The best soundbars will boost the sound from your TV and deliver a cinema-like experience in a convenient one box solution. Whether you want to immerse yourself in the latest blockbuster movies or binge watch a TV show, you'll likely find even the best TVs have their limitations when it comes to allowing the audio of your favourites to really shine, as TV sets getting slimmer has meant less space for beefy speaker systems.
And that's where the best soundbars come in. Offering powerful in-built speakers, often engineered to fire audio in a number of different directions to truly surround you with the sounds of your content – including those that support the all-enveloping Dolby Atmos – a soundbar is going to give you that all-important home cinema experience. The best soundbars usually come in one of three styles: all-in-one units with just a single 'bar, such as the Sonos Arc Ultra; a soundbar and subwoofer combination or a soundbar, subwoofer and rear speakers package.
The second option offers a great middle ground, delivering enhanced audio and low-end bass. But if you want a real home cinema experience, you'll want to invest in a soundbar with rear speakers as you'll be able to achieve authentic surround sound.
Over the years, we’ve put a wide variety of soundbars to the test, assessing their overall audio quality, connectivity, price and all other relevant features to help us to determine which of these audio solutions are the top options worth considering. To see for yourself our picks for the best soundbars in Australia, we’ve compiled the list below with something to be discovered for every need and every budget.
The quick list
The best soundbar for you will obviously depend on your own needs and habits, while often also having to conform to a certain budget and space or layout of your room. While the top of the list below might be what we see as the best, any one of the others here might be even better for you.
Still, your ideal home cinema experience might only be one step (and one soundbar) away, so see which of the picks below might be the right one for you.
The best soundbar for most people
Sony's soundbar and wireless subwoofer combo delivers a full-bodied sound with room-shaking bass. Throw in some useful features including a voice-enhancing, and you have the best soundbar for most people.
The best budget soundbar
It goes without Dolby Atmos, but for a simple, super-cheap TV sound upgrade, the Sony HT-S100F delivers superb clarity and width.
The best soundbar for Dolby Atmos surround
The Samsung HW-Q990F builds upon the success of its predecessors by offering powerful and impressive Dolby Atmos sound. A new, more compact subwoofer makes it easier to install in homes, too.
The best soundbar for compact Dolby Atmos
If you want Atmos sound but don't have the space for a bigger unit or rear speakers, this Bose soundbar packs a mighty fine punch.
The best one-box soundbar
Marshall's first soundbar offers an incredibly cinematic sound without needing a big separate subwoofer. Dolby Atmos effects are superb, too. If you want a high-quality sound from a well-priced all-in-one, this is the best.
The best soundbar for expandability
The Arc Ultra is a great option as an all-in-one soundbar, but it's the ability to connect to other Sonos speakers to add surrounds channels and subwoofers that make it a force to be reckoned with.
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The perfect small soundbar for music
The Beam (Gen 2) is perhaps the goldilocks of Sonos soundbars, offering impressive Dolby Atmos capabilities in a compact 'bar that suits a variety of spaces. It handles music well, too and has a multitude of useful connections.
The best soundbar for sheer flexibility
With four HDMI ports to connect other sources and rechargeable, wireless surround speakers that double up as portable Bluetooth speakers, the JBL 1300 really adapts to what you need.
The best soundbar for wall-mounting
This Samsung soundbar automatically optimizes its speaker setup based on whether it’s placed horizontally or vertically. In vertical mode, it has a flatter profile – perfect for pairing with a wall-mounted TV.
August 7, 2025
Replaced the Samsung HW-Q800D with the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 as the 'best soundbar overall' Removed the section 'new soundbars arriving in 2025'.
The best soundbars in Australia of 2025
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Read on to find more in-depth reviews for each of the best soundbars in Australia available right now, along with links to the full reviews written by our team of home audio experts.
Best soundbar overall
✅ You want good sound quality
The audio quality is overall very good, especially the low end, and it’s only slightly held back by a narrow soundstage.
