Why Soundbar?
As TVs get slimmer and slimmer, the sound quality gets worse and worse due to the reduced room being available for the integrated speakers. A good soundbar is a quick and simple way to upgrade your mediocre (to say the least) TV sound without needing to have a full home cinema setup. It saves you having the intrusive cables and the extra space needed for a full-fledged 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system. In fact, soundbars can also stream music via Bluetooth, generate a virtual surround soundstage, wirelessly pair with a subwoofer and much more. The question is – with so many options available to chose from, what is the best soundbar 2018 has to offer? Before you go out shopping for a soundbar, it is important to understand that soundbars are not designed to compete with 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound systems. Hence, it would be unreasonable to expect the same level of sound quality, although some soundbars get pretty darn close. There are also two main things to keep in mind when choosing a soundbar. First is the placement, as soundbars come in different sizes which may not fit all TVs or TV stands. The other is the connection type. This may sound like something minor, but we see too many customers buying a soundbar only to realize that they need an HDMI connection and the soundbar only has an optical one. Similarly – if streaming music via Bluetooth is required, it has to be checked as not all soundbars support it. Due to its ease and convenience, the soundbars have recently exploded in popularity. There are many players in the market with many options available, so choosing one could be quite a daunting and overwhelming experience. Thankfully, we have shortlisted the five ultimate soundbars to suit your individual needs. So whether you need a budget version to give you the best bang for your buck or a fine-tuned audiophile-grade sound experience – we have a pick for you. Best Soundbar 2018 – Quick Comparison If you are in a rush and not able to go through the detailed description of all the soundbars in our review, we have prepared a table summarizing main soundbar characteristics you need to make your decision. If you need a more detailed comparison, you will find it in the table at the bottom of this page.
Device Name | Frequency Response | Power | Subwoofer | Connections | |
60Hz-19kHz | 150W | No | USB, RCA, Optical, 3.5 mm | ||
(Editor’s Choice)
|
20Hz-20kHz | 500W | Yes | HDMI x 2, Optical, 3.5mm | |
40Hz-24kHz | 150W | Yes | HDMI, Optical, 3.5mm | ||
56Hz-20kHz | 100W | Optional | Optical | ||
(Editor’s Choice)
|
40Hz-23kHz | 100W | Yes | HDMI, Optical, 3.5mm |
How do we test?
Since soundbars are usually a mix use device, we test them with a wide range of media. This mainly involves playing video games, watching a movie and listening to the music. If the soundbar supports wireless streaming, we test the wireless connection for stability and audio quality. Additionally, to objectively assess the actual sound performance, we allow the soundbars we test to break-in thoroughly. If the soundbar comes with some sort of a mobile application or other software, it is also being tested as the additional configuration settings can alter the sound experience quite dramatically. Like always – we consider both the initial impressions of the product as well as real use customer feedback. This allows us to provide you an honest, practical and complete review to help choose the best soundbar 2018 has to offer. The main aspects we consider when reviewing soundbars are:
- Design and Build Quality
- Features
- Sound
- Value
With countless options available on the market, reviewing soundbars is not a very straightforward exercise. Since we want to keep our reviews concise and down to the point, we have only shortlisted five soundbars. We could have easily fit ten as the second half came so close that it was almost impossible to split hairs. As always, please comment and share your thoughts. We hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as we did putting it together. Let’s get into it!
1. Vizio SB3820-C6 – Best Budget Soundbar
- Design 75%
- Features 70%
- Sound 80%
- Value 90%
POSITIVE | |
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Best in class audio performance |
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Clear sound, especially vocals |
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Deep bass for its size |
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Wireless streaming |
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Amazing value |
NEGATIVE | |
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LED lights look great, but are not functional |
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Flimsy remote |
2. Samsung HW-K950 – Best Dolby Atmos Soundbar
- If you have a Samsung TV there is a good chance that you will only need to use one remote.
- A wide array of sockets consisting of 2 HDMI inputs and 1 output, allowing the passthrough of a 4k signal. The output supports ARC standard, which allows a single cable connection with supporting TVs. You will also find more typical optical and 3.5mm mini-jack inputs.
- You can upscale the regular soundtracks to Dolby Atmos with Surround Sound Expansion Plus mode. This is a great feature, as not many movies or soundtracks come with the Dolby Atmos support.
- Samsung companion app allows you to stream music via Spotify, Deezer. 7digital, 8tracks, Murfie, Napster, Qobuz, Tidal, Amazon Music, Juke and TuneIn radio.
