The Best Soundbars for Every Budget
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You probably shelled out good money for a nice big TV and maybe a streaming gadget. But it doesn’t matter how large your screen is or how much it cost—the speakers in your TV almost definitely sound awful. You’d be surprised how much more you'll enjoy shows and movies with a halfway decent soundbar or surround system hooked up to your primo panel. Explosions pop, dialog sounds far crisper, and you may even notice sonic details in your favorite films that you’ve never picked up before.
There are seemingly a million options, but we've put the time and effort into testing dozens of soundbars over the past few years to help you find the best soundbar at varying budgets. Need more help? We have a guide on how to find the perfect soundbar, with definitions of many of the terms you'll come across while shopping. Be sure to read our guides to Best TVs, Best Speakers, and Best Streaming Devices for more ways to upgrade your home theater.
Updated June 2024: We’ve added the Klipsch Flexus Core 200 and the Samsung HW-Q800C as an alternative to Samsung's HW-Q990C.
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- Photograph: Yamaha
Best Soundbar for Most People
Yamaha SR-C20AThis soundbar is small and light enough to be easily taken from room to room (in case your gaming happens in a different space than your cinema viewing), affordable enough to accompany even the most modestly priced TVs, and more than capable of trouncing the sound your television alone makes. The 100-watt output powers two forward-facing full-range drivers and an upward-firing bass driver, and there are a couple of passive bass radiators on board for good measure.
The result is a sound that’s far broader and deeper than the SR-C20A itself, and which strikes a great balance between detail, refinement, and attack. This Yamaha is unobtrusive, but only in the physical sense. —Simon Lucas
Inputs: HDMI ARC, optical, 3.5 mm, Bluetooth.
★ Dolby Atmos upgrade: Looking for something with a bit more punch and immersion? Try the True X Bar 50A (8/10, WIRED Recommends), which adds a subwoofer and upfiring speakers to provide a height element for Dolby Atmos TV shows and movies, pulling you further into the action.
- Photograph: Ryan Waniata
Best Soundbar Under $500
Flexus Core 200Klipsch's Flexus Core 200 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) sounds way better than it should for the money. Klipsch cut a few corners to lower the cost, namely Wi-Fi support, which leaves out streaming options like AirPlay and Spotify Connect and smart assistants like Alexa. In their place you'll get notably clear sound, up-firing drivers to provide overhead sound effects with Dolby Atmos content, and surprising gravitas up and down the frequency spectrum for a stand-alone soundbar.
The Flexus lives up to its name with impressive versatility elsewhere, including the ability to add on wireless surround speakers, a wireless subwoofer, or even a third-party sub via a traditional output. You'll also get an app for adjusting audio settings, a handy remote, and most important, the satisfaction of knowing you scored great sound for far less than many competitors. —Ryan WaniataInputs: HDMI eARC, optical, USB-C, Bluetooth (subwoofer output)
- Photograph: Sonos
The Smartest Soundbar
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)Sonos' second-generation Beam doesn’t look much different from the first generation, but the sonic upgrade is immense. You get immersive Dolby Atmos interpretation thanks to Sonos’ superb onboard audio processing. The bar pairs with both Alexa and Google Assistant so you can do everything from setting alarms to asking it the weather. Sonos connectivity also means you can use it as part of a multiroom audio system, where it is compatible with every major streaming service. If you want to expand your system, you can add other Sonos speakers as surrounds, and a Sonos-made subwoofer for bass down the line. Check out our Best Sonos Speakers guide for other options.
Inputs: HDMI eARC, Ethernet, IR receiver for TV remote, Wi-Fi.
★ Better immersion: The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 is a great alternative to the Beam, offering true upfiring drivers for more convincing Dolby Atmos effects, alongside surprisingly fun and musical sound. It's only got Alexa built in, but if that's your go-to smart assistant, the 600 is another pint-sized smart bar worth considering.
