Compare channel layout, subwoofer options and HDMI eARC
Best multi-room integration and app control
Integrates with a wider multi-room systemExpandable with rear speakers and subwooferDolby Atmos on flagship barsRoom tuning via the appStrong software support history
Q-Symphony pairing with Samsung TVs
Q-Symphony uses TV speakers alongside the barWireless subwoofer included on many modelsDolby Atmos and DTS:X on upper modelsWide range across price pointsBest paired with a Samsung television
Strong spatial audio processing
Vertical surround processing360 Spatial Sound Mapping on flagship modelsHDMI eARC passthroughOptional wireless rear speakersGood integration with Sony televisions
Clear dialogue and simple setup
Dialogue enhancement modesSimple setup and app controlCompact bars for smaller roomsOptional wireless bass modulesEstablished audio brand
Strong value with included subwoofers
Subwoofer included at low price pointsAtmos support on mid-range modelsRear satellites bundled on some setsWidely stocked in US retailGood value per channel| Product | Sonos 9.6 | Samsung 9.1 | Sony 8.5 | Bose 8.0 | Vizio 7.4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlights | Integrates with a wider multi-room system · Expandable with rear speakers and subwoofer · Dolby Atmos on flagship bars · Room tuning via the app · Strong software support history | Q-Symphony uses TV speakers alongside the bar · Wireless subwoofer included on many models · Dolby Atmos and DTS:X on upper models · Wide range across price points · Best paired with a Samsung television | Vertical surround processing · 360 Spatial Sound Mapping on flagship models · HDMI eARC passthrough · Optional wireless rear speakers · Good integration with Sony televisions | Dialogue enhancement modes · Simple setup and app control · Compact bars for smaller rooms · Optional wireless bass modules · Established audio brand | Subwoofer included at low price points · Atmos support on mid-range models · Rear satellites bundled on some sets · Widely stocked in US retail · Good value per channel |
Editorially scored by our research team.
Every score out of 10 is assigned by our editors from published pricing, features, fees, coverage and support terms — not from user-submitted reviews. Scores are our own opinion and change as products change. Read our full methodology.
Sonos is our top-scoring pick in Soundbars, at 9.6/10 — it highlights “Integrates with a wider multi-room system”.
Samsung scores 9.1 and is the one to compare against it (dolby atmos and dts: X on upper models).
Both scores are our editors’ assessment of published specifications, pricing and terms against the criteria in our rating methodology — they are not aggregated customer reviews.
The connection determines what audio formats reach the soundbar, and buying an Atmos bar connected the wrong way wastes it.
HDMI eARC is what you want. It carries full-resolution audio including uncompressed and object-based formats, and supports control from one remote. Check your TV actually has eARC rather than plain ARC — the label is usually printed by the port.
HDMI ARC is common on older sets and cannot carry the highest-bandwidth formats. Optical works everywhere and cannot carry Atmos or DTS:X at all.
If your TV has only ARC or optical, a premium Atmos bar will still sound better than TV speakers and you will not get what you paid for. That is worth knowing before spending.
A bar described as 5.1.2 means five horizontal channels, one subwoofer and two height channels.
The first number is left, centre, right and surrounds. The centre channel matters most, because it carries dialogue — and unclear dialogue is the single most common reason people buy a soundbar at all. A 2.0 bar has no dedicated centre.
The last number is upward-firing drivers for height effects. These bounce sound off the ceiling, so they need a reasonably flat, hard ceiling at a sensible height. In a room with a sloped, vaulted or absorbent ceiling, height channels do very little and paying for them is questionable.
A separate subwoofer makes a larger difference to perceived quality than almost any other upgrade. Bars with built-in bass drivers have improved and cannot move the air a dedicated box can. If a bar offers an optional wireless sub, assume you will want it eventually and check the cost.
Wireless rear speakers are what turn a soundbar into genuine surround. Note that "wireless" means wireless to the bar — the rears still need mains power, so you need sockets behind the seating. Worth confirming before planning.
Match the bar roughly to the TV width; a much shorter bar under a large screen looks odd and narrows the soundstage.
Two practical measurements people miss. Check the bar's height against the gap under your TV — a tall bar in front of the screen blocks the bottom of the picture and, on some sets, the remote sensor. And if wall-mounting, check whether a bracket is included.
Placement matters: a bar recessed inside a cabinet loses clarity badly. It should sit in free air with the front unobstructed.
Room calibration, where the bar measures the room with a microphone and adjusts, produces a genuine improvement and is increasingly common.
Dialogue enhancement modes are the most-used feature on most soundbars, and implementations vary considerably in quality.
Night mode compresses dynamic range so explosions do not wake the house.
HDMI passthrough with 4K/120 and VRR matters if you connect a games console through the bar rather than to the TV.
Less important: very high quoted wattage, which is not comparable between manufacturers, and long lists of virtual surround modes.
Some manufacturers offer meaningful advantages when the bar and TV share a brand — using the TV's own speakers alongside the bar, or simplified setup and control. If you already own a recent TV from a major brand, checking what its own soundbars do together is worth a few minutes.
Similarly, if you want multi-room audio, buying into a system that already handles that is simpler than adding it later.
Connection standards, format support and feature sets vary by model and change between generations. Confirm your TV's port type and current bar specifications before purchase.