Sound Bars with Built-in Subwoofer: compact all-in-one sound bars with punchy bass
No room for Subwoofer, no problem. These all in one sound bar ought to do it. Not only are they compact and take up little space, or even zero footprint if wall mounted, but they sound good too with punchy bass. With their low to mid-range speakers, passive radiators, audio chambers and good amplifiers with loudness and bass boost settings, who needs a separate subwoofer.
Yes, we have in the past insisted that when selecting Sound Bars they ought to have a separate active subwoofer unit. One can never rely on just small speakers to take care of the low range. They can get away with the high and mid-range with small tweeters and full range drivers but to pump out those super low sounds, you need a subwoofer.
Fortunately, not all sound bars are without bass these days. These new generation sound bars come with built-in subwoofer, albeit compact ones. Here are some tricks used to maximise the bass:
- dedicated small built-in subwoofers
- down-ward firing low range speakers
- passive radiators
- sound chambers
- multiple low to mid-range speakers for low to medium range sounds
- powerful amplifiers matched only with powerful speakers
Premium Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofer
Let’s start with these premium all-in-one sound bars.
- Sonos Arc Smart Soundbar with Dolby Atmos
- Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar with Dolby Atmos
- Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus with built-in Dual Subwoofer
High End Sound Bars with Built-in Subwoofer
Followed by these high-end offerings with prices up to 400 mark
- Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Soundbar with Dolby Atmos
- Sony HT-A3000 3.1ch Dolby Atmos Soundbar
- Yamaha SR-B30A Dolby Atmos Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofers
Mid Range Sound Bars with Built-in Subwoofer
Around the 100 to 200 mark are these mid-range options.
- Sony HTX8500 2.1ch Dolby Atmos/DTS:X Soundbar with Built-in subwoofer
- Yamaha Audio SR-B20A Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofers
- Sonos Ray Soundbar
- VIZIO M-Series All-in-One 2.1 Immersive Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofers
Budget Sound Bars with Built-in Subwoofers
For around 100 or less, you get these budget sound bars:
- Sony S100F 2.0ch Soundbar with Bass Reflex Speaker
- VIZIO V-Series V21d-J8 All-in-One 2.1 Home Theater Sound Bar
1. Sonos Arc Smart Soundbar with Dolby Atmos
The Sonos Arc Smart Soundbar is a premium offering that excels in providing immersive audio experiences, especially noted for its Dolby Atmos support. It’s designed to enhance home theater setups with its rich, dynamic sound quality. The soundbar’s strength lies in its ability to produce a wide soundstage with crisp, clear dialogue and deep bass, making it ideal for movies, music, and TV shows.
The Arc is also celebrated for its sleek design and ease of integration into various home ecosystems, with smart features including voice control and compatibility with other Sonos products for a multi-room audio experience. Additionally, its setup is straightforward, offering a user-friendly experience. The Sonos Arc represents a blend of high-quality sound, advanced features, and elegant design, making it a top choice for audiophiles and casual listeners alike seeking a premium soundbar solution.
2. Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar with Dolby Atmos
The Bose Smart Soundbar with Dolby Atmos is a high-end audio device known for its exceptional sound quality and advanced features. It offers a rich, immersive audio experience, greatly enhanced by Dolby Atmos technology, which adds depth and dimension to the sound. The soundbar’s sleek design fits well in most home entertainment setups, and it easily integrates with various smart home systems. You get clear, dynamic audio performance, particularly suited for movies and music. Additionally, the soundbar includes convenient smart features like voice control, making it a versatile and user-friendly option for those looking to enhance their home audio experience with a premium soundbar.
3. Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus with built-in Dual Subwoofer
The Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus stands out in the premium soundbar market, especially for its built-in dual subwoofer feature. It delivers an exceptionally immersive and rich audio experience, leveraging Sennheiser’s advanced audio technology. The soundbar is renowned for its ability to produce deep, resonant bass, clear mid-ranges, and crisp highs, creating an enveloping soundscape. This is further enhanced by the AMBEO technology, offering remarkable spatial audio effects. Its design is both sleek and practical, and will go well under the TV. The soundbar is particularly favoured by audiophiles for its superior sound quality and innovative features, making it a top-tier choice for a premium home audio system.
4. Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Smart Soundbar with Dolby Atmos
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a compact soundbar that packs a significant audio punch, especially with its Dolby Atmos support. It’s an upgrade from its predecessor, offering a more immersive sound experience suitable for movies, music, and general TV content. The Beam is noted for its clear, dynamic sound and its ability to handle a range of audio frequencies effectively. Its sleek design and relatively small footprint make it a great fit for various room sizes. The soundbar also integrates seamlessly with other Sonos products for a multi-room audio setup. Additionally, its ease of use and setup, along with smart features like voice control, make it a highly user-friendly and versatile soundbar option.
