Have you gone all-out and bought a new LED 4K smart television only to find that it lacks that 'oomph' in the sound department? Contemporary TVs are thin, sleek and offer a cinematic experience; however, sometimes, you need external speakers to really pull the experience together. Thankfully you can outsource your audio and purchase the best soundbar to complete your home cinema experience.
A soundbar is a bank of speakers installed beneath the television to deliver immersive, high-quality sound from one compact box.
To help you make your selection, we have picked out some of the best soundbars available today for all budgets and needs. Whether you want to improve your favourite TV series and music audio or recreate the surround sound experience you’d have at the cinema, then a soundbar will provide.
The best soundbars
best budget soundbar
If you are after amazing sound on a budget then the Majority Skiddaw II Soundbar brings the surround sound experience right to your home. It has a subwoofer built in to cut down on its footprint, which makes it great for compact spaces. Additionally, you can stream music through Bluetooth via devices like smartphones and tablets or using the 3.5mm line-in cable.
Review: "Great sound and quality for a bargain! For the price, I am very impressed with the quality, and it does punch above its weight for the price."
Pros
- Multiple inputs and Bluetooth
- Portable and lightweight
- Good sound in a reasonably sized room
Cons
- For this low price, none
Best soundbar with S-Force surround sound
This sleek soundbar from Sony plays out audio through a two-channel speaker and by utilising S-Force. S-Force is a new technology that emulates a three-dimensional sound field naturally and realistically, so you can have surround sound in your living room. As a bonus, there's also a Bass Reflex speaker - which provides a punchy and sharp sound. This device can be streamed wirelessly or using a Bluetooth connection.
Review: "I’m very happy with this soundbar. Two features were important to me. The first is pretty obvious; I wanted it to provide a nice rich sound for my tv as the inbuilt speakers are completely rubbish. I can tell you that I was not disappointed; it sounds great and has completely transformed the viewing experience and enjoyment. I would definitely recommend this to anyone."
Pros
- S-Force surround sound technology
- Sleek design
- 60 watts
Cons
- Limited connectivity
- HDMI cable no included
Best smart soundbar
This smart soundbar is controlled and can be integrated with your smart home devices due to the built-in Amazon Alexa voice control. Additionally, this Polk unit creates a home cinema feel thanks to Dolby/DTS surround sound and a wireless subwoofer. If you love smart home gadgets, you will love how easy this soundbar is to control. If you want to increase the volume or change the sound source, you can command it! No need for additional inputs with a remote control.
Review: "Great soundbar with clear, crisp sound and an added voice volume which is great for TV. I've had other Polk speakers, and this is as good. Having Alexa built-in is great; saves on having separate devices and having to connect/disconnect."
Pros
- Alexa voice controls
- Great surround sound for the price
Cons
- Sub and bar sometimes disconnect
- The buttons are not solid on remote
Best compact soundbar
If you have ever researched speakers, you have likely heard of Bose. The Solo 5 TV soundbar works to bring clear, sharp sound to your television's audio with dialogue refinement. It also has equalization settings to boost your entertainment's sound effects and bass. This soundbar is a simple and effective device that can also stream music via Bluetooth.
Review: "I was having a lot of trouble hearing all the words on the tv even though it is a slimline high definition tv, all the sound was going out at the back, and what with loud, invasive music on documentaries etc. I was at my wit's end. Then I heard about soundbars. Long story short, I bought this Bose, and the difference was instantaneous to my delight, I now hear every word, and the quality is brilliant. I would recommend this system highly. Thank you so much."
Pros
- Excellent sound quality
- Bluetooth and wired connections connectivity work effectively
- Signal detection for automatic input selection
- Compact and sleek
Cons
- Clunky remote, especially as it's only used for the soundbar and some TV connectivity issues
Best compact soundbar
Another Bose to make the list is the Sonos Beam which is packed with four woofers for mid-range and bass richness, and one tweeter for a clearer higher range. Not to mention, this soundbar has been tuned by Oscar-winning sound engineers to deliver you the best possible audio out of a cinema.
Review: "The sound quality is amazing. Overall, I can thoroughly recommend this if you are looking for a way to immediately improve your TV's sound. I love the fact that you can add more speakers later to create a surround system, and I can see myself doing that at some point."
