However, the word ‘affordable’ tends to have a different meaning when we talk about soundbars with Dolby Atmos. A reasonable unit price starts at around $200-250 and goes upwards of $1,500, such as the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Stage. In this post, we will focus on the ones which cost less than $500 and yet deliver a great experience. So, without further ado, let’s get started. But before that,
Here are the best aptX HD headphones that you can buy.Looking or quality HDMI cables? Here are the top 7 HDMI cables for 4K UHD TVs.
What Does Dolby Atmos Bring to the Table
By default, you’d usually use a 5.1 channel stereo system to create an immersive soundstage. All the units or satellites are generally placed around the main sitting area to deliver the surround sound effect. However, this system has some limitations. For one, this setup not only needs more work but also requires plenty of space. Dolby Atmos tries to recreate this 3D audio immersive experience like a typical 5.1 or 7.1 channel setup digitally. Usually, a soundbar packs a couple of front-facing speakers for clearer vocals (and dialogs) and a couple of upward-firing speakers to bounce the ceiling’s sound. Simultaneously, some soundbars also pack left and right channels to give you a 360-degree sound. In a conventional setup, all these are achieved via dedicated speakers or channels. A speaker or a soundbar attempts to decode the object-based Dolby Atmos audio to give you a wider and bigger soundstage, which would eventually mean an immersive sound experience.
1. Soundcore Infini Pro
It comes with several options to connect. You will find the standard HDMI connector at the back, followed by the humble 3.5mm audio jack, USB 3.0 port. What’s more, it supports Bluetooth 5.0, and you can connect wirelessly to the soundbar either from your phone or tablet. What’s more, the HDMI connector supports ARC. The Infini Pro is good enough for small rooms to medium-sized rooms, thanks to the 60W woofer and tweeter. And the enveloping effect is convincing. However, it’s a little lacking when it comes to the upward-firing speakers, thus robbing you of the fully immersive 360-degree sound. That comes into the picture, especially if your house has a tall ceiling. Other than that, you can take your pick from four sound modes—Music, Movie, Voice, and Surround.
2. Sony HT-G700
It has three channels to simulate 3D surround sound. However, it lacks a physical upward-firing driver. Instead, the dimension of height is achieved by virtual 3D solutions. And, this solution is less than impressive in real life. It leaves a lot to be desired. When it comes to the connection front, the HT-G700 presents the usual flavors. There are two HDMI ports, a USB port, and a Toslink optical digital input. On top of that, you can also play audio wirelessly using the built-in Bluetooth connection. Furthermore, one of the HDMI supports eARC. The addition of eARC means you can experience lossless audio formats such as DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD. Being an affordable option means you will lose out on some features. In this case, it’s Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay, and Chromecast. The absence of Wi-Fi means you can’t stream songs directly through the soundbar. At the same time, it doesn’t support Google Assistant or Alexa voice commands. If you can extend your budget to around $600, you can check out the Sony HT-Z9F. It delivers clear and crisp dialogue and music along with immersive sound effects. Buy the Sony HT-Z9F
3. Sony HT-X9000F
Similar to the soundbar above, the HT-X9000F also simulates the Dolby Atmos experience via the Sony’s new Vertical Surround Engine. It attempts to create a virtual vertical firing speaker to give you an enveloping effect, and thankfully, the effect is convincing. Apart from the above, there are a couple of special modes—Cinema, Music, Game, News, and Sports, among others. The Sports mode and the News mode help deliver a clear voice, while the game mode emphasizes the sense of distance and motion through well-established points. When it comes to the connection, the HT-X9000F has almost the same shortcomings as the HT-G700. There’s no Wi-Fi or ethernet port, though you can connect wirelessly over Bluetooth. Apart from a single USB port, there is a duo of HDMI ports, out of which one supports HDMI ARC.
4. VIZIO SB36512-F6 5.1 Soundbar
The front presence is considerably bigger, and so is the height presence, provided your house’s ceiling isn’t too high. If your media room is an average-sized room with standard height, the odds are that you will be impressed. Vocals are clear, and the subwoofer amps the bass just right. Apart from supporting Dolby Atmos, the SB36512-F6 also supports other formats like Dolby Digital and DTS. However, it doesn’t support DTS:X. When it comes to connection, you will find HDMI options with ARC, USB, 3.5mm audio input, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Chromecast.
5. Samsung HW-Q70R
While the speakers at the center translate into crisp and clear voice and dialogue, the upward-firing speakers do their best to bounce the sound off from the ceiling. Again, the ceiling shouldn’t be too high. Overall, the soundbar has a peak power of 330W. Unlike the ones above, Samsung does away with the clichéd sound modes. Instead, it packs four modes—Standard, Game Pro, Surround, and Adaptive Sound. The latter does the magic and blends the music and the sound as per the content you are watching. Sadly, there’s no dedicated mode for music. On the bright side, the system switches back to the Game Pro mode connected to a gaming console. When it comes to connectivity, it bundles a single HDMI input. No HDMI eARC here. You will get support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Last but not least, the Samsung HW-Q70R supports several lossless audio formats including AAC, WAV, and FLAC Users browsing from the United Kingdom can also check out the new Sharp HT-SBW800. Buy Sharp HT-SBW800
The Helicopter Effect
You can build goodbye to flat soundstages with these soundbars and instead welcome object-based audio to the plate. So, which of the Dolby Atmos compatible movies will you watch first? How about a re-run of Our Planet or a peek into The Irishman? The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
