The home cinema bargain of the year? This Dolby Atmos soundbar system could be a winner

Stepping into our test room right now, you might think an AV fairy had plonked all of her yearly stock into one place for safekeeping.

With oodles of TV and AV kit every which way you look, you can barely move for TVs, soundbars and surround sound speaker packages.

It is of course our yearly preparation for the What Hi-Fi? Awards.

This involves testing a wide variety of different products and pitting them against each other to find the best of the bunch in each category.

We have already seen some excellent entries that have blown us away, but there is one entry to the Dolby Atmos soundbar system category that has surprised us in more ways than one.

Enter the Hisense AX5125H, a wireless sound system consisting of a soundbar, subwoofer and two small surrounds.

The 5.1.2 soundbar package offers both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and takes a matter of minutes to set up.

In terms of connectivity, there is an HDMI input and HDMI output with eARC. On the main soundbar, there is also a front display, which makes navigation a doddle and is a feature that many models neglect from the design.

You’ll have to wait for our full review to get a detailed rundown of its performance but – spoiler alert – it also sounds great. We tested it with a variety of movies from Barbie to Thunderbolts, and found that it offers an impressively rich sound straight out of the box.

The bass is tight and controlled, adding an impactful punch to the overall sound without overpowering the other frequencies.

When the Kens engage in an over-the-top fight scene in Barbie, the soundbar package does a good job of making sure nothing gets lost in the mix and maintains a clear performance throughout.

During a more subtle scene when Barbie looks around a park and sees the highs and lows of humanity, the Hisense system shows its ability to be delicate, with the soft piano soundtrack brilliantly balanced with the sounds of laughter and rustling leaves.

This engaging performance continues with music, as well. When playing Uh Uh by Thundercat, the AX5125H picks up every guitar pluck with a good amount of low-end heft – an impressive feat considering just how fast the artist is playing.

And the kicker? It is now widely available at a price of £249 / £299 (around AU$510). That’s an insane price tag for a soundbar system that actually produces immersive and cinematic audio.

We have also recently tested the Sony Bravia Theatre System 6, which costs £549 / $800 / AU$999. And while this system does also produce a solid surround sound experience, it costs more than double the price of the Hisense model.

It doesn't offer the same easy wireless setup experience, either. The Sony system features a much bulkier design with an external reception box and requires long cables to connect everything together.

There's only virtualised DTS:X and Atmos sound as well, which is quite disappointing when compared to the Hisense's up-firing speaker offerings. Again, you will have to wait for our in-depth review to go live for our full verdict.

But – spoiler alert – we're sure that, for under £250, the immersive, full-bodied Hisense soundbar system will be a home cinema bargain that we will be recommending time and time again.

MORE:

These are the best soundbars we have tested

What is Dolby Atmos, and how can you get it?

And check out the best Dolby Atmos soundbars