The very best soundbars to spice up your TV audio in 2024

The built-in audio system in most TVs aren’t sufficient to fill your lounge with immersive sound that adequately showcases the finer particulars of flicks and TV reveals. Fortunately, you do not have to splurge for a five-speaker (or extra) surround-sound system to enhance your audio expertise. Typically, a single soundbar and perhaps a subwoofer can typically drastically enhance the standard of Dolby Atmos content material. To help with your private home theater buying, I’ve compiled a listing of one of the best soundbars in premium, mid-range and finances value ranges, together with a abstract of what units them aside from the competitors. Simply know moving into that the extra you pay, the extra you’re going to get — each by way of extra options and efficiency.

What to search for in a soundbar

Options

On the subject of options, the extra you pay the extra you are going to get in your new audio system. Most inexpensive choices ($150 or much less) will enhance your tv’s audio high quality, however that is about it. Step into the $300 to $400 vary and you will find a wise soundbar with issues like built-in voice management, wi-fi connectivity, Google Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and even Android TV. They’re all useful while you need to keep away from on the lookout for the distant management, however one of the best sound high quality is often solely within the high tier and the codecs these premium soundbar programs assist. I’m speaking about issues like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and different high-resolution audio requirements. These are what you will need to search for if really immersive sound is what you crave in your lounge setup. And never all Atmos soundbars are equal, so you will want to have a look at the finer particulars fastidiously earlier than you break into the financial savings account. Should you’re after one of the best small soundbar, dimension and high quality turn into vital elements, however do not overlook streaming services assist for a well-rounded expertise.

Ports

This can be a large one. Numerous the extra inexpensive soundbars are restricted in relation to connectivity choices. They both supply an optical port or one HDMI jack and, for those who’re fortunate, each. Issues get barely higher within the mid-range part, however that is not all the time the case. The Sonos Beam, for instance, is $449, however solely has a single HDMI port. Even on the higher-end, the $899 Sonos Arc nonetheless solely has one HDMI port. If you wish to join your set-top field, gaming console and extra on to your soundbar for the very best audio, you will doubtless need to search for an choice with not less than two HDMI (eARC) inputs. HDMI connections are important for issues like Dolby Atmos assist, DTS:X and different high-res and immersive audio codecs. And with the HDMI 2.1 spec, soundbars can assist HDR, 8K and 4K/120 passthrough to make these speaker programs a fair higher companion for a sport console.

Channels

One other large factor you’ll need to take note of when on the lookout for one of the best soundbar is channels. That’s the two.1, 7.1.2 or different decimal quantity that corporations embody in product descriptions. The primary determine corresponds to the variety of channels. A two would simply be left and proper whereas a extra strong Atmos system, particularly one with rear {surround} audio system, could possibly be 5 or seven (left, proper, middle and upward). The second quantity refers back to the subwoofer, so in case your new soundbar comes with one or has them in-built, you’ll see one right here. The third numeral is up-firing audio system, vital for the immersive impact of Dolby Atmos. Not all Atmos-enabled models have them, but when they do, the third quantity will inform you what number of are in play and the way they contribute to the general soundstage.

Wi-fi

Most soundbars as of late supply both Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or each. On the subject of Wi-Fi, that connectivity affords you luxuries like voice management (both built-in or with a separate machine), Chromecast, Spotify Join and AirPlay 2. Relying in your preferences, you would possibly be capable of dwell with out a few of these. For me, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are necessities, however the remainder I can dwell with out. These two give me the power to beam music and podcasts from my go-to apps with out having to accept — or battle with — a Bluetooth connection. As an illustration, Sonos audio system typically supply seamless integration with iOS units, making it simple to attach and stream music wirelessly. Should you’re on the lookout for a wi-fi speaker that may improve your TV setup whereas additionally providing flexibility for audio all through the home, it is value contemplating a multi-room system.

