The Best Sound Bars for Compact, Powerful Audio
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With more blockbuster movies released directly to streaming services, you’ll need more than a crisp 4K TV if you want to recreate an authentic theater experience. A sound bar can help eke the highest audio performance out of your TV during both films and music. Unlike a true surround-sound system, which consists of five (or more) speakers and a subwoofer, a sound bar is just one compact device—a more practical option for most people since it takes up minimal space, doesn’t leave a mess of wires, and is often more affordable. Plus, today’s sound bars come close to surround-sound setups by creating an immersive sense of scale through different channels and 3D audio technology like Dolby Atmos for encompassing sound from a single point. If you’re ready for a significant upgrade from your TV’s built-in speakers, these are the best sound bars.
Check out quick info below on the four best sound bars from our testing, then scroll deeper for buying advice and full reviews of these plus other promising options.
Number of Channels
One of the first things to consider in a sound bar is the number of channels—the individual sources of sound or speakers within the entire unit—you’ll want. The most basic models will have two (referred to as 2.0) like your TV, or two channels and a separate subwoofer (indicated with a 2.1). If you want a more immersive, surround-sound experience, you’ll want more channels. A three-channel sound bar means you’ll have left, right, and center speakers all contained within the main bar, while a five-channel unit adds rear left and rear right speakers to the mix—usually in the form of wireless speakers that give you plenty of flexibility in their placement. Some sound bars, especially those that support Dolby Atmos, can add even more speakers to the main unit, including ones pointed up that bounce sound off the ceiling for a fully immersive effect.
Active vs. Passive
There are also two main types of sound bars: active and passive, though the active variety is by far the most popular. An active sound bar is an entirely self-powered and self-contained unit that includes a built-in amplifier. All you need to do is plug it into the wall and connect it to your TV (either with a single HDMI ARC cable or an HDMI cable for video and an optical cable for audio).
A passive sound bar, on the other hand, is more akin to traditional surround-sound speakers. It doesn’t have a built-in amplifier, so you need to connect it to a separate receiver instead and run individual wires for each channel in the sound bar. That also means they don’t offer any additional connectivity or features of their own—you’ll need to rely on your receiver for that. That makes them less convenient for most people, but they can allow for a higher-end setup and better sound if you’re willing to invest in (and make room for) the additional gear required.
Connectivity
As with any piece of audio or video gear, you’ll want to consider the connectivity options on a sound bar before you settle on one. Outside of the aforementioned HDMI and optical audio connections for your TV, some also have standard 3.5mm, RCA audio, or USB inputs to accommodate everything from a turntable to a smartphone. Wireless connectivity is made possible through both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, the latter of which can allow some sound bars to function as standalone smart speakers with support for Alexa or Google Assistant and as part of a multi-room audio system.
How We Tested These Sound Bars
We research the market, survey user reviews, interview product managers and engineers, and rely on our own experience testing the sound bars to determine the best.
To put together our pool of contenders, we consulted reviews from trusted expert sources—including CNET, Wirecutter, and What Hi-Fi—as well as researched thousands of consumer reviews on online retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Once we had the samples in hand, we placed each sound bar on an entertainment center exactly 8 feet away from a designated listening position. We played video games, watched movies, and listened to music from this same location to get a general sense of each sound bar’s real-world performance over the course of a month.
For a control, we took notes on each sound bar’s performance while playing The Matrix Reloaded on HBO Max specifically; the platform adjusts film sound output to match the capabilities of each individual sound bar from 5.1 surround to the advanced Dolby Atmos format. Testing took place inside of a closed 10 by 10-foot room within the Popular Mechanics office, where we played the first ten minutes of the film at 50 percent volume on each sound bar in an open space that’s plenty loud enough to check for distortions and realistically simulates the average volume. Using a microphone to measure sound output, we plotted frequency response for an in-depth look at peaks and detail retention across bass, midrange, and treble. This data helped strengthen our subjective findings by showing how one sound bar performed better at range than another or exactly where one option picked up more details.
