Our Verdict
Decent for mixed usage. This soundbar has a warm sound profile with overemphasized bass and lacks a bit of detail, which isn't ideal for most music genres and dialogue. However, when watching Atmos content, like movies, it offers an immersive listening thanks to its unique 9.2.4 speaker setup.
- Well-built design.
- Unique 9.2.4 setup configuration.
- Can get very loud.
- Immersive experience with Atmos and surround content.
- Warm sound profile with stereo content.
- Compression at max volume.
Very good for dialogue. This soundbar setup has a warm sound profile, which might not be ideal for dialogue but on the upside, it has a dialogue enhancement feature and a night mode. This makes voices clearer and easier to understand, even at a lower volume.
Just okay for music. The stereo frequency response of this soundbar is rather warm, which might not be ideal for every music genre. It has overemphasized bass which is great for bass-heavy music, and it can get quite loud, although some compression is audible at max volume.
Good for movies. This soundbar has a rather warm sound profile, but supports Atmos content for a more immersive and exciting experience. It has a unique configuration with four rear speakers, resulting in an excellent surround experience. There's also a ton of features to customize your sound to your liking.
Changelog
- Updated Mar 27, 2023: Added cable lengths to In The Box.
- Updated Mar 22, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.1. With this update, we've added a Mounting test and added information aboutSubwoofer Output, Spotify Connect, and Microphone Mute.
- Updated Oct 11, 2022: Corrected an error that previously listed the mounting as universal, when it is proprietary, in 'Back - Bar' and 'Back - Satellites'.
- Updated Feb 14, 2022: Corrected Atmos and Dimensions information. Added Voice Assistant and Dolby Vision Passthrough support.
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Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 is a very unique soundbar that has two dedicated subwoofers and four rear speakers, which is quite uncommon. However, it doesn't necessarily result in better overall performance, as it has a disappointing stereo frequency response. On the upside, it offers an immersive listening experience with surround and Atmos content.
See our recommendations for the best soundbars and the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. If you don't need such a high-end setup, check out the best budget soundbars.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Sonos Arc or the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2Ch. The Nakamichi is slightly better for movies as it has a better surround performance. It also comes with EQ presets, two subwoofers, and four satellites. However, the Sonos is a standalone bar that has a better soundstage. It also has room correction and voice assistant support built into the bar. You can also upgrade it to the Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers for better performance.
The Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers is a better soundbar than the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2Ch. The Sonos is better-built, and it has a more neutral, balanced sound profile. Also, it has a better soundstage performance and more sound enhancement features. However, the Nakamichi is Bluetooth-compatible, unlike the Sonos, and it offers more connectivity options, so it also supports 4k passthrough.
The Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 eARC is the upgraded version of the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2Ch. Unlike its predecessor, it has some extra features, including Dolby Vision Passthrough as well as eARC support for streaming formats like DTS:X. Its Spatial Surround Engine feature lets you choose between three different "soundscapes" based on your room's size. That said, there isn't a dramatic difference in sound quality between the two bars.
The Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2Ch is a better setup than the Sonos Beam soundbar by itself. Since we only tested the Sonos with the bar alone, it's somewhat hard to compare a 9.2 system with a 3.0 system. Nevertheless, the Nakamichi gets louder with stereo content, although its soundstage isn't as wide as the Sonos'. The Sonos soundbar also features a room correction feature that uses a microphone to adjust the audio reproduction.
Test Results
