A soundbar is a long, thin speaker designed to sit just in front of or below your television, to provide much bigger, clearer and more immersive sound than a TV alone can manage. Today’s flat and thin TVs don’t have much space for powerful speakers, so their sound is often thin and unsatisfying. Adding a soundbar can just make people’s voices clearer – or it can create a home theater experience.
Soundbars come in different sizes, with different levels of features, aimed at different budgets. You can get small ones suitable for TVs of 32 inches that just add louder, clearer sound, for example. You can get mid-sized ones that start from being cheap and simple, but will range up to options with virtual surround sound. And you can get big soundbars suitable for TVs of 55 inches and up that deliver a huge audio upgrade, usually with Dolby Atmos 3D sound.
Pretty much all soundbars either connect over HDMI ARC to a compatible HDMI port on your TV, or over an optical digital connection. HDMI ARC means you can control them from your TV’s remote with no extra steps, so is usually the preferred option – and it’s the only way to get Dolby Atmos. Some soundbars come with subwoofers for better bass, or even rear speakers to deliver a true surround-sound experience.
Latest about Soundbars
Don't wait for Prime Day! This record-low cheap Sony soundbar deal is a limited-time offer, and you don't want to miss nearly 50% off
Sony's very loud 2.1 soundbar with wireless sub is down to its lowest ever price
I test soundbars for a living – here are 3 Dolby Atmos models I’d recommend without question
I’ve tested a ton of Dolby Atmos soundbars, and these 3 models are easily among the best I’ve ever used.
The Sonos Ray is the ideal budget soundbar for cheap or older TVs – its lack of a key modern feature is actually crucial
Dodge the HDMI limitations of cheap and older TVs with a soundbar that makes optical work seamlessly
I’ve tested a ton of cheap soundbars, but this budget-friendly Sony banger is my top pick – here's why
I’ve reviewed a wide range of cheap soundbars, but this affordable option from Sony remains my absolute favorite.
I swapped my soundbar and sub combo for an all-in-one alternative – here's why I'm never going back
I swapped my multi-box Samsung soundbar for an all-in-one rival – here’s why I’m sticking by my decision.
I hooked up Marshall’s five-star soundbar to a mega external sub and the combo was so powerful I felt the room shake
I connected a giant subwoofer to the Marshall Heston 120 and it absolutely blew me away.
JBL’s new Dolby Atmos soundbar range, includes a flagship system to rival Samsung and Sonos that replaces one of our favorite soundbars
JBL's new range of Dolby Atmos soundbars is packed with features: Samsung and Sonos better take note.
The best soundbars for all budgets, all tested by us
Updated From budget-friendly bars to Dolby Atmos wonders, the best soundbars make it easy to get a serious TV audio upgrade.