- Photograph: Song
Best for Gaming
Sony HT-A7000Sony's HT-A7000 is a Dolby Atmos all-star, offering clear and expansive sound alongside surprisingly potent bass from a single bar. You'll find premium design touches like a glittering glass top and the ability to add a subwoofer or surround speakers later. It's loaded with home theater extras like support for hi-res audio alongside 3D audio formats that rival Dolby Atmos like DTS:X and Sony's 360 Reality Audio.
The bar also harbors a secret weapon for gaming in the form of dual HDMI 2.1 inputs with pass-through to support features like variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM). This makes it a rarity in the market, especially helpful if you have multiple gaming consoles and limited ports on your 4K TV to connect them. All of this comes at a high cost, but for serious gamers it could be well worth the investment. —Ryan Waniata
Inputs: Three HDMI ports (one with eARC), Bluetooth, optical, analog, USB, Wi-Fi.
- Photograph: Samsung
Best for Dolby Atmos Surround Sound
Samsung HW-Q990CSamsung's multi-speaker flagship bar has been our favorite Dolby Atmos distributor for multiple iterations. The previous model, the HW-Q990B, was the best we'd ever heard at filling a room with expansive, impactful, and musical sound. The HW-Q990C offers modest improvements, including a new subwoofer for tighter bass response alongside previous extras like the ability to connect wirelessly to select Samsung TVs.
This is an expensive system that's more onerous to set up than single-piece soundbars, but it's easy to use and fantastically immersive. Simply put, you'll have to step up to a traditional A/V receiver and multi-speaker system to get a more cinematic experience. —Ryan Waniata
Inputs: Three HDMI ports (one for eARC), optical, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Alexa.
★ Step-down Samsung bar: If Samsung's everything bar is too rich for your blood, the two-piece HW-Q800C (WIRED Recommends, 8/10) could be a good compromise. This bar offers a similar sound signature as the Q990C and many of its key features, packed into a smaller bar-and-subwoofer combo for a notable discount.
- Photograph: Vizio
Dolby Atmos Surround for Under $500
Vizio M-Series 5.1.2 SoundbarIf you’re into console gaming, you know how important it is to detect that opponent creeping behind you in the shadows. This affordable Dolby Atmos soundbar from Vizio (9/10, WIRED Recommends) helps you hear every footstep in real, physical space. Atmos bars fire sound upward, expanding your TV’s soundstage. This means gamers can hear what’s going on above them and have a better shot at avoiding that gun-toting helicopter flying overhead. Two upward-firing rear surround speakers also come in the box.
For under $500, it’s one of the most affordable Atmos-enabled soundbar bundles you’ll find with surround speakers, making it a no-brainer for anyone who values fantastic sound.
Inputs: Two HDMI ports (one for ARC), 3.5 mm, optical, USB, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.
- Photograph: JBL
For Those Who Hate Wires
JBL Bar 1300XThis Dolby Atmos soundbar from JBL has a pretty neat party trick: detachable wireless surround speakers. Want more immersion when you're watching a show or movie in your stylishly designed space? Just pop off the two speakers on the side of the main soundbar and place them behind you as wireless surround speakers. That makes them great for those without power outlets or who don't want to hide cable runs to the rear of the room.
WIRED staffer Ryan Waniata says the bar sounds excellent (8/10, WIRED Recommends), with some of the best Dolby Atmos immersion he's heard from a soundbar at this price. He also likes that calibration will tune the sound to your room. The downside of wireless surround speakers? They need to be charged between uses (just pop them back on the soundbar between viewing sessions if you want them juiced up and out of the way).
Inputs: Three HDMI ports (one for eARC), Bluetooth, optical, USB, Wi-Fi.
- Photograph: Polk Audio
Best Soundbar-Subwoofer Combo
Polk Audio Signa S4Many companies offer basic 2.1 soundbars, but very few pack the soundstage of this Dolby Atmos-enabled bar from Polk (7/10, WIRED Recommends). It’s simple and easy to set up, with a basic, no-frills remote and an HDMI ARC connection to plug into a modern TV. You can choose between Movie, Night, and Music modes, which serve their intended purposes well. Cinema mode works in a simulated 3.1.2 Atmos surround—it’s pretty room-filling! Music mode gives you a more normal stereo image. Night mode limits the subwoofer action so you don’t wake the neighbors. The reason this scores lower than other bars we've reviewed on this list? We prefer a backlit remote control, and we wish it had Wi-Fi.