There are plenty of great sound bars that we haven’t gotten the chance to test in our lab but offer top specs and earned high marks from reviewers. Find these recommendations at the bottom under our “Other Great Options.” We used customer reviews to calculate our Consumer Score, which indicates the percentage of people who have bought each sound bar and given it a rating of at least four out of five stars on sites like Amazon, Walmart, or the manufacturers’ pages.
—BEST OVERALL—
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HDMI, optical audio, ethernet | Channels: 5.0 | Dimensions: 25.6 x 2.3 x 3.9 in.
At $450, the latest Sonos Beam isn’t exactly cheap. But its simulated Dolby Atmos support, pure sound reproduction, and extensive functionality rivals sound bars double the price. Beyond filling our testing area, the Beam even provided directional audio in a larger apartment, sending sound traveling in all directions thanks to Trueplay tuning. Trueplay is a feature accessible through the Sonos app, and it plays tones through your sound bar to accurately calibrate its position within a space. As these sounds play from each channel, you wave your phone up and down so that the app can determine the placement of objects and where to send sounds based on where you’ll be sitting.
Speaking of space, the compact 2-foot body is the smallest we tested—its minimal footprint produces big sound despite taking up next to no room whether mounted under a TV or simply set atop an entertainment center. And its extremely versatile and wide soundstage works across both music or movies, so everything from backing instruments to boomings sounds are nicely textured. Our graphs revealed that the Beam is able to capture a wide range of tones and packs enough bass. While booms and rumbles are full, there’s no distortion or crackle at mid or even higher volumes. But the low bass still isn’t as deep as a subwoofer could muster, something noticeably lacking from this Beam.
The Matrix Reloaded sprang to life with clear dialogue and directional sound effects during our testing. In an opening explosion, when Trinity crashes a motorcycle into a building, we felt the shockwaves ripple through different directions around us and heard the plume of smoke rising from just above. Since the Atmos is simulated, it isn’t quite as robust as an actual Atmos system with up-firing speakers (which the Beam does not have) that bounce the sound off of a ceiling. Still, the surround-sound was more immersive than the majority of the other speakers. From tame sounds of disintegrating lines of code to the intense whizzing of a bullet, the Beam kept each distinct and relative to its direction on the screen.
Sonos’s background in smart music speakers also comes to bear in the Beam, which works with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple AirPlay 2 streaming, and multi-room audio capabilities. Should you find yourself wanting even fuller sound down the road, you can always add a Sonos Sub or extra Sonos speakers for a more complete setup.
—BEST VALUE—
Monoprice SB-300
Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HDMI, optical sudio, USB | Channels: 2.0 | Dimensions: 39 x 2.8 x 4.2 in.
Monoprice’s 100-watt speaker delivers loud, crisp sound with virtual Dolby Atmos for $130. Its two channels offer less than half the coverage of the Beam’s five, so the sound isn’t as enveloping from the sides. But the clean frequency response and virtual Atmos height is hard to top for just $130. The SB-300 even exceeded pricier options in some areas, like its advanced connectivity. Every port you could need is present: two HDMI inputs, an HDMI eARC output, digital audio inputs, and even coaxial are ready to hook up to your TV or receiver.
We immediately noticed how loud this bar gets—it relies on sheer power to create a room-filling sound given its relative lack of channels. The SB-300 has an impressive bass for movies and fared well during The Matrix, with the explosions retaining the intensity and vibration. However, in the following scene as a character jumps through a window, the tinkle of shattered glass didn’t surround us. And when playing music, the loudness can be too much—even when we used the included remote to switch into the dedicated music profile. In one rock song we listened to, the underlying drum kick and bass was faint in comparison to the bustling guitar riffs. Vocals felt slightly hollow, but the bar had no problems in the mids. If you want to listen to music on your sound bar, the SB-300 is fine, but its failure to distinguish the layers notably underwhelming.
For movies and games however, overall sound is booming. The simulated height is enough to accurately create sound from above, such as a spaceship flying overhead. Even the lesser bass captures a faint hint of rumbles in a ship or establishing shot. While its a bit stingy with horizontal sound wideness, the SB-300 doesn’t skimp on performance. Gunshots ring out and you can feel the action of each scene (even if you don’t get the impression you’re necessarily inside of it), adding some serious oomph to accompany your visuals for a fraction of the price.
