The sound bars have appeared in many salons to improve the sound of flat TVs that have become a bit asthmatic in recent years …
The bars do a great job to make the sound less “cardboard” and make it a volume and a real dynamic range nice. Why not use it to broadcast his music? Not all models are clearly capable, mainly for reasons of quality of rendering, which would pass for classic TV or for a film, but which fishing during a listening attentive or with a high volume.
We give you here the important criteria to choose a model, then to draw on our selection to see how the big names in the field have incorporated these principles to create their products.
What criteria for a soundbar that can play music?
Sound quality
It is necessarily the first criterion and it seems a little boat like that but the sound quality is the result of many details. The loudspeakers should preferably be as large as possible, which allows them to reproduce the mediums as well as possible. It is on this point that some models make a difference that it is almost impossible to catch up with artifices of sound processing.
Sound is a movement of air, and so for optimum quality it should not be slowed down. The good passage of the air is therefore to judge, by looking if there are vents in the bar.
The processing electronics is very important. A bar with a successful signal processing can save in sound comfort. On this domain, Bose is master.
Specialization of sound
Unlike a 5.1 or 7.1 home theater, the soundbar offers only one source of sound. However by playing on the orientation of the speakers inside the bar, manufacturers like Yamaha manage to use the walls of the room to bounce sound waves and give an impression of surround sound. This technique was thought for movies, but also works very well for spatializing the sound when listening to music.
Wireless connectivity
To fully enjoy a sound bar to listen to music, it is better that it is easy to connect, and even better, it can be used independently with a Bluetooth connection. Directly from his tablet or smartphone, it becomes possible to listen to his favorite playlists. For those who rely on streaming platforms for their music, this criterion may become the number 1.
Top 5 sound bars for music
Wohome S9920
Dominate the world of TVs, it’s not enough for the electronics giant Wohome. The firm is now trying to break into the world of quality consumer audio by providing one of the best sound bar in the market.
By putting a lot of effort, Wohome released the sound bar Wohome S9920. A great feat on the part of the China giant. Sound power well controlled with a clarity approaching the very high-end pure a much smaller price. This sound bar excels in both movies and music where we find bass very well suited, neither too weak nor too strong.
With a very affordable price, a W-Fi connection, Bluetooth, Hdmi, … In short, the soundbar Wohome S9920 is one of the speakers that has the best value for money .
Characteristics
- Input: bluetooth, AUX in, 3.5mm in, USB, optical, coaxial
• Material: high-grade ABS
• Dimension: 4.0 x 4.1 x 39.7 in
• Distortion: <1%
• Frequency response: 40HZ-20K HZ
• Speakers: 4*15W full Range+2*10W Tweeters
• Output: 80W
• STN: ≥105dB
• Input power: DC 19V, 3.4A
• Channle: 2.0
Yamaha YAS-105
Yamaha is known for its quality hifi equipment, and this YAS-105 has all the genes of the brands. This is a very successful bar of sound, with the elegance to which the Japanese brand has accustomed us. It can sit flat on a piece of furniture or sit upright on a wall.
The bar directly integrates 2 subwoofers, with side vents, which avoids the clutter of a remote box.
Yamaha’s Air Surround Xtreme technology manages the spatialization of sound wonderfully.
It has Bluetooth connectivity, which can also turn on or off the bar from its mobile device.
WE love :
Spatialization of sound
We like less:
No box
Bose Solo 5
As for portable speakers, Bose has entered the soundbar market, and has excelled with great products, including our favorite, the Solo 5.
The quality of finish is perfect, and the sober design is discreet. On the other hand when we raise the sound it is noticed! The power is there!
The remote is very complete and well made too. It is universal and allows you to take control of other devices such as a Bluray player or console. Finished the swarm of remote controls on the coffee table.
It also accepts streaming via Bluetooth.
WE love :
The quality remote control
We like less:
No box
Denon DHT-T110
To continue this selection, another famous name of the hifi. Denon’s DHT-T110 is a soundboard, which means it’s best positioned under the TV. This type of architecture usually has more trunk than an extra-flat bar. It does not need to be completed by a box, and diffuses the sound according to a very homogeneous spectrum.
WE love :
Tray format
We like less:
Sound quality
Samsung HW-K450 / ZF
The Korean brand is very present on all technological sectors. No exception for sound bars. The HW-K450 / ZF, with its 300 Watts RMS, is the model for shaking walls.
It is a very classic product, versatile, at an attractive price. It deserves to be included in our Top 5.
The subwoofer is in wireless connection with the bar, for increased ease of installation. The Bluetooth connection with smartphones allows streaming, as well as the Power function.
WE love :
Samsung connectivity
We like less:
finishes
Sonos Playbar
Sonos is the reference for wireless multi-room systems. Clearly oriented towards the best stock markets, the brand is distinguished by its high quality user experience.
The playbar is therefore a single element of a complete ecosystem. To embark on Sonos implies to ask questions about the whole of its musical and cinematographic atmosphere. For those who want an apartment or a standard home, it’s a complete technological solution. For those looking for a “simple” soundbar, it is better to turn to Bose or Yamaha.
