Philips has announced its latest soundbar (FB1) system which includes Dolby Atmos and a wireless subwoofer (FW1) in their Fidelio product line and wireless AV platform. Let’s check out the features and see if they are the right solution for your home theater needs.
Fidelio FB1 Soundbar
The Philips Fidelio FB1 is an all-in-one slim-line 7.1.2 channel Dolby Atmos soundbar featuring 15 speaker drivers (including 2 upfiring drivers for Dolby Atmos) and 310W (RMS) total power output for a room-filling immersive sound listening experience.
Tip: The FB1 has been recognized as the EISA Integrated Soundbar of the Year (2022/23).
In addition to Dolby Atmos, the FB1 is also compatible with the IMAX Enhanced and DTS:X surround formats and also integrates with the DTS Play-Fi wireless home theater and multiroom audio platform.
However, that is just the tip of the iceberg.
More Features
Product Design: The FB1 fits below most TVs (it’s only 2.78 inches high) without obstructing the screen. It can also be wall-mounted. Also, for those that have TVs 65 inches and larger, the FB1’s 47-inch width is a good visual match.
Speaker Complement
- Center Channel: 2 full range/1 tweeter
- Left and Right Front: 4 full range/2 tweeters
- Side: 2 full range
- Upfiring Drivers: 2 full range
- Woofers: 2
- Soundbar Frequency Response: 40Hz – 20kHz
- SPL (Max volume): 96 dB
- Sound/Equalizer Modes: Movie, Music, Voice, Stadium, Custom
- Soundbar Dimensions (W x D x H): 1200 x 73 x 125 mm/47 x 2.78 x 4.92-inches.
- Weight 7.2 kg/15 pounds
Wireless Connectivity
- Chromecast Built-in
- Spotify Connect
- Apple AirPlay 2
- Works with Alexa
- Works with OK Google
- Wi-Fi
Tip: Accessible music streaming services include Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer, and Tidal.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is also included for streaming music from compatible devices, such as smartphones.
- Version: 5.0
- Profiles: A2DP, AVRCP
- Codec Support: SBC
- Multipoint (Multipair) Support
Wired Connectivity
- Power Receptacle: 1
- HDMI (ARC/eARC) output: 1
- HDMI Input: 1
- Digital Optical input: 1
- USB: 1 (MP3, WAV, FLAC files compatible)
- Mic Input (for room calibration): 1
Setup
The FB1 is easy to set up and use. You can connect to your TV via HDMI-ARC/eARC or digital optical cable. The soundbar also includes an additional audio/video pass-through HDMI connection to accommodate another HDMI-source device.
Tip: HDMI pass-through connections support HDR (HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG) and up to 4K/60p resolution.
To assist further with setup, the FB1 provides Room Calibration. Connect the included mic and place it where you sit to watch TV. The FB1 soundbar measures how sound travels in the room, adjusting each channel’s output to fit the environment.
Sound Bar Controls
Once you start using the FB1, there are several ways to control the soundbar.
- There are onboard control buttons for power, input selection/Bluetooth pairing, play/pause (for streaming and USB content), and volume.
- A wireless remote control is provided.
What Comes in the Box
- Soundbar
- Remote Control (with battery)
- Power cord
- Wall mount brackets/screws
- IR pass-through Cable
- Quick start guide
- World Wide Warranty leaflet
Fidelio FW1 Wireless Subwoofer
In addition to the FB1 soundbar, another entry in the Fidelio lineup is the FW1 wireless subwoofer.
Tip: Although the FB1 has small built-in woofers, you can add the FW1 wireless subwoofer for a more impactful bass experience.
Fidelio FW1 Features
The FW1 is a wireless subwoofer that features an 8-inch down-firing driver with added support from 2 side-mounted passive radiators.
The subwoofer is powered by a built-in amplifier that can output up to 210 watts continuously.
Subwoofer controls include Gain (volume), Crossover, Phase, Source, and Factory reset
In addition to wireless operation, the FW1 also has 3.5mm and RCA connections.
Specifications
- Peak Power: 420 Watts
- Continuous (RMS) Power: 210 Watts
- Crossover Frequency: 25-150Hz
- Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): 1%
- Dimensions (WHD): 24 x 47.2 x 40 cm / 9.4 x 18.6 x 15.7 inches
- Weight: 13.4kg / 29.542 pounds
Pricing & Availability
The Philips FB1 soundbar is available now for $699.99 at Amazon.
The Philips FW1 wireless subwoofer is available now for $499.99 at Amazon.
Related Reading
