There was a mix-up in the finalization of this video and we included cons for the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 900 instead of the full setup; this is why you'll notice the pros and cons differ from our written review. Our views about the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers and Base Module remain accurate - it's a premium 5.1.2 soundbar that uses psychoacoustic principles to create a wide soundstage when watching movies. So, whether you’re watching surround or Atmos content, you really feel like you’re right in the middle of the action, with sounds taking place all around you.
Can you give me advice, which of these is best for movies, XIAOMI Soundbar 3.1 QBH4227GL, SONY Soundbar HTS20R.CEL, LG Soundbar SN4, SAMSUNG Soundbar HW-A550\EN and SAMSUNG Soundbar HW-A450\EN.
Great review!😄 I know none made the list but I love soundbar designs that have the detachable, wireless satellite speakers - like the JBL bar 9.1 (which you have a review on) and the Philips Fidelio B97. I would have thought this design would be more popular with consumers. Hopefully we get more in the future.
My expense with the JBL is that the Atmos is top notch, but any other sound really struggles with dialog and it is very hard to correct for. The only solution I found was turning of the AI effects, but those turn right back on when the bar wakes up or powers back on. Also, getting that disable requires a poorly documented button combo, so you can’t just use a single remote. Also, there’s no app, so no easy tweaking of the sound bar from your phone.
I've had several soundbars and a surround sound package but it was only when I purchased an budget AVR and a pair of budget stereo speakers that I realised what I had been missing (stereo imaging, thumping base) besides going down this route one can always add to it overtime! subwoofer, surround speakers you could even get height speakers to get the full 'non-virtual' Dolby Atmos experience. Nowadays AVRs are so simple to setup, they even walk you through the process! "Remember movies are made up of 50% visuals and 50% audio and there are occasions when the audio out does the visuals"
@@AndrasHatvani rather not mention them, I wouldn't want to be slagging off someone's equipment! But for me, soundbars and surround sound packages just doesn't cut it! Even though I've auditioned several AVRs, I've actually only owned two of them and the best bang for buck has to go to the 'Sony STR dn1080', I paid £400 five years ago and its still going strong, but upgraded since. This is my current to set up.... and you can actually hear the quality that stereo speakers bring.... ruclips.net/video/e-B3kjyLvwA/видео.html
The Sonos Ark cannot compete on any level with the Sony HTA 5000. I’ve put them side-by-side in my store, play the same exact lossless audio through each for music and also connected them both to the same exact Sony television. The Sonos is over priced and overhyped, so whoever is in charge of their marketing department, deserves a gigantic raise for selling a whole lot of stuff that does not even come in the bar. Save yourself a couple bucks and get the right sound bar in that price range and that’s the Sony a HD 5000.1 you will not regret it, thank you for taking the time to make the video and I hope you appreciate these comments as they are factually-based because I have no dog in the fight I sell them all.
I’ve ended up with a Zvox SB 500 in a quest for understandable dialog. I plugged a JL Sub into it and I’m pretty happy. No comparison to my hifi system but acceptable for TV.
Can you do a comparison between Sonos arc with sub surrounds vs bose with the same. Pros and cons. What hifi states Sonos set up is better. Really would appreciate it.
Great informative video Bro! Can you please tell me how's LG Eclair for a bedroom setup? Getting it in India for under 400 dollars, considering Atmos support, would your recommend buying it ?
It's an okay overall soundbar, but if you want to learn more about how it performs, it'll help to check out our review! www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/lg/eclair-qp5 let us know if you hav any specific questions though!
Rtings, I'm not an expert AT ALL and want a better audio experience (mainly for movies and tv shows on apple tv 4k), I'm currently using TCL r625 (series 6, 2019) and what kind of soundbar or speakers do you recommend for this few years old tv? I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
Hello! Help with personalized buying advice is something our experts offer only via our insider forums: www.rtings.com/forums/insider-advice Otherwise, we have lots of self-service tools and recommendation articles that may be helpful! www.rtings.com/forums/insider-advice
Could you provide us a link to the product you're referring to? We tried looking into this but it's unclear if this is another name given to the Boss Surround 700 speakers we tested with or if it's a different set of speakers. If they're different, then we won't be able to say which is better as we don't have our own data on them. Sorry about that!
hi, is soundbar supposed to give you loud sound?? can it be good for gaming? in calm environment is it necessery to play game with loud? with soundbar??? can it be useful at low volume?
Hey Tatisha 4k, Is there a specific soundbar you're curious about? Generally speaking though, a soundbar can still be useful even if you're not using it at a very loud volume. You can even get one with surround speakers, which even at a lower sound can help with create a more immersive experience!
Thanks for the video! Crutchfield recommended the Denon sound bar when I spoke with them ( Denon DHT-S21 - Powered 2.1-channel sound bar with Dolby Atmos®Have not seen many reviews on this bar. Any experience with it?
Hey Benjamin, You can see our review on this soundbar here: www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/jbl/bar-9-1 Feel free to let us know if you have any questions about it!
I have a Samsung QN90A TV and am considering the Vizio V Series V51-H6. Any known issues when it comes to connection given they are not the same brand? i would hate to deal having to disconnect/reconnect often...
Since we haven't tested that setup, we can't say for sure if there are any compatibility issues between both products. However, we can confirm that we haven't received any recent user reports, so you *should* be okay. We also did some additional research for you and couldn't come across anything either!
Hello. What wireless setup do you recomend for a small living room(18m2)in a flat (with neighbours) . The prices are Sonos arc : 600 $ ,one sl: 180$ or era100: 280$ Sonos beam 2: 400$, sub mini : 450$, one sl: 180$ or era100: 280$ Q930b : 550$ Q990b: 750$ I want to use it for streaming music, movies from platforms, xbox. What to you recomend for that money. Thank you
We're currently testing the Samsung HW-B450 and we've purchased the HW-Q60B. So, we'll do our best to get those reviews up ASAP. There are others on our suggestion list, which you can see here: www.rtings.com/soundbar/suggestions If there's enough interest in any of them, we'll definitely buy and review them once they become available! :)
I own the vizio 5.1 m series jx soundbar, I have had it for 5 months. The center channel speaker on the soundbar has no audio, it did work for about 2 months . Do you have any suggestions on getting this fixed ? Thanks...
Man my Vizio 5.1 Surround Bar I bought a year and a half ago STILL booming. It was about 230$ THEN gets DTS Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD. There's even a version that has Atmos in the bar for about 350 or so: He mentioned it. Just food for thought before someone tells you to spend 700+
Is there a massive difference between a $300 $500 & $1,000 soundbar+sub setup? I have a samsung s95bt qd OLED tv. Do I NEED a samsung soundbar or will I be ok with any brand? I'm afraid of delay. Also, is there a noticable difference between 3.1 & 5.1? I mostly would be buying a soundbar for movies and ps5
Personalized buying advice is something our experts offer only via our insider forums! www.rtings.com/forums/insider-advice However, we do have some self-service tools and recommendation articles that may be helpful!
That's a bit of a tough call. You're right that you won't be able to take advantage of the bar's Atmos capabilities without ARC. But it could be useful for the sake of future proofing your setup. In other words, if you upgrade your TV at some point, it might be useful to have the Sonos or the Bose already on hand, since most new TVs come with ARC support!
Hey Kell, As of right now, our sounbar and speaker reviews aren't comparable, but if there's certain performance aspects your wondering about, the results could still help give you a better idea of how they perform. What will you be using these products for?
@@RTINGSdotcom I’d mainly use it as a speaker for my PC. I currently have the original Bose SL Mini, though it’s reaching the end of its life. I’ve loved it, as it has had great sound quality and versatility. I figured since it has been nearly 10 years since I purchased it, there must be better options out there. I’d mainly use it while watching RUclips videos (voice clarity is important), some TV, some music. I’m also not interested in getting a separate subwoofer. Thanks!
Depends on which soundbar you're trying to compare it to. In this case, it may help to take advantage of our comparison tool to see how it compares to some more 'recent' options! www.rtings.com/soundbar/tools/compare/sonos-beam-vs-sonos-arc/836/13760?usage=8767&threshold=0.10
Following last year's Q800A, Samsung's latest Q800B (released in Q2 2022) is an impressive 5.1.2. Soundbar (w/ a huge 8" Subwoofer) D. Atmos system. it's best combined with a 4K Samsung TV to fully utilize the 5.1.2 channels (Q-Symphony). otherwise, it's just a 5.1 system. imo, the difference is not very significant because with 5.1, it's just as immersive due to the excellent soundbar. my top favourite is the Tap-Sound feature that's super convenient & you will absolutely love it especially if you (like myself) listen to music on a daily basis. the 8" Subwoofer is punchy, damn tight & never muddy, plus the balanced Mids & Highs of the soundbar, it's great for both EDM as well as Rock genres. although the price is on the high side, it's worth every dollar. 👍 as an audio engineer, it's so apparent that a super space-saving non-detachable satellite speaker soundbar-subwoofer combo can never beat a space-gobbling traditional 5.1 audio system due to the lack of sound imaging/staging & accuracy, but i have to admit that samsung actually did a pretty damn good job on the Q800B by also employing the SpaceFit Sound technology, albeit being a brand loyal dude of SONY. truth be told, this is my very first big AV product from a korean manufacturer. 😏 i'm now convinced that korean brands not only produce respectable household products, they are also pretty good contenders to compete with Jap & Euro brands on AV too. (ps. korean automobiles are still POS no matter what. 😝)
In South East Asian countries the Q800B can be bought at $500, which I did few weeks ago. I paired it with my Sony X80h TV. Unfortunately Samsung TV with Atmos support is quite expensive compared to Sony. Anyway, I enjoy having the Q800B in my apartment. It fills the living room even at volume set to 20.
