Soundbars used to be something of a luxury item that came with a premium price tag, but these days you can pick up a soundbar like the Majority K2 for under $100. But just how good is this budget soundbar, and is the boost in audio quality worth the cost?
The Majority K2 is the latest effort from Majority, a UK-based company specializing in affordable audio and video technology to improve your entertainment experience at home. It makes speakers, DVD players, microphones, and of course, soundbars. Its products are available exclusively through online retailers like Amazon, so you won’t find them in retail stores.
While it’s definitely a budget soundbar when compared to the likes of the Samsung HW-Q90R, the K2 is actually the most expensive and highest quality soundbar that K2 produces (it’s even named after K2, the King of Mountains).
So, how does it stack up against the best soundbars on the market? Read on for our full Majority K2 soundbar review to find out.
Majority K2 Soundbar review: Design
Soundbars are at their best when they fade into the background of your entertainment system, but they still need to look presentable and stylish. Thankfully, the Majority K2 looks great. When you’re cutting costs for a budget friendly model, styling is often the first casualty and while it’s not going to win any fashion shows, the K2 looks sleek and stylish when sitting below your TV on the entertainment center.
The Majority K2 soundbar is available in two color options: black or white. We reviewed the white version and while it looks quite bright and distracting in isolation, it actually matches up nicely with the metal frame of our TV. Ultimately, either color looks great so it’s really down to your preferences and what matches the rest of your living room décor.
The subwoofer is quite chunky and will have to live down on the floor away from the rest of the soundbar, but it connects to the soundbar wirelessly so you’re not limited by short cables between the two devices.
Majority K2 Soundbar review: Setup
The Majority K2 is very simple to set up out of the box, and it comes with all the cable options that it supports, meaning you can have it hooked up your way. It supports HDMI ARC, Optical audio, and even RCA for older TVs. It also has Bluetooth connectivity to let you hook it up to mobile devices.
The Majority K2 does require two power outlet sockets though - one for the soundbar and another for the subwoofer. There is no connecting wire between these two devices though, as they speak to each other wirelessly. This means you’re not limited on where you place the subwoofer, which is good because it’s a chunky boy that you’ll probably want to place on the floor, out of eyeshot.
Majority K2 Soundbar review: Audio performance
After setting up the Majority K2 Soundbar, we were immediately struck by the improvement in sound quality that we got over our built-in TV speakers. We got fantastic audio clarity when using the K2 for a variety of different shows and games. Explosions felt suitably bombastic, while dialogue was crisp and clear. While no soundbar can really compare to true surround sound, the K2 does an admirable job of emulating the experience, giving you the feeling of sound coming from around you, not just in front of you.
The volume that the Majority K2 can kick out is thunderous too. Volume settings go from 1 to 32, but we rarely needed anything above 10 for booming audio throughout a fairly large living room. We tried it on full volume for a second, but quickly shut it off for fear of annoying everyone else in our city.
Of course something has to give when you’re dealing with a budget device, and in this case it’s the subwoofer. Considering the size of it, you’d be forgiven for expecting some serious oomph from it, but in reality the bass output is rather lacklustre. It’s still miles better than your standard TV speakers will be managing, but compared to other soundbars it’s just not up to scratch.
All in all, we’d say that we’re thoroughly enjoying our time with the Majority K2 soundbar and we think that if you’re coming in from the point of view of a first time soundbar purchase, you’re going to be blown away by the improvement in audio quality, especially for the price. This isn’t going to be a replacement for a mid-range soundbar like the Sony HT-X8500 Soundbar though. If you’re looking for the best audio quality and damn the expense then we’d recommend checking out the Samsung HW-Q90R.
Majority K2 Soundbar review: Features
The Majority K2 soundbar has buttons on the side of the device that let you control the volume and settings, but mercifully it also comes with a remote control. It’s a relatively compact remote control that has options for volume control as well as individual buttons for raising and lowering the bass and treble. You can also use it to turn off the display light on the front of the soundbar if you find that distracting.
If we were nitpicking, which we are, we’d say that the remote is rather strangely laid out. The volume controls are on a circular wheel along with the next track/back buttons, but then the treble and bass controls are separate buttons below with the equalizer control button in the middle of them. It’s not going to affect your life, it’s just…. odd.
Remote controls are ancient technology though, so what about that wireless goodness? Well you’ll be pleased to know that the Majority K2 has Bluetooth connectivity, letting you sync up your smartphone or other Bluetooth device, so you can play music straight off your device. It’s super easy to set-up and then you can listen to your Spotify through the K2 - you can skip, pause, and play songs using the K2 remote control too.
If you’re environmentally conscious, you’ll also be interested to know that Majority will plant a tree for every device that it sells as part of its Majority Forest scheme. Majority has sites all over the world where it is planting trees, as well as other projects that help support local communities. It’s not making a difference to your audio experience, but it’s nice to know that you’re buying from a company that is giving something back.
Majority K2 Soundbar review: Price
The Majority K2 soundbar costs $79.95/£79.95, which sits it nicely in the price range that we’d expect for a budget soundbar. You can certainly pay a lot more than this if you go looking for a soundbar from one of the big TV names like Sony or Samsung, and you’ll get much better audio quality than you get here. But, for the price you’re paying, we’re thoroughly impressed with the Majority K2 soundbar.
You can get a free three year extended warranty if you register your Majority device on the company’s website, which covers repairs and replacements. You can also take advantage of free technical support and advice for the lifetime of your product too.
Majority K2 Soundbar review: User reviews
We’re not the only ones who are suitably impressed with the Majority K2 soundbar. It currently has a 4.2 out of 5 stars rating on Amazon with 632 reviews. Majority also claims that the device is currently in two million homes worldwide, so it’s an incredibly popular choice among people looking for a budget soundbar.
Positive reviews noted that it has great volume and sound quality, while others praised the excellent value for money. While negative reviews were in the minority, the main complaints centered on the weak subwoofer.
Should you buy the Majority K2 Soundbar?
If you’ve not yet made the leap into the world of soundbars, then we can highly recommend the majority K2 soundbar as your first choice. It’s cheap, looks great and offers excellent audio quality for the price. You’re even helping the environment with your purchase too, which is a nice bonus.
The only real downside is the subwoofer, which is a bit lacking compared to other models. You’ll certainly notice an improvement if you’re upgrading from your TVs built-in speakers, but it’s not going to out-bass your existing soundbar. Still, for the price we think this is an excellent choice.
