Roku Streambar Pro review
Our Verdict
The Roku Streambar Pro, which combines a soundbar and Roku streaming device, is piece of cake to set upwards and has good sound — but it'due south sluggish as a streamer.
For
- Elementary to prepare upward and use
- Decent bass without a subwoofer
- Wide audio
Against
- No Dolby Atmos support
- Sometimes sluggish streaming operation
Tom'southward Guide Verdict
The Roku Streambar Pro, which combines a soundbar and Roku streaming device, is piece of cake to set and has good audio — only information technology'due south sluggish equally a streamer.
Pros
- +
Simple to fix up and use
- +
Decent bass without a subwoofer
- +
Wide sound
Cons
- -
No Dolby Atmos support
- -
Sometimes sluggish streaming functioning
If y'all're looking to streamline your abode theater setup, the Roku Streambar Pro is as uncomplicated equally you tin can go. It'southward an all-in-i soundbar with a 4K Roku streaming player built in. You connect an HDMI cable between the soundbar and your Telly and you're pretty much done.
The Streambar Pro follows the Roku Streambar, one of our best soundbar picks, and replaces the Roku Smart Soundbar in the visitor's audio lineup. The Streambar Pro comes with a better remote than the latter, and also supports virtual surround sound out of the box. Information technology produces good, not groovy, sound, and it'south slow to launch apps when you want to lookout man something. Simply, as our total Roku Streambar Pro review will explain, simplicity can be worth a lot.
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- Bank check out our Roku Ultra LT review
Roku Streambar Pro: Price and Availability
- Out now for $179
- Available from a range of retailers
The Roku Streambar Pro launched in May 2021. You can buy information technology for $179 directly from Roku, or pick it up from Amazon and B&H for the aforementioned cost.
Alternatively you can pick up the cheaper, but besides less-powerful Roku Streambar for $79 in Amazon'south Black Friday sale
Roku Streambar Pro review: Design
- Unassuming style
- HDMI ARC support
- Improved remote, though no onboard controls
The 32.2 x three.9 x 2.viii-inch Streambar Pro takes its visual cues from Roku's streaming box line — information technology tries not to attract besides much attention and fades in with its environment. The blackness, rectangular soundbar includes four ii.5-inch drivers. It doesn't come up with a subwoofer or surround speakers, but y'all can add those to make a truthful 5.one system.
On the front, the simply beautification is a white light that shows it's powered on; the light changes to red when you lot actuate the microphone for voice control. On the back, you'll discover an HDMI ARC input for connecting to your Tv. There'south also an optical digital audio connection and a USB port.
Taking simplicity to the max, the Streambar Pro has no buttons or controls on the unit. You need the remote control or the Roku app to turn it on, accommodate volume or change settings.
The remote is the biggest upgrade over the Smart Soundbar. It looks and feels similar the Roku remote many of us know and beloved. It'due south simple and well constructed, and feels solid in your paw. The version with the Streambar Pro includes a push button for phonation search and headphone jack for private listening. Information technology has quick launch buttons for Netflix, Disney+, Apple Television receiver+ and Hulu. It also has two buttons that you tin plan to store a phonation command. Remember, even so, that this remote is not the same as Roku'southward new Voice Remote Pro, which is rechargeable and supports easily-gratuitous voice control.
Roku Streambar Pro review: Sound quality
- Bass is decent but could be stronger
- Make clean and clear high-end
The Streambar Pro delivers solid, though non slap-up, all-around sound. Voices, for instance, are piece of cake to hear. Virtual surroundings creates a fairly broad sound, though other soundbars tin can simulate surround sound meliorate, and the Streambar Pro lacks any kind of Dolby Atmos back up. Information technology has good bass for an all-in-one soundbar, but information technology definitely could do good from a subwoofer.
