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Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (2025) has the broadest published surround-sound format support. Amazon lists passthrough for Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-HD and MPEG-H. Choose Roku Ultra instead if DTS passthrough is your deciding requirement and you want Dolby Atmos decoding over HDMI. The Google TV Streamer (4K) is the simplest Dolby-focused choice, supporting Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos.
None of these streamers can overcome a limitation in the rest of your system. The result depends on the specific device generation, streaming app and title, your TV, the AV receiver or soundbar, and whether the HDMI connection uses ARC or eARC. The comparisons below describe documented capabilities, not a controlled listening test; there is no evidence here that one platform sounds subjectively better than another when they deliver the same bitstream.
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What “surround-sound support” actually means
Surround compatibility has three separate parts: the audio codec in the stream, what the player does with that codec, and whether the HDMI path can carry the result to your audio equipment.
Codec support
Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus are compressed multichannel formats used widely by streaming services. Dolby Atmos can be carried inside Dolby Digital Plus or in higher-bandwidth lossless formats. DTS and DTS-HD are competing formats commonly found on discs and some media files. MPEG-H is another object-based format included in Amazon’s published Fire TV specification.
#1 Best Overall
- The Google TV Streamer (4K) delivers your favorite entertainment quickly, easily, and personalized to you[1,2]
- HDMI 2.1 cable required (sold separately)
- See movies and TV shows from all your services right from your home screen[2]; and find new things to watch with tailored recommendations for everyone in your home based on their interests and viewing habits
- Watch live TV and access over 800 free channels from Pluto TV, Tubi, and more[3]; if you find an interesting show or movie on your TV, mobile app, or Google search, you can easily add it to your watchlist, so it’s ready when you are[2]
- Up to 4K HDR with Dolby Vision delivers captivating, true-to-life detail[4]; and you can connect speakers that support Dolby Atmos for more immersive 3D sound
Passthrough versus decoding
Passthrough means the streamer sends the encoded bitstream through HDMI for a compatible television, soundbar or AV receiver to decode. This is important when your receiver supports a format that the streamer does not decode itself. Decoding means the streamer converts the format before output. A product advertising Atmos decode can produce Atmos through a compatible HDMI connection even when its published passthrough list is narrower.
Why the same streamer can behave differently
A title may offer stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Atmos or DTS depending on its edition, region and app. Firmware and device generation also matter. A player may support a codec in principle but output stereo if the connected TV reports that it cannot accept multichannel audio. For that reason, a format badge on a streaming device is a capability ceiling, not a guarantee that every program will use that format.
Published surround formats compared
| Device | Formats and behavior documented by the manufacturer | HDMI and setup notes | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (2025) | HDMI passthrough for Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-HD and MPEG-H | Amazon’s Dolby guidance describes passthrough to a soundbar or AV receiver; exact support varies by Fire TV model | Widest published Dolby/DTS passthrough list |
| Roku Ultra | DTS Digital Surround passthrough over HDMI; Dolby Atmos decode via HDMI. Roku support documentation also describes stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS and Atmos on supported models | Compatible speakers are required; Roku’s ARC/eARC guidance applies to televisions and their connected audio systems | DTS passthrough and a straightforward HDMI connection |
| Google TV Streamer (4K) | Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos | HDMI 2.1 output; Google recommends an Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable and compatible HDMI 2.1 audio equipment or a TV eARC connection for high-quality audio | Dolby-centered systems using current HDMI equipment |
Fire TV: the broadest documented format list
The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (2025) is the strongest choice on published codec breadth. Amazon’s specification explicitly lists “HDMI Audio pass-through for Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital+, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-HD, MPEG-H.” That wording is significant: it describes sending several encoded formats over HDMI rather than limiting the player to the formats it can decode internally.
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- You have an AV receiver or soundbar that accepts both Dolby and DTS bitstreams.
- You want DTS-HD or MPEG-H listed alongside the common streaming formats.
- Your equipment is arranged so the streamer can pass audio directly to the receiver, or through a television with a compatible ARC/eARC return path.
Model and app qualifications
Do not generalize the 2025 Stick 4K Plus specification to every Fire TV product. Amazon’s own guidance says model support varies, so check the exact model number before buying or replacing a device. Even on a supported model, the app and title determine whether a DTS, Atmos or other track is actually available. If a service supplies only Dolby Digital Plus, Fire TV cannot create a DTS track that was never in the source.
Typical Fire TV wiring
- For the most predictable format handling, connect Fire TV to an HDMI input on an AV receiver or soundbar that advertises the formats you need.
- Connect the receiver or soundbar’s HDMI output to the television. Select the receiver input used by Fire TV.
- If the streamer must connect to the television first, use the television’s HDMI ARC or eARC port for the return connection and enable bitstream or passthrough audio in the television menu.
