Majority K2 Soundbar
Can this British soundbar reach the sonic peak?
Majority’s express aim is to deliver highquality audio to the masses
T£79.95 FROM Majority, majority.co.uk FEATURES 150W soundbar with external subwoofer, Bluetooth, 1x HDMI ARC port, 1x auxiliary input, 1x USB-A port, 1x digital optical output, 1x RCA (phono) output, FM radio, remote control
he Majority K2 is something of a web sensation, thanks to its price tag and performance – or so it would seem if you read the reviews online. But can it reach the giddy heights of its Himalayan namesake?
Majority is a British company started by two men in their garage in Cambridge in 2012, with the express aim of delivering high-quality audio to the masses – it’s built an enviable reputation through its products, which range from DAB radios to microphones. It only sells online, and boasts eco credentials too – it plants a tree for every product it sells (just over 140,000 at the time of writing), plus it supports environmental projects around the world. How cool is that?
The K2 itself is a little more pedestrian, but that’s no surprise given its low cost. The soundbar is a slim black rectangle (72.6cmx 5.3cmx6.9cm) with a metal grille, through which its white LED display peeps, with glossy plastic sides and a smattering of ports on the back. These include an HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) port for connection to your TV, digital optical in, subwoofer out, and an attached FM aerial wire. There’s also a USB-A port and a Line input on the right-hand end where you’ll also find input switching, volume and other controls. The soundbar has Bluetooth onboard, which is handy as the matching subwoofer (equipped with a down-facing bass driver and rear bass port) connects to the soundbar via Bluetooth, as can your iMac, iPhone and iPad.
Setup is easy – you simply make the necessary connections to the rest of your home cinema gear (using the cables supplied), and the subwoofer and soundbar automatically find each other when they’re powered on. The supplied matt black remote is plasticky, but it’s also well laid out and easy to use – the only negative is that pressing the EQ button simply switches the soundbar between four audio presets and it’s not clear what they are. Pressing and holding the EQ button switches the display off.
The bass line
Far better though is the audio performance. Fire it up for an Apple TV-watching sesh and it’s clear that Majority has paid great attention to audio quality given the K2’s incredibly modest price tag. Sure, it’s not going to give a Sonos Beam or a Yamaha soundbar sleepless nights, but the sound is surprisingly listenable, with clear dialogue and realisticsounding effects. The subwoofer, though, is the weak link here, lacking the bass weight to deliver the body-slamming/ground-quaking impact pricier systems have. But, for the money, the K2 sounds mighty fine indeed – and will be a massive step up for anyone who relies on their TV’s puny built-in speakers for their home cinema kicks. Rob Mead-Green