1. The list in brief
2. Best overall
3. Best budget
4. Best for Dolby Atmos
5. Best compact Atmos
6. Best for gaming
7. Best Sonos soundbar
8. Perfect for music
9. Best for flexibility
10. Best mid-range Dolby Atmos
. How to choose
Investing in one of the best soundbars is nigh on essential to make sure you well and truly get you get the most out of your favourite content. 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.
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
Samsung's mid-ranger offers the best all-round performance for our money, delivering Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks with terrific authenticity.
The best budget soundbar
Sony proves you can get Dolby Atmos without the need for extra physical speakers in the HT-S2000. A truly remarkable soundbar solution that is the very epitome of bang for your buck.
The best soundbar for Dolby Atmos surround
With oodles of power, range and impressive Dolby Atmos sound, the Samsung HW-Q990C is the best soundbar for the full Atmos experience.
The best soundbar for compact Dolby Atmos
This compact Bose soundbar delivers a sound that really belies its size and its Dolby Atmos capabilities certainly surprised us. It handles music admirably too, and has all the connections you could need.
The best soundbar for gamers
With two HDMI 2.1 ports, 4K 120Hz passthrough and VRR support, the HT-A7000 not only sounds great, but its connections make it the ideal choice for gamers
The best soundbar for Sonos fans
It's not cheap, but if you can manage it, the Sonos Arc will comfortably fill a room with enveloping sound – bass included – without the need for a companion subwoofer. And, coming from Sonos, it's a dab hand at music playback, too.
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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 soundbars in Australia of 2024
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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 the best value soundbar: The Q800C is attractively priced, but boasts premium features including excellent Dolby Atmos effects.
✅ You want a powerful sound: The Q800C delivers a punchy, direct sound with plenty of bass and brilliant clarity, especially when it comes to speech.
❌ You need 4K 120Hz passthrough: If you have a next-gen console such as a PS5, you'll have to look at other soundbars for 4K 120Hz passthrough.
❌You want the best soundbar for music: The Q800C has great sound quality but there are better soundbars for music such as the Sonos Beam (Gen 2).
If you're looking for a Dolby Atmos soundbar with a powerful performance that exceeds its price tag, then the Samsung HW-Q800C does it all. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, with two dedicated upfiring drivers to deliver the all-important height channels. There's also support for a wide range of music files, including high-resolution ones such as FLAC. You also get an HDMI passthrough system for anyone concerned about losing one of their HDMI ports to the TV, and if you use the soundbar with a recent Samsung TV you can use Samsung's Q-Symphony tech. All of this combined, plus a fantastic price, mean the HW-Q800C is our best overall soundbar.
In action, the Q800C delivers spectacular power and excellent channel steering for movies and TV shows. Bass is deep, dialogue is clear (especially so, we need to add), and spatial effects are convincing – as much as a lack of rear speakers allows, anyway. But, the surround sound can be expanded with optional rear speakers to add even more immersion to your movie viewing.
In terms of design, the HW-Q800C may not be the most visually appealing bar, but there is an attractiveness to it in an almost industrial sense. Although it's heavy compared to to other soundbars, it's a reassuring heaviness that gives it that sense of quality. At 43-inches wide, it fits well exactly with a 50-inch TV and would look great with 55-inch plus sized TVs.
This is an excellent value soundbar. It may not carry the same power and soundstage as the Samsung HW-Q900C, but it's a fraction of the price and the rear optional speakers will certainly add to the already fantastic 5.1.2 channels in the HW-Q800C itself. When you add all that together, it's no surprise that this is the best soundbar for most people.
Read our full Samsung HW-Q800C review
Best budget soundbar
✅ You want an affordable soundbar: The Sony HT-S2000 has a budget-friendly price tag, yet still manages to offer convincing Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support.
✅ You want impressive sound for the price: The HT-S2000 offers a surprisingly powerful sound, even surround sound effects, for a reasonable price.
❌ You want room shaking bass: Bass levels are indeed impressive, but the lack of subwoofer means bass fanatics may want to look elsewhere.
