The first speaker working with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, the TCL Z100, has finally been revealed – but as with most messages these days with regular changing customs, there is no exact price or release date yet.
The idea of Dolby Atmos FlexConnect was announced back in 2023 and is that you don’t have to think about where to place the speakers to get a home theater – you don’t even need to have pairs of them placed symmetrically.
Put one next to the TV, one on the shelf to the right, one directly behind you – no matter what is convenient for your space is fine. The system then maps the location acoustically and adjusts the speaker output to provide the best version of Dolby Atmos-powered surround sound as it can from these positions.
You can have up to four of the TCL Z100 speakers in a configuration, and each speaker is a 1.1.1 audio configuration on your own (a forward-facing driver, a bass driver and an unpirable driver)-Even though they are combined, they can produce something similar to virtual 7.1.2 Audio, according to TCL. It includes a compatible TV that delivers two channels, including Center Channel.
When we talk about, the speakers must be connected to an appropriate Dolby Atmos FlexConnect Hub, which can handle the mapping and treatment. Right now it means getting one of TCL’s mini-led TV from 2025.
TCL is the only company that offers products for the launch of FlexConnect, although other companies have promised support in the future – and it should also be possible for one of the best sound beams to be the FlexConnect hub in the future.
They also support playing music over Bluetooth – two can work in a stereo par to play music from your phone.
As you would expect for a Dolby-specific product, there is no built-in DTS support. However, they support TCL TVs needed to make the system work all DTs: X, and the idea is that they will decode the DTS sound (including DTS: x), process it in 7.1.2 channels and then convert it to the virtual surround system to your configuration so you should Get something close to DTS full fat content.
Although there is no price, we have been told by TCL’s European arm to expect a price that is approaching € 300 – and usually converts euro and US dollar prices very carefully, although the final amount depends on the latest rates. The British prices will be close to the euro prize.
What is so amazing about Dolby Atmos FlexConnect?
I have seen this technology in action a few times since its message in 2023, and it is very impressive – although the speeches I saw it were demonstrated with were more detailed than the TCL Z100 has turned out to be.
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These had side-firing drivers as well as forward and luning drivers, potentially giving them more control over the control of virtual sound. It was astonishing in my demos how two speakers – one front to the right of the TV and one back and to my left – could create a broadly immersive sound with the control of sounds in basically all directions.
Whether the Z100 can do this also to see, and no matter what, the system will not match just to have speakers in all the right places – but it just is not possible for everyone.
I think there is real value in having speakers that can not only be placed imperfect, but in very strange places, and still get something more immersive than TV sound alone from them.
However, one other thing missing in this message is bass. I’ve been told that the FlexConnect system can support a subwoofer, but there is no sign of one here – hopefully it will be too long.
Update: Dolby and TCL have informed me that a subwoofer compatible with the system comes in the summer of 2025, which also gives us an indication of when they can expect these speakers to be launched.
