Soundbars are the secret weapon of home cinema. At a relatively low price you can improve the sound that comes from yours TV – grace when streaming your favorite showsEnjoy a movie with special effects or play a game on your new one Xbox or PS5. Sound tapes are also easy to adjust, which also makes them significantly more popular than larger ones home theater speakers, AV receivers and subwoofers.
In general, sound bands offer clear sound and more than one EQ mode, and all are bound to offer better sound quality than your TV. From solid bare strips to smart Alexa-powered ones, Atmosphere speakers, this is CNET’s range of the best soundbars available from $ 100 and up. Read the various features available to find the best soundtrack for your home. This list is updated periodically when new soundtracks become available and tested.
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If your price range is limited to less than a C-note, the Creative Stage Dolby Atmos sound bar offers a bunch of unprecedented features, including HDMI connectivity with an HDMI ARC port and subwoofer. But what’s even more remarkable is that this affordable soundtrack sounds better than most of its ultra-budget competition, with a cable subwoofer that fills the room with great bass. It has a variety of audio modes, which makes this soundbar speaker especially suitable for music, concerts and games. Excellent sound quality for both gamers and movie fans.
Read our review of Creative Stage.
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Easily replacing our previous favorite, the JBL Bar 2.1 Deep Bass, Klipsch Cinema 400 adds a great design and an even bigger wireless subwoofer. Sound quality is still king, but with a real sense of dynamism and excellent music reproduction. If you want to make your TV the next best thing to a movie, this is one of the most affordable ways to do it.
Read our review of the Klipsch Cinema 400.
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The Vizio M512a-H6 is the most cost-effective way to get true Dolby Atmos playback. This surround system includes a basic soundtrack with built-in speakers, a 6-inch subwoofer and two wired rear speakers. These are many parts, but they were easy to set up and we were impressed with the overall quality of the workmanship. Most importantly, it offers great movie performance, including real Atmos effects we could hear, as well as music. The M512a-H6s lacks Chromecast and AirPlay streaming, along with special voice presets, but still wins our heartfelt recommendation for both home theater fans and people who want to listen to their favorite album (whether on Atmos or not). ).
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The main feature of the Vizio Elevate may be its motorized speakers, but once you go over their novelty, you will find that the speaker system also sounds great. The separate rear speakers and rear speakers really help to pull the Vizio soundtrack in front of the Sonos Arc audio. With built-in Dolby Atmos, DTS: X and Chromecast, multiple HDMI inputs and Bluetooth, the only thing Vizio doesn’t provide is Apple AirPlay support.
Read our review of the Vizio Elevate P514A-H6.
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If you just need to have the smallest number of boxes and remotes in your living space and still demand the best Atmos sound quality you can get, this Sennheiser speaker is your man. It’s a single unit, without a subwoofer, but it’s capable of evoking the most realistic overhead and true surround sound effects we’ve ever heard. In addition, it is controlled entirely by remote control. It’s not cheap sound equipment, but it’s comparable in price to a full set of surround-free surround speakers and 85% great sound and performance.
Read our review of Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar.
Also think
Ty Pendbury / CNET
Ty Pendbury / CNET
If you are interested in setting up a multi-room sound system, the Sonos sound system is still the best option. Sonos Arc is the company’s best soundtrack and includes Dolby Atmos, a class-leading music ecosystem, and Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa built into the tape itself. The soundtrack system sounds good with music and movies, and adding a pair of Ikea Symphonisk bookcases should really enhance your home cinema sound experience. Arc sounds much bigger than the cheaper Beam TV sound, which needs a $ 700 subwoofer to make it comparable in sound.
Read our review of Sonos Arc.
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While we really like the Roku Streambar Pro, the Roku Streambar does essentially the same job for $ 50 less. With a built-in full 4K HDR Roku streamer and a voice remote control that controls everything, this tape provides you with audio and video in one simple tape. Setting up the Roku soundtrack is easy; just add to a TV with a simple HDMI port connection. This affordable soundtrack has sound quality that’s acceptable for size and price, and you can add a $ 129 wireless subwoofer for more punch.
Read our review of Roku Streambar.
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If you’re looking for an audio tape that’s even cheaper than the Sonos Arc, the Zvox SB500 is a great option for people who still value sound quality. This speaker offers many options for sound mode, narrower bass and better sound than most other options for a single speaker. Although Sonos may lack Wi-Fi streaming, Zvox still includes a Bluetooth connection for streaming audio from your phone or tablet.