Pros
- Great compact size
- Great sound for films and music playback
- Has features such as dialogue enhancement and night-mode
- Adjust the treble and bass to suit your preference
- App controlled and voice control with Google or Alexa
Cons
- TruePlay option only available on iPhones
- A little on the pricey side
Bets soundbar with wireless subwoofer
This powerhouse of a soundbar offers maximum sound. The Yamaha MusicCast has great bass and a Clear Voice mode that ensures that dialogue isn't lost in the mix. Additionally, the subwoofer is wireless, which helps keep the set-up clear - think no rogue wires. It also features Bluetooth streaming and Alexa compatibility for easy control.
Review: "This soundbar has great sound, and the app is straightforward to use. Airplay, Spotify, control via your mobile phone, etc, all works. Had no issues. Another great product from Yamaha."
Pros
- Great sound for films and music
- Simple to set-up
- MusicCast multiroom
- Sub well integrated
Cons
- One HDMI input
- No Dolby Atmos/DTS:X
www.sonos.com
This Sonos Playbar is specifically designed for home cinemas. It is easy to set up and comes with Trueplay, an app that measures the space in your room and tunes the speaker to offer customised surround sound. This impressive piece of tech boasts perfect audio for a high price tag - but if you are a movie or music buff you will certainly reap the benefits. As it is a Sonos device, it will also play music from your streaming services and can be connected to an Amazon Echo.
Review: "Simply astonishing quality, together with an LG OLED TV watching a 4K UHD Dolby Atmos movie is just amazing in every respect. Adding the GEN 3 Sub just adds an extra dimension to both TV, Films and Music!"
Pros
- Expandable
- Easy to set up
- Free control options
- High-quality sound
- Wireless and Bluetooth
Cons
- High price
Recommended soundbard
This impressive soundbar from Sony boasts high-end features like Dolby Atmos, and its wireless external subwoofer promises immersive, powerful audio for your home cinema or living room. It features three front speakers and connectivity via NFC (NFC is a short-range wireless technology that allows the exchange of data between devices) and Bluetooth which means you can wireless stream music from your tablet or smartphone to multiple rooms by using the Sony Music Centre app.
Review: "Excellent soundbar and subwoofer, the fantastic sound quality when watching sports and films. I purchased the rear matching speakers, and these took it to another level. A real must-have to go with the soundbar and subwoofer. Quite simple to set up and a really decent theatre sound. I couldn’t do without it now; not the cheapest by a long shot but living proof you get what you pay for. Then as a bonus, the subwoofer is wireless, and if you purchase the rear speakers, these are too; they all connect instantly and seamlessly. This is a great setup."
Pros
- Well-balanced and spacious sound
- Premium look and feel
- Impressive up-mixing
- Great connectivity
Cons
- Doesn't connect automatically to the tv
- No treble or bass adjustment options
- High price
Best smart speaker
We have included the Echo Dot as part of this list as some of the above selections can be hooked up to this device. The Echo Dot can unlock your home and entertainment system with the power of your voice and can help with other control settings.
If you have an Amazon Prime membership you will be able to access Amazon Music, Amazon Video and get next day delivery on your Amazon order.
Review: "I Like everything about it, from using it to wake me with my chosen radio station to giving me my shopping list. It's the best gadget we have ever purchased; we are getting another one for the other room."
Pros
- Affordable add-on for a sound bar
- 3.5mm jack for speakers along with Bluetooth
- Voice control over your smart devices
Cons
- No USB port
Soundbar FAQs
What is Bluetooth?
Bluetooth is used to carry information over a short distance using short-wave radio signals. Bluetooth has now developed into the most common method of transferring music information between devices.
What size soundbar should I get?
You'll want a soundbar that fits in the available space in your home. While some people choose to have their soundbar mounted under their TV on the wall, others just pop it in front of the TV on a stand. You should consider the size of your TV too as if you have a large screen, a smaller soundbar may look silly. Thankfully there are many different sizes of soundbars available.
What is bass, midrange and treble?
Bass, midrange and treble are sometimes referred to as lows, mids and highs. These terms refer to the different sound frequencies located in audio.
Bass, or low, is the boomier sections of sound, the frequencies that people can most often 'feel' such as the bass drums. If there was no bass, the audio sounds empty and tinny. However, if you go overboard with the bass, the music can sound rumbly and overwhelming.
Midrange, or mid, is all the stuff that happens in the middle, such as guitars, vocals and speech. This is needed to balance the bass and brings the audio to life. If you struggle to hear vocals in music or conversation in media such as podcasts or films, boosting the midrange can bring these out for you without having to fiddle with volume settings.
Treble, or highs, are the high frequencies. These are essential for picking out details in audio, but if they are too high, they can irritate you or be unpleasant to listeners.