Best soundbar: the best speakers for your home theater

Many of us have invested heavily in our televisions over the years, with new and bigger models coming out all of the time and tempting us to create a more cinematic experience in our homes. That's more true than ever, with trips to the theater more limited than they used to be, and the next step in this journey is to invest in a fantastic soundbar for your living area.

As televisions have gotten flatter, audio has suffered, but this can be rectified with one of the soundbars listed below. We've looked at the most popular brands and options and rated them by their size, value, aesthetics, and features.

Scroll down to see what we thought, and for some additional information and advice on how to choose the best soundbar for your home. And, while audio is incredibly important for your entertainment system, you may also be interested in the best TV to get the finest image possible.

The best soundbars 2022

With no Dolby Atmos or smart features, the Dali Katch One may not look like much on paper, but the pure audio quality and a gorgeous design make this one of the most popular soundbars available over the last few years. With four 50W Class-D amplifiers, four 11.5cm passive drivers, four 9cm low-frequency drivers, and a pair of tweeters, this is an outstanding speaker.

One complaint some have about the Dali Katch One is the height, which would block part of most TVs if it was simply placed on a stand. That means you'll need to wall mount the bar if you want to get the best results. Thankfully, its fabric front looks incredible when installed this way, and there are also two (optional) leather straps that you can use to create an even more aesthetically pleasing look.

The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar is no shrinking violet, measuring in at almost 50in wide and 40.8lbs, making it by far the bulkiest speaker on our list.

With five 1-inch aluminum tweeters, thirteen 3.5-inch drivers, and six 4-inch subwoofers included, the audio quality is the main selling point of the 5.1.4 Channel soundbar, though that doesn't mean it hasn't included some features like Bluetooth to bring things into the modern world.

That said, there is no smart speaker compatibility, so those who want a truly connected sound system should look elsewhere. Others will find that the Dolby Atmos surround sound more than makes up for this and will see the speaker's heft as a sign of quality.

It certainly looks great, with a wide fabric front covering the tech within. We'd recommend mounting the soundbar to the wall rather than placing it in front of your TV set, for maximum effect.

A compact soundbar option for those who want great sound from a smaller set or just want something that won't take up a lot of space, the Beam is a less pricey offering from audio leaders Sonos, but still with that trademark classy design and fantastic audio quality.

The second-generation Beam has added some much-missed features, meaning there's now Dolby Atmos and Bluetooth, and you still benefit from built-in Alexa and Google Assistant as well as Apple AirPlay 2. The sound quality is seriously impressive, and we would highly recommend this smaller soundbar for second TVs in the bedroom or office.

Homes & Gardens rating: 5 out of 5 stars

With its good looks and a plethora of great features, the Sonos Arc easily slots in near the top of our list. Dolby Atmos, custom elliptical woofers, and angled side tweeters all combine to give you amazing sound, and Enhanced TruePlay tuning means the speaker will adapt to the space it's in to deliver optimized audio.

It's also got in-built Alexa and Google Assistant smarts, which means the Arc does a whole lot more than just boosting your TV audio. Use it as a smart speaker and smart home hub, setting schedules, timers, or just asking it questions when you're hands are too full to Google it on your phone.

The big downside here is the price, which edges near $800. But if you're passionate about getting the best sound possible along with flexible smart features and future-proofing with regular updates from Sonos, then it's a fantastic option.

If you're interested in integrating smart home tech into your daily living, but also want excellent sound for movie nights, sports, and TV streaming, then a good smart soundbar is definitely the way to go. The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 is a brilliant Alexa and Google Home speaker in its own right, allowing you to control your home cinema using just your voice.

Designed to fit snuggly underneath the TV (or mounted to the wall if you prefer), Bose is also very keen on allowing its customers to expand their audio setup over time. To that end, the Smart Soundbar 300 is completely compatible with a lot of other Bose speakers, giving the option to create a multiroom sound system.

Perhaps the speaker that gets the most points for aesthetics, the Samsung S60T is a beautiful soundbar that offers built-in Alexa functionality, wireless music streaming over Wi-Fi and - most importantly - impressive audio quality that will make your next streaming session infinitely better.

It's also a good option for those who don't want to (or can't) find space for an external subwoofer. The S60T is an all-in-one option, even if its' chunkier design may make it sit slightly awkwardly under most TVs. We'd recommend mounting it to the wall, eliminating this problem.

Homes & Gardens rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Much more towards the budget end of the spectrum than our first choice is the JBL Bar 2.1, which comes in the form of a soundbar and wireless subwoofer for boosted bass. While it lacks Dolby Atmos, it does still impress with four mid-range drivers and a pair of tweeters to compliment the external sub.

And you can use the soundbar as more than just an extension of your TV, connecting other devices to it via USB or Bluetooth. The speaker also looks great, with a mesh front that allows it to blend into the décor even when the display is lit, and minimal controls on top to control volume and more.

Boasting Meridian speaker technology on top of Dolby Atmos and DTS: X, the LG SN7Y 3.1.2 Wireless Soundbar really does go the extra mile to create a surround sound, cinematic experience. It also supports 4K pass-through and its AI Sound Pro feature means your audio experience will be adapted to your space.

We should note that the LG SN7Y is heavier than other soundbars on this list so if you want yours mounted to the wall rather than on a TV stand, bear that in mind. In contrast to this, the wireless subwoofer that comes along with it has a nice, slim design that will fit into even smaller spaces.

How to choose the best soundbar

Are soundbars better than speakers?

Generally speaking, soundbars are more economical than speakers due to the fact that they pack a lot of power into a smaller space. Even if they include wireless external subwoofers, it's easier to find space for a single bar and secondary unit than it is for a complete sound system comprised of multiple speakers that need to be placed in a certain array.

Soundbars have also evolved to convincingly mimic the effect of a surround sound system, so you won't be missing out. Look for a product with Dolby Atmos if you really want your sound to fill the room.

Are soundbars good for music?

Soundbars are an excellent choice if you want a multi-functional speaker that can play music and podcasts as well as enhance the sound for your TV. Many can be connected to your phone or laptop via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi for wireless streaming from Spotify, Apple Music, or any other service, and you should also look for a soundbar that has specific 'music' that change the levels based on what you're watching/listening to.

Where should soundbars be placed?

The traditional, and most obvious, place to put a soundbar is on your TV unit in front of your set. Because of this, soundbars are designed to sit here comfortably without blocking any of the action, but they can also be mounted to the wall if you're after a more minimalist design. Like your TV, it's smart to put your soundbar in the center of a room directly in front of where you tend to sit, but don't worry too much about this - a lot of products can now adapt to the space they're in.