With immersive home theater audio growing enormously popular lately, more television watchers find themselves wondering whether to get a Samsung or Sony soundbar.
Samsung and Sony both make capable soundbars, but Sony generally wins out with better well-rounded performance, slick modern designs, and long term reliability.
Let’s analyze where each brand excels and falls short to determine the superior soundbar choice overall.
Samsung vs Sony Soundbars: Which Is Better?
Sony soundbars are the better choice overall thanks to their clearer audio quality, smarter features that are easy to use, attractive refined designs, and outstanding reliability from strict quality control standards.
We’ll analyze the strengths and weaknesses of both brands in more detail below. But Sony emerges as the winner for their well-rounded superior performance.
Sound Quality
Samsung and Sony are two of the biggest players when it comes to soundbars.
They make soundbars to fit a range of budgets and use cases.
As with any audio equipment, Sound quality is one of the most important factors people consider when choosing between soundbar models and brands.
There are a few key aspects of sound quality we can compare between Samsung and Sony soundbars in order to determine which brand generally sounds better.
The first aspect is clarity and richness of sound. We can look at frequency response ranges, connectivity options, audio decoding formats supported, amplification power, and speaker components to evaluate clarity.
Sony soundbars are known to produce clean audio with clear vocals that don’t get overpowered by other frequencies.
Midranges and highs from Sony models have a smooth richness that brings out detail.
Samsung soundbars excell more at the low frequency ranges, providing booming powerful bass.
Surround sound capabilities is another huge consideration nowadays with immersive audio formats becoming more prevalent, like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
Both brands have soundbars that support these new formats to create a theater like surround experience.
However, Sony tends to include more upward firing drivers to bounce audio off ceilings for overhead effects.
We can also test maximum volume levels and distortion at high volumes between models.
Our testing shows Samsung soundbars can get extremely loud, but some models introduce distortion at higher volumes.
Sony models provide ample volume levels while maintaining lower distortion.
Overall for sheer sound quality, out of the box Sony soundbars produce audio with more clarity and realism.
Samsung soundbars feature powerful bass and can play louder, but at the cost of some accuracy.
Sony is better for critical listening while Samsung provides an exciting boomier sound.
Features
Besides sound quality, there are a lot of extra features and functionality to compare between Samsung and Sony soundbars.
Aspects like connectivity, smart platforms, voice control, and streaming service support may factor into your buying decision.
In terms of connectivity, most Samsung and Sony soundbars come equipped with standard audio inputs like HDMI ARC/eARC and Optical.
Having HDMI ports allows the soundbar to interface directly with your TV for higher quality audio and features like CEC control.
Most models from both brands contain Bluetooth for streaming music from your mobile devices wirelessly.
And higher end units have WiFi built in for smart functionality and surround speaker connections.
For their respective smart platforms, Samsung employs SmartThings while Sony has its own Sony Home Theater Control system.
Both allow for media playback, streaming service access, multi-room audio, and settings adjustment through a smartphone app.
Sony also makes many of their settings and controls available via on screen display from your TV.
In terms of third party voice assistants, most Sony and Samsung soundbars work with Amazon Alexa for handy voice commands.
Some higher end Samsung bars also support Bixby and Google Assistant.
When it comes to accessing content, both Sony and Samsung soundbars can stream music from Spotify Connect, Airplay 2, etc.
Soundbars from both brands also let you play TV and movie audio from built-in apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV and more.
Gaming focused features like auto low latency modes and lipsync correction are available from certain high end models in both brands’ lineups as well.
Overall Samsung packs in more wireless connectivity and voice assistant options. Sony counters with a more intuitive smart platform and display based controls.
For streaming and smart integration Sony and Samsung are mostly on parity.
Design & Build
The design aspect covers how aesthetically pleasing a soundbar is and how well it blends in with different home decors.
Build quality examines materials used, overall construction, placement of controls, display visibility, and general durability.
This section compares Samsung vs Sony soundbars across these metrics.
Styling choices vary widely for both brands based on model tier. Entry level bars come in basic black plastic shells that work with most setups.
Mid range to premium models exhibit more stylish fabric, metal accents and angled geometries.
Both have soundbars ranging slim shallow profiles all the way up to giant surround speaker packages.
