As of January 2018, it is no longer a requirement for a soundbar to have upfiring speakers to be certified as Dolby Atmos-compatible. The iconic shapes of our surround speakers allow them to be placed vertically or horizontally (to become upfiring speakers) resulting in 6 / 2 possible speaker placement options (6 - For Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 SSE; 2 - For Shockwafe Elite 7.2 SSE & 7.1 SSE). In terms of the surround sound experience, there will be no difference thanks to our exclusive Spatial Surround Elevation SSE technology, which automatically processes Dolby Atmos content and optimizes the height effects outputted from each and every surround speaker around them, no matter how they are placed.

For more information, visit: https://www.nakamichi-usa.com/shockwafe-sse

As of now, we do not have plans to upgrade our 2019 SSE models to have eARC. They are already fully capable of receiving Dolby Atmos via any TV's eARC port when Dolby Atmos content in streamed from the TV's streaming apps (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc.). When experiencing Dolby Atmos from other devices, Dolby recommends that the sound system should be processing the audio signal, not the TV. Therefore, source devices (Streaming Devices, Blu-ray + XBOX ONE / PS4) should be connected directly to the soundbar and not the TV.

For more information, please visit: https://www.nakamichi-usa.com/the-ultimate-dolby-atmos-guide

Our speakers would need to be connected to the wireless subwoofers by RCA cables.

For most true surround sound home theater setup, one must run wires from the front of the room to the back for the surround speakers. Our system has wireless sub/s that wirelessly communicates with the soundbar, the rear speakers are connected to the back of the sub/s via standard RCA wires that are included in the box. With the sub/s sitting next to the couch or sitting area, there’s no need to run wires across the entire room.

We did take that into consideration when designing our system. Unfortunately, there is no such solution as wireless without sacrifice, the three options are:

1. Wireless speakers: Plugging into the wall for power. There will be potential interference and sound will not be the highest quality.
2. Wireless with no wires. The speakers will have built in batteries that will last about 4 hours. They will have to go back to the charging dock after each use.
3. Our current solution. Subwoofers are wireless so there is no need to run wires from the soundbar to them. The rear speakers are connected via wires to the subwoofers to get the best audio resolution.

Our authorized retailers are as follows, you may visit the links to make your purchase:

1. Amazon
2. Best Buy
3. B&H

Currently, there is no in-store auditioning of Shockwafe soundbars available. Check out firsthand testimonials of acclaimed press and owners’ reviews here: nakamichi-usa.com/most-reviewed-soundbar-earc