Side by side

Klipsch Flexus Core 200 vs Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6 compared: Klipsch starts alone or reuses a powered RCA sub, Sony includes a wireless sub

Quick verdict

Flexus Core 200 is the one if bass built into the bar comes first, or if you want an RCA output for a compatible powered sub or a documented Flexus expansion route. Bar 6 is the one if you want a separate wireless subwoofer included and a narrower main bar. Physical up-firing speakers are in both, and neither has a separate HDMI source input.

Before you buy

Why, and what it costs you

The one-box option is the wider bar

Under the screen, Core 200 takes more width, though its bass woofers are built in. Bar 6 saves about 6.6 inches at the TV and puts a separate powered enclosure on the floor.

Where this comes from

Sony supplies a bar and a wireless subwoofer, while Klipsch supplies one bar. 44 - 37.4 = about 6.6 inches.

The catch

Klipsch Flexus Core 200

A wide spot under the TV is needed for the 44-inch body.

The catch

Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6

A separate position and power are needed for the supplied subwoofer.

Klipsch Flexus Core 200

Klipsch Flexus Core 200

Why pick it
  • One bar, with no separate bass box, to start
  • A compatible RCA powered subwoofer gets reused, or supported Flexus speakers get added
The catch
A wide spot under the TV is needed for the 44-inch body.
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Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6

Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6

Why pick it
  • The package should contain the separate wireless subwoofer
  • The main bar needs to be about 6.6 inches narrower
The catch
A separate position and power are needed for the supplied subwoofer.
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Comparison updated , Product data updated , Amazon.com / United States

What this page compares

A separate subwoofer, console width, powered-sub reuse and later expansion are the points of comparison between Klipsch Flexus Core 200 and Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6.

Flexus Core 200 is the one if bass built into the bar comes first, or if you want an RCA output for a compatible powered sub or a documented Flexus expansion route. Bar 6 is the one if you want a separate wireless subwoofer included and a narrower main bar. Physical up-firing speakers are in both, and neither has a separate HDMI source input.

Which one fits

Pick the situations that sound like you

  • A separate subwoofer will not fit anywhere

    Bar 6 comes with an external subwoofer, whereas Core 200 has bass woofers in the bar.

    Klipsch Flexus Core 200
    Better fit
    Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
    Not suitable
  • I have 40 inches of clear width

    Sony’s main bar is about 37.4 inches, and Core 200 is 44 inches wide.

    Klipsch Flexus Core 200
    Not suitable
    Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
    Better fit
  • A compatible powered RCA subwoofer is already mine

    Sony relies on its supplied wireless subwoofer, and Klipsch has an RCA output.

    Klipsch Flexus Core 200
    Better fit
    Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
    Caution
  • I’m after physical up-firing speakers

    Two physical height drivers are documented for each.

    Klipsch Flexus Core 200
    Good
    Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
    Good
  • My streamer needs a free HDMI input

    A separate HDMI source socket is not found on either.

    Klipsch Flexus Core 200
    Not suitable
    Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
    Not suitable

In practice

Differences you will notice

The one-box option is the wider bar

Under the screen, Core 200 takes more width, though its bass woofers are built in. Bar 6 saves about 6.6 inches at the TV and puts a separate powered enclosure on the floor.

How we worked this out

Sony supplies a bar and a wireless subwoofer, while Klipsch supplies one bar. 44 - 37.4 = about 6.6 inches.

Core 200’s body is ruled out by a 40-inch span

Sony’s bar, at roughly 37.4 inches, fits inside 40 inches before additional clearance. Core 200 is four inches wider than that span, however appealing its layout without a separate sub may be.

How we worked this out

Body-width margin: 40 - 37.4 = about 2.6 inches. Too wide by 44 - 40 = 4 inches.

What you must buy changes if you already have an RCA sub

An existing compatible powered sub can be put to use through Core 200’s line-level RCA output. Bar 6 already comes with its matched wireless sub in the package, so price that included system and don’t assume the old RCA unit can connect.

How we worked this out

Sony documents its supplied wireless subwoofer and no analogous RCA sub output, while Klipsch lists Subwoofer RCA Output.

Plug in your numbers

Is there room for the soundbar under your TV?

Measure the clear space under your TV. Count only the devices you will plug into the soundbar. Leave out the ones already connected to the TV. The numbers below are placeholders until you enter yours.

Klipsch Flexus Core 200

Fails these checks

At 3.0625 inches tall, it is higher than the 3 inches below your picture.

Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6

Fails these checks

With 0 separate HDMI source inputs, it cannot take the 1 device you want to plug into the bar.

Measure the top of an open shelf. This check does not cover enclosed cubbies. Detachable speakers count toward the docked width. Leave extra depth for cables and the TV stand. This checks size and port count only. Dolby Atmos, 4K/120Hz passthrough and the audio formats your TV supports are outside it.

