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Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Don't Want to Spend Big Bucks for a Surround-Sound System? These Soundbars Are a Great Alternative.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." A soundbar is a must-have sound upgrade for almost any new TV. Due to their ultra-thin design, today's television sets can't physically accommodate large speaker units, frequently falling short in delivering a sound that's worthy of the beautiful visuals they provide. High-quality speakers need space, which, unlike old-school sets whose tube screen made them double as large pieces of furniture, modern TVs don't offer. Thankfully, a soundbar bring better sound for your onscreen content. These products' multiple speaker units and wireless connectivity also make them great for enjoying audio content without powering up your TV. Because ultra-thin TVs have long been the standard for mainstream consumers, today's market is jam-packed with soundbars in all price points—from affordable to premium. Between form factors, hardware specs, and audio capabilities, there's a lot to consider. To help you find the best soundbar for your needs and budget, I spent months testing high-rated models from leading brands. The Best Soundbars in 2025 Best Overall: Sonos Arc Ultra Best Value: Klipsch Flexus CORE 200 Best Budget: Polk Audio Signa S2 Best Compact: Bose Smart Soundbar Best for Audiophiles: Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 How I Tested Soundbars I've been testing audio gear, including soundbars, since 2011. To put the ones on this list through their paces, I spent weeks with each one as my primary source of home audio entertainment, connecting it to my TV. I streamed movies, series, and live sports, especially Dolby Atmos-enhanced content, from Netflix, Prime Video, Max, and Hulu, among other leading platforms. Of course, I also streamed an eclectic selection of music to every soundbar. In addition to scrutinizing the bass, treble, and mid-range audio capabilities of each product, I paid particular attention to its dialogue clarity. I looked for options to adjust both the sound and the voice delivery in each device. With all of the above in mind, enjoy better sound at home with one of the soundbars I vouch for Ultra $999.00 at The Sonos Arc Ultra—the audio brand's range-topping soundbar—is the best for most consumers, with exceptional audio performance across the board, straightforward setup, and intuitive controls. As a Sonos product, the Arc Ultra easily integrates into an existing setup of speakers from the same manufacturer. Better yet, linking the device to a Sonos Sub and a pair of rear Era 100 or Era 300 speakers can create a full surround sound system that rivals your local movie theater. Equipped with fourteen audio drivers, the Sonos Arc Ultra performed up to the heavy expectations set by its price tag. I was equally impressed by its powerful bass output, crisp treble, and dialogue clarity. I like that the soundbar can seamlessly connect to the excellent Sonos Ace headphones to deliver multi-dimensional sound without disturbing others. Using the app, I was also able to adjust the sound and treble intensity, as well as enhance the speech by choosing from four levels. Achieving the right placement for the speaker was intuitive as well. The Sonos app utilized my phone's built-in microphones to tailor the soundbar's sound for my living room. The process took only a couple of minutes. Sonos offers the Arc Ultra in black or white. The optional speakers for expanding the setup are available in matching CORE 200 $549.99 at The Klipsch Flexus CORE 200 is the best pick for buyers who want a soundbar for under $500. The product lacks Wi-Fi connectivity, unlike my pricier suggestions, which is a downside. Still, its agreeable price, stylish looks, and solid audio performance make it worthy of your attention. Sound-wise, the first thing that impressed me about the Klipsch Flexus CORE 200 was its thunderous bass, powered by a duo of 4-inch subwoofers. Their low-end output brought a welcome touch of excitement to any on-screen content, from films to video games, making it more engaging. Needless to say, I loved listening to bass-heavy downtempo tracks on the soundbar over a Bluetooth link. The Klipsch Connect companion app offers a robust selection of sound customization tools, including a graphic equalizer and an option to enhance scenes with dialogue. A night mode is also available, which tones down the bass to minimize disturbance to others. Given the low-end power of the Flexus CORE 200, the functionality is a welcome addition to its feature set. You can expand the Flexus CORE 200 into a surround sound system via an additional Klipsch subwoofer and surround sound speakers, all while keeping your budget in three-digit territory. The subwoofer features a 10-inch speaker that perfectly complements the soundbar's already powerful S2 $199.00 at The Polk Audio Signa S2 is the soundbar to get if you are looking for a TV audio upgrade on a tight budget. For roughly $200, it offers an impressively