Issue #27 Oct 2020 Background

ISSUE #27 OCT 2020 BACKGROUND

There is still one aspect where today’s modern flat-panel 4K TVs do not cut it: Sound.

With the latest OLED and QLED technologies, modern, thinner and space-saving flat-panel 4K TVs deliver the best picture quality we have ever seen.

However, their slim and minimalistic designs leave them no room to fit in good full-range speaker drivers. As an alternative, small built-in TV speakers are usually embedded behind or underneath them, often resulting in sub-standard dialog, thin sound and inade- quate bass. So, how do people match their 4K TVs with immersive sound?

Traditionally, people would assemble a multi-speaker surround sound system powered by an Audio Video Receiver (AVR) with five or more surround speakers. However, it is typically costly, time-consuming and requires a lot of space to fit all the speakers, including the wires, in one’s living room. A simple plug and play alternative is to use a soundbar.

Some soundbars today can effectively contend with full-featured surround sound systems. Slim, easy to setup and affordable, they have evolved from singular, rectangular-shaped speaker boxes with only 2 channels to high-performance multi-channel surround soundbar systems. The latter can now deliver theater quality immersive surround sound experiences without the complexity and hassle of assembling 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 sold at 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.

2 BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: BACKGROUND Dolby Atmos Soundbars Comparison Guide Sony Soundbars Samsung Soundbars LG Soundbars Vizio Soundbars Klipsch Soundbars Nakamichi Soundbars

For complete soundbars comparison, visit nakamichi-usa.com/best-soundbar-buying-guide-tips-comparison-setup TIPS

Types of Soundbars There are 3 types of soundbars available in the market for different needs:

TYPES ACTIVE SOUNDBAR PASSIVE SOUNDBAR SOUNDBASE

Includes everything you Separate audio video Standalone speaker that need in one box (speak- receiver (AVR) required Character- acts as pedestal for your ers, subwoofer, amplifier, (for amplification, signal istics TV while improving sound processor and connection processing and connection quality ports) ports)

1. On the console 1. On the console 1. On the console (under the Placement 2. Wall mountable 2. Wall mountable TV)

1. Simple to setup 1. More depth improves 1. Flexible for customization Pros 2. Small footprint bass output 2. Future expandability 3. Less cabling 2. Simple with single unit

1. Limited bass effect com- 1. Costly setup pared to soundbar with 1. Fixed system configura- 2. Home theater speaker external subwoofer tion Cons knowledge required 2. Limited stereo separation 2. Not expandable 3. More cabling 3. Unusable for large TVs 4. Bigger footprint with feet located at both ends

4 BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS Virtual vs True Discrete Surround To get the best surround sound experience, multiple speakers are needed. In soundbars, there are 2 methods to achieve surround sound.

TYPES VIRTUAL SIMULATED SURROUND TRUE DISCRETE SURROUND

Relies on sound to reflect off your walls Discrete surround speakers placed Characteristics to trick your ears into thinking there are around listening position similar to a speakers all around you traditional home theater system 1. More powerful and dynamic sound 1. More prominent surround effects Audio than your TV speakers with accurate sound directivity Performance 2. Widen the soundstage of your TV 2. Delivers home theater experience 1. Sound from all directions; true surround sound 1. Clean and neat setup with single 2. Consistent surround sound quality soundbar Pros regardless of room shape/size 2. Less cabling 3. Easier to set up than traditional sur- 3. Soundstage wider than its size round sound system 4. Wider listening sweet spot 1. Highly dependent on room shape and size 1. More space required for setup Cons 2. Narrow sweet spot 2. Slightly more Cabling 3. Lack of rear surround effects; sound 3. More expensive only coming from front

BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS 5

Source: Yamaha website Do you need a subwoofer? Do you like to get your adrenaline pumped from chest-thumping explosions and low-rumbling thun- der effects? If your answer is yes, you probably do need a subwoofer.

In any sound system, the subwoofer is a key compo- nent dedicated to reproducing low-frequency sound effects. No matter how powerful a soundbar is, the full impact of your movies will never be felt if a dedicated subwoofer is not used. The subwoofer driver size also plays a major role in how loud and deep your bass can go. For good bass impact and feel, we recommend subwoofers with driver sizes of at least 8 to 10 inches. Lastly, there should also be sufficient space in the subwoofer’s enclosure to accommo- date the rapid shifts of air caused by the driver’s movements. All in all, a soundbar with a dedicated subwoofer will deliver a fuller and more immersive audio experience for your entertainment.

