CES 2024 unveiled many exciting discoveries for tech geeks, but perhaps none more so than the hype around some of the new soundbars designed to enhance your home sound system. But with all the new options available, it left many people wondering what actually IS the best soundbar for TV audio enhancement? Or, to take a step back, is it really necessary to get a soundbar at all?
Is it worth getting a soundbar for my TV?
Many people wonder why they would need a soundbar given their TV has in-built speakers. Nowadays, TVs are much thinner and sleeker than the huge cubes that used to take up half our parents’ lounge rooms – which for the most part is great. But it also means that as picture quality and design has evolved, the ability to improve the built in speakers has not.
There’s simply not enough room in these thinner TVs for speakers that can deliver the depth, realism and bass of a larger speaker. The beauty of a soundbar (compared with something like a surround sound system) is that it’s an enhanced version of your TV sound, coming from the same direction as the picture, designed for home viewing purposes. You can read more about the benefits of soundbars.
Which soundbars were lauded at CES 2024?
So, the million-dollar question. Which were the best soundbars unveiled at CES 2024? Here are some of the insights.
Two ‘new’ Samsung soundbars
While one of the two new Samsung soundbars we learned about at CES 2024 is technically a refresh of their flagship Q-Symphony soundbar, an improvement to an already popular Samsung soundbar is still worth a mention!This updated version has an 11.1.4-channel configuration, 22 drivers and Dolby Atmos, which in layman’s terms means you can enjoy clear, immersive audio. There is also a choice of two different audio profiles, called central and expansive, which allows you to alter the direction of the audio output depending on the shape of your room and preferences.
But the really exciting news from Samsung was the big reveal of their brand-new HW-Q990D soundbar. Aside from producing high-quality audio, one of the HW-Q990D’s most interesting features is Roon integration.
If you aren’t familiar with Roon, it’s subscription-based music discovery and management service for true audiophiles – like a really hardcore version of iTunes – that lets you manage multiple speakers and audio devices throughout your home at once. It’s rare to find a soundbar with Roon compatibility because most aren’t deemed to be high enough quality to support the service, but Samsung acquired Roon in 2023 so have likely had a hand in producing the HW-Q990D. At the time of publishing, no price has been confirmed – so stay tuned!
The Flexus Core 100 and 200
Who doesn’t love a collab? CES 2024 brought us an audiophile’s dream partnership when speaker specialist, Klipsch, unexpectedly teamed up with AV amp maker Onkyo to release Klipsch’s new Flexus series of soundbars. There are two options: the Flexus Core 100 (USD $299) and 200 (USD $499) that can stand alone or be accompanied by their new subwoofers and surround sound speakers too.
Onkyo is known in the industry for some of the best AV receivers that use power amplifiers and surround-sound decoders; technical elements that are highly important for soundbar audio quality. Keep an eye out for the release of the Flexus series in April.
BlueAnt Soundblade Soundbar
The Australian designed BlueAnt’s Soundblade soundbar is all about delivering extremely high-quality audio for an array of digital media, with a focus on an immersive feel. Given how compact the design is, it’s an impressive achievement thanks to the 80mm neodymium subwoofer and dull full-range neodymium drivers inside – for those less tech-savvy, those elements are designed to reduce distortion and create a really dynamic sound.
If you’re looking for a soundbar for gaming, it also has USB-C, Bluetooth and 3.5 auxiliary input connectivity, so it pairs nicely with computers, laptops, tablets and even smartphones! On sale as of February this year and clocking in at just AUD $299, it’s a hard one to go past.
Four new TCL soundbars
If choice is what you’re looking for, TCL just gave you four new soundbars to consider! Despite exact pricing not yet being available, the new S45H and S55H models are said to be down the more affordable end of the scale. The S45H has integrated 2.0 channel audio as well as a Bass Reflex Port, while the S55H has 2.1 channel audio and a wireless subwoofer. Both offer the same features of Auto Room Calibration: improved dialog volume via a “TV as Center Channel Mode” option and DTS: Virtual X support.
If you’re looking for something more upscale, the new Q series Q75H and Q85H soundbars might be what you’re after. The Q85H is the top-of-the-range, offering a whopping 7.1.4 channel audio, up-firing drivers, and wireless satellite speakers. Alternatively, the Q75H is more in the middle: 5.1.2 channel audio, built-in tweeters, up-firing speakers and a center channel speaker with side surround speakers.
What about some of the bigger names like Bose soundbars, Sonos soundbars and Sony soundbars? There are definitely more options out there if you are a brand loyalist to one of the big players and you can find out more and buy a range of them online from Officeworks.