Inputs: HDMI eARC, optical, Bluetooth.
- Photograph: Phil Barker/Sony
Best Standalone Soundbar
Sony HT-X8500Many dream of immersive audio but don’t quite have the space to place dedicated surround speakers and a subwoofer. That’s where this tiny bar from Sony shines. The HT-X8500 is a single unit with a built-in subwoofer and the ability to bounce the side and height channels of a Dolby Atmos signal around your room. It’s not as good as having speakers actually behind or above you, but for $300 (and a single bar), Sony’s audio processing delivers some pretty great sound. While our top pick is also a standalone model, this one is larger and more room-filling if folks want more sound or have a bigger space.
Inputs: 2 HDMI ports (one for eARC), Bluetooth, optical.
- Photograph: Sonos
Best Standalone Upgrade
Sonos Arc SoundbarThe Sonos Arc (9/10 WIRED Recommends) may seem pricey for a single hulking tube, but it rewards your investment with smooth and detailed sound for music and movies, and immersive Dolby Atmos, with more bass than you'd expect. You can stream content from multiple services and access Alexa or Google Assistant via built-in mics. The Sonos app even lets you sync up other Sonos speakers, including the Era 300 (9/10, WIRED Recommends), for a potent surround sound or multiroom audio system. The Arc isn't cheap and it's also oddly short on inputs for the money, but its versatile design makes it equally impressive as a single bar or as the keystone of a larger, expandable audio system. —Ryan Waniata
Inputs: HDMI eARC, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, optical (via adapter).
- Photograph: Sennheiser
For Posh (Small) Pads
Sennheiser Ambeo MiniThis tiny soundbar (with an optional wireless subwoofer) is the perfect complement to small, well-designed spaces. Sennheiser's built-in Ambeo virtualization technology brilliantly throws sound all around you for exhilarating TV and movies even if you don't have a big room. It's small enough to fit everywhere from bedrooms to tiny living rooms, although it is an expensive option, especially when you add Sennheiser's wireless subwoofer to the mix. The subwoofer and bar work seamlessly together to give full-spectrum sound in small spaces unlike anything I've heard so far. It is also a great smart speaker, thanks to integration with Google Assistant and Alexa.
Ambeo Mini Inputs: 1 HDMI eARC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (AptX).
★ Bonkers virtual surround: If you've got a larger room (and budget), you may want to consider the Sennheiser Ambeo Max. It offers the very best surround sound virtualization we've heard, including Dolby Atmos support, alongside gorgeous music performance and potent bass in a single unit. But it will cost you a mint.
- Photograph: ZVOX
Best for Those With Hearing Loss
ZVox AccuVoice AV157If you or someone you love has a hard time hearing what the voices onscreen are saying, consider this awesome little soundbar from lesser-known (but long-standing) brand Zvox. The company has perfected what it calls “AccuVoice” technology, which uses digital signal processing to make voices sound clearer. It does this better than any soundbar I’ve tested with a similar feature.
Inputs: Optical, 3.5 mm (requires its own remote).
- Photograph: Nakamichi
The Bassiest Setup
Shockwafe 9.2.4 Dolby Atmos SoundbarWIRED reviewer Jaina Grey has spent a few years with this massive dual-subwoofer soundbar system from Japan. It provides earth-shattering bass, courtesy of two huge subwoofers, while a pair of side speakers and rear speakers offer more lifelike reproduction than soundbars that bounce sound off the walls for side and rear noises. It also features support for all major object-based surround formats, like DTS:X and Dolby Atmos. It’s a super-large system for most spaces, but if you have a big room, the extra bass response helps things feel more cinematic.
Those side and rear drivers make it great for playing online video games, where hearing footsteps behind you comes in handy. Because it's been around a while, it's usually on sale for well below its original price. If your budget is flexible, there's also an upgraded version that adds even more power alongside HDMI eARC connection for higher-bandwidth audio transmission.
