The best soundbars for 2025: My top picks for theater-quality audio at home

Yahoo

21-03-2025

Psst! Your TV has terrible speakers! I know, it's crazy, seemingly at odds with its stunning 4K HDR picture, but it's true. The blame lies with simple physics: There's just not enough room inside the cabinet to accommodate anything but small, underpowered hardware. And that's why you're often struggling to catch what Dame Prue Leith is saying on The Great British Baking Show. Fortunately, there's an easy fix: add one of our best-soundbar picks. These compact but powerful speaker arrays will make TV audio bigger and better, while also improving the clarity of voices — meaning you'll never miss a moment of Prue's saucy wit.
More good news: You don't need to spend a lot of money to land a great audio upgrade. There are some solid soundbars priced $150 or less and great ones under $300. Make no mistake, you may need to spend a bit more if you have a big room to fill and want the added power of a subwoofer, rear satellites and Dolby Atmos speakers.
But in our newly updated list, we're definitely leaning more into affordability. Just as there are some amazing Apple AirPods Pro alternatives priced $100 and less, so are there sweet soundbars that won't break the bank.
Also, keep scrolling past the reviews for answers to commonly asked questions (like whether Dolby Atmos is really that big a deal).
Best overall soundbar for 2025
Other top soundbars we recommend for 2025
Other soundbars we've tested
Factors to consider when choosing a soundbar
How we tested
FAQs
Specs comparison chart
Read more:
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The best outdoor speakers to pump up your party jams
The best streaming devices
Update Mar. 21, 2025: We checked all product prices and availability and added a handy specs chart below. Our number one pick for the best overall soundbar remains unchanged.
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Below you'll find sound systems that we tested and liked, but for one reason or another are no longer part of our "best" roster. Some have been supplanted by newer iterations; others may not be affordable for some buyers. But they're still worth investigating, especially if you can get a deal (which is often the case with older or discontinued hardware).
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The most important "feature" is the soundbar itself; everything else is just gravy. That said, if you have aging ears, some kind of dialogue- or voice-boosting capability can make a big difference. Luckily, nearly every product here offers that in one form or another.
Room size: Does size matter? As with most speakers, the larger the soundbar, the bigger and better the audio quality is likely to be. From a décor standpoint, a compact soundbar might look a little awkward sitting in front of a big TV, and vice versa. For example, I wouldn't pair the Roku Streambar with a 75-inch screen.
Soundbar height: One often-overlooked consideration is height. If the soundbar is going to park directly in front of your TV, make sure it's not so tall as to block the latter's infrared receiver. That would block signals from the TV's remote, a fairly significant issue.
HDMI port: It's not critical, but if your TV has an HDMI ARC or eARC port (most modern ones do), I recommend choosing a soundbar that has an HDMI port as well. Among other things, that pairing simplifies controlling the soundbar's volume using your TV's remote — an important usability consideration. (Juggling multiple remotes is not my idea of fun.) You may be able to do this via an optical connection as well, but the HDMI option also helps you hear soundbar audio from any other sources connected to the TV, like a game console, streamer or cable box. It's necessary for Dolby Atmos as well (see below).
Connectivity: If you're looking for a fully wireless option, most modern soundbars support Bluetooth, though not all TVs do. My advice is to go wired, as you'll ensure the best audio quality and avoid possible audio-video synchronization issues. (You can still use the Bluetooth feature, and possibly Wi-Fi as well, to stream music from your phone or tablet.)
Subwoofers and satellites: For purposes of this roundup, I've chosen only those additional speakers that connect wirelessly to the soundbar. They still need AC power, meaning extension cords may be required, depending on where you're placing everything. But in most cases, they'll connect and synchronize automatically, making this a fairly plug-and-play arrangement.
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Here's the thing: Every soundbar here sounds good, if not great. Obviously, overall audio quality is important, but I believe we're starting from a high baseline: Any of these products will noticeably improve your sound experience.