I’ve bought a (almost new) HW-Q950T which is 9.1.4ch and I’m contemplating buying a qn90a TV (it’s a great TV for gaming and series/movies), but also to utilize the Qsymphony feature. Will this in turn make my setup a 9.1.6ch?
@@pijesz no way, 800B @ 500 bucks? i think you are referring to the 3.1.2. 800A (2021). the 800B (2022) is a 5.1.2 system. how can it be cheaper than a 800A? specs are totally differently as well. samsung is losing $$ if the 800B is only 500 bucks. gimme the dealer's contact where you bought the 800B. i would purchase 10 units straightaway & sell them & make a nice profit.
@@kleanm0nster947 here in indonesia you can purchase hwq800b @500 usd , myself paired it with my xr-55a80j , meanwhile sonos beam gen 2 costed hefty 650 and arc @1200ish fyi, pardon my english 😊
Since we haven't tested these soundbars, we couldn't consider them for this video. However, they're both on our suggestion list, so if there's enough interest, we'll buy and review them!
It's definitely a noteworthy option, but since we've tested over 130 soundbars, there's no way for us to include every good option we've tested. So, even though it didn't make the list, it doesn't mean it isn't still worth of consideration!
Hey Mark! Unfortunately we haven’t bought and tested the Q700B yet so we can’t say how it compares. Sorry about that. It’s on our suggestion list though, so feel free to go vote for it! www.rtings.com/monitor/tools/compare/dell-s2722dgm-vs-dell-s2721dgf/24245/16485?usage=3623&threshold=0.10
Unfortunately, since our current focus is the US market, we won’t be making a seperate list for best in canada at the moment. Sorry about that. You could use our table tool to filter our soundbar reviews though and highlight those that perform in the areas that are important for you. www.rtings.com/soundbar/tools/table
You may have to be a bit more specific. But if you're referring to soundbars we haven't tested yet (like the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 eARC and the Samsung HW-Q990BO), then we really can't say. Without testing them and obtaining our own data, we wouldn't want to speculate and risk giving out incorrect information. Sorry about that!
This quote from their review makes it seem like they didn't really test the Q950A with the surrounds in an active mode. That seems to be the only way they'd feel like the Bose is the better overall system than the Samsung. To me the Q950A is a clear winner over the Bose, and some of the new amazing Sony soundsystems got snubbed too. "After additional testing, we've confirmed that the Samsung HW-Q950A is an 11.1.4 setup. This soundbar comes with left, center, and right channels, two surround channels on the right, two surround channels on the left, and two satellite speakers. There are also side-firing drivers on each of the satellites. However, in order to activate these drivers, the soundbar needs to be set to either 'Adaptive Sound', 'Surround', or 'Game Pro' mode. Since we perform our tests in 'Standard' mode, these drivers aren't active during our testing process."
The recommendations aren't just based on scoring alone, but they also consider things like price, performance, user feedback, etc. In this case though, they're both excellent overall options, so it'd probably be useful to compare them both and just pick whichever one performs best in the areas that are important to you!
I’ve bought SP8YA(500$)+SPK8S(180$) for my C1. You have to raise tv up for about 2-3’’ to fit it under.Couldn’t be more happier.Was looking between Bose and Sonos, but price tag just for soundbar was a little steep for me.Sonos quality is superb I might say.If your have 1700$ to drop on saundbar and woofer, go with Sonos.
There’s no one answer to this as different members of our team use different products. We probably touch on most brands if we ask everyone on the team!
Hey Kenny, This is something that we've gotten a lot of feedback for, and we acknowledge the the Q950A is definitely a great soundbar and could have been included. That said, just because a soundbar wasn't featured in this list, doesn't mean it isn't worthy of consideration. There are a lot of great soundbars that didn't make the list (it's a pretty small list and we've tested over 100 soundbars). Either way, we appreciate the feedback and we'll consider making any necessary changes on our end!
Some of the text notes in the video don't match your verbal descriptions. You say that the Bose has great surround immersion, but the text says "disappointing" surround. Likewise, you say "you can really feel the rumble of action movies" about the AMBEO, but then the text says "disappointing bass response". Which is it? #confused
Rtings critique the Ambeo because of the price. Honestly look at the driver quality compared to other bars. Sennheiser has been involved way longer then these other companies dabbling in speakers and headphones. I guarantee there is way more detail, wide sound stage and bass compared to a lone Sonos arc, Samsung or Bose bar. I do feel like it does take time for drivers to break in…. I just feel like if they Rtings did a separate review with a high quality sub( no doubt they have one in their test labs) the sound would be even better. The Ambeo built in dsp would only need to output mid and higher frequencies.
@@nathanddrews I’m saying RTings is not as reliable of a source as you would think. They contradict quite a bit of their own information that they use as reviews for products.
Hey Tiago, This is something that we've gotten a lot of feedback for, and we acknowledge the the Q950A is definitely a great soundbar and could have been included. That said, just because a soundbar wasn't featured in this list, doesn't mean it isn't worthy of consideration. There are a lot of great soundbars that didn't make the list (it's a pretty small list and we've tested over 100 soundbars)!
The HT-A7000 is definitely a noteworthy option, but it ended up being pretty underwhelming overall and just felt 'ok' to our soundbar team. So, it didn't make the cut unfortunately!
It's on our suggestion list, so if there's enough interest, we'll buy and review it! Also, if you'd like to vote for it, you can do that here: www.rtings.com/soundbar/suggestions :)
This is already old. The model he tested is 3 years old. Nakamichi released a new 2022 9.2.4 EARC that has even more power and deeper bass in the dual subs. It eliminates any compression and the most Immersive sound bar based system I have ever heard. I am very happy which it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. We always appreciate user feedback because it helps us continue to improve. We're going to make sure the new Nakamichi soundbar is added to our suggestion list. It really does seem like an impressive soundbar. We also just wanted to mention that we plan on reviewing a lot of the new and upcoming soundbars, so an updated video sometime in the future is definitely an option!
@@ccp4161 did you have the previous version? I have 7.2.4 and am just curious if the soundbar is only slightly better than than before or if it's a large improvement. I know subs are going to be more impressive, but I'm just referring to the soundbar.
We can only include a few options in our list, but it doesn't mean the other options we've bought and tested aren't worth considering. If it's a good fit for your needs, go for it!
Some of the sony LG and Vizio's suffer from bad dialog hard to hear what's the people are saying unless volume is way up. While the tcls have great dialog clarity for a low end soundbar but no HDMI earc and no dts and proper speaker adjustments.
Get second hand 5.1 or more home theater system... Sound much better if you limit in budget... This will help you get start up and more up whenever you can. Sound much better then any sound bar and you don't lock down by its limitations when main unit breakdown whole system become useless and cannot upgrade. You need to change whole system unlike home theater system.
Hey Paolo Pan, This is a great question. It was actually in the original text, but we decided to remove it since the review video received some feedback from users who felt that it wasn't a "real" soundbar. It's something we've re-evaluate moving forward though!
We bought and tested 1 Denon soundbar, the www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/denon/home-sound-bar-550 As for any others, there just hasn't been enough interest from our users.
Give it time. It really does sound great (when it works), but Vizio has some serious quality control issues. I’m on my second Elevate. Hoping yours works out because the performance is tough to beat at the price point - especially that sub. Cheers!
@@Barleyleg Sorry your first one had problems, what went wrong with it? I’ve definitely experienced a few bugs, but nothing that I couldn’t get past. Hopefully software updates will fix the rest. It really is the best in its price range.
@@LastSifu I frequently have to unplug power/eArc to get it to work - it’s the weakest link in my system; there is radio distortion and interference in the rear up firing speakers when playing Atmos content; and the SmartCast app….oh, that awful app. Lol. All that aside, the only thing I wish it had was a bit more of a wider sound stage (side speakers on the bar). But like you said, you really can’t beat it for the price point. The surround speakers and sub are stellar for an all-in-one. I’m constantly looking for an upgrade, but it always comes down to the same conclusion - yes, there are better options out there, but are those options worth the price difference over the Elevate? Will that Denon amp and those Klipsch speakers (for example) give me $2500 worth of “better” sound? I doubt it. Now if only Vizio could fix their hardware issues….
