The Best Sound Bars for TV
Nothing kills the cinematic experience worse than wimpy audio. For a proper home theater, you're going to want a good sound bar for your TV. It has to sound great, whether it's playing music, dialogue, or sound effects. Today, there seem to be countless sound bars to choose from. But don't worry, we've done the hard part and already found the best ones on the market. Now all you have to do is choose your favorite.
What to Look For
To find the best soundbars on the market, we looked at the following: Does it include a subwoofer and extra speakers? What audio formats does it accept? And, of course, how is the sound quality? Our top choice for excellent sound quality goes to the Sony HT-G700 soundbar. The sound is rich, expansive, and perfect for a full home cinema experience. If you’re looking to take full advantage of surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos, look no further than the Vizio soundbar speaker system. It includes two rear speakers for completely immersive surround sound. Below, we’ll go into further detail on each soundbar setup.
Polk Audio Signa S2 Ultra-Slim TV Sound Bar
A theater experience in your home
Setting up a sweet home theater sound system has never been easier. With the Signa S2, you can transform your TV sound into a complete cinema experience. It includes all the cables you might need, like a high-speed HDMI cable that can deliver 4K video and audio. The “subwoofer” is more of a bass box with a 6-inch driver, and it certainly delivers plenty of bass response. It’s wireless, too, so you don’t have to worry about cable management as much. As a bonus, this sound bar can play music from other devices via Bluetooth.
Pros:
- Dialogue sounds especially clear, so you don’t have to turn up the volume as loud.
- With HDMI Arc, you can turn this on and change the volume with your TV remote.
Cons:
- The remote that this comes with feels a bit clunky and outdated.
JBL Bar 5.1 Soundbar with Built-in Virtual Surround
Bring the boom
Watching a movie doesn’t have the same visceral feeling without good bass. Thankfully, the JBL Bar sound system delivers that in spades thanks to its 10-inch subwoofer — we’re talking room-shaking bass when turned all the way up. And not only does it deliver in regards to power, but it’s also beautifully minimalist thanks to its wireless design. The soundbar itself sounds crisp and crystal clear throughout the frequency spectrum.
Pros:
- The JBL app includes a great calibration feature that optimizes the speaker’s equalizer settings for your space.
- The subwoofer can get really boomy if you want that room-shaking, feel-it-in-your-chest kind of bass.
Cons:
- We wish there were more options for sound equalization. However, this can be achieved via the audio source settings instead.
Saiyin Home Theater Surround Sound System
High class, low price
A good soundbar can be had on a budget, as evidenced by this impressive unit. It delivers huge sound at a low price. It accepts both digital and analog audio or even Bluetooth inputs. It’s super easy to set up, especially since it doesn’t have multiple channels or other complicated features. If you’re looking for a quick, simple, and affordable upgrade for your TV audio,
Pros:
- The front panel lights aren’t too bright, so they’re not distracting when watching a movie.
- You can upgrade this soundbar with a subwoofer thanks to its sub-bass passthrough output.
Cons:
- This is lacking in bass a bit, although you can always add a subwoofer later.
Vizio M-Series Premium DTS:X Sound Bar
The immersion we crave
Digital surround sound is great and all, but nothing beats a pair of rear speakers for full immersion. This soundbar is fully compatible with Dolby Atmos and Dolby DTS:X. These are the two most common and popular formats for surround sound. The rear speakers may not be wireless, but they connect to the subwoofer, which is. This makes it relatively easy to install a great surround sound setup in your living room.
Pros:
- The rear speaker cables are around 20 feet long, with plenty of leeway for cable management. Plus, it’s just a standard RCA cable so you can always extend or replace them.
- This system works well with CEC, meaning one remote can turn on your TV and surround sound at once.
- There is a dedicated 3.5mm jack for Alexa or Google Home devices that switches to that input when the voice-activated device is used.
Cons:
- It’s a bit pricier than other soundbars, but the audio quality and rear speakers make it worth it.
Sony HT-G700 Dolby Atmos Soundbar
Fill the room
If you want the best-sounding audio gear for your home theater, it can be pricey but highly worth it. The HT-G700 makes a great choice for a high-end soundbar. Even without rear speakers, it creates a huge 3D sound environment. And since it accepts EARC input, you know you’re getting the best audio quality possible with Dolby Atmos.
Pros:
- Film and television dialogue sounds beautiful and clear, while music and sound effects come with a powerful punch.
- The subwoofer packs a wallop with plenty of bass that balances out the crisp mids and highs.
- A high-speed HDMI cable is included for full surround sound support.
Cons:
- The optical cable port doesn’t support DTS surround sound, you’ll simply have to use the HDMI port instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Dolby Atmos and Dolby DTS:X?
These are standards for surround sound. The audio signals are sent with metadata indicating which speaker they should go to. Dolby allows for multiple speakers along the walls and ceilings, but you’ll need a sound system that can support it.
What is a subwoofer, and do I need one?
Subwoofers provide the lowest frequencies that you feel more than you hear. They’re what’s responsible for the rumble on big explosions, for example. You don’t strictly need one, but they do add a lot to the cinematic experience.
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