Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1 Review

At a first glance, Nakamichi might seem a relatively new manufacturer on the market, yet the prestigious Hi-Fi player gained most of its reputation more than 30 years ago. Luckily for both enthusiasts and quality hunters, the successful manufacturer has made a solid return with Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1 Ch 400W 45” Sound Bar with 8” Wireless Subwoofer & Rear Satellite Speakers.

The top-notch system comes has two major advantages over its competition right away. First, it comes from a manufacturer whose engineers proved their point before the modern competition even existed. Second, it comes with multiple technologies that dominate the market, so it’s less likely to compromise on performance. It may not have any cutting edge technologies, bells and whistles, but it’s focused on what really matters – sound quality.

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Now, what are the most important considerations to know about before investing in a Nakamichi’s audio system?

Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1 Overview

Score 7.8 OUT OF 10
Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1

To most users, Nakamichi leaves no room for interpretation, yet the manufacturer missed multiple innovations over the past few decades. This comeback audio system might raise some question marks, yet the manufacturer proved that it’s better to wait than come up with a debatable quality. In other words, this system is designed to impress.

Main Features of Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro

  • The 7.1 channel surround makes audio feel realistic due to is surround effects, as well as individually sealed speaker chambers.
  • The system comes with 400 watts of room filling sound, powered by speaker drivers offering 104dB of sound and a wireless subwoofer providing 35Hz bass.
  • The system is compatible with multiple devices due to its connectivity options, including TV HDMI ARC, HDMI, Bluetooth, USB, optical input and analog audio input..
  • It’s equipped with the latest firmware and features dual IR remote control.
  • It’s compatible with multiple Dolby contents.

Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1

Main Specifications of Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro

To most users, Nakamichi leaves no room for interpretation, yet the manufacturer missed multiple innovations over the past few decades. This comeback audio system might raise some question marks, yet the manufacturer proved that it’s better to wait than come up with a debatable quality. In other words, this system is designed to impress.

Fully Featured System

The Shockwafe Pro model is fully featured and can tackle most users’ necessities. The 7.1 channel bar is able to support 4K sources in terms of video. It can be connected with pretty much anything – even HDMI and DD or DTS decoders. Despite the 7.1 channel specification, it can decode 5.1 streams only. It’s worth noting that it won’t work with Dolby TrueHD, not to mention DTS Master Audio.

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Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1

The sound bar is 45.5 inches in length – ideal for medium sized rooms and even massive living rooms. It features five drivers in the frontal part, as well as two rears. The subwoofer is connected wirelessly, so it won’t be in anyone’s way. The connectivity is solid and ensures a clear sound even if the subwoofer is placed in another room.

However, the rears connect to the subwoofer through wires. They’re long enough to handle a longer distance. But then, it’s wiser to just make sure the subwoofer is in no one’s way to prevent accidents. Overall, the subwoofer is 16.7 inches in height, 7.9 inches in length and 12.3 inches in width. It comes with a powerful 8 inch driver. It’s not the type of unit you can hide too easily.

Connections leave no room for mistakes – 4K HDMI inputs, an ARC output, coaxial digital connections and a 3.5 jack. The USB port might look exciting at first, but it is not so suitable. In fact, you can’t use it to play media. It’s only used when you perform firmware updates. At this level, Nakamichi loses a point in front of its competition.

Luckily, the Bluetooth connectivity compensates for this slight minus. Nakamichi has gone with the classic alternative. While some units on the market rely on Chromecast for wireless streaming, Nakamichi sticks to Bluetooth 3.0, which is what other soundbars such as the Insignia NS-SB515 do as well – although this is the only common point between these two sound systems. It may not be as stable as the cast alternative, but it allows wireless streaming at high quality standards.

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Other than that, the system comes with a back-lit remote and a personalized LCD screen. The remote is ideal for long distance operations. Just install the system, hide its wires and hold the remote controller. The LCD readout is handy because there are no other displays. There are no visuals on the TV, not even the actual unit, so the remote display is your only option to keep an eye on settings.

