This has probably got to be the most unique soundbar I’ve checked out so far. It’s called the Everest 5.1 by a brand called Majority Audio, and it has removable speakers on each side of the soundbar. These speakers act as rear speakers and turn the Everest into a 5.1 system that are wireless and battery-powered. It can either be a 5.1 system with a couple of rear speakers or act as a 2.1 sound bar. But… is it any good? Let’s find out.

The soundbar is relatively long coming in at 90 x 9.83 x 6.56 cm and if you’re going to want to attach the speakers to the main bar, you’ve got to account for an extra 16.8cm though the only advantage really of doing this is to charge the speakers which both come with a decent amount of battery life. Though in the box you do get additional power cables if you’ve got the plugs to accommodate.

I do love however the fact that if you’re not watching a movie, just twist them back onto each end. And once you feel like turning your living room back into a makeshift cinema, pull the speakers off, stick them on their provided stands and away you go with 5.1 sound. I would have liked to have seen the base plate stands for the remote speakers built in rather than having to keep them loose around your TV unit. They’re not exactly small and can be an eyesore on an environment if left out. and getting them in and out a cupboard each time you want to use 5.1 can get tedious too. Total watt output comes in at 300 watts, so this thing can get pretty loud. And I live in a modest apartment, and I couldn’t push it too much due to having neighbours in close proximity. Those of you in detached properties? Have fun.

The whole thing is pretty much black with a metal grill wrapped across the front which makes it look very nice in a setup and it feels quite substantial too which to me feels like a nice build quality. It’s got some rubber buttons across the centre which feel quote spongey to the touch, and it also has an LED screen to show which output you’re currently using, of which I stuck to ARC on my setup, though you can also choose from Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux, an optical input and a USB A for music and films on a storage device. What I think is missing here to really top this soundbar is there’s no HDMI passthrough which is a shame.

Okay let’s go into a bit more detail about these remote speakers. They’re decent. They sound good, when they’re throwing out sound and have a single driver. They can last for up to eight hours of battery. Ass soon as they turn on from pressing the button on the back they connect to the main soundbar and just work and they can be plugged in if you wanted them as a permanent fixture. However, when they’re on and there’s no sound coming from them, I have noticed a bit of a hiss coming from the speakers, which depending on how close they are to you, can be a problem and a distraction. They can be placed up to 20 meters away from the main soundbar, so distance is key. The volume can also be controlled individually too so you can get the perfect mix in your seating position. Oh also, the 5.25-inch drive subwoofer is wireless too and can provide a decent rumble and again volume is controlled individually here as well.
As for sound quality, this Everest 5.1 can really pack a punch when watching movies, and loud wild action scenes coming at you from all around the room adds a nice wide soundstage. It supports Dolby and places like Amazon are name dropping Dolby 3D audio but you’re not going to be getting things like Dolby Atmos or any of the other more intricate codecs here. Pretty basic on that front, but a decent sound nonetheless. Dialogue sounds nice and clear from the front, while the surround speakers depending on volume offer a nice way to add some immersion, like vehicles approaching or bullets whizzing around your head. All of this is controlled via the included remote control, where at the top you can change each volume called front, surround, rear and subwoofer, as well as choosing from three different EQ presets called Music, News and Movie. You’ve also got individual buttons for inputs too so the remote control is nice and simple to use.

There’s a lot to like about the Majority Everest 5.1 soundbar. And its unique attempt at giving people the choice of having this as a 2.1 or 5.1 setup is great and offers a decent amount of flexibility. It costs around £230 here in the UK which is extremely competitive if I do say so myself, and could easily be a contender if you’re after a budget audio offering to increase that sound. I paired mine with a Hisense TV, and yes, it was a bit of a pain to setup, and the soundbar automatically switching on when I turn the TV on is a bit temperamental, but it’s still a decent offering. Find out more on the Majorty website.