Soundbars – My New Microphone

A quality soundbar can save listeners a good amount of money versus buying HiFi floorstanding or bookshelf speakers for their entertainment system. Soundbars are a considerable improvement over stock television and computer speakers, and many are of great value when the price is factored in. Though the brand is far from the most critical factor when choosing the optimal soundbar for a given system, it’s relevant to know the top manufacturers of soundbars. In this article, I’ve assembled what I believe to be the top 11 brands. Though obviously subjective and prone to biases, I’ve done my best to list out these brands based on the following metrics (in no particular order): Company reputation Variety of soundbar options Performance of the soundbars Accessibility of the soundbars (how easy they are to find/buy) The company must currently be in operation With all that being said, let’s list out the brands. The top 11 best soundbar brands are: Sonos Klipsch JBL Bowers & Wilkins Denon Sennheiser Sony Yamaha Goldenear Samsung Bose Let’s get into each of these brands in greater detail and explain why they belong in the top 11 best soundbar brands. I’ll share their country of origin, a bit of history, a notable soundbar model, and a link to their official website. Click here to return to My New Microphone’s articles on musical equipment brands/manufacturers. Sonos The Company started manufacturing mutually connected audio devices for households in 2001 when it was unheard of. After critical acclaim, they expanded not only their production capacity but also the scope of their work. Nowadays, they own offices in Australia, Germany, Denmark, China, France, USA, Netherlands, UK, and Sweden, besides a store in London and another in New York City. Sonos solidified itself in the niche of smart speakers. Its soundbars are among the most advanced, technologically speaking, while also providing some of the best audio quality on the market. Notable soundbar: Sonos Arc (link to check the price at B&H Photo/Video) Sonos Arc The Sonos Arc features eleven high-performance speakers to create a fully immersive experience. First, the dual woofers on the sides provide rich bass and rumbly lower tones. Second, the precisely-designed tweeters and drivers are specially tuned to make voices and dialogue crispier and more intelligible. Finally, it all comes in a wireless soundbar compatible with voice controls, the most famous music platforms, and Dolby Atmos ready to hang under your TV. Furthermore, utilizing AirPlay 2, you can stream straight from your phone even if the TV is off. This magnificent soundbar is available in black or white. Sonos was founded in 2002 by John MacFarlane, Craig Shelburne, Tom Cullen, and Trung Mai and is headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, USA. Official website: sonos.com Sonos is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here! Klipsch Committed to Hi-Fi speakers since day one, Klipsch represents the best set of speakers money can buy for many audiophiles around the world. Indeed, they have provided high-fidelity systems, loudspeakers, enclosures, and drivers to companies and end-users since 1946. In January 2011, the company was acquired by Voxx International. Klipsch's lineup of products features fantastic soundbars that, without a doubt, give the brand a top spot on this list. Notable soundbar: Klipsch Heritage Theater Bar (link to check the price at Crutchfield) Klipsch Heritage Theater Bar To begin with, the looks on this soundbar are unlike the rest because the company decided to on real wood (black ash or walnut), and it adds an elite touch to the finish. Although a beautiful piece, this handmade unit also features serious power, reaching the sonic performance of a three-speaker system in an easily mounted single design. Finally, the sound is what you would expect from a world-class brand like Klipsch. It utilizes Tractrix Horn-Loaded technology, six cerametallic woofers (the pinnacle of the Klipsch line), and titanium tweeters for crisp, crystal clear results over that strong bass. This soundbar looks great and sounds even better. Klipsch Audio Technologies was founded in 1946 by Paul W. Klipsch in Hope, Arkansas, as ‘Klipsch and Associates’. In 2011, Audiovox (now Voxx International) acquired Klipsch. The company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. Official website: klipsch.com Parent company: Voxx International Klipsch is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here! JBL JBL products are the trademark sound of a generation sounding loud and proud in studios worldwide, including the legendary Capitol Records in Hollywood. The company was sold to Harman International in 1969 and successfully expanded to the household market, creating legendary pieces that sound amazing and don’t break the bank. JBL has a spectacular catalogue of