We're glad to hear you're happy with that soundbar so far! It's definitely a very good overall option, but since we've tested over 132 soundbars, we're unable to include every noteworthy option. Regardless, we absolutely understand where you're coming from, so we'll keep this in mind moving forward!
Since it's such a small list and we've tested over 130 soundbars, we just couldn't include them all. It doesn't mean there aren't other noteworthy options though (like the HW-Q950A) which is a solid choice!
Unfortunately, we haven't reviewed this soundbar, so it can't be featured in any of our top picks. In this case we'd happily add it to our suggestion list, but it also seems out of stock. Sorry about that!
@@RTINGSdotcom you make seem like its not the best.plus you didn't give me a like.This is the flagship of LG's top series. Normal people are not buying it cause it's expensive, and it is cause it's worth every penny. Review again compared it to Samsung & Sony, LG S95QR is making a statement 👍👍
@@lukabosnjak3829 completely off? Yeah, No… overpriced sure but their newer setups are balanced fantastically, especially with clear dialogue mode for TV/Movies. Anyone can do body rockin bass but to be able to merge that into a sound profile that can be used on a wide range of platforms, again like crystal clear dialogue to big music is where quality shines. I’m not saying Bose is the end all be all but for a more neutral sound standpoint it’s definitely top three. Technology is catching up and Bose definitely has more competition than it used to. But I like my audio tone more neutral without compression artifacts. However, I’m also not the person that cranks their sound system to max level just to see what happens. I listen at a realistic volume so my needs might not be yours and sound will always be subjective and most people only need good enough until they’ve heard better. Maybe I’m way off but I’d go Bose or Harmon if I had to make a choice now with what I know
@@greg6162 Compare any of these with Vifa Stockholm 2.0... Also you can get sudio pro a36 for the price which sound better than any soundbar (except Vifa).
Ok no one mentions the Beosound Stage. It may only be a 3.1 all in one but it performs! Amazing Bass without sub. It doesn’t really do surround sound despite the Dolby Atmos decoding but the detail in sound reproduction is incredible. I actually prefer it to the sennheiser ambeo, which I found amazing but far too buggy. Proof is in the listening so please don’t say NO without giving it a demo. It also looks incredible as a bonus.
This is great feedback, thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. The Beosound Stage is a decent overall soundbar, there's no denying that. However, we've tested over 130 soundbars and only included a short list in this video. So, unfortunately, there were some soundbars we had to leave out (although it doesn't mean they aren't worthy of consideration). Either way, we appreciate the insight and we'll keep this in mind moving forward! :)
I sold my Sonos ARC, Sub, ones on Kijiji and got the Q950A. The Samsung Q950A blows it out of the water not even close, especially when watching lossless 4K UHD Blu Ray. the ARC setup sounds better for music but overall the Q950A is much better imo Also I’ve had the Q950A for about 6 months now and have not had one single connection issue. This wasn’t my experience with Sonos…I had several drop outs
@@TravionMusicI don't know bro...Rtings uses statisical measurements to rate products...according to the side by side product comparison on Rtings the Bose 900 with 700 surround speakers is rated a 7.9 for its surround sound performance...the Ambeo surrounds performance is rated a 6.4...the Bose SOUNDSTAGE performance is an 8.5 compared to the Ambeo soundstage at 7.0...the bose has the biggest and widest sound out of any soundbar...its crazy good
@@eyenmathis4824 RTINGS take their measurements in standard/neutral mode without using enhancements, or in the Ambeo’s case the Ambeo 3d technology. Ambeo beats the Bose by physics, and their 3d technology enhancements. I’ve installed the entire Bose setup at a client’s house and I own the Ambeo, with Ambeo Mode on, be it Light, Standard, or Boost. Nothing on the market matches the soundstage it gives you, you’re wrapped around in 180 degrees of sound. Granted nothing sounds better than having actual surrounds, but you’d be very surprised by what it can do. RTINGS is great, but I wouldn’t use them to help make purchasing decisions for a soundbar.
@@TravionMusic Rtings review of the Ambeo talks about how good the 3d technology is so they must've tested it out...i highly doubt they would mention how good proprietaries of a system are without using them...and they say it's not the same as having true rears...you said that yourself so it cant be as good in that respect...that thing looks like a beast so I'm sure it's good but I think it would be even better if they had their own dedicated rears and their own dedicated sub...would probably be the highest rated by Rtings no doubt...the Bose has a phaseguide 3D technology also... and the 700 rears spread the sound around by outputting sound on all 4 sides...who knows what rears your client got or if they got rears at all...you may have installed the Bose but actually spending time with it using various high quality audio formats gives you a different experience
If it's available for purchase in the US, then we'll happily add it to our suggestion list. At that point, we'll buy and review it if there's enough interest! :)
If you get the Bose setup...run adaptiq on the soundbar alone...its so much more immersive...if you run adaptiq with the base module and surround speakers it will dull their sound...keep the base module and surround speakers at their out of box state and make your preferred adjustments on the app only...if you have already run adaptiq with base module and surround speakers connected no worries...just do a factory reset on the whole setup...then unplug the base module and surround speakers and run the adaptiq on the soundbar alone...i did this and it makes a huge difference...base is much more pronounced, atmos effects are better, and surround speakers are louder...that setup is unstoppable and i cant see how anything else can sound this good...that's why I respect rtings so much...they know good products
This is a fair point, a few users mentioned something similar. Ultimately, it came down to a limited number of picks, but it definitely could have been an alt pick or a notable mention. We've already looked into this situation though, and we agree that it should have been mentioned. We also decided to make some changes to our pick selection process in light of this, so we expect our picks to be much more in line with user expectations moving forward!
@@RTINGSdotcom Awesome! Always a fan of the content you produce. I just ordered a Bravia X90J over an X95J and your reviews played a significant part in my decision making process. And I am right now contemplating between a Q950A vs a full sonos set up! The pricing of a sonos is what makes we wonder if its worth the premium. Consumers like myself truly anchor on your reviews to bet our dollars on 😀
I was told soundbars were getting better and all that happened is they getting more expensive. Sonos arc, Vizio elevate, or Bose 900 doesn't even come close to my wired speakers.
You are correct, but when the wife says she does not like the site of big boxes in the living room, you have to find an alternative and compromise. They like the soundbars.
Since we haven't tested the Q800B yet, we can't say how they compare. Without having our own data, we wouldn't want to speculate and risk giving you incorrect information. Sorry about that!
We don’t have any specific soundbar recommendations for console gaming unfortunately. But it’s really going to come down to wht you’re hoping to get from the soundbar for gaming. Crisper voices, then go for a soundbar with dialogue performance. If you want the action scenes to really pop, then you’ll want something with more bass!
It's definitely a noteworthy option, we've just tested over 130 soundbars and couldn't include all of them on the list. It doesn't mean it isn't worth considering though!
I might get the Sono's Beam to start with and add a sub later down the line just to fix that missing low end. It seems to be one of the best budget bars, being small, light and easy to set up and implement into just about any room. Personally think Sono's offer the best standard sound bars while Samsung offer the best high end for their own TV's.
It's a small list so we just can't consider every single soundbar we've tested to be featured on it. It doesn't mean they aren't worth considering though. If you want to read our thoughts on the Bose smart soundbar 700, you can find our review here: www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/bose/smart-soundbar-700
@@lukabosnjak3829 its a bluetooth only soundbar with no equalizer, having listened to it in the Agof store it's safe to say that doesn't blow away the Ambeo at all. EDIT: forgot to add the there's no HDMI, so TV use is almost a no-go.
@@alessandromantovani7759 You haven't heard it properly then as Ambeo sounds like a joke compared (at least for music) and Vifa has actually good tunings with and app so you can choose different modes and ALL of them sound great and correct (similar to Buchardt A500/A700 speakers)... It also has wifi and optical in so good for stereo but yeah, Ambeo has more connectivity and options.
@@lukabosnjak3829 i drove for 300 km to listen to it so rest assured that i take my time with it. You wrote "blows Ambeo out of the water" but in reality the Vifa holds its own in music but that's all. Ambeo its an all rounder with multiple uses and connections, simply there's no match.
@@alessandromantovani7759 You are buying a speaker for connections. 🤔 Again, sorry but Vifa sounds much more natural (almost like some studio monitors) with soo much more detail in midrange, power and precision in bass that Ambeo (which is quite decent unlike bose and all the other junk) sounds colored in comparison.
Why are soundbars so expensive?? Like for the price of the Bose soundbar alone, (899) You can get a yamaha 5.1 receiver big high quality fronts and surrounds a decent center channel all the speaker wire and cables you need and a decent budget subwoofer like the bic f12. which will blow it out of the water in sound stage and quality. and the full bose set up costs a whopping 2.2K you could get a legit 7 channel plus height speaker set up for that much
This is a very fair point, and we appreciate the feedback. We should be reviewing most, if not all of these soundbars in the somewhat near future, so an updated video is definitely a possibility!
