I Recommend This Amazon Fire Tv Soundbar To Most People - Here's Why

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Fire TV Soundbar Plus is cleanable for those who want an affordable plug-and-play solution, disposable now for $250 standalone aliases $490 for nan bundle.
• Bass is awesome (especially pinch nan subwoofer), and nan speech enhancement characteristic is adjuvant for clarity.
• It lacks built-in Wi-Fi streaming, smart features, aliases Alexa integration, connects pinch Bluetooth, and doesn't person a companion app.

Amazon showcased its Fire TV Soundbar Plus astatine CES 2025, and it was 1 of nan highlights for maine and others willing successful location entertainment. I precocious sewage a chance to spell hands-on pinch nan product, installing it successful nan surviving room of our testing laboratory to cheque its performance, and I tin instantly spot why it made specified an belief astatine CES.

Also: This LG soundbar transformed my surviving room into a location theatre - pinch Dolby Atmos included

Amazon advertises its Fire Soundbar Plus astatine 3 value points: $249 for nan 3.1-channel version, $374 for nan summation of an outer subwoofer, and $489 for a 5.1-channel strategy pinch nan subwoofer positive 2 situation sound speakers (the exemplary I tested). 

The Soundbar Plus' predecessor -- nan 2023 Fire TV Soundbar (sans "Plus") -- lies astatine nan bottommost of nan costs ladder arsenic a 2.0 transmission speaker for $119. 

Besides including nan other hardware, nan Fire TV Soundbar Plus's creation differs notably from nan low-end 2023 model. The guidelines exemplary is shaped for illustration an elongated, 24-inch pill pinch soft, curving edges. The Plus exemplary maintains its rounded edges but is doubly arsenic heavy arsenic it is gangly (5.2" x 2.5") and importantly longer astatine 37 inches. The cube-shaped situation speakers and subwoofer besides characteristic rounded edges for a conservative, streamlined shape factor.

I should mention that nan shipment container besides included a wall equine kit pinch brackets for nan 2 outer speakers. The soundbar's distant is simply a compact 4 inches long, and, arsenic pinch each Amazon electronics, it comes equipped pinch batteries.

Also: 5 easy ways to instantly amended your soundbar's audio (without spending a dime)

Setup was reasonably easy. After plugging successful nan powerfulness cords for each 4 components, nan only request was to push nan "Connect" buttons connected nan backs of nan sub and broadside speakers. After quickly pairing nan strategy pinch an LG TV, I watched "Daredevil: Born Again" connected Disney+ because it is replete pinch action scenes accompanied by aggravated symphonic movements.

Amazon Fire Soundbar Plus

Chris Bayer/ZDNET

Initially, I placed nan 2 outer speakers connected nan credenza to nan near and correct of nan TV. As a result, nan measurement and bass drilled maine successful nan face. I had unwittingly turned nan measurement good supra 50%, and it was loud. The tsunami of sound reminded maine of sitting successful a ample cineplex erstwhile you weren't precisely prepared for that first blast of noise. This is to say, nan corporate 5 speakers were projecting their vibrations straight toward my earholes, which were met pinch hefty volume, clear dialogue, and crisp philharmonic notes.

Also: I swapped my 4K TV pinch a $299 tri-fold projector for a week - here's my verdict now

The subwoofer's speaker is down-firing, located connected nan bottommost of nan unit. Despite nan low-pile Berber carpet successful our testing space, nan sub delivered rumbling bass pinch a wave arsenic debased arsenic 50Hz. I uncertainty you'd brushwood overmuch value nonaccomplishment if you placed nan subwoofer connected a higher-pile carpet, but it's thing to consider.

Then, I positioned nan 2 situation speakers wherever their sanction suggests they should beryllium placed: astir nan viewing area down nan couch. While immoderate users person indicated nan Soundbar Plus falls short of providing a existent situation sound experience, I disagree. The situation speakers make for a memorably immersive experience.

Sure, compared pinch premium soundbars, nan Fire TV Soundbar Plus presents a weaker midrange capacity and a narrower stereo image. Highs tin beryllium peaky, while lowering treble tin make nan sound muddy and a spot cluttered. But only nan astir finicky audiophile would announcement these nuances.

The Soundbar Plus supports Dolby Atmos, DTS: X, and DTS TruVolume, but it doesn't person built-in video streaming functionality, truthful it's purely a sound strategy without smart features. That is acceptable successful ray of its value-forward value tag, coupled pinch nan truth that it sounds great.

Also: The JBL Bar 700 is simply a standout sound system, and it's $300 off

While nan Fire Soundbar Plus is designed to activity seamlessly pinch Fire TV devices, you tin still power some nan TV and soundbar pinch a azygous distant and moreover fine-tune nan audio settings successful nan TV's menu. It's an fantabulous prime if you're seeking to heighten your audio acquisition without nan complexity of a high-end system. 

ZDNET's buying advice

The top-tier Fire Soundbar Plus is simply a broad situation sound strategy that's compatible pinch immoderate smart TV and streaming app and delivers dynamic, room-filling sound for nether $500. The lesser models (without nan further sub and situation speakers) supply value sound astatine an due value point, but obviously, you'll get less sound. 

All successful all, though, it's a sound strategy that tin importantly upgrade your audio acquisition while being easy to group up and usage without breaking your bank. That's a bully bet, successful my book. 

This article was primitively published connected April 22, 2025, and was updated connected July 16, 2025.