Category: Soundbars

Hisense announces a Dolby Atmos wireless speaker system 4.1.2 channels with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support Similar concept to the Sony Bravia Quad Hisense has officially revealed the HT Saturn, a new speaker system to join its range of soundbars. Set for release in 2025, there is currently no specific release date or pricing info for the HT Saturn. It’s been confirmed for US release and while there’s no official confirmation for other regions, Hisense says it expects to have more news soon. Initially shown at IFA 2024, the Hisense HT Saturn consists of four satellite speakers and a wireless subwoofer, comprising 4.1.2 channels in total, with two upfiring speakers providing Atmos height channels. During its initial announcement back in September, Hisense claimed the Saturn would have 720W of power, but didn’t reference this in its specs during my more recent briefing. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. It has HDMI eARC for connection to the TV via a transmission box, which then sends the sound out to the speakers. For audio streaming, it supports Bluetooth 5.3, but there is no built-in Wi-Fi. Hisense, which makes one of the best soundbars available in the form of the excellent-value Hisense AX5215H, seem to have taken inspiration from Sony’s Bravia Theater Quad system, which similarly comprises four satellite speakers. However, the Quad is a 4.0.4-channel system, coming with two extra upfiring speakers, but lacking the dedicated subwoofer. When we tested the Sony Theater Quad here at TechRadar, we were impressed. The Hisense HT Saturn also supports a room calibration feature, which Hisense says will allow users to place the HT Saturn speakers wherever they want and sound will adjust to fit the space and positioning, so it will still sound like an accurate surround sound system. Hisense also announced its Hi-Concerto feature, which enables a compatible Hisense TV’s speakers to be used in conjunction with not only the HT Saturn but also compatible Hisense soundbars, (though no specific models of TV or soundbar have been confirmed as of yet). This very reminiscent of Samsung’s Q-Symphony feature, LG’s WOW Orchestra feature, and Sony’s Center Sync, all of which are featured on some of the best TVs available. A potential Dolby Atmos hit (Image credit: Hisense) Hisense may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of home audio, but when I tested Hisense’s 5.1.2ch Dolby Atmos soundbar, the Hisense AX5125H, I was amazed at just how good it was, establishing itself as one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars for such a budget price. The Hisense HT Saturn is going up against the Sony Bravia Quad and already there are some key differences. The Saturn offers a subwoofer in-box whereas the Bravia Quad does not, with the Sony SA-SW5 and SA-SW3 wireless subwoofers supported as an optional extra. However, on the audio front, the Saturn is limited to Bluetooth whereas the Bravia Quad supports Wi-Fi for better-quality music streaming. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Where the Saturn will surely win the battle is price. At $2,499 / £1,999 / AU$3,699, the Bravia Quad is a pricey system that’s more costly than the likes of the Samsung HW-Q990D, our choice for the best premium Dolby Atmos soundbar. If Hisense can offer the Saturn for significantly cheaper than the Bravia Quad (which I strongly suspect it will) then Hisense could be onto a winner. Because I have little doubt about the sound side of things, thanks to what I’ve experienced with the Hisense AX5125H. You might also like

