REVIEW – It used to be that you had two choices for TV audio – the tiny speakers that are built into TVs or large home theater systems with many speakers that dominate the room. Then soundbars became popular and added a third option for folks that wanted much better sound than a TV can provide but didn’t want or need the complication of a home theater system. The Ultimea Apollo S50 Detachable Soundbar is a great option for dramatically improving TV sound with a few unique options for installation. And there’s a subwoofer!
What is it?
The Ultimea Apollo S50 is a soundbar and subwoofer that can come apart and form two independent speakers, that can be installed a few different ways.
What’s in the box?
- Ultimea Apollo S50
- Subwoofer
- Power adapter
- HDMI cable
- Digital optical cable
- Wall mounting kit
- Wall brackets
- Remote control
- Stereo RCA to RCA cable (short)
- Stereo RCA to RCA cable (long)
- Stereo 3.5mm to RCA cable
- Speaker bases
- Manual
Hardware specs
- Speaker channels: 4.1
- Number of speakers: 5
- Drivers: 2.25 inch x 4 (soundbar), 5.25 (subwoofer)
- Remote type: IR
- EQ modes: movie, music, game
- Frequency range: 45Hz – 18 kHz
- Max sound pressure: >99 dB
- Signal to Noise ratio: 75 to 88 dB
- Connectivity: HDMI ARC, Optical, Aux, USB, Bluetooth
- Soundbar dimensions: 31.9 x 3.9 x 2.8 in
- Subwoofer dimensions: 10.6 x 6.1 x 1.1 in
- Soundbar weight: 4.8 lb
- Subwoofer weight: 5.3 lb
Design and features
On the surface, the Ultimea Apollo S50 looks like most soundbars with a separate subwoofer. But the unique aspect of the Apollo S50 is that the soundbar comes apart in the middle to allow for a few installation configurations. The S50 can be installed on a table in front of the TV like a traditional soundbar, and it can be wall-mounted under the TV. These are traditional placements. What’s different about the S50 is that it comes apart in the middle, and the speakers can be mounted vertically, installed on the wall next to the TV, or using the included stands on a table.
The Ultimea Apollo S50 includes many different ways to hook up to your TV. The best and most modern is HDMI ARC with CEC (ARC stands for audio return channel, CEC stands for consumer electronics control) which allows you to control the soundbar power and volume from your TV. In short, it’s seamless. Use your regular TV remote, but with much better sound. Most modern TVs include HDMI ARC, and the cable is included. If your TV does not have HDMI ARC, you can use any number of other ways, including traditional RCA inputs, and digital optical. The downside of these other ways is that you have to use the soundbar remote for volume.
There are three EQ modes (movie, music, and game), and five subwoofer settings, which lets you customize the sound for your room and media type. Those EQ modes can be selected with the remote control, as can the base settings, input, and volume. You can also turn the LED display on or off, if it bothers you. It does turn off on its own a few seconds after making a change. There are also controls for the soundbar on the right edge or the bar itself, for when you lose the remote! But using the soundbar in CEC mode connected via HDMI ARC pretty much negates the need for the remote, once the soundbar is set up.
Performance
I’ve had the whole gamut of TV audio, from lame tiny TV speakers to a full home theater audio system with six speakers that dominated the room. The TV speakers never sounded good and always left us asking what they just said or missing good sound effects. The home theater sounds great, but there are speakers all over the room, you have to use a separate remote, and the settings can sometimes require a degree in electrical engineering to figure out. In an attempt to simplify things, we’ve recently sold our home theater audio system and replaced it with the Apollo S50 detachable soundbar. While the soundbar can’t replace the room-shaking base and spatial imaging of a home theater system, it’s great for everyday TV and movies. The subwoofer really adds a lot to the sound, but it’s much smaller than many other subwoofers. To get a feel for what the subwoofer adds, I turned it off via the subwoofer settings, and it’s very noticeable. Even dialog loses a lot without the subwoofer.
I really wanted to mount the speakers on the wall next to the TV. However, the rubber feet on the bottom of the speakers are not removable and look strange on the speakers while they are hanging on the wall. I wish these were removable to create a more streamlined package for vertical wall mounting.
I installed the soundbar mounted on the wall directly under the TV, with the subwoofer on the floor below. It’s connected via HDMI ARC, which really makes the experience seamless. I’ve also hooked up a new Bluetooth turntable to the Apollo S50 through the Bluetooth channel, which was fantastic in our attempt to simplify and reduce wiring.
What I like
- HDMI ARC CEC hookup, which just makes it easy
- Subwoofer really adds a lot to the sound
- Many installation and connection options
What I’d change
- Make the feet removable for a streamlined installation in the vertical wall configuration
Final thoughts
If you’re looking for a good value in a subwoofer that will drastically improve your TV audio, take a look at the Ultimea Apollo S50 Detachable soundbar. It won’t replace a home theater, but it’a worlds better than the speakers in your TV!
Price: $189.99 to $109.99 depending on where and when purchased
Where to buy: Ultimea and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Ultimea.
