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Willie Greer - June 22, 2021
How annoying would it be to spend hundreds of dollars on a soundbar that promises great features but makes dialogues on your favorite TV show incomprehensible?
We’re saving you from hours of research as we’ve tested and listed soundbars that actually deliver clear voice, speech, and dialogue that won’t make you rely on subtitles alone.
Speaker
- Compact soundbar
- 2 angled full-range drivers
- HDMI-CEC technology
Clarifying (AV157)
- AccuVoice technology
- 12 levels of voice boost
- Dolby Digital decoding
HW-R450
- Sub with 43Hz~20kHz
- Smart sound technology
- Special gaming mode
At A Glance: Our Top 3 Picks for Soundbars for Dialogue
- Best Overall: ZVOX Dialogue Clarifying Sound Bar (AV157)
- Premium Choice: Bose TV Speaker
- Best Value: Samsung 2.1 Soundbar HW-R450 with Wireless Subwoofer
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Reviews of the Top 3 Soundbars for Dialogue & Voice Clarity
ZVOX Dialogue Clarifying Sound Bar (AV157)
For audiophiles serious about improving the conversations on screen, look no further than the ZVOX Dialogue Clarifying Sound Bar for audibility. It features AccuVoice, which can boost voices in the content in 12 different ways.
The soundbar also has PhaseCue, which is responsible for filling the room with 3D sound. In addition, SuperVoice technology will pull dialogue to the forefront and reduce background sounds.
One more trick up ZVOX’s sleeve is the OL, or output leveling feature that will make sure all the sound on screen is equal. You won’t experience a jump scare with a sudden blast of sound. Overall, this is the best soundbar for dialogue and voice clarity.
What We Like
- Developed especially for speech
- AccuVoice
- PhaseCue
- SuperVoice
- Output Leveling
- Very lightweight
- Infrared connectivity
- Easy to install
What We Don’t Like
- Clear for voices but not music
- Not the best for large rooms
Bose TV Speaker
The Bose TV Speaker is small, but there is nothing small about the sound it produces. The speaker can deliver a wide soundstage with the help of 2 full-range angled drivers. The TV speaker is specifically designed to enhance dialogue onscreen with more pronounced vocals.
The Bose TV speaker has Bluetooth for an easy setup. Still, it also has HDMI and optical cable if you prefer a wired connection. The soundbar is compact enough to fit under any TV but it can also be wall-mounted to save space.
Our team especially enjoyed the sleek design and how the speaker can pair with other Bose products.
What We Like
- Expandable system
- 2 full-range angled drivers
- Specifically enhanced vocals and speech
- HDMI and optical connection
- Bluetooth
- Small footprint
- Comes with a remote
What We Don’t Like
- The remote is small with small buttons
- No subwoofer
Samsung 2.1 Soundbar HW-R450 with Wireless Subwoofer
Not all of the best soundbars for voice clarity have a wireless subwoofer, but this one has it if you like a deep bass. Our experts agree that the wireless sub is powerful enough to give that oomph in voices and TV sounds in general.
The reason why it’s one of the best soundbars for dialogue clarity is because it automatically checks and analyzes the content to figure out the best settings. So no matter the content, this Samsung HW-R450 Soundbar adapts to produce the best sound.
Aside from the impressive full voice clarity, this is a good soundbar that comes with a game mode. If you’re a gamer, you’d surely appreciate the sound improvement this speaker provides.
As for the setup, this gadget offers a wireless option like other models do in our reviews. Similar to other soundbars like Yamaha, you can connect to this soundbar via Bluetooth, eliminating the wires and clutter that usually come with purchases. Plus, Bluetooth allows for streaming music and movies from your phone.
All these features are available in this smart soundbar, at an affordable price that fits the budget.