Refresh 2024-11-23T21:54:04.558Z (Image credit: Amazon) The most common connection for high-quality soundbars today is HDMI ARC or HDMI eARC. This means they connect to your TV over an HDMI port, and take all your TV’s sound over this connection. What are the advantages and what are the differences between them? We have a guide to explain all, my friend. Read our in-depth HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC explainer. 2024-11-23T20:57:36.587Z (Image credit: Future) Getting a small soundbar doesn’t have to mean missing out on mod cons such as real upfiring speakers for Dolby Atmos height channels and Wi-Fi music streaming – the Bose Smart Soundbar 600 proves that. And it’s pretty inexpensive to begin with, and is even better value in today’s deals. Small size, high features – it’s very impressive, and got a glowing write-up in our Bose Smart Soundbar 600 review. Bose Smart Soundbar 600: was $499 now $399 at Best Buy 2024-11-23T20:41:11.481Z (Image credit: Future) Want the option of big, cinematic surround sound, but can’t have speakers set up behind you the whole time due to space or aesthetic preferences? Let me introduce you to the JBL Bar 1300X. It’s a great-sounding, very powerful soundbar that’s extremely wide… because the ends detach to become battery powered wireless rear speakers. Just put them behind you when you want surround sound, and attach them to the bar to recharge or when you don’t want them floating around. They form part of the bar’s sound profile when attached. JBL Bar 1300X US deal: was $1,699.99 now $899.99 at Amazon JBL Bar 1300 UK deal: was £1,299.99 now £999.99 at Amazon 2024-11-23T20:25:25.355Z (Image credit: Sonos) A key thing that people don’t always think about before buying a soundbar is whether the dimensions are a good fit for your TV. Really, I’d love to see soundbar manufacturers put suggested TV sizes on the descriptions of the soundbars. Smaller soundbars, like the Sonos Beam Gen 2 or the Ultimea Poseidon D50 are good for TVs from 32 inches to 55 inches. They won’t quite match the scale of the pictures beyond that size. There are mid-size soundbars, like the Sony HT-S2000 or the Samsung HW-Q800C that will work from 48 inches to 65 inches nicely – probably just about to 75 inches in the Samsung’s case. And then the premium soundbars – the Sonos Arc Ultra, Samsung HW-Q990D or Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar – are all designed for TVs of 55 inches and up. They’ll stick out well beyond anything smaller, which will just look odd. 2024-11-23T20:12:37.523Z (Image credit: Future) For those who want a huge, all-encompassing Dolby Atmos sound, the Samsung HW-Q990D is the five-star soundbar system to beat. It gives you 11.1.4 channels of sound spread over a big bar, two rear speakers and a meaty subwoofer – and it’s so impressive. It’s also practical – it has two HDMI 2.1 inputs, as well as a connection to your TV, so it can pass 4K 120Hz video through. That means it actually adds an HDMI port to your setup. When anyone asks what the ultimate soundbar home theater system is for a realistic price, we go straight to the Q990D. Samsung HW-Q990D US deal: was $1,997 now $1,100 at Walmart Samsung HW-Q990D UK deal: was £1,699 now £985 at Amazon 2024-11-23T19:53:29.343Z (Image credit: Future) The first thing you might be wondering when shopping for a soundbar: do I need one with a subwoofer, or will one that’s just the bar itself work for me? Basically, it comes down to the cinematic power you want. A single bar obviously takes up much less space in the room and so might be preferable for your setup overall. You can expect a soundbar like this to add more range to the sound overall, more clarity to speech because the mid-range will stand out more from other frequencies, and better width to the sound so it feels big has a difference from left to right. Some expensive models can produce pretty impressive bass. But adding a subwoofer will add far more bass, and this means you’ll get the impact of explosions, the hum of an ominous soundtrack, or the tone of a musical score all coming through much more like was intended for the movie. It’s really just about what you want from a soundbar – clarity in a compact frame, or a much bigger and more cinematic sound. 2024-11-23T19:27:28.139Z