Read our review of the Zvox SB500.
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Yamaha YAS-209 offers excellent sound quality in a compact soundbar. Amazon Alexa’s built-in voice control is useful, allowing this smart soundtrack to transmit music and microphones to work well in a strong environment. Implementing DTS Virtual: X in the sound bar offers a rich effect reminiscent of surround sound. Two HDMI connections are included, one with HDMI ARC. The wireless subwoofer of this smart soundbar is more pronounced and offers more headroom than the competing and also excellent Polk Command Bar. However, the Yamaha YAS-209 soundtrack does not use the company’s MusicCast system, so it will not sync with other Yamaha speakers.
Read our review of the Yamaha YAS-209.
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If you want to discard your speaker on the TV, we suggest you start. Our longtime TV sound favorite, the Vizio SB3621n-E8, has essentially been replaced by the new V21. The subwoofer may be smaller on the newer model, but this audio tape still sounds great, and offers HDMI connectivity with HDMI ARC and a much easier-to-understand input display. This soundtrack is optimized for 4K HDR content with Dolby Audio. VIZIO V-Series 2.1 is the best value of the soundtrack we tested this year.
Read our review of the Vizio V21.
How does CNET test soundtracks?
CNET follows a rigorous, unbiased evaluation process for all of our soundtrack tests. We test soundtracks ranging from simple stereo speakers to Dolby Atmos systems. Our audio lab includes Samsung QLED TV (with HDMI eARC), an Apple TV 4K streamer, Microsoft Xbox One X and Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player. Such soundtracks are compared to each other with different content, including movies, music, TV shows and games. We value everyone’s sound quality by assessing speech clarity, dynamics, bass and music playback.
Soundbar Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a soundtrack?
The most important consideration when choosing a soundbar is how much you want to spend. There are great soundtracks at any price level, from $ 100 upwards, although if you pay over $ 500, it may be more useful to save for an AV receiver and speakers. Single-band systems are great for smaller TVs, while the soundbar and subwoofer combination is great for the living room. Read more in our guide for buying a soundbar.
Can you use any soundtrack with any TV?
With just a few exceptions, you can use any soundtrack with any TV, although it sometimes helps to match the brands of TVs and soundbars. Many new audio tapes use HDMI ARC to channel audio from your TV through the audio tape, so if both devices have one of these ports, that’s all you need. Some older audio tapes use an optical connection, and most TVs offer one.
The exception? Roku TV and Samsung SoundConnect wireless speakers. The first one uses its own wireless connection and no HDMI port, so you need a Roku TV (not a Roku streamer) to use it. The latter is also proprietary between Samsung’s soundbars and TVs, although the soundbar usually offers HDMI to connect to other brands.
Will the soundtrack improve the sound quality?
Modern TVs have very small speakers that are designed to mute the sound from the TV stand. As a result, they can sound distant and subtle. Adding a soundtrack will improve the sound of most TVs almost instantly, especially when it comes to speech playback, and will also allow you to enjoy music.
Can you use a soundtrack to play music?
Playing music on your TV almost always sounds better when you have a soundbar connected. Many audio tapes have Bluetooth, which means you don’t need a TV on to listen to your tunes. In general, the soundtrack with a wireless subwoofer is best suited for music, as it will help to reproduce dynamics as well as deep bass.
Are soundbars really worth it?
Compared to the sound coming out of your TV, yes, they are worth it. Spending only $ 100 on a soundtrack can improve your TV viewing experience tenfold. The TV speakers are turned down, so a lot of detail is lost, and a special sound bar can make speech more understandable.
How do I connect a soundtrack to my TV?
Depending on the age of your TV, there are three main ways to output to audio tape: analog (3.5 mm headphones or RCA), digital optical and HDMI. Before you buy a soundtrack, make sure it accepts the same connections available on your TV. The most common audio tape input is now HDMI, and if your TV is less than five years old, it should be compatible, but worth checking again.
Where can I put my soundbar?
Soundbars are designed to be placed in front of the TV on a TV stand or other furniture. Most are less than two inches tall, so they don’t block either the infrared remote port of your TV or the screen itself. Some sound tapes can also be wall mounted and come with brackets in the box. Third-party wall-mounted soundbar kits are also available.