Panasonic SC-HTB100 review: experience clearer vocals without breaking the bank
The Panasonic SC-HTB100 is a practical, easy-to-use budget soundbar that’s a solid upgrade from typical TV audio. It’s a full-size standalone soundbar priced from as little as £79 (around $100 / AU$160), putting it firmly in the ultra-cheap category. So you can’t expect mind-blowing spatial audio or game-changing features, but you can certainly hope for clean audio to enhance your viewing experience. Fortunately, you get this.
Readers, I want to jump right into the main event and talk about the audio quality. The Panasonic SC-HTB100’s performance is impressive, with the highlight being its sonic clarity.
when tuned to boys On Amazon Prime, I found that the vocals were generally clearer in the overall mix, rarely becoming unpleasantly cluttered by sounds in similar frequency ranges. For example, in an interior scene in which Anne, one of the main characters, is talking to an older man, I felt both voices were further forward, taking up more distinct space than my TV itself could provide. In a hospital ward, when using the Panasonic SC-HTB100, the room’s acoustics were very realistic, especially with speech reverberating throughout the space. The higher-pitched sound also eliminates the sounds I hear in TV audio, making for a more comfortable listening experience.
You can’t expect such precise precision with some products when it comes to placement. best soundbar quote, but Matsushita Regardless, the SC-HTB100 performed reasonably well. For example, I threw Top Gun: Maverick In the intro, which features Tom Cruise riding a Kawasaki motorcycle, the soundstage is slightly wider and the bike’s movement is better replicated through the Panasonic soundbar.
Don’t expect the Panasonic SC-HTB100 to deliver truly three-dimensional sound, though. There’s no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, and it’s a 2.0 channel bar, which means there’s no subwoofer or rear speakers. However, I think it’s perfectly acceptable at this price point. In fact, budget plans trying to sell Atmos tend to fail in terms of delivery – Elias Majority This is just one example of a super-cheap soundbar that, despite offering Dolby Atmos, produces a limited spatial audio impression and overall sound quality is disappointing.
My main complaint with the audio, though, is with the bass. I completely understand that without a dedicated subwoofer you can’t expect particularly impressive low-end power, especially coupled with the 45W total power output. However, the bass does feel quite weak, and it doesn’t feel like a massive upgrade from standalone TV audio. To its credit, Panasonic has never claimed to deliver big, punchy low-frequency sound, instead claiming that the soundbar uses a bass-reflex port to “subtly emphasize the deeper tones in movie soundtracks” – and “subtly” is definitely the operative word. .
Still, the overall sound quality is pretty good. This applies to all three EQ modes – Movie, News and Music. I used movies while listening boys and Top Gun: Maverick – But there’s more. For example, I try to watch Suzume On Netflix, high-pitched female voices sounded very clear, even when played alongside background music, which didn’t sound tinny or distorted at all. Not bad for a budget soundbar. Not much to say about news mode, although I did check sky news and found that the reporter’s voice was well placed and rarely mixed with feedback from the outdoor environment or the more subtle sounds of the studio environment.
But perhaps the sound mode I least wanted to test was music. That’s because a large portion of the budget bar falls well short of the mark in terms of audio quality when dealing with tracks that require fine weighting, neat sonic detail reproduction, and strong performance across all frequencies. Of course, the Panasonic SC-HTB100 doesn’t quite reach stunning standards, but it actually handles music with decent clarity. I listened like a waltz Written by Geordie Greep, the wailing guitar sounds very real and clear. Although the layered instruments don’t separate elegantly or stay completely faithful to their intended sounds, the audio isn’t overly tinny, providing an adequate listening experience. However, you can expect some distortion at higher volumes and you’ll have more fun with the sound best bluetooth speakers If you want leisurely wireless listening.
While listening to music, I was able to connect to the soundbar using Bluetooth 5.0 – a handy feature if you want a quick wireless music playback solution. There’s actually a good set of connectivity options here, including digital optical, USB, AUX and HDMI ARC. I mainly use the latter, which works great and allows me to adjust the volume using a regular TV remote.
This is something I’m very grateful for, as the included remote isn’t the best. I don’t have any qualms with the look or design, but the buttons aren’t always responsive. When I tried to turn up the volume, there was sometimes a noticeable lag – which was a bit frustrating.