When the Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar and Sub 4 were finally unveiled, all eyes (or should that be, ears?) were focused on whether they sounded better than their predecessors, and by how much. As our full Sonos Arc Ultra review reveals, it’s “the best one-box Dolby Atmos soundbar for the price.” It’s not without its immediate flaws, namely maintaining a single HDMI input (yep, Sonos still refuses to offer HDMI passthrough) and there’s no support for DTS, although with the majority of spatial audio movie soundtracks being available in Dolby Atmos, this shouldn’t alienate too many potential customers. I wholeheartedly agree with the statements made by my colleague Matt Bolton in our full Arc Ultra review, but having spent some time with both the Arc Ultra and Sub 4 – which have temporarily replaced my Arc and Sub 3 at home for testing – I’ve discovered a few extra little features that, combined with the stellar sound output, have me reaching for my credit card to upgrade. The Sonos diet The Sonos Arc (top) is shorter and taller than the Sonos Arc Ultra (bottom). (Image credit: Future) When we first spied leaked photos of the Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar, it was tricky to determine if there was any change at all to the design compared to the Arc. In reality, there certainly isn’t much to separate them, and the Ultra is still unmistakably Sonos. The only difference is that the new soundbar is slightly longer but also – crucially for me – marginally shorter in height. Official dimensions are 87 x 1142 x 116 mm for the Arc and 75 x 1178 x 111 mm for the Arc Ultra. The biggest impact the Sonos diet has had for me is that the soundbar now doesn’t cut off the bottom of my LG G4 OLED. My previous Arc didn’t block the bottom of the screen massively, but I often found my eyes being drawn to it more than I would like. Now, with the Arc Ultra in its place, I can clearly see the bottom of the screen and I’ve found I’m immersed in the action on the screen a lot more, as the ‘floating screen’ effect of the G4 OLED is more prominent. Image 1 of 2 The Sonos Arc Ultra is shorter in depth, making it easier to accommodate on a TV unit.(Image credit: Future) The Sonos Arc is a little fatter in comparison.(Image credit: Future) The change in depth is also another bonus for me. The LG G4’s stand, plus the fact the TV naturally sits at a slight angle (I have the 77-inch version – the 65- and 55-inch models stand flat) meant there wasn’t an awful lot of space for my old Arc to sit on the approximately 40cm deep stand. While the Arc Ultra is ‘only’ six millimeters skinnier, it has made a huge difference on my media unit. Matte attack The Sonos Sub 4’s new matte finish makes it that little bit less noticeable in my room. (Image credit: Future) Another feature I’ve found to have a subtle but significant impact at home is the new matte finish of the Sub 4. When I first read about it before receiving the test unit Sonos sent me, I was unsure exactly what to expect. I was already quite enamored with the shinier finish of the Sub 3 and I do still think it looks like a premium product. But when I took the dust bag off the Sonos Sub 4, I let out an “oooh, that’s nice” response. The white matte finish perfectly matches the Era 300 speakers I have for surrounds, and I’m sure it would match a white Arc Ultra (I was sent the black version for this article). Image 1 of 2 The Sonos Sub 3 (left) has shinier, whiter finish that makes it stand out more in my room.(Image credit: Future) Sonos Sub 3 (left), Sonos Sub 4 (right).(Image credit: Future) But the surprising effect it had for me was how it blends in more with the white wall it’s placed against. It’s not a monumental change, but when you’re spending the money Sonos asks for the Sub 4, you’re going to want it to look as good as possible, and I think it’s stunning. As I’ve alluded earlier, I only get to test the Sub 4 – and the Ultra soundbar – for a limited time, and I’ll admittedly be fine going back to the Sub 3 when the new gear has to be returned. If you already own a Sonos sub, I’m not sure it’s worth upgrading just for the matte finish, but ultimately I’m pleased to see Sonos making the design change. And, as our review of the Arc Ultra states, most people may not feel the need to add a subwoofer at all, given how well the soundbar handles low frequencies. Speech-y clean The Sonos Arc Ultra (bottom) introduces a new Speech Enhancement feature that dramatically improves dialogue clarity. (Image credit: Future) OK, so this one is sort of sound related, but not entirely. Along with the new Sound Motion technology used in the woofer, the Sonos Arc Ultra has introduced a new Speech Enhancement feature to boost dialogue. It’s not a revolutionary update where soundbars are concerned – the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8, for example, calls its version Voice Zoom – but it’s something I was excited to learn of, as I had previously thought the Arc sometimes struggled when it came to voice clarity. The Speech Enhancement feature is accessed within the Sonos app – which, for the record, I never really had an issue with during SonosAppGate, but can appreciate has now been vastly improved – and works on a scale of Low, Medium or High. You also have the option of turning it off. When in use, it really works, with dialogue coming through a lot clearer, with a much more obvious notion of a ‘center channel’. Its highest setting comes at the cost of other aspects of soundtracks being softened, such as bass levels, so I’ve personally found low or medium to be the better options, as the rest of a soundtrack remains as it should, just with vocals given a slight boost. To be honest, the Speech Enhancement feature is the biggest improvement over the Arc in my opinion, and genuinely worth the upgrade. Long-overdue Bluetooth A Bluetooth button can now be found on the rear panel of the Sonos Arc Ultra, for easy streaming from a range of devices. (Image credit: Future) Sonos and Bluetooth haven’t always had the most harmonious of relationships. The brand has traditionally been a Wi-Fi-only operator, until it introduced the Sonos Move as its first portable Bluetooth speaker. This was followed by the Roam and Sonos has since given Bluetooth support to its home-based speakers, including the Era 100 and Era 300. I’ve not always seen the need for Bluetooth in Sonos’ home gear – they’re constantly connected to Wi-Fi and music quality benefits when being streamed via AirPlay or directly from within the Sonos App – but at least Sonos is giving its speakers and soundbars the ability to receive a Bluetooth stream and share it with other compatible speakers. It is a multi-room speaker brand, after all. To make connectivity that much easier, Sonos has added a dedicated Bluetooth button on the rear of the Arc Ultra. It’s also possible to activate Bluetooth pairing from within the Sonos app. It’s a quick process, and you’ll have music streaming around your home in no time at all. Final credits If you already own a Sonos Arc, you may still be wondering if it’s worth upgrading to the Arc Ultra. As with almost everything, that depends on your use case. For myself, I spend a lot of time at home scouring the best streaming services for movies and TV shows to binge on. I also love good sound, and so naturally, I’m going to want the best that’s available to me. I would love a ‘proper’ speaker package and an AV receiver, but I just don’t have the space. Therefore, in my opinion, the Arc Ultra with Era 300 surround speakers and a Sub is the next best thing. The new Speech Enhancement feature is a huge step up, and fixes perhaps the biggest niggle I had with the original Arc. To me, it’s worth the upgrade, but to you, maybe not. As for the Sub, if you already have a Sub 3 or older, then I don’t think it’s worth moving up to the Sub 4. I didn’t notice much difference in the bass output. Sonos’ big slab o’ subwoofer has always been a top performer in my experience (and could realistically be too much in some rooms) and I have no complaints with the Sub 3’s performance. Do I prefer the new matte finish? Yes. Is it worth spending $799 / £799 / AU$1,299 just for that finish? No. If you currently own a full Sonos home theater setup but you want to make the overall soundfield bigger, wider and more powerful, than I’d recommend at least auditioning the Arc Ultra in your local hi-fi or electronics store. Even if you ultimately decide the improvements aren’t big enough to justify an upgrade, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

