So, you have executed your analysis and located one of the best TV, however the enjoyable would not cease there: To construct a really high-quality dwelling leisure system, you are going to want to search out among the finest soundbars. After all, there is not an “AV” with out Audio.
TechRadar’s crack crew of reviewers have spent numerous hours placing the entire prime soundbars from the likes of Samsung, Sony, Sonos, Amazon, and Bose via their paces, judging them on audio high quality, ease of use, dimension, and plenty of different elements.
Today, we will run via a number of the issues to contemplate when shopping for a soundbar, going past a listing of simply one of the best to search out the particular attributes you need to be contemplating – and this can be particular to each front room.
Things like Dolby Atmos and the kind of HDMI ports on supply can be dissected and analysed, that will help you make an knowledgeable alternative about attending to absolutely the pinnacle of room-thumping sound, making certain that your subsequent film evening appears like popping right down to the native Odeon.
Unlike your built-in, downward-facing TV audio system – which might often be good, as with the Sky Glass – a soundbar sits going through the room, and may subsequently undertaking much more sound into the area. There can be more likely to be extra bass as a result of soundbars are merely greater than your TV audio system.
Over the course of this text, you will see that there are lots of various kinds of soundbar and, most significantly, many alternative ‘bars for various budgets. Fear not, even with a modest outlay, your TV sound may be dramatically improved.
How to decide on a soundbar: Size issues
Look, we’ll spare you the childish puns, however dimension does matter within the land of soundbars, and it is considered one of – if not essentially the most – vital elements to contemplate.
For instance, the Sonos Arc, as lovely as it’s, spans a fairly large 114cm (45 inches), which means that each your TV itself and TV cupboard will have to be vast. You’ll be taking a look at getting a 50-inch TV at a minimal to accommodate this beast (and it isn’t even the widest soundbar we reviewed).
Luckily, there are lots of extra compact soundbars, just like the Bose Smart Soundbar 600, that pump out a very large and wealthy sound from a small area, and even handle to incorporate up-firing audio system for Dolby Atmos. The Sonos Beam, too, provides some fairly stellar sound in a compact dimension.
For anybody that wishes to go nuts: the Samsung HW-Q990D clocks in at 130cm (51 inches) vast, and manages to pack in 22 totally different audio system.
There is unquestionably a stability to be struck between getting an enormous previous soundbar, which is extra more likely to generate one of the best sound, and never dominating your TV cupboard. Only you’ll be able to see your present setup, so plan accordingly.
How to decide on a soundbar: Ports, ports, ports
Next up: the issues you do not see. The platonic supreme of getting a soundbar is reaching a cable-free look from the entrance, however that does not imply there is not something occurring within the again (form of like a mullet).
In truth, getting a wide selection of ports and connectivity is significant in 2024, and soundbar producers are dashing to out-do their rivals to cram the newest improvements in HDMI expertise into smaller and thinner circumstances.
The factor you need to be searching for is eARC, or Enhanced Audio Return Channel, which principally implies that your HDMI cable can deal with enter and output on the identical time, lowering your port must, effectively, one. Almost each soundbar on our checklist has eARC, so fear not, however it’s one thing to observe for when shopping for an older mannequin.
Beyond bodily cables, we additionally advocate getting a soundbar that connects to your Wi-Fi community to allow cool options like Apple’s AirPlay, Spotify Connect, and so forth, plus good previous Bluetooth. You may not use these options masses, particularly in case you have one other standalone HelloFi, however it’s higher to have than not.
How to decide on a soundbar: Surround sound and subwoofers
Until I received a encompass sound system – a Sonos Beam paired with two Sonos One audio system, in case you’re – I wasn’t certain what all of the fuss was about. How incorrect I used to be, and I’m right here to be sure you do not make the identical mistake.
