Pioneer SBX-300 Review

Name: Pioneer SBX-300
Brand: Pioneer

By Danny Phillips March 4, 2014 8:00 am GMT

Pioneer SBX-300

A super-affordable soundbar with good sound quality

By Danny Phillips March 4th 2014 8:00am

Sections

Page 1 Pioneer SBX-300 Review
Page 2 Operation, Sound Quality and Verdict Review

Verdict

Pros

Excellent build quality and tasteful design
Big, exciting sound with rich, punchy bass
Easy to set up and use

Cons

Light on features
Lacks refinement and strains at loud volumes

Key Specifications

Review Price: £147.00
130W power output
Dolby Digital & DTS decoding
Built-in Bluetooth
Two optical inputs and one coaxial
Surround, Dialog and Night modes

What is the Pioneer SBX-300?

The Pioneer SBX-300 is an entry-level soundbar that dispenses with the network features found on the step-up SBX-N500 and top-end SBX-N700 (explaining the ‘N’ missing from the name). As a result it sells for around £100 less than the N500.

There’s no separate subwoofer, but it’s not completely devoid of frills – there’s built-in Bluetooth for easy music streaming.

Pioneer SBX-300 – Design

Pulling the SBX-300 out the box, first impressions are positive. The robust, weighty cabinet boasts some of the best build quality we’ve seen at this price. Some might be put off by its chunky dimensions, which aren’t ideal for wall mounting (although you can if you want, thanks to the holes on the back) but we like its sturdiness when placed on a TV stand.

The black/grey colour scheme is attractive but subdued, which means it won’t compete for attention with your TV screen. The front of the bar features a slightly angled grey speaker mesh, behind which is a row of lights that indicates the current status and volume levels. Running along the top is a row of buttons to control input selection and volume.

Pioneer SBX-300 – Connections

There are no HDMI ports on the back, which may disappoint those looking for the single-cable convenience of ARC. If that’s important to you, check out the step-up models.

However, it’s not a massive loss, given that there are two optical inputs, one coaxial input and a 3.5mm minijack for your portable audio sources. For most people, that should suffice – just rig up a digital audio cable and you’re set. Here’s what the connector plate looks like:

Pioneer SBX-300 – Features

The Pioneer SBX-N500 and N700 both feature Wi-Fi and an Ethernet port, which make it possible to stream music over a network, use Miracast and navigate with Pioneer’s control app. None of these are offered here, but you do get Bluetooth, which is a real boon if you want to play music from laptops, phones or tablets with minimal hassle.

There are built-in Dolby Digital and DTS decoders, and in terms of power the SBX-300’s Class D amp outputs 130W. The speaker bar uses two 66mm full-range cones and two 77mm subwoofers.

You’ll also find a bunch of sound modes, including Surround, which adds extra width; Night for low-level listening; Dialog, which is designed to enhance speech frequencies; plus Lip Sync adjustment and Auto Level Control, which equalises volume differences between sources and content. Phase Control technology ensures optimum bass performance.

Next
Operation, Sound Quality and Verdict Review

By Danny Phillips

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Sections

Verdict

Pros

Cons

Key Specifications

What is the Pioneer SBX-300?

Pioneer SBX-300 – Design

Pioneer SBX-300 – Connections

Pioneer SBX-300 – Features

Why trust our journalism?

Editorial independence

Professional conduct

Why trust our journalism?

Editorial independence

Professional conduct

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