Last Updated on March 31, 2021 by SoundBarScan
The use of soundbars is not limited to movies, and shows. The best soundbars for playing music enhance the functionality of your regular soundbar, and make it a versatile fit for your needs. Thus, you can use it for movies, shows, music, and sports.
There are hundreds of different soundbars available in the market. How come you choose the right soundbar for music? Don’t worry! We have done all the hard work for you.
After analyzing, thoroughly checking and testing tens of top soundbars, we have compiled the following list of best soundbars for playing music.
So, if you are looking for a good quality soundbar for your home so that you can listen to your favorite playlist with the best possible experience. Keep reading!
Table of Contents
7 Best Soundbars for Music Lovers in 2021
Soundbar | Connectivity Technology | Speaker Type | |
---|---|---|---|
Sonos Arc | HDMI | Soundbar | |
Yamaha YAS 209 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI | Soundbar | |
Bose Module 700 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Surround Sound | |
Sony Ht-Z9F | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI | Soundbar | |
Jbl bar 5.1 | 1 Analog, 1 Optical, Bluetooth, USB | Soundbar | |
Sonos Beam | - | Soundbar | |
VIZIO SB2920-C6 29” 2.0 | Bluetooth | Soundbar |
1. Sonos Arc – Best Soundbar for Music
It is the best soundbar that you can buy in 2021 for playing music. The latest technologies in it, compact design, and superb performance make it the most suitable choice for music listeners.
Talking about the design first as the name indicates the shape is curvy like a capsule. There are no extra side speakers. Rather it is compacted in a single capsule design.
With the support of Dolby Atmos, it can deliver the best 3D sound in the room. The 11 super quality drivers are quite sufficient for crispy high notes during music play.
These drivers include 8 woofers that handle the bass quite well while 3 tweeters are there for the good treble performance. All the drivers are aligned on different angles and different dimensions for a pure 3D quality sound. Other than 3D sound, the audio is loud enough for an in-house party with punchy bass.
Sonos has kept it simple and elegant, there are only two-color options which are white and black. There are only two inputs as well, the power cable, and the HDMI input.
One thing which will appeal to you is that there are two built-in assistants. You can choose between Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.
- Dolby Atmos support
- Google Assistant & Alexa Support
- Excellent Build Quality
- 11 powerful drivers
- Single unit
- Elegant design
- Not good for larger rooms
Final View:
It is the best soundbar available in the market for playing music. With all the essential features, state of the art audio quality, and superb performance it’s a highly recommended product. A must-consider product while buying soundbar for playing music.
2. Yamaha YAS 209 – Best Soundbar for Music and Movies
Yamaha is the leading brand in the manufacturing of music products. YAS-209 is surely the best soundbar model by Yamaha. It comes along with the subwoofer unit leaving the sleek soundbar for other purposes.
The subwoofer unit handles the bass very well. Thus, the power bass blasts are being dealt with by the subwoofer unit and the soundbar produces the pure quality audio with crispy lows.
Unlike other subwoofer units, this one is quite small easily fitting into your room’s shelves making enough space for other gadgets.
The soundbar is made up of plastic. But the elegant all-black finish makes it classy, with aesthetical design pattern. The control buttons are on top of the bar. With built-in Amazon Alexa, you can interact with the soundbar in a variety of different ways.
The device lacks the modern state of the art features like HDR 10+ and Dolby vision. It has two virtual surround sound modes that do their job more than expectations.
With two HDMI ports, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the most important Alexa, the connectivity will not be a problem on this device. Plus, it comes with remote control.
You can also control your soundbar with the help of mobile applications both available on the Appstore and Playstore. Just simply download “Yamaha Soundbar Controller” on your smartphone and access it easily while sitting on the couch.
- Amazon Alexa
- Powerful subwoofer unit
- 2 virtual surround sound modes
- Affordable
- No Dolby Support
- Plastic material
Final View:
Yamaha YAS 209 is an upgraded version of Yamaha YAS 207. With all these new features and better sound quality, the price mark is still under 500 dollars[Interlink] which makes it the best deal. It delivers crisp and clear audio with amazing bass performance. You can surely consider this in your buying list bucket.
3. Bose Module 700 – Best Soundbar for Playing Music
It is an upgraded version of the Bose soundbar 500. This high-end model was launched recently by Bose. It has a premium built-quality with excellent sound-performance.
Talking about the elegant design first. The glass top adds the sleekness and royalty in this device. The glass is covered by the metal grills which also encloses it from the front. Overall, the device gives a premium and royal look.
It has 2 input ports. One on each side of the bar. One for the power supply and the other for connectivity ports including optical audio, HDMI, 3.5mm jack, and Ethernet. Other than this the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi make it convenient to connect and play music with a smartphone or any other device.
It comes with remote control. The music app which is available on Play store and Appstore is also useful in controlling the device.
The audio quality on the device is far better than the competitors. The device has a good frequency response and sheds less audio at maximum volume. The “phase guide technology” will not let you judge where the speakers are placed. You will be experiencing the same quality of music from all the corners of the room.