speakers, and the brand's soundbars add to the company's reputation as one of the best for home audio needs. Notable soundbar: JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam (link to check the price at B&H Photo/Video) JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam Speaking of sounding great and not costing a fortune, this robust piece by JBL fits that bill with grace. For starters, it is a 250-watt unit that supports Dolby Virtual Atmos, can connect to most streaming services, and can be controlled via Alexa and Google Assistant as well. Connection-wise, this soundbar is also very versatile since it can support HDMI (in & out), ethernet, and optical connections as well as Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, and Google Chromecast. Sound-wise, the powerful delivery comes from five 50-watt speakers capable of a frequency range going from 50Hz to 20kHz, covering most of the audible frequencies for humans. If you are looking for performance on a budget, this might be your best choice. JBL was originally founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing and his partner in Los Angeles, California, USA, where the company is still headquartered to this day. The brand is now owned by Samsung Electronics and managed by Harmon International Industries.Lansing also founded the Lansing Manufacturing Company in 1927, which, in 1941, was acquired by Altec Service Corporation to become Altec Lansing. Official website: jbl.com Parent company: Harman International – Samsung Electronics JBL is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here! Bowers & Wilkins Very well-known for being one of the pioneers of using Kevlar for audio, this company has a strong commitment to research and development. Moreover, they have an entire facility dedicated only to that called SRE or Steyning Research Facility. Because of being always a top-notch, audiophile-grade brand, its line grew to include some of the most cutting-edge technology in audio. In 2020, it was acquired by Sound United LLC. Bowers & Wilkins doesn't have the most extensive collection of soundbars. However, we shouldn't mistake quantity for quality. The B&W Formation Bar is near the top of the best soundbars on the market. Notable soundbar: Bowers & Wilkins Formation Bar (link to check the price at B&H Photo/Video) Bowers & Wilkins Formation Bar The Formation system by Bowers & Wilkins is a group of products that can provide any home with a multi-room, multi-channel system in which to play either their favourite music or watch movies with immersive, amazing sound. The heart of the system is the Formation bar, which houses 9 different drivers, including a three-driver center channel for increased detail. Plus, you can easily link it to Bass and Flex products to create real surround sound at home. Finally, it is 100% compatible with Roon, Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, and Bluetooth, as well as Bower & Wilkin’s own music app. Bowers & Wilkins was founded in 1966 by John Bowers in Worthing, West Sussex, England. In 2016, California-based EVA Automation acquired B&W. Today, the brand’s headquarters are in Menlo Park, California, USA. Official website: bowerswilkins.com Parent company: Sound United LLC Bowers & Wilkins is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here! Denon Denon is a high-end audio company dedicated to building systems for the most demanding audiophiles in the world. Denon merged with another audio giant, Marantz, to form D+M Holdings Inc. By March 2017, D+M Holdings was acquired by Sound United LLC, which remains the parent company to this day. Such was Denon’s and Marantz’s expertise that during mergers and acquisitions, no structure was modified. With a great depth of knowledge and resources, the company has produced several high-end soundbars under the Denon brand. Notable soundbar: Denon DHT-S716H (link to check the price at Crutchfield) Denon DHT-S716H Inside this great-looking soundbar, Denon set up a performance-tuned driver array capable of delivering Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master surround sound. Denon made it possible to have a fully immersive experience with a single apparatus. That being said, it is also compatible with Denon’s subwoofer in case you want to push the low frequencies a little further. This soundbar not only looks exceptional, but it is also an outstanding performer in any living room. In that sense, connectivity-wise, this soundbar can connect to HEOS, which opens up a whole universe of possibilities at hand. Finally, it can do it all in style without any cables on sight. Denon was founded in 1910 by Frederick Whitney Horn as part of the Nippon Chikuonki Shokai (Japan Recorders Corporation). Denon, as a brand, came after several mergers. In 1947, Nippon Columbia merged with Japan Denki Onkyo, and the Denon brand was born. D&M Holdings