How is it possible that the arc wins the single soundbar shootout but when we add the surrounds and the sub it is worse than Bose?? No way in hell the sub and the ones are worse in sound quality. Especially when the sub compensates the lower frequencies and the arc focuses on midrange and base...
Hi there! Thanks for reaching out to us. Just a little background on how we tested these bars - given their popularity, we decided to test them as standalone bars, and then we went through the testing process again with the sub and the satellites added on. Not everyone has the space or the budget for the full setup, so we wanted to make sure that anyone looking for a standalone bar could get a clear picture of the differences between the two. As for your question, you're absolutely right - adding on the sub and the satellites doesn't degrade the sound quality! Both bars perform better when you add on the sub and satellites. There are some big improvements compared to the standalone bar, especially with bass reproduction. However, the Bose shows a greater improvement than the Sonos as a full setup. In addition to reproducing more low-bass, the satellites noticeably improve its soundstage, especially when it comes to the focus of voices and other sound effects. That's why it's our top pick in that category. Still, it's important to point out that both of these bars are really great options. As full setups, the Bose edges out the Sonos by a bit, especially when it comes to soundstage, but the Sonos is still a really high-quality, versatile soundbar.
Guys, respectfully. There is no way, in real world conditions, the BOSE 900 surround "5.1.2" is the best full setup. The surround speakers are simply to low db and small for theater; non-existent for music. I spent a few weeks comparing the Sonos Arc "5.1.2" with the Bose 900 "5.1.2" (didn't get into the 950QA because you have to go to the soundbar to adjust the eqs; you can't do it from your couch) just in real world listening which is highly subjective for sure; no data. Where the Bose was significantly better was in ATMOS audio object articulation. But then, Soundbar ATMOS is severely lacking no matter who is trying to hype it, Sonos included. So glad I went with the Sonos vs. Bose full set up (using music apps is waaaaaay better on Sonos, too).
if you actually took time to look at the video you will see the graph saying it's better than 98% of the 132 soundbars tested. There's still 2% room for the rest of the soundbars they tested, not to mention anything they haven't tested.
I have that Bose setup and I'd have to whole heartedly disagree...dont see how anything else could sound as good...if you made the common mistake (like me)of running adaptiq with base module and the surround speakers connected it will dull the sound of the base module and surround speakers...I did a factory reset on the whole setup then ran adaptiq on the soundbar alone and kept the base module and surround speakers at their out of box state ... MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE
Bro there just wrong on there evaluations they always put Sonos over any brand I feel like sonos some how has there hands in there evaluations the Sony HT-A9 and the A-7000 absolutely destroy the sonos soundbar but they won’t admit that.
@@deadstick100 stereo dynamics (how loud it gets and how well it performs at loud volumes) is not very good on either of those...they are just ok for music...and the AT 7000 has a weak atmos performance...stats don't lie...as a total package that Sonos system is probably just better...i had a cheap Sony soundbar i returned a couple years ago because it had a muddy sounding bass...then i discovered Rtings reviews and it said exactly what I had experienced....Sony is king for TVs and game systems not soundbars
@@eyenmathis4824 I disagree the newest Sony soundbars sound great and music ever since Sony released 360 audio it’s completely turned the spatial audio world to the next level it’s better than atmos and it’s more than loud enough it will absolutely annoy your neighbors to death because when you have this system up to 75% your gearing it from out side through the walls plus Sony just released the RS5 rear atmos speakers which now give you a 9.1.4 system that sounds very full and rich unlike sonos junk!
It definitely looks like an impressive soundbar, and we have it featured on our suggestion list. Feel free to go vote for it if you want to see us review it! www.rtings.com/soundbar/suggestions
@@bogdanmihai2969 Look at this video: ruclips.net/video/NhXiOZ5Fi7Q/видео.html Who cares about watts... It's 42hz@-3db so there is some response down to 35hz or lower, drivers are made by Vifa and 4 woofers are push-push like on Devialet. It's louder than the jbl partybox 310 without funny bass reduction or compression.
There was a mix-up in the finalization of this video and we included cons for the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 900 instead of the full setup; this is why you'll notice the pros and cons differ from our written review. Our views about the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers and Base Module remain accurate - it's a premium 5.1.2 soundbar that uses psychoacoustic principles to create a wide soundstage when watching movies. So, whether you’re watching surround or Atmos content, you really feel like you’re right in the middle of the action, with sounds taking place all around you.
Can you give me advice, which of these is best for movies, XIAOMI Soundbar 3.1 QBH4227GL, SONY Soundbar HTS20R.CEL, LG Soundbar SN4, SAMSUNG Soundbar HW-A550\EN and SAMSUNG Soundbar HW-A450\EN.
Curious about the Samsung Q990B, got the Q950T and Atmos is top notch on it.
what sound bar fits with the Sony x90J 65”?
Great review!😄 I know none made the list but I love soundbar designs that have the detachable, wireless satellite speakers - like the JBL bar 9.1 (which you have a review on) and the Philips Fidelio B97. I would have thought this design would be more popular with consumers. Hopefully we get more in the future.
My expense with the JBL is that the Atmos is top notch, but any other sound really struggles with dialog and it is very hard to correct for. The only solution I found was turning of the AI effects, but those turn right back on when the bar wakes up or powers back on. Also, getting that disable requires a poorly documented button combo, so you can’t just use a single remote. Also, there’s no app, so no easy tweaking of the sound bar from your phone.
I've had several soundbars and a surround sound package but it was only when I purchased an budget AVR and a pair of budget stereo speakers that I realised what I had been missing (stereo imaging, thumping base) besides going down this route one can always add to it overtime! subwoofer, surround speakers you could even get height speakers to get the full 'non-virtual' Dolby Atmos experience. Nowadays AVRs are so simple to setup, they even walk you through the process!
"Remember movies are made up of 50% visuals and 50% audio and there are occasions when the audio out does the visuals"
What soundbars/setups did you have?
@@AndrasHatvani rather not mention them, I wouldn't want to be slagging off someone's equipment! But for me, soundbars and surround sound packages just doesn't cut it! Even though I've auditioned several AVRs, I've actually only owned two of them and the best bang for buck has to go to the 'Sony STR dn1080', I paid £400 five years ago and its still going strong, but upgraded since. This is my current to set up.... and you can actually hear the quality that stereo speakers bring....
ruclips.net/video/e-B3kjyLvwA/видео.html
The Sonos Ark cannot compete on any level with the Sony HTA 5000. I’ve put them side-by-side in my store, play the same exact lossless audio through each for music and also connected them both to the same exact Sony television. The Sonos is over priced and overhyped, so whoever is in charge of their marketing department, deserves a gigantic raise for selling a whole lot of stuff that does not even come in the bar. Save yourself a couple bucks and get the right sound bar in that price range and that’s the Sony a HD 5000.1 you will not regret it, thank you for taking the time to make the video and I hope you appreciate these comments as they are factually-based because I have no dog in the fight I sell them all.
I’ve ended up with a Zvox SB 500 in a quest for understandable dialog. I plugged a JL Sub into it and I’m pretty happy. No comparison to my hifi system but acceptable for TV.
If you’re happy with it, that’s the important part!
Can you do a comparison between Sonos arc with sub surrounds vs bose with the same. Pros and cons. What hifi states Sonos set up is better. Really would appreciate it.
I just shared your suggestion with our team to consider moving forward! :)
Great informative video Bro!
Can you please tell me how's LG Eclair for a bedroom setup? Getting it in India for under 400 dollars, considering Atmos support, would your recommend buying it ?
It's an okay overall soundbar, but if you want to learn more about how it performs, it'll help to check out our review! www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/lg/eclair-qp5 let us know if you hav any specific questions though!
Sonos arc user here. I enjoy it very much. Paired with my LG CX
Do you have all of Sonos surround set or just soundbar only ?
I'm deciding to buy Sonos but all of them are over than my budget.
@@kpongsukjai currjust the sound bar. Love it, but I di plan on adding the sub and rears later on
Rtings, I'm not an expert AT ALL and want a better audio experience (mainly for movies and tv shows on apple tv 4k), I'm currently using TCL r625 (series 6, 2019) and what kind of soundbar or speakers do you recommend for this few years old tv? I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks!
Hello!
Help with personalized buying advice is something our experts offer only via our insider forums: www.rtings.com/forums/insider-advice
Otherwise, we have lots of self-service tools and recommendation articles that may be helpful! www.rtings.com/forums/insider-advice
For Bose 900 which satalite is good, omni jewel or jewel cube which has two drivers
Could you provide us a link to the product you're referring to? We tried looking into this but it's unclear if this is another name given to the Boss Surround 700 speakers we tested with or if it's a different set of speakers. If they're different, then we won't be able to say which is better as we don't have our own data on them. Sorry about that!
hi, is soundbar supposed to give you loud sound?? can it be good for gaming? in calm environment is it necessery to play game with loud? with soundbar??? can it be useful at low volume?
