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You don't need to be an audiophile to enjoy a high-quality soundbar for your TV. You don't need to understand the nuances of Dolby Atmos or spatial audio to know that your built in TV speakers sound like shit.
Look, if you can't hear your shows over the traffic, bar scene, or neighbors outside your window, then you need a soundbar. If you turn on subtitles because dialogue is always tough to hear, you need a soundbar. And if you have a soundbar and still can't watch your weirdo horror movies in peace, you are in need of an upgrade.
Whether you are looking for a compact soundbar for your home or something with the power of subwoofers, we've surely found an option that will fit your needs. These seven soundbars are some of the latest and greatest from the most notable audio brands on the market from Sonos—maker of our beloved Sonos Move home speaker—to other big names in the industry like Sony. These are all great options, but we encourage you to go ahead and pick the one that is perfect for your space. At the end of the day, only one of these top soundbars has your name on it.
Samsung HW-Q990D
Pros
- Sound quality can't be beat
- Four full speakers
- Dolby Atmos support
Cons
- More speakers and placements to get set up
The term soundbar is actually quite nebulous. This $1700 bar comes with two subwoofers and a rear speaker. It's fairly common for soundbars to include subs, but it's that extra speaker that really elevates this bundle—making it a great value and an excellent option for those looking to start their home theater adventure or up their home theater game.
The good news is this setup will do it all. The Samsung Q990D (the latest model in the Q990 line) is an amazing TV speaker, but it will also make your music sound the best it ever has, same with all of your games. Of all the soundbars we have tried, this one was the best. The setup is obviously more complicated than some, but features like Q-SYMPHONY and Adaptive Sound make it so you rarely feel the need to touch that remote and go full-nerd on the settings.
| Colors | Black |
|---|---|
| Weight | 50.3 lbs |
| Dimensions | 5.4" x 48.5" x 2.7" |
Pros
- Super affordable
- Easy set-up with Roku TVs
- Compact
Cons
- Audiophiles will shame you
On the opposite end of the spectrum from the Samsung option, we have the Roku Streambar Pro. It's the top-of-the-line option for the leading Smart TV brand's line of budget-friendly soundbars. Even so, it's priced more reasonably than many options that are in the same territory sonically.
It's not the best sounding speaker available—no Dolby Atmos or other 3D audio support—but for the price you literally can't do better. If you prefer the Roku ecosystem for streaming, this is a no brainer.
| Colors | Black |
|---|---|
| Weight | 5.5 lbs |
| Dimensions | 2.8" x 32.2" x 3.9" |
Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Max
Pros
- Mind-blowing sound
- Looks nice in a home
- No need for additional surround speakers or subwoofers
Cons
- Comes at a premium price
If you're looking to seriously up your game from that $200 soundbar you bought five years ago, consider the AMBEO from Sennheiser. The German audio specialists have refined their top-of-the-line soundbar with the AMBEO Max. This speaker is on the cutting edge of 3D audio. This will give you an unbelievable audio experience, and will make you question how all that sound is coming from just one gorgeous bar speaker.
Seriously, we thought this thing looked great in our home and the built-in subwoofers were more powerful than we even expected. This is some serious hardware.
| Colors | Black |
|---|---|
| Weight | 40.78552 lbs |
| Dimensions | 6.73" x 49.8" x 5.31" |
Pros
- Dolby Atmos is a game-changer
- Great as a smart speaker—Sonos does especially well with lossless streaming
Cons
- Trueplay Tuning is only for iOS
If you're looking for a slim, but mighty, soundbar you can't do much better than the Sonos Arc. This marvel fits innocuously under any TV 40 inches or larger, and will provide you with a truly epic Dolby Atmos experience. If you don't know a thing about 3D audio, just trust us. You'll hear the surround sound difference when it's in your own home.
The Sonos Arc is also a great smart speaker to have in your home as well. It's got all the features you'd want , including Wi-fi, Airplay, and voice control. Trueplay Tuning helps you set up the perfect acoustics for your TV room in just minutes. And if you're already tapped in to the Sonos ecosystem, this can just become another speaker in the arsenal.
| Colors | Black |
|---|---|
| Weight | 21.8 lbs |
| Dimensions | 4.5" x 45" x 3.4" |
Pros
- Loud, even in the biggest rooms.
