The Flagship soundbars of today can effectively contend with full-featured surround sound systems. Slim, easy to setup and affordable, they have evolved from basic, rectangular-shaped speaker boxes with only 2 enclosed speakers to high-performance multi-channel surround soundbar systems. The best soundbars available today are capable of delivering a theater-like surround sound experience, without the complexity and hassle of assembling a traditional AVR-powered surround sound systems.

It is no surprise that there are many soundbars available in the market today, ranging from “simulated surround” soundbars as low as $100 to “true discrete surround” soundbar systems, some of which come with two subwoofers and multiple surround speakers that cost more than $1,000.

There are several tips to look out for when choosing the right soundbar system. We have added a comprehensive comparison table with the top reviewed soundbars for you to make the best purchase decision.

There are THREE types of soundbars available in the market for different needs:

nakamichi-elite-7.1-soundbar passive-soundbar soundbase
TYPES ACTIVE SOUNDBAR PASSIVE SOUNDBAR SOUNDBASE
Characteristics Includes everything you need in one box (speakers, subwoofer, amplifier, processor and connection ports) Separate audio video receiver (AVR) required (for amplification, signal processing and connection ports) Standalone speaker that acts as pedestal for your TV while improving sound quality
Placement
  1. On the console
  2. Wall mountable
  1. On the console
  2. Wall mountable
  1. On the console (under the TV)
Pros
  1. Simple to setup
  2. Small footprint
  3. Less cabling
  1. Flexible for customization
  2. Future expandability
  1. More depth improves bass output
  2. Simple with single unit
Cons
  1. Fixed system configuration
  2. Not expandable
  1. Costly setup
  2. Home theater speaker knowledge required
  3. More cabling
  4. Bigger footprint
  1. Limited bass effect compared to soundbar with external subwoofer
  2. Limited Stereo separation
  3. Unusable for larger TV with feet located at both ends

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