The Panasonic SC-HTB100 is a no-nonsense, easy-to-use budget soundbar that offers a solid upgrade on typical TV audio. It’s a full-sized standalone soundbar available for as little as £79 (about $100 / AU$160) – placing it firmly in the super-cheap category. As a result, you can’t expect mind-blowing spatial audio or game-changing features – but you sure can hope for clean audio that elevates your viewing experiences. And luckily, you get just that. Reader, I want to get straight to the main event and talk audio quality. What you get from the Panasonic SC-HTB100 is quite impressive, with the standout positive here being vocal clarity.When tuning into The Boys on Amazon Prime, I found that vocals were often more clear-cut in the overall mix, rarely getting unpleasantly muddied with sounds in a similar frequency range. For instance, in one indoor scene, one of the lead characters, Annie, converses with an older male and I sensed that both voices were more forward, occupying a more defined pocket than my TV could provide on its own. In a hospital room, the acoustics of the room were pretty true-to-life when using the Panasonic SC-HTB100, especially the sound of speech echoing throughout the space. Higher-pitched voices also lost a touch of tinniness that I heard from TV audio, making for a more comfortable listening experience. (Image credit: Future) In terms of placement, you can’t expect the kind of pinpoint accuracy that some of the best soundbars offer, but the Panasonic SC-HTB100 performs decently anyway. For example, I threw on Top Gun: Maverick and during the intro – where Tom Cruise rides a Kawasaki motorcycle – there was a bit more width to the soundstage and there was a stronger replication of the bike’s movement with the Panasonic soundbar. Don’t expect truly three-dimensional sound from the Panasonic SC-HTB100, though. There’s no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X and it’s a 2.0 channel bar, meaning there’s no subwoofer or rear speakers. I would argue, however, that at this price point that is more than acceptable. In fact, budget options that attempt to sell Atmos often fall flat on the delivery side – the Majority Elias is just one example of an ultra-cheap soundbar that, despite offering Dolby Atmos, produced a limited impression of spatial audio and disappointing overall sound quality. My main complaint with audio here, though, is in the bass department. I totally understand that without a dedicated subwoofer, you can’t expect particularly impressive low-end power – especially coupled with an unexceptional total power output of 45W. However, bass is genuinely pretty thin and doesn’t feel like a massive upgrade on standalone TV audio. To Panasonic’s credit, it never claims to offer big, booming low-frequency sound, instead stating that the soundbar uses a bass reflex port to “subtly emphasize the deeper tones in movie soundtracks” – and ‘subtly’ is definitely the keyword. (Image credit: Future) Despite that, sound quality is still pretty good overall. And that goes for all three EQ modes – Movie, News and Music. I used Movie when tuning into The Boys and Top Gun: Maverick – but also with a whole bunch more. For instance, I tried watching Suzume on Netflix and higher-pitched female voices sounded pleasingly clear, even when music was playing alongside them in the background – music which didn’t sound at all tinny or distorted. Not bad for a budget soundbar. There’s not a lot to say about News mode, although I did check out Sky News and found reporters’ voices were well placed, rarely getting lumped in with feedback from outdoor surroundings or more subtle sounds in the studio environment.But maybe the sound mode I was least excited to test is Music. That’s because a significant portion of budget bars fall well short on audio quality when handling tracks that demand delicate weighting, replication of neat sonic details and strong performance across all frequencies. And sure, the Panasonic SC-HTB100 isn’t able to perform to a stunning standard, but it actually handled music with decent levels of clarity. I listened to As if Waltz by Geordie Greep and the wailing guitars sounded pretty authentic and clear. And although layered instruments weren’t elegantly separated or perfectly true to their intended sound, audio wasn’t too tinny, making for an adequate listening experience. You can, however, expect some distortion at higher volumes and you’ll get more joy from the best Bluetooth speakers if you want some leisurely wireless listening. (Image credit: Future) When listening to music, I was able to connect to the soundbar using Bluetooth 5.0 – a handy inclusion if you want a swift wireless music-playing solution. And there’s actually a good set of connectivity options here, including digital