Philips Fidelio B5 Soundbar with NFC for Bluetooth pairing - Reviews

Are you looking for the best soundbar to create your home theater? Let's read our Philips Fidelio B5 Soundbar Reviews to have a quality one.

The Fidelio B5 is an innovative soundbar with a pair of detachable wireless speakers that deliver authentic surround sound. An idea that Philips calls "Surround on Demand". It is the successor of the Philips HTL9100 a few years ago, and it is equipped with some new features and a lower price. The advantage of this system is that you can take out the rear speakers to watch movie, then tidy them up in the soundbar when you watch TV or listen to music.
You can also check our opinion of the Sonos Playbar Soundbar.

Overview and connections

The Philips Fidelio B5 soundbar is a great TV speaker with the usual Philips style. It has the same design "as the HTL9100, with attractive curves at the front and back that make it look like a drop of water on the side. It is mainly covered with a black fabric with a brushed silver panel in the center, which cuts the left and right speakers in half. The construction is solid and robust, as you would expect at this price.

Getting started

The only button is a power-on button in the center that glows red in sleep mode, although an NFC touchpoint is buried behind the right speaker canvas. A large billboard on the left side provides information on the inputs and volume levels, but as it is facing up when placed on a flat surface, it is quite difficult to see (but not impossible).

Detachable speakers

Removable speakers fit into the sides of the soundbar and charge when connected. When disconnected, they can be used as surround speakers or individual Bluetooth speakers, which is a new addition to the feature list. They are also covered with black fabric, with a glossy finish on the side panels. There are two buttons - Surround on Demand and Bluetooth that let you switch between the two modes. Each button has a small LED to indicate which function is selected.

Support

The B5 can be placed on a TV stand or wall mounted. An integrated sensor detects its orientation and adjusts the sound accordingly. At 70mm high, it is quite low on a flat surface and should hide under your TV screen - although there is a chance that it may obscure the infrared sensor.

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Connections

The choice of rear sockets is excellent. You get two HDMI inputs and one HDMI 1.4 output with audio return channel, which sends the audio from the TV to the soundbar, while allowing you to control the volume of the soundbar using the remote control's TV. These jacks are useful if you want to play a Blu-ray or other deck through the soundbar and enjoy Dolby Digital and integrated DTS decoding. They are connected by optical and coaxial digital inputs, analog RCA and 3.5mm mini-jack inputs and a USB port for use of the service. At a height of 510 mm, the subwoofer is an unusually sized speaker. However, its shallow depth and width make it surprisingly easy to place in narrow spaces. It's an attractive style in a dark gray finish with curved corners and four sturdy feet that elevate it above the floor. This gives the bass speaker plenty of room to breathe. It is associated with the sound bar at the factory, but you can use the pairing button on the back to reconnect in the event of a stall.

Characteristics

The detachable wireless speakers are the highlight of the Philips Fidelio B5 soundbar. They communicate with the soundbar using a proprietary transmission system that eliminates interference from other wireless devices. The system automatically switches to surround mode when the speakers are detached. The main bar is equipped with Bluetooth with apt-X and AAC support for streaming high-quality streaming music from compatible devices. The ability to transmit via Bluetooth to individual surround speakers is a real bonus if you want to listen to your music in another room. Each offers an output power of 8W and has a battery life of about 10 hours at full charge. The 120-W sound bar enclosure includes a pair of 3-inch speakers and two 1-inch soft-dome tweeter speakers called Philips Crystal Clear Sound. Inside each surround speaker is a 3-inch wide-band speaker, while the bass-reflex subwoofer has a 6.5-inch woofer and a 90W power. There are built-in Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, and Dolby Pro Logic II extends stereo sources to five channels. The lack of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding is, however, a shame. Philips has also launched a number of sound modes, including Movie (surround), Music (stereo), Voice and Night.

