Hisense HS214 2.1Ch All- In-One 108W Soundbar with Built-In Subwoofer, Black, Compact Design, AUX, HDMI, USB, TV, PC Speaker

Product Information

In our initial review of the Ray, we felt that its bass handling, which resulted in an unusual low-frequency resonant buzz across various movies and music, hampered its overall performance. However, since an update in July 2022, that problem has now been widely alleviated, and as such, we have upped our initial verdict from three to four stars. Almost every soundbar and TV, no matter its age, will have an optical connection. Some older models may have a stereo RCA connection as well.

Best of all, a decent soundbar doesn’t need to cost a fortune and, unlike stereo speakers, soundbars blend much more discreetly into your living room decor, resulting in a cleaner, more minimalist look.We give surround mode a try when watching Hector on BBC iPlayer. As the homeless Hector makes his epic Christmas pilgrimage on foot from Glasgow to London, the sound of passing traffic on the motorway starts to phase. While having a broader soundscape is enjoyable, it ultimately distracts too much from the action to be helpful. Közösségi hálók sütijei Ezek a sütik lehetővé teszik számunkra, hogy kényelmesen összekapcsoljuk Önt a közösségi média profiljával, és például lehetővé teszik, hogy termékeket és szolgáltatásokat osszon meg barátaival és családtagjaival. Delivering Dolby Atmos from a small chassis is no mean feat and the Sonos Beam Gen 2 achieves a convincing, immersive performance without so much as a vertical speaker in sight. Instead, when watching Atmos content, two of the soundbar's five front-facing arrays are dedicated to reproducing overhead and surround sounds. With its hefty processing power, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 uses psychoacoustic HRTF (head-related transfer function) technology to give the impression of height without needing to get vertical. If you’re seeking to recreate a cinematic experience at home, there are no two ways about it, you need the best soundbar you can afford. The SF150 also features Sony's S-Force Front Surround technology, which applies processing to give the acoustic impression of a more encompassing sound stage. While it's certainly no replacement for proper surround sound,it does add a more dramatic sense of weight and separation.

ARC/eARC also allows your main TV remote to control the basic volume and power functions of your soundbar via HDMI CEC (Consumer Electronics Control). Some soundbars come with their own remotes and/or have app control, but if your connection to your TV uses an optical cable, you may still be able to use your regular controller. Certain models, such as the Sonos Ray, can 'learn' to recognise the commands of both IR and RF remotes, but the set-up will depend on your TV manufacturer. A separate subwoofer delivers more convincing bass, adds richness and body to audio in general and can deliver room-shaking low-frequency sound effects. Look for a wireless subwoofer, which will allow you to hide the subwoofer away, out of sight. Certain soundbars also come with rear speakers that deliver truly enveloping 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound. If you’re not sure you want these, some bars allow you to upgrade your soundbar further down the line by adding wireless rear speakers. A sütik feldolgozásával kapcsolatos beleegyezését visszavonhatja. A sütik vállalatunk általi feldolgozása kapcsán Önnek joga van a következőkhöz is: hozzáférni a sütikhez, törölni a sütiket, módosítani, hozzáadni és javítani a sütiket, korlátozni a feldolgozást, és joga van panaszt benyújtani a Nemzeti Adatvédelmi és Információszabadság Hatóságához. Több információ a jogairól. Throughout this more complicated sound design, dialogue is still audible and more direct than the Sony, but it could have slightly more sparkle to help it cut through. Likewise, there could be more detail to convey more subtle, atmospheric sounds. Watching Leonardo DiCaprio grapple with a bear in The Revenant on Blu-ray, that extra bit of heft means each blow and snarl has more impact and danger attached. But there are, of course, limitations to what the HS214 can replicate. In the opening scene of Unbroken, for example, the initial fly-past of the bomber has a restricted dynamic envelope that doesn’t crescendo as convincingly as the Sony HT-SF150 does. And although there’s a nice touch of low end with the Hisense, it doesn’t extend low enough to produce the cinematic rumble we would expect in this bombing raid. Turning up the bass won’t help in this regard either, as there’s a ceiling to how much this tiny woofer can handle.

Audio is just as important as visuals when watching TV, but a lot of manufacturers overlook sound quality when producing televisions. By buying one of the best soundbars, you will significantly enhance your audio experience while watching movies, sports and TV shows. Dialogue will sound clearer, sound effects more impactful and music much richer.

Soundbars with Atmos generally have upwards-firing speakers that bounce audio off the ceiling to achieve this audio height and this can be very effective, although how effective they are depends on how high your ceilings are. There’s usually an optimal height, which you can find in the specifications.

There is little more frustrating than not being able to hear dialogue when watching a TV show or movie, but inevitably, varying levels of speech clarity combined with how busy the soundscape is and the overall style of the mix can mean that whispery, mumbly vocals hinder even a top-quality, room-tuned soundbar.