Insignia may be an obscure brand compared to giants like Sony and Bose, but the underdog surprises with amazing soundbars at good prices with the freshest technology! But is it truly worth the change? Let’s take a look at the best ones in our comprehensive Insignia Soundbars Reviews.
NS-SB515
- 2.1 channel soundbar
- Bluetooth interface
- Digital amp
- USB port
NS-SBAR21F20
- Insignia NS-SBAR21F20
- Bluetooth streaming
- Sleek appearance
- Remote control
Best Insignia Soundbars Reviews
1. Insignia NS-SBAR21F20
For dynamic sound from the brand, the NS-SBAR21F20 is our audio team’s suggestion for its 2.1 configuration and understated design. It has its own subwoofer, which instantly elevates the bass in your home theater system. The setup is wireless, so you can feel free to position the small sub wherever it suits your layout.
The Insignia NS-SBAR21F20 soundbar was designed to be sleek and fit in well with most TVs. Aside from wireless connection, the soundbar subwoofer combo also provides Bluetooth streaming that can pair with your other Bluetooth-enabled device.
With 80 watts of total power, you can fill your room with lifelike audio.
What We Like
- Sleek appearance
- Comes with a wireless subwoofer
- Bluetooth connection
- 80 watts of power
- Remote control
- Wall-mountable design
- Dynamic sound
What We Don't Like
- No HDMI or eARC
- No display screen
2. Insignia NS-SB515
The Insignia NS-SB515 has a very unique-looking subwoofer that comes with the soundbar to add more bass to your media. With a total of 60 watts of sound, the NS-SB515 emits powerful audio, but it is not quite as powerful without a digital amplifier.
It also has a streamlined design much like the 2.0, but with the subwoofer, it can take up more space and is a lot heavier as a whole. This makes placement and mounting the soundbar on the wall tougher.
The NS-SB515 comes with all the cable connections (RCA and digital optical) that makes device setup possible in a matter of minutes. However, it does lack a USB port, which can be used for audio playback.
It supports Bluetooth for wireless streaming of all your favorite content from your mobile devices to the soundbar so you can enjoy higher quality audio. Bluetooth also facilitates a wireless connection with your TV for a neater appearance.
What We Like
- Sleek profile
- Wireless subwoofer
- Bluetooth streaming
- Remote control
- Multiple wired connections
- Powerful sound
What We Don't Like
- No HDMI
- No digital amplifier
Insignia Soundbars Buying Guide
What makes a good soundbar? The sound quality, of course! There are general aspects you must look into to ensure you get yourself a high-quality soundbar. Follow our guide below, which we also used for this Insignia Soundbars Review, to find out what they are!
Design
A soundbar should have a very sleek and polished profile. Chances are, your home theater components may not all be of the same brand. To make sure that all of your devices will blend in with their surroundings, a streamlined design is best.
It should also be lightweight and compact, making it easy to find a home for your new Insignia soundbars. You can either choose to mount it on the wall, place it in front of the TV or mount it on the TV itself.
The best way to ensure you receive unobstructed sound is by giving it a clear line of sight. Try not to have anything obstruct the soundbar or the remote sensor on your TV.
Channels
The channels of your soundbar refer to how many speakers or channels of sound emission a soundbar has.
The numbers you see that follow the model name (such as 2.0, 2.1, etc.) are used to indicate how many channels and subwoofers a soundbar has. The first number refers to the channels and the second refers to the subwoofer.
In general, the more channels a soundbar has, the more immersive the audio will be. 5 is the industry standard for surround sound, but a 2.0 or 2.1 soundbar is easily capable of creating simulated 3D sound with the right technology.
The LG LAS551H is a great example of a 2.1 channel soundbar that’s worth buying.
Sound Technology
Speaking of technology, soundbars are embedded with advanced tuning and systems to improve sound further.
In this particular brand’s case, the Insignia soundbar 2.0 has a digital amplifier which isn’t present in the NS-SB515. Therefore, the 2.0 has a wide-reaching range that is lacking in the latter.
Subwoofer
Soundbars like the NS-SB515 can come with subwoofers to enhance the bass. They usually take up more space than soundbars with subs built-in, but they are also capable of more power output due to their larger size.
If bass makes little difference to the audio quality, then an external subwoofer wouldn’t be as important as some of the other features. You can also opt for soundbars without subwoofers.
Connections
Both Insignia soundbars have RCA and digital optical connections. However, what is noticeably missing is the HDMI. Despite HDMI being the preferred form of connection due to its ability to support 4K passthrough, digital optical cables can still support high quality content in the former’s absence.
The most important thing is to make sure that your TV and Insignia soundbar have compatible connections. Otherwise, you may need to purchase adapters. With the corresponding connections, Insignia soundbars have an easy plug-and-play setup that can be achieved in minutes.
Want to operate your soundbar using a remote? Then, you can check our guide on how to program universal remote control for Insignia soundbar here.
Our Top Pick: Insignia NS-SB515
The NS-SB515 is our audio media team’s pick for the best Insignia soundbar. It has a total of 60 watts of sound with 30 watts of that from the wireless subwoofer alone. The Bluetooth interface makes it easy to connect to other wireless-enabled devices. The Insignia NS-SB515 also comes with a remote control for basic functions at a close distance.
