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Soundbar Reviews

Harman Kardon Sabre SB35 front set

Harman Kardon Sabre SB 35 review

The Sabre SB35 sound bar brings gorgeous good looks, and one of the slimmest profiles we’ve seen on the market. But did Harman Kardon go too thin with this sliver of silver to produce hi-fi audio performance?
Definitive Solo Cinema Soundbar review front angle

Definitive Technology Solo Cinema Studio review

The SoloCinema Studio 5.1 sound bar is loaded with powerful hardware and highly-tuned virtual surround software, all wrapped in a sleek and compact design. Follow along with our evaluation to see if this powerful system is worth $1,200 of your hard-earned dollars.
Yamaha YSP1400 center speaker 2

Yamaha YSP-1400 review

Yamaha’s Digital Sound Projectors aren’t your typical sound bars. Armed with an array of small drivers, built-in subwoofers and highly customizable sound control, even the entry-level YSP-1400 offers more than the similarly-priced competition.
LG SoundPlate LAP340 full

LG Sound Plate LAP340 review

Those not up for a sound bar may find favor with a rapidly expanding new trend: the sound base. Or, as LG calls theirs, sound plate. Whatever you call them, these devices offer serious space-saving and much-improved sound quality over TV speakers.
Samsung HWF5500 Soundbar system front sub

Samsung HW-F550 review

Samsung’s HW F550 offers a lot features in a pretty package for not a lot of cash. But while the system is big on bass and generally inoffensive, it lacks the clarity and zing some would expect, even from a budget sound bar solution.
Pinnacle 8210 full

Pinnacle Front Row Sys 8210 review

If you came across this review because you saw this sound bar on a deal page, go ahead and buy knowing you’ll get your money’s worth. Just don’t expect a super-premium sound experience.
Pioneer Soundbar SP SB23W subwoofer side

Pioneer SP-SB23W review

Andrew Jones once again proves his advanced design chops can bring value and performance to Pioneer’s entry-level audio products with his work on the Pioneer SP-SB23W speaker bar. We just wish it didn’t suffer from Bluetooth issues.
Yamaha YAS 152 corner angle

Yamaha YAS-152 review

Last year, the YAS-101 sound bar dazzled us with big bass from a slim cabinet. This year, the replacement YAS-152 got longer and the bass got bigger, but clarity and definition took a hit.
AudioExperts 4TV front corner top angle

AudioXperts 4TV Model 2112 review

AudioXperts 4TV model 2112 delivers outstanding fidelity from a gorgeously designed and built piece of furniture. When neither side will compromise, this speaker successfully appeases both the décor-conscious and the audiophile.
Philips Fidelio soundbar HTL7180 front

Philips Fidelio HTL9100 review

Philips deserves high praise for being the first to bring truly wireless surround speakers to the masses, and the Fidelio’s stylish appeal is hard to resist. However, despite offering seamless surround sound, there’s a certain something missing from its sound signature.
Sharp HT SB60 Soundbar review soundbar and subwoofer

Sharp HT-SB60 review

The Sharp HT-SB60’s wide stance affords it impressive stereo separation, and it is capable of big, robust sound, but its grating, sharp treble is a deal breaker for us.

Paradigm Soundtrack Review

Once again, Paradigm puts its signature sound into a package that will suit nearly any décor. The Soundtrack 2.1 sound bar system is potent, accurate and lyrical in a way that rivals hi-fi stereo rigs.

Definitive Technology SoloCinema XTR Review

Between its comprehensive connectivity options, support for lossless HD surround formats, and solid engineering, the Definitive Technology SoloCinema XRT has set the bar extremely high in its category.

Vizio S4251W-B4 Review

Vizio may not be known for audio, but its reputation for value remains intact in the inexpensive but surprisingly capable S4251W-B4.

Sonos Playbar Review

The Sonos Playbar delivers on its promise of offering sweet, musical sound for audio purists, and its wireless ecosystem remains one of the best in the business. We just wish this sound bar offered more than one, lonely input.

