Announced a few weeks ago, Teufel Cinebar One 2021 is the company’s new compact soundbar, which focuses heavily on value for money, and which has undergone an appreciable restyling to be more aesthetically pleasing.
Aesthetically, the soundbar is really compact, and thanks to the numerous inputs on the back, it turns out to be really versatile and ready for multiple uses. The dimensions also help in this, allowing it to be used not only under the TV, but also in a different way, even alongside a PC or Mac.
Aesthetically it is very clean and modern, especially in the white color under test. It has a length of about 32-35 centimeters, and on the front, only the company logo stands out, with a very clean look, due to the gray fabric. On the upper part, however, is the touch control panel, which allows you to change the source, as well as adjust the volume, turn it off and on, and on the back the numerous inputs.
This new Cinebar One soundbar offers a variety of playback options. It can be connected to the TV using HDMI CEC with ARC, but other inputs are also available: the digital optical, AUX-In for additional players, and a USB audio interface to connect it also as a PC audio system. In addition, Bluetooth 5.0 is not missing, to reproduce the contents of the smartphone. Do not forget the support for the decoding of sounds Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic.
Inside this Cinebar One is a class D amplifier, which works reliably and delivers 4 x 10 watts (RMS) or 4 x 15 watts (peak). This is an optimal configuration for a small to medium-sized room. Thus, we can imagine that its main use could be, for example, in a bedroom, in a living room if not too large, but also elsewhere. As mentioned, the small size of the Cinebar One makes it very versatile, and the use on a desk or a shelf is not at all to be discarded, quite the contrary.
The soundbar is well assembled, and overall it returns a very pleasant view, which goes well with modern environments. It offers several LEDs on the front, unlike the previous model, which allow you to visually check the volume control: if you increase the volume, an LED will start to light up more strongly, until it turns on several LEDs.
In addition to the upper touch-sensitive push-button panel, Cinebar One can also be controlled from the sofa thanks to the remote control included in the package. The selection of inputs can be made from the remote control, but also directly on the soundbar, thanks to dedicated buttons for the AUX input, the optical one, the USB input, and the TV input. In addition, the volume can be increased or decreased directly on the device.
Unlike the soundbar, the remote is made of black plastic. It is compact and holds well in the hand, with buttons that return a pleasant pressure. Using the remote control allows the user to also control the bass and treble range .
How it sounds
The small Teufel CINEBAR ONE features Dynamore Ultra technology developed by Teufel in Berlin, in combination with side-angled drivers to ensure surround sound as much as possible. There are several playback sound profiles, with three sound modes that can be selected via the buttons on the remote control. This is the “ Film ” mode, designed specifically for reproducing the sound of the film, “that” Voice “, to improve dialogue, and that “ Music “, which is particularly suitable for music reproduction.
The three audio profiles provide a truly diverse listening experience. By pressing one or the other button, you will access a different sound “curve” from the other. Indeed, during rehearsals, we have always preferred to rely on the appropriate sound profiles. To watch a movie, choosing the “film” mode is always the best, just as the “Music” mode is actually better for playing songs.
The first use we made of this soundbar was the traditional one, which is positioned just below the TV, for watching movies. Cinebar starts well, able to liven up the film more than the normal speakers of a mid-range 4K TV do. In some cases, we noticed that the musical background tended to take over the musical effects, but after a few adjustments, we were able to find the perfect setup.
The effect of Dynamore manages to liven up the film further and gives a feeling of greater involvement in the film. The maximum volume is satisfactory and is what one would expect from a small soundbar.
The bass power is also good, again in relation to the small size of this Cinebar One, as well as the processing of the voices seemed excellent, certainly thanks to the freer high-frequency range than its predecessor.
Listening to music from our smartphone via Bluetooth 5.0 seemed really interesting to us. Whatever the musical genre, Teufel CINEBAR ONE performed really well, with a full-bodied, harmonious, and at the same time natural sound when it comes to the singers’ voices.
The vocals of the singers, in particular, never seem to be too aggressive or intrusive compared to the sound background being played, even if actually at maximum volume the soundbar seems to slightly lose control.
Also, in this case, applause should be made to the Dynamore technology which, when activated, provides a spatial sound, simulating the sensation of being in front of the stage. We do not hide the fact that while listening we have always preferred to keep it active. The effect that this mode produces is appreciable, even more so if it comes from a soundbar so small in size.
Of course, this is not a top-of-the-range peripheral, but the overall result is really satisfying.
Conclusions
Cinebar One in the 2021 version turns out to be an appreciable all-in-one solution, also because it is an after-all economic product. We like the versatility of this soundbar, being able to be an excellent ally, not only for TVs, but also for playback from smartphones, or for pairing with a PC. We also liked the Dynamore spatial effect. The selection of doors and entrances is also good. In short, the asking price of 299.00 euros is worth it, even if we are certainly not dealing with a product for audiophiles.