optical, USB, AUX and HDMI ARC. I predominantly used the latter and it worked well, allowing me to use my normal TV remote to adjust volume levels. And this was something I was pretty thankful for, because the included remote isn’t the best. I have no qualms with it looks- or design-wise, but the buttons aren’t always ultra-responsive. When I tried to crank volume up, there was sometimes a noticeable level of delay – which was a tad frustrating. But that isn’t my only issue with the Panasonic SC-HTB100’s design. I was pretty unimpressed with the display on the front of the soundbar. Rather than getting a full LED display to let you know which sound mode you’re using or the volume level, you’re instead met with a small LED light. This changes color depending on which sound mode you’re using, but you won’t know which is which unless you consult the oracle (included user guide). Another problem is the glossy, slightly plasticky outer casing. Reflections from the TV screen can appear on top of this material – quite a distracting issue when you’re focused on watching shows or playing video games. Otherwise, the soundbar is solid in terms of appearance. Again, it is a little plasticky, but it’s plenty slim enough, which made it easy to slide into my setup. So, overall this is a solid soundbar that will given you an audible, albeit non show-stopping improvement over TV audio. If you’ve acquired one of the best small TVs for instance – which often lack firepower and quality in the audio department – this could be a great pick. (Image credit: Future) Panasonic SC-HTB100 review: Price and release date £79 (about $100 / AU$160) Launched in 2021 The Panasonic SC-HTB100 was released in the UK in 2021, although it’s not sold in the US or Australian markets. But even though it’s not the newest, don’t let that put you off – it still has a decent amount to offer, especially if you want clearer vocals and Bluetooth connectivity. It’s available for £79, which puts it firmly in the budget category, even for a standalone 2.0 channel soundbar. Considering this is a full-size soundbar, as opposed to a mini one, this is a very good value product, especially if you want a low-cost, easy-to-use upgrade on TV audio. Panasonic SC-HTB100 review: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Dimensions 30 x 2.3 x 2.8 inches / 762 x 58 x 70mm Speaker channels 2.0 Connections HDMI ARC, digital optical, AUX, USB, Bluetooth 5.0 Dolby Atmos / DTS:X No / No Sub included No Rear speakers included No (Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Panasonic SC-HTB100? Swipe to scroll horizontally Attributes Notes Rating Features Decent sound modes, Bluetooth for linking devices, but no more. 3/5 Audio performance Vocals sound well-separated and crisp, bass may not impress too much. 4/5 Design Decent-looking but plastic shell can reflect screen, display a tad impractical. 3.5/5 Setup and usability Remote isn’t the most responsive but setup is super simple. 4/5 Value Clear vocals, good connectivity options, easy setup at a low price. 4.5/5 Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… Panasonic SC-HTB100: Also consider Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell – Column 0 Panasonic SC-HTB100 Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Ultimea Poseidon D50 Price £79 (about $100 / AU$160) $119.99 / £119.99 (about AU$180) $119.99 / £149.99 (about AU$180) Dimensions 30 x 2.3 x 2.8 inches / 762 x 58 x 70mm 24 x 3.5 x 2.6 inches / 610 x 90 x 65mm Soundbar: 15.7 x 2.8 x 3.5 inches / 400 x 70 x 90mm; Subwoofer: 6.1 x 9.6 x 8.5 inches / 155 x 244 x 215mm; Rear speakers: 5.3 x 2.8 x 3.5 inches / 135 x 70 x 90mm Speaker channels 2.0 2.0 5.1 Connections HDMI ARC, digital optical, AUX, USB, Bluetooth 5.0 HDMI ARC, digital optical, Bluetooth HDMI ARC, digital optical, AUX, USB, Bluetooth 5.3 Dolby Atmos / DTS:X No / No No / No No / No Sub included No No Yes Rear speakers included No No Yes Panasonic SC-HTB100 review: How I tested Tested for two weeks Connected to my Hisense U7K TV at home Predominantly used the HDMI ARC connectivity option I tested the Panasonic SC-HTB100 at home over the course of two weeks. I mainly used HDMI ARC when connecting the soundbar to my Hisense U7K TV. For testing, I watched a variety of TV shows, videos and movies – mainly using streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube. I also played Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth on the Playstation 5 while using the soundbar to assess gaming performance. On top of that, I connected the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE to the Panasonic SC-HTB100 over Bluetooth and played music from the TechRadar testing playlist to judge the quality of Music mode. First reviewed: November 2024 Read more about how we test

