Soundbar review

[Lukerator]

Hi everyone, I'm looking for a recommendation for a quality 5.0 or 5.1 channel soundbar. I've been searching for detailed and objective reviews, but I couldn't find anything on ASR specifically for soundbars in this category. Are there any good options you've tried, or can anyone point me to a review site with reliable, data-driven testing for soundbars? I'd appreciate insights on audio performance, especially surround sound effects. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[staticV3]

can anyone point me to a review site with reliable, data-driven testing for soundbars?

208 different soundbars measured and ranked: https://www.rtings.com/soundbar/tools/table/151277

 

[Andysu]

what's a sound bar ?

 

[staticV3]

what's a sound bar ?

See here

 

[mrbungle]

I recently went with the Samsung Q900C and happy with it. No issues so far. Appears to be the best bang for the buck when you get a nice deal on it and it measures well. Samsung doesn’t have the best reputation for QC etc., but this one has solid build quality and I haven’t seen many complaints. Without rears you don’t get the fully immersive surround sound, but it is still pretty impressive for a soundbar. The subwoofer has quite the rumble, I’m using the night mode after 10pm because I’m worried about neighbors.

 

[Andysu]

I recently went with the Samsung Q900C and happy with it. No issues so far. Appears to be the best bang for the buck when you get a nice deal on it and it measures well. Samsung doesn’t have the best reputation for QC etc., but this one has solid build quality and I haven’t seen many complaints. Without rears you don’t get the fully immersive surround sound, but it is still pretty impressive for a soundbar. The subwoofer has quite the rumble, I’m using the night mode after 10pm because I’m worried about neighbors.

what is a immersive samsung ?

 

[Chr1]

I don't understand how a single soundbar can be 5.0, never mind 5.1...

 

[mrbungle]

what is a immersive samsung

One that comes with rear speakers, like the Q990.

I don't understand how a single soundbar can be 5.0, never mind 5.1...

It just means they support 5 (or more) surround channels and use audio processing to produce the surround effects. It is not the same as a true home theater setup, but it is relatively cheap, does not use a lot of space.

 

[Andysu]

One that comes with rear speakers, like the Q990.

It just means they support 5 (or more) surround channels and use audio processing to produce the surround effects. It is not the same as a true home theater setup, but it is relatively cheap, does not use a lot of space.

but does it replicate real world sound

 

[wpo7]

extremely happy with the Samsung q930c main soundbar plus Bluetooth two rear speakers with up firing Atmos and a sub. extremely loud and immersive. coming from a full 5.1 and AVR receiver I can highly recommend it or the 990 if you need more volume. they both get extremely positive reviews for a reason.

 

[PristineSound]

Soundbars are abomination of audio nirvana, it was always meant for simple and space limited use cases, now it's ubiquitous with casuals, "soccer dads" and apartment dwellers.

But here is a new product from KEF

XIO

Enhance your home cinema with the XIO Soundbar. Dolby Atmos and 5.1.2 audio deliver immersive, crystal-clear sound powered by Music Integrity Engine®.

us.kef.com

 

[wpo7]

Soundbars are abomination of audio nirvana, it was always meant for simple and space limited use cases, now it's ubiquitous with casuals, "soccer dads" and apartment dwellers.

But here is a new product from KEF

XIO

Enhance your home cinema with the XIO Soundbar. Dolby Atmos and 5.1.2 audio deliver immersive, crystal-clear sound powered by Music Integrity Engine®.

us.kef.com

haha not the excellent ones for movie and general television viewing in an immersive wireless atmos environment. for music my audio file friend I would whole heartedly agree though.

 

[Vacceo]

Soundbars are abomination of audio nirvana, it was always meant for simple and space limited use cases, now it's ubiquitous with casuals, "soccer dads" and apartment dwellers.

But here is a new product from KEF

XIO

Enhance your home cinema with the XIO Soundbar. Dolby Atmos and 5.1.2 audio deliver immersive, crystal-clear sound powered by Music Integrity Engine®.

us.kef.com

I´d rather get a pair of LS actives and a subwoofer.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I´d rather get a pair of LS actives and a subwoofer.

............... if possible.

 

[PristineSound]

As I mentioned earlier, the use cases of sound bar is space savings and simplicity. If you live in a small space where you simply cannot set up a surround system, or the sound in videos just aren't as important to you then the sound bar is the way to go. I was also going to reiterate the "casual" or the "soccer dad" but these people wouldn't even know what ASR is anyway.

And if you are going for a soundbar, this KEF so probably the best of the best. It has some pretty serious tech and science.

 

[kemmler3D]

As I mentioned earlier, the use cases of sound bar is space savings and simplicity. If you live in a small space where you simply cannot set up a surround system, or the sound in videos just aren't as important to you then the sound bar is the way to go. I was also going to reiterate the "casual" or the "soccer dad" but these people wouldn't even know what ASR is anyway.

And if you are going for a soundbar, this KEF so probably the best of the best. It has some pretty serious tech and science.

Sennheiser and Sonos also make soundbars... I've heard the Sonos one and it's really not bad.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Sennheiser and Sonos also make soundbars... I've heard the Sonos one and it's really not bad.

Yup but I went for the Sennheiser because it can connect to a normal subwoofer and I have a few of those. Not sorry at all.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Come on. Serious tech? We all know they don’t work. A compromise for apartments and condos. I’d rather use AirPods.

 

[kemmler3D]

Come on. Serious tech? We all know they don’t work. A compromise for apartments and condos. I’d rather use AirPods.

If you haven't heard any decent ones I can understand why you would say that - my old $120 Yamaha soundbar did not punch above its weight.

At a given price point soundbars are more compromised than a pair of nice speakers, but in 2025 I think I would say "they are better than they have any right to be".

Think about it... the Sonos 5 is not a joke on the Klippel by any means, and soundbars are not unlike this, just with the internal volume arranged differently.

To put it another way, you are saying KEF / Sennheiser engineers can't make a $1K+ active speaker sound half-decent even though it's got undesirable design constraints? Harsh.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I suppose. Can’t mimic surround. Little speakers still sound little because they are little. They don’t sound little if you are 2 feet away.