slim profile and great sound for the money. Unlike the rest of my picks, the affordably priced Signa S2 comes with a bundled wireless subwoofer, which adds value to the package. When it comes to audio performance, the Polk Audio Signa S2 predictably falls short compared to more expensive soundbars. The product lacks Dolby Atmos support and the upward-facing audio drivers required for a true spatial audio experience. That said, the device's four built-in audio drivers produce respectable, though less immersive, virtual surround sound that's infinitely more enjoyable than what other TVs' onboard speakers offer. The same goes for the entertaining bass rumble from the included subwoofer. I like the low-key design of the Polk Audio Signa S2 soundbar, as well as its compact and intuitive bundled remote control. The essential accessory's convenient buttons include dedicated keys for adjusting the bass and the voice Soundbar $549.00 at The Smart Soundbar by Bose is my top pick for small spaces. Measuring just a tad over 27 inches wide, the product has an impressively compact footprint without skimping on features and performance. Of course, the Smart Soundbar is also upgradeable into a surround sound system via an optional bass module and surround speakers. The device's five-speaker setup includes a pair of upward-facing units for multi-dimensional Dolby Atmos sound. Experiencing the latter while streaming enhanced content made me feel like I was using a bigger soundbar. Thanks to proprietary Bose technology, the soundbar made standard audio content sound more entertaining, if not quite as captivating as Dolby Atmos sound. In addition to impressing me with sound that belies its size, the Bose offering excelled at clearly reproducing scenes that included dialogue. Enabling a dedicated AI mode for voice enhancement in the Bose app helped significantly with this challenging task. The app also helped me customize the sound and connect more speakers to the Smart Soundbar. Another reason I recommend the Bose Smart Soundbar is its excellent set of wireless connectivity features. The Wi-Fi-enabled device can stream from any smartphone, computer, or tablet, thanks to Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, and Google Chromecast Theater Bar 8 $848.00 at Sony's Bravia Theater Bar 8 soundbar, in addition to providing cinema-grade sound to complement any TV, can also stream audio in lossless formats. This standout feature makes the product a particularly exciting upgrade option for audiophiles who plan to use their soundbar as a high-fidelity standalone speaker, rather than just an essential TV companion. The Bar 8 can even eke out more detail from lower-quality audio through sophisticated upscaling technology. Of all the soundbars I tested, the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 offered the highest level of detail, with 11 onboard speakers and spacial-mapping technology that mimics a surround-sound system setup. Plus, it was easy to optimize sound for my space via the app. Unsurprisingly, the Bravia Theater Bar 8 integrates particularly well with Sony's latest TVs. If you already own one, it's your best bet. Budget and space permitting, you can expand the Bar 8 into a surround sound system by adding a subwoofer and rear speakers. The pricier Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 is an even better option for audiophiles. Its wider footprint and 13 integrated speakers bring an even more powerful sound that's worth the premium, especially if you set it up in a larger space. What to Consider Sound Dolby Atmos is the most important audio feature to look for in a soundbar. The spatial audio experience you'll get will make any Dolby Atmos-enhanced content you watch, from blockbuster movies to live sports, more lifelike. The audio standard is widely available on all streaming services, so don't skip it unless you are shopping on a super tight budget. Look for a soundbar with upward-facing audio drivers to get the best Dolby Atmos experience. Some lower-cost models can deliver virtual Dolby Atmos without the upward-firing speakers, but I really recommend spending a bit more to get a properly equipped option. The extra hardware makes a big difference. Speaking of hardware, the number of speakers a soundbar packs is also important to consider while shopping. More audio drivers naturally result in a bigger and more detailed sound with a wider soundstage. Don't settle for less than four audio drivers in a soundbar, even if you are shopping on a tight budget. The channel configuration of a soundbar, although undeniably technical, is also a crucial factor in making a purchasing decision. The essential spec is showcased via three numbers, separated by dots. The first number shows the number of front-facing speakers a soundbar has, the second one measures the downward-facing bass drivers, while the third displays the quantity of upward-facing units (if any). The more audio channels a soundbar has, the more immersive its sound will be. The channel count reflects the number of perceived directions the sound will reach you. Having