- Subwoofers and rear speakers round out the sound
Cons
- Setup is a tad more involved
If you're in need of a true surround sound experience, you're gonna have to elevate. That's exactly what this VIZIO soundbar and speaker set helps you do.
The Elevate 5.1 4 channel soundbar is a beast. It can get quite loud, but even at a softer volume the highs and lows are distinguishable and the audio is clear and precise. It is perhaps a pick for the more tech-y among us, since there is a lot of manual set-up involved. But if you were installing surround sound back in the height of the home theater days, this is nothing. It's a wonderful setup.
| Colors | Black |
|---|---|
| Weight | 51.9 lbs |
| Dimensions | 6.50" x 48.00" x 2.64" |
Pros
- Immersive audio experience
- Easy to calibrate to your space
- Lightweight
Cons
- No subwoofers
If I really care about how a movie sounds, I'll go see it in a theater. But as a gamer, it's of the utmost important I am getting the best audio experience out of my home console. Whether it be with a gaming headset or a soundbar like this Sony HT-A7000, hearing all the sounds that designers meant for you to really helps to immerse you in a game's lovingly-built world.
There are no built-in or external subwoofers, but this Sony soundbar uses 360 Spatial Sound Mapping to still make your games as immersive as possible. If you want that extra oomph, you can also buy the upgraded version with the subs and rear speaker. We didn't find it necessary, though, because on its own this soundbar still kicks ass.
| Color | Black |
|---|---|
| Weight | 19 lbs |
| Dimensions | 5.63" x 51.25" x 3.25" |
Pros
- Big sound, small package
- Wireless subwoofer is convenient
- Great for renters who are moving frequently
Cons
- No HDMI input—hi-fi heads will notice when the Wi-Fi is running slow
This is one of the most impressive soundbar and subwoofer combo's we've tried. Sometimes amazing things do come in small packages. Despite its stature, the Polk MagniFI Mini AX soundbar has the capability to deliver full Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. That alone puts most others to shame.
The wireless subwoofer that comes included—for a generous $500—is a thing of beauty. Literally, but also in its functionality. Delivering that extra hit of bass and surround sound without as much as a delay or disconnection, now that's impressive.
| Color | Black |
|---|---|
| Weight | 14 lbs |
| Dimensions | 4.1" x 14.4" x 3.1" |
What to Consider When Buying a Soundbar
When investing in a soundbar or any type of speaker for your TV, there are a number of factors you need to weigh. This is a big decision, especially if you use your TV every day like we do.
Ease of Use - In general, if you are going to be using a piece of technology every day, you need it to be user friendly. From set-up to every day use, we made sure that each of these soundbars wasn't too complicated to turn off the average person from even using the damn thing.
Surround Sound - When it comes to surround sound, there are some pretty big buzzwords floating around these days. 3D audio and spatial audio are all just words for a rich, dense sound that seems like it's coming from everywhere. Whether it be Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, or others, these features are all trying to achieve the same thing—a completely immersive aural experience. The kind you use to only be able to get at a movie theater.
There are a variety of ways to achieve this, either by using speakers within a soundbar or via the incorporation of external subwoofers—and sometimes other speakers—into the mix.
Style - We know that not everyone loves to see gadgets littered in the console beneath their TV. Your spouse may not want a behemoth soundbar next to the towering PS5 on the mantle. Making sure you get something glossy, stylish, and tasteful to fit your home theater or living room's needs is important, no matter what the size of your space.
Our Selection Process
We at Esquire know that our readers care about owing the best of the best, so that's what we strived to choose. We've tired tons of home audio gear, and these are the best soundbars from our favorite brands. By picking only the best, we kept the list short with soundbars we know deliver high quality.
When it comes to sound, that means surround sound and immersive audio. Of all the ones we've tried, these seven were the best in terms of functionality, form factor, and technical prowess.
Why Trust Esquire?
With decades of expertise in testing home electronics, we here at Esquire know what people are actually looking for when they buy a product they want to use for years. We're confident we know the top gadgets out there and want to make sure our dedicated readers do too. You deserve to have the best stuff in your home, and a soundbar is an excellent place to start. It will make a world of difference, we promise.
Put it this way: We wouldn't recommend anything we didn't feel comfortable buying for ourselves or a family member, whether it's a soundbar, home theater set-up, or any other piece of tech we use on a daily basis.
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