6 BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS

Source: Sonos website There are 3 types of subwoofers can be found in a soundbar system:

BUILT-IN SINGLE DEDICATED DUAL DEDICATED TYPES SUBWOOFER SUBWOOFER SUBWOOFERS

Subwoofer integrated TWO dedicated powered Dedicated powered into soundbar without a subwoofers that emulate the Characteristics subwoofer for more separate, external en- movie theater, for deep and impactful bass closure room-filling bass

1. More powerful bass with greater headroom 1. More powerful bass 2. Less bass distortion output 1. Better-than-TV bass 3. Deeper bass with bigger 2. Deeper bass with effect driver (typically 8” to 10”) bigger driver Pros 2. Space-saving solution 4. Zero bass localization (typically 5” to 10”) 3. No additional connec- 5. Room-filling listening 3. Better bass distribu- tion needed sweet spot tion 6. Evenly-distributed bass across the room; maxi- mum sweet spots

1. Localizable bass if 1. Driver size is restricted not placed strategi- (typically 2.5” to 4”) cally 1. Space requirement Cons 2. Bass is not as deep 2. Limited listening 2. More expensive and impactful as a as sweet spot dedicated subwoofer 3. Space requirement

There are 2 types of connections for external subwoofer available:

TYPES WIRED SUBWOOFER WIRELESS SUBWOOFER

Pros Plug and play Freedom of placement, no audio cable required

Cons Placement restricted by cable length Interference may occur by other wireless devices

BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS 7 Number of channels You have probably come across some numbers like ‘2.0’, ‘3.1’ or ‘5.1.4’. Typically, these numbers represent the number of discrete channels in a sound system. Each discrete channel is independent, meaning that it outputs an entirely separate and different sound signal from the rest.

What is the significance? This is important especially when listening to multi-channel surround sound that mainstream movies are usually encoded with, where the surround sound effects are mapped by the sound engineers to be outputted to various channels depending on where they should be coming from based on what is happening in the movie scenes.

Surround sound on soundbars Most soundbars simulate the surround sound effects using a technique called virtualization, which involves the cross-mixing/matrixing of the multi-channel sound information to give listeners the impression that they are listening to surround sound.

However, soundbars with dedicated surround speakers have significant advantages in terms of delivering more immersive and precise surround sound that is closer to what the movie sound engineers intended.

8 BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS

Source: Nakamichi Source: Samsung website

TYPES VIRTUAL SIMULATED SURROUND TRUE DISCRETE SURROUND

2.X Stereo audio with wider soundstage Stereo audio with wider soundstage

Addition of center channel for clearer Addition of center channel for clearer 3.X dialog dialog

Separate left, right and center channels Addition of side-firing channels on the on soundbar. Addition of two surround 5.X soundbar to create simulated surround speakers to provide more accurate direc- by reflecting the sound off the walls tional sound effects from left to right and front to back for more realism Addition of surround channels on the soundbar for more detailed simulated Addition of 2 more surround speakers to 7.X surround. Sound is also reflected off the complete a 360-degree surround sound walls to mimic true discrete surround coverage sound

Additional effects channels for wider 9.X and above N.A. soundstage, completing the 360 degree surround sound capsule

BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS 9 Supported Audio Format Dolby and DTS are the 2 companies who are dominating the world of audio-compression technologies. They develop most of all the audio formats that mainstream video content is encoded in, including those found on online video streaming platforms like Netflix, Blu-ray discs, gaming and broadcasting. When such content is decoded by sound systems, the sound outputted is known to be rich, dynamic and of high-quality. The various Dolby and DTS audio formats, such as Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround, are also widely adopted by movie theaters and production studios.

Another common audio format, called Pulse Code Modulation (PCM), contains an already-decoded Dolby or DTS audio signal. Since the audio is already decoded, it provides the best compatibility across the large variety of devices. However, it is not the most suitable format for reproducing the intended surround sound experience intended by the content producers.

The following tables show the mainstream surround sound formats currently available on soundbar systems:

PCM

DTS-HD MAS- DTS DIGITAL TYPES DTS:X DTS-HD PCM TER AUDIO SURROUND

High bitrate, High bitrate, Lossy surround Lossy surround Decoded audio lossless ob- lossless sur- format with with lesser format from ject-based Description round with more channels compression Dolby/DTS sur- surround with 2 extra rear than DTS Digi- than Dolby round audio or height chan- channels tal Surround Digital stereo nels

Audio Chan- 9.2 / 7.1.4 7.1 7.1 5.1 7.1 nels (Max)

Blu-ray Disc, Music, Blue- Content Blu-ray Disc Blu-ray Disc Blu-ray Disc Console Gam- tooth, Aux, TV ing, DVD Broadcast

