Q. Do you still recommend ZVOX soundbars as best for reproducing voices? We have a hard time understanding dialogue on certain movies and television series. I have a Samsung UN55DU7200D television and would like to stay under $300 or so.

—G.B., Burnsville, Minnesota

A. In terms of absolute best vocal reproduction my new benchmark is the Devialet Dione, which I am currently testing. It's a large and heavy Dolby Atmos soundbar from ultra-high-end manufacturer Devialet of France. At $2,199 it is over seven times more than your budget, but I have been impressed enough that it bears mentioning now for those willing to spend the money. I'll have more about the Devialet Dione in an upcoming column.

The good news for you is that while ZVOX soundbars don't have Dolby Atmos or the overall performance of this $2,199 piece of luxury-class equipment, they are actually competitive with it for dialogue reproduction despite the price difference. For those experiencing hearing loss the ZVOX is actually a better choice because of the proprietary AccuVoice feature, which uses hearing aid technology to bring the voices up from the background and make them easier to hear. All ZVOX models have varying levels of AccuVoice adjustment to fine-tune it to your needs, no matter how well or how poorly you can hear.

A pro tip for those sending me questions: it is helpful if you include the model number of your television or other product you need help with. This allows me to research features and connections so I can recommend the best possible match. Your Samsung is a 55-inch television with an HDMI-ARC connection, which means if you use a soundbar with an HDMI-ARC input your television remote will seamlessly turn the soundbar off and on with the television and control volume as well. HDMI-ARC is one of the most useful features you can have in a soundbar, and I highly recommend it.

ZVOX is running a Father's Day sale through June 21, which reduces the price of new (not refurbished) products by 20% with the code DAD20 at zvox.com. ZVOX usually promotes a specific product at a given time and this is the first time I have seen a sitewide offer, making it a good opportunity for anyone to get the exact model they want.

My top recommendation is the ZVOX AV855 soundbar, which has HDMI-ARC and the best sound in the entire lineup. With a built-in subwoofer and high-quality drivers, music and movies sound extremely good with dynamic, clear audio filling the room effortlessly. The first time I tested the AV855 I did not miss the $1,700 soundbar system I use as a reference, a testament to the quality. The AV855 is on sale for $349.99 and the 20% off code reduces it to $279.99, which is very close to the introductory pricing that led to it selling out for six months last year.

The AV835 is a smaller version of the AV855, well-suited to those with smaller budgets, smaller rooms or smaller televisions. It is currently $249.99, with the code reducing it to $199.99.

A good budget buy is the ZVOX AV100, a small "TV Speaker" that is very small and reproduces voices much better than the built-in speakers of most televisions. It lacks HDMI-ARC so you must use the optical digital connection from the television and control the speaker with the ZVOX remote, or program your television remote to control it. The AV100 is on sale for $99.99, with the code reducing it to under $80. Free shipping and a 60-day satisfaction guarantee are included with all orders. zvox.com

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