Passive soundbars are soundbars that do not have an internal amplifier, so they require amplification to work. The soundbar will have speaker connectors, and you need to connect the soundbar speakers to a separate amplifier or receiver.
If your TV has pre-amp outputs, you can connect them directly to the soundbar using speaker wire.
The advantage of passive soundbars is that they offer flexibility in how they are powered. You can use different amplifiers and receivers with the same system over time.
For example, if you upgrade your TV and it has more powerful speakers, you can use these for your audio source instead of purchasing a new system.
So, if you’re looking for a passive soundbar, check out our list of the best passive soundbars. We’ve compiled a list of the top 6 passive soundbars available today, and we’ll help you choose the perfect one for your needs.
Our Top Picks:
- Martin Logan Motion SLM X3
- Dayton Audio BS41
- Polk Audio Signature Series S35
- Klipsch G-42
- Klipsch RP-440D-SB
- KEF HTF7003
Best Passive Soundbars Reviews
1. Martin Logan Motion SLM X3 Ultra-Slim 3-Channel Passive Soundbar
The Motion SLM X3 features three channels of speakers that can be placed anywhere in your room. You can place them on the wall, shelf, or even use it as a center channel speaker for TVs and gaming consoles.
The Motion SLM X3 offers a frequency range of 120-25,000 Hz, and its sensitivity is 93 dB/2.83 volts/meter. This means that you’ll get the most accurate sound from all of your movies, TV shows, music, and games. You can also easily control the volume from -50 dB to +15 dB.
It also has an impressive 80 degrees horizontal dispersion and 80 degrees vertical dispersion, so it will fill your room with balanced sound.
The Motion SLM X3 is powered by a set of six 4″ paper cone low frequency transducers. These are designed to be lightweight, easy to install, and produce an immersive sound experience.
This is complemented by a proprietary digital signal processor that handles all of the processing. This ensures that the sound quality stays high throughout the entire range of the frequency spectrum.
The Martin Logan Motion SLM X3 is rated for 20-140 Watts per channel. So you can easily get a great sound experience from these ultra-slim speakers.
With its ultra-slim design and incredible performance, the Motion SLM X3 Ultra-Slim 3-Channel Passive Soundbar is an excellent choice for any type of home theater system.
2. Dayton Audio BS41 41″ LCR Speaker Bar
The Dayton Audio BS41 is a passive soundbar designed to work as the centerpiece of your home theater system. It’s designed for accurate reproduction of music and TV audio, but it can also be used to replace large bookshelf or center speakers.
It has an astonishing bass performance, thanks to its high-excursion 4″ woofers that have a maximum output of 100 watts each. This means that they can create more powerful sound than most speakers of the same size.
There are two speaker grilles, one on either end, to give you the option to place them either left or right. You can also add another pair of speakers for a 7.1 surround configuration.
If you want to go all out and really make your living room come to life, you can connect a subwoofer to the speaker bar. This will add even more bass to the system, and it will also create a more immersive experience.
The BS41 is an ideal solution for people who want great sound in small spaces, or for anyone who wants a compact center speaker bar. It’s worth checking out.
3. Polk Audio Signature Series S35 Passive Soundbar
The Polk Audio Signature Series S35 is a fantastic, ultra-slim soundbar that can bring your movies to life with a dynamic, powerful sound experience. It’s built to last, thanks to a sturdy design that won’t break even if you drop it or knock it off the shelf.
This is a 4-inch, 4-way speaker that’s optimized for surround sound, featuring a Dynamic Balance Acoustic Array for wide dispersion and exceptional sound quality.
This means it can fill up a room and give you amazing surround sound effects, while keeping the overall size of the unit minimal. Polk Audio has gone all out with the S35, using premium materials for a strong, sturdy build.
The S35 is a stylish piece of audio equipment that will look great in any room, and it boasts great sound quality as well. It has a stunning design, with a high gloss finish that’s sure to make your TV or home cinema system pop.
It has a Hi-res certified rating that ensures you get the best audio quality possible. If you’re looking for a sound bar that can handle any home theater setup, then you should check out the S35 from Polk Audio. This is our top pick for the best passive soundbar in 2022.
