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5 Best Soundbars for Samsung NU7100, NU8000 & KS8000 TVs

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When it comes to TVs, Samsung is largely the industry leader. Not only do the Korean tech giants have TVs for every situation and budget, but their TVs offer much more than the prices they sell for.

The NU7100, NU8000 and KS8000 are among the most popular Samsung TVs in the market. And you won’t go wrong with any of these. But getting an impressive TV would only give you about 50% of home entertainment fun. To get the “full package”, you need a matching source of excellent audio. And at this point, soundbars come into the picture.

best soundbars for samsung

Best Soundbars for Samsung NU7100, NU8000, KS8000, etc: Our Top 5 Picks

With the tons of different options available on the market, we understand how difficult choosing the right soundbar can be. And that’s why we took our time to research and compare several different soundbars in terms of compatibility with these Samsung TVs, performance, features, pricing, and buyer reviews.

Here are our top picks.

1. Samsung HW-Q70R

The HW-Q70R is a midrange soundbar from Samsung designed to pair perfectly with the Korean giant’s TVs. It gets immersive with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X and also performs without audible compression at max volume, making it ideal for both movies and gaming.

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Design

As expected, the design of the HW-Q70R aligns with that of Samsung TVs to create a perfect combination. It borrows a lot from its predecessor, the Q60R, rocking an all-metal speaker grille around the main bar.

The bar is basically a slim and stylish unit with a low-form factor that’s only 59mm high. Positioned at the extreme right side of the bar is the three-letter scrolling display that lights up to indicate the status of the bar. To control the bar, there is a set of dedicated buttons on the end of the panel for power, volume and source selection.

On the rear side of the bar is a range of connectivity options for optical digital audio input, an HDMI input and an HDMI output with ARC that supports HDR, 4K pass-through, HDCP 2.2 and other dynamic range formats. There’s also a USB port for firmware as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to allow for streaming from mobile devices. The provided remote is ergonomically designed and easy to use.

Features

The Samsung HW-Q70R has a number of key features, built around its use of seven custom-designed drivers that delivers a 3.1.2-channel surround sound. As stated earlier, the soundbar supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, resulting in an immersive experience that’s very front heavy.

The soundbar is also equipped with Acoustic Beam Technology to direct sounds to the side and up towards the ceiling to deliver a more immersive sonic experience. Furthermore, you get four preset modes Standard, Surround, Game Pro and Adaptive Sound to customize your audio output.

Performance

One of the first things you’d likely notice is the superb sound production, which is due to the contribution made by Harman Kardon. As a result, the bar delivers a big and robust soundstage with lots of clarity and details. Setting up the bar is as easy as a piece of cake as you just need to use the SmartThings app, which works well with Amazon Alexa.

Pros

  • Big, immersive soundstage
  • Great with movies and games
  • Solid build
  • Simple to set up
  • Well-integrated subwoofer

Cons

  • Limited connections
  • No onboard voice assistant
  • Only one HDMI input
  • Doesn’t play surround content
  • Pricey

2. Samsung HW-R450

The Samsung HW-R450 is a 2.1 channel system that’s intuitive and designed to boost your TV sound without taking too much space. The entry-level soundbar comes with a wide range of features to guarantee value for money, delivering immersive, cinematic soundscapes for both movies and games.

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Design

Keeping with the tradition of sound equipment from the company, the Samsung R450 is a classy and attractive-looking soundbar with a matte finish. The product comes as a little slim stereo bar with a wireless subwoofer.

A black mesh runs around the front and the back of the soundbar while the sides are made from metal, slightly angled and plain. The wireless subwoofer is a little too tall and might be obtrusive, so you may want to place it anywhere other than the front of your TV.

Flip the soundbar over and you will find the connections on the recessed area, comprising micro USB, Aux-In and USB ports. Disappointingly, there’s no support for HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) but it supports Bluetooth connectivity so you can introduce your smartphone or tablet to stream music wirelessly.

Features

When it comes to features, the R450 doesn’t lag behind as it packs a number of fascinating features. One of them is the Smart Sound technology that automatically analyzes the content on your TV and optimizes the sound setting for the best experience.

The soundbar is also optimized to work seamlessly as you can use the Plug-and-Play connectivity via wired or wireless connections to control the soundbar with one remote or the Samsung Audio remote app. It also comes with a game mode preset that adjusts the setting to boost game sounds effect.

Performance

For a company that’s been on something of a rollover the past few years, the HW-R450 is a top performer, providing an expansive and bold soundstage that lends itself to movies, games, and music. Movie watching was a great experience as the dialogue was clear and well-defined, while the scene’s dynamics and bass were excellently reproduced.

When used for music playback, the rumbles of deep bass and the acoustics were hard to miss. You can also purchase optional wireless rear speakers to get extra surround sound that’s suitable for the type of room you’re in. In all, this is a competent soundbar that delivers an immersive audio experience with minimum clutter and fuss.

Pros

  • Immersive soundstage
  • Looks good and well made
  • Easy setup
  • Great sound quality

Cons

  • No HDMI input
  • Limited connections

3. Sony HT-S350

Sony has been a leader in the world of consumer electronics and the Sony HT-S350 is a 2.1 soundbar system designed for those who want to boost their TV sound. For entry-level sound equipment, the HT-S350 does well in knocking out massive sounds.

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Design 

The package comes in an L-shaped box and when you unbox it, you are greeted with the sight of a pretty plain bar with a metal grille that covers the front face and most of the sides.

The bar is lighter than most of its rivals and can easily slide under a TV since it measures just two inches wide. Instead of the usual LED lights to indicate the status of the bar, Sony provides a cipher of flashing lights. The subwoofer that comes is in matte black just like the main unit, and it has no distinguishing features.

