Owning one of the best soundbars is the best way to upgrade your home cinema with very little headache, and there's zero competition. Although serious hi-fi nerds poo-poo soundbars, some people don't have the time, space, or patience to deal with AVRs, floorstanders, wall-mounted speakers, and the like. Sometimes a soundbar is all you want.

And boy, have I got the soundbar for you: the KEF XIO. The XIO is KEF's first foray into the home theater market, and it's a bullseye. Almost everything about this soundbar is excellent: the sound is seriously cinematic, it has powerful bass, and ridiculous Dolby Atmos. The main downside is the app, but if you're not the kind of person who uses soundbar apps, this will be a non-issue.

Here's why I recommend the KEF XIO for everyone willing to invest in their home sound — and how you can save £200/20% right now.

Sound as immersive as a movie theater

The KEF XIO is one of the most impressive soundbars I've ever tested, sonically. It has enviable width and height and makes movies come alive. I tested the soundbar with 4K UHD Blu-rays and standard 5.1 content on streaming services, and everything sounded excellent.

In my 4-star review, I wrote, "Dolby Atmos performance is utterly fantastic, especially in "Top Gun: Maverick". Every single flying scene had unbeatable height and width, and the planes seemed to fly over my head. I was incredibly impressed with this."

Certain movies were just made to be used with soundbars like this, and "Top Gun: Maverick" is one of them. If you grab this soundbar, you will not be disappointed if you use it with the right media.

I added, "Flying scenes sounded outrageously good; the bass rumbled in my chest when the jets took off". I could feel the planes moving around the room, could feel the engines in my chest, could hear the radio dialogue coming from behind me. I was seriously, seriously impressed with this soundbar.

The KEF XIO has a 5.1.2 channel configuration, which means it has five front- and up-firing speakers, one built-in subwoofer, and two side-firing speakers (that act as surrounds). This configuration is what gives that genuine Dolby Atmos performance — you want at least 3.1.2.

Another reason why the XIO sounds so good is its built-in, automatic calibration. KEF uses Intelligent Placement Technology built into the XIO. The soundbar uses microphones to map out your room (imagine a robot vacuum mapping out its territory) and then optimizes its sound based on things like placement height, wall size, and ceiling height.

Automatic calibration is a must-have if you want to get the very best out of your soundbar: the JBL Bar 1300X is also capable of this, as is Klipsch's Flexus line.

Save £200 if you're in the U.K.

For my fellow Brits, you can save £200 on the KEF XIO right now. It's not a discount, per se; more of a long-term reward. If you purchase before July 2nd, you get £200 cashback.

If you're in the U.S., you can save when you buy the XIO with a subwoofer and receiver — so a $3,399 purchase becomes $2,679. This isn't as good a deal as the U.K.'s — what if you don't want the subwoofer and receiver? — but I'll be on the lookout for Amazon deals.

KEF is also offering this discount for the following: Kube 8 MIE, Kube 10 MIE, Kube 12 MIE, KC62, but I haven't used these subwoofers, so I can't vouch for them. I can, however, vouch for the XIO — it is one of the most immersive, room-filling soundbars I've ever had the pleasure of testing.

Every sound effect was crystal-clear, every line of dialogue was pronounced and audible. As I've discussed above, the Dolby Atmos performance was seriously impressive and made me feel like I was at the movies.

If you can afford it, you won't be disappointed by the KEF XIO. It officially stole my heart.

We're tracking all the best Prime Day soundbar deals

The KEF XIO is one of the best soundbars I’ve ever had the pleasure of using. Review over, that’s me done for the day. I jest, I jest — but seriously, if you want the best single-product home cinema experience possible, you’ll want to know about the KEF XIO.

At 23 pounds, almost 50 inches long, and 6.5 inches deep, this is a pretty hefty soundbar. You’ll ideally want at least a 55-inch TV (if not bigger) and a large entertainment unit or TV stand to house it. But if you’ve got those things, a 4K Blu-ray player to take full advantage of the immense sound, and $2,500? Then, yes, you will not be disappointed by the KEF XIO.

I knocked off a star for some app connectivity issues, which I’ll go into later on, but if you’re all about getting the best home sound without fiddling around with playback modes, you’ll want to find out more in this KEF XIO review.

KEF XIO review: Specs

KEF XIO review: Price & availability

The KEF XIO is a whopping $2,499 from Amazon U.S. and £1,999 from Richer Sounds and Sevenoaks in the U.K..

This is a premium soundbar with premium sound to match. If $2,499 is a little out of your price range but you still want a “best of the best” home cinema setup, I’d recommend checking out the JBL Bar 1300X ($1,799), or the Samsung QS750F ($899).

I’ve also tested the Yamaha True X Surround 90A ($3,499), which is the best Dolby Atmos soundbar I’ve ever reviewed. However, it’s an eye-watering $1,000 more expensive than the KEF XIO, so I’d recommend the XIO over the True X Surround 90A.

KEF XIO review: Design

The KEF XIO is a long, heavy soundbar. You’ll need a 55” TV at minimum, or else it'll look at little odd having such a huge soundbar underneath. I tested it with a 55” Amazon Ember QLED, and it was almost too small. I’d recommend a 60-incher and up.

As you might expect for $2,499, the KEF XIO is fantastically well-made, with a minimalistic yet modern appearance. There’s a nice mesh panel that diffuses sibilant treble and looks stylish, and a control panel on the top of the soundbar. It’s available in black or gray — as you can see from the images, I tested gray — and I have no reservations about recommending it based on looks alone.

The KEF XIO has a subwoofer out (alongside a built-in sub), which you can theoretically connect to any compatible subwoofer. KEF offers the KW2 wireless adaptor, which can wirelessly connect any KEF subwoofer to the XIO and the Connect app. You can also get the KEF KC92 ($2,499) which connects to KEF’s smart system without a separate adaptor.

Controls

The remote is much bigger than Samsung, Bose, and Sony’s soundbar remotes. It’s also much more premium-looking than Bose’s remote. It’s not quite as innovative as Samsung’s new solar-powered remotes, but it still looks and feels great.

You can also use the KEF Connect app as a mobile remote (for certain inputs), which I’ll discuss in detail in the ‘App’ section below.

Features

As soon as I set up the XIO with the KEF Connect app — which was seamless and stress-free, phew — the soundbar automatically calibrated itself for my space. If you have particularly discerning ears, I’d recommend getting a soundbar with this calibration software built-in, like the JBL Bar 1300X, the KEF XIO, or the Klipsch Flexus Core 300.

After inputting room size and soundbar height information into the app, the soundbar adjusted itself using built-in microphones and a gyroscope. This is an essential feature if you’re after “perfect” sound quality.

The XIO offers a range of sound-related features, too. Of course, you’ve got the standard EQs: ‘Dialogue’, ‘Night’, ‘Movie’, and ‘Direct’. I pretty much only listened using ‘Movie’, as dialogue was already clear enough. As you’ll find out soon, the KEF XIO’s sound is astronomically good. I have nothing bad to say about the sound.

KEF XIO review: App

The KEF XIO uses KEF Connect, the app also used for KEF speakers like the LSX II ($1,499). The app is easy enough to use, and connecting to the soundbar itself was instantaneous. Some apps are better than others, though, and I feel Samsung’s SmartThings app has more options and is easier to navigate.

Even so, there’s a ton of customization options in KEF Connect — as long as you’re listening in certain playback modes. Weirdly, customization is not available in TV mode, only Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

This is due to HDMI CEC incompatibility, but I connected the XIO to HDMI eARC in two different TVs and had the same issue. I adjusted both TV settings, reset both TV CEC settings, but still, I was unable to control the soundbar via my phone while watching TV.

This is a major issue for such a premium soundbar — and the main thing holding it back from being a 5-star product.

KEF XIO review: Sound quality

I test every soundbar with “Top Gun: Maverick” on 4K UHD Blu-Ray (and then two extras), TV shows on Netflix, and music on Qobuz via AirPlay.

Movies

The KEF XIO is one of the best soundbars I’ve ever used for movies. I have nothing bad to say about the sound quality here.

During "Top Gun: Maverick", I listened with ‘Movie’ and ‘Dialogue’ EQ, but quickly switched back to ‘Movie’. The soundscape was incredibly wide during the first scene; I could feel the planes flying across the room, I could hear the high-frequency diegetic sound effects like whipping ropes and clinking metals without straining. The groovy bass of ‘Danger Zone’ pounded through the soundbar but let the softer sound effects shine.

Dialogue was clear, even without ‘Dialogue’ mode, even during the radio scenes. Flying scenes sounded outrageously good; the bass rumbled in my chest when the jets took off.

Dolby Atmos performance is utterly fantastic, especially in "Top Gun: Maverick". Every single flying scene had unbeatable height and width, and the planes seemed to fly over my head. I was incredibly impressed with this. For $2,499, you’d hope so — but I’m pleased to report that the soundbar is worth it.

I also watched “How to Train Your Dragon (2025)” and “The Running Man (2025)”. During “How to Train Your Dragon”, the soft footsteps across the mossy ground were audible over the choral OST. In one scene, I could hear diegetic murmured chatter from behind me, while the central characters’ conversation was front and center on the mix. The flying scenes were particularly impressive, with the brass-led soundtrack booming through the soundbar without overpowering the on-screen sounds.

In “The Running Man”, I could hear the static hum of the retro TVs and on-screen lights. High-frequency diegetic sound effects like typing, opening doors, and pinging bullets carried across the soundstage well.

Although this movie didn’t have the opportunity for super impressive Dolby Atmos — unlike "Top Gun: Maverick" — I was still immersed in the sound.

TV

To test standard mix, non-Atmos-mixed sound, I watched TV on Netflix and ITVX (a U.K. TV channel like BBC).

I watched “Yellowjackets” on ITVX, a horror/thriller show. The soundtrack has an eerie, string-heavy, bass-heavy production, and I never struggled to hear dialogue over the OST. All the string instruments were clear, with audible vibration in the notes, and a controlled yet propulsive bass response.

Even in basic 2.0 configuration (ITVX’s output), the show sounded fantastic.

I also watched “Yellowjackets” on Paramount+ on 5.1, and the difference was astounding. On Paramount+, the dialogue was richer and warmer, and the high-frequency sound effects were clearer.

While the KEF XIO performs well even with 2.0 channel output, it really shines with 5.1 and above (obviously).

Music

I would best describe music performance as ‘okay’. No soundbar really excels with music — it’s not what they’re designed to do — but the KEF XIO isn’t particularly bad or good.

‘Genesis’ by Grimes had great treble performance; the synth notes tinkled around the room like a glitch-pop fairy powered by Ableton and hallucinogens. Although I longed for a bit more oomph in the bass, I would have no qualms about listening to music like this while cleaning or cooking.

After, I switched genre to rock and played ‘Unravelling’ by Muse. Again, I wanted a touch more bass, but the vocals and synth arpeggios sounded divine. You won’t be filling any floors with music like this, but, again — it’s a soundbar.

For blockbuster movies, and even standard-defintion TV shows, the KEF XIO is a sure-fire winner. It sounds sublime.

KEF XIO review: Verdict

If you’re willing to overlook potential app connectivity issues — I personally never lean towards downloading ‘smart’ apps, so this is a non-issue for me — then you won’t be disappointed with the KEF XIO. This is a mighty, mighty soundbar. It’d be a great centerpiece of your home cinema setup.

The soundbar has enviable width and height, with unbeatable dialogue clarity and powerful bass that doesn’t overpower subtle high-frequency sound effects. The XIO is everything I want in a soundbar, and I have zero reservations about recommend it.

If you can afford it, the XIO is a formidable sonic beast that will mark its territory fearlessly. Can you get similar enough performance for less? Sure. Will those alternatives make you go “Ooh, that sounds so good”? Probably not. It’s gotta be the KEF XIO.

The world of soundbars has gotten a whole lot better over the past few years. The likes of the Sonos Beam Gen 2 have made it easier to get Dolby Atmos and a reasonably vibrant sound without having to spend thousands of dollars. Sony's take on this is the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6.

The Theatre Bar 6 is designed for those who want to cut out the fuss of improving their living room audio. Sure, it doesn't have fancy features like rear speakers, but it still comes with a wireless subwoofer for improved bass, and you can often find it for less than $600. That said, it's lacking some features that some of the best soundbars offer.

Is the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 worth buying, or should you look elsewhere for Atmos? I tested the Bravia Theater 6 Bar to find out.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A compact Dolby Atmos soundbar that comes with a wireless subwoofer
• Who is it for? Folks who want to cut out the fuss of improving their living room audio.
• What does it cost? $699 / £449
• What do we like? Its sleek design and inclusion of a wireless subwoofer
• What don’t we like? The Bar 6 leaves a lot to be desired in the low end and it’s missing wireless features like AirPlay 2.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Price and availability

Sony offers the Bravia Theatre Bar 6 at $699 or £449, which puts it squarely in mid-range territory — comfortably above the budget options, but also far below the high-end alternatives, including some of the options in Sony's lineup.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Design

As a mid-range soundbar, the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 is pretty no-fuss in terms of design and setup. It’s a sleek black bar that measures 37.5 inches wide, 2.6 inches high, and 4.4 inches deep. That's bigger than some of the ultra-compact soundbar models out there, but also more compact than larger models like the Sonos Arc Ultra. It was able to fit between the legs of a 65-inch TV that I tested it with, but only just, and if your TV is smaller, or even if you have a model with narrower leg placement, you might need to move the soundbar in front of those legs instead of between them.

Sony actually includes a set of detachable feet that are designed to sit on the legs of some of its Bravia TVs, which is a nice touch for those in Sony's ecosystem.

On the top of the soundbar are small windows for the up-firing speakers, while the rest of the speakers' drivers fire out towards the front and sides. The front corners are rounded while the back corners are sharper, which is a nice design touch. On the back you'll find HDMI and optical ports, but that's it, apart from a power input. There’s only one HDMI port — so no HDMI passthrough.

The subwoofer offers a similar build quality and overall look to the soundbar, made from the same materials and in the same color. It is a little larger than the subwoofer that comes with some soundbars, but not overly so, measuring 8.31inches wide, 15.31 inches high, and 16.94 inches deep. You'll want to think about where you want to place it in your living room, though.

Last but not least is the remote, which is very simple. It's small and offers controls for power, input, volume, bass volume, night mode, and mute. If you connect your soundbar through HDMI eARC, you probably won't need to use the included remote all that much, as you'll be able to change volume using your TV's remote. But if you do prefer a separate remote for the soundbar, you'll get one, which is nice.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Setup

Setting everything up is incredibly easy. All you do is plug the power in and connect the HDMI port to your TV's HDMI eARC port. If you're using a compatible Sony Bravia TV, it'll detect and connect to it right away, but even if not, when connected through HDMI eARC, your TV should know to output audio to the soundbar.

Setting up the subwoofer is very easy too. All you have to do is plug it in and the soundbar should automatically connect to it without you actually having to do anything.

Once you've connected the soundbar to your TV, you'll want to connect it to the app, and this is very easy as well. You don't even actually have to create an account if you don't want to, though doing so will give you additional controls and features. After you download the Sony Bravia Connect app, you'll be walked through connecting the soundbar to the app through Bluetooth, which took me under one minute, as the app can automatically detect the soundbar and initiate a connection.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Connectivity and controls

One area where the Theatre Bar 6 doesn't quite match up to the competition is in connectivity. Of course, the main way to connect the soundbar is through HDMI eARC — which is how most soundbars connect to TVs these days.

Where it's lacking is in additional connectivity. There's no 3.5mm port for connecting something like a phone through a wired connection. Plus, if you want to connect your phone wirelessly, you're stuck with Bluetooth 5.3 and not a Wi-Fi-based standard like Apple's AirPlay 2 or Google Cast.

Wi-Fi-based connectivity is an area where budget soundbars often compromise, but there are plenty of options in this price range like the Sonos Beam Gen 2, which does have more advanced wireless connectivity for those who want to integrate their soundbar with a multi-room setup. In other words, if you're looking for a soundbar that will work with other speakers for whole-home audio, the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 probably isn't the soundbar for you.

The app in general is pretty bare bones, and that means that you won't get a ton of customization options. You will get controls for things like standby modes and DSEE, but you won't get an EQ that you can use to more finely tune the audio. That's a little disappointing.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Performance

The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 offers a 3.1.2 channel configuration, which includes three front-firing drivers coupled with two up-firing drivers and a wireless subwoofer for the low end. Those up-firing drivers allow it to support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, which isn't necessarily a given in this price range, but also not uncommon.

I found the overall audio response to be quite good. The drivers and their placement made for an immersive sound overall, including for both music and movies. The soundstage was decently wide when listening to music, and while you can certainly get more immersion from systems with rear speakers, I found the height effect on offer by the Theatre Bar 6 to be better than expected for a mid-range soundbar. It helped make the sound effects in Avengers: Endgame more immersive than they otherwise would be, especially when it came to some of the higher-frequency effects during the final fight scene.

Now, to be clear, the height effect that you'll get on the Theatre Bar 6 isn't perfect — and it's not necessarily ultra-convincing when it comes to hearing specific elements in the mix, but you do at least get some immersion from the soundbar when watching movies in Dolby Atmos. In other words, while it definitely adds a sense of height to the mix, it doesn’t quite separate out those elements in a way that might allow you to pinpoint exactly what you’re hearing in those height channels – especially in dense mixes, like the aforementioned final scene in Avengers: Endgame.

The subwoofer definitely helps allow the system to produce deep frequencies compared to systems that don't come with a subwoofer, but I wouldn't say it's the most powerful subwoofer out there, despite its somewhat large size. It can get reasonably loud, but its frequency range is a little limited, meaning that it can sound a little muddy and overly boosted in the low mids and upper bass rather than extending deep into the bass spectrum. That’s especially true in already bass-heavy tracks, like Kendrick Lamar’s Loyalty, in which the bass somewhat overpowered other elements in the track.

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 review: Verdict

The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 is a well-built, decently compact soundbar with a solid audio response overall. It offers good spatial audio for the price, and it's nice that it comes with a subwoofer at all, when plenty of others at this price point don't. That said, the subwoofer leaves a lot to be desired in the low end, and the high frequencies aren't as crisp as I would have liked. On top of that, the soundbar is missing wireless features like AirPlay 2, limiting how much it can integrate with the rest of your speaker ecosystem.

Those things don't mean it's not worth consideration — it just depends what your priorities are. If you want a no-fuss soundbar and don't care much about getting something with Wi-Fi connectivity that can support, then the Bravia Theatre Bar 6 is actually a pretty compelling option. But, if you want more in the way of features, and a slightly better-rounded audio response, then something like the Sonos Beam Gen 2 is worth going for instead — especially as it allows you to add a subwoofer down the line anyway.

LG Sound Suite — a new blend of LG audio hardware and Dolby FlexConnect software — blew me away at CES when I saw it in early January. The technology, though still in its infancy, is going to change the way we think about surround sound as it allows you to place speakers anywhere in your room and get calibrated spatial audio sound tuned to wherever you want to sit.

Part and parcel of the technology is the LG Sound Suite H7 Soundbar. Technically, it’s possible to run the Sound Suite software through an LG C5, G5 OLED or one of LG’s new 2026 TVs, but this soundbar enables any TV with an eARC port to partake in FlexConnect’s … well, flexibility.

As the brains behind the brawn of LG’s new platform, the H7 has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, this best soundbar competitor itself isn’t quite as versatile as the technology driving it. Here’s why.

LG Sound Suite H7 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A Dolby Atmos soundbar that can connect wirelessly to up to four FlexConnect speakers and a subwoofer
• Who is it for? Anyone looking for an alternative to Sonos or Samsung’s all-in-one audio boxes
• What does it cost? $999 / £899
• What do we like? The FlexConnect integration enables you to set up surround speakers anywhere in your room
• What don’t we like? The aforementioned surround speakers don’t come in the box and will set you back an additional $249 apiece

LG Sound Suite H7 review: Price and release date

The LG Sound Suite H7 is one of those rare products that gets announced at CES in early January and then becomes available to buy shortly after the show ends; it went on sale in mid-January 2026 at a launch price of $999 at Best Buy and Amazon.

Of course, if you only buy the soundbar, you’re not really getting Sound Suite’s full functionality — you’ll at least need a few of the Sound Suite M5 or M7 Speakers to go with it. Those will set you back an additional $249 or $399, respectively. Finally, if you want to add a subwoofer to the mix, you’re looking at an additional $599 for the Sound Suite W7 sub.

If you went all-in on a full Sound Suite system, you’re looking at around $3,200 — much more than it would cost for a comparable Dolby Atmos system if you build it piecemeal.

This is similar, in some ways, to how a Sonos system works. You’d start by buying the Sonos Arc Ultra for close to $1,000, then you’d tack on a Sonos Sub Mini ($399), a pair of Sonos Era 300 ($379 apiece) or both. You’ll get a more robust sound that way, but you can see where LG got its Sound Suite pricing model from.

Your other option for a similar setup would be the Samsung HW-Q990F, an 11.1.4 system-in-a-box that includes a subwoofer and two satellite speakers for $1,800. This is the cheaper option, but will offer less flexibility in speaker placement than LG’s new Sound Suite system.

LG Sound Suite H7 review: Design and controls

LG designed the Sound Suite H7 as a 9.1.6-channel soundbar; it’s impressive that LG managed to cram 12 speakers and eight passive radiators into the soundbar’s 47.2 x 2.5 x 5.6 inch chassis. There’s not enough room between those speakers to truly feel like distinct channels — an issue I’ll cover more when we talk about its performance — but it certainly packs a punch.

Spin it around to the backside and you’ll see the port…er, ports, technically because there are two of them. Only two of them. There’s the HDMI-In port that you’ll connect via a cable to the TV and a USB 3.0 port that can be used to host local media.

There are no other ports here. No optical audio (likely omitted because Dolby Atmos requires an eARC connection) or HDMI passthrough ports. The latter is unfortunate, as it means you’re going to lose a port on your TV without any form of recompense and it’s something we see often on rival soundbars.

For better and worse, every connection besides the TV is wireless. The satellite speakers and subwoofer connect cable-free, and music playback comes courtesy of AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast. There's even Bluetooth for more old-school wireless connections. Unfortunately, wireless connectivity on board the H7 isn't always the most stable, which creates issues.

LG Sound Suite H7 review: Features

The reason you’d buy an LG Sound Suite speaker instead of, say, something from Sonos or Samsung, is for its Dolby FlexConnect features. The ability to place speakers anywhere in the room and have them play perfectly attuned spatial audio never fails to impress me.

