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Credit: Yamaha

The Best Soundbars of 2024

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Credit: Yamaha

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Editor's Choice Product image of Sonos Arc

Sonos Arc

Check Price at Best Buy

The Sonos Arc is among the best-sounding one-piece soundbars you can buy, offering thrilling Dolby Atmos audio in a singular system that's also upgradeable. Read More

Pros

  • Rich, powerful sound
  • Hands-off interface
  • Sonos style and versatility

Cons

  • Dolby Atmos limited to newer TVs
  • Short on inputs
  • Big and heavy
2
Editor's Choice Product image of Samsung HW-Q990C

Samsung HW-Q990C

Check Price at Amazon

Samsung’s HW-Q990C is an 11.1.4-channel Atmos soundbar whose channel count actually seems legit. Read More

Pros

  • A legitimate Atmos audio experience
  • Great for movies and music alike
  • Flexible setup and use

Cons

  • Power cables are too short for surrounds and sub
  • Needs a very flexible HDMI cable
  • Laggy SmartThings app connectivity
3
Editor's Choice Product image of Bose Smart Soundbar 600

Bose Smart Soundbar 600

Check Price at Amazon

The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 outperforms its rivals, delivering a larger and more immersive Atmos soundfield, bigger sound, and easy to use app. Read More

Pros

  • Big sound with solid Atmos
  • Easy setup
  • Excellent app

Cons

  • Could use a sub
  • No room correction
4
Editor's Choice Product image of Klipsch Cinema 400

Klipsch Cinema 400

Check Price at Amazon

The Klipsch Cinema 400 is a 2.1-channel soundbar that's short on extras, but packs all the goods to create impressively detailed sound. Read More

Pros

  • Refined sound signature
  • Impressive bass response
  • Stylish design

Cons

  • No Wi-Fi
  • Stereo sound only
  • Short on features
5
Editor's Choice Product image of Vizio V21-H8

Vizio V21-H8

Check Price at Amazon

This soundbar has full-bodied sound and great modern features with easy ways to stream music from your phone, all at a great price point. Read More

Pros

  • Solid bass presence
  • Classic design
  • Good connectivity options

Cons

  • Not very future proof
  • Best Overall Sonos Arc
  • Best for Dolby Atmos Samsung HW-Q990C
  • Best Under $500 Bose Smart Soundbar 600
  • Best Under $300 Klipsch Cinema 400
  • Best Under $200 Vizio V21-H8
  • How We Test Soundbars
  • What You Should Know About Soundbars
  • More Articles You Might Enjoy

Nothing pairs with a great TV like an equally awesome sound system, but not everyone has time to set up a full home theater. If you’re looking for an improvement over your TV’s speaker and don’t want to deal with the hassle of wires and components, a soundbar may be your savior. Not only are they great for dialogue clarity, they can also vastly improve cinematic sound, bringing everything you watch (or play) to life. The best of them offer powerful punch, dazzling features like Dolby Atmos, and wireless music streaming in a simplified package.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours over the years evaluating soundbars, and right now the Sonos Arc (available at Best Buy for $699.00) is our favorite thanks to stellar performance, versatile features (including Dolby Atmos), simple operation, and slick design. If the Arc doesn't strike your fancy, though, we’ve corralled the very best options we've tested in one place to match any listening space and budget.

Sonos Arc soundbar
Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

The Sonos Arc is a pricy but peerless home audio package.

Best Overall
Sonos Arc
  • Dimensions (HxWxD, inches): 3.4 x 45 x 4.5
  • Speaker configuration: 8 elliptical woofers, 3 tweeters
  • Connections: HDMI eARC/ARC, digital optical (adapter), Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2

Sonos’ first-ever Dolby Atmos soundbar, the Sonos Arc, is more than just a pretty (and tubular) face. This powerful hunk of well-fashioned plastic is the embodiment of the soundbar ethos, offering a ton of cinematic juice in a simple, singular device.

The Arc is loaded with 11 individually powered drivers, including dual speakers pointed upward to bounce sound off your ceiling, creating an impressively potent example of the hemispheric immersion for which Dolby’s Atmos sound format is so highly praised. That immersion can be elevated further by adding two Sonos Era 300 Bluetooth speakers as surrounds (read our impressions in our Sonos Era 300 review). Dolby Atmos isn’t the only trick up the Arc’s sleeve. Its well-tuned drivers offer a rich and smooth sound signature that’s fantastic for anything you play, from sitcoms to streaming music. And it also comes with a host of other features that make it among the most versatile soundbars on the market.