10 BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS

Source: DTS website Source: Dolby website

DOLBY DIGITAL TYPES DOLBY ATMOS DOLBY TRUEHD DOLBY DIGITAL PLUS

Lossy, lower bit- Object-based sur- Lossless surround rate surround with Basic lossy sur- Description round with height format with 2 extra more channels for round channels rear channels streaming content

Audio Channels 9.1.6 7.1 7.1 5.1 (Max) Streaming Con- tent (Netflix, Am- Streaming Content Blu-ray Disc, Con- azon Prime Video, (Netflix, HBO Go, Content Blu-ray Disc sole Gaming, DVD, VUDU), Blu-ray Amazon Prime TV Broadcast Disc, XBox One Video) Consoles, PC

BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS 11 Connectivity The numerous connectivity options that typically come in soundbars give them a major advantage over most sound systems because they can essentially replace the role of the Audio Video Receiver (AVR) used in traditional full-featured surround sound systems. To determine the receiving and processing capabilities of your soundbar, it is important to understand each connectivity type. i. HDMI vs Optical/Coaxial HDMI is currently the most advanced digital connection available for home audio and video devices. HDMI-connectivity is commonly found in premium soundbars that have multiple inputs for connecting to various media devices. A HDMI cable has a higher bandwidth that allows the transfer of high-definition video formats (4K UHD) as well as high-quality multi-channel audio. In addition, HDMI supports Audio Return Channel (ARC) when connected to a TV, where a 2-way transfer of audio and video signals between the soundbar and TV via a single HDMI ARC connection is possible (see page 14 for more information about different HDMI versions).

Optical and Coaxial connections are both in digital format for audio transmission. However, it has lower transmission bandwidth compared to HDMI. Its output is restricted to Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround in 5.1 bitstream signal only. The lower bandwidth also restricts the PCM option in a 2-channel signal only.

TYPES HDMI OPTICAL/COAXIAL

Stereo 2.0: (Dolby & DTS & PCM) Yes Yes

Compressed 5.1: Yes Yes

Uncompressed 5.1: Yes No

Uncompressed 7.1: Yes No

Object-based Audio: Yes No

Link Discovery: Yes (CEC) No Volume Control/Mute, Power Control

2-Way Transmission for TV (Video and Audio) Yes (ARC) No

12 BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS Source: Samsung website

ii. Bluetooth vs WiFi With at least Bluetooth connectivity found in all soundbars today, they can indeed per- form well as living room speakers. Commonly, they are paired with mobile devices to play stereo content from platforms such as Spotify, YouTube and iTunes. Some soundbars also support higher bandwidth codec such as AptX, AptX-HD, AAC and LDAC, al- lowing the transfer of high-quality audio wirelessly via Bluetooth.

WiFi connectivity is becoming increasingly popular in soundbars. As compared to Blue- tooth, it allows your soundbar to communicate with other devices within the same network, such that it is possible to stream music from anywhere instead of being constrained to 33ft in Bluetooth. It also provides quicker access to online audio streaming services such as Spotify, Pandora and Tidal, online video streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Google Chromecast, as well as the user’s personal network-connected library.

BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS 13 iii. 4K Compatibility 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) is the up-and-coming high resolution video standard that is increasingly being adopted by streaming services including Netflix, Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Therefore, it is essential to have 4K compatibility on your soundbar today so that the high-definition video can be passed through to your TV. There are also hardware requirements for soundbars to send and receive 4K content, namely HDMI 2.0 and HDCP2.2 standards, so it is important to look out for them.

TYPES HDMI 2.0 HDMI 1.4

Connection standard for 4K/60fps video Connection standard for 4K video devices Description devices with higher bandwidth and HDR with lower bandwidth

1. Up to 4K (2160p) @ 50/60 fps 2. Up to 12 bit color depth with HDR 1. Up to 4K (2160p) @ 24 fps 3. Up to 32 audio channels with ob- Key Spec 2. Up to 8 bit color depth ject-based surround 3. Up to 8 audio channels 4. Dynamic synchronization of audio and video stream

Connector HDMI HDMI

4K UHD TV, 4K UHD Blu-ray Player, 4K 4K TV, Blu-ray Player, Streaming Devices, Hardware Streaming Devices, Gaming Consoles Gaming Consoles

TYPES HDCP 2.2 HDCP 2.1/2.0/1.4

Content protection to prevent making ille- Content protection to prevent making ille- Description gal copy of 4K UHD video gal copy of HD video

1. Create encrypted keys between the 1. Create encrypted keys between the source and the display Key Spec source and the display 2. Required to transmit 4K content be- 2. Designed for 1080p HD content tween devices

HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, USB, Wireless Connector HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort (WiFi)

4K UHD TV, 4K UHD Blu-ray Player, 4K HD TV, Blu-ray Player, Streaming Devices, Hardware Streaming Devices, Gaming Consoles Gaming Consoles

14 BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS Source: Dolby website

iv. 4K HDR Standards There are multiple HDR standards available along with 4K UHD content to provide lifelike picture quality with dynamic contrast, high brightness and vibrant co- lour. Streaming services such as Netflix and Apple TV are increasing the number of 4K HDR contents available for viewing.

