If you’ve purchased your first wide-screen TV, you probably discovered that its built-in speakers don’t sound that good — if it came with any at all. The solution? Get a sound bar system. They can cost anywhere from a couple of hundred bucks up to a grand or more, but it’s money well spent in any case. Here are four of the best sound bars CNET has reviewed in recent months.
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Vizio SB3621
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/vizio-sb3621n-e8/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 5.0 stars out of 5 (Spectacular)
The good: The Vizio SB3621 offers excellent performance for an ultra-budget sound bar with great movie sound and toe-tapping music playback. The sound bar offers a decent selection of inputs including Bluetooth and will decode both Dolby and DTS. The sound bar and wireless sub feature excellent build quality and a seamless setup.
The bad: The LED display is not very helpful, and the WAV-file-only USB port is a little weird.
The cost: $148.00 to $162.99
The bottom line: The Vizio SB3621n-E8 is the best sound bar under $300 we have ever heard. If you want better TV sound, it’s the new budget benchmark.
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Yamaha YAS-207
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/yamaha-yas-207/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding)
The good: The Yamaha YAS-207 offers excellent sound quality that is a step up from other budget systems. It offers a bevy of useful features for an affordable price. Build quality is excellent and includes a subwoofer made from MDF and not plastic. The simulated surround modes eclipse anything else available at the same price or less.
The bad: It doesn’t have an on-screen display for your TV.
The cost: $299.95 to $299.99
The bottom line: The Yamaha YAS-207 is an excellent sound bar package which offers sound quality which soars above others’ at the price.
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Samsung HW-K950
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/samsung-hw-k950/review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding)
The good: The Samsung HW-K950 is one of the best sound bars we’ve ever heard for both movies and music. The dedicated rear speakers deliver increased immersion compared to single-speaker designs. It’s cheaper than buying a Dolby Atmos receiver and speakers.
The bad: It’s expensive for a sound bar, and DTS support is limited. Dolby Atmos is only available on a limited number of titles compared with other surround formats.
The cost: $1,197.99 to $1,318.90
The bottom line: The Samsung HW-K950 combines the discreet looks and simple setup of a sound bar with truly impressive sound for both movies and music.
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LG SH7B
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/products/lg-sh7b/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding)
The good: The LG SH7B offers excellent performance for the money, particularly for movies. The connectivity on offer is better than most competitors with HDMI, optical, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Streaming options include Google Cast, Spotify and Pandora.
The bad: Adding surrounds is a little ad hoc. If you want to listen to music, a dedicated stereo system will sound better for the money.
The cost: $399.99
The bottom line: The LG SH7B proves how far affordable sound bar/wireless subwoofer systems have come, and sounds equally credible with movies and music.
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The following CNET staff contributed to this story: CNET contributor Steve Guttenberg, Associate Editor Ty Pendlebury and Senior Editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, please visit www.cnet.com.
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