In regards to the drawbacks, there are just a couple. Being in the premium segment it is a pity that HW-K950 does not support DTS:X format. The soundbar can reproduce the signal, but it will get decoded as a stereo stream only. Additionally, we found the subwoofer to produce a slightly overwhelming amount of bass. At times, it does feel out of balance as excessive amounts of lows may translate to a thick and bloated sound experience. In summary – Samsung HW-K950 is a heck of a soundbar which takes the sound experience to a whole new level. Where many soundbar manufacturers struggle to fit 6 drivers into the soundbar chassis, Samsung has managed to find a room for 11 separately amplified speakers. It produces a rich and immersive 3D soundstage which is full of details. The unit also manages to keep a full-bodied, cohesive and crystal clear sound at the above-average volume levels, which is quite rare. Overall, the Samsung HW-K950 is as close as you can get to a true home cinema experience without the need for a standalone receiver and lengthy cables.
- Design 80%
- Features 90%
- Sound 95%
- Value 90%
POSITIVE | |
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Rich, full-bodied, audiophile-grade sound |
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Dolby Atmos support |
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Effortless setup and use |
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Great multiroom app control |
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Wireless subwoofer and rear speakers |
NEGATIVE | |
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Overpowered bass levels at times |
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Only stereo DTS support |
3. Polk MagniFi Mini – Best Compact Soundbar
- Design 80%
- Features 80%
- Sound 70%
- Value 90%
POSITIVE | |
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Very capable package for the size |
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Compact design that will fit most living room setups |
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Great value |
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Google Cast compatibility |
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Intuitive design |
NEGATIVE | |
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Mid frequencies feel distorted at times and lack warmth |
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Only one HDMI input |
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Some users find wireless streaming unstable |
4. Sonos Playbar – Best Soundbar For Dialogue Clarity
- Design 90%
- Features 80%
- Sound 80%
- Value 70%
POSITIVE | |
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Great design and build quality |
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Wide, detailed and dynamic soundstage |
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Can expand to more speakers and a subwoofer |
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Great Sonos App that allows you to adjust sound levels and speaker configuration |
NEGATIVE | |
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No HDMI input |
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Does not support DTS |
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Expensive, especially with a subwoofer |
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Does not come with a remote |
5. Yamaha YAS-207 – Best Soundbar Under $300
- Design 90%
- Features 80%
- Sound 90%
- Value 90%
POSITIVE | |
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Excellent build quality |
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Rich, clear, and powerful sound |
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Subwoofer is made from MDF, not plastic |
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Amazing value, nothing beats it in this price range |
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Dolby and DTS decoding |
NEGATIVE | |
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No Google Cast or AirPlay support |
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The design feels dated |
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Treble could be more refined |
Feature Comparison
Vizio SB3820-C6 | Samsung HW-K950 | Polk MagniFi Mini | Sonos Playbar | Yamaha YAS-207 | |
Frequency Response | 60Hz-19kHz | 20Hz-20kHz | 40Hz-24kHz | 56Hz-20kHz | 40Hz-23kHz |
Wattage | 150 watts | 500 watts | 150 watts | 100 watts | 100 watts |
Drivers | 2x2,75″ full range | 3x highs 6xmids 2xtop dome | 2x0,5″ highs 2x2,25″ mids | 3 x highs 6 x mids | 2x1″ highs 4x1,75″ full range |
Subwoofer | No | Yes | Yes | Optional | Yes |
HDMI | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
HDMI ARC Support | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Wall Mountable | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Connections | USB, RCA, Optical, 3.5 mm | HDMI x 2, Optical, 3.5mm | HDMI, Optical, 3.5mm | Optical | HDMI, Optical, 3.5mm |
Bluetooth | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Width | 38″ | 30″ | 13″ | 35.5″ | 37″ |
Sound Modes | 6 | 7 | |||
Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 2 years | 2 years |
SCORE | 7.9 | 8.9 | 8 | 8 | 8.8 |
Price | Check | Check | Check | Check | Check |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need A Front Panel Display?
Do I Need a Soundbar Remote?
- Your current remote allows being programmed with soundbar remote commands.
- Both your TV and your soundbar support HDMI – ARC connection, which allows the TV’s remote to be used for soundbar’s sound controls.
- The universal remote control can be used to replace both, the TV’s and the soundbar’s remotes.
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