Raising the bar
WHILE BUILT-IN TV SPEAKERS HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE BETTER, THEY STILL CAN’T BEAT A GOOD SOUNDBAR. WE TEST EIGHT NEW MODELS TO FIND THE BEST-SOUNDING AND BEST-VALUE OPTIONS.
MODERN HOME ENTERTAINMENT isn’t as simple as it used to be. Once upon a time, you’d buy a TV that was barely distinguishable from the competition, you’d use it for five, 10, 15 or 20 years, then you’d replace it. Nowadays, much research goes into deciding which television is best for your home, what resolution it supports, whether it can stream, and whether it can iron your shirt for you (none do the latter yet, we’re afraid, but we’re sure it’s coming). One thing is consistent, though — the sound on modern TVs, no matter the quality of its screen, is almost universally crap. That physical flatness comes at a cost, and that cost is a lack of real estate for speakers that aren’t absolutely terrible.
That’s why you buy a soundbar — to ensure your home theatre experience isn’t like sitting in a cinema with cheap earbud headphones on. Soundbars are great if you’re not fussed about a big, multi-speaker home theatre setup, though if you wish to upgrade, some models can work as a component in these. And typically enough, there are dozens of soundbars on the market, so you’ll need to do a bit of research to decide whether they are right for your TV, right for your room, and right for your expectations regarding fidelity.
So without further ado, here are eight of the major models available on the market at present, ranging from cheap through to pricey.
LG SJ9 DOLBY ATMOS IN A PREMIUM BUT AFFORDABLE PACKAGE.
THIS IS ONE for the must-have-everything type — a 500w Dolby Atmos soundbar which is as gargantuan in size as it is in sound. On that note, you’ll probably want a decently large TV (wider than 55 inches) because this thing is hefty, though seemingly against the odds, it can be wall-mounted. Of course, you’ll need a Dolby Atmos-supporting playback device, whether an Xbox One S (and the new X) or supported Blu-ray player, but even without taking advantage of that (still burgeoning and still not-widely supported) technology, this soundbar is probably the best on the market at the moment, considering the price.
Given the 5.1.2 channel configuration, you’re getting about as close an approximation to ‘surround sound’ as is feasible with a soundbar setup, and as far as lounge room immersion goes, the LG SJ9 holds up, well, admirably — compared to the competition. For real surround sound, there are a variety of add-ons you can purchase.
It supports HDMI, optical and, of course, Bluetooth, and streaming music from a phone to this system provides a gigantic sound — among the best you’ll get before you stray into audiophile territory. For its cost, and its Atmos support, the LG SJ9 is this brand’s flagship for a reason.