- In the receiver or soundbar, confirm that the incoming signal is identified as Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos, DTS or another expected format rather than PCM stereo.
Roku Ultra: the clearest DTS-focused option
Roku’s Ultra product information explicitly lists “DTS Digital Surround™ pass through over HDMI” and “Dolby Atmos® decode via HDMI.” That combination makes Roku Ultra attractive when DTS passthrough is a firm requirement but you also want Atmos output through a compatible HDMI audio system.
What Roku’s support documentation adds
Roku’s player guidance describes supported models as capable of passing stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS and, on some models, Dolby Atmos. The phrase “some models” matters: Roku’s platform-wide support article is not a promise that every Roku player exposes every format. Confirm the Ultra generation and the software-supported output options on the product you are purchasing.
Rank #2
- The Google TV Streamer (4K) delivers your favorite entertainment quickly, easily, and personalized to you[1,2]
- HDMI 2.1 cable required (sold separately)
- See movies and TV shows from all your services right from your home screen[2]; and find new things to watch with tailored recommendations for everyone in your home based on their interests and viewing habits
- Watch live TV and access over 800 free channels from Pluto TV, Tubi, and more[3]; if you find an interesting show or movie on your TV, mobile app, or Google search, you can easily add it to your watchlist, so it’s ready when you are[2]
- Up to 4K HDR with Dolby Vision delivers captivating, true-to-life detail[4]; and you can connect speakers that support Dolby Atmos for more immersive 3D sound
ARC and eARC on Roku systems
Roku’s television guidance distinguishes the HDMI return-channel standards. ARC can carry Dolby Digital Plus and compressed Dolby Atmos. eARC provides substantially more bandwidth for formats such as DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X and Dolby TrueHD. eARC appears only on select Roku TV models, so that guidance should not be read as a claim that every Roku television or Roku player has eARC.
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- Your media library or receiver setup makes DTS passthrough more important than support for additional formats listed by Fire TV.
- You prefer a player whose product page states the DTS HDMI behavior directly.
- Your soundbar or receiver can decode Atmos and you want the player to deliver it over HDMI.
Use the receiver’s display or information screen to verify the incoming codec. A Roku interface setting alone cannot prove that a particular title is delivering DTS or Atmos; the program, app and HDMI handshake still control the final signal.
Google TV Streamer (4K): a straightforward Dolby path
Google’s current Google TV Streamer (4K) specifications list Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos, with an HDMI 2.1 output. This is a focused Dolby feature set rather than the broadest published passthrough list.
Cable and equipment requirements
Google recommends an Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable for optimal performance. Its support guidance says high-quality audio requires compatible HDMI 2.1 audio equipment or a television eARC connection. In practical terms, the streamer, cable, television and soundbar or receiver must all agree on the same audio capability; replacing only the streamer does not upgrade an older ARC link or a receiver that lacks the target decoder.
Output choices in Google TV
Google documents an Automatic output mode plus manual choices for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital and PCM stereo. Automatic is the sensible starting point when the television or receiver correctly reports its capabilities. A manual Dolby setting can be useful for troubleshooting a handshake, while PCM stereo is a compatibility fallback that intentionally gives up multichannel bitstream output.
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Who should choose it
Google TV Streamer is a good fit for a system built around Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos, especially when the television has eARC or the audio equipment accepts HDMI 2.1 signals directly. It is not the first choice when DTS passthrough is a must-have, because Google’s published specifications do not list DTS support.
Rank #3
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- One place for all your favorite streaming apps. TiVo Stream 4K includes Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Peacock plus many more, so you can get to your shows fast.
- TiVo Stream 4K is one of Time Magazine’s “2020 Best Inventions, Special Mention” and PCMag hails it as “an excellent media streamer for TV lovers.” Operating Temperature 0˚C - 40˚C
ARC, eARC and HDMI wiring: the part that decides the result
Direct-to-receiver connection
Connecting the streamer to an HDMI input on the AV receiver or soundbar gives that device the first opportunity to decode the bitstream. The receiver then sends video to the television. This arrangement avoids relying on the television’s audio-return implementation and is often the simplest way to preserve formats that the display cannot pass back.
Streamer-to-TV connection with ARC
If the streamer plugs into the television, the TV must return audio through its ARC port. ARC has enough capacity for Dolby Digital Plus and compressed Dolby Atmos, but not every high-bandwidth format. The television may also transcode or reduce the signal according to its audio-output setting.
Streamer-to-TV connection with eARC
eARC offers a higher-bandwidth return channel. Roku’s guidance identifies DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X and Dolby TrueHD as examples of formats enabled by that additional capacity. eARC still requires compatible ports on the television and audio device, a suitable HDMI cable and matching settings on both ends.