Inc. was created in May 2002 when Denon Ltd and Marantz Japan Inc. merged. On March 1, 2017, Sound United LLC completed the acquisition of D+M Holdings. Today the company is headquartered in Kawasaki, Japan. Official website: denon.com Parent company: Sound United LLC. Denon is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here! Sennheiser Although Sennheiser started as a microphone producer (which it's still largely known for) right after WWII, it soon branched out into sound design and research. After sustained decades of non-stop growth, the company now has offices in Germany and the USA and factories in Germany, Ireland, the USA, Romania, and China. They manufacture and export state-of-the-art equipment to over 50 countries around the world to critical acclaim. To this day, it is still a family-owned business. Sennheiser's soundbars, like their mics, are among the best money can buy. Notable soundbar: Sennheiser AMBEO (link to check the price at B&H Photo/Video) Sennheiser AMBEO Rather than a soundbar, a good description for the Sennheiser AMBEO is “a multi-speaker home cinema system capable of delivering 3-D audio experiences”. The only catch with that definition is making it clear that all of it is packed in one sleek-looking, easy-to-install bar. The AMBEO is made of elegant, tuxedo black, brushed aluminum featuring nothing but minimalistic details. But looks are not all since this great-sounding piece is compatible with Dolby Atmos, dtsX, and MPEG-H and can deliver 5.1 audio. Finally, the AMBEO is fully compatible with Bluetooth technology and features a built-in Google Chromecast. It doesn’t get much better than this. Sennheiser was originally founded in 1945 as “Laboratorium Wennebostel” by Prof. Dr. Fritz Sennheiser in Germany. The company was renamed Sennheiser electronic in 1958. Today, the company is headquartered in Wedemark, Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany. Official website: sennheiser.com Sennheiser is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here! Sony Sony is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of professional and consumer electronic products. The company excels in each of the niches it participates such as video, photography, and video games. That being said, its strongest field has continually been audio; they are responsible for cutting-edge technology and many innovations that changed the way we listen to music today. Within Sony's deep catalogue of world-class audio devices are some of the market's best soundbars. So whether it's your first Sony product or another piece to the collection, choosing a Sony soundbar will surely improve your system. Notable soundbar: Sony HTX8500 (link to check the price on Amazon) Sony HTX8500 This dual-subwoofer design complemented by dual front speakers delivers deep bass and horizontal surround sound with defined, crystal-clear mids and highs. These four speakers are all this exceptional soundbar needs to provide the feeling of being immersed in a 7.1 experience with sound coming from every direction. This unit by Sony is compatible with Dolby Atmos, dtsX, and capable of reproducing 4K HDR sound while taking the smallest real estate possible in your living room. Furthermore, the patented Sony technology applied to voice enhancement can make vocal performances cut through even the most hectic action scenes. Sony was founded in 1946 by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita in Nihonbashi, Chūō, Tokyo, Japan. The company is headquartered in Sony City, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Official website: sony.com Sony is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here! Yamaha Yamaha is a corporation that needs no introduction in any of the industries they excel at, from musical instruments to motorcycles. The leverage of over a century of crafting the best instruments on the planet gave Yamaha the know-how to create some of the best-sounding audio devices in the market today. Yamaha's soundbars build upon its deeply impressive catalogue of top-notch technology. Expect nothing but the best from this brand when it comes to choosing your soundbar. Notable soundbar: Yamaha MusicCast YSP-5600 (link to check the price at B&H Photo/Video) Yamaha MusicCast YSP-5600 The best way to begin describing one of the most monstrous and great-sounding soundbars in the world is by saying that it houses 46 state-of-the-art speakers specially built to create the feeling of a 7.1.2 system immersing the user in 3-D surround sound. But it isn’t all about the astonishing power and definition; this soundbar is also compatible with the latest technology such as Dolby Atmos and dtsX. Moreover, you can connect it with Bluetooth or AirPlay and stream your favourite music all day long. Finally, all the fine-tuning can be done with Yamaha’s own MusicCast app; you can even direct the sound beams straight to your