There was a time when the best soundbars never existed and improving your TV’s sound meant buying a pair of external speakers or investing in a big 5.1 speaker system. That’s all changed, and the shift is mostly for practical reasons.
TV Manufacturers have to put a fair amount of technology into flat panel displays to deliver the audio goods from thin enclosures. Often these built-in speakers face down or rearwards. That doesn’t bode well for dialogue clarity, and you certainly won’t benefit from immersive audio.
It makes sense to have a slim bar either below the sightline of a TV on a stand or mounted to a wall. If you want a better audio experience, you should consider investing in one of the best soundbars of 2023.
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Best Budget Soundbars of 2023
Creative Stage V2
The Creative Stage V2 soundbars kept hitting the headlines last year. This budget powerhouse was frequently praised for its affordability, excellent sound, and great connections. The product is a follow-up to Creative Stage 2.1 and it seems there were few changes to the original except for some small design mods.
Home theater experts also remarked on how polished-looking the V2 bar and subwoofer package is for the price. That’s a good recommendation because a lot of products out there cannot deliver on such a promise. Although the V2 doesn’t boast Dolby Atmos and it’s only 30 inches wide, the two onboard drivers and subwoofer can combine to produce a fine sound.
The Creative Stage V2 proves that you do not need to spend much to get great sonic performance from your TV. The subwoofer which produces tight bass has a nice slim upright profile that will slide easily into a nook near your TV stand. A simulated surround mode powered by Creative’s signature Sound Blaster tech offers an effective and expanded soundstage.
As well as robust vocal output, the V2 comes with a good sprinkling of connections, including HDMI ARC, optical, USB-C for PCs and games consoles, Bluetooth 5.0, and a 3.5-mm Auxiliary In.
The V2 gets points for ease of use and setup. Even the buttons on the dinky palm-sized remote are well laid out and a pleasure to use. While the Creative Stage V2 won’t compete with the big boys on high-end sound, many believe it is simply one of the best soundbars for budget minded shoppers on the market.
JBL Bar 2.0 All-in-One
The JBL Bar 2.0 has now evolved into the MK2 version which costs a little more than the former iteration. The top side of the MK2 has seen a design refinement with a classier recess surrounding the control buttons. Other than this change, JBL reliably informs HTF that there were no tweaks to the performance.
Perhaps they didn’t need to. The JBL Bar 2.0 All-in-One is a confident performer for the price: no bells or whistles, just punchy audio output, and clean dialogue. In fact, there are so few embellishments that JBL even did away with its preset EQ modes found on the former entry-level model, the Bar Studio.
The Bar 2.0 struggles a little when faced with providing a wider soundstage. Its key merit lies in beefing up a regular stereo image that most TV speakers will rarely muster. Even the bass is rounded and authoritative.
JBL has built-in 2 x 40-watt amps to power two racetrack drivers sitting at either end of the compact 24.2-inch length. For connections, you only get HDMI ARC and an optical input.
But our advice is don’t write off the JBL 2.0 All-in-One, or its slightly pricier stablemate MK2, until you have heard them. Build quality is excellent and you will realize some serious sonic caliber when weighing it up against your TV’s output. This is a great budget soundbar.
Best Low-to-Mid-Range Soundbars of 2023
Sony HT-S400
Sony has made a big impact on the soundbar market, not least through its 360 Spatial Sound Mapping. The tech was a game changer but reserved only for the company’s
HT-A series of soundbars. Sony has got a lot right here with the HT-S400 2.1 soundbar plus a wireless subwoofer.
There’s a sense of no-nonsense about the product. As for the looks, there is nothing fancy and certainly no over-engineering. There are simple clean lines, good build quality, and an air of professionalism we have come to expect from the Japanese titan.
The bar itself weighs 5.2 lbs but its 2.4-inch rise means it is unlikely to block any of the sightlines of your display. At over 35 inches long, it will complement any 40-inch-plus flatscreen. If at first, the sub feels a bit lightweight, it does look serious enough when stacked next to a TV.
Although parsimonious on connections, Sony includes HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, and an optical in. Do you get the feeling that Sony is trading gizmos for performance, which is surely a good thing?
The S400 reveals excellent dialogue clarity, a spacious soundstage (particularly with Sony’s S-Force Pro surround simulator), and generally solid music playback. Movies are rich and full-bodied.
With all that said, the mid-range can come off a bit thin and the lack of Chromecast or Airplay compatibility might be deal breakers for some.
Yamaha YAS-209
The Yamaha YAS-209 is still going strong for nearly four years since its release. The Japanese company’s music heritage is on show in this mid-price soundbar plus subwoofer. It also garnered plaudits for excellent dialogue intelligibility on TV and movie sources.
The sleek bar with a tidy cloth grille surrounding the entire circumference sports four 1.75-inch midrange drivers and two 1-inch tweeters. The oversized wireless subwoofer uses a 6.5-inch cone to elicit rumbles, which it does so with zest.
