Best soundbars for your needs

The Beam fits a narrow TV stand and keeps a path open to a larger Sonos system. Its Atmos presentation uses processing rather than upward-firing drivers, and room tuning needs a compatible iPhone or iPad.

Best fit forA compact TV setup with optional rear speakers later

The Ray makes sense for a small TV with optical audio when you also want Sonos music streaming. It keeps the TV connection simple, but it cannot become an Atmos soundbar through a software setting or a new cable.

Best fit forAn optical-only TV on a narrow stand

The Q990F puts the subwoofer and two rear speakers in the same box and accepts two 4K 120 Hz sources directly. Choose it when you have rear-speaker locations ready, not just space beneath the TV.

Best fit forA complete surround package for movies and two gaming consoles

The Q990D remains worth comparing when its complete-package price is lower than the Q990F. It already has two 4K 120 Hz inputs and rear height speakers, but its larger subwoofer needs more floor depth.

Best fit forBuying a complete surround package when the older model has a useful discount

The Q800F suits a room where you want a separate subwoofer and upward-firing sound without placing speakers behind the sofa. Its single HDMI input passes 4K at 60 Hz, so a high-refresh console belongs on the TV.

Best fit forA bar-and-sub setup with no rear speakers to position

The Bar 9 is for a wide TV setup where you want a direct high-refresh HDMI connection and plan to choose the subwoofer and rear speakers separately. Measure the cabinet first. The bar itself is just over 51 inches wide.

Best fit forA wide TV stand with one high-refresh HDMI source

The Bar 8 keeps the Bar 9 connection options in a cabinet almost eight inches narrower. It is the more practical Sony starting point when the TV stand is tight, provided you allow for the cost of any later subwoofer and rears.

Best fit forSony surround expansion without the widest soundbar cabinet

The Bar 6 includes a separate subwoofer and upward-firing drivers without asking you to choose an entire speaker ecosystem. It is a straightforward bar-and-sub option, but your TV must handle all HDMI source switching.

Best fit forA supplied subwoofer and physical height drivers without rear-speaker placement

The HT-S2000 fits a 32-inch-wide space and does not require a separate bass box. It accepts eARC or optical audio, but its Atmos height effect is virtual and it cannot take a console directly.

Best fit forA compact Sony bar with built-in bass and an optical fallback

The Smart Ultra is a useful fit when your TV sits low and you want room calibration without an iPhone requirement. Its low cabinet still needs more than 41 inches of width, and all video sources connect through the TV.

Best fit forA low-sitting TV and a calibrated single-bar starting point

The 2024 Smart Soundbar combines a cabinet under 28 inches wide with upward-firing speakers and Wi-Fi music. It is easier to place than the Smart Ultra, although it leaves out the Ultra room-calibration system.

Best fit forA small, low TV stand with real upward-firing speakers

The Bar 1300X is for a living room where rear speakers cannot stay plugged in. Detach them for a movie, then return them to charge. Its large subwoofer and wide docked configuration need careful measuring.

Best fit forOccasional rear surround without running power cables behind the sofa

Choose the 1300X MK2 when rear-speaker outlets are the obstacle to a complete surround setup. Three direct HDMI inputs simplify a busy TV, but the detachable speakers bring a charging routine and the subwoofer is substantial.

Best fit forThree HDMI devices and rear speakers that do not need permanent outlets

The Bar 500 MK2 adds a 10-inch subwoofer to a low-profile bar without rear speakers to position. Its cabinet fits beneath more low TVs than taller rivals, but the bass box still needs a place on the floor. Optional surrounds require current firmware and two Cove M1 or two Cove P1 speakers, bought separately.

Best fit forA low TV and separate bass without rear-speaker clutter

The Bar 300 MK2 keeps the low cabinet and Wi-Fi features of the 500 MK2 without a separate subwoofer. It also accepts one HDMI source directly, which is useful if the TV is already short of ports. Optional surrounds require current firmware and two Cove M1 or two Cove P1 speakers, bought separately.

Best fit forA low-profile single bar that adds one HDMI source input

The Mini AX is the smallest bar here by width, making it useful between closely spaced TV feet. The included subwoofer moves part of the system onto the floor, so the tiny bar does not mean a one-box setup.