✅ You want something easy
The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is powerful and does a lot. Even so, it’s easy to set up, and using it is intuitive.
❌ You want surround sound
Sony’s 3.1.2 channels provide immersive sound, but it’s still not the same as surround sound.
❌ You want a wide stereo image
It does a great job at boosting your TV's sound, but ultimately, the soundstage here is not particularly wide.
If you're looking for a fuss-free soundbar that does a great job of boosting the sound from your TV, the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 is the best option for you. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X thanks to two dedicated upfiring drivers, which do a fine job of adding height when watching movies or TV shows. Plus, thanks to the included wireless subwoofer, you get seriously deep, booming bass.
If you own a compatible Sony Bravia TV, the Theatre Bar 6 supports the company's Bravia Synch tech, which uses the TV's own built-in speakers to add extra immersion. Other notable features include a Voice mode that effectively boosts dialogue and a Night mode that flattens the sound output to prevent disturbing other people at home.
In action, the Theatre Bar 6 delivers superb power and overall quality. It might only be a 3.1.2-channel 'bar, but it does a great job of delivering a convincing, enveloping soundfield. It's not the absolute widest soundstage ever – if you want that, you'll need to consider a soundbar with dedicated rear speakers – but look past this, and the Bar 6 delivers a pleasant experience.
What we love most about it, however, is the bass output from the accompanying subwoofer. Our tester said that bass output is "massive – I had [the] leve set at 4 out of 10 and still got quite a punch from it".
In terms of design, the Bravia Theatre Bar 6 is an attractive unit, although do note the soundbar itself is quite wide, although will be fine for TVs 55 inches and larger. There's only one HDMI port, however, so there's no passthrough here. You also get an optical port to use if you wish.
This is an excellent value soundbar. It may not carry the same power and soundstage as the Samsung HW-Q990F or Sonos Arc Ultra, but it costs a fraction of the price. It's no wonder we consider it to be the best soundbar for most people.
Read our full Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review
Best budget soundbar
✅ You want an affordable soundbar: The Sony HT-S100F is one of the cheapest soundbars we've tested and it offers sensational value for money.
✅ You want a good-looking soundbar: Despite its low price, the Sony HT-S100F exhibits exceptional build quality, avoiding the 'plasticky, cheap-looking' aesthetic.
❌ You want surround sound: The HT-S100F is a 2.0-channel 'bar, so misses out on Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support.
❌You want premium audio quality: The sound output is impressive, but if you're seeking truly premium audio, such as booming bass and super-rich mids, you'll need to stretch your budget.
When it comes to sound quality vs price, we think the Sony HT-S100F (known as the HT-SF150 in the UK) is the best budget choice around. Although it's a little basic in terms of features – there's no surround sound, for example – the sound you get from this soundbar is impressive for the money and is certainly a good choice for those looking for an upgrade to their TV sound without breaking the bank.
Whilst the Sony HT-S100F's sound isn't the biggest, the sound you do get for your money is impressive, especially when you consider you're only getting 2.0 channels – yep, there's no wireless subwoofer included here, and no option to add one.
What you do get is crystal-clear dialogue and surprisingly effective virtual surround sound via Sony's S-Force Front Surround processing. It doesn't compete with soundbars that support Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, but considering this is just a 2.0-channel soundbar, it's mighty impressive.
Design wise the Sony HT-S100F feels and looks more expensive than it is, with a solid, mesh metal grill on the front and a sturdy black plastic casing housing the speakers. We do wish the LED display was more informative than a few lights, but we're being particularly nitpicky.
Yes, the HT-S100F isn't going to set the world alight with its sound and certainly isn't the best soundbar for sound on this list, but when you're paying roughly less than AU$200 for a soundbar with this good a sound quality, it's hard to argue against.
Read our full Sony HT-S100F review
Best Dolby Atmos soundbar
✅ You want a full home cinema experience: The Samsung HW-Q990F is the most immersive soundbar on the market.