Hey Tatisha 4k,
Is there a specific soundbar you're curious about? Generally speaking though, a soundbar can still be useful even if you're not using it at a very loud volume. You can even get one with surround speakers, which even at a lower sound can help with create a more immersive experience!
Where did the Samsung HW-Q950A go? It seems to be widely recommended even over the Bose 900 and is very affordable.
What's the point in surraund sound when frequency response is off, just get Vifa Stockholm 2.0 which sounds nearly perfect without gimmicks or toys...
Thanks for the video! Crutchfield recommended the Denon sound bar when I spoke with them ( Denon DHT-S21 - Powered 2.1-channel sound bar with Dolby Atmos®Have not seen many reviews on this bar. Any experience with it?
Unfortunately we haven't tested that soundbar, so we don't have any of our own data on it. Sorry about that!
@@RTINGSdotcom Thanks!
Hi what’s ur view about JBL bar 9.1? Rarely hear or see people review about this
Hey Benjamin,
You can see our review on this soundbar here: www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/jbl/bar-9-1
Feel free to let us know if you have any questions about it!
I have a Samsung QN90A TV and am considering the Vizio V Series V51-H6. Any known issues when it comes to connection given they are not the same brand? i would hate to deal having to disconnect/reconnect often...
Since we haven't tested that setup, we can't say for sure if there are any compatibility issues between both products. However, we can confirm that we haven't received any recent user reports, so you *should* be okay. We also did some additional research for you and couldn't come across anything either!
@@RTINGSdotcom Thank you! I really appreciate you going above and beyond. I will go ahead and make the purchase!
Hello. What wireless setup do you recomend for a small living room(18m2)in a flat (with neighbours) . The prices are
Sonos arc : 600 $ ,one sl: 180$ or era100: 280$
Sonos beam 2: 400$, sub mini : 450$, one sl: 180$ or era100: 280$
Q930b : 550$
Q990b: 750$
I want to use it for streaming music, movies from platforms, xbox. What to you recomend for that money. Thank you
Hi Marian,
If you're looking for personalized buying advice, this is available via our insider program: www.rtings.com/forums/insider-advice
Bose 700 module went out after 2.5 years. 160$ to have it repaired. Known to have a diode issue
Please review the new Samsung S60B soundbar, and compare it vs Sonos Beam Gen 2. Pretty please!
We don't have any current plans to review it, but if there's enough interest, we'll buy and review it then! :)
When will you guys start reviewing the new 2022 Samsung soundbars? Specifically the Q series (HW-Q600B, HW-Q700B etc)
We're currently testing the Samsung HW-B450 and we've purchased the HW-Q60B. So, we'll do our best to get those reviews up ASAP. There are others on our suggestion list, which you can see here: www.rtings.com/soundbar/suggestions If there's enough interest in any of them, we'll definitely buy and review them once they become available! :)
You have to take a look at the new Harman Kardon citation multibeam 1100 when it gets released!
Hey David,
As long as it's available for purchase in the US, we'll make sure it's on our suggestion list! :)
I own the vizio 5.1 m series jx soundbar, I have had it for 5 months. The center channel speaker on the soundbar has no audio, it did work for about 2 months . Do you have any suggestions on getting this fixed ? Thanks...
Hey Daniel, for something like this, it may be best to reach out to the manufacturer directly!
Completely restart the sound bar. I’ve had issues with some input not output sound and it seemed to fix the issue for me
@@EDDIE92126 I was able to fix the issue, I had my settings on my tv to Dolby digital, so switched to PCM & that took care of the issue !
Man my Vizio 5.1 Surround Bar I bought a year and a half ago STILL booming. It was about 230$ THEN gets DTS Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD. There's even a version that has Atmos in the bar for about 350 or so: He mentioned it. Just food for thought before someone tells you to spend 700+
Do you have V51-H6?
@@guru14343 i think so. It's the orange and black box
Had a Sonos Arc for 2 weeks now. Pretty awesome with my Sony X90, Going to add the sub next..
Wish there was a small sub to choose from, as I live in a small flat
The sub will take it to a whole new level
Is there a massive difference between a $300 $500 & $1,000 soundbar+sub setup? I have a samsung s95bt qd OLED tv. Do I NEED a samsung soundbar or will I be ok with any brand? I'm afraid of delay.
Also, is there a noticable difference between 3.1 & 5.1? I mostly would be buying a soundbar for movies and ps5
Personalized buying advice is something our experts offer only via our insider forums! www.rtings.com/forums/insider-advice
However, we do have some self-service tools and recommendation articles that may be helpful!
is there a difference for looking for soundbars for console gaming?
It might even be worth looking at some gaming soundbar options, though we haven't tested any of them yet!
Does Atmos make any difference if put in a small bedroom with low height ceiling?
It definitely could have an impact, yes. According to Dolby, the ideal ceiling height would be between 7.5 and 12 feet!
@@RTINGSdotcom thanks you very much.
I found the KEF blade one meta to be really good optiom and a lil bit cheaper than I thought. Blue one really ties the room together.
I'm sorry, if you're on a budget .. the KEF Reference 5 Meta is a great second option. Good luck.
If my TV doesn't have HDMI ARC, is it even worth buying a soundbar with Dolby Atmos, such as the Sonos ARC or Bose Smart Soundbar 900?
That's a bit of a tough call. You're right that you won't be able to take advantage of the bar's Atmos capabilities without ARC. But it could be useful for the sake of future proofing your setup. In other words, if you upgrade your TV at some point, it might be useful to have the Sonos or the Bose already on hand, since most new TVs come with ARC support!
How does the little Sonos Beam hold up against a Bose Soundlink Mini II?
Hey Kell,
As of right now, our sounbar and speaker reviews aren't comparable, but if there's certain performance aspects your wondering about, the results could still help give you a better idea of how they perform. What will you be using these products for?
@@RTINGSdotcom I’d mainly use it as a speaker for my PC. I currently have the original Bose SL Mini, though it’s reaching the end of its life. I’ve loved it, as it has had great sound quality and versatility.
I figured since it has been nearly 10 years since I purchased it, there must be better options out there.
I’d mainly use it while watching RUclips videos (voice clarity is important), some TV, some music. I’m also not interested in getting a separate subwoofer.
Thanks!
How’s the Sony HTST-5000 sound-bar ranked up against todays top sound-bars?
Depends on which soundbar you're trying to compare it to. In this case, it may help to take advantage of our comparison tool to see how it compares to some more 'recent' options! www.rtings.com/soundbar/tools/compare/sonos-beam-vs-sonos-arc/836/13760?usage=8767&threshold=0.10
Following last year's Q800A, Samsung's latest Q800B (released in Q2 2022) is an impressive 5.1.2. Soundbar (w/ a huge 8" Subwoofer) D. Atmos system. it's best combined with a 4K Samsung TV to fully utilize the 5.1.2 channels (Q-Symphony).
otherwise, it's just a 5.1 system. imo, the difference is not very significant because with 5.1, it's just as immersive due to the excellent soundbar. my top favourite is the Tap-Sound feature that's super convenient & you will absolutely love it especially if you (like myself) listen to music on a daily basis. the 8" Subwoofer is punchy, damn tight & never muddy, plus the balanced Mids & Highs of the soundbar, it's great for both EDM as well as Rock genres. although the price is on the high side, it's worth every dollar. 👍
as an audio engineer, it's so apparent that a super space-saving non-detachable satellite speaker soundbar-subwoofer combo can never beat a space-gobbling traditional 5.1 audio system due to the lack of sound imaging/staging & accuracy, but i have to admit that samsung actually did a pretty damn good job on the Q800B by also employing the SpaceFit Sound technology, albeit being a brand loyal dude of SONY. truth be told, this is my very first big AV product from a korean manufacturer. 😏
i'm now convinced that korean brands not only produce respectable household products, they are also pretty good contenders to compete with Jap & Euro brands on AV too.
(ps. korean automobiles are still POS no matter what. 😝)
In South East Asian countries the Q800B can be bought at $500, which I did few weeks ago. I paired it with my Sony X80h TV. Unfortunately Samsung TV with Atmos support is quite expensive compared to Sony. Anyway, I enjoy having the Q800B in my apartment. It fills the living room even at volume set to 20.
I’ve bought a (almost new) HW-Q950T which is 9.1.4ch and I’m contemplating buying a qn90a TV (it’s a great TV for gaming and series/movies), but also to utilize the Qsymphony feature. Will this in turn make my setup a 9.1.6ch?
@@pijesz no way, 800B @ 500 bucks? i think you are referring to the 3.1.2. 800A (2021).
the 800B (2022) is a 5.1.2 system. how can it be cheaper than a 800A? specs are totally differently as well.
samsung is losing $$ if the 800B is only 500 bucks.
gimme the dealer's contact where you bought the 800B. i would purchase 10 units straightaway & sell them & make a nice profit.
