A 50 Inch TV will have a width of 43.6 inches which means the ideal soundbar size should be between 40 and 50 inches.
Many soundbars will fall within this parameter which means it shouldn’t be too difficult to find amazing soundbars for your 50 inch display.
And to make your life easier, we’ve compiled the best soundbars that go physically well with a 50 inch TV, and perform at decent standards.
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Soundbar Name | Soundbar | Key Features | Star Rating | Check Price |
Samsung HW-Q990B |  |
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Samsung HW-Q900A |  |
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Samsung HW-Q930B |  |
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Klipsch Cinema 800 |  |
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LG S95QR |  |
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1. Samsung HW-Q990B | Best Overall Soundbar For 50 Inch TV
Specifications:
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, HDMI, HDMI eArc, Optical, USB, WiFi
- Surround-Sound Config: 11.1.4
- Dimensions: 48.5″ x 2.7″ x 5.4″
- Streaming Support: AirPlay, Spotify
- Virtual Assistant: Alexa, Google
- Audio Support: Dolby ATMOS, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby MAT (*ATMOS Music)
Reasons To Buy:
- Impressive room correction capabilities
- Bass is suitable for watching movies
- Decent Atmos support
- Premium design
Reasons To Avoid:
- No Chromecast support
Review:
The Samsung HW-Q990B is a flagship soundbar which means you’re going to get a lot of value out of this specific product.
Our favorite aspect about the Q990B is its ability to play movies and generate an immersive atmosphere with its high-end surround-sound capabilities.
And to compliment the surround-sound capabilities, it has amazing room-correcting features as it will analyze the environment and apply parameters that are best suited for the room.
Also if you’re like me, and really like deep bass especially in fast-paced action films, the Q990B’s subwoofer compliments everything well.
As for the width, it fits within the recommended boundaries for a 50-inch TV which is 40-50 inches. The screen is 48 inches which means it will be slightly bigger than a 50-inch display in terms of width.
However, one aspect that I don’t like is the lack of Chromecast support, this ultimately limits streaming support, but if you can work around it, the soundbar will generate an amazing experience.
Alternatively: the Samsung HW-Q950A is a great alternative, although the Q990B is superior in terms of movies thanks to the room-correcting feature.
But they both share the same 11.1.4 surround-sound config, the widths are basically the same, so it’ll mostly come down to personal preference, but I’d recommend picking whatever’s cheaper.
2. Klipsch Cinema 800 | Great Soundbar For Music
Specifications:
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, HDMI, HDMI eArc, Optical, USB, WiFi, Aux
- Surround-Sound Config: 3.1
- Dimensions: 47.8″, 2.8″, 3.3″
- Streaming Support: Spotify
- Virtual Assistant: Alexa, Google
- Audio Support: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS Digital Surround, DTS:X
Reasons To Buy:
- Perfect for listening to music
- Decent bass for watching movies
Reasons To Avoid:
- No room correction
Review:
For a more balanced approach, the Klipsch Cinema 800 is able to perform most things to an acceptable standard, it has Dolby Atmos support, so it has some level of immersion
As for the width, the Klipsch Cinema 800 is around 47 inches which means it can fit perfectly well with a 50-inch TV, so aesthetics won’t be an issue in terms of compatibility and clearance.
A downside to the Klipsch Cinema 800 is its lack of decent surround sound, but if you like deep bass, then this soundbar can be great if you’re just looking to listen to music.
But if you’re a fan of watching movies, then you will probably only experience sound coming from the front speakers, so there’s a lack of immersion when it comes to surround sound.
However, the Klipsch Cinema 800 is definitely a step up from standard TV speakers in almost every aspect, so you can’t go completely wrong.
Alternatively: the Klipsch Cinema 800 is a decent soundbar, but it comes close to the Sonos Arc soundbar which has better surround-sound support which means it’s a better option for movie lovers.
3. Samsung HW-Q930B | Best Q990B Alternative For 50 Inch TV
Specifications:
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, HDMI, HDMI eARC Optical, WiFi
- Surround-Sound Config: 9.1.4
- Dimensions: 43.7″, 2.4″, 4.7″
- Streaming Support: Spotify, AirPlay
- Virtual Assistant: Alexa, SmartThings
- Audio Support: Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS:X, DTS-HD High-Resolution Audio, DTS-HD Master Audio
Reasons To Buy:
- Great graphics EQ support
- Impressive surround-sound support
- Dolby Atmos support
- Impressive bass for action scenes
Reasons To Avoid:
- May suffer from sound compression at max volume
Review:
The Q930B is another flagship soundbar, it offers amazing performance, and it gives a similar experience to the more advanced Q990B which has two extra channels.
However, the subwoofer on the Q930B is quite honestly amazing. If you’ve felt deep, rumbly low bass, then you’d know it has a huge effect on immersion, especially when watching action-packed movies.
And it also supports a plethora of audio platforms such as Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital to enhance surround-sound content.
As for the overall build, it is 43.7 inches which makes this soundbar 0.1 inches bigger in width than a 50-inch TV display’s width.
So the Q930B is probably the best soundbar to pick for a 50-inch TV due to the fact that they’re pretty much the same size in width, but the soundbar doesn’t always have to match the display in width.
One potential downside to the Q930B is that it may experience sound compression at max volume, and this has the tendency to distort audio and ruin immersion.
