New TVs are generally thin, which makes them look great on your wall or in your entertainment center. However, a slender frame isn’t an advantage for sound quality because speakers typically require space to produce good audio (with a few unique technical exceptions, like expensive and rare electrostatic panel speakers). You need a separate sound system if you want loud, high-quality audio for your home theater: You need a soundbar.
Soundbars are aptly named. They are often long, somewhat thin speakers that incorporate stereo, left/right/center surround sound, or even spatial audio drivers in an easy-to-set-up device you plug into your TV’s HDMI or optical port. They don’t take up much space but add much-needed power, range, and clarity to your audio experience.
This list comprises the best soundbars we’ve tested, ranging across prices, sizes, and feature sets. Make sure to read to the end to learn everything you need to know about soundbars during your search.
The Best Soundbar Deals This Week*
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Klipsch Cinema 600
Best Affordable 3.1 Audio System
Why We Picked It
The Klipsch Cinema 600 is a reasonably priced and powerful soundbar that puts out a strong sound profile with rumbling bass and crisp treble. This 3.1-channel system isn’t Atmos-compatible, but you can expand it to a 5.1 setup with optional satellites.
Who It’s For
This is for users willing to pay a bit more for sound quality, but for whom surround isn’t a priority. The emphasis here is all on power and frequency response. It’s a strong value for $500, but because it’s a few years old you might find it on sale.
PROS
- Powerful audio performance with deep, theater-like sub-bass and crisp high-end definition
- Wireless subwoofer
- Bluetooth streaming
- Virtual surround mode sounds good
- Can be expanded to a true 5.1 system
Sonos Arc
Best One-Piece, Multi-Room Soundbar
Why We Picked It
The Sonos Arc is expensive for a single soundbar, but it packs enough power to produce a bass-filled, surround sound experience. This Dolby Atmos soundbar features angled tweeters that create a large sound field with height as well as breadth. And, as a Sonos speaker, it integrates into any Sonos multi-room system, plus supports expansion via Sonos One satellites and the Sonos Sub (or recently announced Sub Mini) for even more surround imaging and low-end thump. It also enables hands-free Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant commands.
Who It’s For
If you want big sound without plugging in and arranging multiple speakers around your room, this is one of your best bets. It’s especially appealing if you already have Sonos speakers elsewhere in your home. But even if you don’t, the highly capable soundbar works equally well with your Amazon Echo or Google Nest setup.
PROS
- Large sound field with powerful bass, even without a subwoofer
- Supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
- Can easily be expanded with satellites and a subwoofer
- Dolby Atmos compatibility with angled tweeters
CONS
- Expensive
- Only works with pricey Sonos subwoofer
Vizio M-Series 5.1 Sound Bar (M51ax-J6)
Best Affordable 5.1-Channel System
Why We Picked It
True surround sound with rear satellites can get a bit pricey, but Vizio’s system is surprisingly affordable. The package includes a three-channel soundbar, two satellites, and a subwoofer that all work together with support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. It doesn’t have upward-firing drivers or other high-end features that can improve imaging from the sides and back, but we don’t expect that at this price.
Who It’s For
If you want a true surround sound system with rear satellites, but don’t want to spend a lot of money, this is one of the best options. It presents a strong value for its performance.
PROS
- Well priced for a system with a subwoofer and rear satellites
- Good surround imaging with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support
- Powerful bass
CONS
- Treble isn’t quite as crisp as it could be
- Small visual control panel on the remote
JBL Bar 9.1
Best 9.1-Channel System
Why We Picked It
This spatial audio system is ideal for Dolby Atmos content thanks to the angled drivers on the main soundbar and the detachable satellites that enable both vertical and horizontal imaging. As a bonus, the satellites are completely wireless and connect to the sides of the soundbar for more powerful stereo sound when you want to listen to music. You can just pull them off and set them behind you when you want to watch a movie or play a game with spatial audio.
Who It’s For
If you can splurge a bit and want a true Dolby Atmos experience with real rear channels that offer height, this is the soundbar to get. It’s particularly convenient if you don’t want to run multiple power cables behind your couch: Because the satellites are completely wireless, you don’t need to plug them in like with most systems.