experienced products across the price spectrum, I can confirm that more expensive soundbars with more audio channels sound noticeably more engaging. Size When not wall-mounted, soundbars should be placed right in front of a TV and underneath its screen, with the second option being the most commonly used setup among consumers. The width of a soundbar is particularly important in such scenarios, so be sure to measure your TV unit to confirm it fits before making a purchase. I learned the importance of this task the hard way a while back. Full-size soundbars measure around 50 inches in width, making them perfectly suitable for a big-screen TV with a 65-inch or larger panel, including 75- and 85-inch options. Smaller ones would suffice if your TV has a 55-inch or smaller screen, or you don't want to overspend on an upgrade. Connectivity HDMI is the default wired connectivity option for all soundbars, regardless of their price tag. Connecting them to a TV is as easy as plugging their bundled cable into its eARC HDMI connector. Fancier soundbars at higher price points feature HDMI 2.1 passthrough connectivity, which allows consumers to connect, say, a high-powered gaming console directly for a more enjoyable sound experience. Wi-Fi connectivity is mandatory for a high-end soundbar. It allows the product to stream higher-quality audio and link with other speakers in a multi-room setup. Soundbars with Wi-Fi also support Apple AirPlay 2 and/or Google Chromecast wireless protocols, making it super easy to stream audio from a phone, tablet, or computer. Additional Features A companion app is standard for most new soundbars. Only budget-friendly ones lack one, but their lower cost makes up for the omission. An app makes setting up a soundbar, customizing its sound, and keeping it up to date with updates easy. I prefer using an app to control a soundbar over a bundled remote control. The essential accessory is curiously not included with Sonos soundbars, but I didn't miss it. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Tom's Guide
11-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
Yes, I have a Bose soundbar. Yes, I just watch 'The Simpsons'. Yes, we exist. Now you can get the same Bose soundbar for $100 off for Prime Day — and today's your last chance
Today's the last day of Prime Day. The last day you're going to be inundated with best discount this and epic savings that. We're tracking the best Prime Day deals live, so head over there if you want to catch discounts on everything from TVs to Lego. Thankfully, the Bose soundbar I use every day is discounted for this year's Prime Day sales. Right now the Bose Smart Soundbar (2024) is $399 at Amazon, a saving of $100 (or $150, if you take its post-tariff MSRP). I actually couldn't live without my Bose soundbar. I may just watch "The Simpsons" and other silly little TV shows, but the Bose Smart Soundbar makes it sound so much better. Oh, and it has AirPlay, so I can play music on Spotify or Qobuz direct from my phone. Neat, huh? The Bose Smart Soundbar is a perfect TV speaker upgrade that also slots right in to your smart home ecosystem. I love being able to play music from my phone and watch TV that sounds epic. The Smart Soundbar is also compatible with Bose's standalone subwoofers and rear speakers so can be upgraded with time. It's got a 3.0.2 channel setup and is capable of Dolby Atmos too (but would sound even better with a separate subwoofer). No, this is not its lowest price. The Bose Smart Soundbar (2024) has dropped as low as $329 before. But that was last year, when its MSRP was $499. Unfortunately, in May, the Bose Smart Soundbar increased to $549 — I wonder why? Anyway... it dropped back down to $499 just before Prime Day, so hopefully $499 is the permanent MSRP now. $399 is still an excellent deal for this soundbar though. Most soundbars sound terrible when playing music, but not the Bose Smart Soundbar. It's by far the best soundbar for music I've ever tested. It's also beyond easy to play music direct from Spotify or Qobuz as the soundbar has AirPlay. When I was testing the Bose Smart Soundbar, I watched 4K UHD Blu-rays to test its Dolby Atmos performance. You can rest assured that I tested it properly before taking it home and just watching "The Simpsons" like a little gremlin. In my Bose Smart Soundbar review, I wrote, "In the opening scene [of Top Gun: Maverick], the clinking of metal as the jets landed and took off were clear. These quiet, high-frequency sound effects were clearer than the Polk Signa S4. The Bose Smart Soundbar's treble is super clear on default settings, and the whooshing of rope sounds were balanced and audible over 'Danger Zone'." Yes, there are technically better soundbars out there. But for me, the Bose Smart Soundbar is perfect. It sounds awesome for watching TV (and movies on streaming services) and plays music well. What more could I ask for? We're running our Amazon Prime Day live blog until the end of the sale, so be sure to check that out for last minute savings. Make sure to check out what freebies you can get this Prime Day before it's too late!