Kate Winslet's New England accent was easy to empathize in Mare of Easttown, with the bass adding some resonance to the dialog. When Sam rescues the soldier in the opening scene of The Falcon and the Wintertime Soldier, explosions had emphasis thanks to the bass, though they didn't rattle the floor as a unit of measurement with a subwoofer would. The soundtrack of Tenet lacked the pulsing, throbbing chemical element that a system with more low-end would provide.
When listening to music, the same strengths and weaknesses showed. The Weeknd's vocals on "Blinding Lights" were clear above the bass, merely the snare sounded a bit harsh. The guitar on Billie Eilish's "Your Ability" was crisp and her voice was high in the mix, and the subtle bass was axiomatic though not overpowering. The Streambar Pro too handled the layers of sound on St. Vincent's "Pay Your Mode in Pain" well, though the song lacked the deep bass that better speakers produce.
The Streambar Pro has decent power, and should get loud enough to fill up most rooms. Information technology measured well-nigh ninety decibels at full volume, which isn't impressive compared to beefier soundbars, merely it's enough. One nice feature is that the volume goes from 1 to 100, which allows you a lot of fine tuning to find the right book for you.
Roku Streambar Pro review: Streaming performance
- Wide app pick
- Sluggish operation harms the feel
As a streaming device, the Streambar Pro is a bit of a let down. Information technology has all the cracking features you expect from a Roku device — easy navigation, almost every app — but menus and apps were slow to load. Information technology would ofttimes have v to 10 seconds afterwards launching an app earlier I was able to start playing a movie. I always felt like I was waiting for the device to take hold of upwards. By comparison, when using a Roku Ultra or the smart OSes on an LG Boob tube or Samsung TV those apps launch in a few seconds.
Roku says the operation issues were related to compatibility issues with my LG C9 OLED TV. When I used the Streambar Pro with a Hisense U8G Television set, menus and apps loaded faster, though not as fast every bit the Television receiver's native Android TV OS.
The Roku's vocalisation search was always quick, though. When I asked it to find Mare of Easttown, it showed me the results near instantly. You tin also use vox control to turn off the TV and change the volume.
Roku Streambar Pro review: Setup
- Easy, even with streaming and virtual environs features
- Handful of sound customization options
The Roku Streambar Pro is one of the simplest soundbars to set up that you'll detect. Connect it to your Tv's HDMI ARC port and follow the onscreen setup guide. Most of the work involves installing apps for the streaming device in the soundbar. It doesn't become any easier than that.
Once you've finished setting up, you can make a few adjustments to the sound, but not many. Under Settings, get to Audio. You tin change the sound mode — bass off, bass heave, normal or reduce bass. I like that Roku uses these labels instead of Movie, Sports, Music or other labels that you often see on soundbars. At that place's no doubt what each audio mode does. Y'all can engage volume leveling and night mode, which keep loud sounds from getting too loud. You can also boost the dialog past cranking up speech clarity.
Virtual surroundings audio is a new addition to Roku'due south soundbars; it's been added to the Smart Soundbar via an update, but comes with the Streambar Pro as standard. It's switched on by default, just yous tin turn it off if you lot don't like information technology.
Roku Streambar Pro review: Verdict
If you're looking for a quick solution to provide ameliorate sound than your TV speakers and brand it easy to stream content, the Roku Streambar Pro is as simple as information technology gets. With one device for audio and streaming, the integration between sound and vision is polish. Y'all don't demand any extra speakers to get that Roku environs sound issue either. It'south a adept soundbar and a respectable streamer, even if that ho-hum performance takes the shine off.
If yous have a Roku Smart Soundbar, however, there's footling reason to upgrade. The Smart Soundbar tin also get the virtual surround sound feature, and while the Streambar Pro's remote is better, you can buy one separately if you want private listening and voice command — or you can get those features through the Roku app.
Yous can become better overall performance with a cheap soundbar and a Roku Ultra for about the same cost. But you'll give up the simplicity of the Streambar Pro's all-in-one organisation, and a streamlined life may be worth the merchandise off.
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Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/roku-streambar-pro
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