Alternatively: if you’re a fan of the Q930B, but the sound compression is a dealbreaker, then the Q950A may be a great alternative.
They perform almost the same, but the Q950 has two more channels, one subwoofer, and the same number of up firing speakers. And most importantly, it won’t suffer from the same sound compression at max volume.
4. Samsung HW-Q900A | Best Runner Up Soundbar
Specifications:
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, HDMI, HDMI eARC Optical, WiFi
- Surround-Sound Config: 7.1.2
- Dimensions: 48.4″, 2.8″, 5.4″
- Streaming Support: Spotify, AirPlay
- Virtual Assistant: Alexa
- Audio Support: Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, DTS:X, DTS-HD, 5.1 PCM
Reasons To Buy:
- Graphic EQ support
- Gets fairly loud
- Decent bass when configured
- Dialogue enhancing capabilities
Reasons To Avoid:
- No Chromecast support
Review:
The Q900A is a 7.1.2 soundbar, and it has some impressive surround-sound features which can be beneficial for home theaters and movie lovers.
Our favorite feature of this soundbar is the room-correcting feature, the subwoofer has a microphone built-in, and it will analyze the sound produced, and automatically calibrate it.
For home theaters and movies, the soundbar is able to reproduce dialogue to an exceptional standard, it’s able to make the dialogue stand out from everything else making the content you’re watching more enjoyable.
Also in action movies, deep bass is often sought after as it can boost immersion, well the Q900A’s subwoofer is able to produce low, rumbly bass, but this may require some user calibration.
A few potential downsides to the Q900A is its poor Dolby Atmos performance, if you’re a fan of surround sound, this may be a let-down, but we have some great alternatives which perform better in this regard.
Alternatively: the Samsung HW-Q990B will most definitely perform better in terms of surround sound. It has two extra channels, and its Dolby Atmos performance is far better, but you may have to spend more.
5. LG S95QR | Best Soundbar For Movies
Specifications:
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, HDMI, HDMI eARC Optical, WiFi
- Surround-Sound Config: 9.1.5
- Dimensions: 47.2″, 2.4″, 5.3″
- Streaming Support: Spotify, AirPlay
- Virtual Assistant: None built-in (Assistant support can be set up through the app)
- Audio Support: Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, DTS:X, DTS-HD, 5.1 PCM
Reasons To Buy:
- Exceptionally good surround-sound performance
- Decent bass for watching movies
- Great room correcting feature
Reasons To Avoid:
- Bass can be overwhelming for regular use
- No graphic EQ
Review:
The LG S95QR is a flagship LG soundbar, and its surround-sound configuration is 9.1.5, so it features a single subwoofer, 9 channels, and 5 overhead channels.
The LG S95QR is clearly Dolby Atmos focused, and it definitely shows in real-life scenarios as it feels quite immersive. If your main focus is to watch movies at a high standard, then the S95QR can deliver that effortlessly.
On top of the amazing Dolby Atmos support for movies with its two up-firing drivers, the subwoofer further enhances action-packed scenes which can engross the viewer.
And the cherry on top is its room correction feature, which will automatically calibrate the soundbar depending on the data it receives about the room. This will generate the best experience for the viewer, and you should always try to use it when possible.
However nothing is perfect, the LG S95QR doesn’t get as loud compared to other soundbars like the Q950A, and the bass can be quite overwhelming as it’s quite bass heavy
Alternatively: you may want to look at soundbars such as the JBL bar 9.1, it features similar levels of immersion, and it’s easier to use right out of the box compared to the S95QR. This is because the S95QR often requires a lot of user configuration which can be quite annoying.
Verdict – What Is The Best Soundbar For 50 Inch TV?
Overall: Samsung HW-Q990B, It’s able to deliver exceptional surround sound for home theaters, and it should be able to fit in well with any 50 inch display.
However, if you’d like something similar, but you don’t want to completely break the bank, then the Samsung HW-Q930B is able to deliver a similar experience, but it may suffer from sound compression at max volume.
Or maybe you’d prefer a soundbar for purely movie/home theater purposes, then the LG S95QR is a great option, and you may be able to save some money compared to other soundbars on the list.
So What Should You Look Out For When Buying A Soundbar?
Surround sound support – Soundbars with at least 3 channels will provide the best surround sound support, two channels is fine if you’re just looking for something better than your standard speakers, but they fall behind in generating a great movie experience.
Dolby Atmos and DTS:X – These are the latest technologies in terms of sound, and they provide an immersive experience. If your soundbar supports these technologies, then you’re in for a treat.
Dolby Atmos is basically a sound system that uses ceiling speakers to bounce off sounds, giving you the feeling that sounds are coming from all around you (Multidimensional sound experience). DTS:X does not require ceiling speakers, but it still offers an immersive experience by producing a multi-dimensional experience.
Wireless connectivity – Look for soundbars that offer wireless connectivity as this will make your life a lot easier. You won’t have to deal with messy wires, and you’ll be able to place your soundbar wherever you want.
HDMI connectivity – This is important as you’ll want to connect your soundbar to other devices such as Blu-Ray players and game consoles. Make sure that the soundbar you’re looking at has at least 1 HDMI port.
Quick Tip! If you don’t want a standalone amplifier, then we recommend going for an active soundbar. This means you will not have to purchase an amplifier as one is already built. We’ve spoken about why standalone amplifiers aren’t necessary for the average consumer, you can learn more here.
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