—MOST IMMERSIVE—
Bose 900
Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HDMI | Channels: 7.0 | Dimensions: 41 x 2.3 x 4.2 in.
In terms of pure audio, the Bose 900 is the best bar we tested, creating a true surround-sound-like experience from a single compact speaker. With a sleek matte black profile, smart app integration, and enveloping sound, it created the best audio atmosphere from behind, overhead, and the sides. Its overall performance slightly edged out the Sonos Arc, an equally expensive sound bar often regarded as the best standalone option, especially in the production of sounds coming from behind us. (We also tested the Arc, and while its sound reproduction is cinematic with a tinge of improvement in lower bass, its large size and lack of Bluetooth for the price made the Bose a better option for the most immersive sound bar we tested.) After connecting the bar to Wi-Fi through the Bose Music App, a pop-up instructs you to plug in the included Adaptiq headset. This plastic accessory slips over your head and listens for tones produced by the bar as you sit in five listening positions throughout your room. In our office test setup, that meant we shuffled between chairs and the couch in a half circle around the sound bar. As sound played to tune room acoustics, the onscreen directions were pinpoint accurate, matching exactly where sound came from. This was the easiest directional setup of any sound bar.
Outside of positional accuracy, the 900 shines in lower key sound effects—we felt the vibration of a ship lifting off as well as zaps of electricity throughout distinct areas of the testing room. The accurate bass—complete with low rumbles—doesn’t interfere with dialogue. In a scene where Neo and Trinity talk inside of a spaceship’s crews quarter, you can hear the white noise aboard the traveling ship and pumping engines through the walls. This ambience balances equally with the dialogue and orchestral score to create the most immersive surround-sound experience. The seven-speaker setup features two up-firing speakers that rival an in-ceiling system—avoiding the height complaint we’ve had with the virtual Atmos on the models above.
Like our top pick, Bose’s 900 is smart. Beyond the inclusion of Google and Alexa smart assistance, it can control your cable box, TV, and more through Bose’s Voice4Video technology. It supports almost every major streaming protocol from basic Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity to Airplay 2 and Spotify Connect. Even when blasting sound at 60 percent, the noise-rejecting microphones made it easy to control Alexa, provided that we were talking a bit louder than normal. If you’re willing to shell out $900, this Bose can stretch that expense a long way, giving you beautifully clear and balanced surround sound in movies, music, and games within any space.
—BEST ROKU TV OPTION—
TCL Alto R1 Roku
Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Channels: 2.0 | Dimensions: 31.5 x 4 x 2.5 in.
TCL’s wireless R1 sound bar made it easy to amplify sound for our Roku TV. After plugging the sound bar into a power outlet, we turned on our TV and held down the Home button on its Roku remote. A popup showed a list of accessory options, from which we selected the wireless speaker. Within ten seconds, the device synced up with our TV with virtually no lag. Roku’s proprietary Wi-Fi streaming protocol proved to be smooth and stable, which we were concerned might not be the case with a system that isn’t connected to an HDMI input. Impressed by the wireless capabilities, we even moved the sound bar to an outlet 30 feet away to see if we could catch the buzz of interference. We did not. The connection is rock solid.
This simplicity comes at a tradeoff, though. While you get loud, crisp sound, the two-channel bar isn’t something that’s going to surround you—which isn’t unexpected for this price. But whereas the two-channel Monoprice option above simulates acoustics with Dolby Atmos to create some sort of a soundstage, the R1 is simply loud. So TCL doubled down on ease of use and smart features. The automatic lowering of the volume during loud commercials worked great on live TV and YouTube ads. And the enhanced dialogue profile pulls out each word for clarity while still retaining plenty of background detail.
The Matrix saw a significant improvement from our Roku TV’s base speakers. While we didn’t get the positional impact of a surrounding explosion, the R1 remained balanced without any distortion at just a third of its power. (Cranking the volume to halfway made it painfully loud.) And at maximum volume there was no crackling present, an impressive feat for the price. But if you’re looking for rich atmospheric details, you’re not going to hear them here. Their impact is dampened since sound comes from the front of the room instead of putting you in the center of the sound.