4. Klipsch G-42 Passive Soundbar
If you’re looking for a great passive soundbar that doesn’t cost a fortune, then you should definitely check out the Klipsch G-42. It’s built from top-grade materials, so it’ll last for years. And with a ton of high-quality features, it can deliver excellent sound quality to your TV.
This model also comes with three pairs of 1″ titanium diaphragm compression drivers, two for each side of the soundbar, which are mated to 90° x 90° square Tractrix Horns. These are some of the best drivers we’ve ever seen in any soundbar, and they’ll deliver crisp, clear sound with great bass.
With a bass-reflex enclosure design, this Klipsch passive soundbar can offer clear, powerful sound with deep and well-defined bass tones.
The bass-reflex design works by redirecting the sound waves in a way that creates a stronger bass response. The result is an improved sound with better clarity and less distortion.
The Klipsch G-42 comes with two sets of binding posts that let you connect any type of speaker wire to it. And it also has a single 5-way binding post that lets you connect it to an AV receiver or amplifier. You can even connect it directly to your TV using the RCA input on the back.
This soundbar also has a built-in woofer, which is perfect for those who want the best possible sound quality. And it has a low frequency driver as well, which ensures that you get the best sound from your television even in rooms with a lot of noise.
With a sensitivity of 92 dB @ 2.83 V / 1 m, this soundbar will give you excellent sound quality at almost every volume level. Plus, it’s also very compact, so it’ll look great on your wall.
5. Klipsch RP-440D-SB Black Surround Home Speaker
The Klipsch RP-440D-SB Black is one of our top picks for a passive soundbar because it provides 3-channels of powerful sound for your TV and has a sleek design that looks great on any flat screen TV.
It also comes with a glass base for table-top mounting, so you can use it as a stand-alone speaker system or as part of a home theater setup.
It’s a true passive soundbar, with a single-seamless cabinet that’s built to provide great sound from all three channels without the need for amplification.
The RP-440D-SB comes with a single 1” Titanium dome tweeter that produces crystal clear sound. The rest of the speakers are made of a very durable, long-lasting material called Cerametallic™, which is made of titanium and copper.
These speakers are known for producing deep, rich bass and high-frequency sound without distortion.
6. KEF HTF7003 Sound Bar
The KEF HTF7003 is the first passive home theater speaker in KEF’s HTF series. It’s designed to be an all-in-one solution for those who prefer to listen to music or watch movies without a dedicated sound system.
It’s a soundbar with a wall-mount bracket and a table stand included. This means it can be mounted on any wall and placed in any corner of your room.
And this isn’t just an average soundbar; it has one of the best features among the ones we’ve reviewed. With two woofers and a HF driver, it’s able to reproduce both mid-range and high frequencies.
And thanks to the KEF HTF7003’s dual-way design, you can enjoy both the front and rear channels of your flat panel TV.
What Is a Passive Soundbar?
As the name suggests, a passive soundbar is a speaker that doesn’t have any built-in amplifier. The only thing it does is convert the sound from your TV to your home theater system. That’s why they are often called “connectors” or “speaker cables.”
It’s easy to see how they work: the soundbar receives the audio signal from your TV or receiver, and then converts it into the same frequency range that your speakers use.
Passive soundbars are a good choice if you have an AV receiver as part of your entertainment setup. You’ll be able to use your receiver for processing the sound and adjust it to your liking, and you can also connect it to other components.
Why You Should Buy a Passive Soundbar?
When it comes to audio quality, there is nothing like an active speaker. They have a built-in amplifier that can drive them to their full potential. However, there are some downsides to using active speakers.
- They can be expensive and can require a lot of maintenance.
- They can have a very limited frequency response.
- They may not be able to reproduce all of the frequencies that you want them to.
On the other hand, passive soundbars are a lot less expensive and don’t require any maintenance. They also have a wider frequency range than active speakers. And finally, passive soundbars are capable of reproducing all of the frequencies that you want them to.
So, if you want a high-quality soundbar with a wide frequency response, then a passive soundbar is the perfect choice for you.
Is a Passive Soundbar Good Enough for Home Cinema?