Best fit forClosely spaced TV feet when there is room for a separate subwoofer

The Max AX SR suits a movie setup with several HDMI sources and space for powered rear speakers. It bundles the 10-inch subwoofer and both rears, but its 4K 60 Hz passthrough is a limit for high-refresh consoles.

Best fit forA disc player, streaming box and console in a complete surround package

The Flexus Core 200 combines physical height drivers and built-in bass with a wired subwoofer output. It is useful if you want to add a conventional powered sub later, but Wi-Fi music is not part of this model.

Best fit forA single bar with a conventional wired-subwoofer upgrade path

The AMBEO Plus is worth a look when you want a single bar with room calibration and several connection options. Its two HDMI source inputs, optical input and analog input are more flexible than the smaller Mini.

Best fit forOne soundbar for HDMI sources, optical TV audio and an analog source

The AMBEO Mini keeps room calibration and Wi-Fi music in a bar under 28 inches wide. Its single HDMI TV connection is a hard limit for an optical-only TV or anyone who wants to plug sources into the bar.

Best fit forA narrow HDMI-connected TV setup with automatic room calibration

Included battery-powered rear speakers let a shared living room switch between everyday use and surround sound. Leave room for the wider charging position, or arrange separate USB-C charging.

Best fit forOccasional surround sound without permanent power cables behind the sofa

A complete bar, subwoofer and battery-rear system for a room that cannot keep rear power cables in place. Three source inputs help a household with several players, while four upward-firing drivers need suitable placement.

Best fit forTemporary rear-speaker placement with physical height drivers and several HDMI players

Includes the subwoofer and powered rears, with two direct inputs for 4K 120 Hz sources. Private Rear Sound can move listening behind the sofa, but it disables Q-Symphony and resets after power-off. It is not a promise of silence in the next room.

Best fit forA complete surround setup with two high-refresh sources and usable outlets behind the sofa

Keeps two 4K 120 Hz source inputs and a separate subwoofer without putting speakers behind the sofa. Add compatible SWA-9500S rears if you later want rear listening. They are not included, despite a conflicting row in Samsung’s US web table.

Best fit forTwo-console households that want a bar and subwoofer now, with optional rears later

A bar and subwoofer for a TV that already handles the household’s source connections. Its single HDMI input does not pass 4K 120 Hz, so a high-refresh console needs a suitable TV input instead. Compatible rears can be added later.

Best fit forTV-first streaming and a separate subwoofer, with no need to route 120 Hz video through the bar

Keeps bass hardware inside one bar, useful when a separate box would occupy a walkway or a child’s play space. It still needs suitable console routing because its one HDMI source input does not pass 4K 120 Hz. Optional rears add speakers and power cables back into the room.

Best fit forOne-box TV audio where external bass-box placement is the main obstacle

Provides two 4K 120 Hz source inputs and a subwoofer without requiring rear-speaker placement. Check its current offer against newer models, but compare the complete system you need. A later rear-speaker purchase changes the total.

Best fit forA bar-and-sub package that keeps two high-refresh sources connected

Adds Wi-Fi music, one HDMI source input and measured Dirac room setup to a bar with a conventional powered-subwoofer output. That can preserve a working sub when replacing an older system. Allow space for its 54-inch width and a genuinely quiet calibration session.

Best fit forA wide TV setup that can reuse a compatible powered sub and benefit from direct source input

A 28-inch bar that can reuse a compatible wired powered subwoofer without taking over a narrow TV stand. Its Dolby Atmos effect is virtual, and it has neither a dedicated center channel nor HDMI source input. Music uses Bluetooth rather than Wi-Fi streaming.

Best fit forA narrow TV stand with an existing powered subwoofer or a simple Bluetooth music routine

A compact TV bar that can also take a record player through an optional Sonos line-in adapter and the right preamp. It adds physical height drivers and Android quick tuning. Check the space above the bar, because an obstructed top switches the buying case toward simulated overhead sound.

Best fit forA shared TV and music space that needs a compact bar and a wired turntable route