Of course, even better than simply having a room that’s set up for spatial audio is having a central “sweet spot” where you get the best sound possible. LG has enabled this through a technology it’s calling Sound Follow, and it’s like having a calibrator on-call 24/7. Sitting in the sweet spot had audible advantages to sitting on the periphery of the system, and became a spot everyone in the house would race towards when we sat down to watch a movie.

When it comes to wireless playback, the H7 supports Bluetooth connectivity alongside Apple AirPlay2 and Google Cast. If you want to get really fancy, there’s also Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect supported right out of the box as well.

Of course, LG’s ThinQ app is the bridge between you and the soundbar. This is the place you’ll go to get the speakers connected to your Wi-Fi network and, eventually, paired together. There’s not a lot of functionality in the app, but it’s here you’ll find the all-important Sound Follow feature. If you ever need to change the Wi-Fi settings, you’ll come back to the app to do that, but otherwise I didn’t find myself using it all that often.

LG Sound Suite H7 review: Sound quality

As a standalone soundbar, I wasn’t wildly impressed with the H7 — it’s loud but not well-rounded. But pairing it up with the M7 speakers was a totally different experience.

My biggest issue with multi-channel performance — and this applied whether I was watching a movie or listening to music — is that the speakers would sometimes drop the connection. Each speaker requires its own internet connection, and that can lead to just one of them dropping out. They’d usually re-connect within a few seconds, but it wasn’t the best user experience.

Movies

To see how it fared with movies, I loaded up the Dolby Atmos-enabled “Inside Out 2” on Disney Plus. This film is not only a visual treat — and absolutely heartwarming — but it’s got a great audio track that’s perfect for speaker testing.

I noticed right away that, on its own, the H7 couldn’t convey convincing Dolby Atmos. That’s not uncommon on unibody soundbars, but it was slightly more painful given the price. Dialogue was mixed, with some scenes having extremely easy to hear conversations, while other scenes required me to turn up the volume to hear what was being said.

Without a subwoofer, I didn’t get a lot of low-end extension, but again, this isn’t uncommon for a unibody soundbar. Still, musical swells in the movie’s main theme and certain action sequences (pretty much anytime there was hockey involved) all sounded great.

Music

As with movie soundtracks, bass frequencies can get lost while listening to standard two-channel albums — but thankfully, the soundstage is fairly wide thanks to those 12 speakers and eight passive radiators. Placing instruments in their exact locations was a struggle, but live albums like David Gilmour’s “Live at Pompeii” felt truly immersive. This is the first time I’ve heard a live album on a soundbar system and walked away impressed.

Studio albums like The Format’s new “Boycott Heaven” also leaned into the soundbar’s strengths — Nate Ruess’ impressive vocal range sounded excellent across the board.

Overall, the H7’s performance is a lot like Ruess’ former band — exciting and dynamic, but just missing that special something that we’ve seen in the Sonos Arc Ultra.

LG Sound Suite H7 review: Verdict

The LG Sound Suite H7 is the start of something big. I’m still genuinely amazed by Dolby Atmos FlexConnect and LG’s implementation of the technology, despite the connectivity issues I faced. This is the first time I’ve ever wanted to use a soundbar for a live album instead of my stereo speakers. That’s a massive achievement.

Problematically, however, the soundbar is a bit rich. At a lower price or in a total package that includes all the speakers and a subwoofer for under $1,800, the H7 and its Sound Suite stablemates would be an easier recommendation. But the fact that you can get a whole surround system in the form of the Samsung HW-Q990F for a fraction of the cost makes it a lukewarm deal in a hotbed of competition.

Once it drops down in price, I’ll be more forgiving of its shortcomings and I’m very much looking forward to seeing FlexConnect blossom in the next few years.

Bose has shown us time and time again that it can build some truly great soundbars — both the Bose Smart and Bose Smart Ultra soundbars being good examples. But in 2026, the brand wants to take things to another level with the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar.

Although I’ve only had a few days with it, the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar feels like it’s a true Sonos Arc Ultra competitor. It sounds great both with and without the additional Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer, and I was hard-pressed to hear anything wrong with it.

Is it time for the Arc Ultra to finally give up its crown as the best soundbar?

TL;DR

• What is it? A new Spatial Audio soundbar from Bose
• How much will it cost? $1,099 for the black or white model
• What does it work with? Any streaming service that supports Google Cast, Apple AirPlay, Spotify Connect, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth

Price and availability

The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar was announced on May 5 2026, and became available to pre-order at Bose.com shortly afterwards.

At $1,099, it’s the most expensive soundbar in Bose’s range, but it’s similar in specs and power to the $999 Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar and is exactly the same price as its closest competitor, the Sonos Arc Ultra.

If you want something a bit more manageable in price, the 3.0-channel Bose TV Soundbar starts at $279, while the 5.0-channel Bose Smart Soundbar can be had for $549.

Design

Bose being Bose, the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar only comes in two color options: black and white… Excuse me, Arctic White.

The top of the soundbar is divided into two layers. There’s a fabric layer that wraps all the way around the front and sides of the soundbar and a glossy section that sits on top and acts almost as a mirror to the TV.

Spin it around to the back and you'll see a strange array of ports. You've got the essential HDMI-in port that you'll want to connect to the eARC HDMI port on your TV, but also connections for Ethernet, Bass and Data, as well as a USB-C port for service.

I'm not sure I totally understand why some of these ports are here and I would trade any one of the aforementioned extras for an HDMI passthrough that could link up to a Blu-ray player or game console.

On the top right of the soundbar are the touch-sensitive controls laid out in a large circular indentation. You'll mostly use your phone to control playback, but these are handy to use in a pinch.

Audio

According to Bose, the speaker features six full-range drivers (two up-firing and four front-facing) alongside an additional center tweeter and two proprietary Bose PhaseGuide drivers inside the main bar. On the back are two QuietPort acoustic openings that enable what Bose calls "CleanBass" technology.

The specs are all very impressive on paper. But how does the speaker actually sound? I haven’t put the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar through my entire testing regimen yet, but I’m fairly pleased with what I’ve heard from it so far.

To kick things off, I started with songs from Qobuz, my streaming service of choice. First up: “The Mountain” by Gorillaz. Its blend of sitars and flutes fluttered wonderfully out of the soundbar, never too shrill for my ears and perfectly balanced. The soundstage wasn’t the largest, especially if I toggled off the subwoofer, but the clarity was great.

To test the bass response, I threw on “Barbra Streisand” by Duck Sauce. If you need an impromptu dance party in your living room, I highly recommend giving this a listen. The bass response wasn’t the greatest with just the soundbar, but there was enough oomph there to get me bobbing along with the beat.

Testing some classical music, “Star Wars: A New Hope Main Title” was up next — and I knew this one was going to be difficult for the soundbar.

Unfortunately, to make classical music to sound like you’re listening to it at the philharmonic, you need a wide soundstage. It’s here the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar fell a little flat. There was nothing wrong with the sound profile itself, mind you, it just felt cramped. Admittedly, this is an issue with nearly all soundbars, but I was hoping Bose’s CustomTune technology would widen things a bit.

Last but not least was “INDUSTRY BABY” by Lil Nas X, a perennial banger that should have the windows and walls shaking with its deep sub-bass. Without the subwoofer enabled, the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar got pretty darn low, but it wasn’t until I flipped back on the subwoofer that I really got the walls to shake.

To see how dialogue sounded, I threw on a Premiere League game. With the SpeechClarity setting at Medium, the announcers were crystal clear and the cheers of the audience were audible, but not overwhelming. This is an area that I'll really dive into with more movies and shows when I write the final review early next week.

Setup and smart features

Setup for the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar is done via the Bose app. The whole process can be done in just a few minutes and requires little technical knowledge to pull off. It also worked the first time, which is something I can’t say about every soundbar I’ve tested recently (cough, LG Sound Suite H7, cough).

Inside the app are a number of very simple tuning options. There’s a three-band EQ (treble, mids, bass) and adjustments for height and surround. You’ll want to adjust the height of the sound to match the distance to your TV. If the soundbar sits five feet below the TV, crank this setting up to +5. Need the sound lower? Go in the other direction to -5.

If you pick up the subwoofer to go with it, you’ll be able to toggle it on and off via the app as well as increase its output if you feel the bass is a little lacking. I had mine set to a +2 for the majority of my hands-on time, but I occasionally cranked it up higher to see if I could rattle windows. (I was able to and my wife was none-too-pleased about it.)

You’ll also come into the app to re-configure your setup if you shell out for a pair of Bose Lifestyle Ultra speakers or need to change the source of your playback from HDMI to Bluetooth or AirPlay.

Outlook

I'll need to spend some more time with it before I can say definitively whether this overtakes the Sonos Arc Ultra, but I think it's going to be exceptionally close.

Features like Bose's custom tuning and SpeechClarity are genuinely helpful, and I think music sounds fantastic for a soundbar. There are some minor issues like the small soundstage and lack of an HDMI passthrough port that are troubling, however.

Although it's a bit pricey, the Lifestyle Ultra is a darn good entry in Bose's storied soundbar lineup, and it's one I'm excited to fully test over the next week or two.

Most TV setups aren't complete without one of the best soundbars. As someone who watches a lot of TV and plays video games on it too, I'm well aware that a TV's built-in speakers can never sound as good as a dedicated soundbar. I don't know about you, but when I'm curled up on my couch, I want to feel like I'm at the movies instead — and the Marshall Heston 60 makes me feel just like that.

The Heston 60 is one of Marshall's two soundbars — the other being the Heston 120 — and it's a compact, mid-range option for those short on space.

As compact soundbars go, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 is the undisputed king, so why would you buy the Marshall? It looks good, sounds good, it's got Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support to boot. Here's why you're going to love it.

A sight for sore eyes

I've tested my fair share of audio gear — headphones, earbuds, speakers, soundbars, you name it. But I've never drooled over a brand's product as much as I have over Marshall's. The British manufacturer's design philosophy is one of sophistication and class, and the Heston 60 is no different.

Available in either black or cream with gold accents, the soundbar looks and feels premium — from its tactile buttons to the soft mesh grille covering.

As I mentioned earlier, the Heston 60 is ideal for small spaces as it measures 28.74 x 4.88 x 2.68 inches and weighs 6.08lbs. It's easy to move it around if needed, and it fits well with sub-55-inch TVs. It's wall-mountable and the Marshall logo is magnetic, so you can stick it wherever you like on the soundbar depending on your setup. I've never seen this feature on a soundbar before and now I wish all of them had it.

It should be noted that the Heston 60 isn't as petite as the Sonos Beam Gen 2, but by soundbar standards, it's still the ideal space-saving solution. The Heston 60, like the Beam Gen 2, is built extremely well too, and looks like it could stand the test of time. That's the least you'd expect from a soundbar that costs $699 / £499, of course.

10/10 performance across the board

It's not just a pretty face. The Marshall Heston 60, like many other Marshall products, sounds extremely good, and you shouldn't be fooled by its size. The Heston 60 is well-endowed, featuring two 25W and five 5W Class D amplifiers which help it produce a maximum power output of 56W.

Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support mean you're engulfed by immersive, spacious soundscapes where sounds are placed precisely above or around you. You feel like you're at the cinema, to be honest.

On paper, the Heston 60 sounds near-perfect, but is it any good in real world usage? Absolutely. 'Top Gun: Maverick' is the benchmark film for soundbar testing here at Tom's Guide, so that's the first movie I watched. The metal clinking of the fighter jets and the ropes whooshing as the planes took off in the opening sequence was loud and clear, and I could feel the bass response in my chest.

The balance between the various frequencies sounded sublime, and dialogue separation was excellent too, especially in 'F1: The Movie' where each commentator's, driver's and pitlane engineer's voice was discernible and clear.

There are four sound modes for users to enjoy, and though the bass is reduced in Voice mode, the low rumbling of the cars was enough to provide a good backbone to the film.

It's worth noting that I watched these two movies on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, but the Heston 60 performs formidably even in non-4K UHD movies and TV shows. Clear sibilance and plosives made it a treat to watch 'Agatha All Along,' and the Salem Seven's shrieks and bone-crunching noises worked harmoniously with the bass to deliver a spine-chilling soundscape. You can, of course, check out my in-depth sound analysis in my full Marshall Heston 60 review.

But is it worth the price?

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 retails for $499 / £449 but you can often find it down to $349 / £349 during sales events, like Black Friday. This isn't surprising, of course, given that the soundbar came out all the way back in 2021.

The Marshall Heston 60, in comparison, was released towards the tail-end of 2025, so it hasn't received any major discounts yet. You can grab it for $699 / £499.

I know that sounds like a lot of money, and it's $200 more than what the Beam Gen 2 costs. While you miss out on voice assistant support, you gain DTS:X support instead, which is arguably a better feature to have. Both soundbars are also compatible with their respective subwoofers — the Sub Gen 3 ($799) for the Sonos and the Heston Sub 200 ($599). This brings the price of each package to $1,298. If I had to choose one, it would have to be the Heston 60.

In my opinion, the Heston 60 delivers more consistent Dolby Atmos performance but the Beam Gen 2 boasts slightly improved dynamics. You don't get as many connectivity options on the Beam Gen 2 either — there's no 3.5mm aux in, USB-C or Bluetooth which you'll find on the Heston 60. You can stream music over Wi-Fi, yes, but I like the additional option of streaming over Bluetooth or using the USB-C and 3.5mm jack for wired playback.

It's pricy, but it's well worth it.

More from Tom's Guide

• Marshall’s compact soundbar isn’t just a pretty face — I tested it and it feels like a genuine threat to the Sonos ecosystem
• Sonos Beam Gen 2 review
• Best soundbars in 2026

Size isn’t everything, and one should never underestimate how powerful a compact soundbar can really be. Just look at the Marshall Heston 60. Marshall’s second-ever soundbar is a joy to not only look at, but to listen to as well. Featuring Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, it creates spacious, immersive soundscapes. And even without the optional subwoofer, bass response is nothing short of outstanding.

With plenty of wired and wireless connectivity options available and a user-friendly companion app to boot, the Heston 60 is a masterclass in compact soundbars. It takes the fight to Sonos and Bose and emerges victorious. While there’s no physical remote included and it’s a little on the pricey side in the U.S., it’s worth the premium.

To find out if this is the best soundbar for you, read my full Marshall Heston 60 review.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Specs

Marshall Heston 60 review: Price & availability

The Marshall Heston 60 is one of the British brand’s two soundbars, and the little sibling of the Marshall Heston 120 ($999). It retails for $699 at Amazon U.S. / £499 at Argos U.K., meaning it’s a mid-range soundbar. It comes in either Black or Cream, and you also have the option to buy the optional Heston Sub 200 for $599 / £429 if you want more ground-shaking bass.

As a Dolby Atmos soundbar with DTS:X support, the Heston 60 finds itself competing with the likes of the Sony HT-S2000 ($499), but the Sony is nowhere near as compact. The Heston 60’s most notable opponents, then, are the Sonos Beam Gen 2 ($449) and the Bose Smart Soundbar ($499). All three are competent soundbars, but the Heston 60, in my opinion, offers more bang for your buck than the Bose, and is on-par with the Sonos. It’s a bit on the pricey side in the U.S. but if you want a classy compact soundbar, it’s worth the spend.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Design & features

• Wall-mountable and ideal for small and large TVs
• Plenty of connectivity options
• Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support for immersive sound

Marshall knows how to make a good-looking product. We’ve seen it with the Middleton II, the Monitor III, and the Bromley 750, and now with the Heston 60. It maintains a low-profile, classy design with gold accents and amp-like tactile controls. The Heston 60 measures 28.74 x 4.88 x 2.68 inches, so it’s great for small living spaces. It also weighs 6.08lbs so it’s light enough to move around as needed.

All the buttons are well-laid out and signposted, so you should have no issues getting to grips with them. They give tactile feedback when pressed. Alongside its good looks, the soundbar is built extremely well and feels premium.

My favorite design feature is the magnetic Marshall logo, which you can attach to any part of the soundbar, so you can optimize the look for wall-mounted use if you want.

Connectivity & setting up

There’s no dearth of connectivity options on the Heston 60. Around the back, you’ll find an HDMI eARC alongside 3.5mm aux in, RCA mono (sub out) and USB-C ports. Setting the soundbar up couldn’t be easier, as all you need to do is plug it into your TV and start watching your favorite movies and TV shows.

For wireless fans, you also get Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6, enabling you to play music over AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect. This gives the Heston 60 a leg-up over the Sony HT-S2000 which doesn’t support music streaming using Wi-Fi.

It’s important to note that, like the Sonos Beam Gen 2, the Heston 60 doesn’t come with a physical remote — both lose here to the HT-S2000. Instead, you download the Marshall app on your smartphone to customize and control the soundbar, just like you would via a remote.

The app is extremely user-friendly and sports a clean interface. Pairing it with the soundbar takes seconds, and once you’re set up, you can customize the equalizer, swap between sources, calibrate it according to the room it’s in, and more. If you already use Marshall gear, chances are you'll be using the app already. This'll doubtless be an issue for some, but ask yourself: do you really need another remote to lose in your couch’s crevices?

Features

The Heston 60 packs Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, for immersive, spacious soundscapes. The latter places sounds precisely around or above you, making you feel like you’re at the movies. DTS:X compatibility is missing from the Sonos Beam Gen 2, which makes the Heston 60 a more attractive option for cinephiles.

The Heston 60 is well-endowed, too, as this 5.1 soundbar is powered by two 25W and five 5W Class D amplifiers which help it produce a maximum power output of 56W — 14W more than the bigger Sony HT-S2000. The soundbar covers a frequency response range of 45Hz to 20KHz but if you want some extension below the 45Hz mark, I’d recommend grabbing the aforementioned Heston Sub 200. But even without the sub, the Heston 60 boasts powerful bass response.

One thing missing from the Heston 60 is voice assistant support, which means you can’t just ask it to do something with your words alone. This is something that I haven’t seen on the Sony HT-S2000 either, but is present on the Bose Smart Soundbar and the Sonos Beam 2nd Gen. Not a dealbreaker for me, personally, but something to consider before you buy.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Performance

• Crisp and clear dialogues
• Consistent Dolby Atmos performance
• Powerful bass even without subwoofer

To test the Marshall Heston 60, I watched a variety of movies and TV shows, and listened to music. In all three areas, it performed formidably, exceeding my expectations of what a compact soundbar is capable of.

Movies

I kicked things off by watching ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on 4K UHD Blu-Ray. In the opening scene, the bass sounded peerless through the Heston 60. For a compact soundbar, the bass felt room-filling. Kenny Loggins’ ‘Danger Zone,’ which soundtracks the opening scene of fighter jets taking off, sounded just as it would through a pair of high-end headphones, and it wasn’t too loud that it overwhelmed the bassiness of the metal clinking and ropes whooshing.

I then watched the final mission sequence and the Dolby Atmos performed beautifully here. The sound of missiles leaving the jets was highly detailed, and the human grunts through the pilot’s oxygen mask sounded just as clear — and I could feel the anxiety of the ground engineers. I felt like the jets were flying right overhead, which made for an immersive experience. The balance between high-frequency sounds and the low-end impact was thoroughly enjoyable. The bass felt expansive and bigger than you’d expect of a soundbar this size.

The Heston 60 features four different modes: Music, Movie, Night and Voice. The above testing was conducted with the Movie mode enabled, and I then swapped to Voice mode to see how well dialogues were enhanced in ‘F1: The Movie.’ I was genuinely impressed with the separation of voices, when the commentators were chatting with each other and drivers were communicating with engineers in the pit lane. Even though the bass was reduced in this mode, the low rumbling of the cars provided a good backbone. The sound of tires burning on the tarmac and raindrops falling on the track was also discernible.

It’s important to note that unlike the Sony HT-S2000 with its S-Force Pro Front Surround, the Heston 60 doesn’t create a virtual wraparound effect, so it doesn’t feel like sounds are bouncing off the walls. While it isn’t as immersive, it’s still excellent, and isn’t a dealbreaker, especially for a soundbar this dinky.

TV

Not everyone has access to Blu-rays, so it’s important to evaluate the Heston 60’s performance with non-4K UHD TV. I watched a few episodes of ‘Agatha All Along’ on Disney+ . Vocal clarity was exceptional through the soundbar, with clear sibilance and plosives, and even when there were multiple characters speaking at the same time, I could hear each voice clearly. Voices didn’t bleed into one another either.

I also found the balance between spoken dialogue and the backing soundtrack and ambient sounds to be outstanding. The bass engulfed the area around the TV and the couch I was sitting on, and gave the show a great backbone. Spine-chilling scenes, like when the Salem Seven are descending upon Agatha’s house in episode two, felt terrifying, as their shrieks worked harmoniously with the bass to deliver a horror-esque soundscape. I appreciated the fact that the high-pitched screams in the treble didn’t pierce either.

Music

I listened to music over Wi-Fi and on Qobuz, with the Heston 60 set to Music mode. ‘Echoes’ by Pink Floyd sounded probably the best it ever has to me. The build-up to the first verse, with the multiple instruments, sounded atmospheric with every guitar string pluck loud but not too loud that it sounded unpleasant. The layered vocals, again, shone through the Heston 60, and the low-mids felt thick and textured.

‘Drag Path’ by Twenty One Pilots sounded just as exquisite, with the eerie background sounds traveling from the left to the right and vice versa. The Heston 60 created a sort of dome that did justice to the song’s claustrophobic yet grand vibe. Percussion and hi-hats felt vibrant but not overzealous, similar to what the clean treble sounds like through the Marshall Monitor III over-ear headphones.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Verdict

The Marshall Heston 60 is a triumph. If you want a compact soundbar that doesn’t take up much space but produces loud and powerful sound, this is the one to get. With tactile controls and gold accents, it’s a sight for sore eyes. Looks aren’t everything, of course, and the Heston 60 boasts outstanding movie and TV show performance too.

Dolby Atmos performance is consistent across the board, making you feel like you’re at the cinema. Dialogues sound loud and clear while the treble and bass sound well-balanced. Although the Heston 60 doesn’t come with a physical remote, the user-friendly companion app lets you change its settings and functions straight from your phone — and if you own other recent Marshall gear, you'll be acquainted with this app already.

Is it worth dropping nearly $700 on the Heston 60 if you’re in the States? If it’s top-notch build and a stunning design you’re after, there’s no two ways about it: this is the soundbar for you.

The best soundbars are, at their core, a compromise. You want better sound than your TV speakers, but you don't want to take up the same space as traditional HiFi or home theater speakers.

