Soundbars are very essential devices used with televisions for a cinematic movie experience at home. Whilst there are many important factors that are needed in a good soundbar, loudness and audio clarity are unavoidable. This article is for audiophiles who are looking for the best soundbars for low volume. The table below summarizes eight of the best soundbars that we have reviewed.
Without further ado, let’s look at the individual detailed reviews of the chosen 8 best soundbars for low volume.
Bose Smart Soundbar 700
The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 is a 3.0 channel soundbar that has a unique and clean design as well as an amazing audio response. It has an elegant exterior and it is equipped with four midrange drivers which work well with the advanced technologies to ensure an immersive and spacious soundstage.
Reasons to buy
- The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 has a wide front soundstage
- It includes ADAPTiQ audio calibration which adjusts audio according to the audio room
- It includes a smart universal remote for easy controls
- The soundbar has an elegant design which goes well with any home theater
Reasons to avoid
- Some music services are not supported by the soundbar
- The soundbar does not include HDMI inputs
- There is no chromecast option for andriod
Design and build
The Bose Smart sounbar, as its name suggests has a really smart design. Available in glossy black and arctic white, these speakers boast a sleek cabinet with premium build quality. The top of the soundbar is made up of glass whilst the front and side is covered with aluminum grilles. Although the top of the soundbar can easily catch dust and get dirty with fingerprints, the removable mental grilles keep the drivers inside protected.
The design of the soundbar is very minimal. Its surface hosts only two touch sensitive controls, one which is for power and the other for muting built-in smart assistants. The back of the soundbar includes two ports- one for power and the other for inputs.
Features
- Built-in voice assistant
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
- Apple Airplay 2 compatibility
- Personalized Bose music app
- Optional bass module and surround speakers
- Universal remote
- ADAPTIQ audio calibration
Connectivity
The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 includes a variety of different connections. These are an optical and digital input, HDMI port, Ethernet port and a micro USB port. There are also sockets for power cable, four 3.5mm jacks for subwoofer and other jacks for the headset. However, one setback is that the soundbar does not allow an RCA input which can be quite useful at times.
The soundbar also offers wireless connections such as Wi-Fi, Apple, Airplay 2 and Bluetooth. he WiFi and Bluetooth available can help you control it wirelessly using the Bose Music App. The sounbar 700 has built-in voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Lastly, there is an IR remote control which can be used to make the adjustments.
Audio Performance
The Bose Smart soundbar 700 has incorporates four midrange drivers. Thanks to these drivers and some unique technology, the sounbar offers clear and articulated audio response. The Bose ADAPTIQ audio calibration uses automation technology to test the acoustics of the audio room and adjust accordingly to optimize the audio response. It also has PhaseGuide arrays at the sides of the soundbars which project sound to make it seem like there are invisible speakers above the TV. All these technologies ensure a wide soundstage with three dimensional audio performance.
Nevertheless, the lack of a separate subwoofer is evident when the soundbar is used to play movies and games. The soundstage feels a little constrained with no substantial surround sound effects when action movies are played. But this doesn’t mean that smart soundbar isn’t great- it performs exceptional with musical experience.
Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar
The Sennheiser Ambeo is a soundbar that offers immersive audio experience to your movie nights more enjoyable. It has an accurate sound profile and it offers surround sound audio output which is great for movies. Although a little expensive, the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar is worth every penny you are going to spend on it.
Reasons to buy
- The Sennheiser Ambeo offers a three dimensional audio response with rich, natural sound thanks to the unique AMBEO technology.
- A variety of different connectivity options allow the users to stream audio with convenience.
Reasons to avoid
- The soundbar is large and heavy.
- The Sennheiser Ambeo is a little expensive if you are on budget.
- The bass response gets weaker at higher volumes.
Design and build
The first thing that stands out for the Sennheiser Ambeo’s design is that the soundbar is very large. With a dimension of 49.8 x 5.3 x 6.7 inches, these soundbars weigh around 40.8 lbs which makes them really heavy.
The soundbar comes in plain black color as most soundbars do. The top of the soundbar includes two metal grilles and its body is made mostly of plastic. It is covered with fabric on the front and sides so the speakers in the insides of the soundbar are quite visible. The 5.14 channel soundbar includes 13 built-in drivers. The two 3-1/2-inch full-range up-firing drivers are angled to reflect sound off the ceiling for three dimensional soundrange. It also includes five 1-inch aluminum dome tweeters and six 4-inch cellulose long-throw woofers. At the back are connections for digital, analogue, HDMI inputs and so on.
