Among the many tech trends that emerged in the 2020s is the rise of the soundbar. It was inevitable, with our TV screens getting larger and home projectors in the mix. It all started with big-screen entertainment shifting to the living room from the cinemas during the pandemic and it’s clearly here to stay. Soundbars have also eclipsed old-school home theatres. It’s not just the perfect accessory for all your favourite movie blockbusters, but also just what you need to unwind with your favourite music via your favourite music streaming platform.
One of the obvious benefits of a soundbar is space saving and the overall aesthetic. These soundbars blend more seamlessly into your living room minus all the messy wires. Some soundbars come with an additional subwoofer kitted with large drivers for low-frequency sound (especially in the bass and sub-base sound zones), but even these soundbars plus subwoofers have a smaller footprint than an OG home-theatre system. Connectivity is another big win with multiple options that range from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth that make it easier to hook up with your TV or smartphone. But most of all, it’s the soundstage that add to the immersive appeal of large screens. We’ve rounded up some of the best soundbars across price points…
AIWA Kabuki (AW-SSB180)
One of the most compelling options under Rs 10,000, this soundbar seeks inspiration from the fascinating setting of Japanese Kabuki art performances. The AIWA Kabuki (AW-SSB180) comes with a standard package that we’ve come to expect at this price point. There’s a thin soundbar that’s easy to lug around that is complemented by a subwoofer. Set up is a breeze and the remote control unit is quite intuitive and offers a choice of sound settings including a movie and music mode. This soundbar features a 2.1 channel set up with a powerful 180W output. The Kabuki offers multiple connectivity options like USB, SD, Bluetooth, AUX, and HDMI(ARC) connections allowing you to connect your TV or smartphone without a fuss.
Price: Rs 7,999
Samsung B-series Soundbar 370W 3.1 ch. B650D
This soundbar comes with a whole range of smarts and features — Dolby Audio and DTS Virtual:X technology that creates 3D surround sound, including the feeling of height, through advanced audio-processing techniques. The sound setup features a built-in centre speaker that enhances human voices for crystal-clear dialogue. The wireless subwoofer comes with bass boost for a richer, deeper bass. We also approve of the Night Mode that compresses the bass to reduce the decibels that delivers a softer listening experience. Just what you need when you’re binge-watching without waking up the neighbours. Gamers will also dig the Game Mode that comes with cross-talk cancellation technology for a more immersive gaming experience.
Price: Rs 21,990
Sony HT-S2000
It’s ridiculously easy to set this up — just connect this soundbar with your TV with an HDMI cable and you’re done. The new smartphone app — Sony Home Entertainment Connect offers easy set-up and intuitive operation. You can also run things from the in-box remote control unit. That’s not the only reason to consider this powerful soundbar; it’s also the cinematic surround sound with the thrill of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Sony’s new upmixer delivers three-dimensional surround sound while the built-in dual subwoofer and front speakers feature an X-Balanced Speaker unit. The unique rectangular shape of these speakers maximises the diaphragm area for more punchy bass that we’ve come to expect with Sony.
Price: Rs 39,989
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
We’ve been fans of Sonos’s minimalist design aesthetic, the second-gen Beam soundbar features a new, precisely perforated grille that elevates the elegant design language. The Beam uses microphones in your iOS device with Sonos’s Trueplay technology to analysis the unique acoustics of your space and optimises the speaker’s EQ. This soundbar benefits from Sonos’s spatial audio with advanced processing that creates phantom height channels (that bounce sound off the ceiling and back down towards you to simulate height) for Dolby Atmos content. This ensures you’re immersed in a multi-dimensional soundstage. This soundbar has been fine-tuned by Oscar-winning sound engineers; the speech enhancement option (You can activate it on the companion app) ensures you can hear every word.
Price: Rs 59,999
Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar
One of the best premium soundbars you can buy right now, the Ultra features two upward firing speakers that surround you in sound from every direction including overhead. We’re seeing multiple soundbars with voice enhancement algorithms baked in. This one comes with AI Dialogue Mode that balances voice and surround sound to ensure crystal clear dialogues when you’re streaming your favourite content. The companion app ensures easy set up with either a HDMI or an eARC connection (both cables in the box). This soundbar has Amazon Alexa baked in and also syncs up with Google devices with Google Assistant for easy, voice commands.
Price: Rs 99,900