Although there’s no Atmos or 3D codec, there are a few preset sound modes, one of which is ‘3D Surround’ for a more spacious output. The remaining modes are movies, music, sports, TV program, and game.
If you prefer to control your devices by barking at them, the unit includes Alexa voice control, which is responsive.
The YAS-209’s connections are a little thin on the ground. There is one HDMI ARC connector, a second HDMI, and optical inputs. The Yamaha comes with all-important Bluetooth, but you will need to connect to Wi-Fi or a wired LAN to use Alexa or stream tunes from Amazon Music or Spotify.
If you are a music lover, then Yamaha is a safe pair of hands. We have listened to this bar/sub combo here at HTF in the past and it still represents great value.
Sonos Beam Gen 2
Although the first version of Sonos Beam hit the shelves in 2018, the company returned last year with the Gen 2 variant. Available in both black and white, you can add an optional subwoofer and surround speakers if you choose to build out a more hefty sound stage.
But the key to the $449 spent on the Sonos Gen 2 soundbar is the inclusion of Dolby Atmos, which wasn’t available on the first iteration. As well as embedded left, center, and right speakers, there are two driver arrays at the sides (not facing upwards) which deliver the ceiling effects.
Sonos uses the wizardry of a head-related transfer function (HRTF) to supply the height-based Atmos immersion, which is pretty whacky tech for a sub-$500 soundbar. The results are impressive, to say the least.
Round the back of the compact 25.6-inch enclosure are connections for HDMI eARC and Ethernet for hardwiring to a router. There is Wi-Fi, Apple Airplay 2, and voice control. And the jewel in the crown in the form of the Sonos S2 app lets you run a multi0-room system and access Sonos’s Trueplay in-room calibration software.
The true reward is in the sonic performance, though. The platform makes significant performance strides over the ‘Gen 1’ model. The Sonos is capable of natural music interpretation and a class-leading sense of immersion from multi-channel sources.
Throw in the excellent build quality and great set of features, and you will find there is plenty to like here.
Best Mid-to-High Price Soundbars of 2023
Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3
With stunning sound and no obvious need to add a subwoofer, B&W’s top-of-the-range Panorama 3 is a great option if your budget extends to the one-grand mark.
Onboard you get 400 watts of amplification to power a 3.1.2 sound field. The innards comprise 13 drivers in total: 6 x 2-inch glass fiber midrange cones, 2 x 2-inch glass fiber Dolby Atmos and 3 x 0.75-inch titanium dome tweeters.
They’re all housed in a stylish 48-inch enclosure which means you will need some cabinet width under a large flatscreen. The product does arrive with wall-mount hardware, though.
The Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 cabinet is surrounded by an attractive acoustically transparent fabric with a steel gauze top, which should easily complement a modern décor-friendly home.
The B&W Music App will get you network-ready so you can control and channel your hi-res content from Deezer, Qobuz, and Tidal to the lengthy bar. Connections include HDMI eARC, optical, and Ethernet inputs. You also get Bluetooth aptX and Amazon Alexa voice control.
A good list of features rounds out this ‘all-in-one’ solution. There’s Dolby Atmos immersive audio and a competent 5.1 up mixer for giving two-channel sources a lift.
The B&W Panorama 3 is capable of exquisite music reproduction and bold and loud movie playback. The soundbar does a great job of spreading music and sound effects wide and with cinematic aplomb.
Sony HT-A7000
The feature-rich Sony HT-A7000 makes its presence felt with stunning audio output and 51-inch width. You have to assume customers will have at least a 60-inch TV to make this beast look at home.
Loaded with connectivity options such as HDMI eARC, a useful set of 2 x HDMI 2.1 inputs, optical, USB, and Ethernet, there is little Sony left to the imagination. Voice control from Alexa and Google Assistant complement streaming platforms Chromecast and Apple Airplay 2.
But the onboard 7.1.2 driver configuration will happily deliver your favorite surround codecs Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. If you have a compatible Sony Bravia TV, the Acoustic Center Sync option lets you route a center channel into the display’s built-in drivers.
The HT-A7000 produces a convincingly spacious and height-oriented soundstage. The subwoofer also impresses with high-octane but controlled bass extension.
While scoring points for robust movie performance, the A7000 sounds detailed and alluring on music sources, too. You won’t need more speakers to enhance the package. All in all, this is a fine outing from Sony and one that will put you right in the hot seat for action movies, multi-channel sources, and music.
Best High-Range Soundbars of 2023
Samsung HW-990B
When you start heading towards the lofty $2k price tag, you rightfully expect to earn some return on your investment. Luckily, Samsung steps up with the HW-990B.
The combo ships with the bar, two wireless surround speakers, and a wireless subwoofer. 21 drivers make up the 11.1.4 channel configuration. Even the onboard power claims 656 watts in total, so there should be plenty of welly to fill out your living room.
