Teufel Cinebar 11 4.1 Surround Set Review

Stylish Design, Outstanding Sound

Teufel has achieved something exceptional with the Cinebar 11 4.1 surround set: seriously impressive sound in a sleek and stylish package, all at a very reasonable price! Looking for surround sound for your living room? Put this set at the top of your list!

Speakers and Design

The Cinebar 11 4.1 set is available in white, black, and black/white. The set consists of a soundbar, a subwoofer, and 2 rear speakers. Stands for the rear speakers are not included by default, but you can purchase a pair of slim stands from Teufel for 69 euros (nice). You can also mount the rear speakers on the wall, with Teufel offering a set of wall mounts for 29 euros. The words ‘slim’ and ‘minimalistic’ apply to all the speakers. This Teufel set stands out by not standing out, in the best sense of the word.

The soundbar measures approximately 95 x 6 x 8 centimeters. With this width, it fits nicely under TVs of 48 inches and larger, accommodating most common sizes. The LCD display on the soundbar is neatly concealed beneath the grille and is easily readable.

Of course, the subwoofer is significantly larger (12 x 42 x 42 cm). For deep, booming bass, you can’t really avoid its size. However, its minimalist design complements the overall aesthetics of the set quite nicely. And you can even place it under or behind your couch. On the sub’s control panel, you can indicate how it’s positioned so that the sound can be adjusted accordingly. An independent knob lets you easily adjust the subwoofer’s base volume.

Finally, the rear speakers, also known as the Effekt speakers, have a compact size of approximately 11 x 15 x 11 centimeters. Combined with Teufel’s slim stands, it takes up very little space in your living room. When wall-mounted (provided you neatly conceal the wiring), it’s even less obtrusive. A slide switch on the back lets the system know which speaker is left and which is right.

Options, Connections, and Ease of Use

The Cinebar 11 supports various surround sound formats, including Dolby Digital and DTS. You can also play sound from your smartphone via Bluetooth, allowing you to enjoy your favorite music in full surround sound from the comfort of your couch.

Ideally, you connect the soundbar via HDMI (optical is also an option) with ARC support and CEC. This setup allows all audio sources, like your TV box and game console, to pass directly through to your audio system. If your TV supports CEC, you can control the soundbar’s volume with your TV remote, which is convenient. However, Teufel’s own small remote is also handy and functional.

The soundbar also features an additional HDMI port with 4K HDR pass-through. You can connect a device of your choice to this port. Since the soundbar occupies an HDMI port on your TV, this extra port is quite welcome, for example, for your Blu-ray player or Google TV box.

Sound Quality

I’m extremely enthusiastic about the sound quality. With just the soundbar and the subwoofer (as a 2.1 setup), you already significantly improve your TV sound. It delivers full, rich, and warm sound that adds real value to movies and music. The sound is especially well-balanced.

When you also activate the rear speakers, the sound truly elevates to another level. It’s hard to imagine, but those two small Effekt speakers have a huge impact on the overall sound. In action films, bullets fly around you, and during a rainy scene, you almost feel the wetness. Scenes with intense races or chases (like the podrace in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace) are also a real treat. The subwoofer can do its thing with rumbling car engines or a spacecraft taking off, without being too overwhelming. The sound is impressive without immediately annoying the neighbors.

I only have one minor criticism. I’m not particularly excited about the ‘Dynamore’ feature. This special mode widens the sound. This feature is exclusively available on Teufel devices. Personally, I find that it makes the sound somewhat hollow and less warm and full. With the Effekt speakers, I think this feature is unnecessary. The sound quality in the ‘normal’ mode is more than good and wide enough.

As for music, it performs well too. I’ve played various music styles, and the balanced and warm sound remains consistent. At the same time, I believe this set is primarily for movies and TV series. True audio enthusiasts may be looking for something with specific features and connections. Still, it’s a nice bonus that music sounds truly beautiful on this set.

Price and Conclusion

At the time of writing, the Cinebar 11 4.1 set is available for €600. With this, you get an incredibly complete set that outperforms its price tag by far. Moreover, you don’t need to clutter your living room with towering speakers and endless cables. It does little to no harm to the atmosphere or style of your living room. The cheaper 2.1 set (with just the soundbar and subwoofer) already significantly enhances your TV sound, but with the 4.1 set, you get a real winner!