PROS
- Powerful audio with thunderous bass depth
- Dolby Atmos drivers
- Wireless rear channel speakers
- Easy setup
CONS
- Expensive
- Large
- Could use more precise EQ controls
Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX
Best Small Soundbar
Why We Picked It
Usually, the amount of sound a speaker produces directly correlates with its size, but the exceptionally compact Polk MagniFi Mini AX surprised us with its huge sound field (thanks in part to the included wireless subwoofer). Just be aware that it doesn’t offer the most accurate surround imaging despite its Dolby Atmos support.
Who It’s For
If you have a TV that’s less than 55 inches and you don’t care about spatial imaging, this Polk soundbar is a good choice because of its relatively small width.
PROS
- Powerful sound for the size
- Strong bass from the subwoofer
- Plenty of wireless streaming options
Samsung HW-Q990B 11.1.4-Channel Soundbar
Most Features
Why We Picked It
Samsung’s HW-Q990B is one of the most expensive soundbars on this list, but it also has the most features and an impressive 16 channels (11 for horizontal surround, four for height, and one subwoofer). Together, these channels produce a 360-degree spatial audio sound field that lets you hear objects above and behind you. It’s powerful, plus it features Apple AirPlay, Spotify Connect, and even hands-free Amazon Alexa voice assistance.
Who It’s For
This is for home theater fans who want to experience all of what Dolby Atmos and other spatial audio standards have to offer, including the use of height channels to produce a dome of object-based sound around you. It’s undoubtedly pricey, but it can blanket you in sound.
PROS
- Wide, accurate surround imaging with height channels
- Powerful, balanced sound
- Supports Apple AirPlay, Bluetooth, and Spotify Connect
- Interesting Samsung TV-compatible features, like Q-Symphony
CONS
- Higher frequencies aren’t super crisp
- Only supports SBC codec for Bluetooth
- Expensive
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Best Affordable Sonos Soundbar
Why We Picked It
The Beam sits in the middle of Sonos’ soundbar lineup between the low-end Ray and the high-end Arc. It doesn’t sound nearly as good as the Arc, but it’s a capable soundbar that fits a modest TV (55 inches or smaller) quite well. The device supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and, if you have an iPhone, you can even use Sonos’ Trueplay tuning to automatically tweak the sound to fit your room. Its biggest weakness is mediocre bass response. Yes, you can get a Sonos subwoofer to go with it, but even the smaller Sonos Sub Mini costs slightly more than the Beam itself.
Who It’s For
If you want to improve your TV’s sound, add a voice assistant to your living room, and start building a Sonos multi-room system for less than $500, the Beam is a good choice. Its bass might be lackluster, but it still packs plenty of features for its price and surely offers an improvement over your TV’s speakers in the low-frequency range.
PROS
- Big sound field for its size
- Full and crisp sound, from low-mids to highs
- Dolby Atmos audio sounds precise and immersive, even without rear speakers
CONS
- Not much deep bass without optional (and pricey) subwoofer
- No Bluetooth support
- Trueplay audio tuning only available for iOS
TCL Alto R1 Roku TV Wireless Soundbar
Best for Roku TVs
Why We Picked It
On paper, this soundbar is unimpressive: It’s stereo-only and requires a Roku TV. But, for its size and price, it offers powerful sound. And its wireless integration with Roku TVs means you only have to plug it into power. You can augment it with Roku’s first-party subwoofers if you want more bass. Just as importantly, this soundbar is often on sale for well under its list price.
Who It’s For
Roku TV owners should give this soundbar a shot if they want better sound for not much money. We’ve regularly seen it available for around $100, and at that price, it’s a steal considering its commendable audio performance even without a subwoofer.
PROS
- Powerful, balanced sound
- Easy to set up
- Can be augmented with a Roku Wireless Subwoofer
CONS
- Requires a Roku TV
- TV needs to be on in order to use the speaker
Buying Guide: The Best Soundbars for 2023
Does Your Soundbar Need a Subwoofer for Good Bass?
If you plan on building a sound system with more than one piece, the most important addition is a subwoofer. Soundbars can generate a lot of sound from low-mid to high frequencies, but they usually can’t reach deep into the sub-bass ranges. Because of how sound travels, you need a lot of physical volume to get powerful bass, and the wide, shallow shape of soundbars simply doesn’t allow that.
Many soundbar packages include subwoofers that wirelessly connect to the rest of the system; you can tuck these behind, next to, or under your couch. Low-frequency sounds don’t rely as much on acoustics and directionality as higher frequencies do, so you can still feel the effect of the rumble no matter where you put the subwoofer. You might need to plug a wireless subwoofer into a power outlet, but that’s likely the full extent of the setup process for wireless models.
