Big thank you to Ultimea for sending the Apollo S70 to review!
Full disclosure: This is a paid review but I made it clear to them that I do not guarantee positive reviews or recommendations – I make in-depth, honest evaluations based on my impressions and the ultimate value that the product may or may not provide.
That said, Ultimea offers lifetime customer support, free shipping, a Two-Year Warranty, and 30-Day Returns & Exchanges.
Greetings mate and Welcome aboard!
Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions, so…
Let’s review Ultimea’s Apollo S70 Virtual 5.0 Surround Sound System and determine whether it’s worth purchasing.
We’ll discuss build, sound, features, and more.
By the time you’re finished reading this review, you’ll know if it’s right for you.
Deal?
Cool.
Let’s dive in.
All specs, box contents, and pricing towards the end!
To start, the Apollo S70 is a 5.0 system employing Bluetooth 5.3.
Additionally, the unit can be situated as one horizontal center speaker and 2 vertical right and left speakers, or you can connect all 3 and have one long speaker.
For method 1, set the soundbar on the base and align the joints. Twist to connect with the base. Now plug in the 4-pin cable (Cable 1 & Cable 2) for Soundbar connection.
For method 2, remove the covers on both sides of the host speaker, align the joints of the 3 parts, and twist to connect. Now plug in the 4-pin cable (Cable 3 & Cable 4) for Soundbar connection.
All of the cables you’ll need are provided in the package, and setup takes about 5 minutes. There’s also a wall mounting kit if you’re so inclined, and they even give you a remote.
AAA BaTtErIeS nOt iNcLuDeD.
Build & Packaging
Like the Aura A40, the build here is pretty decent, but I’m not doing cartwheels or anything.
For the price of around $100, it’s about what you’d expect: a tad plasticky but nothing really to complain about.
All 3 pieces are fairly light, but the connections seem solid. The only real gripe I have is with the 4-pin connectors. They’re really annoying to use and I wish Ultimea chose something else.
You have to line them up just right and even if they’re situated correctly, pushing the plug in can be a bit of a hassle as it doesn’t slide in very smoothly. In other words, it’s rather finicky and temperamental.
Back Panel
The back offers several options: DC In, FR (Front Right connection), SUB OUT (Sub not included), FL (Front Left connection), AUX, OPTICAL, USB (Supports MP3 files with 128G max memory), and HDMI TO TV (ARC).
Sound
- Source(s): PS4 via Optical, iPhone 11 via BT
If you’re on a budget, this system, like the A40 is a pretty decent value.
For whatever reason, I didn’t find the overall output tinny, metallic, or brash this time around, so that’s a plus. The bass also reaches down to around the 40Hz threshold (45) and that’s very encouraging considering the A40 only went down to around 65Hz. This likely has something to do with my perception of the improved sound.
So you won’t need to increase the bass via remote, but it’s still available if you want it.
The speakers contain 2x 0.75″ tweeters, 2x 1.9*3.5-in full-range drivers, and a 1.75-inch full-range driver in the center.
Movies and Television shows also sound good, so expect a fairly clear rendering of voices, sounds, instruments, and the like.
The IR remote offers several modes including Movie, Music, Voice, Sports, Game, and Night.
Final Verdict
Ultimea’s Apollo S70 is a pretty well built, good-sounding bar with a whole lot of value in the package for the money.
The inclusion of the remote means you can adjust the sound in a plethora of ways + the light show is a nice little cherry on top; offering a bunch of different modes and brightness levels tailored to whatever floats your boat.
In addition to the sound modes discussed, you can alter the bass, mid-range, and treble (all +6 or -6) which comes in handy depending on the song and genre you’re listening to. 121 Preset EQ Matrices and 10 band EQ are also available.
Moreover, the remote is incredibly convenient if you’re a lazy couch potato who hasn’t seen the light of day since the Reagan administration. No longer will you need to get up off your fat rump to do, well, anything. Everything is right there at your fingertips and it takes all of 5 seconds to get up and running.
That said, what concerns me is that the SINAD standard isn’t met here. This means in any “good” system, the signal-to-noise ratio should always exceed 90dB. For the AUX input, it’s only 75dB, and for HDMI, OPT, BT, and USB we’re looking at 80dB.
If you’re familiar with my articles, most products easily surpass 90 and fall somewhere in the ballpark of 120+. So if you listen to your music super loud, the S70 wil probably start to sound questionable. In other words, at lower volumes it’s fine, but start pumping that volume and you’re probably going to be in a world of pain like Smokey in Big Lebowski.
This is unfortunate as I like everything else in the package, but SINAD is very important and one of the main pillars in how I evaluate products.
My other gripe is why couldn’t the A40 have a bass response that hits 40-45Hz? Considering that’s a complete 7.1 setup, I’d much rather recommend it if the sound was up to snuff. Unfortunately, it’s not, but the S70, while a good value, isn’t something I’m ecstatically recommending either.
Ultimea Apollo S70
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Ultimea!
Use Discount Code FF5G8AMT for 5% OFF, valid until 2/15/25
In The Box
1x Power Adapter
1x HDMI Cable
1x Digital Optical Cable
1x Stereo 3.5mm to RCA Audio Cable
4x 4-pin cable for Soundbar Connection (100mm)
2x 4-pin cable for Soundbar Connection (180mm)
2x 4-pin cable for Soundbar Connection (2m)
8x Wall Mounting Kit
1x Remote Control
4x Wall Bracket
2x Base
1x User Manual
Specifications
- Speaker Channels: 5.0
- Total Number of Drivers: 5
- Drivers: (1.9″ x 3.5″) x 2 + 1.2″ x 2 + 1.75″ x 1
- Remote Control Type: IR Signal
- Listening Modes (EQ): Movie, Music, Voice, Sport, Game, Night
- Frequency Range: 45Hz – 18kHz
- Max Sound Pressure Level: >96dB
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: AUX≥75dB, HDMI, OPT, BT, USB≥80dB
- Distortion: <1%
- Static Noise: 25dB
Connectivity
- ARC: 1x
- Optical: 1x
- AUX: 1x
- USB: 1x
- Bluetooth: BT5.3
- Power Supply: 20V 3A
Size and Weight
- Soundbar Dimensions: 977 (W) 110 (D) x 58 (H)
- Soundbar Weight: 6.61 lbs. (3.0kg)
- Packaging Dimensions: 17.3 x 11.4 x 7.7 in, 440 (W) x 290 (H) x 195 (D) mm
- Total Weight: 9.26 lbs. (4.2kg)
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Ultimea Apollo S70 Review and came away with some valuable insight.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
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Is this product worth an investment? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu