TL;DR
Looking to boost your TV's sound without breaking the bank or cluttering your room? Sharp's HT-SB700 soundbar is a super compact, budget-friendly option that excels at making dialogue crystal clear – perfect for late-night viewing or binge-watching your favorite shows. It's a breeze to set up and looks sleek with most TVs. While it won't blow you away with booming bass or immersive cinematic sound, it's a noticeable upgrade from built-in TV speakers. If clear vocals are your priority and space is tight, this little soundbar punches above its weight. Want to know if its dialogue focus is enough for you? Dive into the full review!
The soundbar market has experienced rapid expansion, with Sharp exemplifying the industry’s drive to integrate extensive functionality into compact form factors. We previously reviewed the more advanced model HT‑SBW53121, which included accompanying rear speakers. This review focuses on its more compact counterpart, the HT‑SB700. Despite its modest dimensions, this unit offers capabilities that may exceed initial expectations.
This soundbar targets users seeking to enhance their TV audio experience without the need for extensive speaker setups or significant financial investment in premium systems. It presents itself as a genuinely budget-friendly option.
Initial Impressions
The soundbar’s notably compact and lightweight profile is immediately apparent. Despite its diminutive size, it offers a surprisingly robust feel, and its discreet design allows it to integrate seamlessly with most television setups. However, when paired with a particularly large display, such as the 85-inch model used in our testing, its scale can appear quite modest. Optimal aesthetic proportionality would likely be achieved with a 50-inch television.
Installation proved to be exceptionally straightforward. A simple HDMI ARC connection to the TV initiated immediate functionality without any complications. Alternatively, the soundbar supports Bluetooth connectivity directly from the television, offering a practical solution for minimizing cable clutter. This approach is beneficial for maintaining a clean aesthetic; however, sound quality is observably compromised via Bluetooth, particularly when aiming for optimal performance and Dolby Atmos support. Consequently, for our testing, the HDMI cable connection was utilized.
The included remote control is intuitive and clearly laid out, making it accessible even for users without extensive technical expertise. Overall, the product prioritizes user-friendliness, a goal it successfully achieves.
Upon cycling through the available sound modes, a distinct sonic characteristic of the soundbar becomes evident. It emphasizes vocal frequencies and the mid-range—the spectral region where human voices are naturally rendered—suggesting its design intent is to enhance dialogue clarity over providing an immersive cinematic experience. While this prioritization is typical within its price segment, it significantly influences the overall auditory impression.
Audio Performance and Characteristics
The soundstage exhibits clarity in the upper register, with dialogue reproduction being the soundbar’s most commendable attribute. Vocals are rendered distinctly even at low volumes, making it well-suited for late-night viewing or content rich in dialogue, such as TV series and news broadcasts. The mid-range is competently balanced, establishing a stable sonic foundation, yet it also represents a performance ceiling for the device.
The bass response emerges as the soundbar’s primary deficiency. Lacking a dedicated subwoofer, it exhibits insufficient depth and impact. While efforts are made to compensate through a mid-bass boost, the resulting audio never achieves genuine fullness. Explosions, musical scores, and action sequences consequently lack the requisite impact for an immersive experience. Furthermore, at elevated volumes, the soundbar demonstrates limited dynamic headroom; the audio can become compressed and strained, particularly during complex, densely layered scenes.
The various EQ modes offer inconsistent quality. While some may provide marginal enhancements depending on the content, others tend to degrade the audio by either excessively emphasizing treble frequencies or attenuating the mid-range. The standard mode typically delivers the most natural reproduction and is often the preferred default.
Drawbacks
The Sharp HT‑SB700 exhibits several distinct limitations that become readily apparent during practical use. Its bass response is insufficient to impart meaningful weight to cinematic content or music. The integrated sound modes are inconsistent, with some producing audibly unnatural results. For critical music listening, the soundbar’s audio profile is notably lean, lacking both warmth and nuanced detail.
Strengths
Notwithstanding its limitations, the soundbar possesses several strengths that position it favorably for its intended audience. It offers exceptional ease of installation and operation, and its compact footprint makes it an ideal choice for smaller spaces or users preferring a discreet audio solution. Dialogue reproduction is notably clear and precise, rendering it excellent for TV series, news, and general television consumption. The Bluetooth connectivity is stable and performs competently for casual music streaming. Considering its price point, it provides a discernable upgrade over integrated TV speakers.
Conclusion
The Sharp HT‑SB700 is a soundbar that capably performs within its established design parameters. It is user-friendly, occupies minimal space, and provides a distinct enhancement to dialogue clarity and overall television audio. However, it lacks the requisite power, low-end depth, and dynamic range to deliver a truly immersive cinematic experience, which may disappoint some users. Its Atmos support is limited, and the bass response is insufficient to convey a robust presence.
For smaller environments, bedrooms, or users whose primary focus is enhanced dialogue clarity, it represents an affordable and practical solution. However, for individuals seeking greater sonic impact and a more cinematic audio experience, alternative models offer superior performance.
Sharp provided a review sample for this evaluation. It is our standard policy that providers of review materials exert no editorial influence on our assessments; all reviews are conducted with independent objectivity, prioritizing the interests of our readers and consumers.
