The Insignia NS-HSB318 is a very simple, straightforward 2.0 soundbar. It's essentially a large Bluetooth speaker since it has limited inputs and functionality. It doesn't support surround sound and only works with PCM content when connected to your home theater system. It lacks both bass and treble, but it still does a decent job at making voices and most instruments sound fairly balanced. It can also get quite loud, especially for a smaller soundbar, and it doesn't compress very much at max volume, which is great. It can be a viable option if you're looking for a basic soundbar, so you can listen to music off your phone at a party or in the backyard, but it's otherwise not very versatile.
Our Verdict
The Insignia NS-HSB318 is disappointing for mixed usage. Its sound profile lacks punch in the bass range and brightness in the treble. It also doesn't support surround sound and doesn't have any HDMI ports. It still does a decent job at reproducing voices and instruments, though, and it's quite compact. It also gets quite loud without compressing, which is great for parties. It's not ideal if you want an immersive home theater experience, but it's alright if you're just looking to upgrade your TV or smartphone's integrated speakers.
- Compact design.
- Gets very loud without compressing.
- Limited connectivity options.
- No surround sound support.
- Lacks a lot of bass.
The Insignia NS-HSB318 is decent for dialogue and TV shows. It reproduces voices quite accurately with its default sound profile. It also has a 'News' feature, which can help make dialogue even clearer. Unfortunately, it doesn't have automatic volume control or a night mode, but it's still a fair choice if you just want a basic soundbar to watch your favorite sitcoms with.
The Insignia NS-HSB318 isn't bad for music, but it's not the best. Its default sound profile lacks a lot of bass, so it's not ideal for genres with a lot of thump and rumble like EDM and hip-hop. It reproduces voices and instruments fairly accurately, though. It also has a Bass Boost feature which may help improve the bass performance; however, we didn't test this. That said, it can get quite loud without compressing, which is great.
The Insignia NS-HSB318 is bad for movies. It produces virtually no thump or rumble, so action movies lack excitement. It also doesn't support any surround sound formats - you need to make sure your TV is set to PCM format content only if you connect it via optical. This is disappointing since you won't be able to enjoy the surround experience of your favorite films.
Changelog
- Updated Apr 07, 2021: Updated 'Bass Adjustment' to 'No' for greater clarity.
- Updated Apr 06, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Sep 23, 2020: The Dynamics tests have been reconducted due to a value input bug.
- Updated May 25, 2020: Review published.
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Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Insignia NS-HSB318 2.0 Channel Soundbar is a disappointing soundbar overall, but it's a bit better than some of the other 2.0 models on the market. Although it lacks thump in the bass and brightness in the treble, it still sounds more balanced than the TaoTronics TT-SK023. It also gets much louder than the Bose Solo 5 and compresses less than the Vizio SB3220n-F6. Its connectivity options are very limited, though, especially compared to the JBL Link Bar. If you're interested in your other options, check out our recommendations for the best budget soundbars, the best small soundbars, and the best soundbars for dialogue.
The Vizio SB3220n-F6 is a much better 2.0 soundbar than the Insignia NS-HSB318 2.0. It produces more bass, sounds better balanced, has a wider soundstage, and can play Dolby Digital files over optical. The Insignia feels more cheaply made and performs worse overall.
The Insignia NS-HSB318 2.0 and the TaoTronics TT-SK023 are very similar soundbars, but the Insignia is better since it has a more balanced default sound profile. It also has a few more sound enhancement features. The TaoTronics feels less cheaply-made, though, and has an AUX port. The Insignia, on the other hand, can play files off a USB key or hard drive.
The Bose Solo 5 is a better 2.0 soundbar than the Insignia NS-HSB318 2.0. The Bose feels much better-built, has a more balanced, neutral sound profile, and supports Dolby Digital content over optical. However, the Insignia can get much louder and compresses less at max volume too. It also has a few more sound enhancement features, like EQ presets and a bass boost mode, too.
The Sony HT-S100F is a better 2.0 soundbar than the Insignia NS-HSB318 2.0. Although its default sound profile isn't much better balanced, it supports Dolby Digital content over optical and HDMI ARC. Although it downmixes surround content, it has a virtual surround feature, which the Insignia lacks. The Insignia is more compact, which some may prefer.
Test Results
