Affordable Sound for the Amateur Audiophile

After nearly 8 years of staring at the same television, 2020’s need for in-home entertainment has consistently encouraged me to upgrade.

Eventually I did and went for a nice new 4K Smart TV. Immediately I was pleased with this decision.

It wasn’t until after I had given myself a moment to bask in the glory of true picture quality that I noticed the sound didn’t quite feel ‘right’. (Imagine driving a Ferrari for the first time and the engine sounds like it belongs in a Fiesta.)

I needed a soundbar. To get that true crisp and clean audio quality that can fill a room without breaking the bank, the K2 2.1 soundbar from UK-based Majority was the ideal answer.

 

 

Setup and Sound Quality

The difference in sound quality was instantly noticeable upon setup.

Compared to the TV’s base speakers, the K2 had fantastic audio clarity and depth of sound.

Dialogue was crisp and vibrant, with no noticeable distortion during high points like explosions or gunfire.

Whilst a soundbar can only offer so much of a surround sound feel, the K2’s speaker placement and strength does a good job of filling up a modest-sized living room with excellent quality sound. 

The K2 can really pump out some noise once it gets going, maxing out the volume will surely blow the roof off. I have not had to set it higher than 40% for a comfortable output, but the option to annoy the neighbours is there if you’re that way inclined.

The K2 boasts an HDMI ARC input, as well as optical for your TV Audio and RCA for older TVs. Majority were nice enough to provide the whole array of wires needed. 

There is also a small display on the face that clearly indicates what mode you are in, volume, bass adjustments, etc. If you’re someone that may find this distracting, it can be turned off as an option. I didn’t think much of it, but this turned out to be a useful feature.

Connectivity

The K2 includes a vast array of ports and connectivity options. Using Bluetooth connectivity, you can immerse yourself in a range of sounds and music straight to the speakers from your phone or Bluetooth device.

Alternatively, you have the option to connect your device via the AUX or USB ports and play music directly from a memory stick or MP3 player (remember those?)

The wireless connection between the 2.1 K2 soundbar and the free-standing sub-woofer gives you the opportunity to place it anywhere in your room, offering a surround sound ‘adjacent’ experience with just a separate power socket needed.

The sub-woofer looks good; however, the plastic has a scratchy feeling. The bass output isn’t going to give off any Marky Mark style ‘good vibrations,’ but it works.

Setup is easy and when turned on for the first time it automatically detects and pairs to the soundbar, so you do not have to do anything manually here. It is nice to have but its lack of oomph does sometimes beg the question, ‘is it even on?’

Remote & Radio

The easy-to-use remote allows for quick treble and bass adjustments whilst also being able to cycle through three equalizer pre-sets perfectly tuned to heighten music, movies, or dialogue.

All the remote buttons can be found on the side of the actual soundbar so no need to stress if you misplace it. 

One addition to the soundbar that seemed odd was the inclusion of an FM radio tuner. Do not get me wrong, I don’t believe radio is dead yet, but considering nearly any compatible device will have a radio option, the tuner on the soundbar registers as a negative due to the strong static output that can blast out the speakers as you are swapping between modes, and it is very jarring. 

 

 

 

Verdict

The Majority K2 doesn’t quite pack the punch of the more expensive soundbars, but it is one of the better soundbars you can get for under £100. It has a slick and stylish design that will fit into most setups simply fine. Although the subwoofer is a bit weak, the wireless pairing is great for placing it anywhere in your room.

The K2 is ideal for a first-time soundbar user or even to help upgrade a secondary TV. Setup is nice and easy, although you may have to deep dive into your TV settings to link up some on-demand services, a small effort that results in some brilliant virtual surround sound. 

On top of that Majority has pledged to plant a tree for every device it sells as part of its Majority Forest scheme.  So that’s nice too!

Review unit provided by Majority.

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