Of course, the higher up the soundbar ladder you get, the closer you get to the sound quality that traditional home theater speakers provide. You'll never quite get there from a soundbar alone — I've haven't yet tested a soundbar that's entirely sonically flawless, thanks to how much manufacturers have to pack into relatively small boxes — but each year we're getting closer and closer.

Case in point — Samsung's Q990F. It's a big soundbar that sounds huge and offers a fairly hefty bang-to-buck ratio. Look a little closer, however, and the compromises start to show. It turns out, we're still not there yet.

Samsung Q990F: The Good

If you like movies, you're in for a treat. The Q990F, for most people, sounds massive. The subwoofer adds that helpful hit of low end for explosions and car chases, and movie soundtracks sound great.

The Dolby Atmos (and other spatial formats) are well judged, sending elements to pretty much where you want them — at least, as well as a bar relying on room acoustics can.

The physical surround speakers add that extra dimension (mostly), and make sure that movies feel immersive and involving. It's not quite up there with the likes of the Sonos Arc Ultra and the Sonos Era 300, but it's still decent.

"Star Wars Episode III's" opening scene was suitably monstrous, as the space battle raged around me. Movie sound-wise, we're pretty much there.

The smart features are genuinely useful as well: You can stream music to the soundbar using your music service of choice, and manipulate settings using the Samsung Smart Things app. Given how dreadful these things are usually are, it's nice that Samsung's Bar just kind of... works.

I won't get too into the weeds, but the Q990F is a good soundbar. But when the competition at this same price from Sonos and Sennheiser are excellent, good just doesn't quite cut it.

Samsung Q990F: The Bad

The main issue with the sound is the dialogue. Contrary to popular belief, the most important part of your movie sound is not the music or even the ability to shake a room with explosions. Those are literal set dressing. The meat and potatoes of most movie watching is speech. Spoken word dialogue. You know, so that you can hear what your characters are talking about.

The Q990F handles dialogue like an annoying extra. "Fine, you want to hear the story. Here are some words. Happy?" No, Q990F, I'm not happy. Because while everything going on around the dialogue sounds great, the speech sounds like it's coming out of something that costs a quarter of the price.

Characters come across as muffled for the most part, and sometimes completely inaudible. This could be fixed with a competent dialogue booster mode as you'd find in the Sonos Arc Ultra, but alas, no luck. The built-in sound modes just aren't good.

Samsung Q990F: The Ugly

I'm not expecting the satellites that come in the box with the Q990F to sound like the Sonos Era 300s I've got for rear sound with my Arc Ultra. That would be unfair. I would, however, like them to sound good — and, despite the packages relatively high asking price, they just don't.

For most surround sound, they're fine. They don't do very much. But when more work is asked of them, they just kind of falter and fall down. Intense action scenes make them sound cheap and cheerful, and god forbid you want to listen to any spatially mixed music.

It sounds awful. And soundbars usually don't sound great for music, but the Q990F sounds particularly bad. I searched everywhere for a setting that made music sound good, and I just couldn't find one. It wasn't there. Part of that is down to the closeness of the drivers in the bar, but the cheap-sounding surrounds certainly weren't helping the situation.

Should you buy one?

If you want everything all in one box, then the Q990F is a good option. The surround sound is mostly impressive, and most of your visitors aren't going to notice that the satellites are sub-par. If you've only listened to music on a cheap Bluetooth speaker and AirPods until now, then the music performance is going to be very impressive.

But if you expect something that feels like $1,700 worth of sound, then you'll want to look elsewhere. Spend the same on some stereo speakers and a decent amplifier, with space to upgrade with other speakers later if you've got the space. Or, buy the Arc Ultra and a Sub 4, and then buy a pair of Era 300s later.

Like I said. The Q990F is a good soundbar. But for $1,700, you want something excellent — and the Q990F is not that.

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Taking a trip to the back of your TV can be an unsettling experience. Amid the dust bunny burrows and crisscrossing cables, you might be startled by scads of seemingly important small print on the back of your TV’s panel, particularly around the ports.

As it turns out, this small print is important. In many cases, you may be plugging a soundbar, streaming stick or PS5 into a port that isn’t right for the job. Let’s take a few moments to talk about which HDMI input does what so you can start connecting consoles with confidence.

Types of HDMI

There are currently three types of HDMI ports you’re likely to encounter in the wild: HDMI 1.4, HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1.

The vast majority of TVs offer four total ports, though some are limited to three. In many cases, a TV’s HDMI ports aren’t exclusive to one specific type.

What is HDMI 1.4?

Most people reading this don't have HDMI 1.4 inputs on their TV, as it's one of the oldest standards still in use. As you can imagine, HDMI 1.4 isn’t as robust as 2.0 or 2.1 when it comes to bandwidth and supported features, and the specification is usually found on ultra-affordable sets that are either limited in features, limited to a native resolution of 1080p, or both.

For what it’s worth, if your TV is equipped with HDMI 1.4 inputs, you really don’t need to worry about what cables to use, nor do you need to concern yourself with its supported features. Jump ahead to the soundbar section below.

What is HDMI 2.0?

Perhaps the most common HDMI input populating living rooms today, HDMI 2.0 supports a bunch of features that may be important to how you watch and use your TV. You’ll find HDMI 2.0 on entry-level TVs, mid-range models and some high-end TVs, too.

HDMI 2.0 packs enough bandwidth for your TV to support 4K content at 60Hz. This is relevant for certain 4K TV broadcasts and especially important for folks who want to play 4K console games at 60fps. HDMI 2.0 also allows for High Dynamic Range (HDR), an enhanced format designed to wring the best performance out of modern displays.

Given its widespread adoption, the HDMI 2.0 spec doesn’t cause much of a fuss. People who own TVs with HDMI 2.0 inputs are usually making the most of their devices with the proper cables already. When HDMI 2.1 is in the mix, things can get tricky.

What is HDMI 2.1?

Right now, the highest HDMI standard available to shoppers is HDMI 2.1, but it’s been around long enough that it’s not limited to high-end TVs — you’ll also find it on entry-level and mid-range models.

Without getting too far into the weeds, HDMI 2.1 boasts a bunch of benefits: 4K, HDR content at 120Hz (and sometimes higher), uncompressed 5.1 and 7.1 audio (up to 192kHz/24-bit) as well as uncompressed DTS:X and Dolby TrueHD audio.

Confusingly, most HDMI 2.1-supporting TVs are only equipped with one or two of these ports, while the rest of the inputs merely meet the 2.0 standard. Typically, only upper-mid-range and high-end TVs offer the 2.1 specification across all of the ports.

This means that if you own an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 and you want to make the most of it — or if you own a soundbar with certain enhancements — you have to pay attention to which cables go where.

Which HDMI port should be used for a soundbar?

Whether you have four HDMI 2.0 inputs, four HDMI 2.1 inputs or some combination of both, one of these ports is the TV’s designated ARC/eARC port. We recently did a deep dive into the difference between ARC and eARC, but the basic gist is this: The ARC- or eARC-enabled HDMI input is the one you should plug your soundbar into.

Thankfully, this is the one port on your TV that’s guaranteed to be clearly labeled. Just look for the terms “ARC,” “eARC” or “ARC/eARC” around an HDMI port, jack in your soundbar and Bob’s your uncle.

If you’re juggling a console or two along with your soundbar, you’ll want to pay close attention to where your video game cables are going, too. This is especially critical for folks with HDMI 2.1-supporting TVs.

Which HDMI port should be used for a console?

If you take a peek at your TV’s HDMI inputs and you only see number designations and an ARC/eARC label, you’re likely looking at a suite of HDMI 2.0 inputs. In this case, pair the ARC input with your soundbar and use whichever remaining inputs for your gaming devices — they’re all the same. This is the same advice I’d give people whose HDMI inputs are all labeled “4K/60Hz,” as this indicates HDMI 2.0.

If you notice HDMI ports labeled “HDMI 2.1” or “4K/120Hz,” these should be your preferred ports for consoles, as they’re better equipped to take advantage of the latest hardware and features. You might also notice a video game controller symbol on these ports. In addition, they might read “4K/144Hz” or “4K/165Hz.”

Folks who own more than one console and a soundbar are more likely to understand the advantage of having a full suite of four high-bandwidth inputs. On TVs with just two HDMI 2.1 inputs, the ARC/eARC input overlapping with one of them can create a traffic jam where three devices need to split two high-bandwidth ports.

What about HDMI cables?

Some people throw a ton of money at fancy, high-priced HDMI cables, but this isn’t always necessary. Just ask yourself this: Does your TV support HDMI 2.1?

If so, be on the lookout for cables labeled “Ultra High-Speed.” More specifically, make sure you're buying HDMI cables with a bandwidth of 48Gbps. These cables will make possible all of the benefits I outlined above, and they’ll still work if you plug ‘em into HDMI 2.0 inputs, too.

On that note, if you own a TV that exclusively supports the HDMI 2.0 specification, you really don’t need to splash out on Ultra High-Speed cables. Look for those that are labeled “High-Speed” — the bandwidth will be 18Gbps.

If you own a TV with HDMI 1.4 inputs, you don’t need to worry about any of this. Your reliable ol’ TV is probably pretty old, small in size or both. In either case, just make sure you’re using the ARC port for any soundbar.

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• Is this the beginning of the end of HDMI? Here’s what you need to know about GPMI
• I review TVs for a living and most people spend too much on HDMI cables — here’s what you really need
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The soundbar that lives in my living room, the Sonos Arc Ultra, is one of the best soundbars that you can buy today. The surround sound is amazing, the dialogue clear, and even the bassy rumble is impressive. But, as with even the best TV speakers, there's one clear issue.

What do you do when everyone else has gone to bed, and you want to watch a film? Or, what if you live in a Flat, and you don't want to disturb everyone who lives around you while you watch an action flick? There's a solution — although, unfortunately, it's only for some of us.

To find out how viable it is, I've left my soundbar turned off and used some popular headphones to watch my movies and TV. Here's how I did it, and how it's gone.

How I did it

First off, I should mention that there are some irritating restrictions to my experiment. The first is that you can only use certain headphones with your TV, and they have to be connected to a specific device.

For example, you can use the best AirPods to watch TV shows and Movies, but you need to connect them to an Apple TV 4K box for it to work. That means you can't use your AirPods to watch anything outside of the things you're streaming from the device. That's a shame — Apple 65-inch OLED TV when, please?

The other option is to use a pair of Sonos Ace and a compatible soundbar. This is a more flexible option, given that you can watch TV and Movies from anything plugged into your TV. There are still restrictions, however. It only works with the Sonos Ace headphones, and you need a soundbar that supports the tech.

I've tried both options. The Sonos Ace connect with my Sonos Arc Ultra, and my AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max connect to my Apple TV. I've used both for about a month now, doing all my personal TV watching to see whether they might replace my soundbar.

Spoiler: No. But I might start using them more than I have before.

Sound surprising

There were a couple of things that I was certain of going in. I knew that I would miss the bassy rumble of explosions and the incredible holographic surround of my Sonos Arc Ultra and surround satellite setup. I did, indeed, miss both of those things, but I still found plenty to like when using either for my TV watching — and something quite surprising.

All of the headphones and earbuds I used during my experiment already sound great, which does help. They all have class-leading, in some way, Dolby Atmos playback, so we're off to a good start.

That meant that watching movies was a great experience, whether through the Apple buds or my Sonos Ace. The latter are slightly better for the format, given that Sonos developed them especially for both music and movies, but I wasn't disappointed by either.

One of the most surprising things was how immersive everything felt. While the sound wasn't anywhere near as expansive or huge as my surround setup, the more restricted soundstage made me feel more integral to the movie's sound.

Everything was happening around me, and I felt slightly closer to the action. Rather than a better experience (or even a worse one), what I got was a different experience. One that seems to realise it's never going to compete with a full setup in dynamics, space, or even fidelity, and so focuses on the things it can be good at.

The dialogue was clear, and at times unnerving. I was watching a horror movie, and a scene where a horrifying creature talks behind you felt like it was whispering in my ear. Jarring, uncomfortable – and wonderful.

Not perfect

The restrictions are irritating. The fact that you have to own at least hundreds of dollars worth of equipment before you can even begin, be that an Apple TV and some AirPods or a pair of Sonos Ace and a Sonos soundbar, feels like you're being bled dry financially.

Both a fairly seamless to get working, thankfully, but I do wish that AirPods had a way of working without the need to watch everything through your Apple TV. You can use HomePods like this, so why can't my AirPods? That feels like a missed opportunity.

The lack of bassy rumble and other sound bits is also a trade off. If you've got the opportunity to use your full setup without waking anyone up or disturbing the neighbours, that's still going to be the way to go.

A worthy nighttime alternative

My experiment has been, in my eyes at least, successful. If you've got the tech to do it, and you want to watch movies and TV when other people are asleep, then it's a great alternative to your big, noisy soundbar. I even really enjoyed that there were other sonic reasons to enjoy my headphones rather than the soundbar, to the point I might switch over even when I don't need to.

It's also a great proof of concept. I'd like to see more headphone and TV manufacturers bring headphone Dolby Atmos connections to the table, so you don't have to rely on these expensive options. Still, that's one for the future. As it stands, these are great ways to keep the noise down while enjoying some cinema.

I'm off to go watch Gladiator, without keeping my family up. Adios!

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A Sonos soundbar, before you've even dipped into the many (many) settings available, is a fantastic addition to your TV stand. Handsome, performant — there's little more you could ask.

Only, you can ask for more. Open up the (now mostly fixed) Sonos app and you'll find pages upon pages of different settings to change so that you can get the most out of your soundbar. But which should you turn on, and why? These are all the settings you should change on your Sonos soundbar to get every last drop of performance.

1. Download the app

It might sound completely obvious, but you'll need to download the Sonos app if you really want to get the best out of your Sonos soundbar. Fear not, the many technical issues that Sonos has faced after the application relaunch are now mostly fixed, and its a must-install for all Sonos users.

It unlocks the full range of features on your soundbar, and there are versions available for both Android and iOS. You won't have any of the below settings and features without it, so you should get it sorted before moving on.

2. Tune the sound to your room

While your new Sonos soundbar is going to sound good out of the box, it's well worth spending some time tuning the bar so that it sounds good for your surroundings. After all, the core tuning is handled in a controlled test room. Which, I'm going to guess, is something your living room is not.

TruePlay plays a series of different sounds, and then uses your phone's microphone to judge the acoustics of the room. From there, it changes the sound to better match your needs.

Head into the app and find the soundbar settings. From there, select the TruePlay tuning section. The simple tuning means you can sit still, but its results won't be as transformative. Use the complex option if you want to eke all the performance out of your bar.

Follow the instructions, and you're done!

Note: this is only available on iOS devices at the moment, sadly. Sorry, Android users, you're out of luck!

3. Use dialogue enhancer

One of the biggest improvements a soundbar can bring is better speech for your movies and TV. Even then, there can be shows and other content that just have muffled dialogue straight out of the studio. Thankfully, some Sonos soundbars can improve this with very clever AI dialogue enhancement.

It picks out the voice line of a movie or TV show and then increases the volume. There are different strength options; the stronger the dialogue enhancement, the greater effect you'll see in the rest of the soundscape.

Note: Don't use it for listening to music. It sounds bad.

Head to the settings menu and find the speech enhancement menu. Select your desired level — mine is the middle — and get to watching your favorite Netflix documentaries with clearer speech. David Attenborough has never sounded so good.

4. Activate Dolby Atmos

This is only accessible for Sonos Arc and Sonos Beam Gen 2 users, but it's well worth activating. After all, if you want to use all those fancy upfiring drivers and get the best soundtracks and movie experience possible, you're only going to get it with Dolby Atmos turned on.

These are often turned on by default, but you'll still want to double-check just in case. Head to the soundbar settings in the Sonos app, and check the surround option. You'll also want to turn on the Spatial Music option.

Now, head to Netflix or Disney+ and find a movie or TV show with Dolby Atmos. Press play, and check the 'now playing' screen on the Sonos app. There should be a "Dolby Atmos" logo.

If there isn't, you should check the sound settings on your TV. Here, you'll either need to make sure that the sound options are set to Dolby Atmos or 'pass through.' Also, check the device you're using and the audio settings there.

Go back to your streaming service and try again — there's an annoying number of roadblocks, but it's well worth getting Dolby Atmos turned on properly.

5. Turn off the status light

Ok, so this one might sound really silly, but believe me, it's worth it. If you're anything like me (and it's very possible you are, given you've landed here), you like to watch movies in a dark room. That means that any lights, especially ones extremely close to the TV, are an eyesore. An irritating distraction.

Thankfully, you can turn the little light atop Sonos soundbars off in the settings menu. Find the Status light setting in the soundbar menu, and toggle that badboy to the "off" position.

Done! No more annoying little lights under the screen when you change the volume, or to let you know that the soundbar is turned on. It also works with any surround speakers you might have attached to the bar.

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Perhaps you've just got a new Samsung soundbar, or maybe you've been rocking one for a long time. I'll be willing to bet you haven't dipped into the settings menu yet to play with the different features built into your fancy speaker box.

Samsung makes some of the best soundbars around, and part of that is down to all those lovely options. So, to help you get the best out of your bar, I've come up with a list to guide you through the labyrinthine tunnels of settings.

1. Use the sound modes

No matter the soundbar you've got from Samsung, whether it supports the application or not, you've got built in sound modes. And, despite what you might think about them, they do make a big difference depending on the kind of content that you're consuming.

If you're watching a movie, for example, then you'll want the "cinema" mode. The "TV" mode is, as you might have guessed it, better for watching TV. While these bars are never perfect for music, the "music" mode still makes the bar work better for your tunes than without.

It's worth changing sound modes as you hop about different genres of content and finding which sounds better for you for each. After all, they're usually only a button press away.

2. Check your TV settings

If your soundbar is quite working right (or at all), it might not be the soundbar's fault. It might be that the TV you're using isn't sending the right audio to the soundbar. That means that everything gets confused, your soundbar has a moment, and you end up with weird or no sound.

Head into your TVs settings menu, and double check output settings. Make sure that its set to pass-through, so that the audio processing is done by the soundbar itself. This works well if you're not getting surround sound when you should.

For Samsung soundbars this also lets you initiate some other sound modes, which I'll get to in just a second. Either way, it's always the first place you should look for audio enhancements.

3. Download the app

It's possible that you didn't even know there there was an app for your Samsung soundbar. You might need to double check if your model is supported, but then you're away.

Once the Samsung Smart Things app is installed, you just add the bar, and then you can control a whole bunch of things.

You can control the volume with your phone, change some more involved settings, and even stream music to some models. It's a must download, and one that's very easily forgotten.

4. Turn on Q-Symphony

Ok, so first things first — this setting is only for Samsung TV owners. Even then, it needs to be compatible with the system. You need to double-check whether your TV supports Q-Symphony first, and then you can turn it on for an impressive increase in sound quality without dropping more cash.

What is it? It uses the speakers built into your TV to take some of the load off the soundbar. It works very well, and in some cases adds some extra dimension to surround mixes.

You'll find it in the settings menu of your Samsung TV. From there, you turn it on — and you're done. Nice and simple. There's no setup, either. It just kind of... works.

5. Turn on SpaceFit

Your room is likely different than the testing rooms at Samsung HQ (unless you live in Samsung HQ). Still, you're likely going to get a different sound profile than the Samsung engineers when you put the bar in your living room, given that there are pesky things like "furniture" and "curtains" to contend with.

That's where SpaceFit comes in. You'll find it in the Samsung app (although you do need a compatible Samsung TV as well), where you can turn it on. Unlike other options, it doesn't need to play a setup tone — it just listens to the sound in your room and adjusts accordingly.

It's more subtle than other systems, but well worth turning on to make sure your Samsung soundbar sounds as good as possible.

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The best soundbars are expensive. I’ve tested one that’ll set you back almost 4 grand, a couple that go for $2k, and many in the very bloated $600-$1,000 landscape.

The Samsung QS750F falls into that third category: Not-quite-movie-theater soundbars, but they give it a respectably good go. And what an impressive soundbar the QS750F truly is. For just $899/£699, you get a 46-inch, 5-speaker soundbar, a 160W subwoofer, and two semi-wireless rear speakers. For less than $1k!

At this price, you’d be hard-pressed to find something that performs better, and I’m not mad about it. Looking for room-filling Atmos audio but can’t afford Samsung’s flagship Q990F ($1,799)? You’ll want to read this comprehensive Samsung QS750F review.

Samsung QS750F review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A great-value soundbar, subwoofer, and surround sound system
• Who is it for? Got less than $1k but want the best sound you can get? If you answered “yes”, then you
• What does it cost? $899 / £699
• What do we like? The soundscape is wide, bassy, and clear
• What don’t we like? I wanted a little more Atmos

Samsung QS750F review: Specs

Samsung QS750F review: Price & availability

In the U.S, the Samsung QS750F is available exclusively at Best Buy. You’re looking at an MSRP of $899, but it’s often on sale for around $650-$700. If you can grab this soundbar at a discount, then that’s a major win.

In the U.K., you’re looking at £699 from Richer Sounds. You’ll be very happy with this soundbar at this price, I can assure you. The U.K. price pleases me very much.

As the QS750F has a 5-channel soundbar, a subwoofer, and two rear speakers, anything below $700/£700 is a fantastic deal. Similar options will run you back considerably more: the Klipsch setup is $349 just for the Flexus Core 100 soundbar, then the subwoofer and rears are $349 and $499, respectively.

In comparison, the no-sub-no-rears 3.0.2 Bose Smart Soundbar (2024) is $549, the sub-but-no-rears Polk Audio Signa S4 is $449, and the sub-but-no-rears Samsung Q600F is $699.

Samsung QS750F review: Design & controls

• Long and deep, but relatively short in height
• Two side-oriented woofers
• Surrounds aren’t wireless

If you’re familiar with Samsung AV gear, then I want you to close your eyes and visualize a Samsung soundbar in your mind’s eye. Got it? Now you know exactly what the QS750F looks like.

The QS750F is pretty much identical to the other Samsung soundbars I’ve tested — the only difference is that it has rectangular/flat sides rather than the Q990F and Q600F’s angled sides.

The rears are the same — in that they’re the SWA-9250S, so you can buy them independently of a soundbar — and look exactly how you’d expect Samsung surrounds to look. They are, however, not truly wireless. The rears are wireless when connecting to the soundbar itself, but they require a pretty unsightly and bulky wire to connect to each other.

Only the left rear has D/C connectivity, so you need the wire to power the right speaker. The Denon, JBL, and Yamaha rears are all true wireless (rechargeable) so I wanted that on the QS750F, too.