Klipsch HD Theater SB 3 Review

Klipsch’s size-no-object SB3 sound bar offers sonic accuracy on par with high-end stereo speakers and the best-sounding subwoofer we’ve seen in a bundled package, but its lack of digital inputs and control features may cause pause for some.

Toshiba Mini 3D Review

Toshiba’s Mini 3D sound bar astounded us with jaw-dropping sound from a box less than a foot long, with a price just as improbably small.

Vizio SB4021M-A1 Review

The Vizio SB4021M sound bar and wireless subwoofer provide plenty of oomf for not much dough, making the package an ideal complement to A/V buyers on a budget.
Martin Logan Motion Vision review soundbar

MartinLogan Motion Vision Sound Bar Review

MartinLogan brings the sound bar up to audiophile standards with the Motion Vision and accompanying Dynamo 1000 wireless subwoofer.
Panasonic SC HTB250 review home theater system

Panasonic SC-HTB350 Review

The SC-HTB350 is an easily affordable, big-sounding solution with flexibility that is hard to match. For those not too picky about the minutiae of sound, this system will please with pounding bass, the ability to deliver audible dialog and more input options that competing devices.

Energy Power Bar Elite Review

Despite a name that brings to mind granola more than high-fidelity audio, Energy's Power Bar Elite booms with the best of them.
yamaha-yas-101-top-angle-left

Yamaha YAS-101 Review

Review: The Yamaha YAS-101 is the company’s most affordable sound bar yet, but still produces impressive bass without the need for a separate subwoofer.
Boston-Acoustics-Tvee-Model-30-soundbar-subwoofer

Boston Acoustics Tvee Model 30 Review

The Boston Acoustics Tvee Model 30 soundbar and subwoofer combo pumps out quality audio from an unobtrusive package perfect for flat-screen TVs.
boston acoustics tvee model 20 review g1

Boston Acoustics Tvee Model 20 Review

We review the Boston Acoustics TVee Model 20 which offer a significant upgrade to your TV’s sound in a very simple and extremely easy to use package.

Vizio VSB210WS Soundbar Review

This inexpensive soundbar will vastly improve the sound from almost any TV, with minimal hassle.

Denon DHT-FS5 Review

Denon's one-piece surround solution won't replace a true 5.1 setup, but still impressed us.
samsung ht x810 review panasonic sc htb350

Samsung HT-X810 Review

This all-in-one system is sleek looking, powerful and technically advanced. So is the price.

Philips HTS8100 Review

The Philips HTS8100 Ambisound DVD Home Theater System features a futuristic design and advanced features.

John Higgins is Digital Trends’ Senior Editor and section lead for A/V. After receiving his Bachelor in Music with an Audio Production focus from Ithaca College and Master of Music in Keyboard Collaborative Arts from the University of Southern California, he began working for Home Theater Magazine in 2003. His time in the print and online publishing world has been spent as a writer, editor, copy editor, researcher, and test lab technician. Most recently, Higgins was the Managing Editor of Tech at Reviewed, part of the USA Today network, where he led the website’s tech coverage. He has previously written for Wirecutter, IGN, Projector Central, T3, Sound & Vision, and Home Theater Magazine covering projectors, televisions, headphones and earbuds, sound bars and speakers, and monitors. He is a yearly attendee at CES and an ISF level 3 certified calibrator.

In addition to his career in publishing, Higgins has been a professional musician since the late 90s, having performed on piano in solo recitals, as a collaborative partner with various singers and instrumentalists, and with the Pacific Symphony. He also is an accomplished guitarist and, with his pop/rock band, has played such hallowed L.A. venues as the Troubadour, Roxy, Viper Room, and House of Blues. For 10 years, he was a teacher and music director at a private school in Los Angeles, and following his teaching career spent some time in the film industry as a post-production sound editor and composer.

Originally from just outside Boston, Higgins has been a Los Angeles resident since 2001 where he lives with his wife, son, two rescue dogs, and parrot. When not working, he spends his time watching TV shows about cooking and serial killers, preparing for his next D&D session, ignoring the growing list of games in his Steam gaming library, and building Legos with his son.