The best soundbars IN 2023 give off awesome sound and will really upgrade your viewing or listening experience. Gone are the days of big chunky speakers and in are the new slim soundbars that look good in any home.
They make a great addition to most modern TVs, where sound quality isn't usually the best feature, and so you can really maximize your home theatre set-up with any of the soundbars in this list.
Whatever you budget, there's a soundbar to suit your needs, so if you have already invested in one of the best TVs, you don't have to break the bank to add a great speaker to the mix too. Check out our full list below to help you make the right choice.
- Best TVs under $1000
- Best 8K TVs, and next-gen TV tech explained
The best soundbars: ranked
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Delivering over 600W of power from 22 different speakers, this really brings the cinema experience home, yet still retains all the size and convenience advantages of a soundbar. The system comprises a soundbar that's the right size for TVs of 55 inches and up, a subwoofer, and two small rear speaker units, all of which communicate wirelessly in an 11.1.4 channel configuration (11 front/surround, one sub, four upfiring).
The soundbar delivers super sonic immersion, including using angled drivers to bounce audio to the left and right to create real width, plus two upfiring drivers for height channels. The dedicated rear speakers seal the deal with immersion, while the subwoofer delivers exactly the kind of deep bass you want (and improved upon its Q950T predecessor here too).
Our HW-Q990B review said it "continues Samsung’s domination of the premium home cinema soundbar market, delivering a combination of power, detail, dynamics and full surround sound cohesion with movie soundtracks that no rival we’ve seen to date can match." That's why it won the T3 Awards 2022 trophy for Best Soundbar.
Beyond the stunning dome of sound it produces, it's also really well-equipped for features overall. There are two HDMI inputs, as well as the connection to the TV. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, so any 3D system is good to go. You can stream music over Apple AirPlay 2 or Bluetooth. And it supports Samsung's Q Symphony feature for adding even more speaker power, which absolutely makes it the best soundbar for Samsung TVs – as well as the best option for any other model.
Check our Samsung discount codes to pick up a bargain.
Is it a fantastic-sounding soundbar? Is it a multi-room music speaker? Is it a home voice assistant? No, it's Sonos' super Beam, which does all these things at once. Like its predecessor, the 2nd Gen Beam is a superb soundbar that's small enough to fit under even a 32-inch TV but big enough to fill your room with brilliant sound. This version adds Dolby Atmos, and while you don't get the same performance with Atmos that you do with much bigger bars it's still pretty good.
Like its predecessor, the Beam 2 has one tweeter, four ‘racetrack’ mid/bass drivers and three passive radiators for low-end punch, and it's all driven by five Class D amplifier blocks of unspecified power. But Sonos has massively improved the on-board processing to deliver meaningful height as well as width. No matter what you're listening to, the Beam 2 adds impressive clarity and depth.
The Beam 2 solves another issue with the original Beam, which lacked eARC HDMI. That's here now, but there's still no HDMI passthrough. As before, AirPlay 2 means you can stream from Apple devices, while the Sonos app connects to streaming services. You can then enjoy your audio in one or more rooms depending on your Sonos setup.
The Beam has both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control on board, so in addition to your sound settings you can use it to control your smart home or ask your digital assistant for information.
If you're disappointed by your TV's audio this is a significant upgrade, and it's the soundbar we'd recommend for most people – it's easy to use, it's very versatile, and we think it is the best-sounding option for the price. You can find out more in our full Sonos Beam 2 review.
If you're looking for the best soundbar under £250, your journey has ended. The audio quality here is excellent for the price, adding so much more balance, clarity and depth than budget TV speaker could ever hope to produce. And despite this soundbar being not even as wide as your average 32-inch TV (meaning it's just as at home with monitors as TVs), the sound has really impressive width and stereo positioning. The dynamic range is great too, in everything from movies to games. It's even pretty good with music, and has Bluetooth for easy streaming.
It's really simple to set up, too – it has a single HDMI ARC port for easy TV connection (which enables control from your TV remote), or twin optical connectors, or even a good ol' 3.5mm jack. The remote is awkward, but there are also controls on the top, and a great app you can use to make mode adjustments. This thing is cheap, versatile, discreet and sounds great. We love it – our complete Yamaha SR-C20A review goes deeper into why.