Like all Sonos speakers, the Arc offers Wi-Fi connection, along with the ability to connect with other Sonos speakers, either in a group, or as part of a surround sound setup via the Sonos S2 app. You can add dual surround speakers and a Sonos subwoofer if you want, though the Arc offers impressive bass response even without one. It also sports built-in microphones and your choice of Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa virtual assistants, making it both a soundbar and a powerful smart speaker.

The drawback of all these features is, of course, the price, which puts the bar beyond the average budget. In addition, while the bar includes an HDMI eARC port for seamless connection to your TV it doesn’t offer a secondary HDMI input for outboard devices like streamers and game consoles. This could limit its usability for older TVs (those without HDMI ARC) and it won't be the best choice for those who play a lot of physical media.

Since most folks get their Dolby Atmos from streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ these days (which use the compressed format), those issues may not matter much. Moreover, this bar sounds fantastic with just about any content, and its many features and loaded app make it an intuitive and versatile way to step into Dolby Atmos sound.

See our full Sonos Arc review for more info.

For more options check out the Best Dolby Atmos Soundbars.

Pros

  • Rich, powerful sound

  • Hands-off interface

  • Sonos style and versatility

Cons

  • Dolby Atmos limited to newer TVs

  • Short on inputs

  • Big and heavy

$699.00 from Best Buy

$899.00 from Abt
The Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar in front of a TV on a home theater credenza with its sub on the floor to the side.
Credit: Reviewed / Timothy Renzi

The Samsung HW-Q990C delivers a truly impressive Dolby Atmos experience.

Best for Dolby Atmos
Samsung HW-Q990C
  • Dimensions (HxWxD, inches): 2.7 x 48.5 x 5.4 (soundbar), 16.3 x 8.7 x 16.1 (subwoofer), 7.9 x 5.1 x 5.5 (surrounds)
  • Speaker configuration: 22 speakers total; 15 in the bar, three in each surround speaker, one subwoofer driver
  • Connections: HDMI eARC/ARC, HDMI in (x2), digital optical in, Wi-Fi, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth

For the third year running, Samsung has delivered the best one-box Dolby Atmos system you can get with the HW-Q990C. It follows in the footprints of the HW-Q990B and HW-Q950A before it with 22 total speakers firing forward, to the side, and up at the ceiling for a fully immersive experience.

The Samsung HW-Q990C competes with dedicated home theater setups. It isn't just a system that's "good for a soundbar" or "good for the money." It's legitimately good for content across the board, from movies and TV shows, to all types of music. It fills the room with cinematic sound, and sound effects move through space with fluidity.

There are some physical drawbacks. The power cables for the surrounds are a bit short and the HDMI connection cutout can be a bit tight. Plus, it does take some care in its setup for proper performance—surrounds need to be positioned towards your seating area, the sub requires a decent amount of floor space, and the main soundbar needs a few feet open to either side—but once that's taken care of, sit back, relax, and bask in the all-encompassing feeling of Dolby Atmos sound.

See our full Samsung HW-Q990C review for more info.

Pros

  • A legitimate Atmos audio experience

  • Great for movies and music alike

  • Flexible setup and use

Cons

  • Power cables are too short for surrounds and sub

  • Needs a very flexible HDMI cable

  • Laggy SmartThings app connectivity

Buy now at Amazon

$1,899.99 from Best Buy
The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 on a wooden table in front of a TCL 5-Series TV.
Credit: Reviewed / John Higgins

The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 delivers the best single bar Atmos performance you can get under $500.

Best Under $500
Bose Smart Soundbar 600
  • Dimensions (HxWxD, inches): 2.2 x 27.3 x 4.1
  • Speaker configuration: Five speakers; two side-firing, one center, two upfiring
  • Connections: HDMI eARC/ARC, digital optical in, subwoofer out, Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay 2, Chromcast, Bluetooth v4.2

Don’t be fooled by the size of the Bose Smart Soundbar 600. This bar packs a punch, with plenty of oomph to fill a moderate-sized space and room to spare. It also has upfiring speakers for Atmos, a distinct advantage over our previous favorite—the Sonos Beam Gen 2.

The 600 has a wider and higher soundstage than the Beam, lending it a more immersive experience as helicopters and debris from explosions encircle the TV with accurate placement. Dialogue is clear at all times. Even with more difficult movie mixes where vocals can sound buried beneath the action, the words ride along top so you never miss the story.