Vizio has announced a new soundbar that doubles as a karaoke machine, offering singalong fanatics a sound system, two microphones, and access to 80,000 songs in a sleek and affordable package. The Vizio MicMe will ship with two wireless dynamic microphones that automatically activate the soundbar’s custom karaoke mode when removed from the included charging dock. Users will also be able to connect to other karaoke apps, such as Stingray. Users will also have the option of just singing over whatever’s playing on their smart TV, or streaming audio to sing along to over Bluetooth. And you can, of course, just use the MicMe as a typical soundbar for music, TV, and movies – the soundbar itself is a 30-inch 2.1 system that connects to an included wireless subwoofer, which we expect will offer more than enough fidelity and volume for a late-night ABBA sesh or two. (Image credit: Vizio) And the MicMe system even supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, so it’s actually pretty well-specced alongside the rest of the best soundbars. For further sound tuning, the MicMe system will integrate with the Vizio app – this app can also enable six vocal effects and nine ambient light colors for each of the microphones, adding a touch of personal flair to your living room performances. In terms of setup, the MicMe is compatible with Vizio’s own QuickFit system which allows for easy and tool-free attachment to Vizio TVs when wall-mounted. HDMI eARC handles the duties of connecting to your TV. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. The Vizio MicMe will be available from Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart among other retailers at a price of $349.99 (about £269 / AU$530), and the first units will ship from the end of November – at the time of writing, no specific release date has been confirmed, and we expect it to be a US and Canada launch only for now. We’re not quite sure if the Vizio MicMe will make it to our list of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, but it certainly looks like a lot of fun, and the whole mic setup is a new one on us. And the price is impressive for something with this many features. We look forward to giving it a test. Well, some of us are looking forward to it more than others, admittedly. You might also like