But that’s not my only problem with the Panasonic SC-HTB100’s design. I’m really unhappy with the display on the front of the soundbar. Instead of seeing a full LED display to let you know which sound mode or volume level you’re using, you’ll see a small LED light. It changes color depending on the sound mode you’re using, but you won’t know which is which unless you consult the Oracle (which includes a user guide).
Another issue is the smooth, slightly plasticky casing. Reflections from the TV screen may appear on top of this material – which is quite a distracting issue when you’re focused on watching a show or playing a video game. Other than that, the soundbar looks pretty solid. Again, it’s a bit plasticky, but it’s slim enough, which makes it easy to slide into my setup.
So, overall, this is a solid soundbar that will give you an audible, albeit not show-stopping, improvement over TV audio. If you have obtained one of these best little tv For example, the audio department often lacks firepower and quality, so this might be a good choice.
Panasonic SC-HTB100 review: price and release date
- £79 (approximately US$100/AU$160)
- Launching in 2021
The Panasonic SC-HTB100 was released in the UK in 2021, but was not sold in the US or Australian markets. But even if it’s not the latest, don’t let that put you off – it still has quite a few features, especially if you want clearer sound and Bluetooth connectivity. At £79, it’s definitely in the budget category even for a standalone 2.0 channel soundbar. Considering this is a full-size soundbar, not a mini, it’s a great value, especially if you want a low-cost, easy-to-use TV audio upgrade.
Panasonic SC-HTB100 review: Specs
| aspect | 30 x 2.3 x 2.8 inches/762 x 58 x 70 mm |
| speaker channel | 2.0 |
| connect | HDMI ARC, digital optical, AUX, USB, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Dolby Atmos/DTS:X | No no |
| include sub | No |
| Includes rear speakers | No |
Should I buy the Panasonic SC-HTB100?
| property | notes | grade |
|---|---|---|
| feature | Nice sound mode, Bluetooth for connecting devices, but nothing more. | 3/5 |
| audio performance | Vocals sound well separated and crisp, and the bass might not be too impressive. | 4/5 |
| design | It looks good, but the plastic casing reflects the screen, making the display a bit impractical. | 3.5/5 |
| Setup and availability | The remote isn’t the most responsive, but it’s very easy to set up. | 4/5 |
| value | Clear sound, good connectivity options, easy setup, and a low price. | 4.5/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Panasonic SC-HTB100: Can also be considered
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Panasonic SC-HTB100 | Amazon Fire TV Soundbar | Ultimate Poseidon D50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| price | £79 (approximately US$100/AU$160) | US$119.99/£119.99 (approximately AU$180) | $119.99 / £149.99 (approximately AU$180) |
| aspect | 30 x 2.3 x 2.8 inches/762 x 58 x 70 mm | 24 x 3.5 x 2.6 inches/610 x 90 x 65mm | Soundbar: 15.7 x 2.8 x 3.5 in/400 x 70 x 90 mm; Subwoofer: 6.1 x 9.6 x 8.5 in/155 x 244 x 215 mm; Rear speakers: 5.3 x 2.8 x 3.5 in/135 x 70 x 90mm |
| speaker channel | 2.0 | 2.0 | 5.1 |
| connect | HDMI ARC, digital optical, AUX, USB, Bluetooth 5.0 | HDMI ARC, Digital Optical, Bluetooth | HDMI ARC, digital optical, AUX, USB, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Dolby Atmos/DTS:X | No no | No no | No no |
| include sub | No | No | Yes |
| Includes rear speakers | No | No | Yes |
Panasonic SC-HTB100 review: How I tested it
- Tested for two weeks
- Connect to your home Hisense U7K TV
- Mainly using the HDMI ARC connection option
I tested the Panasonic SC-HTB100 at home for two weeks. When connecting the soundbar to my devices I mainly use HDMI ARC Hisense U7K TV.
For testing, I watched a variety of TV shows, videos and movies – mostly using streaming services, e.g. Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Youtube. I’ve also played Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth On Playstation 5, gaming performance was evaluated using the soundbar simultaneously. Most importantly, I connected Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Connect to Panasonic SC-HTB100 via Bluetooth and play music from TechRadar Test Playlist to judge the quality of the music mode.
- First review: November 2024
- Read more about How we test
