What Is The Best Soundbar For The Money?

The best secret weapon of any outstanding home theater is a quality soundbar. You tin dramatically amend the audio quality of your TV without breaking the bank. That makesstreaming your favorite shows or enjoying a full-length activity-packed adventure all the more than enjoyable. The best soundbar can really kicking your gaming up a notch, whether you're on your new Xbox or PS5, and they're simple to gear up, too.

These days, soundbars tend to be considerably more pop than largerdomicile theater speakers,AV receivers andsubwoofers for their affordability and ease of employ. In general, soundbars offer clear sound and more ane EQ mode, and all are bound to offer better audio quality than your Idiot box. From solid blank-basic 'bars to smart Alexa-powered, andAtmos speakers, this is CNET's lineup of the best soundbars available, starting around $100 and up. This list is updated periodically equally nosotros test new soundbars.

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If your cost range is limited, for less than a C-note, the Creative Stage Dolby Atmos soundbar offers a agglomeration of previously unheard-of features, including HDMI connectivity with HDMI ARC port and a subwoofer. But what's even more remarkable is that this affordable soundbar sounds better than most of its ultrabudget competition, with a wired subwoofer that fills the room with great bass. Information technology has a variety of audio modes, making this soundbar speaker particularly suited to music, concerts and gaming. Excellent sound quality for gamers and movie fans akin.

Read our Creative Phase review.

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If you're looking to ditch your Television set speaker, this is where we suggest yous start. Our longtime TV soundbar favorite, the Vizio SB3621n-E8, has essentially been replaced by the new V21. The subwoofer may be smaller on the newer model merely this audio bar still sounds great, besides as offering HDMI connectivity with HDMI ARC and a much easier-to-empathize input display. This soundbar is optimized for 4K HDR content with Dolby Audio. The Vizio V-Series 2.1 was the all-time soundbar value we tested in 2020.

Read our Vizio V21 review.

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Easily supplanting our previous favorite, the JBL Bar 2.one Deep Bass, the Klipsch Cinema 400 adds great design and an even bigger wireless subwoofer. Sound quality is still king, though, with a real sense of dynamics and fantabulous music replay. If you want to make your TV the adjacent best affair to a movie house, this is one of the most affordable ways to do it.

Read our Klipsch Movie theatre 400 review.

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The Vizio M512a-H6 is the most toll-effective way to get true Dolby Atmos playback. This surround system includes a primary soundbar with upfiring height speakers congenital in, a half dozen-inch subwoofer and two wired rear speakers. That'south a lot of parts, but they were easy to set up and we were impressed with the overall build quality. Most chiefly, it offers excellent functioning with movies, including real Atmos furnishings we could hear, likewise as music. The M512a-H6s lacks Chromecast and AirPlay streaming, forth with dedicated voice presets, only even so earns our hearty recommendation both for dwelling movie theatre fans and for people looking to mind to their favorite album (whether in Atmos or non).

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The Vizio Elevate's master describe may be its motorized-elevation speakers, simply one time you get over their novelty you'll find that the speaker system besides sounds great. The split up sub and height-enabled rear speakers really help pull this Vizio soundbar ahead of the Sonos Arc sonically. With Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Chromecast built in, multiple HDMI inputs and Bluetooth, the simply thing the Vizio doesn't provide is Apple AirPlay support.

Read our Vizio Elevate P514A-H6 review.

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If you only must have the fewest number of boxes and remotes in your living space and yet demand the best Atmos quality audio functioning yous can go, this Sennheiser speaker is your baby. It'southward a single unit, without a subwoofer, but information technology's able to conjure upwards the most realistic overhead and true surround-sound effects nosotros've always heard. It's besides controlled entirely via remote control. It's not a cheap piece of sound equipment simply it's comparable in price to a full fix of surround speakers without the bulk and with 85% of the great sound and functioning.

Read our Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar review.

Also consider

Ty Pendlebury/CNET

Ty Pendlebury/CNET

If you're interested in setting upwardly a multiroom sound organization, a Sonos soundbar system is nonetheless the best option. The Sonos Arc is the company's best soundbar and includes Dolby Atmos playback, a class-leading music ecosystem and Google Banana and Amazon Alexa built into the bar itself. The soundbar organisation sounds practiced with music and movies, and adding a pair of Ikea Symphonisk bookshelves should actually boost your dwelling house theater sound feel. The Arc sounds a lot bigger than the cheaper Beam Television receiver sound, which needs the $700 subwoofer on top to make it comparable in terms of sound.

Read our Sonos Arc review.

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While we really like the Roku Streambar Pro, the Roku Streambar does essentially the same chore for $fifty less. With a total-fledged 4K HDR Roku streamer built in and a single voice remote controlling everything, this bar gives you sound and video in one simple bar. The Roku soundbar setup is a breeze; just add to a TV with a simple HDMI port connection. This affordable soundbar has sound quality that's acceptable for the size and price, and you tin can add a $129 wireless subwoofer for more than punch.

Read our Roku Streambar review.