Measurement

This one may appear apparent however humor me for a minute. Nothing is extra soul-crushing than getting a dear soundbar in your lounge solely to find it’s a must to rearrange every thing to discover a spot for it. This was my plight when the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar arrived at my door. Sure, that speaker is absurdly giant (and heavy), and most soundbars aren’t almost as large. I discovered a precious lesson: Be sure that the house the place you need to put a soundbar will accommodate the factor you are about to spend lots of (if not hundreds) of {dollars} on.

Mainly, all of it comes right down to the TV you may have (or are planning to get) and what the first purpose is in your living-room audio. Is it ease of use? Would you like the very best sound from a single speaker or speaker/sub combo? Do you simply need to have the ability to really hear your TV higher? Or do you need to flip your lounge into an immersive house theater system with {surround} sound?

By being attentive to every of these areas, you need to have a good suggestion of what to search for in a soundbar, soundbar/subwoofer combo or a extra strong setup. With that stated, we have put quite a few merchandise by way of their paces at Engadget and have a number of favorites for finest soundbar at numerous value factors to get you began.

The very best soundbars for 2024

SAMSUNG

Dimensions: 48.5 x 2.7 x 5.4 inches (important unit) | Ports: 2 x HDMI In, 1 x HDMI Out, 1 x Optical | Channels: 11.1.4

Learn our full Samsung HW-Q990D review

Samsung’s Q990D is my high decide principally due to its spectacular, immersive sound high quality. However, I additionally put it forward of the pack as a result of it’s an entire house theater setup. For $2,000, you get the soundbar, subwoofer and rear {surround} audio system all in the identical field. Whereas that’s dear, placing collectively a comparable bundle amongst the competitors will value the identical, or in some instances extra.

Throughout all the numerous items, Samsung packs in 22 complete drivers that create an 11.1.4-channel speaker setup. The audio is crisp and detailed for Dolby Atmos content material, making films and TV reveals as near a theater expertise as you’re more likely to get out of a soundbar setup. The Q990D additionally has extra options like Personal Rear Sound that solely use the rear audio system when it is advisable to hear at a a lot quieter degree. This can be a nice choice for music too, with the subwoofer offering booming bass when wanted and elevating finer parts of tracks alongside the best way.

Execs

• HDMI 2.1
• All-in-one {surround} setup
• Wonderful, immersive audio
• Useful options

Cons

• Expensive
• Not an enormous replace over final yr’s mannequin

$1,059 at Walmart

Sony

Dimensions: 51 x 3 x 5 inches (important unit) | Ports: 2 x HDMI In, 1 x HDMI Out, 1 x Optical, 1 x Anologue, 1 x USB-A | Channels: 7.1.2

Sony has a protracted monitor document of wonderful high-end soundbars and its latest is one other great-sounding product. The A7000 is a strong Dolby Atmos soundbar, able to immersive 7.1.2 audio due to Sony’s 360 Sound Mapping, Sound Discipline Optimization, vertical {surround} expertise and S-Drive Professional entrance {surround}. There’s plenty of tech at work right here, and I haven’t even talked about 360 Actuality Audio or DSEE Excessive upscaling, each useful in relation to listening to music. Talking of audio, you’ll have the choice of utilizing Chromecast, Spotify Join or Apple AirPlay 2 to ship your tunes to the A7000. The general soundstage is immersive, with glorious readability for each TV reveals and music.

Two HDMI eARC inputs imply you’ll be able to hook up a number of streaming containers or gaming consoles. And due to HDMI 2.1 assist, you’ll be able to count on 8K and 4K/120 passthrough to your tv, so the A7000 is a good choice for avid gamers. This soundbar is dear at $1,198 and it doesn’t include a separate subwoofer (although it does have one in-built). Nevertheless, Sony does provide you with a number of choices for each a sub and rear satellite tv for pc audio system. The SA-SW3 sub is $298 whereas the SA-SW5 is $699. For rear audio system, the SA-RS3S is $350 whereas the really wi-fi speaker (and a lot better wanting) SA-RS5 set is $598. Should you’re wanting to avoid wasting cash on the soundbar itself, Sony gives the HT-A5000 for $999 (though we’ve seen it on sale for $798 lately). It packs nearly all of the same bells and whistles because the A7000, solely in a 5.1.2-channel configuration.