What We Like
- This Samsung sound bar analyzes the content automatically to ensure you enjoy movies or games with improved clarity
- This 2.1 bar comes with a wireless subwoofer to enhance not only the bass, but also the dialogue clarity for an enjoyable home theater experience right in your living room
- The Bluetooth connection supports streaming and eliminates clutter
- Low price for upgrading your TV sound to a good piece of technology
What We Don’t Like
- Wireless connectivity might be unstable when there’s a considerable distance between the soundbar and your wireless gadget
- Remote is not easy to work with
Soundbar for Dialogue Clarity Buying Guide
With the focus on dialogue clarity, there are also one or two factors to look for in reviews before buying a soundbar in a store or Amazon. This differs from buying a small soundbar just to enhance the sound, although a few factors do overlap. Without further ado, let’s hop right onto the list of what to look for.
Sound Modes
The sound modes on a soundbar are different settings that provide the best quality of sound depending on the content.
Unlike soundbars with the newest Dolby Atmos technology, sound modes are not new technology to home theater sound, but they’re an excellent improvement over a regular speaker system. Vizio, Yamaha, Bose, Sonos, and other brands incorporate sound modes into their models. There are a few standard ones we know as well, including:
- Standard – This is the original state of the audio with nothing enhanced.
- Music – This one is great for Bluetooth support and playing music videos. It enhances music and beats.
- Dialogue – It’s what you should be looking for if speech and clear voice are crucial to you. They make every uttered word incredibly clear and pronounced for that voice clarity you’re looking for. Budget soundbars including Klipsch Cinema 400 have dialogue mode to enhance speech quality.
- Sports – Great for watching sports channels and events.
- Movie – The sound effects are all brought to the surface with this mode for watching movies and tv shows.
- Night – This sort of dumbs and deafens the loud sounds of the content for nighttime.
Channels
The channels in a bar just improve the overall sound quality. The more channels your soundbar has, the better the delivery of great sound. Channels refer to where the audio is pumped out of your soundbar. In many reviews, channels range from two to seven.
For your reference, 5 is the industry standard for surround sound simulation on a great soundbar. Many brands like Yamaha and Sonos usually have a 5.1 soundbar system in their line, commonly for Dolby Atmos support.
The more channels, the more you will feel the audio.
Subwoofer
Soundbars can have a separate subwoofer for enhanced bass. Some soundbars even have the sub built-in, while other soundbars are so small and compact in size that they have wireless ones. Wireless subs usually have better sound as they are much bigger compared to the subs that are embedded inside.
If you want enhanced lower-pitched tones, attaching a subwoofer to your Roku Smart Soundbar, for example, is necessary to make the dialogue good and clear. Though they may come at a higher price in a store or in Amazon, stretching the budget is worth it.
Do Soundbars Help with Dialogue?
It really depends. Soundbars like Yamaha, Sonos, and others built with clear voice and good dialogue mode will undoubtedly improve the dialogue because it was made to do so.
However, the dialogue might not be the first consideration for a soundbar built for music or heavy bass. But if you find a soundbar that enhances the overall audio quality of TVs, then the dialogue will improve as well.
Atmos is not even really a necessity if you only want to improve the voice clarity aspect. But if you think rear-firing speakers and upward-firing speakers will give the support you want, then go for it.
Conclusion
Although speakers are large in size, they’re still around and they still get a ton of reviews from those who buy them. But soundbars are a great way to maximize the sound of your TV speakers at a lower cost. In turn, they can also boost your overall experience and may even simulate home theater speakers.
Soundbars with Amazon Alexa built-in are extremely easy to use as these voice assistants handle everything on command — good for those who fancy smart features. These may come at an additional price, though.
But mostly, even new soundbars are relatively cheap for such essential pieces of technology. Not everyone can afford a home theater system with surround sound speakers, but a soundbar could be the next best thing.
With soundbars that are made for enhancing dialogue, you can turn off your captions because you can now hear the conversations much easier on the screen.
Our Top Pick for the Best Soundbar for Dialogue & Voice Clarity:
ZVOX Dialogue Clarifying Sound Bar (AV157)
It’s no surprise our experts’ top pick for the best soundbar for dialogue is the ZVOX. The soundbar has all the technology you need to boost sound, enhance audio, and equally level out sound. Aside from the advanced hearing technologies, the ZVOX Dialogue Clarifying Soundbar (AV157) is also very lightweight and easy to set up.
Want a versatile soundbar that can be connected to your DVD player or your gaming console? Check our roundup of the best iLive soundbars, next!
