Soundbars have their own characteristics and differ in many characteristics. If we talk about design, it is extremely important that they are in harmony with the TV and the room itself, and also not be cumbersome. Some are used as a stand for the TV, some are put on a shelf or attached to the wall, some "complement" the TV itself. As for the sound itself, one should pay attention to the working frequency range, since often sound bars capable of reproducing high frequencies have problems with low frequencies. Therefore, for some it is necessary to re-buy a subwoofer that solves these problems. Soundbars have different connection types and ports, which, depending on the price, may be present or absent in a particular model. The main connectors are - optical digital connector and USB. The more expensive models have HDMI inputs, the ability to wirelessly stream audio over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and AirPlay.
Content:
The soundbar of which company to choose
The soundbar is the type of equipment that people buy for a long time, so you need to pay very great attention to the choice of model, so that later you will not be disappointed in the purchase. Sometimes it is difficult to make the right choice even for people who understand the technology, since there are a huge number of different manufacturers and models that have their pros and cons.
Below is a list of brand manufacturers, compiled in order of decreasing popularity:
1. LG
2. Yamaha
3. Sonos
4. Focal
5. Philips
6. Samsung
7. Monitor audio
8. Jbl
9. Canton
10. Sony
11. Toshiba
12. Humax
All of the above companies are represented on the Russian market, in their catalog there are several different models of soundbars, differing in many parameters. Consider them.
Best cheap soundbars
LG SH4
The company is known for its high-quality products and many years of experience in the market of equipment and IT. It produces fairly simple sound panels with a 2.1 configuration, which indicates the presence of a subwoofer in the kit. Front speakers can be mounted on the wall, and with a power of 120 W to give a very high-quality and surround sound. The total power of the speakers is 300 watts.
One of the main advantages of this sound panel is that it reproduces almost all frequency ranges without problems, which is not always the case even for more expensive models. In the presence of a possibility to play streaming audio via Bluetooth, there is also an optical digital connector and a USB port that serves to connect external storage media. The control of the soundbar itself is carried out using a remote control.
Advantages:
- good quality / price ratio;
- large range of operating frequencies;
- the presence of a powerful subwoofer;
- the ability to stream audio playback;
- Dolby Digital decoder;
- nice design.
Disadvantages:
- not the most convenient remote control;
- Wireless playback at different frequencies is played in jumps.
Samsung HW-J450
Fans of technology from Samsung can purchase an inexpensive, but very functional sound panel. It uses the Dolby 2.1 standard with a total power of 300 W, of which 140 falls on a wireless subwoofer. The main feature of this model is the presence of a very large number of connectors and types of connections: optical digital input, AUX, ARC, HDMI, USB, Bluetooth and Anynet +.
For maximum sound quality, it is advisable to use HDMI in conjunction with a pre-installed seven-band equalizer and various audio modes.A minor, but very useful feature is the ability to automatically turn on the soundbar along with the TV. When installing a special application, you can turn your smartphone into a sound bar control panel.
Advantages:
- optimal price;
- good total power;
- subwoofer;
- a large number of ports;
- equalizer and built-in sound modes;
- availability of wireless control via smartphone.
Disadvantages:
- the quality of the materials could be better;
- The subwoofer is controlled separately.
Sony HT-CT380
The Japanese multinational corporation has a line of inexpensive sound panels, the production of which uses the latest innovative technologies. The case is quite small, however, inside a system with a subwoofer is used, the total power of which is 300 watts.
No matter in what position the sound panel will be used, the automatic system using the technology of shaping, amplifying and optimizing surround sound will independently adjust the settings to get the best result.
There is support for all existing video formats, including 4K Ultra HD. You just need to connect the TV with the soundbar, and the output is to get the image and sound of the original quality. In addition to the presence of traditional connectors, there is support for NFC and Bluetooth, as a result, almost any digital device can be an external source. You can use the Android device as a remote control.
Advantages:
- affordable price;
- support for all modern formats;
- a large number of possible types of connections;
- clever sound control system;
- beautiful presentable design.
Disadvantages:
- over time, the fabric on the panel becomes dusty;
- sound volume lower than competitors.
Yamaha YAS-105
In the line of soundbars of this company there are both budget panels and premium class. Their main advantages are mobility and compactness, beautiful strict design and great functionality.
Two 4 front speakers ensure the purity and softness of the sound, their total output power is 60 watts. Thanks to the built-in 60W woofer, the sound becomes much larger and more energetic.