Execs

• Dolby Atmos assist and 360 Sound Mapping
• Works with AirPlay 2
• Consists of two HDMI eARC ports

Cons

• Costly
• Does not embody a separate subwoofer

$998 at Amazon

Sennheiser Client Audio

Dimensions: 70 x 10 x 6.5 inches (important unit) | Ports: 1 x HDMI Out, 1 x USB-A | Channels: 7.1.4

Learn our full Sennheiser Ambeo Mini review

Whereas that is essentially the most compact of Sennheiser’s Ambeo soundbars, the Mini stays within the premium class for 2 causes. First, you’ll have so as to add a subwoofer to maximise its potential, which provides one other $600. Secondly, the Mini is already $700, so an entire bundle places you at a comparable place to flagship models from the competitors. After you have each although, the Ambeo Mini is really spectacular for a small soundbar.

The principle characteristic is Sennheiser’s spatial Ambeo expertise that first debuted on the large Ambeo Soundbar Max in 2019. With it, the corporate offers extra immersive sound with a mixture of driver placement and 3D virtualization. On the Mini, the audio profile is extra reliant on virtualization than the larger Ambeo soundbars due fewer audio system inside. Nevertheless, you’ll nonetheless get a virtualized 7.1.4-channel speaker setup that works effectively for films and music. That’s, as long as you splurge for the Ambeo Sub too.

Execs

• Compact design
• Wonderful readability
• Nice bass
• Straightforward setup

Cons

• Costly
• No bundled sub
• Ambeo impact is restricted
• One HDMI port

$800 at Macy’s

Engadget

Dimensions: 25.63 x 3.94 x 2.68 inches (important unit) | Ports: 1 x HDMI Out, 1 x Ethernet | Channels: 5.0

Learn our full Sonos Beam review

Stable sound high quality? Verify. Dolby Atmos? Yep. Compact and straightforward to arrange? Uh huh. Suitable with different Sonos audio system for a extra strong system? You betcha. The primary-gen Sonos Beam has been considered one of our favorites since it arrived in 2018, however there was one factor it didn’t have: Dolby Atmos. That was the large addition to the 2021 model, although it’s a bit restricted for the reason that Beam doesn’t have any upward-firing audio system. Sonos manages to make issues appear extra directional by tweaking audio timing and frequency as an alternative of including extra drivers. The new Beam nonetheless solely has the one HDMI port which suggests you received’t be connecting a gaming console or set-top field on to this. It additionally signifies that when you’ve got an older TV with an optical jack, you’ll want an adapter.

Execs

• Comparatively compact design
• Good sound for its dimension
• Helps Dolby Atmos

Cons

• One consists of one HDMI port

$449 at Sonos

Engadget

Dimensions: 21.93 x 3.66 x 2.76 inches (important unit) | Ports: 1 x Optical, 1 x Ethernet | Channels: 2.0 (non-surround), 5.1 ({surround})

Learn our full Sonos Ray review

Sonos’ newest bid for finest soundbar could also be its most inexpensive so far, however at $279, it’s not precisely a finances decide. Particularly when you think about there are cheaper choices that include a subwoofer. Nonetheless, the compact design doesn’t command plenty of house in entrance of your TV or in your TV stand, making it an important choice for smaller residing areas. The Ray is straightforward to arrange and offers nice sound high quality for each TV and music, and it pairs seamlessly with iOS units. There are some trade-offs in relation to the immersive nature of the audio, however it’s a very good choice for upgrading your TV sound with minimal fuss.