@@kleanm0nster947 here in indonesia you can purchase hwq800b @500 usd , myself paired it with my xr-55a80j , meanwhile sonos beam gen 2 costed hefty 650 and arc @1200ish fyi, pardon my english 😊
I got the Samsung qn90b 75 inch tv with Samsung j8500r sound at sub woofer. I’ve confused myself with this Dolby situation now
Corrected 👌
Harman Kardon Multibeam 1100?
Bluesound Soundbar+?
Since we haven't tested these soundbars, we couldn't consider them for this video. However, they're both on our suggestion list, so if there's enough interest, we'll buy and review them!
Nakamichi soundwafe pro 7.1.4???
It's definitely a noteworthy option, but since we've tested over 130 soundbars, there's no way for us to include every good option we've tested. So, even though it didn't make the list, it doesn't mean it isn't still worth of consideration!
Kindly review Samsung new soundbar HW Q990B.
Hey Rahul,
We'll get that soundbar added to our suggestion list ASAP! :)
Thoughts on Sonos beam gen 2 vs Samsung q700b?
Hey Mark!
Unfortunately we haven’t bought and tested the Q700B yet so we can’t say how it compares. Sorry about that. It’s on our suggestion list though, so feel free to go vote for it! www.rtings.com/monitor/tools/compare/dell-s2722dgm-vs-dell-s2721dgf/24245/16485?usage=3623&threshold=0.10
Review Samsung Crystal AU9000
Sonos arc with sub and 2 x play 3’ s 👍
Vizio is not available in Canada. RTing being Canadian also please make a Canada available list of products
Unfortunately, since our current focus is the US market, we won’t be making a seperate list for best in canada at the moment. Sorry about that. You could use our table tool to filter our soundbar reviews though and highlight those that perform in the areas that are important for you. www.rtings.com/soundbar/tools/table
Do you think the new Samsung Soundbar is better than the new Nakamichi soundbar
You may have to be a bit more specific. But if you're referring to soundbars we haven't tested yet (like the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 eARC and the Samsung HW-Q990BO), then we really can't say. Without testing them and obtaining our own data, we wouldn't want to speculate and risk giving out incorrect information. Sorry about that!
Any review on Harman Kardon Citation
Not yet, but it's on our suggestion list. So, if there's enough interest, we'll buy and review it once it's available!
What about Q950A?
It's a great option! Check out the review here: www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/samsung/hw-q950a
*no
This quote from their review makes it seem like they didn't really test the Q950A with the surrounds in an active mode. That seems to be the only way they'd feel like the Bose is the better overall system than the Samsung. To me the Q950A is a clear winner over the Bose, and some of the new amazing Sony soundsystems got snubbed too.
"After additional testing, we've confirmed that the Samsung HW-Q950A is an 11.1.4 setup. This soundbar comes with left, center, and right channels, two surround channels on the right, two surround channels on the left, and two satellite speakers. There are also side-firing drivers on each of the satellites. However, in order to activate these drivers, the soundbar needs to be set to either 'Adaptive Sound', 'Surround', or 'Game Pro' mode. Since we perform our tests in 'Standard' mode, these drivers aren't active during our testing process."
I am confused, on your website you have a higher scor on the Samsung q950a than the Bose. So why recommend the Bose over Samsung?
The recommendations aren't just based on scoring alone, but they also consider things like price, performance, user feedback, etc. In this case though, they're both excellent overall options, so it'd probably be useful to compare them both and just pick whichever one performs best in the areas that are important to you!
@@RTINGSdotcom Thx for the fast response, considering I am buying of of the offers now available due to new versions. :-)
Waiting for the Q990B review
It's on our suggestion list, so hopefully we'll be able to review it sooner rather than later! :)
Also waiting for the more afforadble Q930B
What’s the best soundbar that will fit under the LG C1?
Was going to ask this exact question lmao
LG SP11RA is what you're looking for. exact same length than 65" model.
@@Hanonn Awesome. Thanks.
I’ve bought SP8YA(500$)+SPK8S(180$) for my C1. You have to raise tv up for about 2-3’’ to fit it under.Couldn’t be more happier.Was looking between Bose and Sonos, but price tag just for soundbar was a little steep for me.Sonos quality is superb I might say.If your have 1700$ to drop on saundbar and woofer, go with Sonos.
@@Dima80F thank you!
What soundbar do you regularly use
There’s no one answer to this as different members of our team use different products. We probably touch on most brands if we ask everyone on the team!
How about samsung Q950?
Hey Kenny,
This is something that we've gotten a lot of feedback for, and we acknowledge the the Q950A is definitely a great soundbar and could have been included. That said, just because a soundbar wasn't featured in this list, doesn't mean it isn't worthy of consideration. There are a lot of great soundbars that didn't make the list (it's a pretty small list and we've tested over 100 soundbars). Either way, we appreciate the feedback and we'll consider making any necessary changes on our end!
Can u test monitors next too? xd
🤔
Need a new 2023 video of this boys!
👀
Some of the text notes in the video don't match your verbal descriptions. You say that the Bose has great surround immersion, but the text says "disappointing" surround. Likewise, you say "you can really feel the rumble of action movies" about the AMBEO, but then the text says "disappointing bass response". Which is it? #confused
Just watch the video and actually doesn’t make any sense. Best surround system bose, then the surround effects are very bad.
Was thinking the exact same thing, that's honestly why I don't trust rtings that much anymore 😅
They're doing this all the time
Rtings critique the Ambeo because of the price. Honestly look at the driver quality compared to other bars. Sennheiser has been involved way longer then these other companies dabbling in speakers and headphones. I guarantee there is way more detail, wide sound stage and bass compared to a lone Sonos arc, Samsung or Bose bar. I do feel like it does take time for drivers to break in…. I just feel like if they Rtings did a separate review with a high quality sub( no doubt they have one in their test labs) the sound would be even better. The Ambeo built in dsp would only need to output mid and higher frequencies.
@@MrNickster12345 Cool story. What does that have to do with the errors in the video?
@@nathanddrews I’m saying RTings is not as reliable of a source as you would think. They contradict quite a bit of their own information that they use as reviews for products.
Samsung q950A?
Hey Tiago,
This is something that we've gotten a lot of feedback for, and we acknowledge the the Q950A is definitely a great soundbar and could have been included. That said, just because a soundbar wasn't featured in this list, doesn't mean it isn't worthy of consideration. There are a lot of great soundbars that didn't make the list (it's a pretty small list and we've tested over 100 soundbars)!
Where is the Sony ht a7000 and the qn90a? Those most likely the best all around systems you could get and you didn't mention them
QN90A is a tv 😄
@@davidgodal98 yes sorry I meant q950a
You're right, out of all that was mentioned the Samsung has the best Atmos bubble hands down
The HT-A7000 is definitely a noteworthy option, but it ended up being pretty underwhelming overall and just felt 'ok' to our soundbar team. So, it didn't make the cut unfortunately!
what about sound blaster katana v2?
It's on our suggestion list, so if there's enough interest, we'll buy and review it! Also, if you'd like to vote for it, you can do that here: www.rtings.com/soundbar/suggestions :)
This is already old. The model he tested is 3 years old. Nakamichi released a new 2022 9.2.4 EARC that has even more power and deeper bass in the dual subs. It eliminates any compression and the most Immersive sound bar based system I have ever heard. I am very happy which it.
Yep, I have the new Nakamichi as well and it is incredible. Please do another benchmark test.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. We always appreciate user feedback because it helps us continue to improve. We're going to make sure the new Nakamichi soundbar is added to our suggestion list. It really does seem like an impressive soundbar. We also just wanted to mention that we plan on reviewing a lot of the new and upcoming soundbars, so an updated video sometime in the future is definitely an option!
@@ccp4161 did you have the previous version? I have 7.2.4 and am just curious if the soundbar is only slightly better than than before or if it's a large improvement. I know subs are going to be more impressive, but I'm just referring to the soundbar.
Nakamichi is trash sounds soo bad
Yamaha ysb 5600 is better
What about the Bose TV Speaker?
We can only include a few options in our list, but it doesn't mean the other options we've bought and tested aren't worth considering. If it's a good fit for your needs, go for it!
Some of the sony LG and Vizio's suffer from bad dialog hard to hear what's the people are saying unless volume is way up. While the tcls have great dialog clarity for a low end soundbar but no HDMI earc and no dts and proper speaker adjustments.
Shut up ,it doesn't!
Get second hand 5.1 or more home theater system... Sound much better if you limit in budget... This will help you get start up and more up whenever you can. Sound much better then any sound bar and you don't lock down by its limitations when main unit breakdown whole system become useless and cannot upgrade. You need to change whole system unlike home theater system.
What about the sony Ht a9 ?
With the sub, this is supposed to be a level up from Bose and Sonos.
