Orbitsound SB60 airSOUND Base review

What is the Orbitsound SB60 airSOUND Base?

It’s a single-box speaker system designed to sit beneath a TV and provide an immersive listening experience using Orbitsound’s patented airSOUND technology (the new name for Spatial Stereo). It’s like a soundbar, except that you can actually place your TV on top of it, creating a tidy, space-saving AV system.

Orbitsound SB60 airSOUND Base not for you? Check out our round-up of the best soundbars to buy.


Better still, bass is boosted by a built-in subwoofer, which takes even more boxes and cables out of the equation. We were impressed by the Orbitsound T9 and Orbitsound M9 series soundbars, so we’re hoping this intriguing proposition can continue the company’s fine run of form.

Orbitsound SB60 airSOUND Base – Design

One of the things that impressed us most about Orbitsound’s soundbars is their superb build quality, and thankfully that continues with the SB60. It’s a beautifully made and immensely stylish product. As you’d expect from a unit designed to support a TV, the cabinet is incredibly sturdy, having been crafted from no fewer than 20 pieces of engineered wood. It’s topped off by a high-gloss piano black finish, which curves elegantly around the edges.

The cabinet measures 600mm wide, which is narrower than most soundbars, and 300mm deep. Although the unit will support most TVs up to 55in, it does depend on the shape of its stand and whether it fits within the top surface – some TVs, for example, have a curved stand that overhangs the edges and isn’t 100 per cent stable. But most sets between 32 and 42-inches can be comfortably accommodated, and there are four rubber feet on the bottom to help absorb vibration.

The other thing that makes the SB60 such a visual triumph is the lack of front panel clutter, allowing it to blend in with most other kit. Cleverly, the front speaker grille can be removed and replaced to suit the styling of your TV. Both black and silver grilles are supplied, and because they’re magnetic you can snap them on and off in seconds.


However, this minimal look is at the expense of a front panel display, which does make it harder to gauge volume levels and selected inputs than other soundbars. All you get is a blue LED on the right-hand side that flashes when it receives a command. Remove the grille and the LED, IR sensor and drivers look a bit like a DIY electronics project, so we recommend leaving them covered.

Orbitsound SB60 airSOUND Base – Connections

On the back is a simple selection of sockets, including an optical digital input, stereo RCA inputs and a 3.5mm minijack input, alongside a volume dial that doubles up as a button for input selection and standby. Putting this on the back is a good idea as it keeps the front panel completely clear.


There are no HDMI inputs, which means you can’t pass sound and pictures from a Blu-ray deck through the SB60, but with no on-board decoding for any Dolby or DTS formats there would be little point, apart from HDMI switching.

The SB60 is conceived as a more straightforward sound hub – simply connect it to your TV with an optical cable, and it’ll play whatever you’re watching whether that’s Freeview or Blu-ray, but be sure to set your TV’s output to PCM. Alternatively, you could feed sound from your TV into the analogue inputs (both optical and RCA-to-minijack cables come in the box).

The RCA inputs are useful for connecting other audio hardware, while the minijack allows quick, simple connection of MP3 players and other mobile music players. The SB60 is also ready for Bluetooth, but sadly it’s not built-in – you’ll need to buy an optional dongle for £30.

Orbitsound SB60 airSOUND Base – Features

The SB60’s simple approach is reflected in its low-key spec sheet. The on-board amp and sub muster a claimed 200W of power, with sound being delivered by two 2in front drivers, a 5in down-firing subwoofer and two independently sealed 2in side-firing drivers. These side drivers are key to airSOUND, as they create an ‘infinite sweet spot’ that aims to give you the same sound quality wherever you sit in the room.



Unusually, there are no EQ sound modes or virtual surround processing, such is Orbitsound’s confidence in the quality of airSOUND stereo. However, you can adjust the bass and treble levels to taste.

Orbitsound SB60 airSOUND Base – Operation

Installation is a cinch thanks to the single-cable connection to a TV – it’s the essence of plug and play. The integrated sub means there’s only one component to plug into the mains too. This level of setup simplicity should win the SB60 plenty of fans.

Operation is rudimentary although that’ll probably go down well with many people. To switch between the three inputs you press ‘Source’ on the remote or the button on the back – the blue LED blinks once. When adjusting the volume, bass or treble, it blinks three times. It stops blinking once it’s reached maximum. With no numbers to refer to, any tweaking has to be done by ear alone.

The remote is the same one that accompanies previous Orbitsound products like the M12 and M9, and that’s not great news. The buttons feel cheap and plasticky, plus the direction keys and playback controls are designed for Orbitsound’s iPod docks and therefore have no use here. However, the SB60 responds immediately to remote commands.

Orbitsound SB60 airSOUND Base – Performance

The SB60 deserves plaudits for doing exactly what it says on the tin, namely delivering the sort of powerful and immersive sound that you simply don’t get from a flatpanel TV. As we found on previous Orbitsound products, airSOUND works brilliantly, filling the room with satisfyingly fulsome audio no matter where you are in relation to the speakers.

But unlike its predecessors, the sound is marred by overly aggressive upper-mid and high frequencies that make frenetic action scenes sound slightly brash, particularly when you turn the volume up high. During Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King on Blu-ray, forceful noises like the eerie hissing when Pippin looks into Sauron’s eye, or the screech of the Witch-King’s Fellbeast as the gates of Mordor open, are a little strident.

Turning the treble level down helps, but it doesn’t eradicate the hard edge completely, plus you run the risk of flattening the natural snap and vigour of the sound.

However, this doesn’t completely spoil an otherwise impressive performance. If nothing else, its tendency to lean towards brightness makes for an exciting listen (if not always a comfortable one) and for a stereo speaker the SB60 also displays a remarkable appreciation of scale, making the epic Battle of Pelennor Fields feel big and dramatic, as well as spreading its effects far and wide. Dialogue also finds its way through the melee.

As the tusked elephants lumber into shot, you get a feel for their size and heft, while the chanting and battle cries of the amassed armies reverberate around the room. This is thanks in no small part to the SB60’s other secret weapon – the integrated subwoofer. Its bass notes are tight and solid and there’s very little overhang. Perhaps a little more punch wouldn’t go amiss, but Orbitsound has done a great job of packing such an effective sub into the SB60’s slim frame. 

We played music through the 3.5mm minijack from an iPod and the results are pleasing. Music sounds crisp and well balanced, the sub lends weight to basslines and vocals sound smooth. High frequencies are also sweet, displaying none of the sharpness that blights movie playback.

Should I buy the Orbitsound SB60 airSOUND Base?

If you’ve been promised a sound system on the proviso that clutter must be kept to a minimum, then the SB60 is the perfect proposition. Because your TV sits on top, it theoretically takes up even less room than a regular soundbar, which is ideal in households where convenience and minimalism is a priority.

It’s beautifully made, elegantly styled and simple to install. The only real downsides are the poor remote and a slightly brash edge to certain sounds at loud volumes, which means it’s not as smooth a listen as the Philips HTL5120 or even the Roth BAR3. There’s enough dynamism, depth and clarity to hold your interest, and airSOUND does a brilliant job of creating a sweet spot that everyone in the room can enjoy.

Orbitsound SB60 airSOUND Base – Verdict

Flawed in places, Orbitsound’s clever speaker is the perfect solution for those who want exciting sound without the clutter.

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