Do you want to know which are the best soundbars of the year 2023? If you have a high-end TV with 4K resolution, you will surely realize that the audio will not be its strong point in all probability.
How do we solve this problem? With the right soundbar, a device that will offer us an excellent surround sound experience can be easily installed in any room without having to fill it with many speakers everywhere.
They can be placed on a wall or under your television and often come with a built-in subwoofer for powerful bass.
What is a Sound Bar?
It’s basically a small, slim speaker system that can be placed under or near your television. Its technology provides you with great sound without having 5.1 surround sound speakers scattered throughout the room. They are perfect to use with a Blu-ray, an Xbox One or a PS4.
Many soundbars offer 2.1 sound settings. That means they will have two separate speakers and a subwoofer. Of course, there are some exceptions that bundle subwoofer and speakers into one device.
Beyond connecting to a television, soundbars can offer WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity to stream content from smartphones, tablets, and computers. Physical connections can include USB ports for connecting external hard drives, HDMI inputs and outputs for Full HD or 4K, optical digital ports, and 3D TV playback.
The cheapest models have more basic connections. The more expensive ones add better quality HDMI inputs (including 4K / HDR), wireless audio streaming (Bluetooth and AirPlay), better power, and more refined speaker drivers and decoding of sound formats for Blu-ray.
The Bestsellers
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The 10 Best Sound Bars Reviews
Bose Soundbar 700
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Attractive price, spectacular design, and powerful and very enveloping sound, much more than that offered by the Soundbar 500 model. Can you ask for more? Indeed an instruction manual to configure it, but it is not very difficult with the Bose Music app. The times change.
The “soundstage” it offers is spectacular, the remote control is a joy and it has ADAPTiQ audio calibration. It’s a shame the bass is a bit lazy.
Besides, with the app for iOS or Android, you will be able to calibrate the soundbar and configure many of its aspects. And best of all, it has a large number of wireless connections such as Bluetooth, wifi, or Apple Airplay 2, so connecting to streaming services such as Apple Music, Amazon Music, or Spotify is simple. You will also be able to play music from your library.
You will also find ethernet, optical, USB (service only), and HDMI ARC sockets. As for the sound, we find Dolby Digital but DTS is missing. Perfect soundbar for watching movies but also for listening to music.
LG SK8 – Hi-Res Sound Bar
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A sound bar that is not excessively expensive and that offers excellent performance. Its design is elegant, it is compact and the sound it offers is detailed and open.
It has a subwoofer, but do not expect that this device will enhance the sound much, or at least not as much as is expected when this type of device is included. It cannot be compared to a 5.1 sound system .
It offers 360º surround sound thanks to Dolby Atmos technology and is compatible with your TV remote control, no matter the model. It also has ASC equalization, capable of automatically adapting the sound depending on whether you are watching a movie or listening to music. It also has automatic volume adjustment.
It supports many sources and the sound it offers is powerful. It supports voice control and you can use the Google assistant.
Sonos Beam – Soundbar with integrated Alexa
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A soundbar with the Amazon Alexa assistant, so you will be able to control it by voice since it has a microphone. Its installation is simple and it is preferable to do it with HDMI ARC to control the volume with the TV remote control. The sound is powerful and spectacular.
You can connect it with your smartphone or tablet and use its app to play songs. You can even use Spotify (if you have a subscription). It does not support Dolby Digital Plus or DTS (their biggest drawback).
Sony HTX8500 2.1ch Dolby Atmos
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Really cheap soundbar with good features. Perfect for listening to DTS or AC3 audio. It has different types of equalization and if you connect it through HDMI ARC everything will go smoothly.
It is only a 2.0 bar, so the sound cannot match more expensive models. The buttons on the top do not allow full control.
SAMSUNG HW-T450 2.1ch Soundbar
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It is a soundbar to enter the world. It is not the best soundbar to offer perfect sound at all frequencies, but it will give you great joys if you do not ask for much. The sound is very decent, its price is outrageous and it will serve you perfectly to enhance the sound of your favorite movies.
However, having a wireless subwoofer, the bass is going to sound pretty good to you. It only has an optical input and a USB port. You can use its EQ to customize the sound. It does not have Atmos support.
Bose TV Speaker- Small Soundbar
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In case you don’t want to spend as much money as with the Bose Soundbar 700 soundbar, this is an excellent option to introduce you to the world of Bose. It is perfect if you want to enhance TV series and movies (it is specially designed for that). Combined with other Bose equipment it is perfect (like the Bose Bass Module 500 and 700).
The sound worsens somewhat when we turn up the volume a lot and it does not have automatic volume for at night. You can also connect your smartphone and start listening to a podcast like crazy.
Sonos Playbar – The Mountable Sound Bar
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It does not have HDMI connections, but it has an optical input that we can connect to the compatible TV and WIFI connectivity. For its use we have to use a smartphone or tablet with the corresponding app.
