Honorable mention
Photo: Parker Hall
There are plenty of great soundbars out there and there’s no room to showcase them all. Here are a few other things you might want to consider.
LG’s S95TR is $1,000-$1,500: LG’s 9.1.5-channel soundbar (8/10, Wired recommended) doesn’t work like Samsung’s flagship Q990 series, but it could be a better choice for anyone using a newer LG TV like the C4. It also supports gaming features such as 120 Hz pass-through, but only includes one spare input.
Sony Bravia Theater 9 $1,400: Follow-up to Sony’s powerful HT-A7000 flagship soundbar returns in several important ways. There’s less input (no analog anymore), a more mundane fabric-envelope design, and minimal sound settings. The more lean frames on the Theater 9 correspond to a less-fleshed, immersive sound stage, but this is still Sony’s flagship soundbar, meaning great musicality, great detail and advanced spatial imaging for 3D audio. Premium features like HDMI 2.1 input to connect the latest gaming consoles and advanced integration with the new Sony TVS will loosen up the deal, but for $1,400, it’s an expensive proposal.
Vizio 2.1 Soundbar (SV210M) for $170: Vizio’s curvy little combo brings charming value, with solid sound quality and movie punches from the smallest subwoofer you’ve ever seen. Although no optical input or remote is included, the Vizio app makes adjustment settings or switching to Bluetooth easy enough. The main drawback is that dialogue gets lost sometimes (not always) and reduces the main appeal of inexpensive soundbars. That said, it’s worth considering selling thanks to its excellent music chops and features like the DTS Virtual X expansion.
Samsung HW-Q800C for $598: If all the bars from Samsung are too rich for blood, a two-piece HW-Q800C (8/10, Wired beconess) can be a good compromise. This bar offers many of the same features as Samsung’s flagship bar and similar sound signatures. This is packed into a smaller bar and subwoofer combo, especially for noticeable discounts, especially since it is almost always on sale now.
$700 Sennheiser Ambeo Mini: This pint-sized luxury bar is perfect for anyone with money to burn in a very small space. Sennheiser’s built-in Ambeo Virtualization Technology beautifully throws sound around you for exhilarating TV and movies, offering advanced features such as Google Assistant and Alexa support.
Sony HT-X8500 $300: Sony’s HT-X8500 is getting hard to find, but it’s one of our favorite options after one bar with solid bass response and vast sound, including a decent Dolby Atmos Virtualization. Although more expensive than our top bar, it is a great alternative for people a little while later and is worth considering while still available.
Sennheiser Ambeo Plus $1,200: Considering the price and physical dimensions of the soundbar (not including subwoofers), Ambeo Plus may seem like a poor deal. But thanks to 400 watts of power and nine carefully developed and carefully placed speaker drivers, this Sennheiser can make loud, enveloping sounds with a powerful suggestion of the pitch gained by Dolby Atmos Soundtracks. As an encore, it turns out to be a very capable wireless speaker when you want to listen to music. – Simon Lucas
Pork responds for $269: This soundbar works if you want to eventually get surround sound, but don’t have cash now. The Alexa-enabled soundbar is a problem on its own, and surround speakers and subwoofers are available from Polk if you want to upgrade.
How to connect a soundbar
We have included a list of available connection options next to all soundbars in the list. Most Soundbars connect to the TV via optical or HDMI cables, but with newer models that include expensive flagship options, the light input is beginning to go out. In most cases, HMDI is the preferred connection anyway.
If both the TV and soundbar have HDMI arc/ear ports (the cable ports look like normal HDMI, but are labeled with an arc or ear) Connect like that. You can control the volume of the soundbar using the volume button on the TV remote. Also, Make sure CEC is enabled. HDMI is also required for Dolby Atmos and other 3D audio formats, so use optical cables only when HDMI is not available.
Finally, check the TV’s audio menu to make sure the TV’s internal speakers are off (so that you don’t get any strange audio flutter) and find the perfect spot to place the speakers and subs.
I haven’t tested a new TV that doesn’t sound well with audio accessories yet. This is mainly due to the way the TV is designed. The great sounding speakers are bulky and the manufacturers have a hard time making great speakers as the TVs are thinner with bezels and refined design.
You can spend just $100-$150 on a new soundbar, making the most of your TV experience is essential. Our list of the best soundbars we’ve tested includes a unique soundbar and a model bundled with subwoofers and surround speakers at various price ranges.
Is the soundbar as good as the speaker?
When you come across an A/V or a home theater Subreddit or forum, the mob of people who even advocate the idea that the soundbar matches the pair of speakers is heresy. The truth is, as far as we are concerned, it all depends on your personal desires and needs.
Especially when it comes to high resolution audio and vinyl record collections, if you’re looking for the most musical vocabulary for your bag, a great pair of bookshelves speakers could be your best value option. Even if you’re not keen on shopping for your amplifiers or running speaker wires, our Best Bookshelf Speakers Guide offers plenty of mounted/active pairs, including all inputs and amplification, like a soundbar system for audiophiles.
But that may not be the best option for everyone. If making your TV sound soup into soup is cheap and simple, or, conversely, a convenient way to explore exciting audio formats like surround sound and Dolby Atmos, a soundbar might be the perfect choice. Soundbars is an affordable and hassle-free solution, many of which offer sound and features that suit your needs and suit your needs, rather than speakers or traditional home theater setups. We’re not on our side here. We love the good sound and great features. For many people, a soundbar is the best way to get there.
This is a question that can only be answered to you, but there are a few things to consider before you start with your living space and making a call. If you live in a small apartment or multiplex, a subwoofer may not be the best choice, both because of its size and the possibility of arousing complaints about noise. Larger modern soundbars are increasingly superior at recreating compelling bass from a single bar, often utilizing multiple speakers in concerts to bring more punches to lower frequencies without causing much booms or exaggeration.
If you’re not worried about a near quarter and are looking for a more cinematic punch, you should consider a soundbar with a subwoofer. Physics can ever be extended, and the multi-speaker systems we’ve heard cannot fit the punch and efficacy of dedicated large drivers and acoustic cabinets. Many affordable soundbar models also include subwoofers. If you want a full throttle sound, we recommend considering putting everything in your subwoofer, or at least entering it all in the bar that you can add later.
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