The excellent Bose Music app makes setup fast and easy—even with the app download it takes less than 15 minutes. With the app you can incorporate Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (the bar includes a built-in Alexa speaker), or even wirelessly pair headphones for late-night viewing without disturbing housemates or neighbors. In addition to the HDMI eARC for a wired connection, the Bose supports Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, and Wi-Fi with music streaming apps available in the app.

While it has respectable low-end, the Soundbar 600 could benefit from the rumble of an additional subwoofer. It’s also missing any room correction software to fine-tune it to your space, or an HDMI input for sources other than a TV. Still, at just under $500, Bose has created the best Dolby Atmos experience we’ve heard for the price. There isn’t a better standalone soundbar choice out there.

See our full Bose Smart Soundbar 600 review for more info.

For more options check out the Best Soundbars Under $500.

Pros

  • Big sound with solid Atmos

  • Easy setup

  • Excellent app

Cons

  • Could use a sub

  • No room correction

Buy now at Amazon
Credit: Reviewed

The Klipsch Cinema 400 delivers incredible sound for its price.

Best Under $300
Klipsch Cinema 400
  • Dimensions (HxWxD, inches): 2.9 x 39.9 x 3.4 (soundbar), 11.9 x 16.1 x 16.1 (subwoofer)
  • Speaker configuration: Two 3-inch midrange woofers, two 1-inch tweeters, one 8-inch ported sub
  • Connections: HDMI ARC, digital optical in, 3.5mm analog in, subwoofer out, Bluetooth

Klipsch’s Cinema 400 has accomplished the deceptively tough task of doing a lot with a little. Dressed in a unique design representing a generous nod to Klipsch’s popular home theater speakers, this 2.1-channel system delivers impressive sound for the admittedly limited number of drivers that it’s equipped with. That's why it's our favorite soundbar under $300.

It’s quality, not quantity with Klipsch’s construction and approach to this bar’s sound. A pair of 3-inch midrange woofers flanked by 1-inch horn tweeters work together to create wonderfully detailed sound that avoids the harsh higher frequencies that some bars introduce. The 8-inch ported subwoofer is the real star of the show, producing resonating low frequencies to outdo most other soundbar subwoofers in this class.

With a modest price, concessions had to be made somewhere along the way. For the Cinema 400, it’s in the features department. The bar does not have Wi-Fi or voice assistant support to speak of, nor does it have support for sought-after audio formats like Dolby Atmos or an expansive equalizer to tune its sound to your personal taste (though that’s not surprising at this price). Additionally, as pleasant as the overall sound of the Cinema 400 is, the lack of a dedicated center channel driver is noticeable when watching TV and movies with heavy effects that may mask dialogue a bit.

That being said, if a lack of features seems like a fair tradeoff for remarkable stereo audio quality, the Klipsch Cinema 400 makes for a very compelling option. It really is a suitable bar for anyone who wants great sound, but doesn’t need extras like Wi-Fi and virtual assistants. Of course, if you would prefer those kinds of features and don't want to lose out on sound quality, you can spend a little more money on the excellent Yamaha YAS-209.

The Cinema 400 sidesteps those perks, however, delivering an old-school rendition of a new-age product. In other words, it looks classic and sounds stellar, making it our favorite option at $300 or less.

See our full Klipsch Cinema 400 review for more info.

For more options check out the Best Soundbars Under $300.

Pros

  • Refined sound signature

  • Impressive bass response

  • Stylish design

Cons

  • No Wi-Fi

  • Stereo sound only

  • Short on features

Buy now at Amazon
Vizio V-Series 2.1 Home Theater Soundbar
Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

This Vizio 2.1-channel soundbar/sub combo offers excellent sound for its price.

Best Under $200
Vizio V21-H8
  • Dimensions (HxWxD, inches): 2.28 x 36 x 3.2 (soundbar)
  • Speaker configuration: Two drivers in the soundbar, one 5-inch woofer in the sub
  • Connections: HDMI ARC, digital optical in, 3.5mm analog in, USB in, Wi-Fi, Spotify Connect, Chromecast, Bluetooth 5.0

Vizio's V-series 2.1-channel soundbar is a great choice if you want full-bodied sound and modern features without shelling out a ton of money.

While a lot of entry-level soundbars don't offer up satisfying bass performance, we were very impressed with how deep and robust the V21-H8's wireless subwoofer is, delivering a balanced, blended soundscape that really ups the audio ante where movies, music, and video games are concerned. That's why it's our favorite soundbar under $200.

This Vizio combo also checks off a lot of the right boxes for features. You're getting Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and HDMI ARC compatibility, making it easy to stream music from your phone and control the soundbar with your TV remote. Like most combo bars, the wireless sub and soundbar pair quickly and automatically, making it easy to just plug everything in and instantly upgrade your home theater situation. Adjusting volume and jumping between sound modes is easy, too: in fact, the simplicity of this product is one of its primary strengths.