Features
- AMBEO Virtualization Technology
- Multichannel Driver Array
- Auto Room Calibration
- Remote control
- Chromecast Built-in
- Bluetooth 4.2
Connectivity
The soundbar includes an optical toslink digital input which supports Dolby Digital as well as DTS. It also includes an analog auxiliary input that consist of stereo RCA jacks. Apart from these, the Sennheiser AMBEO soundbar also features three HDMI 2.0a inputs and one HDMI 2.1/eARC output.
The soundbar is equipped with an Ethernet (RJ-45) LAN jack for a wired connection to connect with Wi-Fi. It also includes a built-in chromecast which allows users to stream music seamlessly via the app. Lastly, the soundbar is compatible with Bluetooth 4.2 with support for wireless audio streaming and remote control.
Audio Performance
The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar audio specifications suggest that it has a frequency range of 30 hertz to 20000 hertz and a sensitivity of 94 db. Much of this is reflected in the audio testing.
The soundbar has a moderately good frequency response without the AMBEO mode enabled. Even though the bass response is great, its audibly lower than the other frequencies at the same volume. The midrange and treble perform better and this is assuming the thirteen drivers that have been optimally positioned for a greater audio response.
The audio response is further enhanced with the AMBEO sound mode. This is a three dimensional virtualization technology that recreates a surround sound effect. The soundbar offers precise and detailed audio response which is great for people who love watching movies. The 360 spatial sound technology also makes these soundbar very suitable for listening to music.
Yamaha YAS-207
The Yamaha YAS-207 are excellent choice of soundbars for audiophiles looking to upgrade their home theater system within a budget. Theses soundbars offer a balanced sound with an enhanced audio dialogue clarity, are easy to set up and includes advanced DTS Virtual X technology for an enjoyable and three dimensional movie experience.
Reasons to buy
- The Yamaha YAS-207 has a slim and sophisticated design.
- The soundbar is suitable for wall mounting.
- The YAS-207 offers a detailed, accurate and crisp audio response
Reasons to avoid
- The midrange and treble response of the soundbar could have been improved
Design and build
Simple and sophisticated are the two words that can be used to describe the design of the Yamaha YAS-207 soundbar. The soundbar is an all-black and grey slim bar which can be wall mounted quite easily. It is made up of mostly plastic with a mesh-like fabric wrapped around it. Although there is a chance of the fabric in ripping, it shouldn’t be a major concern if the soundbar isn’t moved around a lot.
The top of the soundbar is composed of a textured plastic which resembles faux leather. On the front of the YAS-207 are touch controls for power, volume adjustments and switching of inputs. Green LED lights indicate which inputs are connected. The back of the soundbar includes ports for HDMI out (ARC), HDMI in, a 3.5mm analog jack, USB and an optical connection.
Features
- DTS Virtual:X virtual 3D surround sound
- Useful remote control
- Home Theater Controller app
- Bluetooth compatibility
- Versatile connectivity options
Connectivity
The Yamaha YAS-207 includes an Optical Audio in, which can be used for surround sound. It also includes a HDMI ARC and a Full HDMI in ports which can be used if you want to plug in a Blu-ray player or a game console. The HDMI output supports HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC), so you can use a single HDMI cable to send an AV signal to your TV and receive audio from your TV over the same cable. The Analog 3.5mm allows users to plug in the phone if they prefer a better connectivity. Via the HDMI in you can play audio from services such as Netflix which supports surround sound.
Audio Performance
The Yamaha YAS-207 is a great sounding soundbar at a budget. It’s audio performance defies the physical dimension of the soundbar. It is loud and has an excellent spacious three dimensional stereo imaging to offer. Yamaha’s YAS-207 is the first soundbar available to deliver DTS Virtual:X. This technology analyzes an incoming audio signal and uses the Yamaha’s speakers to simulate a 3D sound stage.
The soundbar has a great stereo frequency response and a neutral audio profile. The low frequency or bass response is great, but we believe that it could have been pushed a little further. If the bass feels a little light, you can always pair it up with a bass extension or a subwoofer. Nevertheless, the audio reproduction is extremely articulate and accurate in the midrange and treble section. This results in absolute dialogue clarity, detailed and precise instruments and vocals. Overall, the soundbar does an excellent job at enhancing movies.
Sonos Beam
The Sonos Beam is a small and affordable TV soundbar that offers great audio response with substantial accuracy and dialogue clarity. It includes HDMI arc connectivity and a voice control assistant that makes it easier to control the soundbar. Overall, it’s a great choice for audiophiles beginning their journey with soundbars.
