We’ve seen a lot of soundbar solutions. However, if you want a really compact home music system, it’s all about that base—the soundbase.
A soundbase is very similar to a soundbar in that it promises quality sound from a slim speaker. That said, soundbars are made to be mounted or placed on a long shelf. The soundbase is designed to sit right under the TV. So if you don’t plan to mount your TV or even have an area right underneath where you want to slip in a little sound, the soundbase would be your best bet.
(If you’re still not sure which one you want, check out our article on “Soundbase vs Soundbar: Which Speaker Style is for You?“)
Of course, we know that nothing can replace a room filled with speakers. Still, there are some quality soundbase options out there that can deliver great sound for those smaller spaces around the house. Still think you can’t get killer sound from something so small? Let’s take a peek at four super soundbases for your compact home music system.
Pioneer SP-SB03
Designed by engineer Andrew Jones, this flat speaker can be paired with flat panels up to 55 inches. Inside, it has two 3-inch midrange drivers and two 1-inch soft dome tweeters that sit at the front of the unit. As a nice little surprise, it’s got another two 4-inch woofers built into the bottom of the enclosure. Surprisingly, Pioneer was able to squeeze in an amplifier for each of those drivers, so that the whole thing can deliver a total of 168 watts of power. Other features include a 3D audio expansion mode, Dolby Digital decoding, and Bluetooth support.
MSRP: $349.99
For More Information: Amazon
Sony HT-XT1
Sony’s single-cabinet TV Sound System can crank 170-watt, 2.1-channel sound from right under the TV. It’s designed to support TVs up to 55 inches and 66 pounds. For those times when you want to shut the TV off, the system can also stream music—plenty of it. That’s because it includes built-in Bluetooth with one-touch Near Field Communication (NFC) pairing. Other features include S-Force digital signal processing, dual active subwoofers, and support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD audio formats. It also offers one-cable HDMI connectivity and SongPal app control.
MSRP: $269.99
For More Information: Amazon
Yamaha SRT-1000
According to Yamaha, this one slim speaker can deliver “true 5.1-channel surround sound.” How does it do that exactly? Instead of virtual surround sound, the SRT-1000 has Yamaha’s Digital Sound Projector technology, which uses “five discrete sound beams” to pump up the sound of movies, sports, games, and everyday TV watching. Designed for use with TVs from 32 to 55 inches, the unit has eight “sound beam” drivers, two oval woofers, and two built-in subwoofers. It even packs in Bluetooth, as well as two optical inputs, a digital coax, analog inputs, a rear-panel subwoofer input, and support for Yamaha’s Home Theater Controller app for iOS and Android devices.
MSRP: $499.95
For More Information: Amazon
ZVOX 450
ZVOX has been producing soundbases before there was even an official soundbase category. The company’s latest is part of the Value Series, meaning you’ll get an awesome 3D-style home music system, without having to spend all that much. Measuring 28 inches, the 450 packs in five 2-inch speaker drivers, a 5.25-inch subwoofer, and a 45-watt amplifier. It also has Bluetooth with the aptX codec, so you can stream music right to the speaker from your smartphone, tablet or other compatible device, up to 40 feet away. Other features include a frequency response of 45Hz to 20kHz, PhaseCue virtual surround sound, and AccuVoice vocal enhancement.
MSRP: $299.99
For More Information: Amazon
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