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How to check the chain
- Identify the HDMI port labeled ARC or eARC on the television and the matching port on the soundbar or receiver.
- Use a cable rated for the capabilities you are trying to use; Google specifically recommends an Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable for its streamer.
- Enable ARC or eARC and HDMI-CEC if the television or audio device requires those controls for audio return.
- Set the TV’s digital-audio output to passthrough or bitstream when that option exists, rather than PCM stereo.
- Play a title with a known multichannel track and inspect the receiver or soundbar’s signal display.
App, title and device-generation limits
Streaming services do not expose identical audio tracks on every platform. A movie may show an Atmos badge on one app and only Dolby Digital Plus on another, while a different title may offer no surround track at all. Region, subscription tier and the title’s own master can also change the available audio.
Device generations are equally important. The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (2025) specification cannot be used as a guarantee for an older Fire TV Stick. Roku’s documentation qualifies Atmos and other formats by supported model. Google’s specifications apply to the current Google TV Streamer (4K), not automatically to earlier Chromecast hardware.
When troubleshooting, separate three questions: does the title contain the format, can the streamer output it, and can the connected HDMI chain carry and decode it? Testing only one of those questions can lead to the wrong conclusion.
Rank #4
- 4K Ultra HD with Cinematic Visuals & Sound: Supports 4K resolution (3840 x 2160) at 60FPS, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+ for enhanced contrast, brightness, and color accuracy. Delivers immersive audio via Dolby Audio and DTS:X surround sound
- High-Performance Hardware: Equipped with a Quad-Core CPU (up to 2.5GHz) and ARM G310 V2 GPU for seamless navigation and multitasking. Includes 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage (ROM) for ample app and content space
- Google TV Smart Platform: Runs the latest Google TV OS, offering personalized content recommendations, access to thousands of streaming apps (Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, etc.), and voice control via Google Assistant
- Advanced Connectivity & Decoding: Features dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.2, HDMI 2.1, and USB 2.0 ports. Supports decoding of 4K 60FPS video formats and Google Cast for screen mirroring
- Complete Setup Included: Comes with Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen), voice remote control, power adapter, HDMI cable, and user manual. Compact design (95.25 x 95.25 x 16.7 mm) for discreet placement
Choosing by system requirement
| Your priority | Most suitable choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum published Dolby and DTS passthrough breadth | Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (2025) | Its specification lists Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-HD and MPEG-H passthrough. |
| DTS passthrough as the deciding feature | Roku Ultra | Roku explicitly documents DTS Digital Surround passthrough over HDMI. |
| Dolby Digital Plus and Atmos with current HDMI equipment | Google TV Streamer (4K) | It lists those Dolby formats, provides HDMI 2.1 output and has documented Dolby/PCM output selections. |
| Television-only setup with no compatible multichannel audio hardware | Whichever device fits the TV’s documented inputs | A streamer cannot add a decoder, ARC/eARC bandwidth or speakers that the television does not provide. |
Troubleshooting missing surround sound
The receiver reports PCM stereo
Check the TV or streamer output mode first. On Google TV, Automatic should be tested before forcing a manual mode; PCM stereo is a fallback, not a surround setting. If the streamer is connected to the TV, verify that the TV’s digital audio output is not set to PCM.
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Confirm that the title is actually playing its Atmos track, then check the HDMI route. ARC may carry compressed Atmos, while eARC is needed for higher-bandwidth formats. A receiver or soundbar that lacks Atmos decoding will not display an Atmos signal regardless of the streamer.
DTS works on one device but not another
Compare the exact model specifications rather than the platform name. Roku documents DTS passthrough for Ultra, while Google’s current streamer specifications do not list DTS. Fire TV support depends on the specific model, with the 2025 Stick 4K Plus having the broad list quoted above.
Surround works in one app only
Use the app’s title information and audio-language menu to check the available track. A platform cannot pass through a codec that the app or title does not deliver. Also check whether a subscription tier or regional catalog supplies the advertised track.
Audio drops out or falls back after changing cables
Reconnect the chain with the streamer powered on, then the receiver or soundbar, then the television. Confirm that every device is on the intended HDMI input and that ARC or eARC is enabled. If the problem persists, test a simpler path—streamer directly into the receiver or soundbar—to identify whether the television’s return channel is the limiting link.
Verdict
On documented specifications, Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (2025) wins for format breadth. Roku Ultra is the specialist pick for DTS passthrough, with Atmos decoding over HDMI. Google TV Streamer (4K) is the uncomplicated Dolby option for systems equipped for current HDMI audio. In all three cases, buy for the weakest link in the chain: the title and app, the streamer model, the TV’s ARC/eARC implementation, the cable and the decoder in the soundbar or receiver.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