Tom's Guide
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
No, a $67 soundbar isn't going to perform like Sonos — but this one actually surprised me
Right off the bat, let's make one thing very clear. Many of the best soundbars cost an arm and a leg, and for good reason. To get expansive, room-filling sound powerful enough to rival your local IMAX at home, it's gonna cost you. For example, the Sonos Arc Ultra features a massive 9.1.4 channel setup with virtual Dolby Atmos surround, which is probably as close as you can get to home theater (without breaching prosumer territory). However — and that's a big however — the Sonos Arc Ultra is also one thousand big ones. Yep — $999 for a soundbar. Heck, even the semi-basic Bose Smart Soundbar I personally own is $499. Now more than ever, that just feels difficult to reach for most people. So when I found the Majority Naga 60 soundbar for $67 (not a typo, yes, just sixty-seven), I knew I had to test it out. Obviously a $67 soundbar is never going to be a Sonos or Bose rival, but I was actually pleasantly surprised. And here's why. Although it doesn't have mind-blowing sound, for $67, can you really complain? With a little EQ fiddling, the Naga 60 soundbar actually really impressed me. Its imitation-Dolby Atmos was surprisingly room-filling, and there's even a subwoofer out for building a home theater. I'll preface this by saying obviously this soundbar doesn't have Dolby Atmos. It's $67. It's a 2.1 channel soundbar. The Majority Naga 60 has no true immersive 360° audio whatsoever — neither do many of the best cheap soundbars. So why did it almost sound like it does? When I was watching 'Stranger Things' (as one does when Stranger Things's fifth and final season is due later this year), I truly felt like I was in the scene. During sections with walkie-talkies, the dialogue sounded as if it was coming from all around me. Don't get me wrong, the Naga 60 isn't perfect. It struggles with female voices and super low bass (but more on the subwoofer out in a second). However, it performs considerably better than TV speakers, so it's most definitely a worthy upgrade from a TV. If you've got a Samsung TV, though, may I point you in the direction of the Samsung HW-B650? It has a 3.1 channel setup and although it's $249, it is an utterly mesmerizing soundbar + subwoofer combo. Although this is a very cheap soundbar, it has a premium feature that some other big-name brands lack: a subwoofer out. This means you can get a third-party subwoofer (wired only) and connect it up to the Naga 60 for a bassier setup. Of course, the soundbar doesn't have extra outputs for surround speakers, so the setup would remain a 2.1 channel, but it's a very respectable start to a home theater setup. Interestingly, the $99 Sony HT-S100F soundbar doesn't have a subwoofer out, nor does the $99 Majority Elias. So if you're a TV/AV newbie and you want to dip your toe in the proverbial water, then I think the Naga 60 is a pretty decent starter soundbar. On top of having a subwoofer out, the Naga 60 is a Bluetooth soundbar. I was able to link up to my phone and Spotify app to play music, so it doubles up as a speaker in a pinch. However, if you've got a little extra $$$ to spare, then I recommend the Polk Signa S4 as the number one entry-level home theater setup. It has 3.1.2 channel setup with a wireless subwoofer, and while its MRSP is considerably higher than the super-budget Naga 60, it's utterly phenomenal. Given the extremely low price, obviously some corners have been cut — some sacrifices have been made. In the Majority Naga 60's case, these sacrifices are threefold: 1) it's got an annoying, fiddly setup, 2) its semi-ugly bulky design, and 3) its sound comes ever-so-close to Tinny City. Tinny City isn't a real place — it's just something I made up to describe cheap low-quality audio gear. You know, when poor drivers or speakers transform