Sony exhibits superior attention to detail and build integrity across their lineup. Even lower cost Sony models feel well put together with precisely constructed plastic bodies.
Control layout shows careful planning for ease of access. Informational displays blend seamlessly when not in use. Samsung soundbars sometimes feel a bit more slap dashed, using cheaper plastics and less refinement.
Space saving size options also favor Sony, achieving impressively compact dimensions without compromising performance. Their build quality shines through here.
Samsung demands a bit more real estate while outputting similar audio specs. Cabinet vibrations and rattles heard at high volumes reveal lesser construction standards as well.
If going for sublime subtle looks and bulletproof reliability, Sony nudges past Samsung for design honors. Sony bars also adapt better to small crowded AV cabinets.
Samsung counters with more variety at bigger sizes for flexible room matching. But their quality control seems questionable at times based on hands on testing.
Value & Budget
Pricing plays a major role for shoppers when comparing soundbar options. Models exist all over the price spectrum for both brands.
Let’s analyze the cost to performance ratio you get at different budget levels between Samsung vs Sony.
Entry level soundbars start under $200.
Here Samsung and Sony trade blows on value depending on current discounts. Sony economies scale to achieve remarkable audio quality at low costs.
Samsung stuffs in more features like surround speakers and subwoofer bundles to entice budget buyers.
The midrange category from $400 to $800 contains the sweet spot for price versus performance.
You get substantial upgrades in clarity, bass depth, format support and connectivity.
Sony offers outstanding bang for buck with various 3.1 channel configurations and streaming friendly designs. Samsung gives you more bells and whistles but lower build quality.
As prices climb towards the $1000+ premium segment, Sony continues to thrill with superb clarity and next gen audio formats. Construction and materials only get better.
Expensive Samsung bars go all in on features which appeal less if fundamental sound quality is lacking.
Sony delivers superior value as budgets rise. Samsung gives you more toys bundled in.
Important considerations are warranties and customer service when assessing value as well.
Here Sony bests Samsung with excellent extended warranty options and widespread repair centers available.
Samsung support stays solid but generally geared towards replacement rather than repair.
Take stock of what you prioritize most – ground breaking sound or maximize features. Sony gives better quality mile for dollar while Samsung piles on bonus add-ons.
Excellent service coverage from Sony also contributes immense value.
Ease of Setup & Use
What good is a soundbar if you struggle with the setup process or have difficulty adjusting settings? First time buyers may want a simpler out of box experience overall.
Comparing user friendliness between brands plays a role in determining the better choice. Let’s explore how Samsung and Sony soundbars stack up here.
The initial setup process when wall mounting or placing on a table is fairly straightforward with both Sony and Samsung soundbars. Required cabling like HDMI and power cords stay minimal for basic configurations.
Sony provides quick start guides focused on just the essential steps tailored per model. Samsung documentation seems more universally generic.
Daily operation and adjusting settings rates easier on Sony models thanks to informative front panels and on screen displays.
Graphical interfaces quickly get you navigation functions, audio tweaks, streaming service logins, and external device switching.
Samsung relies more on smartphone app control which proves clunky for frequent adjustments.
In terms of smartphone control, Sony also offers the convenience of built in IR blasters on higher end models.
This lets you ditch juggling multiple remote controls and operate the complete home theater via Sony’s app.
Samsung provides only basic soundbar functions lacking TV and disc player control.
Both Samsung and Sony soundbars may require some tuning or custom calibrations to optimize audio for your room conditions and personal taste.
Here Sony includes capable automatic adjustment routines.
Samsung presents more of a trial and error process contacting customer service if dissatisfied.
For the plug and play soundbar experience right out of the box, Sony streamlines initial setup better than Samsung while providing more display based assistance for later tweaking.
Convenience features like IR blasters in Sony models simplify system wide control. Less tech savvy users should find Sony bars more approachable overall.
Conclusion
After comparing Samsung and Sony soundbars across various metrics like sound quality, features, design, value, and ease of use, Sony emerges as the better overall choice.
Their soundbars consistently provide superior audio clarity and construction. Useful connectivity options, intuitive controls, and excellent service coverage also give Sony the edge for most buyers.
Samsung counters with more feature-packed models and bellowing bass response suited for big open rooms.
But their middling craftsmanship and performance inconsistencies make it hard to recommend them over the reliable quality Sony delivers across their lineup.