Inputs: Three HDMI ports (one for ARC), optical, coaxial, Bluetooth (AptX).
- Photograph: Platin
A Completely Wireless System
Platin Monaco 5.1 (WiSA)Five small speakers and a compact under-couch subwoofer make up this extremely easy-to-use system from Platin Audio (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It uses WiSA technology to stream and sync audio from a puck that you place near your screen or projector. It’s among the simplest surround-sound setups I’ve had the pleasure of setting up, requiring just a power source for each speaker and a single HDMI cable to plug into the puck. From there, an app and your TV’s remote control the system.
This has come to be among my favorite rigs for testing because I don’t have to move anything other than an HDMI cable between devices. I also like how sleek and well-made the speakers are, with beautiful woven cones and black cases that don’t get in the way visually. You can get the Platin Monaco system with Dolby Atmos rear surround speakers now, a replacement pair that shoots sound effects toward the ceiling from the rear to bounce it down above your head for full immersion. I like the standard system enough to still recommend it over the Atmos option if you're on a budget, but splurge for Atmos if you have the cash.
Inputs: HDMI eARC, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth.
- Photograph: Bang & Olufsen
If Money Is No Object
Bang & Olufsen Beosound TheatreThe Bang & Olufsen Beosound Theatre is almost exactly like a Dolby Atmos soundbar. It’s just way, way more expensive. Even when you consider that it has its own slatted wooden blind and can fit exactly beneath screens of 55-inch, 65-inch, and 77-inch televisions thanks to swappable aluminum end-caps, it's still pricey. Or take into account the 800 watts of power and 12 speaker drivers configured to deliver a facsimile of 7.1.4-channel spatial audio sound—it’s no one’s idea of a bargain.
And yet for the monied among us, the Theatre manages to be a thunderously capable speaker, a hugely decorative object, and a compelling talking point all at once. If you have the cash, this is the one soundbar to rule them all. —Simon Lucas
Inputs: Four HDMI (one for eARC), Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth.
Photograph: B&HHonorable Mentions
They're Pretty GoodThere are a lot of great soundbars out there, and we don’t have room to feature them all. Here are some others you might want to consider.
Vizio Elevate M-Series for $500: If you want full-featured Dolby Atmos and you like a bit of flair, Vizio's second Elevate bar is worth considering. Drivers pop out of the side and aim toward your ceiling when Atmos content is playing, giving it a nifty party trick to show your pals. Sound quality is solid too, and we like the compact design and easy setup. However, you will have to route some speaker cables for the rear surrounds.
The Yamaha SR-C30A for $276: This model SR-C30A soundbar looks very similar indeed to the SR-C20A, and that’s because they’re the same thing where dimensions, specification, and sound quality are all concerned. The difference is that the SR-C30A ships with a compact (335 x 160 x 364mm) wireless subwoofer for some authentic Hollywood-style rumble and punch. —Simon Lucas
Sennheiser Ambeo Plus for $970: Given the price and the physical dimensions of the soundbar—which doesn't even include a subwoofer—the Ambeo Plus might look like a poor deal. But thanks to its 400 watts of power and its nine carefully developed and even more carefully positioned speaker drivers, this Sennheiser is capable of big, enveloping sound with a strong suggestion of the sonic height that Dolby Atmos soundtracks thrive on. By way of an encore, it turns out to be a hugely capable wireless speaker when you want to listen to some music, too. —Simon Lucas
The Polk React for $259: This soundbar works if you want to get surround sound eventually but don’t have the cash right now. The Alexa-enabled soundbar is fine on its own, with surround speakers and subwoofers available from Polk if you want to upgrade.
The Vizio Elevate P-Series for $700: This is an awesome-looking soundbar with side speakers that swivel skyward when you’re watching content with object-based audio. It’s a nice-sounding bar, and that gimmick is neat, but there are better options for under $1,000.