5. Sony HT-A3000 3.1ch Dolby Atmos Soundbar
The Sony HT-A3000 3.1ch Dolby Atmos Soundbar is a high-performance audio device that delivers an immersive listening experience. With its 3.1 channel configuration and support for Dolby Atmos, it offers rich, multidimensional sound that enhances movies, music, and TV shows. The soundbar is praised for its clarity, depth, and ability to produce an expansive soundstage. Setup is straightforward and the added flexibility of wireless connectivity options makes it a no brainer. Overall, the HT-A3000 is well-suited for those seeking a premium sound experience in a compact all-in-one unit.
6. Yamaha SR-B30A Dolby Atmos Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofer
The Yamaha SR-B30A Sound Bar, featuring Dolby Atmos and a built-in subwoofer, offers a balanced blend of functionality and performance. This sound bar is designed to deliver an immersive audio experience, with Dolby Atmos enhancing the spatial dimension of sound. The built-in subwoofer contributes to a rich bass, adding depth to movies and music. We like its compact design, which fits well in various home settings, and its straightforward setup process. While it may not match the power of higher-end models, the SR-B30A is a solid choice for those seeking a quality sound bar with convenient features at a reasonable price.
7. Sony HTX8500 2.1ch Dolby Atmos/DTS:X Soundbar with Built-in subwoofer
The Sony HTX8500 2.1ch Soundbar, featuring Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, is a compact yet powerful audio solution. It stands out for its built-in subwoofer, delivering robust bass without the need for external power subwoofer. This soundbar offers a clear and immersive sound experience, ideal for enhancing movies and music. Its support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X ensures dynamic and spatial audio rendering. Its combination of advanced audio technology, compact form factor, and ease of integration makes it a popular choice among users looking for a high-quality soundbar without the clutter of additional components.
8. Yamaha Audio SR-B20A Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofers
The Yamaha Audio SR-B20A Sound Bar, featuring built-in subwoofers, is a notable option for those seeking an all-in-one audio solution. It delivers a balanced and robust sound profile, enhanced by its integrated subwoofers which provide a decent bass response. The soundbar is designed to enhance the audio experience for TV shows, movies, and music with clear and immersive sound. Its compact and sleek design makes it easy to integrate into various home entertainment setups. The SR-B20A is particularly appreciated for its simplicity, ease of setup, and value for money, making it a solid choice for users looking for an effective sound upgrade without the complexity or cost of higher-end models.
9. Sonos Ray Soundbar
The Sonos Ray Soundbar is a compact and affordably priced offering in the Sonos line. It delivers the quality audio performance synonymous with the brand. With a straightforward design, it is a no-frills sound upgrade for your TV viewing experience. The Ray excels in providing clear and detailed sound, especially in the mid-range frequencies, making it ideal for dialogue-heavy content like news and talk shows. While lacking some of the advanced features of higher-end Sonos models, such as Dolby Atmos, the Ray is a solid choice for users looking for a simple yet effective soundbar from a reputable brand.
10. VIZIO M-Series All-in-One 2.1 Immersive Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofers
The VIZIO M-Series All-in-One 2.1 Immersive Sound Bar, featuring built-in subwoofers, is a well-regarded choice for those seeking a compact yet powerful audio solution. It offers a balanced and rich sound profile, complemented by the convenience of integrated subwoofers for a solid bass response. The soundbar is designed to provide an immersive listening experience, suitable for movies, music, and TV shows. We love its sleek design, ease of installation, and the ability to fit unobtrusively into various home entertainment settings. Above all, we appreciate it for its combination of performance at an affordable price point.
11. Sony S100F 2.0ch Soundbar with Bass Reflex Speaker
The Sony S100F 2.0ch Soundbar, equipped with a Bass Reflex Speaker, is an entry-level audio solution designed for straightforward functionality. Its 2.0 channel system delivers clear sound, enhanced by the Bass Reflex Speaker, which provides a modest bass boost. This soundbar is particularly noted for its compact design, making it a good fit for small spaces or as a simple audio upgrade for a TV. While it doesn’t offer the advanced features or immersive audio of more expensive models, its simplicity, ease of use, and affordability make it an appealing choice for those seeking a basic soundbar with decent sound quality.
12. VIZIO V-Series V21d-J8 All-in-One 2.1 Home Theater Sound Bar
The VIZIO V-Series All-in-One 2.1 Home Theater Sound Bar is a budget-friendly option designed to enhance the audio experience for home entertainment. It offers a 2.1 channel sound setup with built-in subwoofers, delivering a well-balanced sound profile suitable for movies, music, and TV shows. Even with its affordable price tag, it is capable of producing clear sound quality and is straightforward to setup with a user-friendly interface. While it may not boast the advanced features of higher-end models, its combination of solid audio performance, compact design, and affordability make it a popular choice for those looking to improve their home audio without a significant investment.
