The Best Soundbars for Every Budget
You probably already shelled out good money for a nice big TV and maybe a streaming gadget to play your Netflix. But it doesn't matter how large your screen is or how much it cost—the speakers in your TV probably sound awful.
You'd be surprised by how much more you enjoy those shows 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 on before.
Updated November 2021: We've added the second-generation Sonos Beam.
We have yet to test a new TV that didn't sound crummy without some kind of audio accessory added. 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.
If you can afford to spend $150 on a new soundbar with a subwoofer, it’s essential to getting the most out of your viewing experience. To help, we put together this list of the best soundbars we've tested, including soundbars sold on their own, as well as models that come bundled with a subwoofer. We've also compiled some advice on how to make the most of your purchase.
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- Photograph: Vizio
Best Value
Vizio 2.1 Soundbar and Sub (SB3621N-G8)Vizio is one of the best brands in the business when it comes to delivering good sound at palatable prices, and its most recent 2.1-channel model is a shining example of this ethos. This soundbar is sleek and easy to set up, and it has a wireless subwoofer that can sit under your couch. (2.1 is shorthand for “stereo speaker with a subwoofer.”)
With optical and coaxial cable inputs—plus Bluetooth for playing music from your smartphone—you can enjoy its crystal-clear audio from virtually any device you own, though you will have to shell out cash for a more expensive bar if you want to use HDMI ARC to control your sound using your TV’s remote control instead of the included Vizio remote.
Inputs: Optical cable, coaxial cable, and Bluetooth
- Photograph: Vizio
Best for Under $600
Vizio TV Sound System With Dolby Atmos (SB36512-F6)If 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 helps you hear every footstep in real, physical space. Atmos bars fire sound upward, expanding your TV's soundstage. It means that gamers can hear what’s going on above them, which is perfect for avoiding that gun-toting helicopter flying around. Two upward-firing rear surround speakers also come in the box.
At $550, it's the most affordable Atmos-enabled soundbar bundle you’ll find, making it a no-brainer for anyone who values fantastic sound.
Inputs: 2 HDMI ports (one ARC), 3.5 mm, optical, USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Google Chromecast built in
- Photograph: Samsung
Best Dolby Atmos Bar
Samsung HW-Q950ASamsung's flagship Dolby Atmos soundbar (8/10, WIRED Recommends) has a massive 11.1.4 driver array spread across two satellite speakers, a subwoofer, and the bar itself. This lets it be more nimble and focused in its processing of each channel, adding significantly to the immersion when compared to more affordable (and even many similarly priced) soundbars. If you don't have the room for a traditional home theater surround system, or you just hate the clutter of cables, this is about as close as I've heard to a true wired system, without a receiver, speakers, or hundreds of feet of copper running through the walls. If you own a late-model Samsung TV, you can pair the bar with the screen's speakers, adding even more focus to the voices onscreen.
Inputs: HDMI (eARC), Bluetooth, Optical
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- 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 even add other Sonos speakers as surrounds, and a Sonos-made subwoofer for bass down the line.
- Photograph: Phil Barker/Sony
Best Cheap Atmos Bar
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.
Inputs: 2 HDMI ports (one ARC), Bluetooth, Optical
- Photograph: Roku
A Bar With Roku
Roku Smart SoundbarIf you're after a soundbar that also doubles as an awesome streaming device, WIRED senior writer Adrienne So swears by the Roku smart soundbar. After she spent years without a soundbar, I sent her home with Roku's latest 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 also linked to Roku's Walmart version, named “Onn," below. It's cheaper and slightly weaker but still a lot nicer than standard TV speakers, and it also comes with Roku built in.
Inputs: 1 HDMI port (with ARC), optical, Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), USB 2.0, Bluetooth, voice remote
- Photograph: Roku
For Small Spaces
Roku StreambarIf you have a small TV in the kitchen or office, or just have a tiny home, space is of the essence! That's why I'm excited about the new Roku Streambar. It's a petite soundbar with true stereo sound and a Roku streaming player built in. The WIRED team hasn't spent much time with this one, but on physical specs alone, this is a hard bar to beat for tight spaces. No more tiny TV speakers!
Inputs: HDMI ARC, Optical, USB
- 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 bar with a similar feature I have tested.
