Sometimes it feels like movies or shows that intentionally ignore the dialogue, only to turn up the volume for the music and sound effects. If you’re tired of missing important bits of dialogue thanks to subpar TV speakers, you might want to upgrade to a soundbar. There are many others helpful tips and tricks to get better TV sound, but a proper soundbar can seriously improve dialogue clarity, as well as provide deeper sound and better audio quality overall for all your tan – see.
Many brands offer sound bars with a dedicated speech mode, although some do it better than others. One company leading the way is Zvox — it specializes in dialogue, and most of its products have at least one sound enhancement mode (and some as many as 12). Competitor Polk is also known for its excellent VoiceAdjust feature, while Yamaha makes an affordable soundbar with the same option, too.
A the soundbar will be shorter than others home theater system, but it can have a great effect on improving the sound on your TV. Whether you’re looking for a budget speaker or something more premium, these are the best soundbars for dialogue.
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If you’re looking for a soundbar that offers plenty of bass as well as crisp dialogue without using a subwoofer, the Zvox SB500 is a great buy. Even better, the company has added additional levels of sound enhancement since I reviewed the SB500, which should make it even easier to dial in the dialogue the way you want it.
Read our Zvox SB500 review.
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The Zvox AV357 may not have as many features as the larger SB500, but it’s an excellent performer nonetheless. The speaker comes in a wood-grain veneer, and the remote control is friendly. If you want to connect more than one TV though – like a phone via Bluetooth – the other options listed here are better for that.
Read our Zvox AV357 review.
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The Polk React is a follow-up to the Command Bar — the first soundbar with Amazon Alexa on board — and it offers an excellent mix of features and performance. Polk’s VoiceAdjust is one of the better dialogue enhancement systems, and this speaker puts it to good use.
Read our Polk React review.
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Zvox soundbars are great, but they lack HDMI connectivity. The compact Yamaha SR-C20A not only offers the convenience of HDMI ARC hookup — found on most newer TVs — but also has a dedicated Clear Voice mode to make it easier to understand the dialogue. It is also the cheapest option on this list.
Read our review of the Yamaha SR-C20A.
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Bose
The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 is a compact Dolby Atmos speaker with dedicated high speakers in a compact soundbar, and its sound quality is top notch. Especially in dialogue-heavy movies and TV shows. The soundbar also adds features such as multiroom music and the Alexa voice assistant.
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