Samsung offers the SpaceFit calibration system with a built-in microphone to optimize performance in your space.
The Samsung HW-990B comes with a sleek and attractive remote control. The features read like a wish list for the future. As well as HDMI eARC, there are two HDMI inputs and an optical port.
There is support for Dolby Atmos (including wirelessly with Dolby Digital Plus from compatible Samsung TVs) and DTS: X. You also get Samsung’s Q Symphony which will play sound from the soundbar and a compatible TV. Voice control is included, thanks to Alexa, and there is Apple Airplay 2 and Samsung’s home-grown app control.
As you would hope from the price, the 990B revels in movie soundtracks, with excellent effects placement and seamless front/rear/height audio transitions. The bass is both tight and thunderous. If you are thinking of upgrading to this level, the Samsung is nicely designed, replete with features, and capable of impressive sonics.
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max
Sennheiser has knocked the ball out of the park with the Ambeo Soundbar Max. But it’s expensive and is not the easiest device to place in the home. It will require some planning.
When forking out this much cash for a soundbar, you also need to consider whether you might get more out of going down the separate routes with a receiver and speakers.
The Ambeo leviathan weighs nearly 41 lbs and Sennheiser recommends that two people should carry it. It’s also 5.5 inches tall, so keep that in mind for your TV sightlines.
The 13 drivers, which face forward, sideways, and upwards, produce a 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos sound field. Audio formats supported include DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS 96/24, so there are plenty of high-resolution options for purists.
You would hope for nothing less in terms of available mod cons for the price. Wi-Fi is a given, but you also get streaming platform support from Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect.
Inputs on the back are extensive, but the port access is hampered by an awkward alcove that will require lifting the unit to make changes to the wiring.
Sennheiser uses the Ambeo processing mixer to create phantom speakers from all sources. The package also comes with a microphone for the onboard auto-calibration procedure. This is just skimming the surface; the Ambeo’s list of features is long.
By incorporating top-notch – and large – drivers, the Sennheiser presents an authentic and engaging sound field with weight and accuracy. Immersive audio processing delivers an astounding orb of realism, while dialogue remains natural and focused. Bass is coherent from both music and movie sources.
Devialet Dione & Devialet Remote
You can hardly mistake the Devialet Dione. The French manufacturer’s debut 5.1.2 soundbar is characterized by its signature ORB rotatable and spherical center channel speaker. No fewer than eight internal subwoofers are baked into the cabinet, so the Dione promises some serious performance.
With 17 ‘high-end’ drivers to boot, this luxury soundbar boasts five ground channels, one subwoofer channel, and two ceiling-bound channels for 3D audio.
Devialet says its secret sauce is embedded in the onboard ‘intelligence processor’ which combines signal processing with amplification for optimal performance results. The Dione’s SPACE tech will up-res your streamed video sources from stereo to 5.1.2 sound fields.
The Dione takes wireless capabilities in its stride. You can connect with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, or via casting platforms Airplay 2 and Spotify Connect. But note that while you can use Devialet’s commendable app, there is no included remote control.
If you would rather pass on the standard black shell, there is a striking Opéra de Paris gold version for lovers of chintz.
The dynamics and gusto delivered by the Dione belie the size of this single block of electronics. The bass response is deep-seated and punchy. Dialogue is crystal clear and music chops are equally as assured as the stunning movie output.
As is often the case with soundbars, keep in mind that there are no rear speakers with this package, so you may miss that extra surround dimension. Although there is onboard Dolby Atmos, notable in its absence is DTS:X support.
How to Choose the Best Soundbars
Many soundbars have wireless connectivity and Bluetooth support. And the must-have now is HDMI ARC or eARC, which directs sound from the TV to the bar, while also allowing you to control the volume from your TV remote.
While some of the products we look at here include Dolby Atmos immersive audio, most budget models come with 2.0 or 2.1 channels. 3D audio codecs like Dolby Atmos enable sounds to feel like they’re coming from above you. This is usually achieved by including upward-facing drivers built into the soundbar.
Soundbars aren’t just for movies either. If you’re a gamer or sports fan, you will benefit from the extra scale and directionality that a good unit can bring to the table.
Some soundbars have extra HDMI connections on the back if you’re short of inputs on your TV. You can also add some soundbars to whole-home music and TV wireless ecosystems.
But how do you choose the right soundbar for your home theater? We’ve done the work for you and picked 10 soundbars in different price ranges with good performance per dollar spent.
Martin, a seasoned journalist and AV expert, has written for several notable print magazines. He’s served in key roles at Lucasfilm’s THX Division, NEC’s digital cinema division, and has even consulted for DreamWorks. Despite his illustrious career, Martin remains rooted in his passion for cinema and acting, with notable appearances in several Spielberg films, Doctor Who, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. He currently resides in San Francisco.
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