The most effective soundbars to spice up your TV audio in 2024

Let’s be trustworthy — most built-in TV audio system simply don’t minimize it. They’re usually unable to offer 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 critical audio improve with out the trouble (or price ticket) of a full surround-sound system. In order for you a extra cinematic expertise at house, a soundbar is the right middle-ground resolution.

There are totally different soundbars to go well with all types of setups and budgets. A few of the greatest 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 Even funds fashions nonetheless handle to make outdated films really feel recent, including readability to dialogue and depth to soundtracks.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 choice or a premium choose, we’ve acquired you lined with the very best soundbars to deliver your leisure to life.

What to search for in a soundbar

Options

In relation to options, the extra you pay the extra you are going to get in your new audio system. Most inexpensive 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 sensible soundbar with issues like built-in voice management, wi-fi connectivity, Google Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and even Android TV. They’re all useful while you wish to keep away from in search of the distant management, however the very best sound high quality is normally solely within the high tier and the codecs these premium soundbar programs help. I’m speaking about issues like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and different high-resolution audio requirements. These are important if you would like actually cinematic sound to 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 might be vital elements to think about. Some fashions even embrace a devoted subwoofer to reinforce 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 massive one. A variety of the extra inexpensive soundbars are restricted in the case of connectivity choices. They both supply 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 very best audio expertise, you’ll need an choice with not 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 massive factor you’ll wish to take note of when in search of the very best soundbar is channels. That’s the two.1, 7.1.2 or different decimal quantity that firms embrace 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, might 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, vital for the immersive impact of Dolby Atmos. Not all Atmos-enabled items have them, but when they do, the third quantity will let you know what number of are in play and the way they contribute to the general soundstage.

Wi-fi

Most soundbars lately supply both Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or each. In relation to 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 may have the ability to stay with out a few of these. For me, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are necessities, however the remainder I can stay with out. These two give me the flexibility to beam music and podcasts from my go-to apps with out having to accept — or wrestle with — a Bluetooth connection. As an example, Sonos audio system usually supply seamless integration with iOS gadgets, making it straightforward 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 price contemplating a multi-room system.

Dimension

This one may appear apparent however humor me for a minute. Nothing is extra soul-crushing than getting an expensive soundbar in your front room solely to find you must rearrange every 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 practically as massive. I discovered a helpful lesson: Be certain the house the place you wish 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 all the way down to the TV you’ve gotten (or are planning to get) and what the first aim is to your living-room audio. Is it ease of use? Would you like the very 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 wish to flip your front room into an immersive house theater system with {surround} sound?

By being attentive to every of these areas, it’s best 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 stated, we have put quite a few merchandise by their paces at Engadget and have a couple of favorites for greatest soundbar at numerous worth factors to get you began.

The most effective soundbars for 2024

Picture 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 an expensive addition to your front room, and enlargement solely will get dearer from right here. Nevertheless, Sonos gives vital upgrades over the Arc in a couple of key areas. First, due to new Sound Movement tech, the Arc Extremely has much more low-end tone by way of elevated bass efficiency. Added bass makes this a greater speaker for music while 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 talents.

The on-board controls have been relocated and up to date, which can be an enchancment – as is the addition of Bluetooth connectivity. The expanded speech enhancement characteristic comes with a level of customization and there at the moment are two choices for room calibration. Plus, you’ll get every 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
Suitable with Ace headphones

Cons

Nonetheless only a single HDMI port
Enlargement stays expensive
Massive footprint

$999 at Sonos

Sony

Sony has a protracted observe file 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 due to Sony’s 360 Sound Mapping, Sound Area Optimization, vertical {surround} expertise and S-Power Professional entrance {surround}. There’s a number of tech at work right here, and I haven’t even talked about 360 Actuality Audio or DSEE Excessive upscaling, each helpful in the case 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 exhibits and music.

