The 5 Best Soundbars For Dialogue - Winter 2021 Reviews

The best soundbar for dialogue we’ve tested is the Sony HT-Z9F. This well-built 3.1 setup reproduces clear and accurate dialogue thanks to its dedicated center channel. There's even a dialogue enhancement feature, which can make dialogue in TV shows and podcasts sound more crisp and clear.

Overall, it has a pretty neutral sound profile that can reproduce vocals and dialogue clearly, though some upper harmonics can be a bit hard to hear. It gets loud, too, and there isn't a lot of compression present when you play it at max volume. There are also a few EQ presets available to help you customize its sound and an auto-volume mode to help balance the volume level across different programs like your TV shows and commercials.

Unfortunately, it lacks some of the premium sound customization features like bass and treble adjustments or a graphic EQ, which can be disappointing if you like to have a lot of control over how the bar sounds. Also, while it can play surround and Dolby Atmos content, it doesn't provide the most immersive listening experience. That said, if you love watching dialogue-centric content like TV shows, it's an amazing choice.

The Sonos Beam is the best standalone 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 won't be able to 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 Yamaha YAS-209. It's currently priced a bit higher than this price point; however, it's recently been lower. This 2.1 speaker setup has a well-balanced sound profile that does a good job of making voices sound clear and accurate.

For a budget option, there are still a decent amount of sound enhancement features to improve your listening experience. It comes with a dialogue enhancement feature, and you can even choose between six different EQ presets to better suit your needs. Its dedicated subwoofer also provides a bit of extra bass for action-packed scenes. It may not get as loud as some of the other soundbars we've tested, but it should still satisfy most listeners.

Unfortunately, it doesn't have the best build quality, and the mesh-like fabric covering it tends to attract dust and dirt. Also, there isn't a dedicated center channel, so it doesn't reproduce center sound as clearly as some other options. However, as an upgrade over the now-discontinued Yamaha YAS-207, it comes with some new features, including Wi-Fi wireless playback capabilities that make it easy to play audio from your phone, tablet, and TV.