@@Subjective_JoshNelson yeah right...rtings did a review on it...doesn't come close to bose
Hey Paolo Pan,
This is a great question. It was actually in the original text, but we decided to remove it since the review video received some feedback from users who felt that it wasn't a "real" soundbar. It's something we've re-evaluate moving forward though!
I'm looking for a soundbar with some of the latest gadgets. Nothing over £500
You could check out these options! www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/best/by-price/under-500
why you guys never review denon soundbar. is it that bad?
We bought and tested 1 Denon soundbar, the www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/denon/home-sound-bar-550
As for any others, there just hasn't been enough interest from our users.
best looks and sound combined - beosound stage
*Vifa Stockholm 2.0
While the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Stage looks good, it underperformed compared to some other soundbars we've tested. I'm glad you like it though! :)
I just got the Vizio Elevate and love it so far. Surprised you guys didn’t talk about that one very much.
Give it time. It really does sound great (when it works), but Vizio has some serious quality control issues. I’m on my second Elevate. Hoping yours works out because the performance is tough to beat at the price point - especially that sub. Cheers!
@@Barleyleg Sorry your first one had problems, what went wrong with it? I’ve definitely experienced a few bugs, but nothing that I couldn’t get past. Hopefully software updates will fix the rest. It really is the best in its price range.
@@LastSifu I frequently have to unplug power/eArc to get it to work - it’s the weakest link in my system; there is radio distortion and interference in the rear up firing speakers when playing Atmos content; and the SmartCast app….oh, that awful app. Lol. All that aside, the only thing I wish it had was a bit more of a wider sound stage (side speakers on the bar). But like you said, you really can’t beat it for the price point. The surround speakers and sub are stellar for an all-in-one. I’m constantly looking for an upgrade, but it always comes down to the same conclusion - yes, there are better options out there, but are those options worth the price difference over the Elevate? Will that Denon amp and those Klipsch speakers (for example) give me $2500 worth of “better” sound? I doubt it. Now if only Vizio could fix their hardware issues….
We're glad to hear you're happy with that soundbar so far! It's definitely a very good overall option, but since we've tested over 132 soundbars, we're unable to include every noteworthy option. Regardless, we absolutely understand where you're coming from, so we'll keep this in mind moving forward!
Samsung 2022. Looks great and upgraded. For example Q800A just 3.1.2 now Q800B 5.1.2. Also wonder with wireless dolby atmos to tv without cables.
No Samsung hw q950a?
Since it's such a small list and we've tested over 130 soundbars, we just couldn't include them all. It doesn't mean there aren't other noteworthy options though (like the HW-Q950A) which is a solid choice!
Canton Smart Soundbar 10. :-)
Unfortunately, we haven't reviewed this soundbar, so it can't be featured in any of our top picks. In this case we'd happily add it to our suggestion list, but it also seems out of stock. Sorry about that!
how about jbl 5.1 surround?
It's an okay overall soundbar, but we don't consider it worthy of replacing any of the options on this list!
I'll take support for DTS over fake Atmos in a soundbar any day.
Atmos is a subjective matter. some content supports DTS-X better than Atmos & vice-versa.
LG S95QR is hands down a beast 🙌!
Glad you’re happy with your purchase!
@@RTINGSdotcom you make seem like its not the best.plus you didn't give me a like.This is the flagship of LG's top series. Normal people are not buying it cause it's expensive, and it is cause it's worth every penny. Review again compared it to Samsung & Sony, LG S95QR is making a statement 👍👍
Until the srs rs5s release
Bose all day everyday!
It's the best
Actually it's one of the worst, sounds completely off with some peeks in the treable...
@@lukabosnjak3829 completely off? Yeah, No… overpriced sure but their newer setups are balanced fantastically, especially with clear dialogue mode for TV/Movies. Anyone can do body rockin bass but to be able to merge that into a sound profile that can be used on a wide range of platforms, again like crystal clear dialogue to big music is where quality shines. I’m not saying Bose is the end all be all but for a more neutral sound standpoint it’s definitely top three. Technology is catching up and Bose definitely has more competition than it used to. But I like my audio tone more neutral without compression artifacts. However, I’m also not the person that cranks their sound system to max level just to see what happens. I listen at a realistic volume so my needs might not be yours and sound will always be subjective and most people only need good enough until they’ve heard better. Maybe I’m way off but I’d go Bose or Harmon if I had to make a choice now with what I know
@@greg6162 Compare any of these with Vifa Stockholm 2.0... Also you can get sudio pro a36 for the price which sound better than any soundbar (except Vifa).
Ok no one mentions the Beosound Stage. It may only be a 3.1 all in one but it performs! Amazing Bass without sub. It doesn’t really do surround sound despite the Dolby Atmos decoding but the detail in sound reproduction is incredible. I actually prefer it to the sennheiser ambeo, which I found amazing but far too buggy. Proof is in the listening so please don’t say NO without giving it a demo. It also looks incredible as a bonus.
This is great feedback, thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. The Beosound Stage is a decent overall soundbar, there's no denying that. However, we've tested over 130 soundbars and only included a short list in this video. So, unfortunately, there were some soundbars we had to leave out (although it doesn't mean they aren't worthy of consideration). Either way, we appreciate the insight and we'll keep this in mind moving forward! :)
Sony ht a9 all day
I sold my Sonos ARC, Sub, ones on Kijiji and got the Q950A. The Samsung Q950A blows it out of the water not even close, especially when watching lossless 4K UHD Blu Ray.
the ARC setup sounds better for music but overall the Q950A is much better imo
Also I’ve had the Q950A for about 6 months now and have not had one single connection issue. This wasn’t my experience with Sonos…I had several drop outs
And the new Loewe soundbar .
Hey René,
Would you be able to confirm which specific soundbar you're referring to? We'd like to get it added to our suggestion list!
Right now the Samsung HW-S60B is the sweet spot for price/performance
If you don't mind us asking, what do you like most about it?
The Ambeo is the best period. I LOVE it!
Impossible...no sub and no surrounds
@@eyenmathis4824 you can add any sub you want, it has a sub pre-out. You do not need surrounds, it's convincing enough
@@TravionMusicI don't know bro...Rtings uses statisical measurements to rate products...according to the side by side product comparison on Rtings the Bose 900 with 700 surround speakers is rated a 7.9 for its surround sound performance...the Ambeo surrounds performance is rated a 6.4...the Bose SOUNDSTAGE performance is an 8.5 compared to the Ambeo soundstage at 7.0...the bose has the biggest and widest sound out of any soundbar...its crazy good
@@eyenmathis4824 RTINGS take their measurements in standard/neutral mode without using enhancements, or in the Ambeo’s case the Ambeo 3d technology. Ambeo beats the Bose by physics, and their 3d technology enhancements. I’ve installed the entire Bose setup at a client’s house and I own the Ambeo, with Ambeo Mode on, be it Light, Standard, or Boost. Nothing on the market matches the soundstage it gives you, you’re wrapped around in 180 degrees of sound. Granted nothing sounds better than having actual surrounds, but you’d be very surprised by what it can do. RTINGS is great, but I wouldn’t use them to help make purchasing decisions for a soundbar.
@@TravionMusic Rtings review of the Ambeo talks about how good the 3d technology is so they must've tested it out...i highly doubt they would mention how good proprietaries of a system are without using them...and they say it's not the same as having true rears...you said that yourself so it cant be as good in that respect...that thing looks like a beast so I'm sure it's good but I think it would be even better if they had their own dedicated rears and their own dedicated sub...would probably be the highest rated by Rtings no doubt...the Bose has a phaseguide 3D technology also... and the 700 rears spread the sound around by outputting sound on all 4 sides...who knows what rears your client got or if they got rears at all...you may have installed the Bose but actually spending time with it using various high quality audio formats gives you a different experience
Waiting for the Samsung Q800B review.
If it's available for purchase in the US, then we'll happily add it to our suggestion list. At that point, we'll buy and review it if there's enough interest! :)
I did wrote a review on the Q800B. click on my profile.
If you get the Bose setup...run adaptiq on the soundbar alone...its so much more immersive...if you run adaptiq with the base module and surround speakers it will dull their sound...keep the base module and surround speakers at their out of box state and make your preferred adjustments on the app only...if you have already run adaptiq with base module and surround speakers connected no worries...just do a factory reset on the whole setup...then unplug the base module and surround speakers and run the adaptiq on the soundbar alone...i did this and it makes a huge difference...base is much more pronounced, atmos effects are better, and surround speakers are louder...that setup is unstoppable and i cant see how anything else can sound this good...that's why I respect rtings so much...they know good products
Am I the only one surprised the Samsung HW* Q950A did not make it to the list?
This is a fair point, a few users mentioned something similar. Ultimately, it came down to a limited number of picks, but it definitely could have been an alt pick or a notable mention. We've already looked into this situation though, and we agree that it should have been mentioned. We also decided to make some changes to our pick selection process in light of this, so we expect our picks to be much more in line with user expectations moving forward!