✅ You want a soundbar that's great for gaming: The HW-Q990F supports 4K/120Hz passthrough and VRR, making it an ideal partner for the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
❌ You're on a budget: The Samsung HW-Q990F offers a lot of features but you'll have to pay a higher price for it than most soundbars.
❌You depends on a front LED display: The Q990F does an awful lot, very well, but its LED display isn't one of them.
The Samsung Q990F really is the best complete soundbar package around. It hasn't changed an awful lot compared to its Q990D predecessor, continuing with 11.1.4 channels split across the main bar, subwoofer and two compact rear speakers. But new to this model is a more compact subwoofer that's a lot easier to place, plus it gets a power boost to deliver even deeper low-end rumble. And thanks to a few more tweaks to overall audio performance, the Q990F continues Samsung's legacy of producing a soundbar that's perfect for Dolby Atmos playback and provides a powerful and immersive experience, be it movies or music.
What we particularly love about the Samsung Q990F, is that no matter how hard you push it, it remains composed and maintains excellent sound quality without any notion of distortion. The biggest difference we noticed this time around was that bass is better-controlled, which only serves for more immersive and engaging listen.
The Q990F also supports a couple of extra features unique to owners of compatible Samsung TVs, with the main being Q Symphony technology. Q Symphony enables Samsung-compatible soundbars and TVs to communicate (even wirelessly) and work together, meaning the TV can effectively moonlight as a centre channel to create an even bigger, bolder sound – which it succeeds in doing.
However, with this amazing package comes a higher price tag. Prices continue to drop slowly since its release, but it still sits at the premium end of the market, hence why it doesn't top our list. But, if you are after the complete Dolby Atmos experience from your soundbar and you have a bigger budget, the Samsung Q990F is the absolute best choice. But, the HW-Q990D is still a great option and can now be picked up for less.
Read our full Samsung HW-Q990F review
The best compact Atmos soundbar
✅ You're short on space: The Bose Smart Soundbar may be small, but it delivers excellent audio quality with clarity and dynamism.
✅ You want genuine Dolby Atmos: Thanks to two upward-firing speaker drivers, you get a real spatial audio experience. It can also 'upscale' non-Dolby Atmos tracks to spatial audio.
❌ You want full, enveloping sound: While it does deliver real height, you won't get proper surround sound from this soundbar.
❌You want to connect more than one HDMI source: Only a single HDMI eARC port means you'll need to find other ways of connecting all your external devices.
The Bose Smart Soundbar is an update to a previous entry on this list, the Smart Soundbar 600. It's now dropped the 600 nomenclature and has gained some new features in the process.
It does, however, remain compact and retains its two upward-firing speakers to fire out proper Dolby Atmos soundtracks. We said in our review that it "sounds about as good as a soundbar can" and praised its dialogue delivery for being exceptionally clear, something that can hamper other soundbar models. Bass performance and overall width are limited because of its size, but you'll get good height thanks to the upfiring drivers. You can add optional Bose wireless surround speakers and a subwoofer to further boost its performance, but you'll need to dig deep into your back pocket to do so.
It's well-connected, with built-in Wi-Fi and support for AirPlay 2 and Chromecast, and you can pair it with Bose's Ultra Open Earbuds to give you a surround sound effect without the need for rear speakers.
Its predecessor had just a single HDMI input and, unfortunately, that remains the case here. That means you won't be able to connect all your external devices, but you can connect them to your TV instead and connect the two together using the eARC HDMI connection.
While it's certainly possible to find cheaper single-unit soundbars, the Bose Smart Soundbar offers a lot for the money and it can regularly be found for under AU$700.
Be sure to check out our Bose coupon codes for extra deals and discounts.
Read our full Bose Smart Soundbar review
The best all-in-one soundbar
✅ You want expansive sound from an all-in-one: The Heston 120’s 5.1.2-channel speaker array delivers surprisingly immersive audio and deep bass from a standalone unit.
