PROS / The 8-inch subwoofer produces powerful and focused bass.
CONS / It struggles to simulate surround sound.
VERDICT / With its hard-hitting subwoofer, this sound bar adds depth to any viewing experience.
The Sharp HT-SB602 is a 2.1-channel sound bar with six total drivers. It comes with a subwoofer that really enhances its low-end prowess. This sound bar didn’t impress our focus group quite enough to reach the top of our sound bar lineup, but it has many strengths that make it worth considering.
A focus group listened to each sound bar play a section of a movie, song and game. The bass response on this unit impressed our focus group. This sound bar received some of the highest scores in the bass response sections of our survey. The wireless 8-inch subwoofer added the low-end presence that captures sound effects such as explosions in an action movie. The low end was focused and well rounded. During our music test, the bass drove the kick drum without overpowering the rest of the music.
According to our focus group participants, this sound bar struggled with surround sound simulation and dialogue clarity. Terms such as, “flat” or “not clear” were often used to describe the dialogue. Other sound bars seemed to be more dynamic than the Sharp in terms of vocal clarity. It also wasn’t as balanced in terms of volume levels as some of our other sound bars. At times the action scenes were too loud compared to the dialogue.
Many of the 2.1-channel sound bars struggled with surround sound, the Sharp HT-SB602 included. Our listeners felt this sound bar didn’t provide detailed audio, and that most of the sounds seemed to be coming from the middle as opposed to all sides of the room.
The Sharp features Bluetooth connectivity. You can pair the Bluetooth sound bar with mobile devices to stream audio. In our Bluetooth range tests, this sound bar produced average range in both our clear line of site test and when walls were introduced. Standard Bluetooth range is 33 feet, and the Sharp sound bar reached 41 feet before it started to lose signal. When we walked around two adjacent walls, the signal range was reduced to 27 feet, which is a little below average Bluetooth range. This test gives you a more accurate idea of how far your range will reach in your home.
This sound bar includes two HDMI ports so you can connect multiple devices to it for playing a high-quality digital signal. It also includes an aux port so you can plug mobile devices directly into the sound bar. The unit does not have Wi-Fi capabilities or USB ports.
Summary
The Sharp HT-SB602 home theater sound bar comes with a wireless 8-inch subwoofer that adds powerful bass presence. This sound bar also features good connectivity options, including two HDMI cables and Bluetooth for wireless music streaming. It didn’t do as well as other sound bars in simulating surround sound, but for movies and music, this sound bar holds its own.