If you could have a room that may accommodate a encompass setup, which most residing rooms (or snugs, or no matter) must be able to, it’s very value it. There are some caveats, like in case you predominantly watch TV reveals, however for film nights, there may be merely nothing higher.
And encompass sound would not even need to price the earth. Take the Hisense AX5125H, for instance: this nifty, low-cost soundbar contains Dolby Atmos and a set of two surrounds, plus a subwoofer, out of the field, all for about $350 / £350 / AU$450. It’s magical.
Some soundbars come bundled with a subwoofer, just like the high-end Samsung HW-Q800C and Samsung HW-Q990D, whereas others just like the Bose Smart Soundbar 600 may be upgraded to incorporate a subwoofer from Bose.
The principal upside of a subwoofer is representing these extraordinarily low frequency sounds with accuracy and readability. This occurs by reproducing the Low Frequency Effects (LFE) channel in film soundtracks, which frequently embody the rumbling of autos. While soundbars themselves can embody some first rate bass ranges, having a speaker devoted to the low-end actually elevates issues.
The solely downside is, effectively, your neighbours may not love the introduction of a subwoofer to actually get at these bass tones in films, particularly in case you reside in a flat, so plan accordingly. And please do not inform offended folks knocking in your door that TechRadar pointed you in the direction of a subwoofer.
How to decide on a soundbar: Dolby Atmos
Yes, you want Dolby Atmos. Next.
We’re solely half joking. Dolby Atmos has actually taken off prior to now few years as a method to get absolutely the most out of your 5.1 encompass setup, and even comes included in headphones, like the brand new Sonos Ace, and different audio units.
Dolby Atmos primarily works to isolate particular person sounds inside no matter your watching and map them onto 3D area, versus simply assigning a sound to a speaker, creating a way more advanced sound profile within the room.
It’s form of exhausting to explain how good Atmos is till you have tried it, however the sensation of a car sounding prefer it’s flying immediately overhead, or whizzing previous you, is basically one thing, and we advocate getting it in case you can.
As we talked about above, getting Atmos would not even have to interrupt the financial institution, though lots of the soundbars that help it are just a little dearer. We rated the Samsung HW-Q800C as one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbar for most individuals, and the Sony HT-S2000 as one of the best price range choice.
How to decide on a soundbar: What you will use it for
TV audio system typically suck, and so just about everybody ought to have a soundbar, however choosing the proper one actually depends upon what sort of content material you eat.
In our testing, we discovered that the wonderful Sony HT-A7000 excelled for players, providing exceptionally detailed dialogue, help for all main spatial audio codecs, and two HDMI 2.1 ports.
Others, just like the Amazon Fire TV soundbar, are greatest for individuals who need to enhance the standard (or loudness) of their audio with out breaking the financial institution and are not notably fussed about having the entire fanciest options.
For those that need to have the ability to hearken to music on their soundbar, alongside its TV duties, ought to plump for the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), which provides unbelievable audio constancy and hyperlinks up with all of Sonos’ different music-related options. Just do not speak to us – or Sonos – concerning the new Sonos app.
In every of our soundbar critiques, we go into lots of element on which varieties of media actually sing, and so apply that to your data of your media food regimen to get the proper alternative.
How to decide on a soundbar: So are they value it?
The reply to the query is fairly easy: Yes, a soundbar is value attending to improve your TV watching expertise and make films actually sing.
Thankfully, there are lots of totally different soundbars available on the market proper now that cater to each price range, from the super-cheap to the wallet-breakingly costly, and every part in between.
The principal elements to contemplate are the dimensions of your TV and TV cupboard, since having a soundbar that’s a lot bigger than your TV may look considerably unusual, and whether or not you need options like Dolby Atmos (you do), a encompass sound setup, and the variety of ports.
You can discover in depth critiques of one of the best soundbars and greatest greatest Dolby Atmos soundbars on TechRadar, and these can be up to date at any time when Samsung, Sonos, Bose, and so forth launch a brand new mannequin.