Two HDMI eARC inputs imply you possibly can hook up a number of streaming packing containers or gaming consoles. And due to HDMI 2.1 help, you possibly can count on 8K and 4K/120 passthrough to your tv, so the A7000 is a good choice for avid gamers. This soundbar is pricey at $1,198 and it doesn’t include a separate subwoofer (although it does have one inbuilt). Nevertheless, Sony does offer you 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 actually wi-fi speaker (and significantly better trying) SA-RS5 set is $598. In the event you’re trying to avoid wasting cash on the soundbar itself, Sony gives 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 help and 360 Sound Mapping
Works with AirPlay 2
Contains two HDMI eARC ports

Cons

Costly
Would not embrace 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 an entire bundle places you at a comparable place to flagship items from the competitors. Upon getting each although, the Ambeo Mini is actually spectacular for a small soundbar.

The primary characteristic is Sennheiser’s spatial Ambeo expertise that first debuted on the huge Ambeo Soundbar Max in 2019. With it, the corporate offers 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 films and music. That’s, as long as you splurge for the Ambeo Sub too.

Professionals

Compact design
Wonderful readability
Nice bass
Simple 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

Strong sound high quality? Verify. Dolby Atmos? Yep. Compact and simple to arrange? Uh huh. Suitable 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 large addition to the 2021 model, although it’s a bit restricted for the reason that Beam doesn’t have any upward-firing audio system. Sonos manages to make issues appear extra directional by tweaking audio timing and frequency as a substitute of including extra drivers. The new Beam nonetheless solely has the one HDMI port which suggests you gained’t be connecting a gaming console or set-top field on to this. It additionally signifies that when you’ve got 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 greatest soundbar could also be its most inexpensive thus far, 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 a number of house in entrance of your TV or in your TV stand, making it an important choice for smaller residing areas. The Ray is simple to arrange and offers nice sound high quality for each TV and music, and it pairs seamlessly with iOS gadgets. There are some trade-offs in the case of the immersive nature of the audio, but it surely’s choice 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
Simple setup
Affordable worth

Cons

Sound isn’t as immersive as you get from bigger fashions
Individuals with massive residing rooms may desire a louder speaker
No voice controls

$279 at Sonos

VIZIO

In the event you’re in search of a manner 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 an important selection when you don’t need your add-on TV speaker to take up a number of house. There’s no Wi-Fi connectivity, however that’s actually the one sacrifice in the case of the fundamentals. HDMI ARC/eARC and optical connections hyperlink to your tv whereas a 3.5mm aux jack and Bluetooth let you play music out of your telephone or one other system. DTS Digital:X compatibility gives a number of the impact of {surround} sound and not using a larger unit or extra audio system.

Professionals

Compact design
Contains wi-fi subwoofer

$159 at Amazon

Different soundbars we examined

Sonos Arc

There’s little doubt that the Arc is Sonos’ best-sounding soundbar, but it surely’s additionally the corporate’s costliest. With a brand new mannequin based mostly on the Arc rumored to be on the way, it’s tough to suggest 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 may 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 gives sufficient to face out from the extra highly effective Ambeo Soundbar Max or the Ambeo Soundbar Mini. The Mini is extra inexpensive and does a stable job with immersive audio in its personal proper. Like the remainder of the Ambeo lineup, there’s no choice 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 need to use it with a turntable when you’re into vinyl.

Soundbar FAQs

Is a soundbar higher than audio system?

It actually is dependent upon what you’re after. A soundbar is certainly a less complicated, extra compact resolution in comparison with a full speaker setup. In order for you higher sound than your TV’s built-in setup however don’t wish to cope with a number of audio system and wires in every single place, a soundbar might be the way in which to go. Some soundbars may even ship spectacular {surround} sound results, due to options like Dolby Atmos and digital audio expertise.

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 will provide you with a richer soundstage and extra management over your expertise.

What connection do I want for a soundbar?

Most trendy soundbars connect with your TV by way of HDMI ARC or eARC, which is the simplest 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 choice in your TV, you need to use an optical cable, which additionally delivers stable audio high quality. Some soundbars even supply 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 not less than supply one as an optionally available add-on which you can buy individually. A subwoofer is what provides you that deep, booming bass, so when you like motion films or desire a fuller sound for music, having one could make an enormous 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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