❌You want the best soundbar for music: Sound quality may be good, but there's no support for AirPlay or music streaming via Wi-Fi.
When it comes to sound quality and features vs price, we think the Sony HT-S2000 is the best budget choice around. Although it's a little basic in terms of connectivity, 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-S2000's sound isn't the biggest, the sound you do get for your money is impressive, especially when you consider you're only getting 3.1 channels from a single soundbar – yep, there's no wireless subwoofer included here. Clear dialogue levels and a spacious, virtual surround sound are two of the HT-S2000's highlights. Bass levels are also punchy enough (despite that lack of dedicated sub), but it's the Sony HT-S2000's ability to reproduce Dolby Atmos effects that's surprising. It's not going to beat a soundbar with height channels, but for a 3.1 soundbar, it offers plenty.
Design wise the Sony HT-S2000 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. The soundbar also produces visual feedback to remote control commands, something rare on budget soundbars.
Yes, the HT-S2000 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 $349/£299/AU$695 for a soundbar with this good a sound quality, it's hard to argue against.
Read our full Sony HT-S2000 review
Best Dolby Atmos soundbar
✅ You want a full home cinema experience: The Samsung HW-Q990C is the most immersive soundbar on the market.
✅ You want as many as channels as possible: The HW-Q990C offers 16 real audio channels, giving you complete surround sound.
❌ You're on a budget: The Samsung HW-Q990C offers a lot of features but you'll have to pay a higher price for it than most soundbars.
❌You want the perfect bass response: The Q990C can have issues with bass reproduction when playing music, sometimes coming in too heavy.
The Samsung Q990C really is the best complete soundbar package around. With 11.1.4 channels split across the main bar, subwoofer and two compact rear speakers, the Q990C excels with Dolby Atmos playback and provides a powerful and immersive experience, be it movies or music.
What we particularly love about the Samsung Q990C, is that no matter how hard you push it, it remains composed and maintains excellent sound quality without any notion of distortion. We said in our review that "Even the most shrill trebles manage to avoid sounding harsh or exposed," and that the "bass from the subwoofer is deep, enthusiastic and reactive."
The Q990C also brings with it a couple of extra unique features, with the main being an update to the 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 Q990C is the absolute best choice.
Read our full Samsung HW-Q990C review
The best compact Atmos soundbar
✅ You're short on space: The Bose Soundbar 600 is a diminutive bar delivering surprisingly big sound.
✅ You value wireless connectivity: Voice control support and numerous options for Wi-Fi streaming mean the Bose 600 is very well-equipped.
❌ You want deep, booming bass: While not totally lacking, the fact there's no dedicated sub means low-end oomph isn't the very best.
❌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 600 is proof that you don't need to go big on either budget or package size to get the most out of your audio experience. The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 may only be a newer entry into the soundbar market, but its ability to offer Dolby Atmos and an otherwise generally premium audio experience at a price within reasonable reach sees it landing here in third spot on our list.
The sound you'll find here comes in a size far exceeding that of the soundbar, with an audio profile that extends far beyond the design's restrictions to better resemble a surround sound solution than what one expects from a soundbar alone.
That quality doesn't decline either for music, which is something the Bose 600 holds over some of its competitors, likewise the array of connection options available with this soundbar is more generous than most. Bass depth is promising, even if less than what soundbars packaged with subwoofers can offer, but that's not unexpected for a standalone soundbar like this one. In fact, you could argue the depth of the bass for the Bose 600 given it doesn't have a subwoofer in tow is on the more impressive end.
Overall, for the price point, the Bose 600 offers exceptional quality, expansive sound and impressive character that elevates it above so many of its competitors.
Read our full Bose Smart Soundbar 600 review
The best soundbar for gaming
✅ You need clear dialogue: The Sony HT-A7000 offers clear and direct speech, no matter what source is put through it.
✅ You want multiple HDMI 2.1 ports: The Sony HT-A7000 has two HDMI 2.1 ports for next-gen consoles that also support 4K 120Hz passthrough.
❌ You want full immersion: With limited height channels, the HT-A7000 is a bit limited in terms of a full surround sound.