✅ You want a unique design: Rocking the company's iconic guitar-amp-like looks, the Heston 120’s design is certainly unique, making it stand out from the sea of boring, black soundbars.
❌ You want the best surround-sound experience: The Heston 120 does a great job of simulating a surround experience, but you’ll need actual surround speakers to get the real deal.
❌ You’re on a tight budget: There are more budget-friendly options that can provide a satisfactory Dolby Atmos experience for less money.
We weren't sure if it would ever be possible for an all-in-one soundbar to dethrone Sonos as the dominant force, but based on our testing, the Marshall Heston 120 has done just that. In short, it's the best all-in-one soundbar you can buy for its asking price. It employs a 5.1.2-channel speaker array with dual active woofers and four passive radiators to deliver a wonderful, cinematic sound.
It's feature-packed, too, with support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks (the Sonos Arc Ultra at #6 on this list only supports Dolby Atmos) and is capable of firing out an impressively wide and tall sound for a one-box soundbar, backed up by plenty of deep, powerful bass. With regards to Atmos movie soundtracks, the Heston 120 delivers convincing height and surround effects with spatial precision. We were also impressed with the 'bars performance when playing music – something that can't be said of all models on this list – with stereo music in particular sounding smooth and with clear channel separation.
Marshall has also implemented the iconic design of its guitar amps into the Heston 120, with big, golden-hued metallic control knobs and the white Marshall logo plastered across the front. It’s surely making a statement in the otherwise bland, black world of soundbar design, although those extra elements can be visually distracting when watching movies in dimmed lighting. Bottom line: you’ll either love the design or you won’t. At over a metre wide, the Heston 120 is also on the large side for a soundbar, and there’s no remote control option outside of Marshall’s app, which provides everything you need to get this soundbar up and running.
At AU$1,799, the Heston 120 is pricey, although it matches the Arc Ultra. This is where you'll need to carefully consider the best option for you. If you just want a one-box solution, either is ultimately a great choice, although we now naturally point you more in the direction of the Marshall. If you want to eventually expand your system, then Sonos is the way to go by investing in extra speakers.
Read our full Marshall Heston 120 review
The best soundbar for expandability
✅ You want the best Sonos soundbar: The Sonos Arc Ultra is the most powerful Sonos bar to date, and it's great with both music and movies.
✅ You want an expandable soundbar: You get great Dolby Atmos effects from a single box here , and it can be easily expanded with Sonos surround speakers and subs.
❌ You want DTS:X support: The Sonos Arc Ultra only supports Dolby Atmos so any DTS audio tracks won't work.
❌You want full cinematic immersion: The Arc Ultra's single unit gift can also be a curse. No included rear speakers mean you don't get 'complete' surround sound.
The Sonos Arc Ultra is the best soundbar you can buy for expandability. It sounds great on its own (although we now think the Marshall Heston 120 edges it out) but the flexible nature of the Sonos ecosystem lets you add subwoofers and rear speakers to create a fully fledged surround sound system. From its single unit, you get impressively deep, expansive and balanced movie audio, although admittedly you will get a more authentic surround sound effect from some other models on this list that include rear speakers. You can add rears if you'd like, and a separate subwoofer, just be prepared to pay for it.
Key to the Arc Ultra's success is its 'Sound Motion' bass driver, a small speaker that's capable of kicking out decent bass, negating the immediate need for a separate sub. Combined with the other speaker drivers in its slender body, the Ultra produces a sound that has great impact and even greater speech clarity (a major improvement over the previous Arc). Dolby Atmos 3D sound effects are also excellent for a single-box 'bar.
The Sonos Arc Ultra is a relatively wide soundbar, but will happily sit in front of TVs 55 inches and up and it's available in classic Sonos black or white. But, do note that Sonos has given it just a single HDMI connection again to connect to your TV. That means there's no HDMI passthrough which, depending on the number of external devices you have connected, could cause a few issues.
