Panasonic SC-HTB688
A LOW-END OFFERING FROM ONE OF THE STRONGEST SOUNDBAR BRANDS
WHILE YOU CAN hardly set your expectations high at this price range ($549 is the RRP, but this unit can be had for much less at major retailers), the SC-HTB688 does a commendable, albeit wholly unimpressive job at what it sets out to do. We’ve covered higher-ranged Panasonic soundbars in past round-ups and each have ranked among the highest in the list, but this low ranger is very much a meat and potatoes prospect: it’s inconspicuous in looks, thin but clear in sound, and while 3.1 channels indicates a decent attempt to emulate surround sound, you probably won’t write home about it. Or email home about it, even.
Optical, HDMI and Bluetooth are all supported — and as a means to playback music from your phone while doing the household chores, it’s adequate but definitely no substitute for a separate sound system. But on the matter of HDMI — neither of the Panasonic’s price range competitors tested for this round-up (the Sony HTMT300 and the Pioneer SBX-101) offer HDMI compatibility, so that’s one bonus in this unit’s favour. The subwoofer succeeds in adding nice heft to the overall sound, though the bar itself can occasionally sound ragged with especially deep bass — it can turn pulses into pops. But for TV and movie viewing, it’s a decent experience for this price range, and well worth it if you’ve got a modestly sized TV in a modestly sized room. If you can find it for around $300, it’d be well and truly worth it compared to the competition.