Another Old Guy—August 1, 2025
I got this because my TV’s tiny speakers were slowly failing. They were never great, but they were acceptable for my small space. This streambar has been a total change to watching tv. I was initially looking for a streaming system to replace my TVs reinstalled junky software. I had a ROKU player in the bedroom that was great, so I was looking at ROKU. I had previously looked at other sound bars but hookup to this tv was kinda iffy with good and bad points. I decided on this system after using the compatibility checker - tv maker and model and it tells if it works on your tv. Brilliant. Setup was fast and easy. I haven’t had any problems with it staying connected to my wifi. The sound is absolutely amazing. It’s not audiophile level, but it’s louder, clearer, and perfect if you aren’t all that into absolute perfection with sound. I’m tickled pink with this set up. I’ve run it up to full blast (100), just to see how it performs. Incredibly loud without any crackling, breakup, or other things you get with full volume. Most of the time it’s at 25-30 (or lower) for most viewing. One big thing I’ve noticed with the ROKU streaming is the tv doesn’t ever buffer like it used to on the TVs built in streaming setup. It was almost a constant daily occurrence. And the ROKU remote turns both the tv and ROKU off with one button. I did have to set up the tv separately from the ROKU. Because the tv is IR and the ROKU is radio (?) they are separate systems…but once it’s set up (easy to do) the one button does on/off for both. It’s been a couple of months now, and I’m still in awe of the quality of the sound, picture quality, and ease of use of the ROKU system. Highly recommend this streambar. Read more
Stuart Chisholm—January 1, 2026
Some years ago I decided to kick my bloated cable bill aside and became an early adopter of Roku. It was basically a USB powered HDMI stick and a remote. It took a bit of hair-tearing and spicy language to get it set up and working, but once dialed-in, it's worked very well. That is, until recently.... Time has marched, stomping especially hard on the remote. It maddeningly works when it wants....blipping happily along for a few minutes, and then - let it go, let it go, it's frozen! Slapping it, swapping batteries, yelling at it all seemed to work, or not, depending on its mood. We got by using the phone remote, but that was just "getting by." There was another issue: the sound coming out of my flat screen was...well...flat. I don't know if the speaker is damaged or my bass-heavy settings were making it sound bad, but bad it sounded. Voices especially. Imagine my joy, then, when I spotted this little guy! A new, more up-to-date Roku streaming device built-in to a new, much-needed speaker! Plus a brand new remote, all for much less than a typical sound bar. I snapped it up ASAP, preparing for a fresh round of breaking a sweat and colorful language. But, BONUS: Roku has progressed a long way since I bought that old stick and, for the most part, setup was a breeze! The Roku sound bar is less "bar," but does have stereo high-end speakers in a nice compact cabinet. And yes, the bass is amazing for a speaker of its size. There is a small port in the back that allows it to move enough air to produce a satisfying deep sound. Crisp, not flat! I blocked out two hours to install it. I had it up and running in 20 minutes. Even connecting to the Roku phone remote app took a fraction of the time than with the first unit. All problems fixed quickly, and the picture is stunning! (Was it always this clear, or is it my cleaning during installation?) I really couldn't be happier. Add a + to the stars above and grab one! Oh, and on a side note, if the stellar small-speaker bass isn't enough for you, there's an optional Bluetooth subwoofer that is available according to details in the package. I'm thinkin' about it... Read more
TrustMe—October 4, 2025
Small but Powerful The Roku Streambar SE is a fantastic upgrade for anyone looking to enhance their TV viewing experience. It provides immersive audio that truly brings movies and music to life. The setup is simple, just plug it in and connect to Wi-Fi for quick access to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. If you don’t already have a Roku account, you’ll be prompted to create one, but after that, the installation process is seamless. I was pleasantly surprised to discover I was watching 1080P video until the Roku setup informed me that I could upgrade to 4K HDR10. And the setup process instructed me on how to make all the settings - which saved time. All in all it took about 5 minutes tops. For optimal performance, ensure you use an ARC (Audio Return Channel) HDMI port; fortunately, my TV had one. Make sure to enable ARC in your TV settings, as it’s often disabled by default—without it, your Streambar won't play sounds from your TV or connected devices. The Roku setup will guide you through this if your TV supports it. Additionally, enabling HDMI-CEC allows you to control power and volume across devices easily. Finally, change your TV's audio output format to PCM-Stereo, since the Streambar doesn’t support Dolby or DTS audio formats. Overall, the Roku Streambar SE combines exceptional sound quality with convenience, making it a valuable addition to your home entertainment setup! To ensure the Roku Streambar SE works effectively with your TV, it needs to have the following three features: ARC (Audio Return Channel) HDMI Port: This allows for seamless audio transmission from your TV to the soundbar. Make sure to enable ARC in your TV settings, as it is often disabled by default. HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control): This feature allows you to control basic functions, such as power and volume, across different devices with a single remote, improving convenience and usability. PCM-Stereo Audio Output Format: Since the Roku Streambar does not support Dolby or DTS audio formats, your TV's audio output must be set to PCM-Stereo for optimal performance. Hope this helps. Read more