HYBRID-LOG GAMMA

HYBRID-LOG TYPES DOLBY VISION HDR10+ HDR10 HDR GAMMA

High Dynamic Dolby version Scene by scene HDR with average Range with wide HDR format de- of HDR that is Descrip- approach based brightness range color gamut with signed for cable, encoded scene by tion on HDR10 tech- throughout the lifelike bright- satellite and TV scene or frame- nique entire content ness and contrast broadcasts by-frame levels

Brightness levels Brightest point vs Brightest point vs Equal clarity and Designed for OTA present at a given darkest point in darkest point in brightness levels broadcast with reference frame a video content is a video content is in between very Key Spec backward com- or scene rather determined based determined and bright and darker patibility for SDR than limited value on scene-by- fixed for the entire elements in the TVs for the entire film scene video same frame

Online streaming Online streaming Online streaming contents (Netflix, Compatible with (Netflix), Com- (Netflix and Apple NHK (Japan), BBC Content Amazon Prime HDR10/HDR con- patible with HDR TV), Blu-ray Disc, (UK) Video, and Vudu), tents contents Console Gaming 4K Blu-ray Disc

Samsung, Pana- Creator Dolby Open Standard Open Standard NHK, BBC sonic, Fox

BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS 15 Controls User experience is also an important factor when choosing the right soundbar. The ease of control and navigation are critical for a hassle-free configuration and easy to use experience whenever you turn on the soundbar.

i. On Screen Display On screen display provides visual feedback for more complicat- ed features on TV. This feature is commonly found on the soundbars that come with network connection and built-in online streaming services that require user navigation during setup and content selection.

Source: Sony

ii. LED Display Typically found on premium soundbars, LED displays provide visual feedback on volume level, input sources, audio settings, via the LED panel on the soundbar.

Source: Samsung website

16 BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS iii. HDMI CEC Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) is a feature of HDMI designed to allow users to control devices connected via HDMI using only one remote control. For example, with CEC, the TV remote can be used to control the soundbar, set-top boxes and Blu-ray player that are all connected via HDMI.

Source: Yamaha

iv. Remote Control About every home theater device comes with its own remote but soundbars are an exception. There are some soundbars in the lower price range that do not include a remote but instead rely on programming the TV settings to enable soundbar control. However, it does not always work in practice, and only basic functions can be operated. If you want to control your feature-rich soundbar seam- lessly, nothing beats having a remote.

BEST SOUNDBAR BUYING GUIDE: TIPS 17

Source: Nakamichi website DOLBY ATMOS SOUNDBARS COMPARISON GUIDE (CURRENTLY AVAILABLE)

YEAR 2019-2020 2019-2020 2020 2019-2020 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2020 2019 2019 2019 2020 NAKAMICHI NAKAMICHI SONOS NAKAMICHI SONY SAMSUNG SAMSUNG VIZIO SAMSUNG SONY ANKER VIZIO SENNHEISER SAMSUNG MODEL SHOCKWAFE ULTRA 9.2 SHOCKWAFE ELITE 7.2 SHOCKWAFE PRO 7.1 HARMON KARDON ARC HT-X8500 HARMAN KARDON Q80R HARMAN KARDON Q70R SB36514 HARMAN KARDON Q90R HT G700 INFINI PRO SB36312 AMBEO^ SSE SSE SSE Q950T PRICE & RATING Price* $1,399 $999 $799 $749 $405 $1,199 $797 $679 $1,699 $599 $199 $269 $2,499 $1,799 Rating* 4.6 4.4 4.4 4.1 4.0 4.0 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.8 3.9 3.4 Select Retailers Only 3.8 Number of Reviews* 491 431 70 381 69 58 125 33 122 54 144 31 Select Retailers Only 5 AUDIO DECODERS DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS Virtual:X DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS-HD LBR DTS-HD MA DTS - - DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS Digital Surround DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-ES DTS-HD DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DSD DTS Digital Surround

Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD Dolby Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Dolby Digital

