Is there anyone who is satisfied with only the sound produced by his or her TV speakers? No one I guess. Even the gamers usually find it difficult when playing their favorite games but listening to the awful sound produced by the PC or the TV.
Do you ever wonder why people usually go to the cinemas while they can watch those movies at the comfort of their homes? First, the sound quality in the cinema is always the wow factor, not to mention the video quality. In as much as the TV technology is improving on the video quality, the sound is still left out.
This is why you will get a 4K TV giving you great video quality but with poor audio. Anyway, if you are reading this, your suffering might come to an end. Below is a review of some of the best soundbar speakers that you can use with both your TV and your gaming device, whether you are using Xbox One S or PS4 Pro.
Best Soundbars For TV & Gaming Devices
Samsung HW-Q990B with Dolby Atmos
Starting the list with sadly the most expensive item but if you’re a gamer or an avid sound lover… you need this.
The Samsung Harman Kardon Soundbar with Dolby Atmos has it all; Dolby Atmos and DTS:X technologies with 17 speakers including 2 wireless rear speakers, True 7.1.4 channel sound that connects seamlessly with most Samsung TVs via wired or wireless connections.
If you are into smart voice stuff, then Alexa is on-board. You can ask Alexa to play something by voicing the title of song few lines. And, on top of all this if you have SmartThings Hub, you can connect your Samsung soundbar and use its app as a remote to control all smart devices in your home. Nifty stuff?
If this is out of your budget, get SAMSUNG HW-B450
Yamaha Audio Compact Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofer
Making its way to the second place in this list, is the Yamaha SR-C20A. Actually, there is not much difference between this soundbar and the first one. Their prices are also quite close and this just shows you how much of a beast this soundbar is.
With Dolby Atmos technology, this self-contained soundbar comes with one subwoofers alongside it boasting versatile connectivity, you can pair Bluetooth, Air Play and Spotify Connect easily.
The soundbar has HDMI, optical or aux connections for inputs.
Focal Dimension Plus Sub-woofer
Yeah, you heard it right. Focal Dimension, just like the one above also come with an optional sub-woofer but within the quoted price. It features a slick looking design and the unit itself is a 5.1 configuration system and comes at a slightly pocket friendly price.
It is 6.5cm slim and only has 5 drivers but capable of producing a serious sound with good quality even without using the sub woofer. Dimension soundbar boasts exceptional acoustic qualities perfectly adapted to flat screens. So gamers, please skip this one.
Focal Dimension can also be used with any other conventional active sub available in the market. However, you will get to receive a great discount deal if you buy the soundbar together with the sub directly from Amazon.
Finally, for connection purposes, this sound system has an optical digital input, 2 HDMI inputs and a stereo connection that’s analog. The APTX Receiver enables wireless connection of all your Bluetooth-compatible devices to your amplifier or multimedia system – Not Alexa friendly, but then again, not everyone is into home automation.
Sony HT-ST5000
The Sony ST5000 is capable of producing a power of up to 800 watts if paired with any compatible sub-woofer. It is also capable of creating a 7.1 audio set up when using the S-Force Pro Front surround audio technology.
The package features great coaxial speakers and also supports a high resolution audio thus giving you better audio quality than other devices in this range.
Sony ST5000 also has a game mode which was specifically developed according to PS4 specifications making it a great option for gaming too.
The soundbar has 3 HDMI inputs and one output for the HDMI ARC. You will also find other two inputs one is for the analogue input and the other is for the optical digital input.
It also comes with an extra USB and LAN connectivity port and supports both Bluetooth and WiFi.
Denon HEOS
Minus the Dolby Atmost, with Denon HEOS you get great sound, Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant voice controls with 6 channels of high efficiency, cool-running Class-D digital amplification and a dedicated channel for optimum dialogs.
You get a few physical buttons on the right side, a dedicated app, a built-in IR repeater, and a wired LAN system. You also have the option of 3.5mm analog line input jack.
With Denon, you can also get music streaming services like Spotify, Pandora, Amazon, Rhapsody, and many more.
Philips Audio B8805
With 5.1.2 Multi-channel for a true immersive 3D cinematic sound, Philips Audio B8805 features Microbeam technology enabling powerful delivery of precise sound giving you a cinematic experience directly in your home.