Streaming music over Bluetooth proved to be effortless. Every device we connected from an iPhone to a MSI gaming laptop easily connected and stayed in sync. In our tester’s home, they found themselves able to walk over 35 feet away and up to a loft space with their phone in a pocket without any hiccup or disconnection from the R1 bar below. Music doesn’t suffer the same fate as the SB-300; there’s a surprising level of layer detail in this amplified stereo sound. Whether that was the drop of an EDM song or vocals, sound feels full and unfiltered for a vast improvement upon the base TV speakers. If you want to free up a HDMI port on your Roku TV or just make an improvement to sound, the R1 is a no fuss sound bar that doesn’t take up much room.
OTHER GREAT OPTIONS
Yamaha YAS-209
Consumer Score: 83% gave it 4 stars or more
Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HDMI, optical audio | Channels: 2.1 | Dimensions: 36.6 x 2.5 x 4.3 in.
Yamaha’s YAS-209 costs a bit more than some budget bars from the likes of Vizio, but its mix of features and great sound quality make it a widely recommended choice for anyone looking to step up a bit from other, more entry-level options. CNET and Wirecutter both found that the YAS-209’s built-in Alexa functionality performed well, and they each also reported that the sound bar did a good job of simulating a full surround-sound effect thanks to its DTS Virtual:X processing. While the unit itself is nice and compact, the subwoofer that’s paired with it will require you to make some room. What you lose in space, though, you gain in sound and savings: The reward is deeper, richer bass than you’ll get from a smaller subwoofer without pricing the YAS-209 out of reach for many people.
—IMPRESSIVE BASS—
JBL Bar 5.1 Surround
Consumer Score: 86% gave it 4 stars or more
Connectivity: Bluetooth | Channels: 5.1 | Dimensions: 43.5 x 15 x 19.2 in.
If you were hoping for a sleek look, this certainly isn’t it. But what the JBL Bar lacks in grace, it makes up for in bass thanks to the included subwoofer. And it also excels on the higher end—with Amazon reviewers calling out its balanced sound—giving it an impressive range overall and making it a solid choice for both music and movies. Both the bar and subwoofer connect via Bluetooth and will sync automatically when powered up, so bonus points for the ease of setup.
—GREAT VALUE—
Vizio SB362An-F6
Consumer Score: 84% gave it 4 stars or more
Connectivity: Bluetooth | Channels: 2.1 | Dimensions: 36 x 2.1 x 5.2 in.
If you ’e looking for a budget-friendly option that’s sleek and not too big, consider this Vizio. While it doesn’t have the most incredible sound, it is loud, immersive, and surround sound-like—certainly better than anything coming from your TV. Since it’s only a bit more than 2 inches high, it can fit comfortably under most TVs. Plus it comes with brackets if your TV is mounted. This one doesn’t have a subwoofer though, so you may want to get one to fill out the bass. For not much more than $100, your dollar goes a long way. And while the SB362An-F6 may not have all the bells and whistles some high-end sets include, it does its basic job well.
—HIGHLY RATED PASSIVE—
Klipsch RP-440D SB
Consumer Score: 93% gave it 4 stars or more
Connectivity: None, Speaker connections only | Channels: 3.0 | Dimensions: 42 x 6 x 2.5 in.
You’ll need a receiver to power it (and a subwoofer to get the most out of it), but Klipsch’s RP-440D SB is a great passive sound bar if you’re looking to streamline your home theater setup without sacrificing sound quality. It’s a three-channel sound bar with left, center, and right channels in the single unit. And, being passive, that’s about all it offers in terms of features—any Bluetooth streaming or other connectivity will have to be handled by a separate receiver you connect it to. That means all of your money is going strictly to the speakers, and with Klipsch you can be sure you’re getting what you pay for in that department. For a step up, the audiophile-grade Klipsch Heritage Theater Bar is another, even pricier option.
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