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If you're looking for a single audio bar that'south even cheaper than the Sonos Arc, the Zvox SB500 is a great pick for people who notwithstanding prize sound quality. This speaker offers multiple sound mode options, tighter bass and ameliorate audio than most other single-speaker options. While information technology may lack the Sonos' Wi-Fi streaming, the Zvox notwithstanding includes Bluetooth connectivity for streaming audio from your phone or tablet.

Read our Zvox SB500 review.

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The Yamaha YAS-209 offers excellent audio quality in a compact soundbar. Congenital-in Amazon Alexa vocalisation control is useful, allowing this smart soundbar to stream music, and the mics work well in loud environments. The soundbar'south implementation of DTS Virtual:X virtual surround sound offers a rich result reminiscent of surround speaker sound. Ii HDMI connections are included, one with HDMI ARC. This smart soundbar'due south wireless subwoofer is more articulate and offers more headroom than the competing, and also first-class, Polk Command Bar. Notwithstanding, the Yamaha soundbar YAS-209 doesn't utilise the visitor's MusicCast system, so it won't sync up with other Yamaha speakers.

Read our Yamaha YAS-209 review.

How does CNET examination soundbars?

CNET follows a rigorous, unbiased evaluation process for all of our soundbar testing. We test soundbars ranging from uncomplicated stereo speakers all the way through to Dolby Atmos systems. Our audio lab includes a Samsung QLED television (with HDMI eARC), anApple Telly 4K streamer, a Microsoft Xbox One Ten and an Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player. Similar soundbars are compared adjacent with unlike content, including movies, music, Goggle box shows and games. We grade the audio quality of each past evaluating spoken language clarity, dynamics, bass response and musical playback.

Soundbar FAQs

How exercise I choose a soundbar?

The most important consideration when choosing a soundbar is how much you desire to spend. There are great soundbars at every price level, from $100 and upwardly, though if you're paying over $500 it may exist more worthwhile to salve for an AV receiver and speakers. Single-bar systems are bully for smaller TVs while a soundbar-and-subwoofer combo is great for a living room. Read more in our soundbar buying guide.

Tin can you apply any soundbar with any TV?

With only a handful of exceptions you can utilise any soundbar with any TV, though information technology does sometimes help to match TV and soundbar brands. Many new soundbars use HDMI ARC to aqueduct the sound from your TV through the soundbar, and then if both devices have ane of these ports that's all y'all demand. Some older soundbars use an optical connection and most TVs offering these too.

The exception? Roku Telly Wireless Speakers and Samsung SoundConnect. The former uses a proprietary wireless connection, and lacks an HDMI port, so you need a Roku Television set (and not a Roku streamer) to employ it. The second is likewise proprietary betwixt Samsung soundbars and TVs, though the soundbar usually offers HDMI for connexion to other brands.

Volition a soundbar better sound quality?

Mod TVs feature very small speakers that are designed to bounce sound off your TV stand. They can audio distant and tinny as a result. Calculation a soundbar will improve the audio of most TVs well-nigh instantly, especially when it comes to reproducing speech, and volition also enable you to relish music as well.

Tin you use a soundbar to play music?

Music played through your Tv set near always sounds better when you take a soundbar connected. Many soundbars take Bluetooth, meaning you don't need the TV on to mind to your tunes. In general a soundbar with a wireless subwoofer is best for music equally it will help reproduce dynamics as well every bit deep bass.

Are soundbars really worth it?

Compared with the sound that comes out of your Tv, yes, they are worth information technology. Spending as trivial as $100 on a soundbar can improve your TV-watching feel tenfold. TV speakers confront downwards so a lot of detail is lost, and a dedicated soundbar tin can make speech more understandable.

How do I connect a soundbar to my Television?

Depending on the age of your TV, in that location are three main ways to output to a soundbar: analog (3.5mm headphone or RCA), digital optical and HDMI. Earlier you buy a soundbar make certain information technology accepts the same connections present on your Goggle box. The well-nigh mutual input on soundbars is now HDMI, and if your TV is less than 5 years quondam it should exist compatible, but it's worth double-checking.

Where do I place my soundbar?

Soundbars are designed to exist placed in forepart of the TV on a Goggle box stand up or other furniture. Nearly are less than 2 inches tall then that they ewon't block either your tv's infrared remote port or the screen itself. Some soundbars tin as well be wall-mounted and come with brackets in the box. Tertiary-political party kits for wall-mounting soundbars are also available.

More than home theater buying guides

• Best Speakers for 2022
  
• Best Home Theater Systems for 2022
  
• All-time Gifts to Upgrade a Home Theater
• Best Sonos Speakers Starting at $100
  
• Best Bluetooth Wireless Speaker for 2022
  
• Best Soundbars for 2022 Nether $200
  
• Best Soundbars With Amazon Alexa for 2022
  
• Best 32-Inch TV for 2022
• All-time 75-Inch TV for 2022: TCL, Samsung and LG Compared
  
• Best 65-Inch TV for 2022: Samsung Tv, LG, TCL and More
  
• Best Turntables for 2022
  
• Best Over-Ear Headphones for 2022
• Best PC Speakers for 2022

Source: https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/best-soundbar/

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