Reasons to buy
- The Sonos Beam has a compact design with great build quality.
- The soundbar iis HDMI ARC compatible
- It offers great dialogue clarity even in high volumes
Reasons to avoid
- The soundbar lacks DTS or Dolby Atmos compatibility
Design and build
The Sonos Soundbar is quite an ordinary looking soundbar- it has a plain back design with nothing extraordinary. Nevertheless, the build quality of these soundbars exceed expectations. The wise soundbar can easily sit infront of the TV without hiding it. It is mostly made up of solid plastic and has a mesh fabric covering like any other soundbar. The soundbar is available in black and white finishing and has a premium texture to its surface.
On top of the soundbar rest the touch sensitive buttons. There are three buttons- one for volume adjustments, one for selecting previous or next track and the other button is for play/pause and microphone mute. There is also an LED light which is used to indicate the mute status and voice feedback of the soundbar. The Sonos Beam houses four full-range drivers, one tweeter and three passive radiators, plus five class-D amplifiers. At the back of the bar are minimal connection ports such as ethernet, HDMI slot, power and a Wi-Fi button.
Features
- Multi-Speaker Array: 1 tweeter, 4 woofers, 3 passive radiators
- Five Class-D digital amplifier
- Trueplay Tuning for Apple iOS 8.0+
- Built-in Microphones with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant Voice Control
- Sonos S1 or S2 Controller App for Android
- AirPlay 2 with Siri
- Online Music Streaming services
Connectivity
The Sonos Beam has limited number of physical inputs. It includes an ethernet port and an HDMI ARC in port. The soundbar uses its Optical out connection via its included HDMI to Optical adapter for Dolby Digital surround sound playback. Sonos Beam supports surround sound over the HDMI ARC port. However, it only supports Dolby Digital content and cannot play cannot play object-based sound formats like Dolby Atmos or DTS: X. Even if the soundbar does not support Bluetooth connectivity, it can be connected to an external device using Wi-Fi. There are also some apps like Spotify that have direct support built-in so you can easily cast your favorite songs from your mobile device.
Audio Performance
The soundbaris quite great in terms of overall audio performance even if its bass response requires some improvement. The soundstage provided by these soundbar is extremely detailed and vivid. The soundbar can also get pretty loud, especially in the bass region. The center channel speaker has excellent performance. It reproduced dialogue clearly. The soundbar also has a variety of different audio feature. One of these is the dialogue enhancement which offers clearer speech. The night mode adjusts the volume for different content as it changes. There is also a room correction feature available via IOS that adjusts the sound profile according to the room.
Sony HT SF200
The Sony HT SF200 are 2.1 channel soundbars with a compact and stylish design that lets the audiophiles to set them up quite nicely with their home theater system. The best thing about these soundbars is that they are incredibly great for the price range that they come at. Incorporated with S-Force PRO Front Surround technology, the HT SF200 performs exceptionally well and leaves the user immersed within a spacious soundstage with impeccable details in audio.
Reasons to buy
- The Sony HT SF200 is compact and it takes up less room
- The soundbar offers great performance at a reasonable price range
- The dialogue clarity with these soundbars is great
Reasons to avoid
- The soundbar does not have enough power for greater audio reproduction
- The soundbar offers limited connectivity options
Design and build
The Sony HT SF200 is a compact soundbar that has a sleek and smooth exterior. These soundbars are available in two stylish color options: charcoal black and crème white. It has dimensions that will easily fit in between most 55-inch television without blocking it. The front of soundbar is composed of metal whereas the rest of the soundbar is made up of plastic. The soundbar is very tall but it sits quite nicely underneath the standard TV size. The build quality of the HT SF200 is impressive. However, there is one technical detail that Sony missed out on. The subwoofer is embedded into the design of the soundbar, and there is no covering to protect it from damage. Other than that, the soundbar is pretty robust and is also stylish to look at.
Features
- Compact soundbar with built-in subwoofer
- Remote control
- Wireless connectivity with TV through Bluetooth
- One cable HDMI ARC
- S-Force PRO Front Surround Technology
Connectivity
The Sony HT SF200 includes an optical audio in, HDMI ARC, HDMI Out and a USB connection. The soundbar cannot be used as a hub between the PC or game consoles and the TV. It also doesn’t include full HDMI input. The Sony HT SF 200 does not include Wi-Fi and Apply Airplay. It also doesn’t have a Chromecast built-in. Nevertheless, it does support Bluetooth connectivity. This is where the soundbar lacks but it’s still sufficient when compared to the sound performance.