AUDIO CONFIGURATION Simulated Surround Simulated Surround Simulated Surround Surround Effects Discrete Surround Discrete Surround Simulated Surround Discrete Surround Simulated Surround Simulated Surround Discrete Surround Discrete Surround Simulated Surround Simulated Surround Discrete Surround (Virtual Height) (Virtual Height) (Virtual Height) Channel Configuration / Speaker 9.2.4 / 18 Drivers 7.2.4 / 14 Drivers 5.0.2 / 11 Drivers 7.1.4 / 13 Drivers 2.1 / 3 Drivers 5.1.2 / 13 Drivers 3.1.2 / 7 Drivers 5.1.4 / 10 Drivers 7.1.4 / 17 Drivers 3.1 / 4 Drivers 2.0 / 6 drivers 3.1.2 / 6 Drivers 5.1.4 / 13 Drivers 9.1.4 / 20 Drivers Drivers Subwoofer Quantity / Connection / 2 / Wireless / 10” 2 / Wireless / 8” No (Optional Add-On) 1 / Wireless / 8” No 1 / Wireless / 8" 1 / Wireless / 8" 1 / Wireless / 6" 1 / Wireless / 8" 1 / Wireless / 6.3" 2 / Built-in 1 / Wireless / 6" No 1 / Wireless / 8" Driver Size Rear Speakers Quantity / Connection / 4 / Wired / 2-Way 2 / Wired / 2-Way No (Optional Add-On) 2 / Wired / 2-Way No No (Optional Add-on) No (Optional Add-on) 2 / Wired / 2 Drivers 2 / Wireless / 2 Drivers No No No No Wireless Speakers Design Power 1000W 800W - 600W - 372W 330W - - 400W 120W - 500W 546W Movie, Music, Sports, Movie, Music, Sports, Movie, Music, Sports, Auto Sound, Cinema, Auto Sound, Standard Movie, Music, Sports, Audio Mode News, Game, Clear Voice, News, Game, Clear Voice, - News, Game, Clear Voice, Music, Game, News, 3 DSP mode 3 DSP mode - 3 DSP mode Movie, Music, Voice - Adaptive Sound Control (ASC), Game Pro, Standard, Surround Sound expansion Surround, Cinema, Music Neutral DSP OFF DSP OFF DSP OFF Sports, Standard

Clear Voice / Night Mode / Lip Sync Yes / Yes / Yes Yes / Yes / Yes Yes / Yes / No Yes / Yes / Yes Yes / Yes / No Yes / Yes / No Yes / Yes / No No / No /No Yes / Yes / No Yes / Yes / No - No / No /No No / Yes / No No / Yes / No

Spatial Surround Elevation Spatial Surround Elevation Spatial Surround Elevation S-Force PRO, Vertical S-Force PRO, Vertical AMBEO On/Off, VR (SSE) Technology, Module (SSE) Technology, Module (SSE) Technology, Module VIZIO SmartCast, Dolby VIZIO SmartCast, DTS Acoustic Beam 2.0 Other Audio Features TruePlay Surround Engine, DTS - Game Mode Plus - Surround Engine, DTS - Virtualization Technology, Rear Speakers, Room Size Rear Speakers, Room Size Rear Speakers, Room Size Volume Virtual:X, Dolby Volume Technology, Q-Symphony Virtual:X Virtual:X Upmix Technology Configuration Configuration Configuration

CONNECTIVITY 4K / HDR10, Dolby Vision, 4K / HDR10, Dolby Vision, Resolution/HDR 4K / HDR10, Dolby Vision 4K / HDR10, Dolby Vision - 4K / HDR10, Dolby Vision 4K / HDR 4K / HDR 4K / HDR 4K / HDR - 4K / HDR 4K / Dolby Vision 4K HDR10+ HLG HLG HDCP 2.2 2.2 - 2.2 2.2 / 2.3 - - 2.2 - 2.2 Yes 2.2 Coming Soon 2.3 HDMI Input / Version 3 / 2.0a 3 / 2.0a - 3 / 2.0a 1 / 2.0a 2 / 2.0a 1 / 2.0a 1 / 2.0a 2 / 2.0a 1 / 2.0a Yes 1 / 2.0a 3 / 2.0a 2 HDMI Output / Version / ARC 1 / 2.0a / ARC 1 / 2.0a / ARC 1 / 2.1 / eARC 1 / 2.0a / ARC 1 / 2.0a / eARC 1 / 2.0a / ARC 1 / 2.0a / ARC 1 / 2.0a / ARC 1 / 2.0a / ARC 1 / eARC 1 / 2.0a / ARC 1 / 2.0a / ARC 1 / 2.0a / eARC 1 / 2.0 / eARC

