Definitive Technology SoloCinema Studio Soundbar Preview

Definitive Technology has been on the forefront of passive soundbars for years, but only semi-recently jumped into the active soundbar game with the release of the SoloCinema XTR priced at $1999. For those who don’t want to drop two grand on a soundbar, Def. Tech. has now announced the SoloCinema Studio with an MSRP of $1199.

The SoloCinema Studio sports six 3” polymer composite midrange drivers and three 1" aluminum dome tweeters. Those drivers are powered by a single 120 watt class D amplifier. Although we're not sure how low the soundbar plays, at some point it hands off low frequencies to the included wireless subwoofer.  At 12.5" W x 12.5" H x 12.5" D the subwoofer should scoot into most corners unnoticed, except for the giant blingin’ Def. Tech. badge on the front of the enclosure. Tom liked it. I was indifferent. The sub has a single down-firing 8” driver and a down-firing port, backed by a 200 watt amplifier.

SoloCinema Studio Subwoofer 

The soundbar comes in at 43" W x 3.5" H x 3.15" D, making it a good compliment to TVs in the 42” and larger range. It can be wall mounted or sit on a TV stand. Unlike most soundbars which have to sit in front of aTV’s pedestal, the SoloCinema Studio can be pushed close to a TV thanks to adjustable feet on the ends. These feet can lift up the soundbar just enough for a typical TV pedestal to slide right under the unit, or lower it to rest flat on a table. However, the SoloCinema Studio lacks IR passthough so you will have to be careful to avoid blocking your TV’s IR receiver.

 SoloCinema Studio Remote

Definitive was generous with the inputs on the SoloCinema Studio as it packs 3 HDMI (1 out), 1 digital optical, 1 analog, Bluetooth and NFC. Although the HDMI inputs are great, there is no support for HD audio codecs. For surround simulation the soundbar uses proprietary “Definitive Spatial Array” technology. Def. Tech. said they put a lot of effort into designing the included remote to work well for operation in the dark, which we love, but this is achieved through contour instead of backlight or glow-in-the-dark buttons.

We didn't good a chance to actually listen to the SoloCinema Studio at CEDIA 2013, but it looks like a promising unit that should more than hold its own against the competition.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.