At AU$1,799, the Sonos Arc Ultra is an expensive soundbar. The Samsung Q990F at #3 on this list can regularly be picked up for less and it offers a more immersive Atmos sound, immediately presenting itself as better value. But if you don't want those rears, or you don't have the space, the Arc Ultra is the best option. Plus, it can join the Sonos ecosystem with additional components down the line.
Read our full Sonos Arc Ultra review
The soundbar perfect for music
✅ You want a solid soundbar for music for less: At a mid-range price, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 offers fantastic music playback.
✅ You want an intuitive app: The Sonos app makes not only setup easy, but also easy to adjust settings and switch sources.
❌ You want a big surround sound: Being a standalone bar with no upfiring tweeters, the Beam's Atmos effects aren't very convincing.
❌You have an Android device for Trueplay: The Beam could benefit from Trueplay to get its best sound, but it only works on iOS devices.
If you're tight on space, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is pretty close to the best soundbar you can buy. Its compact size means it will easily slot beneath your TV, whether you pop it on a TV stand or mount it to your wall, and the design is enough to match most decors.
It improves on the company’s original Sonos Beam soundbar with virtual Dolby Atmos, HDMI eARC compatibility, and a refreshed design. While it doesn't have the upfiring tweeters necessary for 'true' Dolby Atmos (and as a result, the sonic height isn't as impressive as the Sonos Arc), the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) boasts a wide soundstage and an immersive audio performance.
HDMI eARC compatibility allows for hi-res audio streaming, making it ideal for listening to music, too.
Read our full Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review
The best soundbar for flexibility
✅ You need multiple HDMI ports: The JBL Bar 1300 comes with three HDMI inputs in addition to an eARC output so multiple devices can be connected.
✅ You want rear speakers with no wires: Supplied with wireless rechargeable speakers, there's no wires to keep things neat and tidy.
❌ You want to keep the rear speakers charged: The JBL Bar 1300's rear speakers need regular recharging.
❌You want the cheapest soundbar: The JBL Bar 1300 is not budget-friendly, even compared to other soundbars in its price range.
The JBL Bar 1300 provides a level of flexibility unlike anything we've seen before. With Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support and a big, beefy sound aided by its larger than average subwoofer, it's the connections and features packed into this soundbar that make it so versatile compared to other models on the market.
There are multiple HDMI inputs here (4, including one eARC), meaning you can connect a stack of extra sources without worry, and the system’s rechargeable rear speakers can also be used as portable Bluetooth speakers. That might be a "so what?" feature for some people, but to us it's a design flex that heightens the Bar 1300's overall value.
We think the JBL Bar 1300 would suit anyone looking for a powerful and immersive soundbar option, but particularly those who are after the visceral excitement that the best home theatre systems effortlessly deliver, while also being relatively easy to setup and not becoming a burden on your living room.
Although the JBL Bar 1300 doesn't take up too much space, it is designed to perform at its best in larger rooms, so if yours is on the smaller side, we'd suggest you check out another option. JBL does offer less powerful, but similarly-specced models of the Bar 1300, so these are certainly worth your consideration. This soundbar also isn't going to suit serious gamersn because while there are multiple HDMI ports here, none of them have 4K 120Hz passthrough to support that resolution and frame rate when playing games on PS5 or Xbox Series X, a feature you can find on our choice on the best soundbar for gaming, the Sony HT-A7000.
However, the rechargeable rear speakers that can also be used as Bluetooth speakers, the number of HDMI ports, easy setup and immersive sound make this such a flexible soundbar. (Note: the model available in Australia is known as the Bar 1300, whereas in overseas territories it's known as the Bar 1300X. The main difference between the two is that the Australian version gets a 10-inch subwoofer, compared to the 12-inch model supplied with the 1300X. Everything else about the two soundbars is identical.)
