Panasonic SC-HTB600 Review: Sleek and compact with impressive sound

Does your TV have poor or poor sound? A soundbar like the Panasonic SC-HTB600 can offer you one of the best immersive experiences. We are not saying it, its data shows its potential and what it is capable of achieving in the living room. The Panasonic HTB600 is a 2020 model equipped with a 2.1 speaker system that offers 360W of power. Deep bass and clear voices for the best home theater experience.

In addition, it is compatible with Dolby Atmos and DTS: X, two technologies that provide a 3D surround sound experience with its 4.5 cm speakers. Its subwoofer is wireless, allowing easy and wireless placement. Discover cinematic sound without leaving home or liven up any gathering of friends with its Bluetooth connectivity.

Design and materials

Sobriety and minimalism go hand in hand when it comes to capturing the Panasonic sound bar. A product that denotes great care on the part of the brand in its construction, with special attention to detail. And we argue this when checking its profile with a 7º inclination to enhance the projection of the sound to the viewer. Its dimensions are 96.2 cm wide, 12 cm deep and a height of 5.6 cm. So compact that it easily adapts to its placement at the foot of the television. However, it is also prepared to be attached to the wall, in case we use a VESA mount with the television.

Compact design with an angled profile

Otherwise, the usual for these sound products. Plastic construction with metal grill to protect the drivers from any impact. Although the upper part also have these holes, it is nothing more than pure aesthetics since it does not include any type of upper speaker, as it does with its predecessor, the Panasonic SC-HTB400 . Regarding the wireless subwoofer, its measurements of 19.1 cm x 38.5 x 41 cm and weight of 8.4 kg indicate that it is a bulky drawer. In general, given the dimensions of the bar, its use is indicated for televisions 42 inches onwards, such as the Panasonic TX-43HX700E .

Remarkable connectivity

Panasonic provides its soundbar with the connections most demanded by users and that open up a wide range of possibilities. First, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity adapts to any device to transfer audio tracks wirelessly and out of the box. End a boring afternoon with your Spotify playlist on your smartphone with the Panasonic SC-HTB600. Its improved protocol allows a more stable transmission, unfortunately it does not have voice controls or virtual assistant function.

HDMI ARC compatible connectivity capable of 4K HDR

To connect the TV we can use Bluetooth, but we always recommend its HDMI connection. This model has one HDMI input and one HDMI ARC output. Therefore, it is possible to control this sound system from the TV remote control. Additionally, it supports lossless 4K HDR content propagation with high bit rate transfer for the best audiovisual performance.

We finish the review of the section on connectivity with its optical audio port. Perhaps, it is missing that it does not incorporate Google Assistant or Chromecast functions as can be seen in the SC-HTB900. However, there is not much more to object in this regard.

Sound

As we discussed earlier, this bar is a 2.1 channel system, with a wireless subwoofer to obtain powerful bass with a total output of 200 W (100 Hz, 10% THD and 3 Ω)). Relative to the bar, it employs two 4.5 x 10 cm full-range speakers located at the front ((1000 kHz, 10% THD, and 4 Ω). A medium performance configuration providing a total of 360 W RMS total power.

But do not just stick with the numbers. This Panasonic SC-HTB600 relies on the latest 3D surround sound technologies to deliver a high-end cinema experience. It is supported by the popular Dolby Atmos and DTS: X decoders , found on streaming platforms and Blu-Ray Disc players. The dynamic and powerful sound of its 2.1 system travels through an immersive 3D space, but without the sound from above as it lacks dedicated drivers.

1-way 1 speaker system (bass reflector). Full range: 4.5 x 10 cm cone type x2

Cone speakers produce clearer vocal sound due to their large capacity. To maximize the possibilities of the Panasonic SCHTB600, the bar has a total of 5 preset audio modes : standard, music, voice, news and music. However, you can also manually adjust values ​​such as bass or treble for customization on our part.

Conclusion

Panasonic SC-HTB600 is a clear improvement over the sound experience of most televisions. There is little more you could ask for in direct immersion and with a wireless subwoofer that boosts bass response. Yes, we miss some aspects of connectivity, but for this there are other models from the manufacturer.

 

PROS:

• Sleek and compact design
• Tilt for better sound projection
• Desktop or wall placement
• Low latency Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
• 360W RMS total power
• Wireless subwoofer
• HDMI with ARC and CEC technology

CONS:

• Doesn’t have Wi-Fi connectivity
• Simple adjustments
• No Chromecast features or assistants