HDMI CEC Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (BRAVIA Sync) Yes (Anynet+) Yes (Anynet+) Yes Yes (Anynet+) Yes (BRAVIA Sync) Yes Yes Yes Yes (SIMPLINK) Stream ATMOS from TV Apps Yes (eARC) Yes (eARC) Yes Yes (eARC) Yes (eARC) Yes (eARC) Yes (eARC) Yes (eARC) Yes (eARC) Yes Yes (eARC) Yes (eARC) Yes (eARC) Yes Optical / Coaxial 1 / 1 1 / 1 1 / - 1 / 1 1 / No 1 / No 1 / No 1 / 1 1 / No 1 / No - 1 / 1 1 / No 1 / No Analog / Connection Type 1 / 3.5mm 1 / 3.5mm - 1 / 3.5mm No 1 / 3.5mm 1 / 3.5mm 1 / 3.5mm 1 / 3.5mm No - 1 / 3.5mm No / 3.5mm - Bluetooth Version / Codec / NFC 4.1 / AptX / No 4.1 / AptX / No - 4.1 / AptX / No 5.0 / AAC / No - - 4.0 / - / No - 5.0 / RX / No 5.0 / - / No 4.0 / - / No 4.2 / AAC / Yes 5.0 / - / - USB (Function) 1 (Music, Service) 1 (Music, Service) - 1 (Music, Service) 1 (Service) 1 (Service) 1 (Service) 1 (Music) 1 (Service) 1 (Service) - 1 (Music) 1 (Service) 1 (Music, Service) WiFi / Ethernet No / No No / No Yes / Yes No / No No / No Yes / No Yes / No Yes / Yes Yes / No No / No - Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / No USER EXPERIENCE LED Display Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes - No Yes No Remote Control Yes Yes No Yes Yes - - Yes - Yes - Yes Yes Yes Streaming Service No No Apple AirPlay 2, Sonos App No No No No Chromecast No No - Chromecast Chromecast / UPnP - Multi-Room / Mobile App No / No No / No Sonos App No / No No / No No / Yes No / Yes Yes / Yes No / Yes No - Yes / Yes No / Yes SmartThings App Voice Assistant / Control /Smart Amazon Alexa, Google No / No / No No / No / No No / No / No No / No / No No / No / SmartThings No / No / SmartThings No / Google Assistant / No No / No / SmartThings No / No / No - No / Google Assistant / No Google Assistant Amazon Alexa Home Assistant DIMENSION & WEIGHT 48.3 x 3.3 x 5.4 inch / 48.3 x 3.3 x 5.4 inch / 36.0 x 2.5 x 3.2inch / Soundbar 45.5 x 3.5 x 3.0inch / 7.3lbs 45.5 x 3.5 x 3.0inch / 7.3lbs 45 x 3.4 x 4.5inch / 13.8lbs 45.5 x 3.3 x 3.0inch / 7.3lbs 35.1 x 2.6 x 3.9inch / 6.8lbs 43.3 x 2.3 x 3.9 inch / 7.9lbs 36.0 x 2.5 x 3.2inch / 5.6lbs 38.6 x 2.5 x 4.3 / 7.12lbs - 49.8 x 5 x 6.7inch / 40.8lbs 48.0 x 2.7 x 5.4 / 15.7lbs 19.4lbs 19.4lbs 5.17lbs 8.1 x 15.9 x 15.9 inch / 8.1 x 15.9 x 15.9 inch / 7.0 x 11.4 x 11.4inch / 8.1 x 15.9 x 15.9 inch / 17.0 x 3.3 x 13.5inch / Subwoofer 13 x 11 x 20.5inch / 23.4lbs 9.5 x 12 x 20.5inch / 19.0lbs No 9.5 x 12 x 20.5inch / 19lbs - 7.6 x 15.1 x 16inch / 16.9lbs - - 8.3 x 15.9 x 15.9 / 21.6lbs 21.6lbs 21.6lbs 10.2lbs 21.6lbs 10.5lbs Surround Speakers 5.0 x 5.4 x 8inch / 2.8lbs 5.0 x 5.4 x 8inch / 2.8lbs No 5.0 x 5.4 x 8inch / 2.8lbs - No No 3.0. x 6.5 x 2.7inch / - 4.7 x 8.3 x 5.6 inch / 4.6lbs - - - - 4.7 x 8.3 x 5.6 / 4.6lbs

* Based on Amazon's reviews for 2019/2020 soundbars above $300 as of 10/12/20 ** Products with less than 50 reviews and not over $300 are not ranked. ^ Soundbar is not available on Amazon. DOLBY ATMOS SOUNDBARS COMPARISON GUIDE