Read our full JBL Bar 1300 review
The best soundbar for wall-mounting
✅ You want a versatile design: It’s our top choice for wall-mounting, but it’s just as happy on a tabletop. If you want flexibility for both, you’ll find it here.
✅ You want more powerful sound than a standard TV can muster: You’d be forgiven for thinking the low profile of this soundbar means it doesn’t pack a punch, but no built-in TV sound is anywhere near this good.
❌ You’d prefer a full surround sound experience: You’ll get a pleasingly large soundstage here, but with no rear speakers, it won’t wrap sound around you like the best systems can.
❌ Wall-mounting is only a “nice to have”: Pretty sure you won’t wall-mount it? Look elsewhere. It’s still a great choice, but if it’ll always sit on your TV table, its versatility won’t matter.
The Samsung HW-QS700F is a super-sleek soundbar that can be used on a tabletop surface, but has the nifty trick of automatically adjusting and optimising its sound output when positioned vertically, making it a fantastic option for anyone wishing to wall-mount it. Sound quality is solid for the price, with support for Dolby Atmos, DTS and Bluetooth. It comes with a Samsung wireless subwoofer and can also be paired with surround speakers – but it’s the wall-mounting versatility that really sets this model apart.
Despite its relative affordability, this 3.1.2-channel soundbar delivers a solid amount of powerful, detail and staging within its sound field. And, while it might be prime for wall-mounting, you absolutely can place it horizontally on a surface beneath your TV, and you'll still benefit from its slender profile and looks.
While many soundbars can either be wall-mounted or tabletop-set, few adjust their speaker configuration to optimize performance for both setups. It’s a great option in its own right, but it’s our top pick for wall-mounting – ideal if you want to take full advantage of that versatility or simply love the option to move it around.
Read our full Samsung HW-QS700F review
How to choose the best soundbar
There are several things to consider when you’re looking for the best soundbar.
The first is the size. You’ll want to make sure that your soundbar fits under – or next to, depending on your set-up – your TV. For example, the long Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar is designed specifically for large screens, so won’t look right with a smaller 50-inch TV. You’ll need to know the size of your current TV and the size of the space you have to fit it and compare those figures to the dimensions listed alongside the soundbar you want to buy.
You’ll also want to consider whether you need a Dolby Atmos speaker or not. Dolby Atmos is surround sound technology, placing sounds and voices all around you so that whatever you’re watching or listening to is more immersive. The good news is you now have various choices when shopping for a Dolby Atmos soundbar, as some deliver a decent performance from a standalone unit, while others come supplied with rear speakers and a subwoofer for more authentic surround-sound.
Another thing you’ll want to watch out for is the kind of connection you need. You’ll find most modern soundbars have HDMI connectivity, but there's also optical connectivity – so what's the difference? These are two ways that audio is passed from your TV to your soundbar, but HDMI passes high-resolution audio, including Dolby Atmos.
If you want a premium, immersive listening experience you’ll want to be sure you have an HDMI connection to use from your soundbar and an HDMI eARC/ARC (that's audio return channel) port on your TV for it to connect to.
But this means one of your TV's HDMI ports is used up by the soundbar, so some bars come with HDMI 'passthrough' ports, meaning you can connect a console/set-top box/etc to the soundbar, and it passes the visuals back to your TV. If your TV has few HDMI ports, you'll want a soundbar with this feature.
There’s more to think about, but getting the size, audio features and connectivity nailed down early on should make finding the best soundbar for you much easier.
Which soundbar is best for speech clarity?
The latest crop of soundbars all tend to handle dialogue pretty well, but the soundbars we would recommend in particular would be the Samsung Q800D – the top spot in our list – or even the Sony HT-S100F in second place. Both offer crisp vocals, and yet neither 'bar costs the earth.
What connection do I need for a soundbar?
The best way to connect a soundbar to your TV is with an HDMI cable. You'll need to make sure you have an HDMI port on your soundbar and an HDMI ARC port on your TV. This allows you to use a cable to connect them.
