March 2021
Sound Bars Rankings Report
This report contains an aggregate consensus of Sound Bars rankings posted by key online experts, as of March 2021.
Methodology: combine opinions of key experts
Identify Experts
We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend Sound Bars.
Capture Rankings
For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of Sound Bars, it must be updated in the last 9 months.
Aggregate Rankings
We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking
Experts chosen for March 2021 ranking
CNET
SoundGuys
Tom's Guide
World Wide Stereo
WIRED
Rtings.com
CNN Underscored
#1. Vizio V21
We ranked Vizio V21 #1 in March 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Sound Bars” rankings.
- Out of those, 2 experts ranked Vizio V21 as #1.
Tom's Guide
The Best Cheap Soundbar And Subwoofer Combo
|
Pros
Great value
Wide soundstage
Can add voice assistants
|
Cons
Bass can overwhelm
Dolby Audio only works over optical connection
|
#2. Yamaha YAS-209
We ranked Yamaha YAS-209 #2 in March 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Sound Bars” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Yamaha YAS-209 as #1.
Tom's Guide
The Best Soundbar And Subwoofer Combo
|
Pros
Clear and resonant dialog
Excellent for music
Alexa inside
|
Cons
Lacks low-frequency effects when movies are playing
Only 1 HDMI input
|
#3. Sonos Arc
We ranked Sonos Arc #3 in March 2021 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Sound Bars” rankings.
Rtings.com
Best 5.1 Soundbar
|
Pros
Sleek and very well-built design.
Room correction feature.
Very well-balanced sound profile.
Low latency.
|
Cons
No full EQ.
|
Tom's Guide
The Best Premium Soundbar
|
Pros
Clear vocals and focused sound
Strong, Sonos-quality bass
Alexa and Google Assistant built-in
|
Cons
Very large
|
#4. Sonos Beam
We ranked Sonos Beam #4 in March 2021 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Sound Bars” rankings.
Rtings.com
Smaller Alternative
|
Pros
Well-balanced sound profile.
Great center channel performance for dialogue in movies.
|
Cons
Poor surrounds performance.
|
SoundGuys
|
Pros
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant support
Size
Dolby Digital Support
Easy Setup
Simple to connect other Sonos Speakers
|
Cons
Doesn't support any object based codecs
Overpriced
|
Tom's Guide
Big Sound And Smart Home Controls
|
Pros
Easy set up
Alexa inside
Wide soundstage
|
Cons
Bass lacks detail
No Bluetooth audio
|
#5. Sennheiser Ambeo 3D Soundbar
We ranked Sennheiser Ambeo 3D Soundbar #5 in March 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Sound Bars” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Sennheiser Ambeo 3D Soundbar as #1.
Rtings.com
Best Standalone Soundbar
|
Pros
Impressive immersive sound for a stand-alone bar.
Good performance with surround content.
Supports all audio formats.
Well-built design.
|
Cons
Very heavy.
Disappointing bass performance, especially on stereo content.
|
SoundGuys
|
Pros
Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support
Number of Inputs
Chromecast built-in
|
Cons
Price
Fairly large soundbar
|
#6. Roku Smart Soundbar
We ranked Roku Smart Soundbar #6 in March 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Sound Bars” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Roku Smart Soundbar as #1.
SoundGuys
|
Pros
Integrated Roku Player
HDMI ARC output
Google Assistant and Alexa Support
Bluetooth and WIFI Streaming
Remote access via Roku App
Vslue
|
Cons
Sound clarity lacking
|
#7. Roku Streambar
We ranked Roku Streambar #7 in March 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Sound Bars” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The Best Soundbar For Cord-Cutters
|
Pros
4K streaming
Clear, loud sound
Compact design
|
Cons
Relatively weak bass
No Ethernet port
|
#8. Vizio SB36512-F6
We ranked Vizio SB36512-F6 #8 in March 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Sound Bars” rankings.
Rtings.com
More Affordable Alternative
|
Pros
Great stereo performance.
Decent soundstage.
Atmos support.
Amazing connectivity options.
|
Cons
No Dialog Enhancement feature.
Surround speakers need to be wired to the wireless sub.
Slow, buggy, and laggy app.
|
#9. Vizio Elevate
We ranked Vizio Elevate #9 in March 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Sound Bars” rankings.
#10. Vizio M-Series 5.1
We ranked Vizio M-Series 5.1 #10 in March 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Sound Bars” rankings.
Tom's Guide
A Full Dolby Atmos Kit At A Great Price
|
Pros
Affordable
Full surround sound with Atmos
Lots of input options
|
Cons
Takes work to get the right sound
No upfiring speakers
|
#11. Bose Soundbar 700
We ranked Bose Soundbar 700 #11 in March 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Sound Bars” rankings.
#12. Sony HT-ST5000
We ranked Sony HT-ST5000 #12 in March 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Sound Bars” rankings.