Premium, future-facing features like Dolby Atmos, HDMI eARC, or microphones for built-in voice assistant control are not a part of this package, but that's reflected in the easily digestible price point. If you just need a quick and effective audio upgrade, this entry-level Vizio combo is one of the most value-packed options around.

See our full Vizio V-series 2.1-channel soundbar review for more info.

For more options, check out the Best Soundbars Under $200.

Pros

  • Solid bass presence

  • Classic design

  • Good connectivity options

Cons

  • Not very future proof

Buy now at Amazon

How We Test Soundbars

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

The ideal soundbar blends right in with your TV; it's the unsung hero of movie night.

The Testers

Reviewed staff have spent years evaluating soundbars—everything from simple 2.1-channel value models to the huskiest Dolby Atmos 'bars—in order to narrow down the picks and find the best soundbars for every buyer. Our soundbar testing is spearheaded by Reviewed's experienced team of home theater and tech experts, and backed up by a rigorous rubric of testing data to ensure accuracy.

The Tests

For years now, Reviewed has listened to, loved, and argued over standalone soundbars, soundbar/sub combos, and a few home-theater-in-a-box products to find the best soundbars you can buy.

Testing involves using them as any consumer would, using each bar as an audio substitute for a TV (via either HDMI ARC or optical connection), testing its streaming and Bluetooth functions, and analyzing its sound modes, voice-boosting modes, and individual proprietary features. We also conduct back-to-back analyses of sources like Netflix/Blu-ray movies and streaming services, surround sound and Dolby Atmos demo discs, Spotify over Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi, and occasionally, 3.5mm aux sources and USB audio. And since many of us have professional audio setups, we compare the bars to top-notch audio systems as well.

While the best soundbars all have different combinations of drivers, tweeters, woofers, and external subwoofers, generally, audio quality is paramount to our top choices across genres and sources. Apart from performance features like surround sound speakers and Dolby Atmos/DTS:X speakers, what often tends to set soundbars from major brands apart in like price ranges are usability pain points, design aesthetics, and overall responsiveness—where the day-to-day rubber meets the road, so to speak. We test all of that too, over several days, to make sure the bars we pick will function properly.

What You Should Know About Soundbars

In short, the point of a soundbar is to either replace a home theater speaker system with a less obtrusive device or, more often, to replace your TV's terrible built-in speakers with something that actually sounds good. Because speaker (or driver) clarity depends so much on the vibration of moving parts within a confined space, modern super-thin LED and OLED TVs generally don't have very good sound. You might think your TV sounds fine, but when you hear your favorite movies, TV shows, or music through a good soundbar, your opinion will change.

Soundbars aren't your only option for improving your living room/home theater audio, but they're by far the most affordable and convenient. If you live in an apartment or smaller space, or simply don't want to shell out the considerable funds it requires to install a surround system or mounted speakers in your home, a soundbar is a way to greatly improve your TV audio experience.

HDMI ARC And HDMI eARC Connection Explained

HDMI ARC or HDMI eARC are the preferred soundbar connection options, not only because these connections allow for newer TVs (around 2017 and later) to pass advanced audio formats like Dolby Atmos, but also because they usually allow you to control the soundbar's power and volume with your TV remote—without the need to program said remote. (To do this, you may need to turn on HDMI CEC in your TV's settings.)

The optical audio connection that also comes standard on virtually all soundbars can carry 2.1-and 5.1-channel surround sound, but that's where it tops out. If you have a more advanced soundbar with Dolby Atmos (which usually includes upfiring speakers), you'll have to use HDMI ARC or eARC to pass Dolby Atmos content from your TV.

Most modern soundbars now offer HDMI eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) connection rather than the more common HDMI ARC port. It is designed to provide high-quality, uncompressed audio from your TV (including top-quality Dolby Atmos) as well as address any sync issues between on-screen video and the soundbar's audio.

What To Look For In A Soundbar

The major things to look for when shopping for a soundbar are price, audio output, and connectivity, the latter two usually being directly related to the first. If you're on a tight budget, you likely aren't going to get extras like Dolby Atmos, satellite surround speakers, or a huge range of decoding/pass-thru options for advanced or lossless audio modes. However, you can expect to get multiple speaker drivers comprising at least a stereo (left/right) setup, and usually an external subwoofer.

