Best sound bars of 2017
Vizio SB3621 ★★★★ ★
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 SB3621nE8 is the best sound bar under $300 we have heard. If you want better TV sound, it’s the new budget benchmark.
Yamaha YAS-207 ★★★★
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 onscreen display for your TV. The cost: $299.95 to $299.99
The bottom line: The Yamaha YAS207 is an excellent sound bar package that offers sound quality which soars above others’ at the price.
Samsung HW-K950 ★★★★
The good: The Samsung HWK950 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 HWK950 combines the discreet looks and simple setup of a sound bar with truly impressive sound for both movies and music.
LG SH7B ★★★★
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.