REVIEW: Libratone Diva Soundbar

What a diva!

TVs are undoubtedly getting better and better... but the sound systems installed in those ultra-slim screens are not. When a TV manufacturer has ploughed their efforts into the picture quality at the expense of the sound, you'll need an effective additional speaker to help bring that cinema experience into your home. Sound bars are perfect for combining with a telly, and we think we may have found the best yet. We pump up the volume on the Libratone Diva.

We've reviewed a Libratone speaker once before, the Loop, which definitely impressed us in terms of sound and looks, but not in terms of price. The Scandinavian company has something of a reputation for producing pricey goods, and that has now been further bolstered by the first revelation about the Diva - it costs  £650! If you're already reaching for that back button to read another review, hold on... because (and this is not something we often say about wireless speakers) you really are getting your money's worth.

But anyway, the looks. The Diva is a huge long sound bar measuring one metre in length and weighing six kilograms. Like the Loop it features changeable wool covers, with a choice of 15 currently available. This really does help in making the Diva fit into most home decor, as after all this will essentially become a piece of furniture.

Included with the speaker is a wall mount and a table stand, both of which simply slide into the back plate of the Diva. There's no remote control included, but that is because the speaker can be linked not only to your TV in the conventional wired manner, but also by Bluetooth and WiFi to your phone or tablet. Syncing is super easy thanks to NFC, and with one tap we linked a multitude of devices in mere seconds.

Beneath that hairy facade you'll find the true cleverness of this beast. The Libratone Diva can pump out a whopping 220 watts of power, 75 of which comes straight from the built-in subwoofer. Usually speaker set-ups like this require a external sub-woofer, but the fact that the Diva has one inside starts to justify that huge cost. And now for the real reason you won't mind forking out for it...

It's awesome. Seriously, the Libratone Diva sounds truly incredible, not just when linked to your TV but also as a stand-alone wireless speaker. To say that it is 'room-filling' is an understatement, as this thing could fill a cathedral. With movies in particular we felt a real sense of surround sound, despite this being a single unit. This is because the Diva features sound reflectors (which are apparently shaped like clam shells) which disperse sound in all directions, allowing it to bounce around the room.

All genres of music sounded great, and although spoken word files and podcasts were also clear and precise, we can't really imagine you using it for anything so relaxing. This is a speaker designed to blast out a rock concert, or to be paired with a Ultra Hi-Def TV playing a sci-fi epic. If you are at all serious about completing your home entertainment set-up with a quality sound bar, the Libratone Diva should be your first port of call

£649

Visit www.libratone.com

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