Roku Streambar for $185: If you’re after a soundbar that also doubles as an awesome streaming device, WIRED senior editor Adrienne So swears by the Roku Streambar. After she spent years without one, I sent her home with this Roku model, and she was so impressed that she shouted it from the rooftops. Setup is extremely easy, and because it comes with Roku’s simple streaming interface (and support for surround sound, as well as 4K and high dynamic range video), you can stream movies and shows from just about every streaming service. You can also add a Roku subwoofer or surround-sound speakers down the line. We encourage getting a sub. We've linked to Roku’s Walmart version, named “Onn," because it looks like the original model is being discontinued. It’s cheaper and slightly weaker but still a lot nicer than standard TV speakers, and it comes with the built-in Roku streaming interface.
Photograph: Ryan WaniataWhy You Need a Soundbar
TVs Need a Helping HandWe have yet to test a new TV that didn’t sound crummy without an audio accessory. That’s mostly due to the way televisions are designed. Great-sounding speakers are bulky, and as TVs have gotten thinner, with shrinking bezels and sleeker designs, manufacturers are having a harder time building good speakers into them.
You can spend as little as $150 on a new soundbar with a subwoofer, and it’s essential to getting the most out of your viewing experience. Our list of the best soundbars we’ve tested includes soundbars sold on their own and models that come bundled with a subwoofer at a wide variety of price points. Read on for more advice on building your affordable new home theater setup.
Photograph: AmazonGet Hooked Up
Properly Connect Your SoundbarWe’ve included a list of available connectivity options next to every soundbar on our list. Virtually all soundbars will connect to your TV via optical or HDMI cables—HDMI being preferable in most cases.
If your TV and soundbar both have an HDMI-ARC port (the cable port looks like regular HDMI, but it’s labeled ARC or eARC), connect it that way. It will allow you to use the volume buttons on your TV remote to control the soundbar’s volume. Also, make sure CEC is enabled. Use an optical cable only if HDMI isn’t available, as HDMI is also necessary for Dolby Atmos and other 3D audio formats.
Finally, check your TV audio menus to make sure your TV’s internal speakers are set to off (so you don’t get any weird audio fluttering) and find the best spots to place your speakers and sub.
Photograph: Manuel Aguilar/Getty ImagesAre Soundbars as Good as Speakers?
Pick Your PoisonStumble onto any A/V or home theater subreddit or forum and you’ll see a mob of people claiming even the idea of a soundbar matching up to a pair of speakers is heresy. The truth, as far as we’re concerned, is that it all depends on your individual wants and needs.
If you’re looking for the most musical bang for your buck, especially when it comes to hi-res audio and vinyl record collections, a great pair of bookshelf speakers is likely your best option. Even if you’re not keen on shopping for an amplifier and running speaker wires, our best bookshelf speakers guide offers plenty of powered/active pairs that include all the inputs and amplification built-in—like a soundbar system for audiophiles.
That may not be the best option for everybody, though. If you’re just after something cheap and simple to soup up your TV sound, or on the other end, a convenient way to explore exciting audio formats like surround sound and Dolby Atmos, a soundbar could be the perfect choice. Soundbars are affordable and hassle-free sound solutions, many of which offer sound and features that may match your needs better than a pair of speakers or a traditional home theater setup. We take no sides here, we just love good sound and great features. For many, a soundbar is the best way to get there.
Photograph: Alexander Baluev/Getty ImagesDo I Need a Subwoofer?
Bass bomb or basic?This is a question only you can answer, but there are a few points to consider before making a call, starting with your living space. If you live in a smaller apartment or multiplex, a subwoofer may not be the best choice due to both its size and its likelihood of arousing noise complaints. Modern soundbars like the Klipsch Flexus Core 200 have gotten increasingly good at reproducing convincing bass from a single bar, often utilizing multiple speakers in concert to bring more punch to lower frequencies without causing lots of boom and bombast.
If you're less concerned about close quarters and looking for more cinematic punch, you should highly consider a soundbar with a subwoofer. Physics can only be stretched so far, and no multi-speaker system we’ve heard can match the punch and potency of a dedicated large driver and acoustic cabinet. Even many affordable soundbar models include a subwoofer. If you want full-throttle sound, we suggest considering going all in for a subwoofer, or at the very least, a bar that allows you to add one later.
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