Option A
Klipsch Flexus Core 200

Klipsch, Flexus Core 200

Klipsch Flexus Core 200

Physical height drivers, built-in bass and a wired subwoofer output all come together in the Flexus Core 200. That helps if you plan to add a conventional powered sub down the line. Just know that this model has no Wi-Fi music.

Best for
One bar, with no separate bass box, to start

Facts we checked

  • Included bass hardware: Dual built-in 4-inch woofers
  • Main-bar width: 44 inches
  • Physical height drivers: 2 elevation drivers
  • Powered-subwoofer output: RCA output
Option B
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6

Sony, HT-B600

Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6

The Bar 6 comes with a separate subwoofer and upward-firing drivers, and you do not have to commit to a whole speaker ecosystem. It is a simple bar-and-sub choice. Just remember that your TV has to do all the HDMI source switching.

Best for
The package should contain the separate wireless subwoofer

Facts we checked

  • Included bass hardware: Separate wireless subwoofer
  • Main-bar width: About 37.4 inches
  • Physical height drivers: 2 up-firing drivers
  • Powered-subwoofer output: No RCA subwoofer output documented

Spec by spec

Where they really differ

Where Klipsch Flexus Core 200 and Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6 differ
SpecKlipsch Flexus Core 200Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6In practice
Included bass hardwareDual built-in 4-inch woofersSeparate wireless subwooferA bass-box position is needed for Sony, whereas Klipsch starts as one enclosure.
Main-bar width44 inchesAbout 37.4 inchesMore horizontal room is left by Sony around TV legs and furniture.
Physical height drivers2 elevation drivers2 up-firing driversPhysical drivers produce the reflected height effects on both. How well the room suits them still matters.
Powered-subwoofer outputRCA outputNo RCA subwoofer output documentedA compatible powered RCA sub connects directly to the Klipsch.
HDMI source inputsNoneNoneVideo switching falls to the TV or other hardware on both.

Trade-offs

What each pick costs you

With Klipsch Flexus Core 200

  • Adding external bass and rear speakers costs more.

With Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6

  • A generic powered subwoofer cannot be reused through any documented RCA output.

Change of plan

When the answer changes

No fit for a separate bass box

Go with Klipsch Flexus Core 200. In Core 200’s initial package, the bass woofers stay inside the bar.

My TV space measures 40 inches across

Go with Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6. That span is wider than Bar 6’s main body.

I can’t do without a direct HDMI source input

Neither model fits. TV audio connections come on both, with no separate source input.

Decision guide

How to decide

Flexus Core 200 suits built-in bass first, an RCA output for a compatible powered sub, or a documented Flexus expansion route. Bar 6 suits a separate wireless subwoofer included and a narrower main bar. Both have physical up-firing speakers and no separate HDMI source input.

01

Decide where you want the bass hardware to sit

With Core 200, the first installation is a single bar with built-in bass woofers. Sony's Bar 6 comes with a separate wireless subwoofer that needs floor space and mains power. This is a difference in placement and package. On its own, it does not establish which arrangement gives better bass in your room.

02

Look at the whole footprint

One room may have spare floor space but little width around the television, which makes Bar 6 easier to place. In another, a wide console and no place for a subwoofer make Core 200 more practical. Before choosing, measure the TV area and the possible bass-box position separately.

03

Expansion counts only when it fits your plan

Klipsch documents compatible Flexus surround and subwoofer additions as well as an RCA powered-sub output. They are useful if you already own suitable bass hardware or want to build in stages. Sony supplies its matching bass box right away. Video-source sockets are absent on both bars, so leave console and streamer switching to the television.

Check these before you buy

  • Measure the main bar, and for Sony set aside a suitable spot for the powered subwoofer.
  • Make sure any subwoofer you already have is powered and takes the Klipsch line-level RCA output.
  • When checking accessories and return terms, use the exact package names Core 200 and HT-B600.

What this page can’t tell you

  • Frequency response, output level and height-effect accuracy have not been compared by us. Physical up-firing drivers still depend on the ceiling shape and on placement.

By the numbers

What the data shows

What we found across the soundbars we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.

Show the facts and the math
Models in the comparison
2 models
Sources
2 covering these models
Product data updated
The facts and sources behind each product in this recommendation
ProductNeeds it meetsFacts we checkedSources
Klipsch Flexus Core 200
  • One bar, with no separate bass box, to start
  • A compatible RCA powered subwoofer gets reused, or supported Flexus speakers get added
  • Included bass hardware: Dual built-in 4-inch woofers
  • Main-bar width: 44 inches
  • Physical height drivers: 2 elevation drivers
  • Powered-subwoofer output: RCA output
  • HDMI source inputs: None
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6
  • The package should contain the separate wireless subwoofer
  • The main bar needs to be about 6.6 inches narrower
  • Included bass hardware: Separate wireless subwoofer
  • Main-bar width: About 37.4 inches
  • Physical height drivers: 2 up-firing drivers
  • Powered-subwoofer output: No RCA subwoofer output documented
  • HDMI source inputs: None

Ready to buy

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