The device has the original patented technology that improves a particular signal by adjusting the DSP. Because of this, it is possible to improve the playback of dialogs, to simulate virtual sound 7.1, to reveal the depth of the bass and much more.
It is also possible to control the panel from a smartphone or computer. On the back of the device you can find USB, AUX and optical digital jack inputs. There is support for playing content from Bluetooth. The panel can be mounted on the wall, put upright or used as a stand for the TV.
Advantages:
- good price for such quality and functionality;
- high quality woofer;
- a large number of original technologies that improve the overall sound;
- universality;
- small size.
Disadvantages:
- not the highest power and not the loudest sound;
- no HDMI support.
Top premium sound bars
Focal dimension
The new manufacturer of sound panels, taking into account the experience of competitors and modern trends Hi-Fi. He equipped his sound panel with five broadband speakers, which were developed in 2005 for car audio. Focal creates surround effects not by reflecting signals from the walls, but by adjusting the DSP and the latency of the side speakers.
The sound of the soundbar, despite the absence of a subwoofer, is quite rich and energetic. Together with the subwoofer, the detail and sound processing increases, the volume increases, the background and voices become more natural and soft.Using the remote control or the touch panel, you can change settings, adjust the equalizer or sound modes. There are ports USB, Aux, HDMI and optical digital input.
Separately, it is worth noting the body and design, on which the emphasis was placed. Metal black surface has an excellent finish, the whole design looks very solid. The quality of the components is good, and the design itself is admirable.
Advantages:
- design;
- metal case;
- great for large rooms;
- surround sound due to unique technologies;
- convenient management;
- functional decoder.
Disadvantages:
- quite high price;
- no subwoofer included;
- no Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modems;
- without a subwoofer, the sound is sometimes too bright.
Philips Fidelio B5
Philips is known for its guarantee of quality and reliability. The production of soundbars was no exception, which is why Philips products are one of the most popular on the market.
In addition to the main 3-inch wideband speakers, there are two more detachable speakers that turn stereo sound into a multi-channel surround sound image. They do not need any wires and can be used as portable Bluetooth speakers, capable of playing not only movies, but also any other media for 10 hours. Speakers are charged when connected to the main soundbar, even when turned off.
The entire system works in conjunction with D-Class amplifiers, a multi-channel decoder, a 32-bit equalizer, and some patented technologies from Philips itself, which affect the sound of certain frequencies. According to the creators, the entire system analyzes the audio signal in real time, and, depending on the environment, adjusts the sound itself.
The design of the models of this line strives for "minimalism". Almost the entire body is covered with black dust and moisture-proof fabric, and only in the middle a small curved semi-glossy plate with a power button is used. Thanks to the available power connectors it is possible to connect any modern digital device. It should also be noted high and narrow wireless subwoofer, which is connected to the panel with a single click.
Advantages:
- very high quality sound;
- a large number of adjustable settings;
- strict minimalistic design;
- various connectors, ports and types of connections;
- the fabric protecting from dust and moisture;
- fully self-contained detachable speakers.
Disadvantages:
- high price;
- only black color.
What soundbar to buy
The main criterion that buyers pay attention to when buying is high-quality and surround sound. It depends not only on the components, but also on the size of the audio system. The main problem is that almost all manufacturers strive to make their products compact, while they realize that such decisions may affect the quality.
Budget models differ from the top ones in their sound quality and components as a whole. They are more designed for the mass buyer. Therefore, in order to attract more people to their product, manufacturers add additional features to the sound bars, connectors that are not available in premium models.
1. If you are limited in budget or simply do not want to spend money on a soundbar, we recommend you the Samsung HW-J450 model. It has a fairly powerful bass, the sound quality is also at a fairly high level. It is possible to control the panel using a smartphone.
2. The best top-end option is the Philips Fidelio B5, since there are no flaws in it, except for the price itself, which is normal for models of this class. It has a very strict and beautiful design, the sound due to the design features is very volumetric, energetic and clean. A smart system stuffed with technology automatically adjusts the sound in real time.
3. If you have large rooms at home and you need a very loud sound, the most convenient model for you is the Focal Dimension. First, it has a very beautiful design that will look good with modern plasma TVs. Secondly, it uses the technology of simulating 7.1 surround sound, which is played on powerful speakers with a total power of 450 watts.
4. In case you don’t like the sound of your TV, you have a small room, or you simply don’t need a very high volume, your choice may be on the Yamaha YAS-10. The main advantages of this model are compactness and compactness, the presence of a powerful subwoofer, very high-quality sound and a small price.
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