An HDMI port means that the highest quality audio can pass from your TV to your soundbar, like Dolby Atmos.
If your TV or soundbar doesn't have HDMI ports, the second best option is an optical connection. This can still transfer digital sounds, but not the high-resolution ones you'd get with HDMI.
However, you will still get quality audio and an optical connection does work with soundbars and surround sound systems.
Which soundbar brand is best?
There isn’t necessarily a clear frontrunner for the title of best soundbar brand, but certainly the likes of Sonos and Sony each have healthy claims to the title thanks to their exceptional home audio solutions. Sonos in particular has developed a remarkable consistency, with the likes of the Sonos Arc, Ray and Beam delivering among the most impressive surround sound profiles in the business.
Can soundbars do surround sound?
True surround sound means speakers are positioned around you. Some soundbars on this list, like the Samsung Q990F also come with a subwoofer and two smaller rear channel speakers, meaning you can place them around your room.
However, other devices with only one soundbar claim to offer surround sound. What this means is they deliver a stereo effect, which seems more like sound is coming from different directions, but isn't.
Many of the high-end soundbars in this list also have Dolby Atmos built-in. Again, this isn't technically surround sound, but the audio tech is advanced and creates the illusion of immersive sound by bouncing sounds off the walls and ceiling around you.
Other soundbars to consider
We’ve reviewed several soundbars in recent years that didn’t make this guide for various reasons, though they are also worth considering.
Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar: An all-in-one competitor to the Sonos Arc or the Sony HT-A7000, but with a slight lack of heft to its sound and not a strong sense of height, this soundbar just isn't quite great value enough to make it into the list. You can read our full Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar review to learn more.
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus: This soundbar really earns its keep with superior delivery of Atmos effects and extended bass from a single-unit soundbar. It's well worth consideration if you're looking for something that's a single-unit and if price isn't a worry – but it's expensive, and that's why it hasn't pushed things out of our list here. Definitely give our full Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus review a read if you want big sound without multiple boxes.
Sennheiser Ambeo Mini: If the price of the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus is too much for your budget, this is a more compact and lower-cost model that provides a “big” sound, but doesn’t match the Plus when it comes to bass extension and Atmos height effects. It's a similar size to the Sonos Beam Gen 2, and we'd choose that over this one for overall audio quality, but you can read our Sennheiser Ambeo Mini review for more.
Latest updates
August 7, 2025
Replaced the Samsung HW-Q800D with the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 as the 'best soundbar overall'
Removed the section 'new soundbars arriving in 2025'. July 28, 2025
Replaced the Sonos Arc Ultra with the Marshall Heston 120 as the 'best all-in-one soundbar'. Created a new category for the Sonos Arc Ultra, 'best soundbar for expandability'. July 23, 2025
Replaced the Sony HT-S2000 with the Sony HT-S100F as the 'best budget soundbar'. Replaced the Samsung HW-Q990D with the newer HW-Q990F as the 'best soundbar for Dolby Atmos surround'. Added a new category, 'the best soundbar for wall-mounting' and selected the Samsung HW-QS700F. Refreshed the introduction. July 3, 2025
Removed the Sony HT-A7000 as the 'best soundbar for gaming' due to lack of stock in Australia. The category has also been removed due to a limited number of soundbars with 2x HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K 120Hz pass-through support. The Samsung HW-Q990D is the next best option. May 8, 2025
Added info on new Sony soundbars in 'New soundbars arriving in 2025' section. March 8, 2025
Replaced Bose Smart Soundbar 600 with Bose Smart Soundbar, an upgraded version of the 600, as 'Best compact Atmos' option. January 29, 2025
Added section 'New soundbars for 2025' at the bottom of the page detailing models announced at the recent CES 2025 tradeshow. Added section 'Other soundbars to consider' revealing a few models that are good performers, but which didn't quite make the best list.