Setup and Installation

The Shockwafe unit can be used right away. Just hook up the cables from your desired player, then run the wires from the subwoofer to the surround speakers and you’re ready to go. It’s a pretty straightforward operation even if this is the first time you use an audio system.

Once set, it’s worth exploring the menu a little and getting used to the features. The remote controller allows full functionality. You can set the volume on the surround speakers, as well as the subwoofer. Most specialists recommend a deep customization. It should be based on the size and shape of the room.

However, it’s hard to do it right away. You’ll need time to play with the controls and adjust them accordingly. Luckily, there are some preset options that you can choose from – night mode, games, movies, sports, television and music. Each of them has it own equalization features to play with. The night mode is mostly focused on the subwoofer and ensures you don’t disturb your family or neighbors.

Related article: Best Soundbar For PC GamingNakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1The deep tune customization is certainly a plus, yet least experienced users will see it as a drawback because it’s simply too overwhelming. At some point, you won’t be able to tell the difference between one setting and another. Moreover, it’s quite easy to mess up the sound by pressing the wrong buttons. That’s when the preset options come in handy.

Going through the Shockwafe menu is pretty simple. The LCD on the remote controller might be small, but it provides all the info you need. There are also some blue LEDs on the bar that correlate with the remote controller. They’ll be confusing at first, but most users will get used to their meanings within days only.

Listening and Audio Quality

The sound quality is directly proportional with your skills in rearranging the surround speakers. Fuss with the audio settings for a bit until you find the perfect mode as well. Once all set, the audio quality will raise to the expectations. You won’t be aware of the speaker location in the room, while the surround sound will make you feel like in a cinema. The immersive sound is given by the multiple channels.

Clarity accompanies the surround sound, even if you exaggerate and turn the volume up too much. The system is ideal for a home theater setting. It will prove its capabilities when you play high audio demanding films or videos. The more sophisticated the sound is, the better this system will perform.

Music and Films

The subwoofer has too much power for its size. Its integration with the sound bar leaves no room for interpretation. However, deep bass sounds might actually feel like it’s coming from the subwoofer, especially at high volumes. At a normal volume (suitable for music or movies), the bass sound will feel like integrated in the sound bar.

Related article: Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1 review

Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1In terms of music, the quality is just as high. The richer the music, the richer the sound. If you focus, you can actually identify all kinds of instruments – even more instruments than when playing the same song through headphones. The sound is rich and clear due to the big wallop.

What’s to Like About Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro

  • Despite looking overwhelming at first, the deep customization allows a top-notch experience, whether it comes to music or films.
  • The sound is clear, rich and vibrant, even at high volumes. When playing music, instruments are easily identifiable.
  • The 4K compatible HDMI ports take connectivity features to a new level.
  • The 8 inch subwoofer has more power than other units in this segment.
  • Given the quality standards, Nakamichi’s model offers exquisite value for money.

What’s Not to Like About Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro

  • The minimum volume might still feel a bit too loud when compared to other similar models.
  • The subwoofer is large and a bit complicated to implement into a home theater scenario.

Final Thoughts on the Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1 Sound Bar

As a short final conclusion, Nakamichi doesn’t fool around when it comes to quality. The prestigious manufacturer is not one of those companies that release new products every few months. Instead, it waits, it allows certain technologies to settle and then it hits the market with a new product.

Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro gathers together some of the best features from its competition and puts everything into a reliable sound system. Not only it provides a top-notch clarity, but it can easily blend into the décor as well. It makes a suitable option for home theater designs, but it can also take a party to the next level.

​Rated 4.4 out of 5 stars, it’s worth noting that 84% of its buyers rated it to be perfect or almost perfect. Its clear sound is easily controllable with a simplistic remote, but also adjustable for a unique experience.