Don't stop at a new flatscreen TV; adding a few sound upgrades will put you right in the game.
You may have bought yourself a new TV to watch the biggest game of the year, but as any sales-floor employee will tell you, the picture is only half of the story. That’s not just hyperbole: There’s no way a tiny TV speaker can communicate the roar of the crowd, the dialogue of those must-see Super Bowl ads, or the slam of the halftime show. And you don’t need to spend a ton to improve the sound a lot.
Here are some of CNET’s picks for top-sounding audio systems that’ll put you right on the 50-yard line.
Vizio SB3621n-E8
CNET rating: 5 stars out of 5 (spectacular)
The cost: $180 at bestbuy.com
The good: The Vizio SB3621 offers excellent performance for an ultra-budget sound bar with great movie sound and toe-tapping music playback. The sound bar offers a decent selection of inputs including Bluetooth and will decode both Dolby and DTS. The sound bar and wireless sub feature excellent build quality and a seamless setup.
The bad: The LED display is not very helpful, and the WAV-file-only USB port is a little weird.
The bottom line: The Vizio SB3621n-E8 is the best sound bar under $300 we have ever heard. If you want better TV sound, it’s the new budget benchmark.
Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2
CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (outstanding)
The cost: $287 at amazon.con
The good: The Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 offers class-leading sound along with excellent build quality and attractive looks. The front-facing bass port allows them it be placed close to walls.
The bad: Big, boxy design compared to some competitors. Not as easygoing or forgiving as its predecessor.
The bottom line: The Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 is one of the best speakers at this price, with great sound and excellent build quality.
Vizio SB362An-F6
CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (outstanding)
The cost: $122 at amazon.com
The good: The Vizio SB362An-F6 produces impressive sound for such a cheap bit of kit. The inclusion of Dolby, DTS and Virtual:X sound modes ensures a high level of soundtrack compatibility.
The bad: Paying more for the Vizio SB3621 with an external subwoofer will bring enhanced performance. The LED display is a little hard to grok.
The bottom line: The Vizio SB362An-F6 offers astoundingly good value, with excellent sound quality and a high degree of flexibility for a budget sound bar.
Onkyo TX-NR585
CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (outstanding)
The good: The Onkyo TX-NR585 offers a wealth of connectivity and streaming options without sacrificing sound quality. Music and movies sound great, especially when paired with a balanced-sounding set of speakers.
The bad: The redundant, proprietary FlareConnect system offers mirroring functionality that can be replicated with Play-Fi. Like almost every AV receiver on the market, the Onkyo sounds even better with home theater than music.
The cost: $349.00at amazon.com
The bottom line: The Onkyo TX-NR585 offers all of the streaming and decoding capabilities you need for a modern, affordable receiver, and it sounds great doing it.