The back of the bar is made of plastic and has one opening for input ports, making it easy to run wires without having to worry about getting in the way of anything.

What you get for connectivity is an HDMI CEC, optical audio input and the power adapter. To enable you go wireless, you will have to make do with Bluetooth as there’s no Wi-Fi connection. The remote is dotted with plenty of buttons but is fairly straightforward to use.

Features

The HT-S350 disappoints in the features department as there’s very little to appeal to potential buyers. For instance, the bar only supports the very basic Dolby Digital but no DTS encoding. It comes with seven sound modes: Auto Sound, Cinema, Music, Game, News, Sports and Standard Audio modes so you can customize your listening experience. If you’re a movie lover, you’d love the S-Force Pro Front Surround tech that emulates a theatre-style surround sound experience.

Performance

Crank up the volume of the HT-S350 and you will have your neighbor knocking on your door in no time, thanks to its 320 watts of power. While it is nice that the soundbar can get really loud, temper your expectation with the fact that a slight distortion sets in when you really go high.

However, you can dial in your desired bass depth at reasonable levels to achieve balance. For movies and music, you get a rich sound output that makes your listening experience a great one.

Pros

  • Easy to set up
  • Inexpensive
  • Booming bass
  • Well-built design

Cons

  • No Dolby Atmos or DTS:X support
  • Limited connectivity options

4. Bose Solo 5

The Solo 5 is a simple budget soundbar, made by the reputable sound equipment manufacturer. The bar looks good, can be set up in no time and delivers decent sound output even though it doesn’t attain the high standards of performance that Bose is known for.

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Design

Although the Bose Solo 5 is an entry-level soundbar, it has an attractive, minimalist design that’s unusual for soundbars in its price range. By keeping things simple, it’s clear that the manufacturer intended for the soundbar to sit underneath the TV without any fuss.

The build quality is quite solid even though the unit is made of plastic, with the curved edges and matte finish harmonizing together to give a premium aura. On the front side of the bar, you will find the company’s logo and status indicators that let you know the current mode.

Located on the recessed area of the bar is a range of limited connections, which comprises two digital audio inputs (optical and coaxial) and a stereo analog input. There’s also built-in Bluetooth for streaming music but there’s neither an audio jack nor buttons for controls. What you get is a universal remote that feels good in the hands and with minimal buttons for power, volume (up and down), and mute.

Features

The Bose 5 has an auto-wake function that automatically detects a sound source so you don’t have to manually turn it on, and it can power down too after 60 minutes of inactivity. There is a dearth of sound modes to choose from as the bar is designed to be plug-and-play, which is a success as the setup can be done within a snap.

You only get the dialogue mode and the sound mode for sound customizations. You can even increase or reduce the bass at the touch of a button the remote.

Performance

It’s easy to think that the sound quality of the Solo 5 will be terrible because of its size, which is smaller than most pedestal-type soundbars. However, the device delivers decent sounds with great bass even though it gets muffled during movie playback while the midrange and treble are clear enough to make out distinct sounds.

The soundbar handles various sounds well, which range from loud explosions to hushed dialogues so as to give an immersive experience. Sadly, Solo 5 has only two sound adjustment features which imply that you have to make do only with the out-of-the-box quality.

Pros

  • Very affordable
  • Easy to use
  • Functional and stylish remote
  • No controls on the soundbar

Cons

  • Unimpressive sound output
  • No sound adjustment features
  • No front panel display
  • Supports TVs below 40 pounds

5. Yamaha YAS-207BL 

The Yamaha YAS-207BL is a significant step-up from other budget systems as it delivers a high performance at a crazy-low price. It creates a theatre-quality audio experience, delivering an immersive experience, thanks to the DTS Virtual:X 3D audio technology.

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Design

The YAS-207 isn’t likely to win any awards in terms of design but you can count on it to appeal to people who want their soundbars to be heard and not seen. The bar is only 6cm high, so most TV screens should easily clear that.

The soundbar comes with a wireless subwoofer that matches the main unit’s slim design. It has a rounded form factor topped with slick vinyl and wrapped in taut acoustic mesh, which is quite impressive. The front of the bar features Yamaha’s usual display system and easy-to-access buttons for power, switching inputs, and controlling volume.

As far as connectivity goes, there are ports for HDMI out (ARC), HDMI in, a 3.5mm analog jack, and an optical connection. There’s also a USB-A port for firmware updates and a Bluetooth connection for streaming from your mobile devices.

The remote is the same as the ones for other models and it keeps things simple with minimal buttons for volume, subwoofer level adjustments, play/pause controls, and more. But if you lose the remote, you can download the brand’s Home Theatre Controller app on your smartphone.

Features

The YAS-207 is the world’s first soundbar with DTS Virtual:X virtual 3D surround sound, which enables it to do a great job at creating large, immersive sound fields. It comes equipped with four preset modes namely 3D surround, movie, music, stereo, and dialogue modes. You can also enhance dialogue by pressing the “Clear Voice” button on the remote so you don’t have to miss a single word.

Performance

If you have used soundbars made by Yamaha before, you will agree that they deliver high performance at a crazy-low price. YAS-207 gives off rich, powerful bass that defies its physical proportions, proving to be immersive and enveloping.

When it comes to movies, the soundbar produces distinct sounds that capture the background details and dialogue in spite of the noise. The performance is also top-notch during music playback as the rich, powerful bass can be heard. It has a precision that unearths the finest details of minute effects and makes it crystal clear, drawing you deeper in. In all, the sonic performance is stellar.

Pros

  • Sleek and slim design
  • Rich, powerful bass
  • Clear detailed highs
  • 4K support
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Only HDMI input
  • Weak music playback
  • Poor design
  • No Wi-Fi

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