Tweeters refer to smaller speakers (drivers) assigned to the high-mid and high (treble) frequencies of the audio spectrum. Woofers and subwoofers refer to speakers (drivers) assigned to the midrange and bass/sub-bass frequencies of the audio spectrum respectively.

More often, when you spend a few hundred dollars are more, you'll also find options like the ability to connect with other speakers in your home for a multi-room audio setup. Sonos, Bose, and other brands offer such features, but they're almost always proprietary in connection—meaning you'll need to stick with the brand of your bar to connect to other speakers. Also more common in recent years are standalone bars, which don't come with wireless surround speakers or a subwoofer, but offer the ability to add those components later for a fee—again, almost always confined to like-branded models.

What About a Subwoofer?

Soundbars that offer what is known as a 2.1-channel configuration or higher usually include a separate subwoofer to handle lower frequencies (which makes up the ".1" of the equation). Others may simply have a dedicated subwoofer “channel” with larger speakers built into the bar itself to handle low frequencies. The latter is, in almost all cases, not as effective as a separate subwoofer. But a soundbar without a subwoofer or one that has built-in woofers, rather than a separate cabinet, may even be preferred in smaller spaces and apartments.

That said, if you're looking for powerful cinematic rumble—whether for movies, TV, or video games—you'll want to seriously consider a soundbar that includes a separate subwoofer. This will greatly enhance action scenes and other dramatic moments, while also helping thinner bars fill in some of the gaps in the frequency spectrum created by their smaller drivers. There are a few cases where low-frequency sound is well-handled without a subwoofer, such as in Sonos' Arc soundbar or Sony’s HT-A7000, but for the most part, a subwoofer is preferred for cinematic punch down low.

Dolby Atmos/DTS:X and Surround Sound

Some soundbars also offer separate surround sound speakers that can be set behind you in a multi-channel configuration. When fed content mixed in surround sound, these soundbars better immerse you in your favorite format-supported shows and movies, especially when the different channels are balanced properly. In some cases, satellite surround speakers can be added on later.

Soundbars with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support take things even further, usually adding upfiring speakers (either 2 or 4), which can bounce sound off the ceiling so that it appears to be coming from above, immersing you in a hemispheric globe of sound. While only effective with Dolby Atmos and/or DTS:X-supported content, these soundbars offer the most immersive experience available, bringing you closer to what you'll experience in a high-quality theater. Some soundbars are only Dolby Atmos or DTS:X compatible, with the sound being virtualized with digital signal processing or even wave-guide technology to varying degrees of efficacy.

Either way, you will pay a premium for this technology, and you may also have more speakers to spread around your TV room, so these concessions must be considered before making your choice.


Meet the testers

Lee Neikirk

Lee Neikirk

Former Editor, Home Theater

@Koanshark

Lee was Reviewed's point person for most television and home theater products from 2012 until early 2022. Lee received Level II certification in TV calibration from the Imaging Science Foundation in 2013. As Editor of the Home Theater vertical, Lee oversaw reviews of TVs, monitors, soundbars, and Bluetooth speakers. He also reviewed headphones, and has a background in music performance.

See all of Lee Neikirk's reviews
John Higgins

John Higgins

Managing Editor, Tech

@johntmhiggins

John is Reviewed's Managing Editor of Tech. He is an ISF Level III-certified calibrator with bylines at ProjectorCentral, Wirecutter, IGN, Home Theater Review, T3, Sound & Vision, and Home Theater Magazine. When away from the Reviewed office, he is a sound editor for film, a musician, and loves to play games with his son.

See all of John Higgins's reviews
Ryan Waniata

Ryan Waniata

Former Managing Editor - Electronics

@ryanwaniata

Hailing originally from Montana, Ryan parlayed his time working as a musician and audio engineer into a career in digital media in 2012. Since then he's had extensive experience as a writer and editor, including everything from op-eds and features to reviews on TVs, audio gear, smart home devices, and more.

See all of Ryan Waniata's reviews
Nick Woodard

Nick Woodard

Contributor

@nwoodard25

Nick Woodard is a tech journalist specializing in all things related to home theater and A/V. His background includes a solid foundation as a sports writer for multiple daily newspapers, and he enjoys hiking and mountain biking in his spare time.

See all of Nick Woodard's reviews
Dennis Burger

Dennis Burger

Contributor

Originally a civil engineer and land surveyor by trade, Dennis has made a career of reviewing audio electronics and home automation since 2002. He lives in Alabama with his wife and their four-legged child Bruno, an 80-pound American Staffordshire Terrier who has never met a lap he wouldn’t try to fill.

See all of Dennis Burger's reviews

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