Soundbars have become one of the essential options for almost all your needs for an enhanced audio experience as part of your home theatre experience. Combining an impressive 5.1.4 (or a 7.1.4) soundbar setup, you can experience a high-end sound exposure can make it a fabulous option.
Also Read: Best HDMI eARC Soundbars
While we have a practically considerable number of options available for the best possible audio experience and one of the promising genres from that perspective would be the best 9.1 channel soundbars. We thought of enlisting the best 9.1 channel soundbars for your needs.
Best 9.1 Channel Soundbars
The growth of the soundbars these days has made it extremely powerful options. Making a humble beginning from the 2.1 channel system, we have now come a long way wherein we have now reached a configuration such as 9.1 channel set up.
Of course, this is just a beginning, and we are still a long way to travel until we come across a considerably good number of them. But, before we get into the details, you need to understand the following:
JBL | JBL Bar 9.1 |
|
Samsung | HW-Q950T | |
Sony | ST5000 | |
VIZIO |
Elevate Sound Bar P514a-H6 5.1.4 |
|
SAMSUNG |
HW-Q90R (7.1.4 Channel) |
JBL Bar 9.1
Do remember that the JBL Bar 9.1 is an awesome 5.1.4 channel soundbar. It comes with two unique detachable satellite channels that are also truly wireless, so you can actually remove them from both sides of the soundbar and place them anywhere in the room. It also has a very harmonious and neutral tone profile making it well-suited for various audio content types.
Coupled with Dolby ATMOS technology, the JBL bar 9.1 is one of the first options for providing you with the 9.1 channel soundbar experience. You can be assured of an immersive audio experience. You can even detach the battery-powered rear speakers. The speakers provide you with access to a battery life of up to 10 hours.
By default, this soundbar up mixes all older content into 5.1.4 audio. If you’re listening to stereo audio, it automatically plays from the bar’s front and top speakers as well as discretely from the front and top of its satellites—even files such as “Dolby Digital” play on all channels, including its atmos up-firing channels.
The system provides you access to 820 Watts worth of maximum power that can indeed be quite a room-filling in every aspect. The 300 watt, 10-inch subwoofer experience further makes it one of the thoughtful inclusions. The soundbar is compatible with any compatible Bluetooth device. The ability to stream to the other devices through Chromecast and Apple AirPlay 2 are the two features that would further make it one of the exciting options ever.
Check out the specifications below:
- 5.1.4 channel: Yes
- Power supply: 100 – 240VAC, ~ 50/60Hz
- Battery charge time: 3 hours
- Total speaker power output: (Max. @THD 1%)820 W
- Main Soundbar output power: (Max. @THD 1%)400
- Surround speakers output power: (Max. @THD 1%); 2 x 60WYes
- Subwoofer output power: (Max. @THD 1%); 300Yes
- Soundbar transducer: 4×racetrack drivers + 2 × up-firing full-range drivers+3 × 0.75” (20mm) tweeter
- Surround transducer (per piece): up-firing full-range driver + 0.75” (20mm) tweeter
- Subwoofer transducer: 10″
- Operating temperature: 0°C – 45°C
- Standby for Soundbar: (when all wireless connections are deactivated)< 0.5 W
- Networked standby (Soundbar)< 6.0 W
- Networked standby (Subwoofer)< 2.0 W
- Time to standby<10 minutes
-
HDMI In1 & HDMI eARC1
-
HDMI HDCP version2.3
-
103dB: Yes
-
34Hz~20KHz: Yes
-
1 Optical, Bluetooth, Chromecast, AirPlay2, USB – Yes
Pros
- Compatible with the best possible streaming in high quality
- You can even stream through Bluetooth
- Detachable speakers
Cons
- Proprietary mounts for the satellites
Samsung HW-Q950T
If you are looking for the best possible 9.1 channel experience and a fan of Samsung for its perfect audio performance, the Samsung HW-Q950T should be what you would find one of the practical solutions. The built-in Alexa support should be one of the excellent features you would find extremely impressive.
The adaptive sound feature can help analyze the content and provide you with the right degree of the best possible sound. In fact, the product can seamlessly work with every type of content and produce the right degree of sound. This can be useful in hearing the dialogues, music, and movies in the best possible clarity. Here are some of the high-level specs:
Total Power Output | 546W |
Discrete channels | 9.1.4 |
Number of Speakers | 20 |
Speakers | 1 Wireless Subwoofer
1 Center Speaker Full Range up-firing and down-firing speakers Wide Range tweeters Wireless Rear Speakers |
Audio Specs | Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, ATMOS
Sound Modes: Standard, Game Pro, Adaptive, Surround Sound Expansion 4K Pass, HDR 10+ Decoding: AAC, MP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF |
Connectivity | HDMI-In – 2
HDMI Out – 1 HDMI – eARC HDMI CEC 1 Optical & Bluetooth – SBC, WiFi |
Weight | 7.1 KG |
Pros
- Amazon Alexa built-in that helps you handle all the tasks hands-free
- 16 speakers to power the system
- A high-end Kvadrat textile covering
- Integrates well with a Samsung smartphone
Cons
- No streaming support through Chromecast
Sony ST5000
The soundbar is an exciting choice for the 9.1 channel soundbar options and provides you access to a great degree of service quality through a 7.1.2 speaker system. You can be assured of a wonderful and powerful 800 watts of power. You also get access to full Dolby ATMOS support, which should further improve your experience.
The two upward speakers can be something you would find a great option. Sony further provides you access to a greater degree of audio enhancement options. The ClearAudio+ feature is one of the perfect options for enhancing your experience further ahead. You can control your soundbar through Google Assistant. You can even stream music through Spotify and other options.
Pros
- Options for connecting to other streaming services such as Spotify
- Streaming through Bluetooth and Chromecast
Cons
- No Apple AirPlay 2 support available
Should you go with a Subwoofer when opting for a Soundbar?
Soundbars can provide a lot of sound from low mid to high frequencies. But, they are not likely to reach deeper and low-frequency levels. That is where you would need to opt for a subwoofer on your soundbar.
A subwoofer is specifically designed to provide a low-frequency sound. It can provide you with a low-frequency experience in both bass and sub-bass range. While a soundbar can provide you with the best experience through its design alone, a subwoofer can be a great option if you check out the options for a real feel of your favorite music and movie.
What factors should you look for when picking the right soundbar?
When picking a soundbar, you will need to look for a few specific features that can form part of your checklist for the best soundbar. Here are a few prime factors that can form part of the right buying guide for the soundbars.
Placement
The placement of the soundbar has a lot to do with the best sound experience through the soundbar. One of the prime factors you need to focus on is to check that it does not block your access to the TV. If you can get a wireless subwoofer, then it will offer you more flexibility for placements.
Connectivity options
A remote control functionality should be a must. Other connectivity options that can help you connect your system and interact with it would include WiFi, Bluetooth, and HDMI input. Personal voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa are a few features that can make it one of the excellent options.
Channels
The number of channels available can be one of the prime options you would find one of the excellent options. The 9.1 channel functionality can be one of the excellent options, making it one of the newest trends.
The Concluding Thoughts
Well, there aren’t many 9.1 channel soundbar options currently available. We made sure to pick as many options available as of now. Except for a few select manufacturers, there aren’t many of them that are currently available. We will update the post as soon as more products are made available and are made available with the advanced features.
The 9.1 channel soundbars have been a new development, and it will definitely take a while until the trend catches up. With interest generated in the users’ minds, the trend for the 9.1 channel soundbars is likely to be the best and widely available options quite soon. We would indeed be looking forward to finding more such soundbars in the future.