Execs

• Excellent sound high quality for each TV and music Good bass efficiency for such a small speaker
• Compact, unobtrusive design
• Straightforward setup
• Affordable value

Cons

• Sound isn’t as immersive as you get from bigger fashions
• Folks with large residing rooms would possibly need a louder speaker
• No voice controls

$279 at Sonos

VIZIO

Dimensions: 24 x 7.68 x 2.28 inches (important unit) | Ports: 1 x Optical, 1 x USB | Channels: 2.1

Should you’re on the lookout for a manner to enhance your TV sound on a finances, Vizio has some high-quality options. With the V21t-J8, you get a 2.1-channel setup in a compact soundbar and 4.5-inch wi-fi sub combo for $160. This may be an important selection for those who don’t need your add-on TV speaker to take up plenty of house. There’s no Wi-Fi connectivity, however that’s actually the one sacrifice in relation to the fundamentals. HDMI ARC/eARC and optical connections hyperlink to your tv whereas a 3.5mm aux jack and Bluetooth help you play music out of your cellphone or one other machine. DTS Digital:X compatibility gives a few of the impact of {surround} sound with out a greater unit or extra audio system.

Execs

• Compact design
• Consists of wi-fi subwoofer

$102 at Amazon

Different soundbars we examined

Sonos Arc

There’s little question that the Arc is Sonos’ best-sounding soundbar, however it’s additionally the corporate’s most costly. With a brand new mannequin primarily based on the Arc rumored to be on the way, it’s troublesome to advocate this product over the likes of Samsung and Sony. The Arc works effectively as each a soundbar and a speaker, and the machine will slot in properly with different Sonos gear you would possibly have already got for a multiroom setup. It solely has one HDMI port although, the place a lot of the competitors means that you can join streaming and gaming units on to their soundbars.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus

I don’t assume Sennheiser’s medium-sized model gives sufficient to face out from the extra highly effective Ambeo Soundbar Max or the Ambeo Soundbar Mini. The Mini is extra inexpensive and does a strong job with immersive audio in its personal proper. Like the remainder of the Ambeo lineup, there’s no choice for satellite tv for pc audio system as you’ll be able to solely add a subwoofer to the soundbars. Nevertheless, the Ambeo Soundbar Plus does have RCA enter, so you should utilize it with a turntable for those who’re into vinyl.

Soundbar FAQs

Is a soundbar higher than audio system?

It actually is dependent upon what you’re after. A soundbar is certainly an easier, extra compact resolution in comparison with a full speaker setup. If you need higher sound than your TV’s built-in setup however don’t need to cope with a number of audio system and wires all over the place, a soundbar might be the best way to go. Some soundbars may even ship spectacular {surround} sound results, due to options like Dolby Atmos and digital audio expertise.

Nevertheless, for those who’re an audiophile or need true {surround} sound for an at-home theater expertise, a multi-speaker setup with a receiver, {surround} audio system and subwoofer offers you a richer soundstage and extra management over your expertise.

What connection do I want for a soundbar?

Most trendy soundbars connect with your TV through HDMI ARC or eARC, which is the simplest and best choice for attaining high-quality audio. In case your TV helps this, all you want is an HDMI cable, and also you’ll get not solely nice sound but in addition some further options like controlling the soundbar along with your TV distant.

If HDMI ARC isn’t an choice in your TV, you should utilize an optical cable, which additionally delivers strong audio high quality. Some soundbars even supply Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections for streaming music, and some nonetheless have a 3.5mm aux jack for connecting to older units.

Do all soundbars include subwoofers?

Not all soundbars include subwoofers, however many do or not less than supply one as an optionally available add-on you can buy individually. A subwoofer is what provides you that deep, booming bass, so for those who like motion films or need a fuller sound for music, having one could make an enormous distinction. Some soundbars have a built-in subwoofer, however these typically don’t present the identical punch as a separate one.