@@RTINGSdotcom Awesome! Always a fan of the content you produce. I just ordered a Bravia X90J over an X95J and your reviews played a significant part in my decision making process. And I am right now contemplating between a Q950A vs a full sonos set up! The pricing of a sonos is what makes we wonder if its worth the premium. Consumers like myself truly anchor on your reviews to bet our dollars on 😀
I was told soundbars were getting better and all that happened is they getting more expensive. Sonos arc, Vizio elevate, or Bose 900 doesn't even come close to my wired speakers.
You are correct, but when the wife says she does not like the site of big boxes in the living room, you have to find an alternative and compromise. They like the soundbars.
Samsung Q800B or Q800A
Since we haven't tested the Q800B yet, we can't say how they compare. Without having our own data, we wouldn't want to speculate and risk giving you incorrect information. Sorry about that!
Best for consoles ?!
We don’t have any specific soundbar recommendations for console gaming unfortunately. But it’s really going to come down to wht you’re hoping to get from the soundbar for gaming. Crisper voices, then go for a soundbar with dialogue performance. If you want the action scenes to really pop, then you’ll want something with more bass!
Sony A7000?
It's definitely a noteworthy option, we've just tested over 130 soundbars and couldn't include all of them on the list. It doesn't mean it isn't worth considering though!
Looking at ARC vs AMBEO give its a quick Google one is £800 and the sennheiser is nearly 3k okay that’s a decision made easy 😅
😂😂
Bose is the best
*pointless
I might get the Sono's Beam to start with and add a sub later down the line just to fix that missing low end. It seems to be one of the best budget bars, being small, light and easy to set up and implement into just about any room. Personally think Sono's offer the best standard sound bars while Samsung offer the best high end for their own TV's.
Let us know what you think once you do!
Yamaha ysb 5600 is still King
Boss 700?
It's a small list so we just can't consider every single soundbar we've tested to be featured on it. It doesn't mean they aren't worth considering though. If you want to read our thoughts on the Bose smart soundbar 700, you can find our review here: www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/bose/smart-soundbar-700
After trying many soundbars i finally settled for an Ambeo + SVS subwoofer combo. Expensive i know, but nothing comes close.
Vifa Stockholm 2.0 blows the Ambeo away...
@@lukabosnjak3829 its a bluetooth only soundbar with no equalizer, having listened to it in the Agof store it's safe to say that doesn't blow away the Ambeo at all.
EDIT: forgot to add the there's no HDMI, so TV use is almost a no-go.
@@alessandromantovani7759 You haven't heard it properly then as Ambeo sounds like a joke compared (at least for music) and Vifa has actually good tunings with and app so you can choose different modes and ALL of them sound great and correct (similar to Buchardt A500/A700 speakers)...
It also has wifi and optical in so good for stereo but yeah, Ambeo has more connectivity and options.
@@lukabosnjak3829 i drove for 300 km to listen to it so rest assured that i take my time with it. You wrote "blows Ambeo out of the water" but in reality the Vifa holds its own in music but that's all. Ambeo its an all rounder with multiple uses and connections, simply there's no match.
@@alessandromantovani7759 You are buying a speaker for connections. 🤔
Again, sorry but Vifa sounds much more natural (almost like some studio monitors) with soo much more detail in midrange, power and precision in bass that Ambeo (which is quite decent unlike bose and all the other junk) sounds colored in comparison.
Q800A is best in midrange!
Not even close...
Why are soundbars so expensive?? Like for the price of the Bose soundbar alone, (899) You can get a yamaha 5.1 receiver big high quality fronts and surrounds a decent center channel all the speaker wire and cables you need and a decent budget subwoofer like the bic f12. which will blow it out of the water in sound stage and quality. and the full bose set up costs a whopping 2.2K you could get a legit 7 channel plus height speaker set up for that much
Space saving and feature packed. The same reason laptops are more expensive than tower computers.
Kind of dated now with all the new premium sound bars coming out:
B&W panorama 3
Devialet Dione
Samsung q990b
Andd, Vifa Stockholm 2.0 which probably sounds better than all of them at any price...
This is a very fair point, and we appreciate the feedback. We should be reviewing most, if not all of these soundbars in the somewhat near future, so an updated video is definitely a possibility!
How is it possible that the arc wins the single soundbar shootout but when we add the surrounds and the sub it is worse than Bose?? No way in hell the sub and the ones are worse in sound quality. Especially when the sub compensates the lower frequencies and the arc focuses on midrange and base...
Hi there! Thanks for reaching out to us. Just a little background on how we tested these bars - given their popularity, we decided to test them as standalone bars, and then we went through the testing process again with the sub and the satellites added on. Not everyone has the space or the budget for the full setup, so we wanted to make sure that anyone looking for a standalone bar could get a clear picture of the differences between the two.
As for your question, you're absolutely right - adding on the sub and the satellites doesn't degrade the sound quality! Both bars perform better when you add on the sub and satellites. There are some big improvements compared to the standalone bar, especially with bass reproduction.
However, the Bose shows a greater improvement than the Sonos as a full setup. In addition to reproducing more low-bass, the satellites noticeably improve its soundstage, especially when it comes to the focus of voices and other sound effects. That's why it's our top pick in that category.
Still, it's important to point out that both of these bars are really great options. As full setups, the Bose edges out the Sonos by a bit, especially when it comes to soundstage, but the Sonos is still a really high-quality, versatile soundbar.
Guys, respectfully. There is no way, in real world conditions, the BOSE 900 surround "5.1.2" is the best full setup. The surround speakers are simply to low db and small for theater; non-existent for music. I spent a few weeks comparing the Sonos Arc "5.1.2" with the Bose 900 "5.1.2" (didn't get into the 950QA because you have to go to the soundbar to adjust the eqs; you can't do it from your couch) just in real world listening which is highly subjective for sure; no data. Where the Bose was significantly better was in ATMOS audio object articulation. But then, Soundbar ATMOS is severely lacking no matter who is trying to hype it, Sonos included. So glad I went with the Sonos vs. Bose full set up (using music apps is waaaaaay better on Sonos, too).
if you actually took time to look at the video you will see the graph saying it's better than 98% of the 132 soundbars tested. There's still 2% room for the rest of the soundbars they tested, not to mention anything they haven't tested.
I have that Bose setup and I'd have to whole heartedly disagree...dont see how anything else could sound as good...if you made the common mistake (like me)of running adaptiq with base module and the surround speakers connected it will dull the sound of the base module and surround speakers...I did a factory reset on the whole setup then ran adaptiq on the soundbar alone and kept the base module and surround speakers at their out of box state ... MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE
Bro there just wrong on there evaluations they always put Sonos over any brand I feel like sonos some how has there hands in there evaluations the Sony HT-A9 and the A-7000 absolutely destroy the sonos soundbar but they won’t admit that.
@@deadstick100 stereo dynamics (how loud it gets and how well it performs at loud volumes) is not very good on either of those...they are just ok for music...and the AT 7000 has a weak atmos performance...stats don't lie...as a total package that Sonos system is probably just better...i had a cheap Sony soundbar i returned a couple years ago because it had a muddy sounding bass...then i discovered Rtings reviews and it said exactly what I had experienced....Sony is king for TVs and game systems not soundbars
@@eyenmathis4824 I disagree the newest Sony soundbars sound great and music ever since Sony released 360 audio it’s completely turned the spatial audio world to the next level it’s better than atmos and it’s more than loud enough it will absolutely annoy your neighbors to death because when you have this system up to 75% your gearing it from out side through the walls plus Sony just released the RS5 rear atmos speakers which now give you a 9.1.4 system that sounds very full and rich unlike sonos junk!
Devialet Dione , game changer !
Vifa Stockholm 2.0 sounds better for less...
It definitely looks like an impressive soundbar, and we have it featured on our suggestion list. Feel free to go vote for it if you want to see us review it! www.rtings.com/soundbar/suggestions
@@lukabosnjak3829 Hey Luka, this is also on our suggestion list. So, we'll happily buy and review it if there's enough interest!
@@lukabosnjak3829 with that look and only 160 W , 42 Hz - 20 kHz the Vifa , i don t think so :)))
@@bogdanmihai2969 Look at this video: ruclips.net/video/NhXiOZ5Fi7Q/видео.html
Who cares about watts... It's 42hz@-3db so there is some response down to 35hz or lower, drivers are made by Vifa and 4 woofers are push-push like on Devialet. It's louder than the jbl partybox 310 without funny bass reduction or compression.
I heard the Sony soundbar with subwoofer/rear speakers had the best dolby Atmos compared to all the other soundbars.
Which Sony soundbar are you referring to?
If Bose had better surround speakers I’d buy.
No point in surraund when frequency response is off.
I'm thinking they will come out with some 900 surround speakers...might as well start building your setup now one piece at a time
The best soundbar is Sonos
I'm glad you like it! Which Sonos soundbar is your favourite?