YEAR 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 SAMSUNG SAMSUNG SAMSUNG LG LG LG LG JBL CREATIVE KLIPSCH KLIPSCH TCL VIZIO Vizio MODEL HARMON KARDON HARMON KARDON HARMON KARDON Q70T SN 11 RG SN 10 YG SN 9 YG SN 8 YG 9.1 Sxfi Bar 54 A Bar 48 Alto 9+ Elevate M-Series 5.1.2 Q900T Q800T PRICE & RATING Price* $1,299 $899 $699 $1,546 $1,299 $896 $799 NEW NEW NEW NEW $313 $999 NEW Rating* 0 4.0 3.3 3.1 0 3.0 4.3 4.2 Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Number of Reviews* 0 6 18 8 0 5 9 40 Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon AUDIO DECODERS DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS:X DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-HD MA DTS-HD MA DTS Coming Soon - DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS-HD DTS-HD DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround DTS Digital Surround

AUDIO CONFIGURATION Surround Effects Simulated Surround Simulated Surround Simulated Surround Discrete Surround Simulated Surround Simulated Surround Simulated Surround Coming Soon Simulated Surround Discrete Surround Simulated Surround Simulated Surround Discrete Surround Discrete Surround Channel Configuration / 7.1.2 / TBD 3.1.2 / 9 Drivers 3.1.2 / 9 Drivers 7.1.4 / TBC 5.1.2 / 8 Drivers 5.1.2 / TBC 3.1.2 / 6 Drivers 9.1.4 / 9 7.1 / TBD 5.1.4 / TBD 3.1 / 7 Drivers 3.1 / 3 Drivers 5.1.4 / 18 Drivers 5.1.2 / 11 Drivers Speaker Drivers Subwoofer Quantity / 1 / Wireless / 8” 1 / Wireless / 8" 1 / Wireless / 8" 1 / Wireless / 12" 1 / Wireless / 8" 1 / Wireless / 8" 1 / Wireless / 8" 1 / Wireless / 10" 1 / Wireless / 10" 1 / Wireless / 12" 1 / Wireless / 8" 1 / Wireless / TBD 1 / Wireless / 8" 1 / Wireless / 6" Connection / Driver Size Rear Speakers Quantity / No (Optional Add-On) No (Optional Add-On) No 2 / Wireless No (Optional Add-On) No (Optional Add-On) No (Optional Add-On) 2 / Battery Powered No 2 / Wireless / 2 Drivers No (Optional Add-On) No 2 / Wireless 2 / TBD /TBD Connection / Design Power 406W 330 W 330 W 770W 570W 520W 440W 820W 450W 1000W 440W / 103dB - 107dB 103dB Adaptive Sound Control Adaptive Sound Control Adaptive Sound Control Adaptive Sound Control Adaptive Sound Control Adaptive Sound Control (ASC), Game Pro, (ASC), Game Pro, DTS Virtual: X, DTS AdaptiveAudio SoundMode Control (ASC), Game Pro, Standard, Surround Sound expansion (ASC), Bass Blast +, Movie, (ASC), Bass Blast +, Movie, (ASC), Bass Blast +, Movie, (ASC), Bass Blast +, Movie, Coming Soon Coming Soon DTS Virtual: X DTS Virtual: X Movie, Music, TV, Boost DTS Virtual:X Standard, Surround Standard, Surround TruVolume Music Music Music Music Sound expansion Sound expansion Clear Voice / Night Mode / Lip No / Yes / No - / - / Yes - / - / Yes No / Yes / No No / Yes / No No / Yes / No No / Yes / No - No / No / No Yes / Yes / No Yes / Yes / No No / No / No Coming Soon Coming Soon Sync

Acoustic Beam 2.0 Acoustic Beam 2.0 Acoustic Beam 2.0 Merdian Technology, AI Merdian Technology, AI Merdian Technology, AI Merdian Technology, AI Super X-FI Technology, Other Audio Features - Coming Soon Coming Soon Ray-Danz Coming Soon Coming Soon Technology, Q-Symphony Technology, Q-Symphony Technology, Q-Symphony Room Calibration Room Calibration Room Calibration Room Calibration SXFI Technology

CONNECTIVITY Resolution/HDR 4K HDR10+ 4K HDR10+ 4K HDR10+ 4K / HDR10, Dolby Vision 4K / HDR10, Dolby Vision 4K / HDR10, Dolby Vision 4K / HDR10, Dolby Vision 4K / HDR, Dolby Vision 8K / Dolby Vision 4K / HDR 4K / HDR - 4K / HDR10, Dolby Vision 4K / HDR10, Dolby Vision HDCP 2.3 - - 2.2 2.3 2.2 2.3 2.3 Coming Soon Yes - - HDMI Input / Version 1 1 1 2 / 2.0 2 / 2.0 2 / 2.0 1 / 2.0 1 / 2.0 2 / 2.1 Yes Yes 1 2 1 HDMI Output / Version / ARC 1 / 2.0 / eARC 1 / 2.0 / eARC 1 / 2.0 / eARC 1 / 2.0 / eARC 1 / 2.0 / eARC 1 / 2.0 / eARC 1 / 2.0 / eARC 1 / 2.0 / eARC 1 / 2.1 / eARC 2 / 2.0 / eARC 1 / 2.0 / eARC 1 / 2.0 / ARC 1 / 2.0 / eARC TBD / 2.0 / eARC

