


That means you can add additional Sonos speakers or a subwoofer and group speakers in various rooms to play music seamlessly throughout your home.
#BEST SOUNDBAR 2021 TV#
“The Arc easily connects to any TV to improve the acoustics for all your shows and movies, in addition to providing all the bells and whistles of a stand-alone smart speaker for the times you just want to listen to music.” Plus, the Arc has “the benefit of being part of the Sonos ecosystem,” says Mark Feinberg, founder of Home Theater Advisors in New York City. “If you’re looking for something cost-effective and plug-and-play, the Sonos Arc is great for those who want a minimalist footprint with a convenient all-in-one audio solution,” says Justin Schwartz, owner of Sage AV in New York City. Even if the power figures are accurate, wattage isn’t a true representation of volume, as speaker sensitivity also has a part to play when it comes to overall volume.Seven of our experts recommend Sonos’s smart soundbars, and 3 specifically mentioned the Arc.

Some manufacturers attempt to wow consumers with huge amplifier power figures, but it’s not worth paying too much attention to. Some soundbars take it a step further, offering wireless connectivity via AirPlay 2 and Chromecast, but these soundbars are generally at the higher end of the market.
#BEST SOUNDBAR 2021 BLUETOOTH#
It’s a fairly standard feature, admittedly, and all the soundbars we feature here offer Bluetooth support, but it’s worth keeping in mind. Most soundbars feature more than just Optical and HDMI – many feature auxiliary and stereo phono jack ports – and while they offer lower quality, analogue feeds, the upside is that either will work with pretty much any TV (and other 3.5mm-enabled devices).īut, in 2022, it’s all about wireless connectivity, so if you’ll be wanting to play music from your smartphone or tablet, we’d recommend investing in a soundbar with Bluetooth connectivity. Still, if you’re on the hunt for an affordable soundbar and wireless sub combo that won’t take up too much space on your TV stand, the Panasonic SC-HTB490 remains a solid option. The one downside is the lack of smarts, with no AirPlay, Chromecast or virtual assistant support available. It’s also much smaller than competing soundbars, making it a great fit for smaller rooms and compact spaces – and it’s wall-mountable too.Ĭonnectivity options include HDMI Arc, Optical and Bluetooth, albeit with the basic A2DP codec.

While the design might not be that eye-catching, it makes up for it in the sound department with the 2.1 output delivering great volume, prominent bass levels and presets that actually enhance the sound – most of the time, anyway – and levels can be adjusted via the bundled remote. Subwoofers are usually exclusive to mid- to high-end soundbar systems, but that’s not the case with Panasonic’s budget-friendly SC-HTB490 2.1 soundbar & wireless sub combo.
