The M10’s lively sound is a cut above many similarly-priced rivals. Much of the credit for this should go to airSOUND, which delivers on its promise with an enveloping soundstage. The main soundbar unit features five drivers: three fire outwards, including one 20mm tweeter, while two 5cm units fire sideways. These side speakers combine with sound processing, to produce Orbitsound’s SST (Spacial Sound Technology) which claims to help radiate sound all around your room. The A70 is more expensive than your average soundbar but justifies the price with an accomplished performance, elegant design and luxurious build quality. If you’ve got this sort of cash to splash on a soundbar then the A70 is a great choice.

The M10 does a decent job with music, offering a nice balance across the frequency range, incisive high frequencies, natural-sounding voices and nimble bass work. The presence of airSOUND means the M10 isn’t fussy about where it’s placed – as long as the side speakers aren’t obstructed. The M10 isn’t designed for wall mounting. In practice there’s a decent sense of width and openess to the sound – you can hear it trying to fling sound effects far and wide. But, as with many processing technologies, don’t be fooled into thinking the M9 is any kind of substitute for proper surround sound.

Audiocast M5

However, airSOUND is a more of an acquired taste when playing music. The side drivers tend to over-emphasise treble, which makes percussive instruments like hi-hats and tambourines a little too prominent – and you can’t turn it off either. The A70 supports Bluetooth with apt-X for lossless audio streaming, while pairing is made easy by the inclusion of NFC. Orbitsound A70 airSOUND Bar – Operation

If only the quality of Orbitsound service was aligned with the quality of its products, it would be a best in class company. Unfortunately it is not. Prices valid in stores (all including VAT) until close of business on 29th November 2023. (Some of these web prices are cheaper than in-store, so please mention that you've seen these offers online.) The overall effect is incredible. Standing to the side of the speakers produces clear audio and eliminates the need to stand in the ‘sweet spot’ in front of the speakers. In fact, you can see this in action, but turning off the side speakers using the switch on the rear and listening to the more muffled tone music takes when you’re not straight-on to the speakers. The side speakers are particularly good for parties, as you can easily fill a room with clear audio. The M10 is another impressive soundbar from the Orbitsound stable, boasting a delectable design, easy operation and room-filling sound. The A70 eschews the rectangular shape of previous Orbitsound bars with a curvier design that emphasises the presence of airSOUND technology. The rounded aluminium grilles at the ends of the cabinet draw attention to the side-firing drivers, while the front speakers are hidden behind a pill-shaped grille.

Don’t be fooled by the A70’s diminutive size – its vast, room-filling sound belies its compact dimensions, investing movies with the sort of scale and excitement that most TVs can only dream of. It would have been nice to have a display on the front to show the input/mode currently in use. There are telltale lights on the top of the unit, but you need to be very close to see which one is lit. To the left of the centre speaker is a row of controls, including power, volume, Bluetooth, learning and input selection. The right side houses a volume meter (which also shows the bass and treble levels when adjusted), the current input and a ‘Sub’ icon that helpfully lights up when the subwoofer isn’t connected. We’re also impressed by the soundbar’s full-bodied, natural sound. Some of the soundbars we’ve tested recently offer a thin, hard tone with practically no bass extension whatsoever, which makes the accompanying subwoofer sound detached and disjointed.

In terms of drivers, two 2-inch midrange drivers flank a tweeter behind the central speaker grille with side-firing neodymium drivers at each end delivering spatial detail. They’re driven by digital amplifiers with a hi-fi analogue crossover, offering a ‘best of both worlds’ scenario, according to Orbitsound. Power output is quoted as 300W. A couple of minor complaints to report – the unit hesitates briefly after remote commands and there’s no visual aid when tweaking the levels, apart from the LED flashing briefly. It’s all done by ear. Orbitsound M10 – PerformanceThe buttons are responsive, and you can also tweak the bass and treble levels of the A70. Small dots on the right side of the bar show just how far up or down the tonal controls go. The display also shows which input you’re using (in very small letters).

With its luxurious build quality, simple operation and big, enveloping sound, the M10 is a fine soundbar for the money. Its performance is dynamic without sounding brash, with lots of top-end detail and deep, punchy bass. An auxiliary input means you can connect an additional source. There's also a remote control that gives full control over iPod menus. Connectivity is straightforward, with an optical and 3.5mm the only physical inputs. There are no HDMI inputs, but the optical connections work perfectly well plugged straight to your TV. But for greater flexibility, it’s worth noting that price rivals such as Yamaha YSP-1600 and Sony HT-RT5 offer HDMI connections. VerdictFront clutter is limited to a single status LED that shines through the grille, while a control panel is found on top. The input, volume and power buttons sport a tactile rubber finish, demonstrating more impressive attention to detail. The inputs are listed on top (Bluetooth, Aux, Optical) and a small white light indicates which one is selected. This brilliantly streamlined design is perfect for technophobes. The four speaker drivers at the front handle the bulk of the sound – speech, effects, music etc – while two spatial drivers located in the end panels ‘bounce’ sound around the room, theoretically resulting in a spacious, enveloping soundstage no matter where you sit. Inside the wireless subwoofer is a 6.5in bass driver and total power output is quoted as 300W.