Inputs: Optical, 3.5 mm
- Photograph: Yamaha
A Smart Soundbar With a Sub
Yamaha YAS-209If you’re looking for a soundbar-subwoofer combo that doubles as a smart speaker for your living room, there is no better option than the Yamaha YAS-209. It has Amazon Alexa built in, two virtual surround sound modes, Wi-Fi, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth. You can use your voice to do everything from playing Taylor Swift to checking the weather. That’s a heck of a lot of features for a semi-affordable bar.
It also sounds better than it has any right to at this price. Audio comes through crisp and clear, with impressive width and depth, and the included subwoofer bolsters explosions, footsteps, and your favorite bass-heavy tunes.
Inputs: 2 HDMI ports (one ARC), optical, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth, and mics for voice-activated Alexa
- Photograph: SENNHEISER
Best Luxury Soundbar
Sennheiser Ambeo SoundbarThe acclaimed audio brand Sennheiser waited decades to launch its first home soundbar. The company’s massive—and massively expensive—Ambeo showcases some of the most advanced processing and audio quality we’ve ever heard from a single bar. Even without the addition of satellite speakers for surround, the Ambeo uses its tech to throw sound around your space with full Dolby Atmos immersion. At times, it sounds so good you might think there are little tiny speakers flying around your room.
It's the best-sounding bar we’ve ever heard. It doesn't matter if you're watching Netflix Originals or listening to your favorite music, the Ambeo just offers rich, detailed sound. It’s not for the budget-conscious, but this is the crème de la crème of compact home theater audio. Much as LG, Samsung, and Sony use exceptional image quality to convince people to shell out thousands of dollars for their flagship televisions, Sennheiser can bank on the Ambeo's superior audio to attract discerning buyers.
Inputs: 3 HDMI ports (one ARC), optical, RCA, Bluetooth, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Google Chromecast built in
- Photograph: Nakamichi
The Bassiest Setup
Shockwafe 9.2 Dolby Atmos SoundbarWIRED reviewer Jess Grey has spent a little more than a year with this massive dual-subwoofer soundbar system from Japan, which provides earth-shattering bass courtesy of two huge subwoofers. 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 often comes in handy.
Inputs: HDMI, Optical, Coaxial. Bluetooth (AptX)
- Photograph: Enclave Audio
A Completely Wireless System
Enclave Audio CineHome ProThe Enclave Audio CineHome Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a $1,500, THX-certified surround-sound system, but it still has many of the same characteristics as our favorite larger soundbar systems. For one, the 5.1 system is completely wireless. Thanks to clever use of the WiSA (a new-ish wireless surround-sound) protocol, all you have to do is find a power outlet for each speaker and plug a small Roku-sized box into your TV's ARC port. Bada bing, bada boom: THX-certified surround sound!
It's spendy and requires enough shelf and floor space to set up all the speakers. But if you're after truly great sound with soundbar-like convenience, it doesn't get better than this.
Inputs: HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, 3.5 mm
Honorable 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.
The LG SP9YA for $697: This is a good Atmos bar for smaller rooms. It comes with a wireless subwoofer and can be upgraded with LG-made surround speakers.
The Polk React for $249: This soundbar works if you want surround sound eventually but don't have the cash right now. The Alexa-enabled soundbar can be bought standalone, with surround speakers and subwoofers available from Polk if you want to upgrade your sound.
The Vizio Elevate for $950: This is an awesome-looking soundbar with side speakers that swivel skyward when you're watching content with object-based audio. It's a good-sounding bar and that gimmick is neat, but there are better options for under $1,000.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 700 for $799: If you want a premium bar that has great sound and can be expanded with satellite speakers, but aren't a fan of Sonos, Bose has you covered—though you might not like the $799 price tag. We have also heard complaints about issues with the wireless functionality.
The Vizio M-Series 2.1 for $150: This is a great entry-level soundbar if you don't have much to spend. It has a sleek design and surprisingly good bass for a soundbar that doesn't come with a subwoofer in tow.
Photograph: AmazonGet Hooked Up
Properly Connect Your SoundbarWe've included a list of available connectivity options next to every soundbar on our list. The vast majority of 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 HDMI, but it's labeled ARC), try connecting 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.
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.
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