I tested the QS750F in a purpose-built soundproofed testing room, and I even had to get an extension cable to plug everything in. So just be aware: you’ll need hella outlets. I used: one for the TV, one for the Blu-ray player, one for the soundbar, one for the subwoofer, and one for the rears. Yes, five plugs for my TV/AV setup. It’s a lot.

Other than that one tiny issue, I love the design of the QS750F. The remote is just as weighty and well-made as you’d expect, and the soundbar itself is 46 inches of pure power.

Samsung QS750F review: Features

• Tons of features in SmartThings app
• AirPlay and Google Cast
• AudioSync settings

Most of the QS750F’s features are from the SmartThings app, so I’ll discuss them in full in the ‘App’ section below. As you might expect from an $899 soundbar, though, the QS750F has tons of advanced features.

You can activate ‘Voice enhancement’ mode, ‘Bass enhancement’, ‘Moderate bass’, which turns the subwoofer off, ‘Night mode’, which reduces bass completely, and you can adjust the volume of each individual channel speaker.

I had great fun figuring out which speaker was responsible for which frequencies, and which speakers provided much of the Dolby Atmos experience. Sure, you should probably use these features to, you know, actually improve your home theater rather than just nerding out, but the option’s there.

For example, I found increasing the volume of the rear channel softened the high-end, which was better for bombastic action scenes. This is a great feature if you want to get really nitty-gritty and meticulous with how your movies sound.

If you have an AI-powered Samsung TV, you get access to features like Space Fit Sound Pro (room calibration) and Q-Symphony (remastering content for surround sound), but as I tested on a lowly LG G5, I couldn’t make use of these.

Samsung QS750F review: App

• Samsung’s SmartThings app
• Sometimes have to manually select audio source after changing playback type
• Premium features like SpaceFit Sound Pro locked behind Samsung TVs

Can we just take a minute to appreciate Samsung’s SmartThings app, please? I’ve tested tons of soundbars now, every brand from Bose to Denon to Yamaha to Sony. Oftentimes, these soundbar samples have been tested by other journalists and haven’t been disconnected from those journalists’ accounts. I had a major headache trying to connect the Bose Smart Soundbar (2024) due to this issue, and Denon’s HEOS can be a bit of a nightmare (I’ve had to return a subwoofer due to connectivity issues).

SmartThings, though, just gets it. As soon as I set up the QS750F with my SmartThings app, the app prompted “This soundbar has been linked to another account. Would you like to forget this account and make a new connection?”

Yes! Yes, I do. Why can’t all soundbar apps do this? Instead of the endless loading time and the eventual “Connection failed” error message. If the soundbar knows it’s linked to someone else’s account, why can’t it just tell me?

Of course, this is a niche issue, but if you’re buying the soundbar second hand or you get a completely different phone (as in, swap from Android to iPhone or vice versa), then it might pose an issue. Anyway, praise be SmartThings. Bose/Denon, if you’re reading, please bring in a similar feature.

Speaking of features, let’s actually get into the reason you’re here: audio features. Oh, boy, does the QS750F have loads.

As I mentioned earlier, the SmartThings app is laden with audio features. You can adjust the volume of each individual speaker, you can turn off the subwoofer entirely, you can up the bass, you can activate ‘Voice enhancement’ mode, ‘Surround mode’, and ‘Virtual’ (which is like an upmixing setting that fakes 360° audio), you can adjust the EQ, you can select the sound source without needing to cycle through inputs via the remote.

Here are a few screenshots from SmartThings so you can see what I mean.

I love SmartThings. When I tested the Samsung Q600F, I was disappointed to find it had no Wi-Fi or app connectivity, because I genuinely love SmartThings. I famously hate “smart” tech that doesn’t need to be smart, but I’ll make an exception for SmartThings.

I’ll end on a bit of a weird one: there was a little confusion when switching between audio inputs. After I listened to music on Qobuz using AirPlay, I had to manually adjust the audio input to get sound from my TV again. This wasn’t majorly annoying, but it’s something to be aware of. If you’re wondering why your soundbar is suddenly silent, maybe check the audio source on the SmartThings app. It may not have updated itself back to HDMI eARC.

Samsung QS750F review: Sound quality

• Voice enhancement is excellent
• High-frequency sound effects are clear and immersive
• Room-filling bass

I test every soundbar with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, TV shows on Netflix, and music on Spotify and Qobuz.

Movies

First, I watched ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. In the opening scene, the bass was excellent, and shook the floor of my testing room. However, the midrange was a little tinny, but the loud bass made up for it. You might not even notice if you’re not looking out for it — but as a soundbar reviewer, it’s literally my job to notice any flaws, no matter how minor.

‘Adaptive’ sound mode made diegetic (in-scene) sound effects louder, so increased the presence of metal clinking and ropes whooshing. ‘Surround’ mode excelled at widening the soundscape, and balancing the bass-heavy soundtrack.

In the dogfighting scene, I was left longing for a little more. The soundstage was wide, with audible radioed dialogue over the OST. However, the soundbar didn’t quite reach the heights I would want.

During a flying scene, I was expecting to feel the wind whoosh through my hair or find myself looking up, searching for real jet planes. I did feel like the planes were coming from around me, but not above me.

As a result, I’m going to have to say that the Dolby Atmos performance is really good, but it’s not excellent. I recently tested the $3,500 Yamaha True X Surround 90A, and the Dolby Atmos on that behemoth is life-changingly good. Of course, a $900 soundbar can’t compete with a $3,500 soundbar, and the QS750F is definitely better than the Q600F, but I couldn’t help but want a little more.

Don’t get me wrong — for the $900 MSRP, the QS750F is excellent. It has clear, audible dialogue, a delicate balance between high-frequency sounds, and a rich, confident low-end. I caught myself forgetting I was supposed to be working and just enjoying the movie-theater sound. But if you’re after true 360° audio, you’re unfortunately going to have to spend more. That’s just the way it is.

After ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, I watched ‘How to Train Your Dragon (2025), and this sounded phenomenal in ‘Surround’ mode.

In the first flight scene, Toothless’ flapping wings sounded fantastic, with clear width to the effect. However, the Yamaha True Surround X90A sounded better overall — you’d expect that from a $3500 soundbar, though — but for $900, the QS750F performed admirably.

In some scenes, the dialogue was a little soft, so I activated ‘Voice enhancement’ mode, and this isolated the dialogue well. You can activate ‘Voice enhancement’ and ‘Surround’ simultaneously, which is great if you want the best of both worlds.

Last, I watched ‘Elio’. The bass response was excellent during the opening track, ‘Once In a Lifetime’. This was the best Dolby Atmos performance thus far. The music immersed me in the scene, and I felt like David Byrne was singing directly into my ear.

Of all the movies I watched, ‘Elio’ sounded the best through the QS750F. The movie was mind-bogglingly expansive, particularly in the space scenes. All the alien synth noises were unique and clear. Overall, the soundscape was a lush, lively, ever-changing symphony of sound.

TV

Although I watched 4K UHD Blu-rays to test the QS750F’s movie performance, it’s unrealistic to expect every user to only watch 4K movies. I watched basic-tier Netflix — so 1080p, 5.1 — to evaluate its TV performance, too. I watched ‘Bridgerton’ and ‘Stranger Things’.

‘Bridgerton’ was particularly impressive, with a delicate balance between the string-heavy soundtrack, dialogue, and diegetic sound effects. I particularly enjoyed the clarity of a creaking wardrobe and creaking bow and arrow, as these high-frequency effects weren’t overpowered by soundtrack or dialogue. This is the mark of a high-quality soundbar — one that can walk the tightrope of quiet, immersive effects and dramatic, consuming soundtracks.

‘Stranger Things’ has a busier soundscape, with action scenes and dialogue scenes layered on top of a synth-heavy OST. I found the balance of chipping birds, sizzling cigarette paper, TV dialogue, and a suspenseful, deep bass synth soundtrack delicate and confident. The growling demogorgon was clear, low, and didn’t overpower the dialogue.

As basic Netflix doesn’t have Dolby Atmos, the soundbar didn’t need to handle as many elements simultaneously. Despite the lack of Atmos, I was blown away by the sound quality, and found the QS750F able to balance everything the TV shows threw at it.

Music

I listened to music via AirPlay through Qobuz. ‘Songs of Praise’ by Shame is a guitar-led track with growling, husky vocals, which sounded fantastic through the soundbar. There was a little weirdness when the track quietened down towards the end, and some of the guitars sounded underwater. However, this issue wasn’t present in any other song.

Afterwards, I switched genres to electronic. ‘Guess’ by Charli xcx and Billie Eilish pumped through the speakers, with the house bass beat electrifying and ferocious. The bass and vocals weren’t as harmonious as you’d expect from a high-quality studio monitor or bookshelf speaker, but this is a soundbar, not a music-focused speaker, so what can you expect?

Last, I played something a little softer. ‘Bobbi’s Second World’ by The Orielles is a disco-psych track with warbled synths and gentle female vocals. Again, the bass response was the loudest part of the song, and I felt like the percussion was a little softened. I would like a bit more pizzazz from hi-hats and the vocals, but again, this is a soundbar, not a speaker, and soundbars are known for their mediocre music performance.

Overall, you’d be hard-pressed to find a soundbar that sounds as good as the QS750F for less. Although I wanted a little more height in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, every other movie and TV show I watched sounded fantastic. The QS750F balanced dialogue, diegetic sound effects, and soundtrack deftly. It sounds so good, I forgot I was supposed to be reviewing it.

Samsung QS750F review: Verdict

If you want Dolby Atmos performance that could go head-to-head with a movie theater, you need to spend more than $900. That’s just a fact of life. There’s a reason why movie tickets are expensive.

However, if you want to spend less than a grand, then the QS750F will not disappoint. At the heart of it, this is a soundbar that knows what it’s doing. The QS750F isn’t here to mess around. It’s here to shake your floorboards and rattle your windows. With the powerful 160W subwoofer, that’s exactly what it’s going to do.

If you’re a serious home theater aficionado, I have to recommend the fantastic JBL Bar 1300X, but it’s double the price of the QS750F. For a sub-$1,000 soundbar, subwoofer, and surround system, the QS750F will treat you right.

Fantastic Dolby Atmos is the pinnacle of a good soundbar. If you ask me, all of the best soundbars must have excellent surround sound to be considered great.

The Yamaha True X Surround 90A, then, fits that mold perfectly. This behemoth soundbar, subwoofer, and rear system will set you back a massive $3,500, but you’ll get Dolby Atmos worthy of a movie theater.

Even so, with an MSRP of $3,500, there’s very little room for error. Unfortunately, the True X Surround 90A’s dialogue performance doesn’t quite meet expectations. But is that a worthy sacrifice for truly the best Dolby Atmos I’ve ever experienced? For the full story, keep reading this Yamaha True X Surround 90A review.

Yamaha True X Surround 90A review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A premium soundbar with rears, a sub: 5.1.4 channels
• Who is it for? People with $$$ and a home theater
• What does it cost? $3,499 / £2,295
• What do we like? This is one of the best Dolby Atmos performances I’ve ever experienced
• What don’t we like? With an MSRP like this, there’s little room for error, and the dialogue performance isn’t good enough for $3,500

Yamaha True X Surround 90A review: Specs

Yamaha True X Surround 90A review: Price & availability

The Yamaha True X Surround 90A is an expensive soundbar. To date, this is the priciest soundbar I’ve ever reviewed. In the U.S., the True X Surround 90A will set you back a whopping $3,499 from B&H Photo Video. You can pre-order it from Crutchfield for the same price.

In the U.K., you’re looking at £2,295 from Yamaha direct. The 50A is available from premium retailers like Peter Tyson, Richer Sounds, and Sevenoaks, but this is not the same soundbar. I tested the 90A.

You can also buy the elements individually. The True X Surround 90A is the name of the entire sound system; if you want the soundbar and subwoofer alone, it’s called the True X Bar 90A and is $2,799 from Crutchfield. I would recommend getting this if you’re trying to save money, as I don’t think the surrounds are worth an extra $700.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it: $3,499 is ridiculously expensive. Not just for this soundbar, but for any soundbar. If you have nearly $4k to spend on a home cinema system, you should probably just invest in something like Dali’s multi-speaker setup.

The JBL Bar 1300X is the best soundbar system I’ve ever tested — it’s just $1,699, which is mighty cheap in comparison. Although the Yamaha has better Dolby Atmos, the JBL option is better at handling dialogue.

You might also want to check out Samsung’s Q990F, which, at $1,999, feels cheap in comparison.

Yamaha True X Surround 90A review: Design & controls

• LED screen
• Lovely remote
• Very long

As you might expect from a $3,499 soundbar, it’s massive. And heavy. Our review unit shipped to our testing lab on a pallet and had to be delivered by a semi-truck. It took two people to get this soundbar set up in our testing studio, and neither of those people were me. It was genuinely too heavy for me to pick up. So, if you consider yourself quite weak, you’ll need help getting this behemoth in action.

Another thing you might expect from a $3,499 soundbar is quality, and boy, that’s what you get with the True X Surround 90A. This soundbar is well-made, with high-quality mesh casing and a smooth, weighty subwoofer. On top of that, the remote is gorgeous, with tactile silicone buttons and a decent heft to it. All things you would want from something that costs triple my rent.

However, this high price means there’s very little room for error. If this is the most expensive soundbar I’ve ever tested, it should be the best soundbar I’ve ever tested. The rear speakers don’t look like they cost $350 each.

Let me explain. The True X Surround 90A is $3,499. Just the soundbar and subwoofer is $2,799. That’s a price difference of $700, meaning each rear is $350. These speakers are tiny — just 3.5 x 8.6 inches. They’re also quite lightweight, which makes them feel a little cheap. The Samsung Q990F rear speakers feel much weightier — and that soundbar is $1,500 cheaper.

Don’t get me wrong: the True X Surround 90A is beautifully well-made and high-quality. The LED screen is bright and helpful, as it tells you exactly which input and listening mode you’re using. This soundbar will look at home on any high-end TV/AV setup — emphasis on the phrase high-end.

Yamaha True X Surround 90A review: Features

• 4K passthrough
• Tons of playback modes, including ‘Surround:AI’ and ‘Clear Voice’
• Individual surround controls

I’m sensing a theme here, but as you might expect from a $3,500 soundbar, the True X Surround 90A has loads of features. I can’t fault any of these except ‘Clear Voice’ mode, as the dialogue performance wasn’t as adept as you might want.

Using either the MusicCast app or the remote, you can activate: ‘Clear Voice’, ‘Bass Extension’, ‘Surround:AI’, ‘3D Music’, ‘Straight’, ‘Stereo’ and individual surround controls. By far the best sound mode was ‘Surround:AI’, as this extended the height and width to mind-blowing highs.

One feature I missed was a room calibration tool. JBL, Samsung, Sonos and Klipsch soundbars all have a room calibration mode, either proprietary (JBL, Samsung, Sonos) or via a third-party (Klipsch, which uses Dirac). This sends sound waves between each element and advises you where to place each speaker for optimal performance.

As I test all soundbars in a purpose-built, soundproofed testing room, the soundbars have the ideal environment for excellence. However, if you have a house with particularly high ceilings or a weird layout (free-standing walls or a non-rectangular structure) you might need a room calibration tool.

Aside from the ‘Clear Voice’ mode, the other sound features are excellent. I’ve never experienced Dolby Atmos like this, and if you’re a surround-sound fiend, you’ll want to hear it.

Yamaha True X Surround 90A review: App

• MusicCast app
• Painless setup, a pleasant change from other brands
• Direct music streaming with Spotify, Qobuz, and more

After the headaches that are Denon’s HEOS and Sonos’ universally panned app, it was a pleasant surprise to download Yamaha’s MusicCast to find that it simply works. The app immediately recognized the soundbar, and that was that. Glorious.

You can adjust tons of stuff in the app: subwoofer volume, tone control, and activate any of the listening modes. You can do this via the remote, too, so downloading the app isn’t essential, but it’s a nice addition.

Here are a few screenshots from the app itself, so you can see what I mean.

Yes, you can also stream music directly from your phone to the soundbar itself. MusicCast links with Spotify, Qobuz, Tidal, Deezer, and Amazon Music. There was a touch of latency when playing music through the soundbar, but I found this didn’t negatively impact my overall experience.

Yamaha True X Surround 90A review: Sound quality

• Mind-blowing Dolby Atmos
• Expansive — width and height — sound
• Disappointing dialogue

I test every soundbar with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on 4K UHD Blu-Ray (and then two extras), TV shows on Netflix, and music on Qobuz.

Full disclaimer: I had major HDMI issues with the True X Surround 90A at first — in that there was no sound at all. This is likely due to my model being a pre-production version, but if you experience issues too, I fixed it by activating both HDMI Control (CEC) and pass-through mode. This is what worked for me on my LG G5.

Movies

To test movie performance, I started with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ in ‘Surround:AI’ mode. The first thing I noticed was the bass. The diegetic (in-scene) sound effects of whirring jet engines rumbled through the subwoofer with immense power. Even so, this didn’t overpower the high-frequency diegetic sounds such as reversing trucks and whipping ropes.

The True X Surround 90A’s soundscape is almost incomprehensibly wide. I’ve never experienced an expansive sound like this before: I felt like I truly was in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, waiting my turn to fly my fighter jet.

In the opening scene, every component worked together. The jet engines didn’t overpower the softer metallic clinking sound effects; the bass-heavy synth track didn’t fight for dominance over the roaring planes; every sound up and down the frequency range earned its place.

However, the dialogue performance wasn’t as adept as one might hope. To check if it was merely a ‘Surround:AI’ issue, I switched to ‘Clear Voice’. This increased the volume of the upper mids, but the dialogue wasn’t overly clear.

Even so, the Dolby Atmos performance here was excellent, with Maverick’s radioed dialogue sounding like it came from directly behind me. When Maverick took off, the plane sounded as if it were genuinely flying over my head.

In dialogue-based, non-action scenes, I found the dialogue perfectly audible. However, in action scenes, the dialogue was often overpowered by diegetic sound effects or the soundtrack. This is unfortunate for a $3,500 soundbar, but if you care more about bombastic action and Dolby Atmos, you won’t be disappointed.

After ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, I watched Elio. As this is less of an all-guns-blazing action blockbuster and more of an uplifting family movie with fluorescent, gelatinous aliens in place of ferocious jet engines, I found the balance between action scenes and dialogue better. The alien sound effects were particularly good. I could almost feel the squelchy, wet sounds on my skin.

Finally, I watched ‘How to Train Your Dragon (2025)’. Again, the Dolby Atmos performance was excellent, particularly in the cove scene where Hiccup and Toothless befriend one another. I could feel Toothless’ purring as if he were in the room with me.

I also have to mention the flight scenes. As with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, the sound was expansive, with width and height that other soundbars simply dream of. The moments where Toothless flapped his wings sounded so real that I felt I was caught in a breeze.

While the dialogue performance wasn’t as strong as I wanted, the True X Surround 90A is genuinely the best Dolby Atmos soundbar I’ve ever listened to. If you can overlook slightly quiet dialogue in exchange for truly cinematic sound, the True X Surround 90A might’ve been made for you.

TV

After watching UHD 4K Blu-rays, I watched ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Bridgerton’ on standard Netflix. As not everyone has tons of 4K Blu-rays, it’s only fair to test soundbars with basic 5.1, 1080p content, too.

In ‘Stranger Things’, the soundbar handled the combination of eerie synth soundtrack, diegetic sound effects like blaring phones and panicked footsteps, with the guttural inhuman growling of the demogorgons perfectly. I have nothing bad to say about this performance: the dialogue was clear and intelligible. The overall performance was perfect, much better balance across the frequency range than with 4K Blu-rays.

‘Bridgerton’ has less action, is dialogue-heavy, and has a string-based soundtrack. Again, no dialogue was muffled, and there was an equal balance of dialogue, diegetic sound, and non-diegetic sound (like OST). No element was fighting for dominance; everything settled in the soundscape perfectly. I was able to pick out soft high-frequency sounds like ruffling fabric and dainty footsteps even over the top of a loud OST.

Overall, the TV performance was much better than the movie performance. This is likely due to Netflix’s content using fewer ‘layers’ of sound (5.1 vs Dolby Atmos, for example), so less for the soundbar to juggle. Even so, you wouldn’t spend $3k on a soundbar to only watch 5.1 audio on ad-supported Netflix, though, would you? I wouldn’t.

Music

To test music playback, I streamed via AirPlay through Qobuz. I listened to ‘Billie Toppy’ by Men I Trust with the ‘3D Music’ setting enabled. Although I’m sure audiophiles wouldn’t appreciate the semi-fuzzy tone this inflicted, I really liked the immersive, warm sound effect that felt like the audio equivalent of a music embrace.

Afterwards, I listened to ‘Let It Happen’ by Tame Impala. The bass performance on this track was surprisingly excellent, with powerful, groovy bass that ran up and down the frequency range with gusto. I could hear the background vocals and flickering synths perfectly. I was genuinely really surprised by the sound quality here. Most soundbars are terrible for music, but not the True X Surround 90A.

Last, I switched genres to punk-tinged ‘Kick in the Teeth’ by Dream Wife. The rolling guitars and effusive female vocals worked in harmony together, and the guitar solo towards the end of the track was particularly effective.

Overall, the True X Surround 90A won’t disappoint if you’re after room-filling 360° audio. This is a high-quality, well-made piece of tech, with cinema-level surround sound. All I’m saying is that for $1,500 less, you could get Samsung’s best-ever soundbar (Q990F, 11.1.4 channel) or JBL’s best soundbar (Bar 1300X, 11.1.4 channel), neither of which struggle with dialogue clarity. So why wouldn’t you just do that?

Yamaha True X Surround 90A review: Verdict

I’m so torn. This review has been one of the hardest to write, because the Yamaha True X Surround 90A is a fantastic soundbar. I’ve never experienced Dolby Atmos like this. Very few soundbars can go head-to-head with a movie theater like this, but the True X Surround 90A is one of them.

However, for this room-filling, mind-bending Dolby Atmos, you’re sacrificing some dialogue clarity. Even with the ‘Clear Voice’ mode activated, I found dialogue tricky to pinpoint during action scenes in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. Is that a fair trade, though? The only person who can answer that is you.

For those desiring the ultimate Dolby Atmos soundbar, you’d be mighty happy with the True X Surround 90A. It can truly bring your movies to life.

Getting one of the best soundbars is the easiest way to upgrade your home movie theater. There's no doubt about it. I was skeptical before I tried my first soundbar, but now I can't imagine my life without one.

