Philips Fidelio B1

Very compact dimensions makes for a discreet soundbar, and it is also very easy to use. The sound is more powerful than you might think.

Does not sound as good on music as film, the bass is somewhat uncontrolled and the midrange could have had more energy. HDMI does not support HDCP 2.2 and thereby does not support 4K Blu-ray.

Philips’ compact, feature-packed soundbar is let down by a hard tone and an overpowering subwoofer.

Wide, dynamic soundstage ; Ultra-compact design ; Powerful slimline subwoofer

Better for movies than music ; Doesn’t support 4K HDCP 2.2 ; No wireless multiroom support

Thanks to microbeaming speaker drivers and brilliant DSP processing, the Fidelio B1 really does sound bigger than it looks – at least when it comes to TV and movies.

Wide spread of sound ; Goes loud ; Great compact design ; Flexible positioning ; Easy to use

Needs more detail and rhythmic ability to compete against the best ; Coarse edge ; Lacks insight and drive ; Too pricey

The B1’s smart, compact design is let down by its lacklustre sound quality and high price

This good-looking compact 2.1 soundbar system is too heavy-handed for music but packs plenty of slam for movies and games..