Audio Performance
The soundbar offers surround sound technology and this is the part that shines the most in its audio performance. The Sony HT SF 200 includes S–Force PRO Front Surround technology. This technology helps to create the effect for the audiophile of being surrounded by speakers without wires trailing around the room. The soundbar functions by emitting sound waves in different directions so that they bounce off from the wall and reach the users ears so as to create a three dimensional space in the audio room. Since the subwoofer is already incorporated into the body of the soundbar, the bass response is enhanced and quite impactful. You would certainly be able to hear the thunder and roar of the action movies with excitement. Lastly, the only thing missing here is the fact that the soundbar has a power rating of 80 watts. This means that the effect might be little underwhelming when played in a large and spacious room.
Vizio V Series V51-H6
The Vizio V Series V51-H6 is a 5.1 channel soundbar which offers surround sound technology incorporated with dialogue enhancement to make your action, horror or dramatic movies more interesting and enjoyable. Whilst the soundbar does not support Atmos content, it does allow customizable audio. It features Bluetooth for greater connectivity and also comes with a backlit remote for quicker and easier adjustments.
Reasons to buy
- The soundbar has an elegant matte black finish which makes it stand out
- It offers robust surround sound for an immersive movie experience
- The soundbar allows playback of customizable audio
Reasons to avoid
- The Vizio V series V51-H6 soundbar does not support Atmos content
Design and build
The Vizio V Series V51- H6 are really good looking soundbars with a sleek and stylish design. These soundbars are composed mostly of plastic, with the front and sides being carefully covered with mesh like fabric. Although the bar isn’t that wide, there might be some difficulty fitting it between 55 inch televisions. Nevertheless, it doesn’t block the television screen if it is placed carefully.
The build quality of the soundbar is decent, it uses material that feels premium to the touch. It is quite durable and sturdy as well. At the top of the soundbar are touch sensitive buttons which can be used for adjustments. The Vizio logo has been carved in elegantly at one side on the surface of the black soundbar. At the back of the Vizio V51-H6 are the ports for connectivity. Apart from these ports, there are universal openings to keep the soundbar mounted.
Features
- Dolby Audio and DTS Digital Surround technology
- Custom full range drivers for powerful projection
- 5-inch wireless subwoofer for enhanced bass response
- Backlit remote control for easy audio adjustments
- Dialogue enhancement features
- Four EQ presets
- Bluetooth compatibility
Connectivity
The Vizio V Series V51-H6 soundbar has several inputs. These include an optical audio input, an HDMI ARC, a 3.5 mm AUX port and a USB connectivity for files. This soundbar supports both Dolby Digital and DTS content via its Optical Audio In. Moreover, it supports some common formats for streaming platforms and Blu-ray discs though its HDMI ARC port. However, the soundbar does not have a full HDMI in port. The soundbar also includes connection ports for the subwoofer that comes with it. The Vizio V Series V51-H6 also supports Bluetooth connectivity which lets the users to stream content from their phone to the soundbar wirelessly.
Audio Performance
The soundbar has a great stereo frequency response with a balanced and neutral audio reproduction. The Vizio V series V51-H6 is a detailed mid-channel and stereo soundbar audio, The soundbar performs exceptionally and the highlight is the general balance of dialogue, music, and sound effects when movies are played. With excellent stereo dynamics, the surround sound effects displayed by these soundbars are quite commendable. Futhermore, it also includes four EQ presets available to help the users adjust the sound: ‘Movie’, ‘Music’, ‘Direct’, and ‘Game’. The impressive center channel ensures that audio is articulate and the dialogue being reproduced is clear and accurate. Overall, these soundbars perform quite well in terms of audio response.
Samsung HW-Q800A
The Samsung HW-Q800A are powerful 3.1.2 channel soundbars for all the movie lovers. The sleek and stylish soundbar has a number of different features for versatile use. In addition to two HDMI connections (one of which uses eARC) and optical input, it has Bluetooth, which can be connected to WiFi and streamed via Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2. All of this can be controlled via integrated Amazon Alexa voice. assistant.
Reasons to buy
- The soundbar has some good range of features.
- The soundstage is spacious and the overall audio performance is immersive.
- The Samsung HW-Q800A has an appealing design.
Reasons to avoid
- The best features of the soundbar can only be used with the new Samsung
Design and build
The soundbar has an impressive build quality and it also looks fashionable for your home theater. It is a bit of a weighty soundbar but its dimensions allow it to be placed easily underneath the television without obstructing it. It’s width also allows it to be wall mounted. Composed of plastic, the soundbar has a metal grille layer on top of it for added protection.
