While Dolby limits the number or type of speakers (or subwoofer) that can be used in a single FlexConnect system, each manufacturer’s choice can determine what is feasible.
What you can’t do is use any other company’s wireless speakers – whether flexconnect compatible or not. Naturally, this raises compatibility issues. When other companies end up making their own FlexConnect TVs, speakers, or soundbars, they can only work in the brand’s product range? Dolby says this brand lock is not built into Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, but it also doesn’t need to be compatible between FlexConnect products.
TCL Exclusive (currently)
Photo: Simon Cohen
Unfortunately, currently, TCL implementation of FlexConnect is proprietary. I repeatedly asked Dolby representatives which companies have signed up to be part of the Atmos FlexConnect world, but they firmly declined to comment and chose to give TCL a high-profile attitude when it first released.
Each TCL Z100 is rated at 170 watt RMS, and the height effect is achieved through three front drivers (Woofer, Midrange and Tweeter) and a higher drive. TCL says it uses a 1.1.1 channel layout, meaning it can receive and copy a front/surround/rear channel, as well as a height and low frequency effect (LFE) channel.
TCL didn’t say how low the Z100’s woofer can be, but just said “the low frequency is optimized and obtained, thus reducing the extended frequency to provide more exciting and powerful bass performance.”
You can’t configure the Z100 as part of a multi-room audio setup like you did There is a Sonos or Bose Soundbarbut you can switch it to Bluetooth mode to stream audio directly from your phone. The two Z100s can be paired in three dimensions. Unfortunately, Bluetooth mode is not managed by Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, so if you use speaker locations frequently, you may need to think carefully.
elasticity
Photo: Simon Cohen
Unlike Soundbars and AV receivers that typically cover the TV’s internal speakers, Dolby Atmos FlexConnect combines them together to guide content and frequency in a way that works with the rest of the speakers in the system. It is presumed that most of the content will be the center channel (dialog, key sound effects), and the wireless speakers fill in as needed.