chair! Yamaha did it again. Yamaha Corporation was founded in 1887 as Nippon Gakki Co by Torakusu Yamaha. Today, Yamaha’s headquarters is located in Nakazawacho, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. Official website: yamaha.com Yamaha is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here! GoldenEar Technology Sandy Gross founded three audio companies that changed the landscape of high-end audio: Polk, Definitive Technology, and Goldenear. His expertise and leverage in the audio field took him to the highest standards, and his creations are still sought-after audiophile-grade units that can enhance any sound system. Despite his past achievements, he believes he is doing his best work today with Goldenear; critics and fans agree. Superb soundbars are among this incredible work. Notable soundbar: GoldenEar SuperCinema 3D Array XL (link to check the price at Crutchfield) GoldenEar SuperCinema 3D Array XL The SuperCinema 3D Array XL is the biggest model of the series comprising 8 speakers capable of creating a surround effect and achieving 3-D audio performance in a single unit. Plus, this soundbar comes with High-Velocity Folded Ribbon tweeters for uncanny definition, especially in the human voice and the mid-high frequencies. Also, the Mag-X Coupling Crossover Technology allows this soundbar to offer greater detail while delivering an improved 3D image that goes full 180 degrees and covers the entire room. In this case, the sound is not only larger than the source; it is also an immersing experience on its own. GoldenEar Technology was founded in 2010 by Sandy Gross and Don Givogue. The company headquarters is located in Irvine, California, USA. Official website: goldenear.com Parent company: AudioQuest Samsung Samsung is another company needing no introduction. They have exceeded customer expectations in every niche they've decided to involve themselves with. As was mentioned earlier, Samsung even owns the JBL brand, though the Samsung brand of soundbars also deserved recognition in this list. The company builds large ships as well as tiny Bluetooth headphones with the same passion for excellence. The consistent results in the electronic and audio industry are just what you would expect from a company its size with such leverage and know-how. Notable soundbar: Samsung The Terrace HW-LST70T (link to check the price at B&H Photo/Video) Samsung The Terrace HW-LST70T Unlike all the models above, this soundbar was designed to work outdoors and bring vibrant, powerful sound to gatherings without the need for walls or a ceiling. That is exactly where the name comes from and is the perfect companion for Samsung’s Terrace TV. This soundbar is not only capable of some serious rumble with 210 watts of rich deep tones coming from the central subwoofer, but it is also unaffected by high temperatures and best in class IP55-rated for water and dust resistance. Finally, it is effortless to stream any content you want to this device via Bluetooth or AirPlay. Barbecues and sports get to a different level with Samsung's The Terrace soundbar. Samsung was founded in 1938 by Lee Byung-chul in Daegu, Japanese Korea. Today, the company headquarters is located in Seoul, South Korea. Official website: samsung.com Samsung is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here! Bose Bose is a synonym of some of the best audio equipment for home use and the best companion on the road in the shape of noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds. The brand's soundbars extend its notoriety as one the best in the business when it comes to delivering exceptional sound to listeners. Nowadays, the Bose Corporation employs over 9,000 people around the world and is one of the leading companies in the home audio segment. You really can't go wrong choosing Bose for your soundbar needs. Notable soundbar: Bose Soundbar 700 (link to check the price on Amazon) Bose Soundbar 700 This powerful soundbar by Bose is the perfect living room sound system. To begin with, it comes with built-in Alexa, Google Assistant, and Bose’s Voice4Video technology to use only your voice to access all of its features. Plus, you can connect to it via Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, your home’s Wi-Fi, and Spotify Connect. Another great feature in this soundbar is that you can sync it with your favourite wireless headphones or add any other satellite speakers making it a part of Bose’s Smart family of products. Finally, it is also compatible with Bose Music App which allows you to fine-tune all sound preferences and set up the entire system in your house. Bose was originally founded in 1964 by Amar Bose in Massachusetts, USA. Today, the company is headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts, USA. Official website: bose.com Bose is featured in other top brand articles at My New Microphone. Check out these articles here!