A passive soundbar isn’t going to replace an active speaker in your home theater. However, it’s a great option for people who are looking to upgrade their TV’s audio quality without breaking the bank.
In fact, some people use passive soundbars in place of their old active speakers. You can also use a passive soundbar as a replacement for your TV’s built-in speaker. And, because they have a wider frequency range than active speakers, a passive soundbar will sound much better in your home cinema system.
What Is the Difference Between a Passive Sound Bar and an Active Soundbar?
Active soundbars use two methods to produce sound. The first is active surround sound system, which uses speakers to reproduce sound across 360 degrees. While active soundbars offer some advantages over passive systems, they are often quite expensive.
A passive soundbar uses a single speaker that is placed above or behind the television. This allows the sound to be distributed across a wide area around the television. This is typically much less expensive than active soundbars.
As with all technology, there are advantages and disadvantages to each method. While active soundbars can create a more immersive experience, they can also be very expensive. A passive system may be cheaper but doesn’t offer surround sound or any kind of 3D sound effects.
Ultimately, which system is best for you depends on your own needs and your budget. If you want a surround sound experience, you’re going to need to pay for the extra speakers and speakers on top of your TV.
If you don’t have any 3D effects or surround sound, you may be better off with a passive system that provides a cheaper option.
So what should you do? It all depends on your budget and what you want out of your TV system.
If you’re looking for the highest quality sound possible, it’s probably worth paying for the active surround sound speakers. But if you can make do with a lower-quality option, a passive soundbar could be a good choice.
Best Passive Soundbars Buyer’s Guide
There are so many brands and models out there and they all claim to have the best performance. So, how do you know which one is the best one?
Here we will go through the different aspects of passive soundbar that you should consider when you are making a purchase.
The Speaker Performance
The speaker performance is one of the most important things that you need to consider. It can determine the quality of the sound and even the clarity. This is something that will affect the overall sound experience.
If the speakers are not good enough, then it will not be able to reproduce the bass and treble. This will make the music sound muddy and lifeless.
The subwoofer is what is responsible for the bass. It helps in providing more low frequency sounds. So, you should look for a subwoofer that has powerful bass.
It needs to be powerful enough so that it can get rid of the low frequency sounds that may be caused by the speakers. If it is not powerful enough, then you will need to invest in some additional speakers.
The Sound Quality
This is something that everyone wants to have. It is also something that will affect your entertainment experience. You will not want to buy a soundbar if it does not have great sound quality.
It should provide great clarity and depth. It should also help in improving the overall sound experience. It is very important to find a soundbar that is easy to use. It should be able to adjust the sound to meet your preference and needs.
The Power Consumption
It is always good to look at the power consumption. This is one of the things that you need to consider when you are making a purchase.
The soundbar should consume less power so that it can last longer. If it consumes more power, then it will need to be replaced sooner than expected.
Ease of Use
The next thing you’ll want to consider is how easy the passive sound bar will be to set up and use.
If you have a lot of equipment in the room you’re planning on using it in, you’ll want to make sure that it’s simple and easy to use, so you can keep an eye on things while you’re watching movies or playing video games.
Design
There are plenty of sound bars out there, but you’ll want to pay close attention to the design. You should be able to tell if the sound bar will blend into your decor and complement your existing décor.
Some people like minimal designs, while others prefer more elaborate designs, so it’s important to choose a model that will fit with your aesthetic.
Cost
The last thing you’ll want to think about before buying a passive sound bar is its price. The higher the quality of the sound bar, the higher its price will likely be, so it’s important to know what you’re looking for in terms of quality.
You’ll also want to consider the length of time you plan on using the sound bar. If you have a room that you’ll only use occasionally, then you may not want to spend as much money on a high-quality sound bar as you would if you’re planning on using the sound bar in a room where you spend most of your time.
Conclusion
At the end of your search, you want to pick a sound bar that has strong performance, has beautiful audio design and is compatible with your TV and other home theater equipment.
In this article we have given you a top 6 best passive soundbars that are awesome and great for any home theater system. If you’re looking for a soundbar that is within your price range, check out the items in this list and choose the one that best fits your needs.