Spooky
season
is
well
and
truly
here
and
we’re
mere
days
away
from
Halloween,
which
means
there’s
pumpkins,
trick-or-treaters
and
costumes
galore
already
around.
With
Halloween
also
comes
a
chance
to
break
out
your
favorite
horror
for
their
annual
re-watch.

Now,
you’ve
got
one
of
the

best
horror
movies
lined
up
to
watch
and
one
of
the

best
TVs
to
watch
them
on
,
but
what
about
the
sound?
Horror
movies
are
known
for
their
sound
design,
with
every
eerie
atmosphere,
creaky
floorboard,
blood-curling
scream
and
scratchy
string-led
score
playing
as
important
a
role
to
the
horror
movie
experience
as
the
visuals
themselves.

With
the
evolution
of
surround
sound
in
recent
years,
horror
movies
have
become
an
entirely
new
beast.
Dolby
Atmos,
which
introduces
height
channels
and
uses
a
dome-like
shape
of
sound
to
completely
immerse
you
during
viewing,
has
given
horror
movies
a
bigger
and
more
atmospheric
sound.
Dolby
Atmos
is
now
commonly
supported
on
a
whole
range
of
the

best
soundbars,
from
cheap
to
premium,
so
it’s
easy
to
upgrade
your
TV’s
sound
(because
let’s
be
honest
it’s
not
always
the
best)
to
add
even
more
scare
to
your
Halloween
movie
marathon.

As
part
of

TechRadar’s
Halloween
Week,
I’ve
included
three
soundbars
below,
which
are
among
the

best
Dolby
Atmos
soundbars
around,
to
suit
any
budget
or
situation
that
are
sure
to
give
your
horror
movie
watch
an
even
more
bone-chilling
feel.

1.
Hisense
AX5125H

(Image
credit:
Future)

The

Hisense
AX5125H
is
a
budget
Dolby
Atmos
soundbar
solution
that
proves
you
don’t
need
to
spend
big
to
get
a
big
sound.
Four
units
–
a
soundbar,
subwoofer
and
two
satellite
speakers
–
combine
to
provide
5.1.2
channels
of
sound
and
because
there’s
those
all
important
height
channels,
you’re
getting
an
authentic
Dolby
Atmos
sound.