With no subwoofer unit, the bass is compromising. But the soundbar manages to give you enough bass to enjoy any hip-hop song without any need of subwoofer. Overall, the device handles the audio very clearly and doesn’t shatter sound at maximum volume, unlike other top brands.
With 8 microphones Alexa will be able to hear and respond to you even if you are playing loud jazz music. The glassy design catches fingerprints and dust very easily. You have to clean it daily in order to maintain an elegant look.
- Phase Guide technology
- 8 Microphones
- Elegant Glassy Design
- Outstanding Audio Quality
- Amazing Quality Sound
- Lacks Subwoofer
Final View:
This device is a perfect compact elegant masterpiece for you. If you are thinking to buy a new home decor product plus a good quality soundbar, this product will satisfy your needs easily.
4. Sony Ht-Z9F – Best Soundbar for Music and TV
Sony is considered a Pioneer in the music world. The soundbar Sony HT Z9F has maintained the decorum of the brand providing the best quality sound for playing music in your living room.
The soundbar comes with a three-channel unit along with a separate wireless subwoofer. The subwoofer has to be connected with the power outlet of course. The connection between the soundbar and subwoofer is wireless making it more convenient to place the subwoofer anywhere in the room.
Although the material used in this soundbar is plastic, still, it provides an elegant look. The unit is held by metal grill which is attached magnetically which means you can remove it easily for cleaning and other purposes.
The subwoofer is made up of mainly wood and metal. It must be carried carefully. The monochrome display in front of the soundbar shows the basic information like the name of soundtrack volume etcetera. At the top, there are touch buttons for manually controlling the soundbar.
With built-in Chromecast, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi the device is full of connectivity options. The ports include HDMI, 3.5mm audio jack, Ethernet, optical input, and a USB slot also.
It supports HDR 10, Dolby Vision and DTS:X. The vertical surround engine doesn’t let you feel audio coming from a single soundbar. Rather audio surrounds all in the room. The company claims 7.1.2ch surround sound.
The 5 different modes handle every type of high-resolution audio and deliver it perfectly. In our experience, the clarity of audio was immersive. Even at maximum volume, the audio was not shattering.
- Vertical Surround System
- Built-in Chromecast
- 1.2ch surround sound
- Durable
- Expensive
Final View:
The name speaks for itself. This product by Sony is a high-performer with outstanding performance. If the budget is not an issue, you must consider this product.
5. Jbl bar 5.1 – Best Soundbar for Music Listening
The company JBL has recently launched new upgraded sound devices for its customers. The soundbar 5.1 is one of the best products offered by the JBL.
The unique thing in its design is two satellite speakers, which can be attached to the bar magnetically both sides. The overall design is attractive and appealing. The subwoofer units is finished in matte black. The remaining unit is made up of black metal with chrome sites.
This subwoofer has only one button for synchronization with the main unit. Otherwise, it is completely wireless, just a power cable attached to it.
The main soundbar has basic control buttons on top of it and a glowing light with 3 different levels of brightness for operating in dark. It turns off automatically after a few seconds of operation.
The whole soundbar is smart enough to autotune according to placements of side speakers. Better is to place them at the rear of the room. The side speakers have built-in microphones to automatically adjust and tune the sound for delivering the best surround sound.
Plus the speaker is wireless, battery charged making them more convenient to place anywhere in the room. Well, you have to connect back and turn the system into 2.1 after a few hours (the company claims 10 hours) of operation once their battery of side speakers is drained off.
Most people have problems related to the dynamic range of this device. We tested it and found no such problem in this device. It is truly built for playing music. The high pitches come out well balanced. The bass response is also remarkable. It shakes up the couch you are sitting on.
One thing we liked the most about this device is night mode which balances the sudden spikes of high volumes eliminating sudden shocks during calm music play.
With 3 HDMI ports, Aux port, USB port, and optical port, it has all the ports one soundbar should have. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enable it to connect to your smartphone for easily playing music.
JBL here offers JBL Sound shift which allows you to easily and quickly shift audio from your TV to smartphone. It is a convenient utility feature but not the one to be promoted this much.
- Easy setup of 5.1 surround sound
- Powerful bass
- Wireless battery powered side speakers
- Amazing Design
Reliable
- Lack of Dolby support
Final View:
It is a complete package of surround sound for your living room. The powerful bass setup gives a new experience of listening to music.
If you want to buy a good quality soundbar that delivers the best 5.1ch surround sound and can impress your friends with its powerful bass, then this is surely the option for you.
6. Sonos Beam – Best Soundbar for Bluetooth Music
Sonos is fabled as the Pioneer of smart soundbars. Taking this idea along, Sonos beam is one of the smartest soundbars in the market offering both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Comparing with other soundbars it is very small and compact with 650 x 0 x 68mm dimensions. The name comes with its pill-shaped body.
Surprisingly, the plastic body doesn’t look odd. Rather the matte black finish gives a stylishly stunning look. The compact design itself is appealing. Like other siblings, it is available in two colors, black and white.