❌You want a full system soundbar: Despite its higher price tag, a subwoofer and rear speakers are optional, and therefore cost extra.
You might be wondering how there can be a best soundbar for gaming; let us explain. If you're a gamer and find yourself with both the PS5 and Xbox Series X, then finding a TV that has enough inputs for both, as well as any other external HDMI devices you may have, can be tricky, since most only have two HDMI 2.1 ports. One of these will be dedicated to eARC, the HDMI audio channel, leaving you with just one HDMI port for both consoles if you want the full 4K 120Hz experience.
Some manufacturers are introducing these HDMI 2.1 ports as inputs onto their soundbars, so what sets the Sony HT-A7000 apart from the rest here is that the two HDMI 2.1 ports not only passthrough at 4K 120Hz, which is perfect for gaming but, thanks to a firmware update, support VRR and ALLM to get the most of the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
The HT-A7000 also has excellent, clear dialogue levels that will suit any dialogue heavy video games and movies and features 360 Reality Audio music, which gives a room-filling sound when listening to music that we said in our review gives a "clear idea of where all the instruments are located."
Admittedly, with an optional subwoofer and rear speakers to purchase, there is more the HT-A7000 can do and its built-in bass levels don't quite hit the same levels as other soundbars like the Sonos Arc. But, in terms of gaming, the HT-A7000 covers gaming features better than any other soundbar we've tested.
Read our full Sony HT-A7000 review
The best Sonos soundbar
✅ You want the best Sonos soundbar: The Sonos Arc is more powerful than the Sonos Beam and Sonos Ray, with great sound for both music and movies.
✅ You want an all in one soundbar: The Arc still gives great Atmos sound and strong bass despite being a single unit.
❌ You want DTS support: The Sonos Arc only supports Dolby Atmos so any DTS audio tracks won't work.
❌You're putting your soundbar in front of your TV: The Sonos Arc is quite a tall soundbar so will obscure you're view when placed directly in front of the TV.
The Sonos Arc hasn't been named as such by accident, creating a new surround sound solution within a single soundbar designed to feel as if the audio experience is circling around you (y'know, like an arc). Sure, Arc might also be the name given to this soundbar for the HDMI interface that it uses (Audio Return Channel), but experiencing this one for yourself will pretty quickly lead you to think the former is more likely.
Either way, this premium surround sound solution is an absolute force capable of filling a room with sound, without having to also fill it with unnecessary hardware space. Utilising Dolby’s TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus sound codecs to deliver the best quality lossless audio found on cutting edge Blu-ray discs and some of the leading streaming services. The Arc further enhances its 3D soundscape using Dolby Atmos object tracks to bounce certain sounds off the walls around you so it feels as though this sound is coming at you from all angles.
Setup is simple thanks to its handy smartphone app, while the Arc's minimalist cable connections match its equally minimal all-in-one system construction to offer an unassuming soundbar package with premium punch beyond what you might imagine at first glance.
Predictably, this premium soundbar doesn't come cheap, allowing the HT-G700 to leapfrog it on this list based on value alone, but rest assured that if price is no obstacle for you there is arguably no better option available on the market right now than the Arc.
Read our full Sonos Arc 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: in some countries, you get the JBL Bar 1300X which has a slightly larger 12-inch subwoofer driver instead of the 10-inch found on this model. This is a relatively small difference, and doesn't alter our overall opinion.)
Read our full JBL Bar 1300 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 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 thing is, Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbars tend to be more expensive. You’ll need to weigh up whether Dolby Atmos sound is worth it for you. Otherwise, consider a capable but cheaper option, like the Yamaha SR-C30A, our choice for best cheap soundbar.
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 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 HW-Q700B – the top spot in our list – or the Sony HT-G700 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 Q990C 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.
The latest updates to this soundbars guide
January 4, 2023
Replaced the Samsung HW-Q700B with the Samsung HW-Q800C as the 'best soundbar overall' and replaced Sony HT-G700 with Sony HT-S2000 as the 'best budget soundbar.
Added 'buy it if' boxouts with pros and cons, making it quicker and easier to determine which soundbar is best for the audience.