Klipsch Cinema 600
(Credit: Klipsch)
If your soundbar doesn’t include a subwoofer, you might still have options. Some models have subwoofer outputs, which means you can add one after the fact. You have to consider cables with this method, though. You also need to make sure your subwoofer is powered (has a built-in amp) or connect a preamp between your unpowered subwoofer and the soundbar. Just like it takes a lot of space to move that much air, it also takes a lot of power.
Check out our article on how to set up your speakers for more on soundbar placement and how to get the best possible audio out of your system.
Wireless Surround Sound: More Convenient to Connect Than 5.1 and 7.1 Systems
Most soundbars claim to offer some form of surround sound, but this can be a bit misleading. Audio processing and driver placement can create a sense of surround sound even if the speakers are just directly in front of you, but this type of setup isn’t capable of reproducing the accurate imaging of a true surround system with dedicated satellites for each channel. If you really want a sense of immersion, you need a full surround sound speaker system—or a soundbar with separate satellites for the rear audio channels.
Sonos Beam
(Credit: Sonos)
There’s also the matter of the type of surround sound you want. Conventional 5.1- and 7.1-channel audio is common for a lot of content, but home theater sound has gone beyond that with spatial audio. Spatial sound systems like Dolby Atmos map every source of sound from what you’re watching to a location around you in a 3D space and calculate how to mix the audio to best reproduce their locations whether your speakers have two drivers or dozens. It’s an immersive effect, especially with the addition of upward-facing drivers to produce sounds with a sense of height. Not all soundbars support Dolby Atmos, though, and not all that support Atmos have the drivers necessary for height.
On the downside, true surround systems create more clutter than a single soundbar. Each satellite requires wires running either to the wall or a centralized device like an A/V receiver, and that means a lot of cables. You can hide them with rugs or in-wall conduits, but they can still be a hassle. And, of course, you need stands, shelves, or some other sort of nearby flat surface to place all the speakers on. It’s great if you have the budget to build or remodel your living room around a surround sound system, but this simply isn’t practical for most people.
Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi Soundbars
All of the speakers on this list can wirelessly stream music from your smartphone or tablet. Most of them use Bluetooth, and some use Wi-Fi-based wireless audio systems like Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, or Sonos. Bluetooth is easy to use and lets you connect your phone to your soundbar just like a pair of headphones. This setup won’t offer the best audio quality, though, especially if the soundbar doesn’t support high-res Bluetooth codecs.
Wi-Fi isn’t quite as simple to configure as Bluetooth, but it lets you set up multi-room sound systems so you can seamlessly play music all over your house. It also enables lossless audio because of its high bandwidth.
Either way, you probably won’t need to get a separate wireless music speaker for your living room if you have a soundbar. For more, read our roundup of the best wireless speakers. Voice assistants are also available in many Wi-Fi-compatible models, meaning that many of the soundbars above double as smart speakers.
Recommended by Our Editors
Roku Streambar Pro
(Credit: Roku)
Home Theater Systems vs. Soundbars
Home theater audio has traditionally been a big, complex field for audiophiles, or at least for people who are comfortable building a sound system out of individual components. The last decade has popularized soundbars as simpler, compact, and affordable alternatives.
In terms of sheer potential power and system flexibility, no single soundbar or all-in-one sound system can match what you can build if you set up a home theater from components by yourself. With a standalone A/V receiver, amp, and set of big speakers, you get much more power and control over your home theater sound—but you have to put in more legwork and spend more money. A good receiver can easily cost as much as a good soundbar, and that’s before you start adding speakers. You also need to run the wires yourself and maybe even integrate an amp.
An elaborate home theater speaker system can be incredibly rewarding, but you need relatively deep pockets and a good feel for the technology (or even deeper pockets and a willingness to hire a custom installer to make it all happen).
Audioengine A1-MR speakers
(Credit: Audioengine)
Are There Alternatives to Soundbars?
You don’t need a soundbar for great sound. Almost any Bluetooth speaker or one with an optical, RCA, or 3.5mm input (if your TV has a headphone jack) can vastly improve your experience. Just keep in mind that its power and ability to produce a sound field might be better for smaller screens than a large TV. It also might not fit as neatly under or in front of your TV. Our roundup of computer speakers is a good place to start if you want something that works with both your TV and desktop PC.
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