Most people want their electronics slim and easy to hide. Unfortunately, when it comes to audio products, this doesn’t always equate to good quality sound. Doing their very best to show that you can have the best of both worlds, Philips have released their latest soundbar, the HTL5140.
There are so many soundbars on the market these days that the choice is both a minefield and an easy task! Regardless of the size and shape of your room or TV stand, manufacturers are tripping over themselves to make sure that you’re well catered for.
Dutch giants, Philips, released this award-winning two-box unit to be one of the slimmest speakers on the market. Clocking in at a paltry 48.9mm high and 66.5mm deep. At just over a metre long, it’s not the shortest, but it’s certainly not the longest bar either. Those figures probably don’t mean much until you learn that the HTL5140 is packing four ‘woofers’ and two ‘Mylar tweeters’ – the space has definitely been put to good use.
The HTL5140 packs punchy and powerful sound into its small frame.
As with any thin soundbar, a separate subwoofer is provided, adding a noticeable power boost. It’s also wirelessly connected so there’s minimum hassle when it comes to installing it in any room. Those keeping score on the number front will not have missed the combined power output from the two units is a healthy 320W RMS. Not bad at all!
Connectivity is also impressive for the price, with an HDMI in and out provided, as well as an optical socket, 3.5mm connection and the obligatory USB socket. Wireless hookup is here, too, with Bluetooth aptX and AAC for compatible Android or Apple devices – so it’s a top all-round option when it comes to movies and streaming music.
Whilst this Philips is officially a 2.1 channel soundbar, it offers ‘virtual surround’ listening modes, similar to a lot of its rivals. It’s claimed to replicate full 5.1 through clever algorithms designed by their chief boffins! With some success too, sure it’s never going to sound quite as good as a fully-loaded premium system with a full 5.1 speaker package but the sound is both enveloping and impressive. Onboard decoding of both Dolby Digital and DTS will have film and TV fans covered for their listening either way.
If you’re looking for a much needed boost to your TVs sound performance (and let’s face it, with screens getting thinner and thinner, who isn’t?) the HTL5140 definitely offers a sensible solution. You might even be surprised by just how sophisticated it sounds, which just goes to show we’ve come a long way in this rapidly growing market!
To buy and find out more, click here.
Author: Chris, Liverpool store
