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

Let’s be sincere — most built-in TV audio system simply don’t reduce it. They’re typically unable to supply the immersive expertise you’re in search of, leaving a lot to be desired. That’s the place a soundbar is available in, giving your setup a severe audio improve with out the effort (or price ticket) of a full surround-sound system. If you’d like a extra cinematic expertise at house, a soundbar is the right middle-ground resolution.

There are completely different soundbars to swimsuit every kind of setups and budgets. A few of the finest Dolby Atmos soundbars ship next-level immersion with audio that feels prefer it’s coming from all instructions. Others include a devoted subwoofer, excellent for listening to each rumble and bass drop. Even funds fashions nonetheless handle to make previous motion pictures really feel contemporary, including readability to dialogue and depth to soundtracks.

And when you love codecs like Dolby Digital or need the comfort of wi-fi connectivity, there’s a soundbar on the market for you. Whether or not you’re after a budget-friendly possibility or a premium choose, we’ve obtained you lined with the most effective soundbars to carry your leisure to life.

What to search for in a soundbar

Options

In the case of options, the extra you pay the extra you are going to get in your new audio system. Most reasonably priced 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 if you need to keep away from in search of the distant management, however the most effective sound high quality is often solely within the high tier and the codecs these premium soundbar techniques assist. I’m speaking about issues like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and different high-resolution audio requirements. These are important if you’d like really cinematic sound in your living-room setup. And never all Atmos soundbars are equal, so you may want to take a look at the finer particulars rigorously earlier than you break into the financial savings account. In the event you’re in search of top-of-the-line Dolby Atmos soundbars, dimension, channels and subwoofer choices will probably be necessary elements to contemplate. Some fashions even embody a devoted subwoofer to boost bass efficiency, bringing an additional punch to motion scenes and soundtracks.

Ports

Sony HT-A7000 soundbar, SA-SW5 subwoofer, SA-SW3 subwoofer and SA-RS3S speakers. — Sony

This can be a large one. A whole lot of the extra reasonably priced soundbars are restricted in terms of connectivity choices. They both provide an optical port or one HDMI jack and, when you’re fortunate, each. Issues get barely higher within the mid-range part, however that is not at all times 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. In the event you plan to attach a number of gadgets like a set-top field, gaming laptop computer or console on to your soundbar for the most effective audio expertise, you’ll need an possibility with no less than two HDMI (eARC) inputs. HDMI connections are essential for supporting Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital audio codecs, in addition to high-res passthrough for HDR and 8K/4K content material.

Channels

One other large factor you’ll need to take note of when in search of the most effective 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 sturdy Atmos system, particularly one with rear {surround} audio system, may very well be 5 or seven (left, proper, heart and upward). The second quantity refers back to the devoted subwoofer, so in case your new soundbar comes with one or has them inbuilt, you’ll see one right here. The third numeral is up-firing audio system, necessary for the immersive impact of Dolby Atmos. Not all Atmos-enabled items 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 nowadays provide both Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or each. In the case of Wi-Fi, that connectivity affords you luxuries like voice management (both built-in or with a separate system), Chromecast, Spotify Join and AirPlay 2. Relying in your preferences, you would possibly have the ability to dwell with out a few of these. For me, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are necessities, however the remaining 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 provide seamless integration with iOS gadgets, making it simple to attach and stream music wirelessly. In the event you’re in search of 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.

Dimension

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 important to rearrange every little 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 realized a worthwhile lesson: Ensure 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’ve got (or are planning to get) and what the first aim is in your living-room audio. Is it ease of use? Would you like the absolute 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 taking note of every of these areas, you need to have a good suggestion of what to search for in a soundbar, soundbar/subwoofer combo, Dolby Digital system or a extra sturdy setup. With that mentioned, we have put quite a few merchandise via their paces at Engadget and have a couple of favorites for finest soundbar at numerous worth factors to get you began.

The very best soundbars for 2024

Photograph by Billy Steele / Engadget

Peak: 2.95 inches | Width: 46.38 inches | Depth: 4.35 inches | Ports: 1 x HDMI Out, 1 x Ethernet | Channels: 9.1.4

Learn our full Sonos Arc Ultra review

At $999, the Arc Ultra is a dear addition to your lounge, and enlargement solely will get costlier from right here. Nevertheless, Sonos provides vital upgrades over the Arc in a couple of key areas. First, because of new Sound Movement tech, the Arc Extremely has much more low-end tone through elevated bass efficiency. Added bass makes this a greater speaker for music if you’re not watching TV. That improve additionally allowed the corporate to reconfigure its mid-range drivers and tweeters, increasing the soundbar’s dimensional sound and immersive skills.

The on-board controls have been relocated and up to date, which can also be an enchancment – as is the addition of Bluetooth connectivity. The expanded speech enhancement function comes with a level of customization and there at the moment are two choices for room calibration. Plus, you’ll get every little thing that’s nice about Sonos merchandise: multiroom setups and crisp, clear audio high quality.