The LG S95QR gives you a main bar, a subwoofer and two rear speakers that all connect wirelessly to create a real 'dome' of sound developed in conjunction with the Meridian audio brand. There's even the addition of a centre height channel – which is a world’s first.
It's astoundingly good at enveloping you with audio, with convincing positioning of sounds around and above you. There's excellent dynamic range, and it makes a hell of a noise without anything getting overwhelmed. It's even excellent at upscaling regular surround or stereo soundtracks into really convincing Atmos-like audio. What's more, is the AI Room Correction which helps bring the numerous speakers together into a single cohesive system while eliminating acoustic distractions from its environment.
With twin HDMI inputs (plus the eARC output to the TV), useful wireless streaming options and Google Assistant support, and a really easy setup process. This is for 65-inch TVs and up, really, and it's very much priced for the premium end of the market, which is why we don't recommend it for more people. But as our full LG S95QR review reveals, if you tick the right boxes, it's one hell of a sound system.
The Sony HT-A7000 delivers basically the best Dolby Atmos width and height we've heard from a one-box soundbar – certainly at this kind of price. When we say "one-box" soundbar, we mean there's no separate subwoofer here, making it great for those who want a simpler setup. Although it's still a big unit, suitable for TVs of 55 inches and up…
With its array of drivers and clever audio processing (Sony always excels at this), it gives the impression of precise sound that really envelops you from the front, wrapping to your sides and just about above you. We also noted that despite the lack of separate subwoofer, you get a big and deep bass response that makes soundtracks feel full and meaty.
In our full Sony HT-A7000 review, we said "There’s really dynamic potency on display, so when the going switches from ‘very quiet’ to ‘very loud indeed’ (as it surely must in any modern movie soundtrack at some point) the A7000 breathes deeply enough to make the difference explicit. It’s very detailed in general, and especially through the midrange/centre channel – so dialogue is plain, easy to follow and packed with character."
And best of all, this soundbar includes two HDMI inputs, as well as the HDMI connection to your TV, and it can pass through 4K HDR at up to 120Hz, meaning it's absolutely ideal for next-gen gamers, as well as movie fans. It's not cheap, but you get a seriously future-proofed bit of kit.
The Sonos Arc is a Dolby Atmos soundbar with 11 drivers at various angles, for projecting sound upwards as well as to your left and right. As a single-box soundbar, it's not able to fake sound coming from all around you; instead, it creates a clear sense of the sound filling the space in front of you, which is just as good in its own way.
Instead of the audio sounding like it's coming from a speaker, it's projecting from the entire wall, spanning the full width and height to the room. It really makes use of that space: Atmos' height channels mean that something moving up and down really has a sense of that height in motion. When sound travels across the screen, it's matched to what you're seeing on screen, adding immersion even if it doesn't surround you. If you want to go with the full surround experience, you can always add two smaller Sonos units like the Sonos One SLs for wireless rear speakers – though it will cost you more to expand.
The audio quality is just fantastic, whether you're watching movies or listening to music (this is a full multi-room speaker, with streaming via the Sonos app or Apple AirPlay 2). Everything is finely balanced (including totally clear dialogue even without the Speech Enhancer option) and beautifully smooth.
The downside is that it has only a single HDMI port, with no passthrough at all, so you'll lose an HDMI port from your TV when connecting it. Plus, if your TV doesn't decode or passthrough Dolby Atmos itself, you won't actually be able to make full use of what it can do. This is incredibly frustrating, and cheap for a premium soundbar. But the audio quality is so good that we still rate it as one of the best soundbars, provided it's a good fit for your TV.
For more info, read our full Sonos Arc review.
The Denon Home Sound Bar 550 is a small soundbar (it'll sit happily under 32-inch TVs, and it's a good match with sets up to 55 inches) that's able top produce an impressively wide and tall soundstage, thanks to smart processing and its six drivers (plus three passive radiators). Its support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X mean it's future-proofed for advanced sound no matter the source.