Philips Audio also boasts a Bluetooth (aptX® and AAC) for a seamless wireless music steaming. While the soundbar features the same tech but also has detachable speakers which can still be used together through Bluetooth connectivity. And, if that’s too much sound for you, you can as well use each speaker individually as a portable speaker independent of its base.
The soundbar has two 75mm drivers that are low frequency and 2 dome tweeters along with a 75mm wide-band driver inside each of the speaker modules and a wireless sub-woofer that’s active.
Philips Audio B8805 also has an automatic calibration, including the use of a microphone. This soundbar has 2 HDMI inputs and 1 optical input. You will also find a 3.5mm jack, a coaxial digital input and also an output for HDMI with an ARC or Audio Return Technology.
Bose Solo 5 TV
If you happen to find yourself straining when listening to people speak in those quiet movie scenes, this is what you need; Bose Solo 5. In fact, it has a specifically designed mode for this problem. With a capability of improving human speech frequencies for you to easily listen to what people are saying.
Bose Solo 5 offers both, wireless and optical connectivity and also comes with a remote control which is universal and can control all your Bluetooth devices. This great soundbar comes at a reasonable price for a device with such cool specs.
Creative X-Fi Sonic Carrier
If you have buck loads of money to spend on a soundbar then Creative SXFi Carrier should be your target.
Featuring 17 speakers in 15.2 channel SuperWide X-Fi algorithm and Dolby Atmos all combined together leaves you with a 3D cinematic experience that will be hard to surpass unless you actually step into a cinema.
Sonic Carrier supports your highest HDMI specs; HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2 – the only problem is the cost. But if you wait enough for special shopping season like Black Friday, you may get a discount.
Combined with the main soundbar and a subwoofer, X-Fi delivers 1000W RMS of pure audio. Powered by 8 processors and Ultra HD video engine, it is capable of high-res audio playback as well as 4K 60fps video playback of online or local content. You also get 2 separate Wi-Fi solutions for streaming, Bluetooth (of course), and a zero-latency speaker-to-speaker link to up to 4 subwoofers.
Just be sure to update the software of Sonic Carrier as time passes and you are good for life! No need to upgrade your home audio hardware ever!
Sonos Soundbar
Sonos Arc weighs just a little 6 KGs but for a TV its all good. Between colours of Black and White, the Sonos Arc features eleven Class-D digital amplifiers, three silk-dome tweeters, and eight elliptical midwoofers for precise sound reproduction.
The far-field microphone array employs advanced beamforming as well. This means the speaker will deliver sharp high frequencies and clear dialogue, while those midwoofers will ensure accurate playback of mid-range, vocal frequencies, and robust bass.
Arc also support various home theater audio formats such as Stereo PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmosphere speakers, and DTS Digital Surround (HDMI6 eARC connection required for some formats). You can further fine-tune settings via the Sonos app and optimise acoustics with Trueplay (requires a supported iOS device).
Connectivity options include WiFi (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz with options for hardwiring), HDMI eARC/ARC, Ethernet, and an Infrared Receiver for TV remote synchronization. The system operates on 100-240V with a Quad Core 1.4 GHz A-53 CPU, 1GB SDRAM, and 4GB NV memory.
Arc supports Apple AirPlay 2, and voice control works with Sonos, Alexa, and Google Assistant. You are all covered on the AI front as well.
Panasonic
The Panasonic SC system is also wireless thus you won’t have to worry about cables running across your room if you want to connect the base unit.
Well, but if you don’t mind, you will also get 2 HDMI ports and a digital optical cable port. The system has a central speaker dedicated to produce loud and clear dialogues and produces a power worth 250 watts.
If you like spending your weekends indoors watching movies or you are that guy who likes challenging his friends in almost every game, this is the soundbar for you. It is also very much affordable.
JBL Soundbar
We can’t really end the list if JBL isn’t mentioned, not because its our favourite but because of Harmon. JBL Soundbar 5.1 is everything you could get for a cinematic experience. Gamers would love it because the sound turns into one epic experience. With true wireless 5.1 tech and two detachable (yet battery powered) wireless surround speakers of 510W and a subwoofer, you can pay up to 10-hours while taking inputs from 3 HDMI connections.
Featuring Dolby Digital, Pro Logic II and DTS, the movie, music and gaming experience will never be the same again.
In the End…
So that’s it from us on home audio and best soundbars. If you are really tired of the poor sound quality of your TV when playing your video games, then invest in one of the these awesome soundbars.