Professionals

Improved bass efficiency
Crisp, clear and immersive sound
Expanded Speech Enhancement
Appropriate with Ace headphones

Cons

Nonetheless only a single HDMI port
Growth stays dear
Massive footprint

$999 at Sonos

Sony

Sony has an extended observe report of fantastic high-end soundbars and its latest is one other great-sounding product. The A7000 is a sturdy Dolby Atmos soundbar, able to immersive 7.1.2 audio because of Sony’s 360 Sound Mapping, Sound Discipline Optimization, vertical {surround} know-how and S-Drive Professional entrance {surround}. There’s quite a lot of tech at work right here, and I haven’t even talked about 360 Actuality Audio or DSEE Excessive upscaling, each helpful in terms of 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 wonderful readability for each TV reveals and music.

Two HDMI eARC inputs imply you possibly can hook up a number of streaming packing containers or gaming consoles. And because of HDMI 2.1 assist, you possibly can anticipate 8K and 4K/120 passthrough to your tv, so the A7000 is a superb possibility for avid gamers. This soundbar is dear at $1,198 and it doesn’t include a separate subwoofer (although it does have one inbuilt). 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. In the event you’re wanting to avoid wasting cash on the soundbar itself, Sony provides 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.

Professionals

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

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 a whole bundle places you at a comparable place to flagship items from the competitors. Upon getting each although, the Ambeo Mini is really spectacular for a small soundbar.

The principle function is Sennheiser’s spatial Ambeo know-how that first debuted on the huge Ambeo Soundbar Max in 2019. With it, the corporate supplies 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 properly for motion pictures and music. That’s, as long as you splurge for the Ambeo Sub too.

Professionals

Compact design
Wonderful readability
Nice bass
Straightforward setup

Cons

Costly
No bundled sub
Ambeo impact is restricted
One HDMI port

$700 at World Wide Stereo

Engadget

Learn our full Sonos Beam review

Stable sound high quality? Test. Dolby Atmos? Yep. Compact and simple to arrange? Uh huh. Appropriate with different Sonos audio system for a extra sturdy system? You betcha. The primary-gen Sonos Beam has been one in every of our favorites since it arrived in 2018, however there was one factor it didn’t have: Dolby Atmos. That was the massive addition to the 2021 model, although it’s a bit restricted because the 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 implies you gained’t be connecting a gaming console or set-top field on to this. It additionally implies that you probably have an older TV with an optical jack, you’ll want an adapter.

Professionals

Comparatively compact design
Good sound for its dimension
Helps Dolby Atmos

Cons

One consists of one HDMI port

$449 at Sonos

Engadget

Peak: 3.66 inches | Width: 21.93 inches | Depth: 2.76 inches | Ports: 1 x Optical, 1 x Ethernet | Channels: 2.0 (non-surround), 5.1 ({surround}) | Voice assistant: None | Max wattage: 10W

Learn our full Sonos Ray review

Sonos’ newest bid for finest soundbar could also be its most reasonably priced up to now, however at $279, it’s not precisely a funds choose. Particularly when you think about there are cheaper choices that include a subwoofer. Nonetheless, the compact design doesn’t command quite a lot of house in entrance of your TV or in your TV stand, making it a fantastic possibility for smaller residing areas. The Ray is simple to arrange and supplies nice sound high quality for each TV and music, and it pairs seamlessly with iOS gadgets. There are some trade-offs in terms of the immersive nature of the audio, however it’s possibility for upgrading your TV sound with minimal fuss.

Professionals

Superb sound high quality for each TV and music Good bass efficiency for such a small speaker
Compact, unobtrusive design
Straightforward setup
Cheap worth

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

In the event you’re in search of a approach to enhance your TV sound on a funds, 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 could be a fantastic alternative when you don’t need your add-on TV speaker to take up quite a lot of house. There’s no Wi-Fi connectivity, however that’s actually the one sacrifice in terms of the fundamentals. HDMI ARC/eARC and optical connections hyperlink to your tv whereas a 3.5mm aux jack and Bluetooth will let you play music out of your cellphone or one other system. DTS Digital:X compatibility provides among the impact of {surround} sound and not using a larger unit or extra audio system.

Professionals

Compact design
Consists of wi-fi subwoofer

$159 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 costliest. 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 properly as each a soundbar and a speaker, and the system 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 lets you join streaming and gaming gadgets on to their soundbars.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus

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

Soundbar FAQs

Is a soundbar higher than audio system?

It actually will depend on what you’re after. A soundbar is unquestionably a less complicated, extra compact resolution in comparison with a full speaker setup. If you’d like higher sound than your TV’s built-in setup however don’t need to take care of a number of audio system and wires in every single place, a soundbar might be the best way to go. Some soundbars may even ship spectacular {surround} sound results, because of options like Dolby Atmos and digital audio know-how.

Nevertheless, when you’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 provides you with a richer soundstage and extra management over your expertise.

What connection do I want for a soundbar?

Most fashionable soundbars connect with your TV through HDMI ARC or eARC, which is the best and most suitable 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 additional options like controlling the soundbar together with your TV distant.

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

Do all soundbars include subwoofers?

Not all soundbars include subwoofers, however many do or no less than provide one as an non-obligatory add-on that you could buy individually. A subwoofer is what offers you that deep, booming bass, so when you like motion motion pictures or need a fuller sound for music, having one could make a giant distinction. Some soundbars have a built-in subwoofer, however these usually don’t present the identical punch as a separate one.

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