While Dolby imposes no hard limit on the number or type of speakers (or subwoofers) you can use in a single FlexConnect system, each manufacturer’s choice of processor determines what’s feasible.
What you can’t do is use any other company’s wireless speakers—whether they’re FlexConnect-compatible or not. Naturally, this raises the question of compatibility. When other companies eventually make their own FlexConnect TVs, speakers, or soundbars, will they only work within that brand’s family of products? Dolby says this kind of brand lock-in isn’t built into Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, but neither does it require compatibility between FlexConnect products.
Wireless Dolby Atmos
Photograph: Simon Cohen
Unfortunately for now, TCL’s implementation of FlexConnect is proprietary. During the event, I asked Dolby’s reps which other companies have signed up to be a part of the Atmos FlexConnect world, but they refused to comment, choosing instead to let TCL own the limelight during the initial launch. Afterward, however, I received a follow-up email letting me know that Dolby had partnered with Hisense on FlexConnect outside of the North American market. No word on whether Hisense’s version will be similar.
As far as the TCL setup, each TCL Z100 is rated at 170 watts RMS, which is delivered via three front-facing drivers (woofer, midrange, and tweeter) plus an up-firing driver for height effects. TCL says it uses a 1.1.1-channel layout, which means it can receive and reproduce one front/surround/rear channel, plus height and low-frequency effects (LFE) channels.
TCL doesn’t say how low the Z100’s woofer can go, saying only that “low frequencies are optimized and gained, lowering the extension frequency to deliver more thrilling and powerful bass performance.”
You can’t configure the Z100 to be part of a multiroom audio setup like you can with a Sonos or Bose soundbar, but you can switch it to Bluetooth mode for direct audio streaming from a phone. Two Z100s can be stereo-paired. Unfortunately, the Bluetooth mode isn’t managed by Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, so you may want to think carefully about speaker position if you use it frequently.
Flexin’
Photograph: Simon Cohen
Unlike soundbars and AV receivers, which typically override a TV’s internal speakers, Dolby Atmos FlexConnect incorporates them, channeling content and frequencies in a way that works with the rest of the speakers in the system. Presumably, most of that content will be center channel (dialog, key sound effects), with the wireless speakers filling in as needed.
