Not really a Fire TV device, and barely a soundbar
Amazon consistently puts out top-notch media streamers under the Fire TV name, like the Fire TV Stick 4K, so I was excited when it announced the $119.99 Fire TV Soundbar. Unfortunately, my excitement quickly fell apart while testing it. Not only does it lack any Fire TV features or unique connectivity with Fire TV devices, it doesn’t actually sound better than the speakers built into most TVs. So even at its budget price, it’s underpowered and underwhelming. You’re better off checking out a pricier but much more satisfying soundbar like the $179.99 Roku Streambar Pro.Pleasantly Compact
At 24.0 by 3.5 by 3.5 inches (HWD), the Fire TV Soundbar is downright puny. It’s two-thirds the length of the Roku Streambar Pro, though over half an inch taller. The front is completely covered in a black grille cloth, while the rest of the speaker is a one-piece matte black plastic chassis. The top of the soundbar holds power, input, Bluetooth, and volume up/down buttons, and a recess in the back features an HDMI port, an optical audio port, a USB port, and a connector for the power cable. Two keyholes for optional wall mounting also sit on the back of the soundbar, and mounting hardware is included in the box.
The included remote is a short, squat black plastic rectangle with flat, circular buttons. Power and Bluetooth buttons sit at the top corners, with play/pause, rewind, and fast forward buttons below. A volume rocker sits in the center flanked by input, EQ, bass, and sound field buttons, with a mute button below.A Fire TV Product in Name Only
You might be wondering what makes the Fire TV Soundbar a Fire TV device. The answer is nothing besides the Fire TV logo on the remote. This is a basic, audio-only soundbar designed to work with any TV equipped with an ARC port over HDMI. With an ARC connection, you can control its volume with your TV remote, even if your TV doesn’t use the Fire TV platform.