Despite
its
budget
price,
the

Hisense
AX5125H
delivers
a
powerful,
immersive
and
well-controlled
sound,
with
plenty
of
detail.
It
also
has
very
good
balance
across
all
of
its
speakers,
so
you’ll
still
be
getting
those
all
important
creepy
noises
in
the
rear
speakers
as
well
as
the
clarity
from
the
soundbar
and
thumping
bass
from
the
subwoofer.

The
Hisense
AX5125H
is
admittedly
light
on
features,
limited
to
Bluetooth
for
music
streaming,
but
at
roughly
$299
/
£349,
it
really
does
give
you
awesome
bang
for
your
buck
and
will
still
give
your
horror
movies
that
extra
layer.
(For
our
Australian
readers,
the
Hisense
AX5120G
is
the
closest
alternative
which
has
a
bit
less
power
but
the
same
overall
setup
and
price.)

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2.
Samsung
HW-Q990D

(Image
credit:
Future)

The

Samsung
HW-Q990D
is
an
elite
soundbar,
delivering
arguably
the
best
sound
experience
you
can
get
at
home
from
a
soundbar
system.
It
is
at
the
premium
end
of
the
market,
but
delivers
in
every
way
you
could
possibly
need.

The
Samsung
HW-Q990D’s
sound
is
punchy,
dynamic
and
chocked
full
of
power
for
big,
climactic
moments
but
also
handles
the
subtleties
of
quieter
moments
with
real
finesse.
Delivering
11.1.4
channels
of
real
Dolby
Atmos
sound,
the
HW-Q990D
continues
the
legacy
of
Samsung’s
flagship
soundbars
by
being
the
best
on
the
market
year-in
year-out.
But
it
doesn’t
just
stop
there,
as
the
HW-Q990D
is
capable
of
Wi-Fi
streaming
for
better
quality
music
playback
and
comes
with

4K,
120Hz
support
for
gaming
via
a
HDMI
2.1
input.

It
is
on
the
pricier
side,
costing
roughly
$1,499
/
£1,499
/
AU$1,995
(although
you
can
pick
up
for
cheaper),
but
it’s
worth
the
cost.
The
HW-Q990D
will
take
horror
movies
to
the
next
level,
making
you
feel
like
you’re
in
the
movie
itself,
almost
if
Michael
Myers
was
in
your
living
room.

3.
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Quad

(Image
credit:
Future)

To
quote
Monty
Python
“and
now
for
something
completely
different”.
The

Sony
Bravia
Theater
Quad
provides
an
alternative
surround
sound
solution
to
anyone
who
wants
to
keep
things
neat,
opting
for
four
slim,
wireless
speaker
units
powered
by
a
control
unit
plugged
into
the
TV
(although
power
for
each
speaker
is
also
required)
instead
of
a
soundbar
and
big
subwoofer.

Although
there’s
no
direct
soundbar
in
front
of
you,
the
Sony
Theater
Bravia
Quad
still
manages
to
deliver
a
dynamic,
immersive
and
engaging
sound
using
its
4.0.4
channel
setup.
If
you
own
a
Sony
TV
however,
say
the
new
Sony
Bravia
9
or
Sony
Bravia
8,
there
is
a
feature
called
Acoustic
Center
Sync
which
uses
the
TV
as
a
center
channel.
Even
without
this
though,
the
Bravia
Quad
effectively
reproduces
surround
sound
soundtracks
such
as
Dolby
Amtos
with
real
clarity
and
detail.

At
$2,499
/
£2,499,
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Quad
is
not
cheap.
What
it
does
provide
however
is
a
neater
solution
that’s
perfect
for
on-wall
installation
or
those
looking
for
a
more
discrete
sound
system.
It
also
delivers
on
the
sound
front
and
is
sure
to
perfectly
capture
every
‘bump
in
the
night’
in
your
favorite
horror
movie.

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