Installation and use

Once you've plugged in all your cables and paired the wireless speakers, it's time to adjust the sound. It's an easy process thanks to the built-in space calibration mode, which customizes the surround speakers for your room with white noise test tones. It takes place in two steps: first, it determines the listening area, then it balances the left and right speakers according to your sitting position. It's a quick and easy process. The Fidelio B5 is driven by an impressive new remote control. The buttons are conveniently placed, with central volume controls, bass and treble +/- keys, while each input gets its own button at the top. Dedicated controls are particularly useful for correcting lip sync problems and adjusting rear channel volume. The handset and the ergonomic buttons have a nice feeling of solidity and the brushed finish is a nice touch.

Performances

Like the HTL9100, the B5 is a very powerful, offering a powerful and refined sound. But what sets it apart is the use of true rear speakers, which brings you closer to a true Home Cinema experience than any other soundbar on the market, even the famous Yamaha sound bars. There are so many positives that it's hard to know where to start. First of all, I am very impressed by the natural and well integrated sound of the B5. There is a nice balance between the frequencies - everything seems perfect. The subwoofer brilliantly supports action scenes with deep, fleshy bass. The bar of its attack the medium and high-frequency effects with vigor, but still remains balanced. The lyrics are very clear and very well audible. The word seems to come from the middle of the screen, despite the lack of a dedicated central channel. If you think the balance needs to be adjusted, no problem. The Philips Fidelio B5 gives you great flexibility in audio output. There are three modes of sound, bass / treble controls and separate volume levels for the main and rear volume, so you can easily find a suitable sound.

Philips Fidelio B5 Soundbar with Detachable Bass Box and Wireless Speakers, HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, Fine Design

But what most people expect from a soundbar is power and volume, and the B5 does not skimp either. The excellent subwoofer plays a major role. The huge monsters of sci-fi movies are backed by rich rumbling bass waves that quiver through the floor. The soundbar also reaches a decent sound level, but you do not have to be very challenging with the volume control to get a captivating, ambient sound. Even at mid-volume, you could start annoying the neighbors. But let's talk about the secret weapon of the FidelioB5: these detachable rear speakers. Placed at the back of you, they receive discrete information on the back channel of the Dolby Digital or DTS soundtrack, giving you an immersive 4.1-channel scene (with a virtual center). The limited extension of the bass range allows you to balance the midrange and treble, but reproduces the back effects in a clear and precise manner, with crisp detail and smooth direction.

Dolby Compatibility

The experience is enriched by Dolby Pro Logic II, which turns even the most banal program into an immersive experience. Voice mode brings clarity to speech while reducing bass output. Used as standalone Bluetooth speakers, satellite speakers alone do not have the bass depth and smoothness necessary to be taken seriously, but it would be grotesque to complain because it is only a question of bonus function. In this context, they do a good job.

Should I buy the Philips Fidelio B5?

The soundbar Fidelio B5 is a fabulous soundbar that offers you the best of both worlds. This is a clutter-free television speaker that can also provide real surround sound when it's needed. A unique feature in the world of the soundbar. The detachable surround speakers are a brilliant idea and well studied, you can easily store them you have finished viewing your favorite movie or series. But it's not just about the rear speakers. The B5's robust build quality, elegant design, numerous connections, ease of installation and powerful sound quality make it one of the best sound bars on the market. The upgrades to the HTL9100 are subtle but effective. The best is the ability to use surround speakers as stand-alone Bluetooth speakers.

+ PROS

Powerful and balanced sound quality with authentic surround sound
Features and generous connections
Elegant and elegant design and high-quality workmanship

- CONS

Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD
Master Audio decoding missing
Billboard facing up

CONCLUSION

With its removable rear speakers, sleek design and breathtaking performance, the Philips Fidelio B5 soundbar is a fantastic solution for those who want a bulky TV speaker without compromising on surround sound. Easy storage of its satellite speakers and a powerful sound for an extremely good value for money.
You can also check our opinion of the sound bar Sony HT-ST5000.
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