Soundbar

The JBL Bar 1300 soundbar has a clever approach to the quality vs. convenience balance, though there's a significant outlay involved. Does this financial commitment get you the best of both worlds? We take a look.  

LG's 2023 USC9S soundbar targets the company's own LG OLED TVs as the perfect partner for a TV/home audio combi match made in heaven. So, is there any point in buying a USC9S if you don’t have an LG C3 or C2 TV?  

Samsung's second from top soundbar for 2023 looks like it will give the flagship a run for its money in terms of value and sound quality, is that the case?  

Samsung's flagship soundbar for 2023 features 11.1.4 channels, 22 drivers and a wireless subwoofer along with up-firing rear speakers. With wireless Dolby Atmos and Q-Symphony still in place from 2022, has Samsung really managed to eke out even more sound quality than last year’s class-leading Q990B?  

The True X soundbar package arrived with quite the fanfare a couple of months ago. This one-below-flagship bar/sub/surround speaker package promises easy setup and great sound. Has Yamaha done it again?  

The new compact bar offers a smaller and more affordable solution while still delivering up to 7.1.4 3D virtualisation with Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio.  

Sennheiser shrinks its Ambeo soundbar formula down to a size and price that at least a few more people can deal with…  

As the most expensive soundbar in Samsung’s 2023 range to not ship with included rear speakers, the HW-Q800C has a potentially tricky job on its hands winning over hearts, minds and ears as successfully as the brand’s full surround sound options. Can it pull a rabbit out of the audio hat?  

ZVOX wants you to think of the AV157 speaker as a hearing device, rather than a soundbar per se. With headphones and other gadgets flooding the market to assist the hearing impaired, ZVOX’s timing might be fortuitous. But can the embedded tech really push those voices out into the open?  

Philips was once one of the AV industry’s behemoths and now focuses on other sectors. But the company retains its audio engineering prowess, not least that which is found in its soundbar offerings. The FB1 is big and made even more so by the addition of the FW1 subwoofer to pair with it. But does bigger necessarily mean better?  

Sony's A-series of soundbars starts with the HT-A3000 and we put it through its paces both with and without optional wireless rears and subwoofer to see whether the additional uplift in performance offered is worth the hefty additional cost.  

Groov-e is yet another market entrant touting super-cheap audio gizmos. The compact Soundbar75 is no exception and promises to lift TV sound to the next level. But does the soundbar’s rock-bottom price mean better than rock-bottom performance?  

The sub-£300 soundbar market is a crowded one. Each manufacturer has its own take on how best to get your TV to sound fab. And there are some respectable solutions out there. Is Yamaha ready to join the fight?  

Forget Dolby Atmos, 40 built-in drivers and all the other fuss. Many people just want clean dialogue from their TVs and a bit of audio heft on the occasions they dip into their MCU movie catalogue. Can Creative Labs achieve all this with a soundbar for under £100?  

Having been impressed with the flagship HT-A7000's performance and credentials, we take a look at the HT-A5000 which sheds a few channels down to 5.1.2 but still champions the expandable single soundbar solution. Can it carry the A7000's impressive banner into midrange territory?  

The massive Sony Corporation knows a thing or two about movies and entertainment technology. After all, they bought a Hollywood studio and were one of the first companies to introduce digital surround sound in cinemas. But can they extend that prowess to the sub-£300 sound bar category?  

We take a look at the lower-cost HW-Q800B, which drops the wireless rear speakers but retains many of the same features as its more expensive stablemates. Can the resulting front-heavy system make its mark in what’s arguably become the most fiercely competitive segment of the soundbar market?  

Sennheiser downsizes its Ambeo soundbar but does it still gets 'plus' points for its 7.1.4 virtual channels, streaming capabilities and connectivity? We check out the Ambeo Plus here.