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Over the years I’ve used a lot of Roku video streamers, but up until recently I’d never tried one of its Streambars, which combine a small soundbar with Roku’s entry-level 4K HDR streamer. Roku discontinued its top-end Streambar Pro speaker, but it’s now selling the Streambar SE, a new-for-2024 mini soundbar that caught my eye because it’s on sale for only $77, or $23 off its list price of $100.
When I say mini soundbar, I really do mean mini. About the size of a small Bluetooth speaker, the Streambar SE measures 9.6 inches wide by 3.5 inches deep by 2.4 inches tall and weighs 2 pounds (907 grams). It’s really designed to be paired with a smaller TV that’s in your bedroom, home office or dorm room, and not your main living room TV (unless you have a very small living room).
I hooked it up to an old 42-inch Vizio I have in my home office. Setup is pretty straightforward — it’s basically the same process as connecting any video streamer to your TV, although it helps to have an HDMI-ARC port to simplify things. (Most TVs released in the last 10-12 years have one HDMI port that’s labeled HDMI ARC or HDMI eARC.) If you don’t have ARC, there’s a workaround using an HDMI cable and an optical cable, but I didn’t have have to deal with that.
In addition to this sale, make sure to keep an eye out during Black Friday and Cyber Monday for all the streaming soundbar deals.
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The Roku Streambar SE is the size of a compact Bluetooth speaker — and it does have Bluetooth connectivity.
An upgrade over my TV speakers’ sound
I have Spectrum TV and Roku has a Spectrum TV app that allows you to turn any Roku streamer into a cable TV box. For my listening test, I spent some time watching a few action movies, including Ant-Man and Nope, along with NFL Redzone, CNN and a bit of a Friends episode. I also used Roku’s Apple’s TV app and Peacock to watch an English Premier League match.
Maybe because my expectations were low, I was surprised by the amount of sound this little speaker was able to produce. While the Streambar SE doesn’t offer the greatest sound — it can only output so much bass through its dual 1.9-inch full-range drivers and single bass port — the speaker produces better audio than you’d think given its very compact size. It’s particularly strong in the midrange, producing loud, clear dialogue, and it delivers better sound than what you get from most TV speakers (by that I mean the speakers built into your TV). If you want more bass, you can link the speaker with Roku’s Wireless Bass subwoofer, but that separate sub will set you back $130.
I can’t say that the Streambar SE has the widest soundstage or that you get a whole lot of stereo separation. It doesn’t have the side-firing speakers of the step-up Streambar ($130), which earned a CNET Editors’ Choice award in 2023, nor can you pair it with Roku’s wireless rear speakers to create a surround system. But the quality is good enough to leave you feeling like you got a good deal, particularly if you were already going to shell out $30 or so for Roku’s Express 4K Plus or Streaming Stick 4K.
The Roku Streambar is significantly smaller than a full-size soundbar like this Sonos Beam.
As far as sound modes go, you get a few presets to choose from, including Dialogue, Movie, Music, Night and Standard, and the speaker will cut the volume down on loud commercials. The soundbar is also equipped with Bluetooth so you can connect headphones to it, plus Spotify Connect and Apple AirPlay support.
Read more: Best Soundbar of 2024: Top Picks From Roku, Yamaha and More
I should note that the bundled remote is Roku’s more basic remote and not its step-up voice remote that lets you issue voice commands and voice search. However, you can download Roku’s mobile app for iOS and Android, which does support voice commands.
The back of the speaker (bass port on left).
The Streambar SE offers 4K HDR10 and HDR10 Plus video streaming, but it doesn’t have support for Dolby Vision. My old Vizio isn’t even a 4K TV, so the Streambar SE’s video streaming capabilities are more than enough.
Why Roku’s Streambar SE makes a great gift
While Roku’s step-up Streambar ($130) certainly delivers better sound quality, the Streambar SE’s more compact size and affordable price tag gives it a distinct appeal, particularly for those of us looking to upgrade the sound of a more modest-sized TV, perhaps an older model like mine. The Streambar SE isn’t fancy, but the price is right for what it does.
For more gift ideas, here are 36 unique gifts for people who have everything and 32 of the best Christmas gifts for under $100. Plus, here are some great Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to shop this holiday season.
Will this Roku Streambar SE go on sale during Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
We suspect that the Roku Streambar SE will stay on sale through the upcoming sale, and it might even drop lower in price on those specific days. We will continue to update our list of the best deals happening during this time, so check back frequently.