I've tested sixteen soundbars this year, and to help you find one that suits your needs and budget, I've rounded up my top picks under $200, $500, and $700. The cheapest option is Sony's classic, the HT-S100F. Next is the $449 soundbar + subwoofer Polk Audio Signa S4. Finally, Samsung's cheapest premium "Q" series soundbar, the Q600F, which is the best mid-range bar I've ever tested.

Under $200: Sony HT-S100F

The Sony HT-S100F is widely regarded as the best cheap soundbar, and for good reason.

Most budget soundbars I've tested suffer from various connectivity, sound, and tinniness issues. Not the Sony HT-S100F.

With a surprisingly powerful built-in woofer (not subwoofer, though), the HT-S100F brought my test movies to life. In 'Top Gun: Maverick', ‘Danger Zone’ sounded great and didn’t overpower the sounds of the jets taking off.

Balancing OST, dialogue, and diegetic sound effects is tricky for cheap soundbars, but the HT-S100F isn't like the rest. I was majorly impressed by how deftly the HT-S100F handled a complex soundscape, especially in the dogfighting scenes. In my review, I wrote, "I could hear all the headset dialogue clearly. There was no muffled speech, and I wasn’t straining to hear even over the radio crackling sound effect."

If you want the best TV upgrade for less, it's got to be the Sony HT-S100F.

Under $500: Polk Audio Signa S4

The Polk Audio Signa S4 is criminally underrated. This Atmos-enabled soundbar and subwoofer combo is top-notch, especially for under $500.

There are cheaper soundbar and subwoofer combos out there, but the 3.1.2 channel configuration means your Dolby Atmos movies will sound truly immersive.

When I was testing the Signa S4, I watched 'The Wild Robot'. If you haven't seen this movie, there's a fantastic Atmos scene around halfway through. I really felt like I was in the water with the scene. When the gosling is encircled by goose bullies, the jibing dialogue sounded 360-degree and the splashing sound effects almost had me grabbing a towel.

Like any soundbar worth its salt, the Signa S4 also has a "Voice adjust" mode. Thankfully, "Voice adjust" doesn't negative impact the diegetic (in-scene) sounds. The ambient noises and sound effects still very audible but, as promised, the dialogue was clearer and more instantly intelligible.

Under $700: Samsung Q600F

If you can spend a little more — but a $1,700 full-room setup like the JBL Bar 1300X is a little out of your budget — then I'd recommend the Samsung Q600F. This is my favorite mid-range soundbar, with fiery bass and expansive sound.

When I was watching 'Top Gun: Maverick', ‘Let’s Dance’ by David Bowie sounded as if it was coming from beside the TV, rather than the TV itself. This was the first time I was genuinely impressed with the Q600F’s 360-degree audio performance. Even over the soundtrack, the hushed dialogue was clear and audible.

However, the Q600F really shone with 'The Batman'. The motorbike scene with 'Something in the Way' playing was a huge standout. The creepy voiceover by Pattinson; the harrowing acoustic guitar from Cobain; the diegetic news broadcast playing over it all. The soundbar did well with all these different elements, and left me wanting to rewind it just to experience it again.

I couldn't get enough of how incredible 'The Batman' sounded on the Q600F. If you know the movie well, there's a scene where Batman and Gordon enter an orphanage. The Dolby Atmos performance blew me away here. I could hear raindrops coming from all around me, and the metallic clinking of boots on staircases reverberated around my brain. This was one of the best surround performances of the entire movie.

Surprisingly, I was also impressed with the music playback — soundbars are famously poor for music listening — thanks to the punchy, room-filling bass.

For the price, you can't go wrong with the Q600F.

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Sonos' makes some of the best soundbars that you can buy. From the uber-costly but monstrously powerful Arc Ultra to the budget-friendly Ray, there's a Sonos soundbar for almost every budget.

But which soundbar is the best for you, beyond even price? You might not need something as impressive as the large Arc Ultra, even if you can afford it, and you might need something beefier for your larger room than the Ray. Let's break it down.

For a mid-sized room, you'll want...

The Sonos Beam Gen 2

You don't need something massive like the Arc Ultra, and you don't need to spend the extra money. Instead, you should grab the Sonos Beam Gen 2, the middle child of the Sonos range.

You'll still get Dolby Atmos, and you can add in extra surround speakers if you want a more impressive surround experience. The Beam Gen 2 sounds amazing as well, with plenty of bassy wallop for all your movies and TV.

If you want a little extra impact for explosions and other bassy happenings on screen, you might want to grab a subwoofer. I'd suggest the Sonos Sub mini for your bassy fix – it's plenty powerful enough for your mid-sized space.

Buy the setup:

• Sonos Beam Gen 2 $499 @ Amazon
• Sonos Sub Mini $499 @ Amazon

Bedroom movies do very well with a...

The Sonos Ray

A bedroom doesn't need enormous amounts of Dolby Atmos sound — you want something that sounds good without taking up loads of space. The Sonos Ray fits the bill perfectly.

It sounds great and gives you much more cinematic sound than the speakers built into your TV. You could go a little further with the Beam Gen 2 if your bedroom is slightly larger, but you don't need it for what is likely an occasional TV.

You can always attach a subwoofer if you want some extra bass.

Buy it

• Sonos Ray $219 @ Amazon

You have a large room to fill, so you'll need...

The Sonos Arc Ultra

The Arc Ultra is Sonos' most powerful soundbar, perfect for large spaces. There are 9.1.4 channels of Dolby Atmos goodness here along with some extremely powerful internal amplifiers that go loud enough to shake windows three streets down.

Cranking the volume for large spaces doesn't lead to any amount of sound thinning, giving you the best experience possible. If you want something even bassier and better for the low stuff, you should add a Sonos sub 4 for some truly epic sound.

Buy the setup:

• Sonos Arc Ultra $1,099 @ Amazon
• Sonos Sub 4 $899 @ Amazon

For beginner's Dolby Atmos, you should buy...

Sonos Beam Gen 2 and a pair of Era 100s

The Beam Gen 2 provides solid sound quality on its own, and even does a valiant job with surround sound. If you want even more channels without stretching the budget too much, however, there is a way – grab some Sonos Era 100s.

They act as physical surrounds, pumping sound all around you. It's a wonderful way of getting a bigger sound without taking up loads of space — although it does cost more in the long run.

Buy the setup:

• Sonos Beam Gen 2 $499 @ Amazon
• Sonos Era 100 (x2) $199 each @ Amazon

If you want the ultimate Dolby Atmos experience, you should buy...

Sonos Arc Ultra, a subwoofer and a pair of Era 300s

The Sonos Arc Ultra already pumps out some massive Dolby Atmos sound, but there's always a way to make it even better. Case in (very expensive) point — adding in a pair of Era 300s and a massive subwoofer.

The Era 300s are already good at Spatial Audio on their own, so add them to the soundbar and you've got the Dolby Atmos envy of all but the most invested home theater buffs. The subwoofer brings even more low-end punch for the movies experience of a life time. If you can stomach the cost, of course.

Buy the setup:

• Sonos Arc Ultra $1,099 @ Amazon
• Sonos Sub 4 $899 @ Amazon
• Sonos Era 300 (x2) $449 each @ Amazon

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What's more exciting than pulling a brand new Sonos soundbar from under the tree? Getting it plugged into the TV and watching your favorite movie, that's what. But hold! Don't get watching "Star Wars Episode III" just yet – there's some settings you'll want to change first.

Let me guide you through the process. Once you've got everything setup, there are some extra steps to make sure your soundbar is performing its best. Get your phone ready, and prepare to see what Sonos soundbars are really capable of doing.

1. Download the Sonos app

While the Sonos App has had its fair share of problems over the last few months (or just over a year — but who's counting?), it's still a useful way to control your Sonos soundbar.

Pop over to the app store, and find the "Sonos" app. From there you can connect your Soundbar. It also unlocks the smart features of the soundbar, so you can use the built-in voice control and stream music wirelessly over Wi-Fi.

And before anyone says "well that seems obvious," I know someone who went months without downloading the app for their soundbar. They had no idea you could stream music to it – or that they needed to activate the Dolby Atmos setting.

2. Tune with TruePlay

There are a great many things that can affect the sound of your soundbar, including room acoustics. Not that you really need to worry about all that, thanks to Sonos' built in tuning system called "TruePlay."

It listens to a series of sounds from your soundbar, and using the soundbar's mics and the mic in your phone, it builds a sonic picture of your room. From there it can create a profile that makes sure it sounds the best possible according to the unique sonic characteristics of your room.

It's easy to find. Go into the app, and find the settings of your sound bar. Find the TruePlay tuning option. There are two options here. A simple option where you don't have to move around, and a more complex one that sees you walk around the room waving your phone around.

Follow the instructions on screen, and wait for the loud laser noises to finish. Et voila! One tuned soundbar.

3. Activate Dolby Atmos

Generally, spatial audio and Dolby Atmos are turned on by default, but you'll want to check. That way you can be sure you're getting surround sound for your favorite movies, games and music.

Head into the settings menu of your soundbar, and head down to the "surround" options. From there, check that Surround is turned on and that you've got Spatial Music turned on.

To check that things work correctly, play a movie on Netflix or Disney+ that you know has Dolby Atmos. Go into the Sonos app while the movie is playing, and check that there's the 'Dolby Atmos' logo on the screen.

If you see "stereo PCM," then Dolby Atmos isn't activated. Go back to the settings screen and check all the settings from above to make sure you're getting the best sound possible.

4. Activate speech enhancement for better dialog

This is only going to work with the Sonos Arc Ultra, but it's well worth turning on, especially if you like to watch TV and movies with lots of spoken words. Using some very clever AI, the soundbar will highlight dialog to make it easier to understand with speech enhancement so that you never miss a word.

It's easy to turn on. Head to the settings menu in the Sonos app, and then find the Speech Enhancement menu. From there, you can select a level — the higher the level, the louder the dialog.

The highest levels to affect the sound of the movie or TV show, so I'd recommend you stick with the middle level. That will enhance the dialogue a good deal without affecting the sound of the rest of the movie.

You should also turn it off when you listen to music – it sounds bad.

5. Add some streaming services

You can actually stream music to your soundbar directly from the Sonos app — you just need to sign into your services. When you search in the app, it will search through any streaming services you've added, making the potential library even larger.

Just head to the first page of the Sonos app, and press the 'Add' button under 'your services.' Follow the on-screen instructions, and log in to Tidal, Apple Music, Spotify, and more.

You can also stream from Sonos radio, although you don't get to choose the tracks you're listening to there.

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The best soundbars are supposed to make your TV audio better, but when they stop working correctly, they become incredibly frustrating. One day everything sounds perfect, and the next you're dealing with no sound at all, dialogue that doesn't match the actors' lips, or Bluetooth that refuses to connect.

Before you start shopping for a replacement or calling customer support, most soundbar problems have simple fixes you can do yourself. Understanding how to troubleshoot the most common soundbar issues saves you time, money, and the hassle of dealing with returns or repairs.

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Whether you've treated yourself to a soundbar or Santa has brought you one, you're in for a great time. Soundbars are the easiest and cheapest way to bring the movie theater home. I've tested loads of the best soundbars, and every single one was a marked improvement over my TV speakers.

But soundbars can also be quite confusing. Although most are plug-and-play, they have tons of features and jargon-stuffed playback modes. Don't fret, though. I'm here to help.

As one of Tom's Guide's resident soundbar reviewers, these are the three features I always try first when testing soundbars. I always check out bass/cinema/movie mode, dialogue enhancer, and the wireless connectivity features for hands-free dance sessions.

Haven't got a soundbar yet? Here's my top recommendations

Bass boost

"Bass boost" is sometimes called "Movie" or "Cinema" mode. It doesn't matter which title your soundbar uses — they're basically the same thing.

"Bass" and "Movie" modes do what you think they do. They make bass go boom. This feature is fantastic for blockbuster movies, like "Top Gun: Maverick" and "How to Train Your Dragon (2025)."

I test every single soundbar with "Top Gun: Maverick" in bass/movie mode, and it's a fantastic way to get the most bang for your buck. Or, boom for your buck.

Even with super-cheap soundbars like the $150 Sony HT-S100F, activating the bass/move/cinema mode always takes the experience to the next level. In my review of the HT-S100F, I wrote, "Considering the HT-S100F has no subwoofer, I wasn’t expecting the bass to be great. However, the bass notes in ‘Danger Zone’ were groovy and didn’t overpower the sounds of the jets taking off."

So, if you're a movie aficionado, you definitely need to activate bass/movie/cinema mode next time you watch. You'll be impressed.

Dialogue enhancer

Most soundbars I test have some kind of dialogue enhancer. This basically does what it says on the tin — it makes speech clearer and more intelligible.

As with movie/bass/cinema mode, different models use different names. Some models use the title "Voice," "Dialogue," or "Speech." My personal soundbar, the Bose Smart Soundbar, calls this mode "AI dialogue enhancer."

The Bose Smart Soundbar is capable of using cinema/bass/movie mode simultaneously with "AI dialogue enhancer," but this isn't true of all soundbars. The Sony HT-S100F forces you to choose between "Cinema" and "Voice," which is a shame, but it is just $149, compared to the Bose's $449. However, the $349 Klipsch Flexus Core 100 allows you to use "Dialogue enhancement" and "Bass" simultaneously.

If you're struggling to hear dialogue in loud movies, then I'd recommend trying out the "Voice" mode on your soundbar. Some soundbars have weird ways to activate this — on Samsung soundbars, for example, you have to hold the settings button, and then up and down buttons — so check out your user manual for extra help.

AirPlay/Google Cast/Bluetooth

Not all soundbars have Wi-Fi streaming, but honestly? In 2025, most new soundbars do. Obviously, there are some exceptions, like the Samsung Q600F, but on the whole, if you're buying a premium soundbar in 2025, it's likely gonna have Wi-Fi.

Even if your soundbar doesn't have Wi-Fi playback (for AirPlay and Google Cast), I'm 99% sure it'll have Bluetooth. I've never tested a soundbar without Bluetooth.

But if you have AirPlay or Google Cast on your soundbar, you need to experience a soundbar living room dance party. Wave goodbye to fighting over the aux, connectivity headaches with wireless speakers, or a teeny-tiny portable speaker that can't go loud enough. AirPlay makes my life ten times better.

I'll admit, soundbars aren't the best for listening to music. But when I'm cooking, cleaning, or just want to listen to music lazily, I always gravitate towards my soundbar. (I know, I'm a terrible music lover.)

Although it can be quite frustrating to set up Wi-Fi on a soundbar, trust me, it's worth it. I have the Bose Smart Soundbar (2024) at home, and AirPlay is one of my most-used features. I can play music directly from my Spotify or Apple Music or Qobuz app, without needing to connect to the soundbar first. It's instant music playback.

And, if you've got it, room calibration

Now, this is kind of a secret fourth option, because not all soundbars have this feature. Only the uber premium models I've tested come with AI room calibration. If you've a 2021-2025 AI-powered Samsung TV (QLED Q70 and up) and a compatible soundbar (Q Series), then you can make use of SpaceFit Sound Pro.

This room calibration feature analyzes the layout of your space and alters sound waves accordingly. Basically, it's a lot of physics and engineering to ensure you get the best sound possible.

Non-Samsung soundbars have this, too. I tested the JBL Bar 1300X and was blown away by the in-app room calibration. This setup sends a pulsing sound through all elements of the soundbar and tells you to move certain pieces if needed.

However, this is a feature most commonly seen on very expensive setups — like, well over $1,000 expensive — which is why I didn't include it in my main three features. It's nice to have, but it's not essential. You can also just move your soundbar and play it by ear.

Which of these features have you tried? Which are you going to try first? Let me know in the comments!

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I test a lot of the best soundbars. I've reviewed everything from $1,700+ full-room setups to $67 teeny-weeny TV speakers. Some are mind-blowingly immersive and genuinely bring the movie theater home. Some are... less so.

Times are tough right now, and if you're anything like me, you'll probably want to spend as little money as possible without sacrificing sound quality. Enter the Sony HT-S100F.

This tiny, cheap soundbar is widely regarded as the best budget soundbar money can buy. It's also an Amazon bestseller, and for good reason.

Sony HT-S100F is a winner

Although I reviewed it at $99, the HT-S100F is $159 now. Even so, it's often discounted to its original MSRP, so you should be able to grab it at the lower price if you're patient.

At this price point, there's very little competition. I've tested a fair few cheap soundbars at this point: the $67 Majority Naga 60, the $99 Majority Elias, and the $169 Creative Stage Pro come to mind. These are all competitively priced models, and I'd recommend checking out the Naga 60 if you really can't spend over $100. If you're set on getting a subwoofer, the Stage Pro is a fair option, too.

However, the HT-S100F is miles apart from the rest of the budget crowd. Usually, there are some annoying trade-offs when it comes to cheap soundbars. The Naga 60 comes with frustrating connection foibles; the Elias's "Dolby Atmos" is practically nonexistent; and the Stage Pro has no eARC and muffled dialogue.

The Sony HT-S100F? No annoying habits. The most annoying thing is that the remote lacks a Bluetooth button, so you have to activate Bluetooth via the on-bar buttons. But hey, if you're looking to get your steps in, this isn't the worst thing in the world.

So although most cheap soundbars have one irritating habit, the HT-S100F seems immune to this curse. Praise be the soundbar gods.

Bass bass bass

Like pretty much every soundbar I've tested, the Sony HT-S100F has "Cinema" mode. This mode increases the volume of low-frequency sounds. Watching a movie with rumbling monster trucks? Explosions? Bass-heavy soundtracks? No problem!

In my review of the HT-S100F, I wrote, "In the opening scene of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, I was really impressed with the level of bass. Considering the HT-S100F has no subwoofer, I wasn’t expecting the bass to be great. However, the bass notes in ‘Danger Zone’ were groovy and didn’t overpower the sounds of the jets taking off."

Although you'd need a subwoofer to get really good bass, I was really impressed considering the HT-S100F's lower price tag. Unfortunately, the HT-S100F isn't compatible with an external subwoofer, so if you want to build your setup gradually, you'd probably need to get something with a higher initial cost. (Check out Klipsch's range. I recently tested the Klipsch Flexus Core 100 and was really impressed.)

Crystal-clear dialogue

Thanks to its "Voice" mode, the HT-S100F is ideal if you struggle to understand muffled or mumbled dialogue from your TV speakers. In addition to explosions and bass-heavy music, 'Top Gun: Maverick' has a lot of radioed dialogue that my TV speakers struggle to transmit. That just wasn't the case when I connected the HT-S100F.

In my review, I wrote, "I could hear all the headset dialogue clearly. There was no muffled speech, and I wasn’t straining to hear even over the radio crackling sound effect."

I also watched Netflix with 5.1 audio to test the HT-S100F: "As promised, [Voice] mode made dialogue clear without overpowering the sound effects and background music. I could still hear characters pouring cereal and drinking beer without drowning out dialogue."

Seeing as TV speakers struggle with separating diegetic sound effects at similar frequencies — female dialogue and high-frequency sound effects like clinking cutlery or quiet laughter — this performance was excellent for $159.

Powerful...but it won't blow the roof off your house

I'm going to be honest with you, though: if you want a true home theater setup, the HT-S100F won't be able to rival a surround system. Considering the $159 price tag, it's fair to say that the HT-S100F is intended to be used as a step up from TV speakers, but not necessarily a replacement for a full 5.1 system.

If you want a setup with surround sound and pumping bass, then you probably want to check out the Polk Audio Signa S4 ($449), which has a 3.1-channel setup (with a subwoofer).

There's a $300 price difference between those two options, however, and that's not an insignificant amount of money, especially in this economy.

If you want an audio upgrade without going all-in on a multi-channel surround system, you should definitely check out the Sony HT-S100F — it's widely regarded as the best budget soundbar for a reason.

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Dolby Atmos is great at delivering spatial audio sound, but getting it set up properly has always required a TV that supports the standard; a soundbar or AV receiver that can decode the signal; and, of course, an HDMI cable to pair the two together.

But those days will soon be behind us.

Announced ahead of CES 2026, LG Sound Suite is the first soundbar to support Dolby Atmos’ FlexConnect protocol, which allows you to connect up to four speakers, a soundbar and a subwoofer in a 13.1.7-channel configuration wirelessly to your TV.

Spatial audio speaker placement without the headache

If you’ve never done it, stringing together a surround sound system is both an artform and a practice in patience. Cutting speaker wire with just the right amount of slack only to realize that you need another six or seven inches is certainly something I don’t miss.

Dolby Atmos fixed this problem by only requiring a single HDMI cable to run from a soundbar to an HDMI eARC port on the back of the TV. Unfortunately, I’ve heard from some readers that even that can be tough with certain living room layouts.

FlexConnect will fix that problem — but comes with the caveat that both the TV and soundbar need to support the new standard. So far, the LG Sound Suite is the only soundbar that can receive a FlexConnect signal and LG’s upcoming 2026 TVs are the only ones that can send it. (Though LG says that some 2025 models will also be updated to support FlexConnect via a software update sometime in the future.)

Don’t have a perfectly level shelf to put those two rear-channel speakers on? No problem. FlexConnect and Sound Suite will even custom-tune the sound to fit the space.

A new reason to buy LG OLED TVs?

Keep in mind that although the LG Sound Suite is the first soundbar to support FlexConnect, it’s not the first piece of audio gear with that distinction — that honor belongs to the TCL Z100 wireless speaker, which my colleague Kate Kozuch tested earlier this year.

The biggest draw for the LG Sound Suite for me personally is its out-of-the-box integration with LG’s 2026 TVs. LG has yet to announce what’s included in the lineup outside of the brand’s first-ever Micro RGB TV, but it’s almost certain that we’ll see 2026 versions of the LG C5 OLED and LG G5 OLED, two of the best OLED TVs of 2025.

Am I salivating over the possibility of unboxing an LG C6 OLED and an accompanying Sound Suite system for immediate 13.1.7-channel spatial audio? Absolutely.

Unfortunately LG didn’t give us a firm date on either product, so for now I’ll just have to settle for seeing one (or both!) at CES 2026 in early January.

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If I had my way, my living room would have a full system of speakers and subwoofers connected to one of the best home theater receivers. Unfortunately, I, like many others, have "the council of people I live with" to get past before I can enjoy surround sound movies at their very best.

So I turned to the Sonos soundbar that lives on our TV stand. The Sonos Arc Ultra is one of the best soundbars, and it connects to other Sonos speakers for a true surround experience. Speakers I already own. So getting it past the council of elders was a whole lot easier than buying an amp, buckets of speakers, and wall mounting a whole new setup. My experience hasn't been smooth sailing — but it's definitely here to stay. Let me tell you why.

