If you are looking for a soundbar to upgrade your home cinema's sound system, you may be surprised at the amount of variety when it comes to their design. From single all-in-one bars to entire soundbar packages with separate surrounds and subwoofers, there is a lot to consider.
But do you actually need to have a separate subwoofer to get the best home cinema performance with a soundbar? The short answer is: it depends. Before we get into that, though, let's take a look at what a subwoofer is actually for.
But is it worth investing in the extra bit of kit for your home cinema system? There’s the obvious increase in bass. But the knock-on effect is a greater scale of sound, stronger dynamics, and an increase in the sense of overall solidity, which adds to the immersive feel when watching movies.
Of course, that is dependent on whether the soundbar and subwoofer work well together, because if things don’t gel, there is the risk that the bass frequencies will overwhelm the rest of the sound. The bass does not need to be booming and room-shaking to make a punch, either.
One soundbar and subwoofer combo that delivers cohesive overall sound is the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 7 + S, which offers Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support. We say in our review that the subwoofer gives each scene "an injection of energy with the added bass, but the lower frequencies never stand out as overzealous. Instead, the bass is well-integrated with the main soundbar and performs with the same precision as the rest of the system."
Like the Sony model, many soundbars come with a wireless subwoofer, which gives you added flexibility compared to one with cables snaking around your living room.
In theory, it seems like a no-brainer on whether you should invest in a soundbar with a subwoofer. But not all products are created equal. A soundbar paired with a badly integrated subwoofer can result in a worse overall sound when compared to an all-in-one bar. A buzzing, distorted subwoofer will detract from the immersive experience and create a worse overall sound compared to the soundbar on its own.
On top of that, you might not have the space for an extra bit of kit and would be better suited to an all-in-one soundbar such as the Award-winning Sonos Arc Ultra, which still offers a tight yet punchy bass performance.
A subwoofer can take your home cinema system to the next level, but if you are thinking of adding one to your setup, make sure you choose wisely.
MORE:
These are the best subwoofers right now
Here are the best soundbars we have tested
Check out our review of the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 7 + S
