AZMusical is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Best 3.1 soundbar - Ultimate buying guide

Evan Whitaker
  Sep 24, 2023 8:56 PM

The best 3.1 soundbar enhance the volume, clarity, and thrill of your television's audio immediately. Because modern televisions are so ultrathin and design-oriented, it is difficult to include high-quality speakers. Adding a soundbar directly below your TV fixes this problem immediately; you can select from inexpensive soundbars for an easy stereo upgrade to the greatest Dolby Atmos soundbars for completely immersive surround sound.


OVERVIEW

The Best 3.1 soundbar have grown immensely popular since they simplify this upgrading. They take up far less room than a standard surround sound speaker system, and you only need a single HDMI connection to connect them to any modern TV, so they can be controlled by the volume controls on your TV.

The 4 Best Soundbars of 2022 | Reviews by Wirecutter


Compare Products

TOP Choice
1
  • SCORE
    9.5
    AI Score

    AZMUSICAL use AI score to rate products on our website.

    AI Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based on the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact on any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    TCL
TOP Choice
2
  • SCORE
    9.2
    AI Score

    AZMUSICAL use AI score to rate products on our website.

    AI Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based on the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact on any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    Hisense
Most Saving
3
  • SCORE
    9.2
    AI Score

    AZMUSICAL use AI score to rate products on our website.

    AI Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based on the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact on any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    BESTISAN
4
  • SCORE
    9.0
    AI Score

    AZMUSICAL use AI score to rate products on our website.

    AI Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based on the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact on any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    Toshiba
5
  • SCORE
    8.6
    AI Score

    AZMUSICAL use AI score to rate products on our website.

    AI Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based on the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact on any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    Yamaha Audio
6
  • SCORE
    8.0
    AI Score

    AZMUSICAL use AI score to rate products on our website.

    AI Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based on the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact on any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    Anker
7
  • SCORE
    8.0
    AI Score

    AZMUSICAL use AI score to rate products on our website.

    AI Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based on the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact on any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    Wohome
8
  • SCORE
    7.6
    AI Score

    AZMUSICAL use AI score to rate products on our website.

    AI Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based on the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact on any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    LG
9
  • SCORE
    9.0
    AI Score

    AZMUSICAL use AI score to rate products on our website.

    AI Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based on the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact on any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    SAMSUNG
10
  • SCORE
    9.0
    AI Score

    AZMUSICAL use AI score to rate products on our website.

    AI Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based on the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact on any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    Sony
11
  • SCORE
    9.0
    AI Score

    AZMUSICAL use AI score to rate products on our website.

    AI Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based on the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact on any manufacturer or sales agent websites.

  • Brand
    SAMSUNG

Last update on 2023-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API


BUYING GUIDE

As televisions become thinner, they may appear more appealing, but the audio quality is also diminished. A soundbar restores volume and bass without the cords and clutter of a home theater system.

  • Sound

many soundbars only offer stereo, so pick appropriately. From a fixed device, stereo is more dependable; surround sound may be spectacular or a mess. Obviously, it's terrific in all the soundbars we've selected, but keep that in mind if you're considering others.

Some have subwoofers integrated into the main unit, while others have separate woofers, which are frequently wireless (in the sense that they link to the bar wirelessly, but still require electricity).

Best choice for you:  SAMSUNG HW-Q800T 

  • Wi-Fi 

Many phones now have Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi for wireless music streaming. Some will also have microphones compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

The placement of soundbars is the most significant consideration. If your TV is mounted on a media console and you want to just place the soundbar in front of it, you may discover that it obstructs the remote control or perhaps the TV's base, depending on the TV's stand. Some soundbars have a lower profile than others, so keep this in mind.

Best-value option: Sony HT-G700 

  • Connect

The quantity and type of wired connections available should also be carefully evaluated. HDMI ARC is now the industry standard since it's the simplest method to plug and play, and it eliminates the need for a separate remote control for your soundbar because the TV transmits all controls via the HDMI wire.

However, some older TVs lack HDMI ARC connectors or have just one, which may be in use by another device, hence the majority of soundbars include an optical audio connection as an alternative. Choose a soundbar with the appropriate connection types for your television.

Best cordless option: Samsung HW-R650

  • Budget

Most high-end and many budget soundbars feature an HDMI passthrough, which can solve the problem of your TV having only one HDMI ARC port. This allows you to connect a game console, set-top box, or other device to the soundbar, which then transmits the video to the TV while receiving all audio from the TV.


FAQs

  1. How is a 2.1 soundbar different from a 3.1 soundbar?

The difference between a 2.1 soundbar and a 5.1 soundbar is that the 5.1 soundbar has three more audio channels within its shell. A 2.1 soundbar consists of solely left and right channels, producing stereo sound. It may be an excellent stereo system, but it was not designed to reproduce surround sound audio as it was originally mixed. A 5.1 soundbar has left, right, center, and left and right surround channels. Still, it does not recreate surround sound music as intended, as at least two of the audio channels require separate speakers physically placed behind the listener. With a 5.1 soundbar, however, there are additional speaker channels to convey aspects of the audio mix, and when combined with virtual surround processing, they perform a respectable job of simulating surround sound from a single soundbar. The ".1" signifies that both 2.1 and 5.1 soundbars have a subwoofer.

  1. What is the meaning of 3.1-channel soundbar?

A 3.1-channel soundbar contains two more audio channels than a 2.1-channel soundbar for reproducing surround sound. In home theater systems having discrete speakers for each channel, the 3.1-channel setup adds two side speakers, resulting in the following channel layout: left, right, center, L/R rear, and L/R center. With a3.1-channel soundbar, the extra two channels might be additional speakers housed within the soundbar's enclosure, or they could be separate back speakers in addition to the soundbar and subwoofer.


FINAL THOUGHTS

Frequently, as a result of technological advances, the quality and amount of what you receive grow while the price remains the same. However, this is not always the case, since price changes on the contemporary market occur with increasing frequency. Even while I was drafting this guide, I witnessed price hikes that precluded the selection of certain soundbars. Fortunately, 3.1 soundbar or less may still get you an exquisite solo soundbar with a number of high-tech extras, a system with a soundbar and a subwoofer, or even a whole Atmos-compatible system with a soundbar, subwoofer, and satellite speakers. I am not one to advocate for extravagant spending. If you're considering purchasing the Best 3.1 soundbar have the funds, you may want to move quickly before the price increase bug strikes again.

OUR TOP PICKS


5
20 ratings