The 5 Best Soundbars For Dialogue - Spring 2021 Reviews

The best soundbar for dialogue clarity that we’ve tested is the Klipsch Cinema 600. This 3.1 setup offers a dedicated center channel that helps reproduce dialogue more clearly, and it even has an adjustable dialogue enhancement feature so you can control how loud the voices are on your favorite TV shows. If you're watching TV at night, you may also appreciate its auto-volume feature, which helps reduce the overall volume level.

Out-of-the-box, it has a pretty neutral, though slightly bright sound profile that's suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. Its dedicated subwoofer also helps to reproduce an extended low-bass. It also gets pretty loud, so it's a solid choice for listening to podcasts and audiobooks in a large room, though there's a lot of compression when you play it at max volume.

Unfortunately, it has to downmix surround content into stereo to play it, which doesn't sound as immersive. It also doesn't support Dolby Atmos content, so it isn't the best choice for movie fans. That said, if you're looking for a simple soundbar that can improve the quality of dialogue in TV shows and podcasts, it's a solid choice.

If you prefer a standalone bar, the Sonos Beam is the best soundbar for dialogue that we've tested. This compact 3.0 channel model packs a punch for its small size. It has a well-balanced sound profile, and its dedicated center channel helps to provide clear dialogue for your favorite TV shows or podcasts.

It has a lot of sound enhancement features that can help immerse you in your audio. Its room correction feature allows it to adapt to your room setup so that it can reproduce audio that sounds more accurate. There's also a night mode and a dialogue enhancement feature that can help make voices clearer and easier to understand at any volume. If you want to upgrade this setup down the line, it's easy as Sonos also sells wireless subwoofers or rear speakers separately.

Unfortunately, it lacks connectivity options like a full HDMI In port. You can't stream podcasts from your mobile device using Bluetooth, and there's no DTS support. If an HDMI input is a necessity, the JBL Link Bar has three HDMI inputs as well as an HDMI ARC port. It can also support Bluetooth as well as Chromecast built-in, and it can play DTS files. However, it's much bigger than the Sonos, and its reproduction of voices isn't as clear.

The best soundbar for dialogue in the budget range that we've tested is the Vizio V Series V51-H6. Thanks to its dedicated center channel, this 5.1 soundbar can reproduce dialogue clearly and more accurately. It also comes with a dialogue enhancement feature to help make voices more clear and crisp, as well as a TruVolume feature to help provide a consistent volume level across different programs.

Out-of-the-box, it has a very neutral, balanced sound profile that makes it suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content, and its balanced mid-range reproduces clear and accurate dialogue. There are also a few EQ presets available to help you customize its sound more to your liking. Also, this bar gets loud enough for use at parties or in large rooms, which is handy.

Unfortunately, this soundbar doesn't support Dolby Atmos content, which can be disappointing for movie fans. Also, it lacks a Full HDMI In port, so you can't use it as a hub between your different devices. However, if you're on a budget, this soundbar is still an impressive choice for vocal-centric content.