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Q Last year, Nakamichi introduced a home theater/audio speaker system bearing the iconic Dragon nameplate. What’s the latest news on the system and what are your impressions of it? — John Werner

A John, I was fortunate enough to experience Nakamichi’s Dragon soundbar-based surround system in action and, I have to say, it was impressive! (It was also awarded an S&V Editor’s Pick at CES 2023.) The system comprises a 58-inch-wide soundbar with 14 speakers (including four up-firing height drivers and four side/angled drivers), two subwoofers (each with two 8-inch drivers in a dual-opposing configuration), and two wall-mountable, multi-directional surround speakers (each with five drivers, including one up-firing height driver).

In all, we’re talking an 11.4.6-channel setup featuring seven ribbon-like Air Motion Transformer (AMT) tweeters, 16 digital amplifiers capable of delivering 3,000 watts total peak power, and subwoofers that deliver truly tactile, theater-like bass! I have listened to many high-end soundbar systems, and this is the first one that competes with traditional AVR/speaker systems in delivering a truly immersive experience.

With setup and calibration screens similar to what you find in traditional AV receivers and the ability to reach peak levels up to 125 dB, the Dragon system can actually outperform many traditional home theater systems. In my opinion, it lives up to the hype!

When the Dragon first became available, production capacity was limited so it was released in small batches. The system was so popular that, by last fall, Nakamichi said the system was sold out for the year and new orders would ship in early 2024. As of this writing, the system is still listed as sold out but new inventory is expected to be released later today (Tuesday, January 23, 2024). Dragon speaker stands ($399/pair) and wall-mounts for the soundbar ($79) and surround speakers ($45/pair) are also slated to ship in January.

Dragon is sold exclusively through Nakamichi’s website, so you can’t get an in-store audition but the company does offer a 30-day return policy with free shipping, as long as the system was purchased on the official website and the return request is made within 30 days of the delivery date. Nakamichi invites potential customers to check out reviews from Dragon owners on its website; as of this writing there are 160 five-star reviews and 15 four-star reviews.

At $3,900, the Nakamichi Dragon 11.4.6 Home Surround Sound System isn’t cheap, but I honestly haven’t heard a soundbar system that comes even close in performance. For more information, visit dragon.nakamichi-usa.com.

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