Want to enjoy a truly cinematic audio experience without the hassle of a complicated, multi-speaker setup? Looking to upgrade your TV’s built-in speakers from their lackluster performance? A soundbar might be the perfect solution. These sleek and convenient audio devices deliver immersive sound, powerful bass, and crystal-clear dialogue, all from a single unit.
Whether you’re a die-hard cinephile, a casual streamer, or a dedicated gamer, there’s a soundbar out there that perfectly complements your entertainment system and budget. In this article, we’ll delve into the best soundbars on the market, highlighting top features, performance aspects, and budget considerations to help you find the perfect audio upgrade for your home.
Sonos Arc
The Sonos Arc is a premium soundbar that offers a truly immersive home theater experience. With Dolby Atmos support, the Arc creates a convincing 3D soundstage that envelops you in the action.
This soundbar boasts a sleek and elegant design that blends seamlessly into any living room. Its eleven drivers deliver crystal-clear audio with deep, resonant bass. Plus, with Sonos’s Trueplay technology, the Arc tunes itself to your room’s acoustics for optimal performance.
While it sits at a higher price point, the Sonos Arc delivers an unparalleled audio upgrade for those seeking the best in home theater sound.
Bose Smart Soundbar 900
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 offers a premium home theater experience. It features Dolby Atmos and Bose TrueSpace technology to create an immersive soundscape.
With built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, you can easily stream music wirelessly. The sleek design of the soundbar will complement any decor.
While it sits at a higher price point, the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 delivers exceptional audio quality for both movies and music, making it a worthwhile investment for serious audiophiles.
Samsung HW-Q950A
The Samsung HW-Q950A is a premium soundbar that delivers an immersive audio experience. It features a 11.1.4 channel configuration with up-firing and side-firing speakers, creating a truly cinematic soundscape.
With Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, the HW-Q950A reproduces sound in three-dimensional space, placing you in the heart of the action. The soundbar also boasts Q-Symphony technology, which synchronizes audio with compatible Samsung TVs for an even more immersive experience.
In addition to its impressive sound quality, the HW-Q950A features a sleek and stylish design that complements any home theater setup. It’s also incredibly easy to set up and use, thanks to its wireless subwoofer and intuitive controls.
Sony HT-A7000
The Sony HT-A7000 is a premium soundbar that delivers an immersive and powerful audio experience. With 7.1.2 channels, built-in subwoofers, and support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, it creates a true cinematic soundscape in your living room.
One of the standout features of the HT-A7000 is its Vertical Surround Engine, which uses up-firing speakers to simulate overhead sound. This technology, combined with Sony’s S-Force Pro Front Surround, creates a truly enveloping audio experience that puts you in the heart of the action.
The soundbar also boasts high-quality audio components, including X-Balanced Speaker Units and a powerful amplifier, that deliver rich, detailed sound with deep bass. Additionally, its acoustic optimization technology analyzes your room’s acoustics and calibrates the audio output for optimal performance.
Beyond its impressive audio capabilities, the HT-A7000 is packed with features. It supports 4K HDR passthrough, allowing you to enjoy high-quality video content without any loss in quality. It also offers extensive connectivity options, including HDMI eARC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Chromecast, making it easy to connect to your TV and other devices.
Overall, the Sony HT-A7000 is an excellent choice for those looking to upgrade their home audio experience with a high-end soundbar. Its immersive sound quality, advanced features, and stylish design make it a top contender in the market.
LG SN11RG
The LG SN11RG is a premium soundbar that delivers a truly immersive audio experience. This 7.1.4 channel system boasts upward-firing and side-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, creating a realistic, three-dimensional soundscape.
With a total output of 770 watts, the SN11RG packs a powerful punch. The inclusion of a dedicated wireless subwoofer provides deep, rumbling bass that adds impact to movies, music, and games. High-resolution audio support ensures your music sounds crisp and detailed.
Beyond its impressive sound quality, the SN11RG offers convenient features such as eARC for simplified connectivity, built-in Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for voice control, and HDMI passthrough with 4K and HDR compatibility.
Vizio Elevate Sound Bar
The Vizio Elevate Sound Bar is a unique and innovative soundbar that’s sure to elevate your home audio experience. What sets it apart is its rotating speakers. When you’re watching content with Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, the outer speakers rotate upwards, delivering immersive, overhead sound.
Beyond its party trick, the Elevate boasts impressive specs. It’s a 5.1.4 system, meaning it includes a dedicated subwoofer for powerful bass and rear satellite speakers for true surround sound. The sound quality is excellent across various content, from movies to music.
While it sits at a higher price point than some other soundbars, the Vizio Elevate offers a premium audio experience and innovative features that make it worth considering for serious home theater enthusiasts.
JBL Bar 9.1
The JBL Bar 9.1 is a premium soundbar that offers a truly cinematic audio experience. It features a 9.1.4 channel system with upward-firing and detachable wireless surround speakers, creating an immersive soundstage that fills any room.
One of the standout features of the Bar 9.1 is its Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, which deliver object-based audio for a truly three-dimensional soundscape. The soundbar also boasts a dedicated subwoofer for powerful bass response.
Connectivity is seamless with HDMI eARC, allowing for high-quality audio transmission from your TV. Additionally, the Bar 9.1 supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity for wireless streaming.
Overall, the JBL Bar 9.1 is an excellent choice for those seeking a top-of-the-line soundbar that delivers an immersive and cinematic home theater experience.
Polk Audio React Soundbar
The Polk Audio React Soundbar is an excellent option for budget-minded consumers who don’t want to sacrifice audio quality. This compact soundbar offers immersive sound with support for Dolby 5.1 and DTS 5.1 audio formats.
One of the standout features of the Polk React is its seamless integration with Alexa. You can control your music, adjust the volume, and even change sound modes using just your voice.
While the React soundbar delivers impressive sound on its own, you can easily expand your system. Add the optional wireless subwoofer for deeper bass and wireless surround speakers for a true cinematic experience.
Yamaha YAS-209
The Yamaha YAS-209 is an excellent choice for budget-minded buyers who don’t want to sacrifice audio quality. This soundbar and wireless subwoofer combo delivers immersive virtual 3D surround sound thanks to DTS Virtual:X technology.
You’ll enjoy clear dialogue with the dedicated center speaker and experience powerful bass from the subwoofer. The YAS-209 is also incredibly easy to set up and use, with HDMI and optical inputs for connecting to your TV. Plus, enjoy the convenience of built-in Alexa voice control for hands-free operation.
Roku Streambar Pro
The Roku Streambar Pro is a great option for those who want to upgrade their TV’s audio and streaming capabilities in one fell swoop. This compact soundbar delivers surprisingly robust audio with impressive bass for its size, thanks to the included subwoofer.
Beyond audio, the Streambar Pro delivers a seamless streaming experience with Roku’s user-friendly platform. Access a plethora of streaming services in 4K HDR, making it a convenient all-in-one entertainment upgrade for any living room.