On top of the soundbar are small buttons for adjustments of volume, power button etc. The front has a small LED display which you can use to keep track of the adjustments. The back fo the soundbar is for the openings- connection ports for optical digital input, eARC and HDMI.
Features
- Dedicated Center & Dolby Atmos Channels
- Acoustic Beam Technology
- Variety of Sound Modes for audio adaptability
- Built-In Alexa with Microphone
- Bluetooth compatibility
- Auto power on/off
Connectivity
The soundbar features an optical (toslink) digital input which supports Dolby Digital (5.1ch), DTS (5.1ch), and 2Ch PCM. It is not equipped with an analogue input however. Moreover, it includes an HDMI 2.1 input and one HDMI 2.1 output both of which are eARC compatible. eARC stands for enhanced Audio Return Channel and supports high-resolution, multichannel sound signals, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
The Samsung HW-Q800A features built-in 2.4GHz/5GHz dual-band WiFi. It also has a built-in Bluetooth 4.2. which allows users to wirelessly stream stored music and music apps from your Bluetooth-enabled devices.
Audio Performance
The Samsun HW-Q800A soundbar delivers a sound that is way beyond its size. The soundbar is able to perfectly reproduce every tiny details in the movie that you will watch. The height effect of the channels ensures the sound is dispersed across the whole room, creating a three dimensional audio space.
The soundbar has a great frequency response. It has a neutral sound profile which means that it is suitable for a variety of different audio. Its extended bass allows the audiophiles to enjoy the thump and rumble of the action movies. It has great stereo dynamics as well, the soundbar can get quite loud without it distorting the audio response.
Roku Smart Soundbar
The Roku Smart Soundbar is 2.0 channel soundbar that is great for audio quality. These soundbars are amazing if you are someone who needs a lot of volume to satisfy their audio experience. The soundbar can go very loud and on top of that, it also offers a dialogue enhancement technology.
Reasons to buy
- The Roku Smart soundbar can get very loud.
- The soundbar comes with a dialogue enhancement feature which is adjustable
- The soundbar supports voice assistants
Reasons to avoid
- The soundbar can be made better in terms of bass response
- The Roku Smart does not support Atmos content
Design and build
The soundbar has a robust but smart design. It’s body is mostly composed of plastic and the front is wrapped in a mesh fabric. The soundbar protects 2.5 inch full range drivers just beneath the mesh fabric. It also includes a single operation LED light on its surface.
What is unique about the Roku Smart Soundbar is that unlike most other soundbars, this ones does not have any trace of buttons on its surface. The only thing that rests on the surface of the sounbar is the logo of Roku. If there are no control buttons, how is the soundbar controlled you ask? The Roku soundbar is controlled entirely by a remote control. But you can also use the Roku app to control the soundbar, even if the adjustments are limited. At the back of the soundbar is the input and output ports.
Features
- 4k Streaming
- Bluetooth compatibility
- Remote control with built-in microphone
- Roku Wireless Subwoofer for enhanced bass
Connectivity
The soundbar does not have a lot of connectivity options. It includes a HDMI ARC port, an optical port and a USB port for playing media files. It does allow Bluetooth connectivity. It has a remote control with a built-in microphone which allows it to control the soundbar via voice commands.
Audio Performance
The Roku Smart soundbar utilizes 2.5 inch driver channels to ensure the reproduction of balanced and neutral audio in all bass, midrange and treble section. The bass can sometimes be overpowering, it does require a bit of improvement- especially in higher volume levels. This means that the audio can get a bit muddled in the heavy region. However, the midrange and treble balances out quite nicely and complement each other. Since the mid and treble are ideal for vocal and musical reproduction, the soundbar overall performs quite satisfactory.
The soundbar comes with a few different audio modification options. There is a volume leveling feature which averages the loud and quiet sounds and keeps them in balance. Night mode helps to limit overall noise levels to ensure that the audio doesn’t get too loud. The speech clarity mode is very helpful for dialogue enhancement.
Conclusion
Soundbars are a great choice to upgrade your home theater. These devices help ensure that the audio being transmitted from the television is clear, loud and immersive. Some soundbars are really well performing and they can make dialogue more clear and audio response more accurate. However, there are other soundbars which might make your audio response muddy and unclear. It is very important to know which soundbars are good for low volume since you wouldn’t be able to enjoy the movie and understand the audio without a good one. We have carefully analyzed different soundbars to pick up the ones that you will not be disappointed with when you are enjoying your favorite movie in the weekends.
Freelance tech journalist & author soundboxlab.com Read More