Its connection options include two HDMI ports – allowing for 4K HDR HDMI passthrough – an optical connection for older TVs, 3.5mm jack, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Over Wi-Fi, you can stream to it using Apple AirPlay 2, or Denon's own multi-room streaming app.
You might be thinking that overall, this is a very similar proposition to the Sonos Beam further up the list – and you'd be right. The Denon is more flexible, and its HDMI passthrough alone may make it the better choice for you – but as our full Denon Home Sound Bar 550 review explains, we found that at loud volume, the quality of its audio starts to wobble. Many people will never listen that loud, but it still means that the Sonos Beam remains the marginal winner in our eyes.
This single-box soundbar uses its hefty line-up of speaker drivers to deliver really detailed, punchy and engrossing movie sound. It's not as impressive when it comes to advanced Dolby Atmos positional audio as some of the other options here, but when it comes to the meat and potatoes of a full and wall-balanced soundstage, excellent dynamic range and clear dialogue, it's faultless.
It's also the best here when it comes to music reproduction, which is often a secondary concern for soundbars. But Bowers & Wilkins is a hi-fi specialist, and it really shows, delivering drive and timing conviction that's truly rare from this kind of product – and there are plenty of wireless ways to play music to it.
In our full Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 review, we praised it a lot for its ability to discern fine details, but also noted that it's "more than capable of kicking right off if the soundtrack demands it. There’s real dynamic power here, and the soundbar can switch from ‘near-silence’ to ‘enormous earth-shattering explosion’ and back again in an eye-blink."
It's may an imperfect buy for you, though. Its multi-room music support is currently limited to AirPlay 2 only (with more options coming later), there's no HDMI passthrough, there's no DTS support, and there's no way to add rear speakers if you wanted a more complete setup in the future. For a lot of people, none of these may matter – but either alone or in combination, it just makes it a slightly more limited option than some others here.
The Samsung HW-Q800A is our top mid-range soundbar pick right now because it's just the right balance of being a big audio upgrade, of offering a practical design that's useful with most TVs, and of being a good price. It's such a hard target to hit, and the Samsung excels in so many areas that it's won Best Soundbar at the T3 Awards 2021 in our audio category!
It's a Dolby Atmos soundbar, and features seven drivers in total in the main unit – two firing left and right, one central, and two firing upwards for adding Atmos height. Between them, they deliver a huge, highly effective wall of sound in front of you, with convincing movement of audio and positioning.
Crucially, it also offers all the detail, clarity and dynamic power you want from a cinematic bar. The separate wireless subwoofer is perfectly integrated with the soundstage of the main unit, with bass sounds moving seamlessly from one to the other as needed, with no sudden weird increase in rumble or anything else undesirable.
It also offers 4K HDR HDMI passthrough, so you don't lose a port by plugging it in, and has both Wi-Fi (with Apple AirPlay 2) and Bluetooth on board for streaming music to it.
And you can even add separate wireless rear speakers if you want to turn it into a proper surround system. But what you get in the basic set here is exactly what most people want from a soundbar anyway – a big, beefy upgrade over what a thin TV can offer, that's really easy to set up.
And unlike most soundbars aiming at this level of audio fidelity, it's actually small enough to sit in front of a 50-inch TV or bigger – too many of its competitors start from 55 inches minimum. Be sure to read our full Samsung HW-Q800A review for more info.
The Bose Soundbar 700 is only about the width of a 43-inch TV, yet offers the kind of high-end build quality and audio expertise you find on bigger soundbars usually. We love that it brings Bose's excellent touch for sound to people who don't want to go massive with their TV setup, though it has some issues that keep it from being further up the list.
First, the sound quality is strong. There's width and power, but vocals stay clear and central. For adding clarity and depth to movie soundtracks, it does the job really well – though can get a bit muddy at higher volumes, and doesn't quite have the dynamic range of some of the other options here. Being a one-box design, there's no separate subwoofer, which means is solid rather than truly cinematic.
The glass-topped design is excellent, and it's easy to set up, thanks to an excellent remote and really good app. There's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, and it's a great option for music as well as movies.