So instead of delving into highly subjective sound tests and confusing terminology, I focused on real-world considerations like these:
How good is the instruction manual? Is it clear and detailed, with print that's large enough to read without a magnifying glass?
How's the remote? Is it laid out logically, with reasonably sized buttons that are labeled clearly?
Does the soundbar have a useful front-panel display that shows volume levels and/or mode settings?
Speaking of modes, is it easy to switch between TV audio and Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (for listening to music)?
Are there any senior-friendly features like dialogue enhancement and voice controls?
All the soundbars were tested with a Roku Pro Series TV. I played movies such as Godzilla Minus One, All Quiet on the Western Front and Despicable Me, along with TV shows like Andor, Survivor and The Old Man. Let me just say it again: You can't go wrong with any of these.
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True to its name, a soundbar is basically a group of speakers contained in a long, low-profile cabinet. The advantage is that it can usually sit right in front of the TV, or below it if it's wall-mounted. There may be other speakers in the mix as well for a full speaker system, including a subwoofer combo (which is very nice to have, as it provides the bass needed for more well-rounded sound) and, in some cases, side and/or rear speakers (aka satellites) to create a surround sound experience.
There's an option for every budget. If you want to splurge, it's easy to spend $500 or $1,000 or more on a fancy system with a big subwoofer and wireless rear speakers. But even an inexpensive soundbar, one priced below $200 or even $100, will dramatically improve your TV viewing (and listening) experience.
A standalone soundbar is usually quite easy to install: Just plug it into an AC outlet and then connect it to your TV. However, if you're not electronics-savvy, take note that many of the products here arrive with very basic setup guides and limited instructions. Often you'll be directed to online manuals and/or videos, which can be challenging if you're viewing them on your phone.
For example, although the Sonos Arc is fairly easy to install, it comes with barely any printed documentation. You'll have to install the Sonos app and create an account to complete the setup process, and any additional help must be found online.
In most installations, you'll need to adjust your TV speaker settings so the audio gets directed to just the soundbar. Some TVs will do that automatically when such speakers are detected, especially if there's an HDMI-eARC port. If not, it's usually pretty easy to find the necessary audio settings in the TV's menus.
There's often a step or two required to make your TV remote recognize the soundbar system. For this you may have to consult both the soundbar and TV instruction manuals — and remember that one or both may live online. If you tend to struggle with tech stuff, consider researching all this before you make your purchase, the better to avoid obstacles or surprises during setup.
The simplest explanation: Dolby Atmos is simulated surround-sound, the goal being to more fully immerse you in audio without the need for side and rear speakers. (There's another term for this: spatial audio.) How well this works depends on a number of factors, including room size and shape, where you sit in the room, the source material and the capabilities of the soundbar itself.
Some higher-end models, including the Sonos Arc Ultra, add up-firing speakers to the mix, effectively bouncing sound off the ceiling.
My two cents: It's a nice feature to have, but keep in mind that not all movies and TV shows take advantage of the technology, and different streaming services "deliver" it differently. In the end, I'm not convinced Atmos is a must-have for the average viewer.
Your TV must have an HDMI eARC port, and the soundbar must be connected to that port. Atmos cannot be transmitted across a regular HDMI or HDMI ARC port, nor via an optical connection.
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Dimensions
Connectivity
No. of embedded speakers
Dolby Atmos?
Subwoofer?
Hisense AX5125H Soundbar
2.4" x 36.2" x 3.5"
HDMI (x2), Bluetooth, optical
9
Yes
Yes
Sony HT-S100F Soundbar
2.5" x 35.5" x
3.5"
HDMI, Bluetooth, optical
2
No
No
Roku Streambar
2.4" x 14" x 4.2"
HDMI, Bluetooth, optical, Ethernet (with USB adapter)
4
No
Optional
Vizio SV210D-0806 All-in-One Soundbar
2.6" x 36" x 4.7"
HDMI, Bluetooth
4
Yes
2 (embedded)
Sonos Arc Ultra Soundbar
3.1" x 46.1" x 4.3"
HDMI, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
14
Yes
No
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