The first speaker working with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, the TCL Z100, was finally unveiled – but as for most ads for these regular prices days, there is no exact price or date.
Announced in 2023, the idea with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect is that you don’t need to think about where you place the speakers to get the theater sound at home – you don’t even need to have pairs of them placed symmetrically.
Put one next to the TV, one on the shelf on your right, one directly behind you – everything that is practical for your space is good. The system will then map the placement acoustically and adjust the outlet of the speaker to give the best version of the surround sound powered by Dolby Atmos that it can from these positions.
You can have up to four of the TCL Z100 speakers in a single configuration, and each speaker is an audio configuration 1.1.1 alone (a front-facing driver, a bass driver and a string pilot)-although when they can combine, they can produce something similar to the virtual audio 7.1.2, according to TCL. This includes a compatible television providing two channels, including the central canal.
Speaking of this, the speakers must be connected to an appropriate dolby atmospons hub, which can manage mapping and treatment. Currently, this means getting one of the TCL mini-LED 2025 televisions.
TCL is the only company to offer products for the launch of FlexConnect, although other companies have promised support for the future – and it should also be possible that one of the best bars of its sound is the flexConnect hub in the future.
They also support play music on Bluetooth – two can work in a stereo pair to play music from your phone.
As you can expect for a specific product in Dolby, there is no integrated DTS support. However, TCL televisions that are necessary to ensure that the system works all DTS support: X, and the idea is that they will decode the DTS sound (including DTS: X), treat it in channels 7.1.2, then convert it for the virtual surround system for your configuration, so you should Get something close to complete DTS.
Although there is no price, the European arm of TCL told us that the price expects a price approaching € 300 – and generally the prices in Euro and US dollars are converting very close, although the final amount will depend on the last rates. The prices of the United Kingdom will be close to the euro price.
What is so great with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect?
I saw this technology in action a few times since its announcement in 2023, and it is very impressive – although the speakers that I saw it demonstrated were more elaborate than the TCL Z100 did not prove to be.
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They had side shooters as well as drivers before and upwards, potentially giving them more control over the direction of virtual sound. It was incredible in my demos how two speakers – one at the front right of the television, and one behind and on the left of me – could create a largely immersive sound with the direction of sounds in all directions.
It also remains to be seen that the Z100 can do it, and anyway, the system will not correspond to speakers in the right places – but it is simply not possible for everyone.
I think there is a real value to have speakers that can be placed not only imperfectly, but in completely strange places, and always get something more immersive than television sound alone.
The only thing that is missing from this announcement, however, is bass. I was told that the FlexConnect system can take care of a subwoofer, but there is no sign here – I hope it will come for too long.
Update: Dolby and TCL informed me that a subwoofer compatible with the system arrives in the summer of 2025, which also gives us an indication of knowing when to expect these speakers to launch.