We can connect other Sonos speakers wirelessly to get surround sound. It has 9 class D digital amplifiers, 6 mid-range speakers and 3 tweeters. It’s not your typical soundbar, at least in terms of connections.
Hisense HS218 2.1ch Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer
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Another cheap model that also incorporates a subwoofer. You can not ask for more. The audio quality is decent (although don’t expect the panacea), it comes with remote control and can be connected to the mobile. Perfect for the price it has.
Sony ST5000 7.1.2ch 800W Dolby Atmos Soundbar
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It’s not a cheap soundbar, but you’re going to pay for one of the best soundbars around. It offers you Dolby Atmos, its manufacturing quality is tremendous and it supports high-resolution audio. You can not ask for more. Surround sound is from another planet. The only downside to it is that it doesn’t have DTS: X…. and its high price.
Sony HT-RT5 Soundbar with 2 Wireless Rear Speakers
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If this soundbar stands out for something, it is because it allows you to configure the sound distribution entirely thanks to its two towers, a three-channel soundbar, and the subwoofer. Surround sound is very successful.
The sound is apparent and does not distort and has many automatic sound modes (night, clear, sport, movie … Its installation is very simple.
What to Consider When Choosing the Soundbar
- Buy a soundbar with at least 3 or more channels as they are perfect for simulating surround sound. Then you can go up to 5 channels or even 7 channels. Improve surround sound in your living room.
- Choose an active soundbar as they come with built-in amplifiers.
- A soundbar should be no wider than your TV and should be centered under or on top of the TV.
- Connectivity? They should have WiFi or Bluetooth or both for wireless connections to your TV or mobile devices. They should have an HDMI connector to make it easy to switch audio sources. An optical connection would not be bad at all to facilitate the connection.
- eye! That has HDMI ARC: You just have to connect it to the input of the audio return channel (ARC) of your TV with an HDMI cable and everything begins to work as if by magic.
- If you have a wireless controller, that’s great. Controlling it will be easier. If you can operate it using your TV remote, all the better.
- If you have Dolby Atmos, the sound will improve tremendously: the sound will move around you in three-dimensional space. As in the best cinemas. Home Cinema 5.1 is better in this case, but it takes up more space.
Sound Bars vs 5.1 Home Cinema Systems
At first, it is not obvious which system is best for each. Not everything is having better sound or a more careful surround sound.
Let’s see, 5.1 home cinema systems offer better sound than a soundbar, it is obvious, but soundbars have certain advantages:
- Soundbars are usually cheaper, smaller, and you don’t have to mess around a lot to place them in your living room.
- It usually has built-in Bluetooth.
- They can be converted to a 2.1 sound system if they come with a subwoofer included
- They have been designed to improve the sound of your TV without complicating your life much.
- They can create 3D sound with a few tricks.
Advantages and disadvantages of Home Cinema 5.1 sound systems?
- They are intended for movie fans who want the best possible sound
- They offer better sound by having more speakers distributed throughout the room, but they can be difficult to install because they have more cables.
- The subwoofer offers great sound, but they are usually quite large.
- They are usually more expensive systems.
Which is Easier to Install and Position?
The soundbars are much easier to install and place in your living room. Just take it out of the box and connect it to your TV via optical cable, HDMI, or using Bluetooth, so that the sound begins to flow through it instead of through the Smart TV. Besides, most soundbars with subwoofer are wireless and do not need to connect the subwoofer by cable, making them convenient devices.
Without a doubt, here the soundbar wins by a landslide since Home Cinema usually has multiple cables that connect each of the speakers to the main source. That, not counting the bass they typically come with, means you have to worry about a considerable amount of wiring, not to mention the modifications you will have to make so that they are not visible in your living room.
Which is more versatile?
If we compare a Home Cinema vs a sound bar’s versatility, the former is somewhat more potent than most soundbar models but is not very versatile. Once installed around the TV, it is complicated to move them to another room or outside to play music. Keep in mind that home theaters have many speakers connected, the leading source, and a subwoofer, which means you need to move many cables and devices.
The soundbars are mostly wireless (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi), which will allow you to connect them to your TV, mobile, tablet, and/or laptop to get the sound from these devices through the bar. In addition, as they usually consist of a bar and a subwoofer, simply by disconnecting a couple of cables, you can transport it anywhere in your house or outdoors, as they are usually light and compact.
Conclusion
Home theater systems are compelling and have a slightly more immersive effect than a soundbar. If you have space, time for their installation, you do not plan to move it and you are willing to deal with the wiring, they are a good option.
But, if you are one of those who prefer versatility and comfort, soundbars are your thing. Its easy installation, ability to connect to practically any mobile device via Bluetooth, and the fact that the sound they produce is almost comparable to that of a Home Theater, have made it a very popular home theater system and increasingly present in the halls of homes.