Amazon’s Fire TV Soundbar Plus gets Dolby Atmos, but still no Fire TV

By Simon Cohen Published November 14, 2024

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus. — Amazon

Amazon is getting serious about home theater sound with its first Dolby Atmos soundbar . Following the company’s release of the $100 2.0-channel Amazon Fire TV Soundbar in 2023, it has a new addition to the family: the Buy at Amazon , which supports a 3.1-channel layout with both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, for $250. You can also buy it Buy at Amazon for $375 or Buy at Amazon for a 5.1-channel setup for $490. However, you’ll need to think carefully before you buy. Unlike other soundbars that have optional wireless accessories, you can’t buy the subwoofer and surrounds separately.

Just like the first Amazon Fire TV Soundbar, the Fire TV Soundbar Plus doesn’t actually contain Fire TV streaming hardware. To watch Fire TV content, you’ll still need a Fire TV, like the Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series that was announced at the same time, or one of Amazon’s other Fire TV streaming devices . It’s also not an Alexa device and isn’t compatible with Amazon Alexa.

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus. — Amazon

So if it doesn’t work as a Fire TV device, why the Fire TV name? As far as we can tell, it’s because you can control theses soundbars with your Fire TV’s remote if you choose (or use the included remote instead).

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At 37 inches wide, the new Soundbar Plus is considerably bigger than the original Fire TV Soundbar (24.5 inches) and contains more drivers. Behind the fabric grille are three full-range speakers, three tweeters, and two woofers (though Amazon likes to refer to these two drivers collectively as a built-in subwoofer).

What’s notably missing is any kind of upward-firing driver, which means that the Soundbar Plus relies on height channel virtualization to create the dome-of-sound effect that Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are known for. The same is true for the optional wireless surround speakers, which don’t have height drivers either.

Amazon says the Fire TV Soundbar Plus has “precise tuning,” and a customizable Dialogue Enhancer setting. There are also four preset listening modes — Movie, Music, Sports, and Night — that can be used to tweak the sound for different types of content.

Like the original Fire TV Soundbar, you can connect to the speaker via HDMI ARC/eARC or by using an optical cable, however you won’t get Dolby Atmos if you use optical. The speaker also has a Bluetooth connection for easy music streaming from just about any mobile device or computer.

Contributing Editor, A/V

Simon Cohen is a contributing editor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section, where he obsesses over the latest wireless…

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Grammy 2025 song and album winners to listen to in Dolby Atmos

A record player on the front of the Grammys poster.

Awards season is a great time to reflect on the previous year and either catch up on what we might have missed, or re-appreciate something that's fallen out of our regular listening playlist. (It's also a time to say "Hell, yeah!" to winners that take the opportunity to speak out against injustices within the industry. Way to be, Chappell Roan.) Many of the well-deserving songs and albums are available in a Dolby Atmos mix -- still waiting for Cowboy Carter to show up with the Atmos badge on any streaming service, though. Here are some of Sunday's award winning music that can be found in Dolby Atmos through Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Tidal.
Not Like Us -- Kendrick Lamar
On the surface, it might not feel like a diss track would be an award contender, but when its by Kendrick Lamar, voters take notice. And rightly so. The track took home all five awards it was nominated for -- Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video. The Atmos mix isn't a huge departure from the stereo mix, mostly expanding the soundscape and giving more space for the sonic elements with more reverb while keeping everything primarily in the front channels.
Short n' Sweet -- Sabrina Carpenter
Both Sabrina Carpenter's album Short n' Sweet and the single Espresso picked up awards at the Grammy's last weekend -- Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance, respectively. The entire album is available in Atmos, and much of it takes advantage of Atmos (I particularly like the opening piano lick in the final track, Don't Smile, that nicely captures the in-room sound of the piano hammers and string resonance in the rear height channels). Award-winner Espresso, a fun pop bop, throws elements into unexpected areas that support the fun playfulness of the music and lyrics.

In addition to Sabrina Carpenter's version of Espresso, the Espresso (Mark Ronson x FNZ Working Late Remix) also won for Best Remix and is available in Dolby Atmos as well.
Chappell Roan

Audio / Video

How to watch the FireAid benefit concerts on streaming services

Billie Eilish performs in Toronto in 2024.

In the wake of the devastating fires that continue to rage in the Los Angeles area, dozens of the music industry's biggest names, including Billie Eilish, No Doubt, Green Day, Olivia Rodrigo, Katy Perry, and Alanis Morissette, have banded together in support with FireAid, two huge benefit concerts happening simultaneously on Thursday, January 30th at two LA venues. But if you can't be there in person, the concerts will be available to watch on various streaming services, and we've got all the details for you below.
What is FireAid?
Focused on helping to rebuild the communities affected by the wildfires that have spanned 45 square miles of densely-populated LA County and that have, so far, killed 28 people, FireAid's proceeds will go towards "short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters,” a rpress release stated.

The dual FireAid benefit concerts will be held at two Inglewood, California venues that have been unaffected by the fires -- the Intuit Dome, beginning at 6:00 pm, PST, and the Kia Forum, which will start at 7:30 pm PST. Concertgoers will have to select the venue/show they wish to attend.

Audio / Video

From a $20K soundbar to a $200 speaker set, these are the best audio products of CES 2025

The Foacl Diva Utopia speakers with grey felt panels in a suite during CES 2025.

While the CES of today is no longer an exhibition for the biggest hi-fi brands the way it has been in the past, we had no problem finding plenty of interesting and innovative audio products at CES 2025. From established companies entering new categories (or launching exciting new products in traditional categories) to up-and-coming brands creating new and intriguing devices, the annual Las Vegas show gave us a sneak peek into the months and years ahead. Here’s what we found.
Dolby Atmos/Cadillac Optiq in-car demo

The inside of a car is quickly becoming one of our favorite places to experience Dolby Atmos music. When properly implemented, listening to the format in a car cabin is an emotional experience -- and the engineers at Cadillac have definitely implemented Dolby Atmos incredibly well in the Optiq. The process started almost two years before we sat in the car at CES 2025, and it was important for the team to get it right.