The setup is quite simple. You just have to download the Sonos play app and it will not take more than 2 minutes to set up completely. Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple airplay 2, and Siri integration makes it interactive. The other connectivity options include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
There is only one HDMI port and no optical or Aux cable port support. This device lacks the elite functions like Dolby vision and surround sound but provides quality sound enough for one room.
The sound quality is clear and up to the mark. Despite having a smaller size, the maximum volume is quite loud. The lack of subwoofer results in less bass. You cannot expect a powerful bass response from such a compact device but three bass radiators along with two woofers will definitely surprise you.
- Smartest Soundbar
- Cheap
- Compact design
- High-Quality Sound
- Support for Alexa, Siri, & Google Assistant
- No Dolby Vision support
- No subwoofer
Final View:
Sonos Beam is a perfect choice for people seeking a high-quality soundbar with amazing sound quality, and support of all the Voice Assistants.
7. VIZIO SB2920-C6 29” 2.0 – Best Soundbar for Listening to Music
The Vizio SB2920 is a very impressive soundbar with premium functionalities. If you for a soundbar that offers high-quality sound. It’s the best soundbar that comes under 100 USD. The black and silver contrast gives it a classy look. A simple design for a simple house living without any flashy attention. The company claims that the two full-range speakers deliver the best “crystal clear” stereo sound.
Vizio SB2920 surely offers impressive sound quality. Moreover, it has 95dBS of loudness, powerful enough to shake a full-sized room. The device lacks Dolby Vision support and latest surround sound features but it does provide quality surround sound with the help of DTS TruSurround.
In addition, this soundbar offers less than 1% harmonic distortion. So, the sound you hear is loud and clear.
- Affordable
- 1% Harmonic distortion
- 95 dB maximum volume
- DTS TruSurround
- Reliable
- Bass is not Impressive
Final View:
The 78 dollars price tag and all these features have made it the best seller on Amazon. If you are looking for an entry-level budget-friendly soundbar for your living room then this is the best choice for you.
How to Choose the Best Soundbar for Playing Music (Buying Guide)
There are a bunch of companies that are making soundbars nowadays with the latest technologies in different price brackets. Not all the products are created equally. The same goes for the soundbars too.
There are a variety of things that you should keep in mind before you part with your money. Thus, we have created a complete step-by-step guide that you can follow to choose the right product for your needs.
Design:
Design is the most important thing in which you should look in a soundbar because soundbars nowadays are not only devices that delivered quality audio but also a piece of decoration in your living room.
If your place is good looking soundbar at a proper place in your living room, it will increase the interior beauty of the room.
The design should also be considered for cleaning purposes because most of them are prone to two fingerprints and dust. You should also take into count the space available for placing the soundbar. TV size also plays a vital role in selecting the soundbar.
Connectivity:
Connectivity is not a problem nowadays with the soundbar. But different people prefer different modes. Some of them are coming with voice assistants which is a modern way of controlling the soundbars.
Others prefer the classic old way of cables. Depending upon your taste, buy an appropriate one that suits your taste and needs.
Price:
In the end, the price matters the most. Obviously, you don’t want to spend much of your money just on the soundbar. You should make a strict budget and then get a soundbar that fits within your price bracket.
So before buying a soundbar, sit down for a moment, take our dairy, make your budget, analyze your needs and quality you want, and then make a decision wisely.
If you are interested to read more about How to choose the best Soundbar. Please check this Complete Buying Guide.
Final Verdict:
Soundbars are perfect for enjoying TV shows, news, and music. We have put together a complete list of best soundbars for music. We have also added a complete buying guide and FAQ section for your convenience.
If you are still confused in choosing the right soundbar, we recommend getting Sonos Arc. It’s a high-quality soundbar with superb quality and amazing build quality.
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
Which company produces the best quality soundbars?
Well, this question is subjective. There are a lot of manufacturers that make quality soundbars. The notable mentions are Sony, Bose, JBL, Yamaha, and BYL. You can choose any of these brands with full confidence.
These brands offer exceptional quality sound at a reasonable price. Mostly, these soundbars will also have decent durability combined. Moreover, they also offer additional features like wireless connectivity.
Which company is the most durable for or buying soundbars?
There are many choices nowadays in the market to choose products with low prices and more features as they show in their advertisements but they say old is gold, I’ll prefer Sony company products they are more durable than any other companies unless of the difference between price range. Sony has been providing their best since long any of its products is always at its best durable and reliable.
Should I buy subwoofers along with soundbars?
For the sound quality you don’t need any extra sound woofer for a normal size room or place but to add the base effects especially for the party purpose and the hip hop lovers you should consider to buy a soundbar with subwoofers.
Does soundbar add to the interior decor of the room?
Yes, of course, the companies nowadays are providing their best qualities with unique styles to enhance the interior of your room Most of the designs are designed in a way that you wouldn’t need any other kind of decorative product for the area occupied by the soundbar.