Do you want a better sound to the TV, but do not want to solve a large and expensive AV receiver and place a set of large loudspeakers around the living room? The soundbar represents a simple and space -saving way to indulge in a big sound. Just one elongated speaker under the TV, connect power and HDMI and you’re done.
The most dimension in the test was at the same time the most powerful soundbar-Samsung HW-Q800F, but his heels are steadily cheaper TCL. The least striking will surely be philips (top)
The price range from five to fifteen thousand crowns is today the middle class. They are no longer the basic “baffles to television”, but at the same time we are not talking about premium sets for tens of thousands.In this category you will find models that offer enough performance and technology to be able to serve the ordinary living room, while not requiring complex involvement or large compromises. The paper is considerable – price, in equipment, decoders, number of channels, power and processing. But what is the reality? Will a twice more expensive soundbar be twice better?
Alphabetical list of tested models
- Philips TAB 8200
- Samsung HW-B650F
- Samsung HW-Q800F
- Sonos Beam 2
- Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6
- TCL Q65H
Alone, or with a subwoofer
The first decision concerns the configuration itself. Separate soundbar fits into smaller apartments or where there is no room for another speaker.The sound is clearer and the dialogues are readable, but the bass is limited. Once you have connected a wireless subwoofer,the administration will come alive. Dynamics is suddenly more pronounced, film explosions and music gain strength and the whole sound is more mature. At the same time, the subwoofer is not large, so it can be hidden to the seat or in the corner. Sometimes, however, there is little space, so of course you can have a soundbar without a subwoofer, in our test this category is represented by the long -term premiere of this class – Sonos Beam 2.His first version a few years ago defined what to look and play a quality compact soundbar. until then, the affordable variants without an external subwoofer usually had a weak sheet metal sound without bass, just did not play.
In our test, it has been confirmed that Sonos has a quality sound, but with a different nature than the soundbars. Despite its 5.0 -channel construction, it sounds more like a good dual -band loudspeakers, where one inverter takes care of the heights, and the middle -class plays the other. Consequently, the sound sounds very natural, especially in music, it has the best manifestation in our test. It is the only one to be recommended for more demanding music genres, also thanks to fast bass, which does not try to play overly deep. If you have a smaller apartment and do not want to disturb your neighbors,this can be a suitable option. But the virtual spatial sound tames compact dimensions and the proximity of individual inverters, so you will not be too overwhelmed.
Dolby Atmos surrounds you from above, experience rain in the forest or helicopter over your head
Another path was chosen by Philips with his soundbar Tab 8200.It has the slimmest construction we have met so far. Though, this compensates for the length, so the drivers for the right and left channel are quite far away, and four – two height and two broadband. Given the thin design, it is logical that, unlike Sonos Subw
Rooms significantly impact soundbar performance: carpet and heavy curtains absorb reflections, while bare walls and glass surfaces can cause echoes.Consequently, a soundbar’s performance varies between rooms-a device that excels in one space may falter in another. Microphone-based calibration helps mitigate this, a method commonly found in AV receivers. TCL soundbars offer this feature, adjusting sound directly to the listening position. The samsung HW-Q800F calibrates automatically, optimizing for the space rather than the listener’s location. Both subjectively delivered the most convincing spatial audio illusion. With Sony and philips, room acoustics are more critical, but both systems achieved surprisingly good results in our symmetrical test habitat.
For truly immersive spatial sound, consider rear effect speakers.Sonos offers a simple extension with various price points. Samsung provides a similar option with a dedicated wireless set.
So should I pay extra?
Each manufacturer takes a slightly different approach.The Sonos Beam 2 excels in pure musicality and seamless multiroom integration. The Samsung Q800F delivers physical Dolby Atmos and strong performance,while the B650F prioritizes clear dialog and impactful bass. The Sony Theater bar 6 combines clear vocals with a powerful subwoofer and virtual surround sound, the Philips Tab 8200 surprises with its ultra-slim design and robust bass, and the TCL Q65H provides a complete 5.1 experience including DTS:X. These differences extend to music reproduction-Sonos and Sony handle demanding genres well, while Samsung or TCL cater to movies and entertainment.
HDMI with EARC support is now standard, though the more affordable Samsung model used older ARC. This allows the TV to transmit all modern sound formats to the soundbar,and frequently enough enables volume control via the TV remote. Bluetooth is nearly ubiquitous for rapid music streaming from mobile devices. Some manufacturers,like Sonos and Samsung HW-Q800F,also include Wi-Fi,enabling streaming via Spotify Connect,AirPlay,or Chromecast-a valuable feature for frequent streamers.
These brands all have experience in sound tuning,and truly poor models are rare in this price range. Differences lie in the details-some offer better apps, others more faithful music reproduction, or a more comprehensive package with a subwoofer. The balanced results of our testing confirm this.Ultimately, the choice is yours. Decide whether you prefer a clean, simple soundbar or a fuller setup with a subwoofer and potentially rear speakers. In either case,it’s an investment that enhances both movie and music enjoyment.