previously-vibrant bass and mids into flat, lifeless sound and make your eardrums rattle, like someone's shaking a tin can around inside your brain? That. Thankfully, avoiding tinniness is relatively easy on the Naga 60 — just put the soundbar on 'movie' mode and activate '3D sound'. Don't touch these settings, ever. I can assure you that any other sound mode will make you think I'm crazy for even suggesting this soundbar is good. Another issue is the frustrating setup. I couldn't get the soundbar to work upon initial unboxing, so I had to reach out to Majority itself. An engineer instructed me to fiddle with my TV settings (I discuss exactly how to do this in my Majority Naga 60 review), and ta-da! It worked. Finally, the design. I find pretty much all soundbars relatively ugly (except the Marshall Heston 120), but the Naga 60 is a little extra ugly. It's bulky and weirdly tall. However, this is a worthy tradeoff for costing literally $67.
Tom's Guide
22-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
I use the Bose Smart Soundbar every single day — and it's $100 off in Amazon's Memorial Day sale
I'm scouring the web for the best Memorial Day sales, and boy have I found a scorcher. I've found the soundbar I personally use every single day for a massive $100 off. I actually love my Bose Smart Soundbar, and I'd love it even more for just $400. Currently, you can get the Bose Smart Dolby Atmos Soundbar for $399 at Amazon. Soundbars can be super expensive. Trust me — I test enough of them! Thankfully, that also means I know which ones are good and which ones aren't. And I honestly feel like Bose soundbars don't go on sale enough. Of all the soundbars I've tested, the Bose Smart Soundbar is the one I wanted to keep. Because it's a smart product, it links perfectly to my home Wi-Fi, which means I can connect it up with my Google Nest and my Spotify account for instant playback. The second-to-none interconnectivity is why I love my Bose Smart Soundbar. Some of the best soundbars can go for up to $1,000 for just the soundbar itself. Others include a subwoofer for around $1,500. So it's an amazing deal when you can get a big-name soundbar like Bose for just $400. Although I only awarded the Bose Smart Soundbar 3.5 stars in my review, that doesn't make it a bad soundbar. Actually, it makes it a really good soundbar. Why didn't it get 4 stars, I hear you ask? Well, because it's a little pricey for what it is. But for $100 off? Definitely a 4-star product. Without a shadow of a doubt, a $399 price makes the Bose Smart Soundbar a competitive product. As I mentioned earlier, the Bose Smart Soundbar has second-to-none home integration. Not only does it link up to other Bose gear seamlessly (so if you have the open earbuds or a Bose subwoofer, for example), it links up to practically everything in my house seamlessly. I can jump from the TV, watching YouTube with the soundbar, to playing music from my phone or my Google Nest. Now let's chat about sound. So the Bose Smart Soundbar has a 3.0.2 setup, meaning it has a left, right, and center channel speaker, no subwoofer, and two height speakers. This means it is capable of near-true Dolby Atmos (you'd need a sub for true Dolby Atmos), but won't have proper thumping bass. I found this setup more than enough for everyday TV watching. Actually, when my TV is disconnected from the soundbar, I actively wince hearing the tinny, nasty TV speakers. There's one major flaw with the Bose Smart Soundbar, and it's that it's ruined me for TV speakers. I can never go back to no soundbar now. Although it's not as adept as, say, the JBL Bar 1300X — it's literally $1,000 cheaper. If you want a soundbar that integrates seamlessly with your Spotify and other smart home gear, then the Bose Smart Soundbar is a fantastic choice. I chose this one for a reason. The Bose Smart Soundbar makes my life infinitely better, and I never want to let it go.