HDMI CEC Yes (SIMPLINK) Yes (Anynet+) Yes (Anynet+) Yes (SIMPLINK) Yes (SIMPLINK) Yes (SIMPLINK) Yes (SIMPLINK) - Yes Yes Yes Coming Soon Yes Stream ATMOS from TV Apps Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Coming Soon Yes Yes Coming Soon Yes Yes Yes Yes 1 / No 1 / No 1 / No 1 / No Optical / Coaxial 1 / No 1 / No 1 / 1 1 / No 1 / 1 1 / No Coming Soon 1 / 1 Coming Soon Analog / Connection Type ------1 / 3.55mm 1 / 3.5mm 1 / 3.5mm 1 / 3.5mm Bluetooth Version / Codec / 5.0 / - / - Yes Yes 5.0 / - / - 5.0 / - / - 5.0 / - / - 5.0 / - / - 4.2 / - /- Coming Soon Yes Yes 5.0 / - / - 5.0 / - / - 5.0 / TBD / TBD NFC 1 (Music, Service) USB (Function) No No 1 (Music, Service) 1 (Music, Service) 1 (Music, Service) 1 (Music, Service) 1 (Music) 1 (Music, Service) Coming Soon 1 (Service) 1 (Music, Service) 1(Music, Service) Coming Soon WiFi / Ethernet Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No Yes / No No / No Yes / No No / No Yes / No Yes / No USER EXPERIENCE No LED Display No No Yes (LCD) Yes (LCD) Yes (LCD) Yes (LCD) No No Coming Soon Yes No Coming Soon Coming Soon Remote Control Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Streaming Service - - - Chromecast Chromecast Chromecast Chromecast Chromecast No Chromecast Chromecast Roku, Chromecast Chromecast SmartThings App Multi-Room / Mobile App SmartThings App SmartThings App Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Alexa Multi-Room Music No / No Yes / No Yes / No No / No Coming Soon Coming Soon - / Apple Airplay2, Voice Assistant / Control /Smart Apple Airplay 2, Google Apple AirPlay 2, Google - / Amazon Alexa, Google Apple Airplay 2, Google Amazon Alexa / Google Amazon Alexa Amazon Alexa Amazon Alexa Google Assistant / ThinQ Google Assistant Google Assistant / ThinQ No / No / No Amazon Alexa, Google Home Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant DIMENSION & WEIGHT Soundbar 48.0 x 2.7 x 5.4 / 15.7lbs 38.6 x 2.4 x 4.5inch / 7.9lbs 38.6 x 2.4 x 4.5inch / 7.9lbs 56.8" x 2.5" x 5.8" / 15.9lbs 56.8" x 2.5" x 5.8" / 15.9lbs 48.0" x 2.2" x 5.7" / 13.9lbs 41.7 x 2.2 x 4.7 / 9.7lbs 34.8 x 2.4 x 4.7 / 8.0lbs 47.7" x 2.9" x 3.4 / TBD 41.3" x 4.3" x 2.1" / 5.3lbs 48.0" x 6.5" x 2.6" / 7.2lbs Coming Soon 8.1 x 15.9 x 15.9 inch / 8.1 x 13.9 x 11.9 inch / 8.7" x 15.4" x 12.3" / Coming Soon 9.4" x 9.4" x 16.5" / Coming Soon Subwoofer 8.3 x 15.9 x 15.9 / 21.6lbs 8.7" x 15.4" x 12.3" / 17.2lbs 8.7" x 15.4" x 12.3" / 17.2lbs 8.7 x 15.4 x 12.3 / 17.2lbs 12.0 x 17.3 x 12.0 / 24.5lbs 11.9" x 16.1" x 16.1" / TBD 10.8" x 15.6" x 13.8" / TBD 21.6lbs 13.7lbs 17.2lbs 12.1lbs Surround Speakers No No No 5.1" 8.2" x 7.5" / 5.8lbs No No No 6.8 x 2.4 x 4.7 / 1.6lbs - No - 2.8" x 5.9" x 3.7" / TBD

Subscribe to us for latest soundbar updates:

All product images, lifestyle images, brand names, brand logos, model numbers and technology logos in this guide belong to their respective copyright holders. Dolby, Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Audio, and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Labora- tories. DTS, the Symbol, DTS in combination with the Symbol, DTS:X and the DTS:X logo are registered trademarks of DTS, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The Bluetooth word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. aptX is a trademark of Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd., registered in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.