Focal Mu-So Hekla Soundbar Review: Dolby Atmos With 1 Speaker

I looked Avatar: Fire and Ashes using the Fandango at Home app, and in one image, there is the sound of an alarm during an attack that fills the room. The main character is out of breath, and you can hear a warning cry moving from side to center. Even if I look Crime 101 using the Amazon Prime app, droning synths and booming drums sounded more realistic, even compared to my floor-standing speakers. Good luck so far, but I’ll be interested in getting my hands on it LG Sound Suite speakersbecause they are the first to support Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, which allows you to place speakers anywhere. With a soundbar, sub, front, and back speakers, the LG system can be the best choice for its unique features, just like the Mu-so Hekla is a one-box setup.

For movies, Mu-so Hekla can also replace the AV receiver if you don’t have the space. I hate talking wire everywhere, so the stand alone is interesting. In side-by-side testing, however, a full multi-speaker setup feels like a movie theater.

Sports, News, Games, and More

Using the DirecTV streaming service, I watched hockey games, news broadcasts, and several television shows. During NHL games, I can hear the announcers over the crowd and the horns. David Muir’s story on the ABC was also clear and different. I was worried that Hekla’s solo performance would be too harsh, but it was less so and made the mids sound better.

For sports, I heard Forza Horizon 5 it wasn’t as satisfying for surround sound as movies and TV shows. You can expect to hear traffic approaching the sides and rear of the tracks thanks to the responsive drivers, but it didn’t feel like I was being transported to a speedway. My passion for sports, Crimson Desertit didn’t tell me about the surround sound either, although the high end of the game sounded much better than the sound of the Sony Bravia Theater System 6, especially at full volume.

Movies are designed for Dolby Atmos, however, it’s no surprise that the games I tested didn’t create surround sound. In fact, that’s the main takeaway here: The Mu-so Hekla soundbar is my top choice for Atmos movies and albums as a standalone speaker. The Cambridge Audio Evo One is a great stand-alone speaker for music. If you add several speakers and a sub to the Sonos Arc Ultra, the price is the same as the Mu-so Hekla, and the Atmos surround sound is the same quality. If you’re tight on space or want the best Atmos experience from a single speaker, the Mu-so Hekla is the best option.

Note that this soundbar is only available through Focal dealers; you can order over the phone, but it’s best to go to the showroom and experience it yourself.