How does it work?

The Sonos Arc Ultra is already a very proficient surround sound device before you've connected all your extra speakers. There are 9.1.4 channels already built in for some impressive virtual Atmos surround, creating a fairly convincing Dolby Atmos bubble around you when you're watching movies and cinematic TV shows.

But it's not quite enough. See, you can link up other Sonos speakers for a "true surround" system (note: not a virtual one). In my case, that's a pair of Sonos Era 300 speakers and a Sonos Sub 4 to add some extra bass to the mix.

That actually places some of the sound behind you, as opposed to the soundbar bouncing the soundtrack off the walls and into your ears.

It all connects using Wi-Fi. The Sonos Arc Ultra makes its own mini-network within your home Wi-Fi, sending the audio signal through a high-quality, and most importantly, lag-free wireless connection to each speaker.

Sound complicated? Well, that's because it is complicated. And, as much as Sonos might tell you otherwise, it's also a massive pain to set up.

My surround setup nightmare

I'd hoped that my Sonos setup would be much easier than it proved to be. After all, previous devices have hooked up without complaint, despite the difficulties that the app has seen over the last, like, year.

Alas, it was not to be. Connecting everything was to be a Sisyphean task, with numerous unpluggings, disconnectings, and even uninstallations to get everything working.

It should be easy. Just a couple of taps in the Sonos app, and you're away. That's how I started. I put the speakers in their spots and pressed the "add as surrounds" button. A quick loading screen later, and I was off to the races — or so I thought.

The surround speakers didn't work. When I tried out some spatial music or watched a Dolby Atmos movie, there was no surround sound. My Era 300s were completely silent. The TruePlay tuning in the app stopped halfway, never to get to the surround speaker part.

I tried everything I could think of. I power cycled the Era 300s, the soundbar, and the sub. I tried uninstalling the application and then re-logging in again. I tried each device separately to make sure they were working. They were — so why on earth would they not connect together so that I can watch Star Wars: Episode III in glorious Dolby Atmos?

For a time, I gave up. The Era 300s sat in their surround spots, ready for me to make the effort to try again. And then — a revelation. Why not start afresh?

So I started fresh. I disconnected all the Sonos speakers from the power, and reset my internet router. I uninstalled the app and restarted my phone. I was ready to get it all started, from square one.

I reinstalled the Sonos app and signed in. "No Sonos network found" — just what I was hoping for. I started with the Arc Ultra. I factory reset the speaker by holding the Bluetooth button while I plugged it in, waiting for the orange light on the front to pulse green.

It appeared in the app like a brand new device, and I hooked it up. I did an initial TruePlay tuning, and everything seemed ok. Now for the Subwoofer. Hold down the pairing button, connect the power, and wait for the orange light to turn green. Connect it to the system in the app, and run TruePlay for the soundbar again.

So far, so good.

Now for the bit that gave me issues the first (few) times around. I moved onto the rear surrounds, starting with what would be the rear right. I held the Bluetooth button and connected the power to factory reset it. It appeared in the app, and I set it up like a normal speaker. A quick TruePlay tuning later, and it's working as a smart speaker.

But not like a surround. Not yet.

Things so far are looking good, but until Anakin is wheeling around my head in his Jedi Starfighter, we're not done. I applied the same process to the final speaker in the system — hold the Bluetooth button, and plug it in. Wait for that green light, and set up the speaker in the app.

I ran TruePlay on the second Era 300. I'm getting ever more nervous as I am excited. I've been at it for hours, days even, and I'm nearly there. It might work.

Now for the crucial part: adding the speakers as surrounds. There's a quick button in the app labelled "add Sonos Era 300 as surrounds." I tap it. I select the speaker making noise to tell the system which speaker is left and which is right. I've been here before, but things feel different now.

A drop of sweat drips from my brow as I watch the connection status bar reach completion. It could have been hours, days, weeks, or even years before that bar finalized. It felt like an eternity, watching it connect everything.

And then — success. "Surrounds connected," the app tells me. But it's the power on/confirmation/triumphant jingle that rings from every speaker in the room that says my gambit has paid off.

It works. One nerve wracking TruePlay setup later, and we're away. Was it one of the most painful setups I've ever dragged myself through? 100%. Was it worth the effort (and massive expense)? Absolutely.

Worth every drop of sweat (and dollar)

There's very little like a decent Dolby Atmos setup at home. And the full Sonos surround system is, indeed, a decent Dolby Atmos setup. It might not have the ceiling mounted speakers of something even more premium, but it's a great option if you've got a council of deciders to get through.

When tuned with TruePlay properly, the surround sound is epic. Noises that almost came from behind you and around you before now actually sound like they come from all around, immersing you in your favorite movies like little else.

Star Wars Episode III might not be my favorite Star Wars movie, but it's one of my favorite ways to listen to a surround sound setup. That opening scene as Anakin and Obi-Wan plummet through enormous capital ships — you almost have to duck your head as the hot-headed young Jedi almost buries his fighter in the back of your skull.

But it's not just surround sound that the setup helps. The speakers taking on some of the load means that there's less for the soundbar at the front to do, so it can focus on the stuff it's really good at. That means the dialogue is noticeably clearer, and movie soundtracks are more immersive.

Explosions feel far more impressive as the whole room is filled with the noise, and bits fly off behind you. Car chases are more immersive as vehicles pass by. It's remarkable just how much of a difference some surround speakers make to the experience.

Look, it's expensive and connecting it all was a massive pain — but the result is the perfect compromise between space used and Dolby Atmos experience. It's well worth it if you've got the dollar — and the time to reset everything in the house.

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The Klipsch Flexus Core 100 is one of the best soundbars below $400. With surprisingly powerful bass and seamless connectivity in the Klipsch Connect Plus app, this is the ideal soundbar for those with smaller TVs or living rooms. If you don’t have room for a subwoofer, the Flexus Core 100’s adept bass will be more than enough.

Although it lacks Wi-Fi connectivity — so you can’t stream via AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect or the like — I was easily able to set up wireless playback via Bluetooth. Even so, if you want a smart home sound system, this wouldn’t be the soundbar for you.

But perhaps the impressive bass and compatibility with Klipsch’s rears and subs make this the perfect soundbar for beginners? I’ll discuss everything in full in this Klipsch Flexus Core 100 review.

Klipsch Flexus Core 100 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An entry-level Klipsch soundbar you can add a subwoofer and rears to
• Who is it for? If you want to invest in your home cinema setup brick by brick
• What does it cost? $349 / £299
• What do we like? Very affordable for the sound quality
• What don’t we like? There’s no Wi-Fi, so say goodbye to AirPlay, Spotify Connect, and more

Klipsch Flexus Core 100 review: Specs

Klipsch Flexus Core 100 review: Price & availability

The Klipsch Flexus Core 100 is $349 from Amazon U.S. and £299 from Richer Sounds in the U.K.. This is a pretty reasonable price for a soundbar of this caliber — I’ve also tested the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 ($699) and the Bose Smart Soundbar ($549), which perform similarly, but at much pricier MSRPs.

The Klipsch Flexus Core 100 is intended to be the first model you buy from Klipsch’s lineup, and it’s built to be a part of a whole Klipsch sound system. Klipsch offers a couple of other soundbars: the Flexus Core 200 ($549), and the Flexus Core 300 ($1,199).

All the soundbars are compatible with both the Sub 100 ($349) and Sub 200 ($599). You don’t have to purchase the subs simultaneously — you can just grab the soundbar now and add subs when you can.

Still with me? Good. You can also get Klipsch’s rears for “true” Dolby Atmos. These are $499 for the Surr 200, and, again, can be added onto the soundbar or soundbar + subwoofer at any time.

You can also get the Klipsch Flexus Core 200 soundbar with the Sub 100 for just $549, which I’d recommend getting if you want a more powerful home setup, but you don’t want to drop a grand on a soundbar.

In the grand scheme of soundbars, $349 for the Klipsch Flexus Core 100 is very reasonable. This would be a great option for those who want to upgrade from TV speakers for less, with the option of adding subs and rears in the future.

Klipsch Flexus Core 100 review: Design & controls

• Just 28 inches, suitable for smaller TVs
• Buttons on the top and weighty remote control
• Controls in the Klipsch Connect Plus app, too

The Flexus Core 100 is notably smaller than other soundbars I’ve tested. I’d recommend this for smaller homes or smaller TVs. I tested with a 65-inch LG, and the Flexus Core 100 looked out of place.

As with other Klipsch gear, the Flexus Core 100 has a retro-yet-modern appearance. There’s a Klipsch logo on the top right, which I think is a touch too big. This logo is much more prominent than Bose, Samsung, and Yamaha’s respective logos.

The Klipsch Flexus Core 100 does share similarities with these other soundbars, though. As with the Bose Smart Soundbar and the Samsung Q-Series soundbars, there are a number of touch buttons on the top of the bar itself. However, I always found myself gravitating towards using the remote or the app to control the soundbar. The controller is pleasantly weighty and has a much more luxurious feel than Bose’s flimsy remote.

Even though I’m not a fan of the large logo, I like pretty much everything else about the Flexus Core 100’s appearance. The fabric casing is well-made and functional, as it softens harsh treble during action scenes, giving the soundbar a warmer sound.

Klipsch Flexus Core 100 review: Features

• Playback modes ‘Music’ or ‘Movie’
• Dialogue enhancement mode
• Listening presets ‘Vocal’, ‘Bass’, ‘Treble’, ‘Rock’, and ‘Custom’

Although the Flexus Core 100 only has two playback modes — ‘Music’ or ‘Movie’ — I didn’t find myself longing for more modes. Usually, soundbars have a ‘Gaming’ mode, too. Even so, I found ‘Movie’ and ‘Music’ to be more than enough.

‘Music’ softened dialogue and increased bass, whereas ‘Movie’ heightened both dialogue and bass, giving a more U-shaped EQ. As you might expect, ‘Music’ sounded terrible for TV and movies, and ‘Movies’ sounded terrible when playing music.

Similarly, it was easy to enhance dialogue and playback by cycling through the listening presets until I found one I liked. For example, I watched ‘Stranger Things’ with the ‘bass’ preset and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ with the bass preset. With dialogue on ‘high’, this provided an immersive, floor-shaking, yet still intelligible soundstage.

However… and this is a big however. There’s no AirPlay, Google Cast, or Spotify Connect. Only the premium Flexus models — so the Core 300 — have Wi-Fi, and, therefore, Wi-Fi playback. This is a major con for those looking to integrate multi-room playback systems like Roon into their soundbar. Simply put, it can’t be done unless you get the $1,199 Flexus Core 300.

Klipsch Flexus Core 100 review: App

• Delightful to use
• No connectivity issues
• Can add subs and surrounds easily in the app

The Klipsch Flexus Core 100 uses the Klipsch Connect Plus app, instead of the confusing, similarly named Klipsch Connect.

As the Flexus Core 100 is intended to be the first investment in a series of home cinema products, the Connect Plus app offers a range of features like rears and subwoofer setup, channel configuration, and allows you to purchase add-ons in the app.

The app itself is easy to navigate and a pleasure to use, which is a welcome reprieve from the frustrating world of sound system apps. I struggled with Denon’s HEOS app due to finicky connectivity issues, and even Bose’s app proved frustrating at first.

The Klipsch Connect Plus practically set itself up — it recognized the Flexus Core 100 and added it to my smart system without any input from me. If you want a soundbar app that is actually a delight to use, then I’d recommend Klipsch products over Denon’s or Sonos’.

Klipsch Flexus Core 100 review: Sound quality

• Great bass despite lack of subwoofer
• Not as much clarity in high-frequency sound effects as I’d like
• Very clear dialogue

I test every soundbar with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, TV shows on Netflix, and music on Spotify and Qobuz.

Movies

Firstly, I watched ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. The opening scene has a fantastic audio mix, with high-frequency sound effects like whooping ropes and clinking metal, layered over a bass-heavy soundtrack and rumbling jet engines that challenge the low-end.

There was a surprising amount of width to the soundstage, especially when ‘Danger Zone’ started. I could almost pretend that the jet engines were flying around me, but, obviously, the Atmos performance isn’t as advanced as that of the Samsung Q600F ($699).

The soundbar struggled to balance dialogue and bass in the jet flying scenes, even with dialogue set to max. I could still understand most of what was said, but if you struggle with hearing, I don’t think it would be clear enough. The Bose Smart Soundbar has fantastic dialogue (with an AI dialogue enhancer), so I’d recommend that if you need something with extreme clarity.

Afterwards, I watched ‘The Mask’. The dialogue was fantastic, and I never struggled to understand any of the actors, even the soft-spoken characters. As this is a comedy movie, sans-jet-engines, sans-car-chases, and sans-overly dramatic soundtrack, there’s naturally less bass in the mix. As a result, the dialogue was brought to the forefront of the mix, which the Flexus Core 100 handled deftly.

Lastly, I watched ‘The Sound of Music’. I was really impressed by the clarity of dialogue in this movie. The contrast between the tranquil diegetic sounds — chirping birds and rippling grass — and the prominent dialogue made the movie a breeze to watch.

The bass is better than the Samsung B650, but only marginally. If you want to spend only around $400, but you want the best bass and clarity possible, I’d recommend the Polk Audio Signa S4. The S4 is the best all-rounder for earth-shattering bass and audible high-frequency sound effects.

TV

As I watched a range of hi-res 4K UHD Blu-rays, I wanted to test out the Flexus Core 100 with basic TV as well. Not everyone will be watching 4K UHD Blu-rays all the time, so it makes sense to give the soundbar a fair run with standard 5.1 TV, too.

I watched ‘Friends’ on Netflix using the ‘vocal’ preset. I also used dialogue enhancement mode to see how this affected the mix. Strangely, ‘vocal’ preset and ‘high’ dialogue enhancement made the laugh track sound like it was coming from underwater. However, the dialogue did sound great, so if you need to strengthen the dialogue performance and don’t mind a narrower mix, then this could be a worthy sacrifice.

After ‘Friends’, I switched it up with ‘Stranger Things’. As this is a more action-heavy, movie-like show than ‘Friends’, I adjusted the playback modes. I used ‘Movie’ mode with the ‘bass’ preset.

I wanted a little extra from the high-frequency diegetic sound effects, like footsteps on leaves and zippers. For such a compact soundbar, though, this is a big ask. I was really impressed by the clarity of the bass — the thunder sound effects rumbled through the floorboards, despite the lack of a subwoofer.

While the high-frequency sound effects were much clearer on the Denon Home Sound Bar 550, I’d recommend spending a bit extra for that premium soundbar if you want a more immersive, wider soundscape. I also recommend the Samsung Q600F or the Sonos Beam 2 if you want a better out-of-the-box performance.

Music

As the Klipsch Flexus Core 100 doesn’t have Wi-Fi, I had to test music playback with Bluetooth. I connected to my iPhone 16 Pro using the Klipsch Connect Plus app and then played music from Qobuz.

I listened to ‘Unravelling’ by Muse, which has a synth-heavy verse and heavy guitars in the chorus. The guitars sounded a little too close, and there wasn’t much width to the sound. However, the bass was powerful, and the vocals were melodic. Obviously, it doesn’t sound as good as a dedicated speaker, but the Flexus Core 100 would do in a pinch.

After, I listened to ‘Holiday’ by Confidence Man, which is a much sparser yet euphoric dance track. The vocal melodies were clear and effective. I could hear the high-frequency plane sound effects well. The ‘90s house bassline was groovy and loud, but, again a dedicated speaker would do the trick better.

Overall, the Flexus Core 100 is a fantastic TV speaker upgrade, and for just $349, you can’t go wrong. Obviously, there are better, more expensive options, but I wholeheartedly recommend the Flexus Core 100 if you’re on a budget and not fussy about Wi-Fi.

Klipsch Flexus Core 100 review: Verdict

The Klipsch Flexus Core 100 is a great option if you want to upgrade from your TV speakers for relatively little money. With powerful bass and a surprisingly wide soundscape (in some UHD Blu-rays), this compact soundbar is reliable and, most importantly, fun. And the best part? You can add pieces whenever you desire, which makes this a perfect option for those looking to create a serious home cinema experience eventually.

I found it easy to overlook the lack of Wi-Fi streaming with the easily accessible Bluetooth mode — and pleasing $349 price tag. With the Klipsch Connect Plus app, you don’t need the remote at all, and I didn’t experience a single connectivity issue. If you’ve used a lot of soundbars, you’ll know how impressive that is.

Although $100 more will get you the more advanced Polk Audio Signa S4, $349 is a fantastic deal for the Klipsch Flexus Core 100. If you’re looking for bass-heavy sound for the lowest price tag possible, I’m sure you’ll be happy with the Flexus Core 100.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single TV in need of decent sound must be in want of one of the best soundbars. And, likely, you're here because you're sick of awful-sounding TV speakers — well, I've got the list for you. We've spent a lot of time testing the best soundbars to make sure you get the best bang for your buck.

The best is still the Sonos Arc Ultra. It's an absolute stunner of a soundbar, bringing great sound, lovely Dolby Atmos, and even slick styling so you won't mind it sitting under your TV. It does come with a big wallet-denting price, though — if you're looking to save some money, we'd go for the also excellent Sony HT-S100F.

But without further ado, these are the best soundbars you can buy in 2026.

Meet the testing team

The Tom's Guide testing team is an experienced bunch who love good sound. Here's why you can trust us to find the best soundbar for your needs:

How do we test the best soundbars?

Before we dive deep into the best soundbars, I just want to go through what we look for when we're testing them. We make sure to evaluate the soundbar in some key areas.

Setup: While it's something you're only going to do once, we want to make sure that it's as easy as possible to get working. Plug-and-play is the name of the game here, and if there are extra features we want to make sure that they're as easy as possible to use.

How big is it? Everyone's space is different. Maybe you've got a massive room with loads of stuff in it, or maybe your living room is more compact and minimal. You want a soundbar that's going to suit your space, and, more importantly, not going to take up too much of it. We check whether the soundbar fits under our 50-inch OLED Philips testing TV to make sure you're not going to have any size issues. Ultimately, it needs to fit on your TV stand.

Are there any extras? What's in the box, and are its contents any good? Some soundbars come with extras like surround speakers and subwoofers. I want to make sure that those extras are worth it, and that they're not just pictures to sell them at the store.

Sound: This is arguably the most important part of the soundbar, and there are a number of things we look out for here. How's the dialog? Is it clear, or muffled? What about the bass — are you going to have rumbling floors in your movies, or are there going to be problems with the low end? I love testing the sound portion because I get to watch movies instead of working; But it's still important when testing and working out whether a bar is for you.

The best soundbars available right now

Best soundbar overall

The Sonos Arc Ultra is more than just a soundbar. It's a fully fledged audio entertainment center that connects to your TV and just happens to be really good for movies and TV.

I particularly like how you can stream your music to it from any device — I frequently find myself spending a bunch of time listening to my favorite tunes from Qobuz and Tidal with it, thanks to its ease of use.

But it's really that epic movie experience you're looking for with something like the Sonos Arc Ultra, and you get it in spades. The Dolby Atmos with just the soundbar is unlike anything else around, and if you add in the optional surrounds, it's a game-changer.

I absolutely love watching just about anything with the Arc Ultra — although you will want to pick up a Sonos sub so that you can get the low-end grunt your movies deserve. It's not cheap — but it is so, so worth it.

Setup
Setting up your Arc Ultra is going to take a bit more effort than some of the other options on the list. I found it fairly easy though, given the excellent instructions. If all you want to do is use the soundbar, you just plug it into power, plug the HDMI port into the back of the soundbar and the HDMI ARC port of your TV, and it should work without problems at all. I did have to change the settings in my Samsung TV sound menu to make sure that the device was set as the primary sound output, but then it worked with no problem.

If you want to use the excellent Sonos room correction settings, smart features, or to connect other Sonos speakers as surrounds, things will get more complicated. You'll need to use the Sonos App for these — and while it's not difficult, it is extra work. The room correction options also need you to move around the room while waving your phone around, so if mobility is something you struggle with, you may want to look elsewhere.

Once set up, you won't have any issues, but it's worth bearing in mind that it takes more work to get it working. It's all absolutely worth your time though, with massive boosts to sound quality and useful features within the Sonos App.

How big is it
The Sonos Arc Ultra is a big soundbar. It's very long, measuring around four feet long. I found it perfectly suited for TVs larger than 55 inches, although if your TV is smaller, things might look out of place.

There's less of a problem with the height. It's only about 3 inches tall, so it'll fit under most TVs without a problem.

Are there any extras
You get the soundbar in box — there's no included subwoofer here. Not that you really need one, though, given that Sonos has managed to pack some incredible bassy hardware into its slim frame.

If you want to enhance your movie-watching experience, though, you can add in a Sonos sub and surrounds in the from of Era 100 or Era 300 speakers. It adds to the cost, but it gets very close to dedicated home cinema sound.

Sound
This is the best bit of the Arc Ultra. I love the way that soundbar sounds for movies and TV, with some incredible body to the sound. I found the dialogue clear while watching the news and other TV shows, and it was excellent when listening to Sir David Attenborough talk to me about dinosaurs in Prehistoric Planet.

For movies, as you might expect, the Arc Ultra dominates. I discovered that even without extra surrounds, the Dolby Atmos was amazing, putting me in the centre of a space battle in Star Wars Episode 3. The bass without a sub is surprisingly good as well, although if you really want to feel your movie,s you should buy the extra subwoofer.

It's pretty good for music as well, uncommon for a soundbar. There's plenty of space, thanks to the wider form factor, and the bar manages the low end of your tracks pretty well, too.

• Read the Sonos Arc Ultra review

Best soundbar under $100

When you don't want to spend loads of money on a soundbar, something like the Sony HT-S150 is just what the doctor ordered. It's a lovely, cheap soundbar that does everything you need it to — make your TV sound better than the built in audio.

It brings more clarity to dialogue, most importantly. Everything from your favorite movies all the way to news bulletins and everything in between become much easier to make out, perfect if you're struggling to hear what people are trying to say.

It's relatively compact as well, so you'll have no problems fitting it on your TV bench beneath most sizes of screen. Our tester found it super easy to use well, with very few (if any) connection issues that sometimes plague cheaper devices.

It's not going to be as impressive as some of the more expensive options on the list, but it more than makes up for it with excellent clarity for all your watching.

Setup
Getting the HT-S100F up and running is about as easy as they come. Just plug the power in, connect the HDMI port to the HDMI ARC on your TV, and it'll turn on automatically whenever you turn on your TV.