At this price, though, we're annoyed that it doesn't offer any HDMI passthrough, and that there's no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X support (it doesn't support the formats, as well as offering no upfiring drivers or anything).
Buying Advice
How to choose the best soundbar for your needs
As televisions get slimmer they may look more attractive, but the audio quality is thin, too. A soundbar puts back some power and bass without the intrusive cables and clutter of a home cinema system.
The first thing to bear in mind is they don't all supply surround sound – just as many soundbars deal only in stereo, so choose accordingly. Stereo is more reliable from a fixed unit; surround sound can be magical, or it can be a mess. Of course, it's excellent in all the soundbars we've chosen, but if you're looking at others, keep that in mind.
Some have subwoofers built-in to the main unit, while others include separate woofers, often wireless (in that they connect to the bar wirelessly – they still need power).
Many now also boast Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi to stream music wirelessly from phones. Some will also include microphones with support for Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
The main thing to bear in mind with soundbars is where to position them. If your TV is on a media unit, and you're planning to just plonk the soundbar in front of it, you may find it blocks your remote control, or even the bottom of the TV, depending on your TV's stand. Some soundbars are lower profile than others, so be sure to factor this is.
The alternative is to consider a sound base, as they sit right under the TV, acting as a mini stand. This means they can't block the remote's IR connection but it also makes them less ideal if you've got your TV wall-mounted, or sat on a standard TV stand.
Another key thing to look out for is the number and type of wired connections on offer. HDMI ARC is our preferred option, because it's the easiest way to plug and play, and it means you don't need a remote just for your soundbar, because the TV passes all controls over the cable.
However, some soundbars and bases don't include it, using optical digital instead. And some older TVs don't have HDMI ARC connections, or will only have one, which may already be in use by another box of yours. So make sure that you choose a soundbar with the connection types that suit your TV.
Most high-end soundbars will have an HDMI passthrough, which can solve the issue of your TV only having one port – this means you plug a console, set-top box or whatever into the soundbar, which passes the video onto the TV, while still receiving all audio from the TV.
How good are soundbars?
More recent soundbars provide a pretty solid experience, with many featuring the latest 3D sound platforms including DTS:X, Dolby Atmos and more. While they won't provide the complete home theater experience for those who want the best, however, they provide a great alternative for those who want a great experience without the added wires and bulk.
They are also great options when space is a factor in your setup, offering a more compact way to get that big, booming movie quality sound without a receiver and multiple external speakers.
What is the best soundbar to buy in 2023
Our pick for the best soundbar overall is the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Stage. Its 11 drivers produce a simply stunning wall of Dolby Atmos sound, packed with precision, detail, finesse and punchy bass. It's also a single-box solution, so you just connect it via HDMI, and you’re good to go.
The Beosound Stage is pricey, though, so our recommendation for the majority of people looking for a really cinematic TV upgrade is the Sony HT-G700. It uses clever processing to create directional sound that feels close to surround sound and Dolby Atmos height. It's a simple soundbar and subwoofer package that's small enough for almost any living room TV, yet offers a giant improvement to your TV audio.
The best soundbars of {year{ range from simple units with a pair of stereo speakers inside that offer a bit more oomph than your TV can manage, right up to elaborate multi-driver systems that create virtual surround sound by bouncing audio around the room, matching the premium visuals of, say, the best OLED TVs equally elite sound.
This means they're available in a range of budgets too, with options to pair with best TVs under $1000, and don't forget to check our list of the best cheap soundbar deals.
They also offer smarter features than ever – from support for Dolby Atmos 3D audio, to different processing modes designed for making things like speech more audible, to support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming – and there's a great range of sizes, so your audio output can match the size of your space, or the size of your TV. Most are designed with movies and TV as the focus, but more are being made with games in mind to pair with the best gaming TVs.
- The best 32-inch TVs – perfect for bedrooms and offices
- The best 43-inch TVs – great entry-level 4K sets
- The best 48- to 50-inch TVs – beautiful mid-size 4K TV sets
- The best 55-inch TVs – premium TVs that still fit most living rooms
- The best 65-inch TVs – beautiful big-screen TVs
- The best 75-inch TVs – giant 4K and 8K TVs packed with features
