Email
For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.
by Editors of Home Theater magazine
Home Theater magazine reviews sound bar systems in single product reports and multi-sound bar roundups. Most recently, it bestowed Top Pick honors on the Vizio VSB210WS sound bar for the job it does given… its modest cost, and to the Polk SurroundBar 360 for its ability to do a better job than most sound bars in creating a surround-sound effect. In an older roundup, the Polk SurroundBar 50 is declared the winner on the basis of its overall sound, but the Denon DHT-FS3 scores a solid second place for its "package of price, aesthetics, setup and features."
by Editors of Sound & Vision
Like Home Theater magazine, Sound & Vision magazine covers sound bars in single product reports and multi-sound bar reports. Few sound bars do well enough to earn the magazine's Certified and Recommended… tag, but the Yamaha YSP-4000 breaks through by besting all comers in a seven-sound-bar face-off. "This is an impressive soundbar and -- no pun intended -- it raises the bar for any competitor," writes reviewer Ken Pohlmann.
by Editors of CNET
CNET reviews sound bar speaker systems (and other types of virtual surround-sound systems) on occasion, with the best winding up in this listing. Testing is thorough, and the reports are meaty without being… overwhelming, though certainly shorter than at some enthusiast publications and websites. The Yamaha YSP-4000 is called "the best there is" among sound bar systems. The far-less-expensive Sony HT-CT100 is called "a phenomenal value that sounds great with movies and music." A separate listing names the best passive sound bars, with the top spot reserved for the Definitive Technology Mythos SSA-50. The less expensive Polk Audio SurroundBar 50 also rates well.
by Editors of HomeTheaterReview.com
by Editors of AudioVideoRevolution.com
by Robert Silva
Robert Silva's sound bar reports at About.com are a mixed bag. On one hand, many are no more than a paragraph or so of description, with no sign of any hands-on testing. At the other end of the spectrum,… some reports are expertly done, on point, and meticulously documented, right down to descriptions of all of the hardware -- even the interconnecting cables -- and software used. Though recommendations are not made, some -- but not all -- sound bars get a star rating. A few sound bars have also attracted some reader reviews. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
by Editors of BigPictureBigSound.com
BigPictureBigSound.com's sound bar reviews take a little searching to find, but it's worth the effort because the reports are balanced and complete. And they're written in such a way as to inform without… overwhelming those less experienced with home theater. Ratings are provided, but the four-star scale results in most sound bars scoring similarly. The Polk SurroundBar 360 isn't inexpensive, but it "delivers on all of its big promises." The Sharp HT-SB300 is good choice for someone "who wants a taste of the home theater experience without the expense and complexity of multiple speakers."
by Editors of Audioholics.com
Audioholics.com emphasis high-end audio and video gear. While few sound bars are reviewed here, the Yamaha YSP-4000 is an exception. Tom Andry stresses the sound bar to its practical limits by testing it in… a room that does not lend itself well to the technology used, and comes away relatively impressed despite some initial reluctance to test a virtual surround-sound system at all. A more recent review of the Vizio VSB210WS fails to impress Aaron Howard.
by Contributors to AVSForum.com
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Amazon.com gives sound bar owners the chance to post reviews about their systems. While most sound bars attract only a few ratings, others have lots of feedback -- such as the Sony HT-CT100, which boasts… more than 200 user reports. While review quality varies, some reports are quite helpful. Because there's a decent amount of variation, the ratings assigned by users are also sometimes illuminating.
by Editors of EngadgetHD.com
EngadetHD.com is better as a destination for news about new sound bars and links to reviews elsewhere on the Internet, but it also conducts its own reviews on rare occasion. Steven Kim reviews the Samsung… HT-WS1 sound bar in a nicely detailed report. Heavy-handed bass is its downfall, though the sound bar still outperforms most TVs when it comes to sound. It is also a pretty decent performer with movies, though some experimentation may be needed for best results.
by Contributors to BestBuy.com
by Contributors to Crutchfield.com
by Editors of TrustedReviews.com
Britain's TrustedReviews.com reviews a small handful of sound bars among the many speaker systems it covers. Many but not all of the sound bars are available in the U.S. However, none rise to the level… needed to earn a recommended tag. The best of the bunch is the Samsung HT-WS1G, which doesn't quite measure up sonically to the top sound bars available but still sounds impressive and is a "great-value way of upgrading from your TV's speakers."
by Editors of DigitalTrends.com
DigitalTrends.com hosts a few reviews of soundbars, but the site experience is marred by the large number of discontinued sound bars still listed. Sound bars get ratings, but there are too few reviews for… them to have much weight. No current sound bar rises to the level needed to earn Editors' Choice awards. The reviews themselves are competent, but are not overwhelming for the neophyte. Other sites, however, do offer more details.
by Kristofer Brozio
by "Thomas S"
|
This is our assessment of the review’s relevance, clarity of testing and thoroughness.
Read more about our Ratings Criteria by clicking the link at the top of the page.
|
||
Sony HTCT100 Sound Bar with Subwoofer - Black
 from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
Average Customer Review:   |
||
|
|
Polk Audio SurroundBar360° DVD Home Theater System (Black)
from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
Yamaha YSP-4000BL Digital Sound Projector (Black)
from Amazon.com New: Too low to display In Stock.
Average Customer Review: |
||
|
|
