Like the Sonos Arc, the Bose Soundbar 700 is an all-in-one model that can be expanded into a surround-sound system when paired with optional Bose rear speakers and a wireless subwoofer. Three other great choices: the Bose Soundbar 700, the Samsung HW-Q700B, and the Vizio Elevate P514a-H6. The speaker has built-in WiFi for music streaming from several services, as well as Bluetooth for beaming music from smartphones and other compatible devices. Like the Sonos Beam, the Sonos Arc has both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant built in, and it supports AirPlay 2 for streaming audio from Apple devices. The main enclosure has 11 drivers, including side-firing and upfiring speakers, which creates a sense of height when you’re playing content with Dolby Atmos or DTS:X soundtracks. It delivers very good overall sound quality, and with the addition of optional rear speakers, it expands into a full-blown surround-sound system. The Sonos Arc is a highly rated soundbar, an all-in-one Dolby Atmos model that has a built-in subwoofer. It can connect to a TV using either HDMI or optical audio connections, and if you have a compatible LG TV, it can use LG’s Sound Sync feature to connect via Bluetooth. It doesn’t have a lot of features but delivers very good overall sound quality, so it’s likely that even more critical listeners will find it a decent choice for both music and movie soundtrack playback. The LG S65Q is a fairly basic 3.1-channel soundbar in LG’s 2022 lineup. ![]() It, too, has very good overall sound quality. If your budget and room are a bit smaller, the newer Sonos Ray might fit the bill. It also supports Apple AirPlay 2 for streaming from Apple devices. Like the earlier model, it has both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant built in, so you can control the Beam, other Sonos speakers, and additional Alexa- or Google Assistant-powered devices using voice commands. It supports Dolby Atmos immersive audio, though it lacks upfiring drivers. (See below for info on the Arc.) Compared with the first-gen model it replaces, the new Sonos Beam has more processing power, plus support for HDMI eArc, which provides a big boost in bandwidth and speed. The model has a lot of features but is priced several hundred dollars below the company’s Arc soundbar, which is also highly recommended. A free remote app lets you control sound modes, switch inputs, and turn on the speaker using your mobile device.ĭespite its relatively small size, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) delivers very good sound quality. The SR-B20A, one of Yamaha’s least expensive soundbars, has built-in Bluetooth for pairing with your phone or tablet. It includes DTS Virtual:X, a technology that attempts to create a surround-sound experience without rear speakers. The Yamaha SR-B20A is an all-in-one soundbar with built-in subwoofers it connects to your TV using either the HDMI ARC or optical digital inputs. We’ll be buying one for our labs to test. It’s being replaced by the Creative Stage V2 2.1. Note that this model is getting harder to find. It’s not compatible with voice-enabled digital assistants, and you can’t use it to stream tunes directly from online music services.īut this soundbar does have built-in Bluetooth for streaming music from a portable device, as well as a wired subwoofer. It lacks some features usually found in pricier models, however. This budget-priced 2.1-channel system delivers good overall sound, so more casual listeners should find that it works well for both music and movie soundtrack playback. It’s hard to find a decent-sounding soundbar for about $100, but you have at least one solid option: the Creative Stage 2.1. Members can get detailed test results for all of the 50-plus tested models in our soundbar ratings. Here are a few top picks for soundbars at various prices. Some sounds, such as a helicopter flying overhead, can appear to be coming from above the listener. “When done well, especially with models that have front and rear height-enabled speakers, listeners can really get a three-dimensional sound experience,” says Rich Fisco, who leads electronics testing at CR. This is usually accomplished by using speakers that include upfiring drivers to add a sense of height to the sound. These newer immersive surround-sound technologies can give movies with specially encoded soundtracks a more dramatic, lifelike effect. Decide whether to spring for Dolby Atmos or DTS:X.But if you want true surround sound, choose a 5.1-channel system, which will have rear speakers. To simply enhance your TV sound, an inexpensive soundbar with 2.1 channels (two front channels and a separate subwoofer) will do nicely. Determine how many channels of sound you want.Speakers may sound very different in your home. Make sure you can return or exchange the soundbar, even if you listen to it in a store before buying it.
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