boAt Aavante 5.2.4 Prime (6250DA) review: Big cinema sound for a modest living room

boAt’s Aavante Prime 6250DA arrives as an affordable attempt to bring Dolby Atmos home without demanding a full AVR and speaker overhaul. The idea is simple: cram height channels, a sub, and lots of volume into a tidy soundbar package and let software do the rest. On paper that is tempting. In practice the Aavante 5.2.4 Prime is an enthusiastic performer that takes a few pragmatic shortcuts to hit a competitive price point. If you want Atmos-style immersion on a single box and wired sub, this one deserves a serious look. If you want absolute fidelity and ultra-precise imaging, you might still keep shopping.

boAt positions the Aavante Prime 6250DA as part of a new Dolby Atmos line aimed at home theatre fans who do not want the complexity of separates. It lists as a 5.2.4 configuration, which means five front and surround channels, two sub outputs, and four upward-firing drivers for height effects. 

Design and setup

boAt has kept the industrial language conservative. The finish is mostly matte with metal grilles and neat cornering. It looks good below a TV and blends in rather than calling attention to itself. The wired sub uses a single cable link which simplifies placement. Setup is straightforward: plug HDMI eARC into your TV when possible for the best pass-through and easiest Atmos support. The bar also supports optical, Bluetooth, and a USB media option for simple music playback. For the price, the build quality feels solid and there are no squeaks or flimsy plastics.

Sound and performance

This is the part where boAt intends to win you over. With Dolby Atmos content the upward-firing drivers convincingly place height elements in the room. Explosions, overhead rain, and discrete ambience cues sit above the main stage rather than just sounding like reverb. The soundstage expands beyond the physical width of the bar better than many single-piece soundbars I have tested in this price tier.

The two-channel stereo presentation is surprisingly capable too. Vocals are clear and forward, which helps dialogue in movies and clarity in podcasts. The midrange keeps instruments and voices intelligible at mid to high volumes. Where the Aavante really impresses is the sub integration. The bundled sub goes low and hard, delivering chest-thumping bass for action movies and plenty of impact for electronic music. If you like your home theatre with weight and slam, this will satisfy.

That said, it is not textbook neutral. boAt’s tuning favors a big, cinematic curve. The low end can dominate at high volumes and the upper mids sometimes feel slightly recessed which smooths harshness but reduces crispness on some tracks. At very high volumes the bar begins to lose fine detail; that is common for compact systems that prioritize output over resolution. For critical listening you will notice the difference versus a separate AVR and matched speakers, but for TV, streaming and gaming the tradeoff is acceptable.

Dolby Atmos movie tests

With Dolby Atmos trailers and modern streaming content the height implementation impressed. Objects moved over and around the listening position in a way that felt immersive rather than gimmicky. The bar handled dynamic crescendos with authority and avoided muddiness when the sub joined in.

Real world impressions and caveats

Room size matters. In a medium living room the Aavante Prime 6250DA produces convincing theater-like results. In very large rooms the height effects and bass lessened unless you push volume to uncomfortable levels. Placement matters too. Give the upward-firing drivers a clear path to reflect off the ceiling and avoid stuffing the bar in a cabinet.

Also consider content source. Dolby Atmos Blu-rays or high-bitrate Atmos streams show the system’s best side. Standard stereo streams and low-bitrate music will not benefit from the height channels and will highlight the bar’s emphasis on bass over microdetail.

Verdict

Price at Rs 22,999 boAt’s Aavante 5.2.4 Prime 6250DA is not a perfect soundbar. It chooses cinematic impact over audiophile accuracy and that will not please everyone. What it does do very well is create a big, satisfying home theatre experience from a single kit at a price most buyers can stomach. If your priority is immersive movie nights and a powerful sub that hits hard, this is an excellent, budget-friendly way to bring Dolby Atmos into the living room. If you care more about neutral fidelity and critical listening, you will want to look toward separates or higher-end bars with better tuning and room calibration options.