Sharp Announces Two New Soundbars

Written on Jan 11, 2009 by Brian and filed under News, Sharp

Sharp didn’t want to be left out of the soundbar party at CES, so they did the right thing and announced two new soundbar units, the HT-SB300 and the HT-SB200. Both units are affordably priced and offer MP3 player input. The SB300 adds Dolby Virtual Speaker support to simulate 5.1 surround sound.

The sounbars both offer 34 watts of power with advanced HDSS (high-definition sound standard) sound technology and SRS WOW HD Sound. These combine to with adjustable bass, treble and sub level options to create a custom sound field.

The HT-SB300 adds digital audio decoding with DTS, Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic II decoder, as well as Dolby Virtual Speaker to simulate 5.1 channel surround sound. 

As with any soundbar, easy setup is important. In both soundbars Sharp has included dual audio inputs, right and left RCA jacks and a 3.5mm sub mini jack, which allows for a second audio source such as an MP3 player. The HT-SB300 includes a subwoofer output jack as well so users can add more bass with an external unit if they like. Both models also include a slim remote control that can manage a programmed equalizer and an auto On/Off function.

The HT-SB300 will be available in April for a retail price of $299.99, putting it in the lower-middle price bracket for soundbars. The HT-SB200 will be available in January for $249.99.