Erin did find that you might have to occasionally turn the bar on with the remote control, but it didn't happen enough to be a massive problem.

How big is it
The HT-S100F is designed for normal-sized televisions, and it's compact frame will fit on most TV stands. It measures 35 inches long, so you'll be fine for TVs from 32 inches to 48.

It might seem a little small for larger TVs, though, with the screen dwarfing the soundbar beneath. You'll also find some minor sound issues with larger sets, as the picture feels wider than the sound that's coming out.

Height-wise wise you'll be fine with a range of different TVs as well. The bar measures just 2.5 inches tall, so it won't cover the bottom of your screen. If it covers the IR receiver of your TV, there's an IR repeater built in so that your controller still works.

Erin found it fit well underneath our 50-inch testing TV, although if you've got a larger TV set, you might want something slightly larger in the long run.

Are there any extras?
In the box of the HT-S100F, you get the soundbar — and nothing else. You can't buy an extra subwoofer or surround either, leaving you with no upgrades for the future.

This makes it great for just a simple setup, and it keeps the cost down. There's a controller in the box as well, so you can connect Bluetooth devices and change sources without standing up.

Sound
The HT-100F isn't going to blow you away if you're a movie lover, but its solid, serviceable sound is a big step-up over your TV's built-in speakers. It makes dialog clearer, music sounds better, and sound effects are easier to hear.

For music, things wheren't quite so impressive, but if you've got no other ways to listen to music in the living room, it will more than suffice. If you're looking for a cheap way to get much better sound out of your TV watching, then this is the way to go.

• Read the Sony HT-S100F review

Best soundbar for movies

As the Q600F is the most affordable soundbar in Samsung’s premium ‘Q’ series, it has a lot to live up to. Thankfully, the Q600F lives up to that and more.

Even though it’s just a 3.1.2 channel setup, the soundbar + subwoofer is electric, with animated, crisp dialogue and floor-shaking bass thanks. The only real downside of the Q600F is the lack of height and immersion without the ‘Surround’ sound mode activated. However, the soundbar does an admirable job of faking 360°, despite its lack of rear speakers.

Although there are no smart home features, this is certainly a movie-focused soundbar rather than a ‘Hey Google, set me a timer for two minutes’ kind of home ecosystem. Blockbuster movies like ‘The Batman’ and ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ is where the Q600F really shone.

The Q600F was great for TV, too, even with non-Dolby-Atmos-encoded shows. Don’t forget about the music performance — while the instrument separation wasn’t great, the bass made up for it enough.

On the whole, the Q600F is one of the best ways to achieve room-filling audio for very little cost.

Setup
As the Q600F doesn’t have Wi-Fi or app-related features, setup is straightforward. The soundbar simply requires connection to the power outlet and a HDMI cable plugged into the TV, and the subwoofer connects wirelessly to the soundbar.

The soundbar comes with wall-mounting brackets, but it also fits onto a standard TV stand or entertainment unit.

How big is it
At a whopping 42.8 inches long, the Q600F isn’t the ideal soundbar for a small space. It looked congruous with the 55” testing TV, but a smaller TV might look unnatural or out-of-place next to the Q600F.

The subwoofer is 13 inches tall, and will need a space near to the soundbar for optimum performance.

Are there any extras
The Q600F is a soundbar with very few bells or whistles: it plugs in via HDMI or Optical, and has Bluetooth and USB connectivity for music playback. There are a few sound-related features, like ‘Surround’ mode and ‘Game’ mode.

But while the Q600F sounds great for movies, it won’t impress smart home lovers. There’s no smart home integration — Samsung’s Smart Things, AirPlay, and Chromecast included. So, users looking to integrate a soundbar into a smart home ecosystem would be better off elsewhere.

Sound
The Q600F, in short, sounds utterly magnificent. For a $600 soundbar, there’s loud, thumping bass that doesn’t sacrifice clarity for volume. Every blockbuster movie sounded great through the Q600F, including action scenes in ‘The Batman’, and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’.

Don’t think that a powerful low-end results in mediocre treble or unclear dialogue, though. Even Batman’s growled lines were clear and intelligible through the Q600F, despite a chaotic soundscape layered with soundtrack and diegetic effects. Quieter media didn’t disappoint, either, with the eerie murder-mystery of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ enlivened thanks to the Q600F’s ‘Surround’ audio mode.

Although the Q600F isn’t as immersive as other setups — it is just 3.1.2 channel, after all — for the price and the size, this is an enviable performance. The Q600F is compatible with Samsung rear speakers, too, so could be the first player in a larger home cinema game.

• Read the Samsung Q600F review

Best all-in-one soundbar

Where the likes of the Sonos Arc want to separate surrounds into different products, the JBL Bar 1300X packs everything into one box and lets you connect them together to take up less space.

As a result you get what is perhaps the most flexible soundbar around. Those connected surrounds are great for adding some extra dimension to your movies, as Erin discovered — to this day she wonders how she ever went without them.

As a result, it's not a cheap soundbar — but it is one of the best sounding. Movies sound massive and spacious, and the subwoofer in the box brings plenty of punch when you're watching something with a little action.

It's a big soundbar, mind you, so you'll need plenty of space to fit it onto your TV stand. It's relatively slim though, so it should fit under most TVs. Remember you'll need somewhere to put those surround units as well, or you won't get the full surround effect.

Setup
Setup with the Bar 1300X is slightly more involved than the other bars on the list, but it's made a whole lot simpler thanks to the ample instructions and user-friendly design.

Just plug the soundbar and subwoofer into the wall, and then plug the soundbar into the eARC port of your TV. Then you disconnect the two rear surround speakers from the main soundbar, and place them around the room according to the instructions.

You might find some wireless communication issues with the surrounds, but a quick connect and disconnect will fix it. You'll also need to make sure you keep them charged.

Internet and Wi-Fi duties are handled by the JBL ONE app, where you connect the correct Wi-Fi and initiate the soundbar's smart functions. Erin had no problems at all getting the bar all setup with the app, and was watching surround sound movies in no time at all.

How big is it
The JBL bar 1300X is a big soundbar. That's even with the surround units detached from the main unit — with the units around the room, and the soundbar on your TV stand, you still need 40 inches of space. It's deep as well, measuring nearly six inches back. That means you've got to make sure your TV stand is deep enough.

We found that it worked well with bigger TVs, although its depth does cause issues with TV mounts. Make sure you've ample space between the front of the TV stand and the front edge of the TV mount — if there's not enough space, you might need to wall mount your TV.

Height-wise wise you'll be fine, though — the bar only measures around 2.5 inches tall. You'll need to find space for the surround speakers to the side of or even behind your couch, so account for that as well. They're not very large, but you'll need them to be elevated to your listening position or they won't work.

Are there any extras
In the box of the Bar 1300X, you get everything you need for an accomplished Dolby Atmos setup. The height channels are seen to by upfirers in the bar itself, but there are physical surround speakers for a more convincing movie experience.

There's also that large subwoofer that comes in the box — it might not be a cheap soundbar, but you get everything you need in the box for some incredible surround sound. There's a controller as well, although Erin found that the controller was an easy way to control the bar as well.

Sound
This is where the JBL Bar 1300X was able to stretch its muscles and show us what it sounds like. As you might expect, thanks to the subwoofer and the individual surrounds, the soundbar makes short work of Dolby Atmos mixes.

Erin was incredibly impressed with the introduction of Top Gun Maverick, bringing some epic bassy rumble and excellent surround sound. The roar of the jets, the bassy music — "It's like being at the movies!"

Dolby Atmos's performance is good, placing the sounds of the movie you're watching well into space.

For music, things were good as well, and perfect as the center audio component of a modern living room. There was plenty of groove for dance tracks, and detail galore to enjoy. For an all-in-one boxed system, it's excellent.

• Read the JBL Bar 1300X review

Best value soundbar

Soundbars are expensive — there’s no way around that. You want to achieve the best bang-for-buck sound, right? Enter the Samsung QS750F. For a relatively low MSRP of $899, the QS750F gives you a soundbar, two rears, and a subwoofer, which is considerably more generous than Sonos or JBL.

As a result, the QS750F blows the competition out of the park. For under $1k, you get cinematic sound, with enviable width and immense bass. The QS750F sounds so good that we forgot we were supposed to be reviewing it.

Although it’s just a 5.1.2 channel configuration — considerably fewer speakers than JBL’s monstrous 1300X, which boasts 11.1.2 channels and costs almost double — you probably wouldn’t be able to notice the difference.

Setup
As with every other soundbar, setup is tedious yet quick. Once the soundbar, subwoofer, and rears are unpackaged, simply connect everything to power and plug the soundbar into your TV using HDMI eARC.

Unlike JBL’s collection of premium soundbars, the QS750F’s rears aren’t truly “wireless” — sure, they connect to the soundbar wirelessly, but the left speaker must be connected to power. This is only an issue if you’re short on power outlets, extension cables, or if you want a particularly cable-free setup. Even so, you’re not going to get a better multi-speaker setup for less, so we think this is a worthy sacrifice.

The subwoofer is wireless, so don’t worry about needing to connect that to the soundbar with a wire. It’ll automatically connect.

How big is it
As you might expect, the QS750F is a large soundbar. This is true of pretty much every high-power soundbar — they’re designed to be able to fill large rooms with both size and physical presence.

The soundbar is 46 inches long and ten inches deep, so you’ll need to ensure it fits on your TV stand/wall mount and that your TV is big enough. I’d recommend anything from 55 inches up.

The subwoofer is effectively a 10 x 10 x 10-inch cube. We’d recommend positioning the subwoofer around 12 inches from the walls on all sides. You’ll need to play around with spacing to figure out the optimal position. Some setups come with configuration modes in the relevant app, but Samsung locks its proprietary Space Fit Pro behind post-2021 AI-powered Samsung TVs.

Are there any extras
The QS750F comes with everything you need for a Dolby Atmos all-in-one setup. You get the soundbar, subwoofer, and two rears.

You also get AirPlay, Google Cast, and smart home features in the Smart Things app, which we’d recommend downloading. You can easily adjust playback modes and listening styles — movie, music, gaming, voice enhancement — to find what pleases you.

Sound
Alright, now onto the most important part of any soundbar: its eponymous sound. Thankfully, you’ll be pleased to know that the QS750F sounds utterly fantastic.

As the QS750F is a large soundbar, it’s intended for use in a large room. The side-firing speakers inthe soundbar itself and the powerful subwoofer work together to create a wide soundscape worthy of a movie theater. Although there’s not as much height as width, the soundbar’s Dolby Atmos performance is still admirable.

The dialogue performance is a clear standout, though: I was never left wondering what was being said thanks to voice enhancement mode. This feature isolated dialogue well, and ensured even the moodiest and broodiest speech was crystal clear.

Most audiophiles will be the first to admit that soundbars aren’t ideal for playing music — me included — but the QS750F didn’t balk at the challenge. Although I’d much rather listen to music via my bookshelf speakers or headphones, the QS750F played every song with rich, pulsing bass, and would be good enough for a quick listening session or party.

• Read the Samsung QS750F review

Best compact soundbar

It’s not hard to find a compact soundbar — there are plenty of them out there. It is, however, difficult to find a good one in the sea of otherwise identical, fairly woeful options. Thankfully, our favorite sure likes to stand out from the crowd, with a lovely retro look and lashings of useful features. Oh, and it sounds good.

We love the way that the little soundbar sounds. There’s some great bass from the bar itself, although you can increase that by buying the Marshall wireless soundbar; although it is sold separately, irritatingly. It was great for movies, TV, and uncommonly solid for music. That’s rare for a soundbar of any price. Not too shabby, Marshall.

The smart WiFi settings and features built in rival Sonos’, with plenty of connections and streaming options. Its the physical connections that really take the cake though, with a wide range of different plugs on the back to make sure you can plug in anything from a record player to your dad's old Betamax player. Yes, really.

Marshall has taken on Sonos, and come out of the ensuing tussle on top — and that’s mean feat at all considering this is the brands second soundbar.

Setup

Initial setup is about as easy as it comes. Plug the soundbar into the wall, and then connect the Heston 60 to the HDMI eARC on the back of your TV. Turn everything on, and you’re well on your way to sonic bliss.

Open up Marshall’s app to finish setting everything up properly. Here, you can run the room sound settings and change the sound to your liking with a simple EQ. You can also connect the soundbar to the WiFi with a quick setup menu. It’s all very simple.

If you bought the separate subwoofer, you’ll have to use the connection button on the back. It works well, and we had no problems with connection during use.

How big is it

The Heston 60 is on the larger side of compact soundbars, measuring around 28 inches across. It’s not very deep, though, and neither is it particularly tall. I’d say the largest TV you’d want to pair the soundbar with is around 55”, although smaller TVs might work better.

If you’ve got a larger room, you might want to opt for the larger Heston 120.

Are there any extras

In the box, you get the soundbar — and that’s it. There are no extras that come with the soundbar, like a remote. You do get a power and HDMI cables, thankfully.

You can technically connect most subwoofers up to the soundbar thanks to the standard sub-out port on the back, but Marshall also offers a very good wireless sub that you can buy. This avoids cable clutter and adds to the sound.

The RCA connector on the back opens up a whole wide world of different connection options as well. You can connect a music streamer or a record player, for example.

Sound

Despite its diminutive size, the Heston 60 packs a sonic punch. There’s plenty of oomph to the bass, even before you add a sub, and the surround from the Dolby Atmos sounds excellent, no matter the movie we threw at it.

Music sounds great, especially when you take into consideration that it's coming from a soundbar — they don’t traditionally work great for tunes. Bear one thing in mind: larger rooms will necessitate the need for a subwoofer, as the bar, while powerful, lacks the punch for bigger spaces.

• Read the Marshall Heston 60 review

Also tested

I've seen loads of soundbars pass over Tom's Guide's testing table, and while there are some excellent options out there, not all of them can fit onto one list.

That doesn't mean they're bad, by any stretch of the imagination — and they might just be the best soundbar for you. Here are some of the soundbars that we liked testing:

How to choose the best soundbar for you

It's gotta be simple

One of the best bits of most modern soundbars is that they're all simple to use in some form or another — but if you want something that you just plug in and use, then you'll want to avoid any with smart features.

While those smart features can make them sound better, or work for different types of content, they add complexity. An app might make it possible to access room EQs and the like, it also makes it more complicated for the end user.

Avoid soundbars with Wi-Fi and apps if you just want something that plugs in and works. Thankfully, most soundbars now just need your TV controller to control the volume, thanks to HDMI eARC.

Are you watching movies, watching TV or listening to music?

First up, if your primary use case is music, go for a pair of speakers with an HDMI port like the Fluance Ri71 above. They sound much better than sound bars for music, bar none. You'll thank me later.

Now, for the other questions. TV users will want something that increases dialog clarity and makes it easier to hear what's going on in the news. You won't need a subwoofer or any kind of surround support. The Sony HT-S100F above is going to be perfect for you, given it's not too expensive and works great for TV.

Movie watchers should look out for subwoofers and surround speakers. You want more space for your Dolby Atmos mixes and the subwoofer will help with the low-end rumble you get with movies. The Sonos Arc Ultra and subwoofer is a good option for you, or the JBL Bar 1300X if you want something in one package.

Size matters

If you've a small room or a small TV, you don't want a massive soundbar; that much should be obvious. It wouldn't fit, for one, but it would also make your TV look much smaller. And who wants that.

However, you also don't want a soundbar that's too small for your TV. Otherwise, all of the sound will appear to come from the middle of the TV, rather than from it's sides like it should. You'll want to get a decently sized soundbar if you've got something between 50-75 inches big. Larger than that and you should probably consider either the biggest soundbar you can lay your hands on, or a proper stereo setup built around one of the best home cinema receivers.

I test a lot of the best soundbars, but only one holds the title of the best mid-range soundbar and subwoofer. That soundbar? The Samsung Q600F, which is just £299 at Currys right now.

Even at full price — £599 — this is a very affordable soundbar, all things considered. If you want Dolby Atmos, you're going to have to accept paying extra for the room-filling, expansive soundscape that comes with immersive audio. Quality speakers don't come cheap, and that's just a fact.

If you want to upgrade your home cinema setup for as little dosh as poss, then I wholeheartedly recommend the Samsung Q600F. It's the best mid-range soundbar I've ever tested, and right now it's priced like a budget one thanks to Black Friday. I'd run to Currys to snag this before the discount vanishes.

If you've got a Samsung TV, the perks don't end at room-filling sound. With some AI-enabled 2025 models, you get access to things like Q-Symphony, which is basically a fancy auto-space-calibration mode. I didn't use this with the Q600F, and I didn't miss anything, though. The soundbar still sounds like a cinema — literally.

The Q600F is the entry-level model in Samsung's premium Q range. This means it sounds awesome, but it doesn't have as many "features" as the pricier options. But honestly? You don't really need them.

The Q600F doesn't have any smart home features, but do you really use those anyway? So what if you can give your vacuum a silly name, or get a notification when your washing machine finishes? (Both features I have thanks to my AI-enabled Samsung washing machine and vacuum, yes... really...)

What the Q600F lacks in smart home "features", it makes up for in punchy sound. The sound on this soundbar is like nothing else. On top of crystal-clear dialogue and floorboard-shaking bass thanks to the standalone wireless subwoofer, the Q600F has vertical and horizontal expansive sound.

When I was testing this soundbar, I couldn't believe how affordable it was. It genuinely sounds like a £1,000 option. You can check out my full review of the Samsung Q600F for more details.

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When people ask me about the best Dolby Atmos soundbar, I have only one real answer. Go out and buy the Sonos Arc Ultra. It's a spectacular piece of under-TV hardware, powering a surround system out of one box. Now that's cool.

It's also quite expensive. Not everyone has a thousand dollars lying around to spend on a soundbar, or even the space for Sonos's TV stand dominating tube of sound. There's a wonderful alternative to the Sonos Arc Ultra that costs less than half the price.

Sono's mighty soundbar

Once you've dropped the $1,099 on the Sonos Arc Ultra, you'll be wondering what kind of experience you're in for. In a word, spectacular. In a few more words, it's a stunning movie experience that makes it feel like you're sitting in the theater.

The only thing you need for the full effect? Some expensive Coca-Cola and a massive bucket of popcorn. Although with the amount you'll have spent on this setup, you'll probably be stuck with a small bag of Hershey's Kisses and a tin of pop.

Spaceships flying overhead that feel like they've just scraped the top of your cranium, jungles that surround you with environmental sounds, rainstorms that make you feel like you're getting wet. Bassy explosions that shake the room. It's all incredibly immersive, and a whole lot better than the "all-in-one box" solutions that do fine for most people.

But then, we're not most people.

If you want to maximize your Sonos Arc Ultra experience, you can augment your surround sound with additional speakers and subwoofers. My Sonos Arc Ultra is paired with some Era 300 speakers and a Sonos sub 4.

The speakers sit around the back of the room for some physical rear surrounds, and the subwoofer provides some seriously impressive bassy kick. That makes an already expensive soundbar cost even more, so it's not for the faint of heart.

You can always grab a cheaper Sonos sub mini or some Era 100s for surrounds. That's flexibility, baby, something that most other soundbar packages lack. It all adds up to make the Dolby Atmos soundbar that I recommend to anyone who uses the words "I want the best Dolby Atmos possible."

The cheaper alternative

If the full Sonos Arc Ultra gives you the financial heebie-jeebies, there are options that won't break the bank. Are you going to forgo that monster audio performance? Absolutely, as you might expect. But you won't have to take out a mortgage for it either.

We adore the Polk Audio Signa S4 for a number of reasons. First, and perhaps most importantly, is the Dolby Atmos performance. For something that costs half as much as the incredibly impressive Sonos soundbar, the virtual surround that the Signa 4 kicks out is pretty good.

We loved how the characters moved about the room while watching "The Wild Robot," and the Jets flying overhead during "Top Gun: Maverick" placed us directly on the deck of a massive naval carrier.

It packs in more than just excellent Dolby Atmos performance, of course. It looks slick for a start, and comes with a subwoofer in the box for low-end performance. The bass is super solid to boot, making sure that you're firmly immersed in your movies and TV.

Another benefit of the soundbar, as with most, is increased clarity for dialogue. That's going to improve things when watching the news as well as movies and cinematic TV shows, so that you'll be able to hear more of what people on screen are saying. That's one of the biggest pros over your built-in TV speakers.

It lacks smart features like the Sonos Arc Ultra, but there's Bluetooth for wireless listening. The controller is comprehensive, setup simple — there's really very little more you could want from the Signa S4. Except, perhaps, a popcorn dispenser.

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• Amazon just dropped epic deals ahead of Black Friday — here's my 39 favorite finds starting at just $9

I test a lot of soundbars, which means I know the best soundbars like the back of my hand. Is the Creative Stage Pro one of those best soundbars? Hm. I'm actually so conflicted.

On the one hand, it's a very, very cheap soundbar (and subwoofer), which is a breath of fresh air in the soundbar world. Most home cinema setups can cost you well over $1,000.

On the other hand, you'd have to put up with muffled dialogue in action scenes. Is that a price you're willing to pay? Only you can decide. I'm so conflicted with this one, and here's why.

Enough bass to stock a fishmonger

So the Creative Stage Pro does what few cheap soundbars can: rattle the floors. Thanks to the standalone (wired) subwoofer, this budget home cinema setup will have your downstairs neighbors banging on the door. When I was watching action-heavy movies like "Top Gun: Maverick," I was enthralled by how loud and present the jet engines sounded.

Truly, I didn't expect that level of bass from a $169 soundbar. I honestly don't expect much of $169 soundbars, period. So when the bass hit me like that, I was thrilled.

The Creative Stage Pro was surprisingly great with music, too. I played music from Qobuz, our best streaming service for audiophiles, and the soundbar handled it deftly. Obviously, it performed the best with bass-heavy electronic tracks like 'Flight FM' by Joy Orbison, but it surprised me by handling acoustic and indie well, too.

I know soundbars aren't usually great at playing music, so this was a major plus in my eyes. If you're having a party and don't have a wireless speaker, then you could easily use the Creative Sound Pro in a pinch. If you've got a music streaming app on your smart TV, you wouldn't even have to launch Bluetooth and play from your phone.

However, a prominent low-end means something else isn't as present... treble. And what integral part of movies (usually) falls on the higher end of the frequency range?

Dialogue.

And unfortunately... that's where the Creative Stage Pro stumbles. It's as heartbreaking as when the underdog falls at the last hurdle (or something less cliche).

Eh? What did you say?

Unfortunately, the loud (yet unbalanced) bass means there's one key issue with the Creative Stage Pro. It simply can't strike a balance between the low- and high-end.

