Need help finding the best soundbar? Give your TV a much needed audio boost with one of these.
While the way a TV looks should (quite rightly) be the most important thing to consider when buying a new set, the way it sounds is a very close second.
Unfortunately, as panel technology has improved over the years, less and less space has been made available for a set’s audio, leading to sound that’s often weak and tinny.
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The easiest way of rectifying this problem is with a soundbar. These speakers sit nice and neatly below your TV, and often offer tremendous sound without taking up much more space in your living room.
Buy intelligently and you won’t just end up with better sound, but also more advanced features like virtual surround sound and Dolby Atmos support.
Over the years we’ve tested hundreds of soundbars, and our picks below cover a range of the best models on the market at a variety of price points.
Soundbars come in many shapes and sizes, and range in price from under £100/$100 to over £1,000/$1,500. Cheaper models have basic connections, more expensive ones add superior HDMI inputs (including 4K / HDR passthrough), wireless audio streaming (e.g. Bluetooth and AirPlay), better power, more refined speaker drivers, and decoding of Blu-ray sound formats.
A full surround setup is the premium solution to bad sounding televisions, but if you’re a little shorter on space (not to mention budget) then a soundbar offers a very decent compromise. Plus, these days higher-end soundbars will also include the latest and greatest audio technologies like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
Design is also important, with some models able to sit in front of your TV on a stand while others may need a separate shelf, or to be wall mounted. However, whatever your budget, there are some cracking good acoustic upgrades to be had that can give your TV the sound it deserves.
Be afraid, traditional Hi-Fi speakers. Be very afraid.
Not content with dominating the TV world, Samsung now seems to have its sights set on becoming the number one brand for home entertainment audio, too. All this effort has already delivered outstanding results in the shape of both the HW-K850 and, especially, HW-K950 Dolby Atmos soundbars, as well as a range of ground-breaking multi-room wireless speakers.
But, above everything stands the South Korean manufacturer’s HW-MS650. No other one-body soundbar has combined so much raw power with so much clarity, scale and, especially, bass, or excelled so consistently with both films and music. It’s the sort of performance that only genuine audio innovation can deliver – and with that in mind, it’s well worth its $450/£599 price tag.
An unashamedly upmarket soundbar that justifies its price tag
The Sony HT-ST5000 is the most expensive soundbar on this list, but for the money you’re getting an exceptional piece of equipment that offers support for Dolby’s spatial Atmos technology as well as dealing exceptionally well with more conventional surround sound.
The build quality and design of the soundbar is exceptional, and its general audio performance impresses with its clarity and spatial presentation.
With that said, its high price means it won’t be for everyone, and most people will get everything they need from the Samsung HW-MS650 above. But if you want to have the best high-end soundbar around, the HT-ST5000 is the one to go for.
‘If there’s a better sounding soundbar on the market for less than £400/$400, we haven’t heard it’
The Q Acoustics M4 soundbar doesn’t immediately set pulses racing with its slightly prosaic looks, ‘mere’ 2.1-channel sound and lack of any HDMI support. However, you only have to hear what the M4 can do with both music and movies for your doubts about it to evaporate almost instantly. In fact, it sounds so good that it starts to make the idea of trying to deliver more channels from an affordable sound bar look a bit silly.
In fact, though, it sounds so much better than pretty much any rival soundbar in the same price bracket that it’s actually ridiculously good value – especially if you care about music as much as you care about movies.
Surround sound or portable Bluetooth – the choice is yours
The Philips Fidelio B5 is an impressive bit of kit, and it’s the perfect soundbar for someone who appreciates good cinema sound but has no interest in tearing up their living room to install a 5.1 surround sound system to use only every now and then. The B5 enables you to pick and choose your movie moments, and do it on a whim. And it creates a pretty decent surround sound experience too, using both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Digital Surround decoding.
The combination of convenience and good audio – the raison d’etre of the soundbar – with its transformative surround sound capabilities makes the Fidelio B5 a great option for the movie fan who can’t face all the aggravation of a proper 5.1 installation.
Turns your multi-room audio system into wireless surround sound
The Sonos Playbar is a non-HDMI device that uses optical to hook up to a TV. Used simply on its own it delivers a massive sonic boost to your TV listening, but operating it does require using a smartphone or tablet app.
The benefit is that it can seamlessly segue in to a Sonos wireless system, and can even act as the front three speakers in a 5.1 setup with two Play:1 s acting as rears.
Unfortunately although it’s optical-only setup will be great for most, it does exclude owners of TVs that lack this connector, which has pushed it a little further down this list.
This combo of soundbar, two wireless sats & Dolby Atmos is game-changing
Do you need Dolby Atmos? This more immersive ‘3D bubble of surround sound’ tech is here, created not only by a standard soundbar design, but with a couple of satellite speakers and a subwoofer added. Is that verging on a messy home cinema of old? Perhaps in theory, but this is one of the sleekest implementations of Dolby Atmos yet. Using rear speakers with upward-firing speakers, it actually creates a virtual 5.1.4 system.
OK, so the £1,299 / $1,499 / AU$1,499 HW-K950 is not perfect. It only plays DTS in stereo (unless you have a Blu-ray player that can convert it to Dolby Digital), but this simple-to-set-up package is an amazing performer that should be near the top of any audiophile’s soundbar audition list.
An impressive-sounding soundbar with a few setup faux-pas
Focal, most known for its excellent sounding speakers (and the recently released Focal Listen headphones), is late to the soundbar space, but its Focal Dimension was worth the wait. The Dimension soundbar is simply gorgeous, with its piano black accents and aluminum unibody construction.
At $1,399 (£799, AU$1,699) it’s not exactly cheap, but you’re paying for excellent build quality, sound and design.
