic II and THX certification, the $1,600 CineHome Professional additionally upgrades you to a 10-inch forward-firing sub, two full-range drivers and one tweeter in every of the Left/Proper/Middle audio system, and a full-range 3-inch driver and 1-inch tweeter in every of the rear audio system.
We not too long ago checked out one other wi-fi audio system, the Dali Sound Hub. The corresponding hub for Enclave’s system is the CineHub, and it’s arrange in just about the identical method. The most effective connection for most individuals is the HDMI port for eARC/ARC use, which additionally enables you to use your TV distant to regulate quantity ranges. It’s additionally received Optical, 3.5mm AUX, and Bluetooth 5.0, so you should utilize it in your sensible speaker and even stream music out of your smartphone.
No matter wires you employ to attach your TV to the CineHub are the one ones you’re going to want for the remainder of the system. The CineHome II makes use of WiSA, or Wi-fi Speaker & Audio, to beam out audio to every of the six audio system that make up the entire 5.1 system. That’s despatched at 24bits at 48kHz/96kHz, at practically zero latency, and with each speaker synced to one another with none want for consumer intervention.
The CineHub will routinely arrange any audio configuration from 2.0 to five.1, and you’ll add as much as three extra subwoofers in order for you extra of a thump.
The companion app enables you to handle any minor tweaks you may want when you’ve arrange the audio system. You need to use it to change between sources, management quantity, and alter issues like particular person speaker ranges or calibrate your room by placing within the distance every speaker is to your viewing place.
The one minor annoyance? It’s not fully wi-fi. You’re going to want to seek out seven plug sockets as all six audio system and the hub require their very own energy. These energy cables are lengthy sufficient for many setups, however you may discover you want an extension cable for the rear audio system relying on how your wall sockets are located.
Nonetheless, it’s a minor worth to pay for not having to string speaker wire throughout your front room.
So, how does the CineHome II sound?
Whereas I used to be unboxing the CineHome system to set it up, I seen one factor that made me smile. Enclave features a pair of white cotton gloves within the field that has the distant, so that you don’t put fingerprints throughout your new audio system whereas setting them up. Isn’t {that a} elegant contact?
Setup was largely a breeze, with a minor little bit of confusion when determining which cable went to every speaker. See, the six energy cables for the audio system aren’t all the identical. Two are longer than the opposite 4 and have L-shaped plugs to enter the speaker. The opposite 4 are about the identical size, with two L-shaped plugs and two straight plugs.
I found out that the longer ones had been in all probability for the rear pair and the shorter L-plug ones had been for the entrance audio system because of the cutouts for the wire to exit. That left the straight plugs for the middle speaker and the subwoofer. The setup within the app and the guide don’t point out which energy cable goes to which speaker, so a minor revision to the setup directions could be welcome.
The one different minor concern is that one of many rear audio system wouldn’t pair to start with. Perhaps I forgot to show it on once I turned all the opposite audio system on; I actually couldn’t say. After fiddling round for some time, it appeared {that a} mixture of tapping the “reset wi-fi” button and turning all of the audio system off then on once more and redoing the pairing routine mounted this. This isn’t talked about in any of the troubleshooting FAQ pages, and it actually must be.
I’ve been utilizing a smaller soundbar with my TV, so I used to be very to see how a lot distinction the CineHome II would make. It’s exhausting to understate simply how a lot of a distinction it made the primary time I fired it up. It’s just like the leap from utilizing the lackluster audio system inside your TV once you first purchase a soundbar. I wasn’t anticipating that large a leap, with a richer sound, reverberating explosions, and ideal sound positioning.
Every part I threw on the system sounded as near a theater expertise as I dared flip the audio system up. I can’t wait till we’re in our new dwelling subsequent yr the place it’s a fully-sound-insulated townhome as an alternative of this residence so I can actually allow them to go wild.
Whereas it’s ostensibly for theater use, the CineHome II isn’t any slouch in terms of gaming as properly. I used it with an extended HDMI cable to my PC and there’s no substitute for a correct encompass speaker setup. Having the ability to choose up on positional clues for enemy placement or that racecar that’s about to go you on the aspect is a stupendous factor to listen to.
Dialog is crystal-clear, whether or not you’re watching a quiet cutscene or listening to battle-cries in the course of frenetic motion. On my previous soundbar I had to make use of the dialog readability mode to truly hear what’s occurring, however not. The most important factor I’ve seen? The tiny latency afforded by the WiSA connectivity means no extra annoying delay or lip-sync points. That’s large for film watching, but it surely’s even rewarding for gaming, the place any points typically drop you out of your sense of immersion.
So, ought to I purchase it?
The $1,099 Enclave CineHome II 5.1 Wi-fi House Theater Encompass Sound System is a superb sounding 5.1 setup that removes probably the most irritating factor of any encompass sound setup – the speaker wires.
The final time I used a encompass setup was within the late 90s, and the wires put me off doing it ever once more. Discover some video games with rousing soundtracks like Skyrim or The Witcher 3 and go to city; you’ll by no means need to play your video games every other method once more.
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