The Best Soundbars for Your Smart TV
Great sound should accompany great TV picture.
So you’re looking to add the cherry on top of your entertainment setup and want to adorn your new smart TV with a soundbar. First of all, congratulations on seeing your media experience through, as even some of the best TVs around could use some improvements in the audio department.
It’s okay if you don’t know where to start when searching for the perfect soundbar for your setup. There are so many options when it comes to soundbars that it easily gets overwhelming. Some are purely audio-focused, which should come as no surprise, but some options can do much more. Below, you’ll find some of the best soundbars to accompany your smart TV purchase.
So, why would you need a smart soundbar if you already have a smart TV? Well, why not? Sonos is already a household name for home speaker systems and the Beam establishes itself as the go-to, compact smart soundbar. Alexa-enabled out of the box and Google Assistant integration on the way, this is a speaker that may actually be smarter than your TV. Throw in Apple Airplay 2 compatibility and the obvious option to connect to other Sonos speakers in your house and the Beam serves as more than just a sound bar for your TV, but a smart extension of it.
Sony's Soundbar is about as premium as it gets.
If money is no object and you don’t mind getting close to spending a similar amount of greenbacks on your soundbar that you did your TV, Sony’s premium option is worth your consideration. This 7.1.2 channel soundbar boasts Dolby Atmos support for a stellar audio experience, Sony’s proprietary high-quality Bluetooth streaming audio support, 3 HDMI 2.2 inputs, coaxial speakers, built-in Chromecast support and wireless subwoofer.
Let’s make it clear that this isn’t the best soundbar for everyone or even most people for that matter. It’s for, again, a purchase made where money is no object or an audiophile that wants to unquestionably know that the device they’re getting is of the utmost quality.
Yamaha's Soundbar is big on sound but not on price
Big sound without a big price should be this soundbar’s slogan. Clocking in at $300, Yamaha’s offering doesn’t boast a smart assistant or any other fancy-schmancy features found on some, but you will find DTS Virtual:X on it, an object-based virtual surround built-in to create a more immersive environment when viewing content. While we wouldn’t call this a “no frills” soundbar, it lacks some features some may want to sit below their TV. That said, if all you’re looking for is a good quality soundbar that won’t break the bank, start here.
LG SK10Y Soundbar gets a lot right without costing over $1000
LG’s 5.1.2 ch entrant comes in at below $1000 and ships with Dolby Atmos support, Meridian Audio advanced technologies, Built-in Google Assistant and Chromecast, and is Hi-Res Audio certified. It checks quite a few boxes in the features department and even has some smaller siblings (SK9Y and SK8Y) that can provide a “similar” experience for even less.
