If you want to take your TV viewing experience to the next level, a soundbar might be the way to go. Soundbars are not only inexpensive, but they’re also simple to set up and provide better sound than a built-in TV speaker. That’s why smaller home theatre speakers, AV receivers, and subwoofers are far more common.
Soundbars, in general, provide great sound, multiple sound modes, and some even interact with your current smart speakers, allowing you to communicate with them using Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. There are many soundbars available, but all will provide higher audio quality than what you currently have. Finding the best soundbar might be difficult with so many options, but our guide can help you cut through the clutter.
Sonos Arc
The Sonos Arc epitomizes what Sonos is about, at the risk of sounding hyperbolic. It produces excellent sound and integrates smoothly into your wider Sonos sound network. It would have been pretty easy for Dolby Atmos to be an afterthought with all of that.
As it turns out, the opposite is true. Arc can produce Dolby Atmos sound through an exciting driver, and while it won’t surprise you, the performance is good. It also functions as a smart speaker, allowing you to use Alexa or Google Assistant to assist you with tasks.
But it’s the Arc’s versatility for non-TV listening that truly propels it to the top of our list. The Sonos app gives you complete control of Arc (just like any other Sonos speakers in your home) and streaming music sources.
It’s worth noting that, unlike some of the other soundbars on our list, Arc does not have an HDMI input. Therefore, when you plug it into the TV’s HDMI ARC port, you will lose one of the TV’s HDMI inputs. This is not a problem for people with only one or two video sources, but others may have to make difficult decisions or purchase HDMI switches.
Yamaha YAS-209
A bar as versatile and feature-rich as Yamaha’s YAS-207 is difficult to top — it truly is the entire package. However, Yamaha’s current model, the 209, has some notable enhancements, including Amazon Alexa built-in. These enhancements, along with all the other features of our favorite affordable Yamaha soundbar, make it the perfect companion for an affordable 4K display. In fact, Dolby Vision HDR pass-through for its extra HDMI port is one of the only capabilities this bar lacks that we wish it did. It only supports HDR10, which is also expected at this price.
In terms of sound quality, YAS209 is similar to 207, which is very cost-effective. The bar has crisp treble and deep, growling bass. It also has two virtual surround modes to simulate louder and wider surround sound visual effects. This implies that a modest soundbar arrangement may deliver a larger, more thorough surround sound experience.
Put on an action movie, and the sound effects will fill your living room, or utilize the Clear Voice option for slower, more dialogue-heavy sequences — it doesn’t matter because this soundbar will perform admirably no matter what you throw at it. Both Dolby Digital and DTS Virtual:X are supported by the bar. It can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker to play music from your smartphone, or you can use Spotify Connect via Wi-Fi for better sound.
The loud sound of Yamaha YAS209 comes from a surprisingly small number of components, and the soundbar itself can be easily hidden under the TV console. In fact, most people are unlikely to notice the soundbar. The included wireless subwoofer is also very concealed, so you can hide it behind the TV. The Yamaha YAS-209 is a great update, providing more functionality in a beautiful yet understated gadget that will be a useful and attractive addition to your system.
Sennheiser Ambeo
Sennheisers’ behemoth of a bar delivers excellent performance at an affordable price. Sure, it’s expensive, but if you need the most up-to-date home theatre equipment — and you want a thrilling Atmos experience without all the speakers and cords — the Ambeo is your new best friend.
The soundbar delivers a vivid wave of Atmos sound (along with numerous other 3D audio formats) right from your TV console, thanks to Sennheiser’s acorn-to-oak Ambeo technology. This isn’t just a bar; it’s also an A/V receiver replacement, with three HDMI inputs that include the newest eARC technology and support all major HDR formats for a future-proofed solution to pair that marquee TV with a marquee sound system.
When it comes to audio, TV, and music, the Ambeo delivers an amazing experience, with auto-calibration and a smooth and easy UI, allowing you to run the show with little hiccups. Because the system relies on your room for surround immersion, bouncing sound off walls and ceilings, many installations make it difficult to hear sound entirely behind you. Still, what this bar achieves with virtual surround is almost miraculous, and its high-end drivers and outstanding interface (which includes a fully-loaded app) make for a sumptuous experience.
Bose Soundbar 700
For years, Bose has struggled to keep up with Sonos in the never-ending race to be the best wireless smart speaker. The Soundbar 700 is a great option to the Sonos Arc for individuals who don’t care about Dolby Atmos — Bose compensates for the lack of Dolby Atmos with excellent audio reproduction.
The Soundbar 700 showcased its capacity to provide depth to music while also projecting that sound throughout the room. This is an immersive experience, and untrained ears may not realize that the sound comes from the speakers.
Its music skills don’t impede its ability to reproduce a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound movie or TV soundtrack. When the bullet flies over the screen, the vibration effect of Soundbar 700 with music is just as good or even better. Soundbar 700 supports Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth, and is used for music streaming on Android devices. It may also be used with a family of wireless speakers to provide a multiroom audio experience, much like the whole-house system that propelled Sonos to fame.
The Bose Music App has its idiosyncrasies, but the Bose Soundbar 700 is compatible with a variety of music providers, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, and others, and you can manage your music straight from any of those audio applications.
Bose Smart Soundbar 300
First and foremost, it produces a crisp sound. The light beam has a lot of warmth and resonance, but it tends to accentuate the lower range, which is not always beneficial for TV conversations. Bose also provides a better sense of immersion, especially in rooms where the sound can bounce off the walls.
Furthermore, you can also use the Smart Soundbar 300 with a pair of Bose Bluetooth headphones for completely private listening. It’s a very useful function — especially for bedrooms — whether you just want a more intimate sound experience or you need to avoid bothering people while watching TV.
Finally, when you choose Alexa as your voice assistant (Google Assistant is also an option), Bose expands the capabilities of Alexa so that you can control your cable box and TV. You can ask Alexa for a specific channel once it’s set up.
With Bose’s optional wireless subwoofers and surround speakers, you can turn the Smart Soundbar 300’s three-channel system into a full-fledged 5.1 surround sound system for comparatively less money.
References
Meta description
Do you want your TV to have better audio? Grab one of these speakers to improve your home entertainment experience without the hassle of messy connections.
Comments