That means dialogue suffers. When I was watching "Top Gun: Maverick," I really struggled to hear some scenes. Every time the pilots got into their planes, I was both frustrated and excited. Let me explain.

Excited because I knew the floors would start shaking as soon as the engines roared to life.

Frustrated because I literally couldn't hear anything. The bass overpowered most of the dialogue, and I found myself yearning for subtitles.

If you're the kind of person who puts subtitles on anyway (I know there are a lot of fellow Gen Z who can't watch TV without subs), then this wouldn't be an issue.

Also, when compared to the TV speakers, the Creative Sound Pro provides better sound. So if you want to upgrade from TV speakers, then yes, it's a no-brainer: you should probably get this soundbar. That doesn't mean it's perfect for everyone, though...

Super-budget doesn't always mean super-good-value, except...

When I compare the Creative Stage Pro to other cheap affordable soundbars I've tested, it is far superior. Case in point: the Ultimea Nova S50. This soundbar + subwoofer is around $130 on Amazon U.S., but it sounds pretty darn bad. I would get the Creative Stage Pro over the Ultimea Nova S50 any day.

That doesn't, however, mean that I'd jump at the chance to buy the Creative Stage Pro.

If you really, really need a soundbar now and you can't wait until Black Friday (when premium soundbars will go on sale — trust me), then yeah, the Creative Stage Pro will suffice.

Personally, though, I'd wait until Black Friday to secure the best bang-for-buck soundbar out there. I'd keep my eye out for a Samsung sale — usually its soundbars are discounted around 20% during Black Friday (going off previous years).

My favorite mid-range soundbar is the Samsung Q600F, which has an MSRP of $599. I'd estimate this soundbar would drop to around $480 during Black Friday, which is still a pretty premium price, but totally worth it if you're serious about cinematic sound.

More from Tom's Guide

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• Wi-Fi vs Bluetooth — which is better for streaming music to your soundbar

Sourcing one of the best soundbars can be tricky if you’re on a low budget. Many soundbars will run you back at least $500, and some can go for as much as $2k. So when I come across soundbars for less than $200, I really, really want them to be good.

However, that’s not always the case. The Creative Stage Pro is a tough one, because it’s better than most super-cheap soundbars I’ve tested. It’s certainly one of the best cheap soundbars out there. However, if you’re expecting cinema-quality sound, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

The Stage Pro has a subwoofer and is remarkably adept at shaking the floors, but struggles with dialogue. It also looks cheap, and is prone to skipping half a second sometimes. But are all these issues par for the $169 course? Find out in this Creative Stage Pro review.

Creative Stage Pro review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A super-budget soundbar and subwoofer
• Who is it for? If you want to upgrade from TV speakers but you’re on a really tight budget
• What does it cost? $169 / £129
• What do we like? The price is great — and so is the bass
• What don’t we like? It looks cheap, and the dialogue is sometimes muffled

Creative Stage Pro review: Specs

Creative Stage Pro review: Price & availability

As I’ve already discussed, the Creative Stage Pro is so, so, so cheap. This is one of the most affordable soundbars I’ve ever laid eyes upon.

The Stage Pro is just $169 at Amazon U.S. and £129 at Amazon U.K.. Although the $169 MSRP makes the Stage Pro $10 pricier than my favorite budget soundbar, the Sony HT-S100F, the Sony doesn’t have a subwoofer.

The cheapest soundbar-and-subwoofer combo I’ve ever tested is the $130 Ultimea Nova S50, which suffered from tinniness and peaking during bass-heavy scenes. The Creative Stage Pro is better than the Ultimea model, so I’d recommend spending an extra $40 for the former.

Obviously, some corners will have been cut to keep the Stage Pro’s price down, so if you want a soundbar and subwoofer that can impress home cinema aficionados on a budget, I would recommend the $449 Polk Audio Signa S4 — which is obviously much more expensive. If you want a soundbar and subwoofer and you’re on an as-low-as-possible budget, the Creative Stage Pro would suit you better.

Creative Stage Pro review: Design & controls

• Cheap-looking design
• Easy to use soundbar despite cheap appearance
• Nice, user-friendly remote

If you couldn’t see the Creative Stage Pro, I’d probably be able to convince you that it retails for $300. Unfortunately, if you can see the Creative Stage Pro, you’ll immediately be able to guess how cheap it really is.

At just 21 inches long, this is a pretty compact soundbar. I tested it with a 55-inch Samsung TV, which looked quite silly. I’d recommend using this soundbar with a TV no bigger than about 43 inches.

The soundbar itself has a black grill casing, as opposed to the fabric mesh casing you’d find on a more premium soundbar like Polk Audio Signa S4 or the Denon Home 550 Sound Bar. The Creative Stage Pro looks more like a Majority Elias or Majority Naga 60, which I don’t think is a good thing.

If the soundbar was a touch longer and had a higher-quality plastic grill, it would immediately look much better, and you might be able to convince someone it cost you $300. As it currently looks, though, this is very obviously a cheap soundbar.

The issues don’t end with the soundbar, either. On top of being wired (with a cheap-looking cable), the subwoofer is also weirdly skinny: it’s just 4.5 inches wide, compared to its 16.5-inch height. I’m not going to lie, it does look, to quote the kids, “goofy”. I wish the subwoofer was a little shorter and wider, because it feels out of proportion, especially when considering the tiny size of the soundbar.

However, I love the Creative Stage Pro’s remote. It’s much weightier than you’d expect for a budget soundbar remote and has tactile buttons. There’s a range of controls on the remote: volume, Bluetooth, playback modes, bass and treble volume, mute, and more. As there’s no smart home control, don’t lose the remote!

I will mention that the Stage Pro doesn’t have an eARC input, so you won’t be able to control the TV with the soundbar remote — just the soundbar itself. This is a shame but you can’t expect the world from a $169 soundbar.

There are a few controls on the soundbar itself: on/off, input, wide mode, and volume, so if you lose the remote, it’s not the end of the world. It would be annoying though.

Creative Stage Pro review: Features

• Playback modes include movie and vocal
• Expansiveness adjustment for fake Atmos
• As many features as you’d expect for $169

As you might expect from a $169 soundbar, the Creative Stage Pro doesn’t actually have many features.

There are a few playback modes — ‘Movie’, ‘Music’, ‘Game’, and ‘Vocal’, but I genuinely didn’t hear a difference in any of these when I tested them. I just manually adjusted bass and treble based on what sounded the best at any given time.

There are also two expansiveness modes — the aptly named ‘Near’ and ‘Far’. ‘Far’ does a semi-decent job of “faking” Dolby Atmos, but obviously it’s nowhere near true Atmos. The soundbar achieves this by sending soundwaves up and out rather than in front.

‘Near’ is the opposite: it makes the sound feel as if it comes from closer to you, and would be better for TV. I only used ‘Far’ when watching movies as I found this gave the best overall performance.

As for other features, well, you’re out of luck. This is standard for soundbars at this price point, though, so I won’t hold it against the Creative Stage Pro. As far as performance-versus-price goes, the Creative Stage Pro is par for the course.

Creative Stage Pro review: Sound quality

• Strong bass
• Good fake Atmos
• Dialogue is quite poor

I test every soundbar with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on 4K UHD Blu-ray, TV shows on Netflix, and music on Qobuz.

Movies

To begin with, I watched ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on 4K UHD Blu-ray. Even though I’ve discussed this already, I’ll start by managing your expectations. This is a $169/£129 soundbar. It has 2.1 channels. Most “good” soundbars start at a minimum of $400. Some will run you back upwards of $2k.

I do not expect a $169 soundbar to have Dolby Atmos (this doesn’t), or cinematic sound separation. Even so, the Creative Stage Pro genuinely impressed me during testing. The opening scene was surprisingly great, with luxurious, rich bass from the soundtrack. I upped the bass to +5, set the soundbar on ‘Movie’ mode, and leaned back and enjoyed the show.

True, the diegetic sound effects of metal clinking and ropes whooshing weren’t as clear as they were on the Bose Smart Soundbar 2024 ($549) or the Polk Audio Signa S4 ($449), but it sounded much, much better than Majority Elias ($99) and the Majority Naga 60, which is the cheapest soundbar I’ve ever tested.

There was a little muffling during the bar scene — ‘Get it On’ by T Rex was a touch fuzzy, and not in a cool-grunge kind of way — but I was still able to hear all the dialogue. However, I couldn’t hear all of the dialogue during the dogfighting scenes.

If you’ve never seen ‘Top Gun’, there’s a scene where Maverick dogfights with the other pilots. There’s a lot of radioed dialogue with shooting jet engines and a bassy soundtrack, so a ton going on in the scene. I struggled to hear the dialogue, and had to turn down the bass. This scene was a bit chaotic to watch.

Even so, in most scenes, I could hear most of the dialogue. The Stage Pro only struggled in scenes with both radioed speech and jet engines. There were also a few instances of the audio cutting out or skipping for half a second, but these were very minor. If you only want to spend $169 on a soundbar and subwoofer, I’m afraid these are imperfections you might have to learn to live with.

After ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, I watched ‘The Wild Robot’. This is an animated movie with great Dolby Atmos and a lot of water scenes that sound fantastic with premium soundbars. ‘The Wild Robot’ has everything from crabs squawking, robot whirring sounds, and nature sounds. It’s a veritable feast for audio nerds like you and me.

I watched this movie on ‘Movie’ mode and on the ‘Far’ immersion mode. Although obviously there was no true Dolby Atmos, the water scenes sounded surprisingly excellent. When the gosling character was swimming, I could almost feel the water droplets on my skin.

The scenes from inside Ros’s head were particular standouts, too: the robotic whirring of her systems laid over the nature soundscapes were impactful and effective.

It wasn’t all perfect, though. The soundtrack fell a little flat when compared to the immersive water-related scenes (swimming and rainstorms), so I upped the bass in the hope this would give the OST more oomph. This did just overpower some of the dialogue, which is a poor trade-off.

I also cycled through the playback modes, and honestly? They all sounded kind of the same. I would manually adjust bass and treble based on your tastes.

Although the soundtrack was a little flat, there was no tinniness whatsoever in this movie. I particularly liked how the possums sounded, and the Stage Pro did an admirable job of faking Dolby Atmos when one of the possum babies got eaten by a fox. And when the beaver (voiced by none other than Matt Berry) scolded Ros. And when the gosling was being bullied by other geese. ‘The Wild Robot’ is a great movie, I promise.

Last, I switched movie genre to ‘Nosferatu’. As I’d watched an action and an animated movie, I wanted to see how the soundbar would fare with a creepier soundscape. I watched this movie with the ‘Movie’ mode and ‘Far’ mode.

In the quieter scenes, the string-heavy soundtrack felt like visceral tendrils of unease creeping across my skin. However, there were a few instances where the audio skipped for half a second — I discussed this in the ‘Top Gun’ section above. I feel like this happened in more immersive, busy scenes, when the soundbar couldn’t keep up. There was one scene with rain, music, and dialogue wherein it skipped twice.

There was one scene that sounded particularly good: when Nicholas Hoult’s character is signing a paper, I could hear the Count’s voice as if it was trickling into my brain from behind me. This was majorly impressive for a 2.1 channel, $169 soundbar.

I think the Creative Stage Pro sounded best during Nosferatu. Whether that’s due to the more sparse soundscape or lack of jet engines, I’m not sure, but the fact of the matter is that Nosferatu had more intelligible dialogue, more affecting music, and closer, creepier sound effects. I’d recommend this soundbar for movies like Nosferatu rather than blockbuster action epics.

TV

To test the soundbar in a more low-stakes setting, I also watched non-4K UHD TV on Netflix. As most people don’t have a bunch of Blu-rays at their fingertips, it’s also fair to evaluate soundbars against standard 5.1 audio.

I watched ‘Wednesday’ and ‘Stranger Things’ on Netflix. ‘Wednesday’ was quite tricky to hear a lot of the dialogue. It felt like the dialogue had been pushed to the back of the sound profile, and the bass had been pulled to the front.

The music sounded great, but at the expense of dialogue intelligibility. Scenes with music were quite tricky to hear, but some quieter scenes were better than I expected. I wish the performance was more consistent, but this is a malady of most cheap soundbars I’ve tested.

‘Stranger Things’ suffered from the same issues, unfortunately. I found myself straining to hear dialogue in action-heavy scenes. However, in the “Eleven does mind-reading” scenes, I found the blank expanse of darkness really effective and immersive. The soundbar handled the absence-versus-presence of sound really well, and didn’t crackle at sudden high volumes.

Even so, the bass-heavy soundtrack was the standout of the show. More action-heavy dialogue-heavy scenes were tricky to understand, so if you struggle with dialogue as-is, I wouldn’t recommend this soundbar.

The skipping issue I mentioned while watching Blu-rays never happened during my Netflix testing, so I’d say this issue only occurs when watching hi-res formats. I presume the soundbar just can’t handle everything being thrown at it, but there’s less being thrown at it on basic Netflix.

Music

To test music performance, I listened to hi-res tracks in a variety of genres on Qobuz, our best streaming service for audiophiles.

I played ‘Dracula’ by Tame Impala, which has a deep synth bass and jazzy piano notes underneath layered vocals. This sounded pretty disappointing, with tinniness prevalent in the midrange. The vocals felt pushed back in the same way dialogue suffered during movies. However, the bass sounded great thanks to the subwoofer.

Next, I played a really bassy track: ‘flight fm’ by Joy Orbison. This sounded great. ‘Flight fm’ is almost 100% bass, so I knew I’d be impressed with it. Obviously there was still a touch of tinniness in the hi-hats and there was no instrument separation whatsoever, but no one serious about music listens on a soundbar anyway (except me when I’m cleaning, but don’t tell anyone).

Last, I played a more delicate track to really put the Creative Stage Pro through its paces. ‘Don’t Know How To Keep Loving You’ by Julia Jacklin has muted percussion and a close, immersive guitar section. You can literally feel the guitar strings vibrate. I think the absence of bass helped this track; the guitar felt closer than ever, and Jacklin’s marshmallowy voice was soft and sweet.

As far as music on a soundbar goes, the Creative Stage Pro wasn’t half bad. I’d always, always recommend getting one of the best speakers, though.

Overall, the Creative Stage Pro sounds like a $200 soundbar, and is a worthy upgrade from TV speakers. However, it obviously won’t perform like one of the best premium soundbars, because it’s simply impossible to get that kind of performance for this little money. The dialogue performance is poor at the expense of loud bass.

If you want a higher-quality soundbar, you’re simply going to have to spend more. I’d recommend the Polk Signa S4 or the Samsung Q600F, but these are much more expensive than the Creative Stage Pro. Also much better, though.

Creative Stage Pro review: Verdict

The Creative Stage Pro is a bit of a head scratcher. At just $169/£129, it’s one of the most affordable soundbar-and-subwoofer combos I’ve ever come across, let alone tested. It’s better than the $130 Ultimea Nova S50, which is great, and much better than the $99 Majority Elias.

However, I don’t think it’s $100 better than the Majority Naga 60 ($67). The Naga 60 has a subwoofer out, so if you come across a sub-$100 sub (say that 5 times fast), then the Majority setup could be a much better deal.

Personally, I think the Stage Pro is a great cheap soundbar and subwoofer option, but don’t think it’s going to provide a cinematic sound experience. It will not. You’d need the $400 Polk Audio Signa S4 or the $600 Samsung Q600F for that. But for $169? The Creative Stage Pro drives a hard bargain.

One of the best soundbars is often the center of a family home audio system. After all, you've already got it for watching TV, enjoying movies, and adding more fidelity to your favorite video games, so what's really the point of buying another set of speakers for listening to music?

Most soundbars will have either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth — or both — to make it easy to stream music from, say, Spotify or Tidal on your phone, no wires needed. But which should you use?

The first: Wi-Fi. Better quality and more flexible. For beginners, however, it can be initially more difficult to get a connection. The second: Bluetooth. You know it, you love it — it turns your soundbar into a de facto Bluetooth speaker. Lower quality, simpler setup. But which is better?

First, a note: Not all soundbars are created equal — some soundbars only have a Bluetooth connection. In this case, the decision has been made for you. To find out if your soundbar has a Wi-Fi connection, or whether it's just Bluetooth, make sure to check the instruction manual or look up the model number online. If you're still not sure, get in touch!

Bluetooth Pros and Cons

• Pros

1) Easy connection

Connecting to Bluetooth is generally much easier with your soundbar. There's likely to be a handy connection button on the top of your bar, and then you just need to find the soundbar in your phone's Bluetooth settings. Simple. No need for any app, just change the input to Bluetooth and play your tunes.

2) Plenty of compatibility

It's more than likely that every single music device you've got connects to Bluetooth — and that even includes some turntable models. There will be very few things you can't connect to your soundbar's Bluetooth connection.

3) Easy sharing

Got some friends round and they want to play some music? No problem — put the bar in pairing mode, and get your friend connected. From there they can play their music. Granted, it's not as simple as the Wi-Fi connection option (as we'll talk about very soon), but it's easy enough.

• Cons

1) Limited sound quality

Bluetooth simply isn't capable of streaming very high-quality audio. Add in that most soundbars don't support more impressive codecs, like LDAC and aptX (of any kind), and you've got a less pleasing audio experience than you can have with other wireless connectivity options.

2) Less range

Bluetooth doesn't go very far, and it can be completely defeated by thick walls. Walk out of your living room with your phone in your pocket, and your music could start to skip, pause and sound glitchy. And no one wants that.

3) Higher energy consumption

Bluetooth uses a lot of power from your source device. Your phone, tablet or even your laptop's battery will plummet while connected over Bluetooth, especially when you're listening to music. After all, the device is transmitting the track itself.

Wi-Fi streaming Pros and Cons

• Pros

1) Much better sound quality

Wi-Fi connections are more easily capable of transporting higher-quality tracks to your soundbar, so you'll get overall better sound quality. This is especially true if you're listening with one of the best music streaming services like Qobuz. This is also the only way you'll get spatial audio content to compatible soundbars — the format generally doesn't travel particularly well over Bluetooth.

2) A more stable connection

Because the music streaming is happening over the internet, there's no worry about range causing issues. If you leave the room with your phone, you're not going to suffer from any musical problems. You do want to make sure your internet connection is good, mind you — but that's a one-and-done issue. Even better, wire your soundbar in to your router for zero problems.

3) Even better sharing

Because the soundbar is attached to your internet router as opposed to your phone, sharing music over Wi-Fi is very easy. You can select the bar with most music streaming apps, and anyone else can take over when they want. It's great when you and your friends are on the same page musically — perhaps not when everyone wants to listen to different things.

• Cons

1) Trickier to set up

I hope you like apps, because if you want to connect your soundbar to Wi-Fi, you're almost certainly going to need to dip into the app. Once you're connected, it's very easy to play music, but getting it to that point can be extremely irritating — especially if it's a Sonos soundbar. The app is better now, but it's still not perfect.

2) Not everything will work with it

Bluetooth is widely compatible with a range of different devices, but there are fewer devices that support Wi-Fi connection. There are far fewer turntables that support Wi-Fi wireless connection, for example.

So which should you use?

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The Denon Home Sound Bar 550 is definitely one of the best soundbars I’ve tested, especially when you take into account that it’s just a 2.0 soundbar. This isn’t even a 3.0 — that means it only has as many channels as the super-basic $99 soundbars you might find on Amazon.

However, this performance doesn’t come cheap. For $699, the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 is incredibly expensive for a 2.0 channel setup. When used with the rest of Denon’s Home series, the overall price goes up to almost $3k — and you only get 5.1 channels.

If you’ve got money to burn, then by all means, the Denon Home series won’t disappoint. However, alternative soundbars provide similar sound at much better prices. So is this the soundbar for you? Find out in this Denon Home Sound Bar 550 review.

Denon Home Sound Bar 550 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 2.0 channel soundbar, can be used alone or in a wider setup
• Who is it for? If you want a great soundbar and have $$$ to spend
• What does it cost? Eek: $699 / £599
• What do we like? The sound is undeniably good
• What don’t we like? For a 2.0 channel soundbar, it’s beyond expensive

Denon Home Sound Bar 550 review: Specs

Denon Home Sound Bar 550 review: Price & availability

The Denon Home Sound Bar 550 is available for $699 from Amazon U.S., $699 from Denon U.S., $699 from Best Buy U.S. and $699 from Walmart U.S.. I would purchase from whichever outlet is offering a discount, so ensure you check which retailer has deals live.

In the U.K., you’re getting a much better deal. The Denon 550 is £599 from Amazon U.K., but often discounted to between £400-£300. I think this is a much more acceptable price.

Even so, this price is around par for the course for a soundbar of this caliber. The Bose Smart Soundbar is probably its closest competitor; you’ll find it for $549 on Amazon U.S. and £499 on Amazon U.K.. The Polk Audio Signa S4 is a soundbar + subwoofer priced at $449/£329, and is my go-to recommendation for home cinema newbies. The Signa S4 is a fantastic option if you want to save money but still have a great experience.

Based purely on value, I’d recommend the Samsung Q600F ($599) over the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 — unless you prioritize smart home and smartphone-forward devices. The Samsung Q600F doesn’t have any smart home features, such as AirPlay.

Denon Home Sound Bar 550 review: Design & controls

• Simple, straightforward design
• Just 26 inches long
• 4.7 inches deep

The Denon Home Sound Bar 550 is a compact soundbar. At just 26 inches long, this is an ideal soundbar for small homes and small TVs. I tested it with a 55-inch Samsung flagship model and it looked really strange. If you’ve got a larger TV, I’d instead recommend the Polk Signa S4, which is 41 inches long.

In terms of appearance, the Home Sound Bar 550 looks exactly how you’d expect. It has a gray mesh casing, touch controls on the top, and a silver Denon logo on the front. It’s surprisingly deep, at almost 5 inches thick, so be mindful of that if you’ve got a particularly narrow TV stand. I don’t think I’d recommend wall-mounting this soundbar due to the depth.

Inside the soundbar you’ll find two speakers, which makes the Home Sound Bar 550 a 2.0 channel soundbar. As I said earlier, this is quite a pricey soundbar for just two speakers.

However, the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 is designed to be part of a Denon home sound system, not used alone. Denon makes a subwoofer and rear speakers to upgrade this soundbar to a 5.1 channel setup. If you have all the add-ons, your setup will look like this: Denon Home Sound Bar 550 ($699), Denon Home Subwoofer ($649), and the Denon 150, Denon 250, or Denon 350 speakers ($219, $499, $699 respectively).

So, if you got the whole setup with the best rear speakers, it’d set you back an eye-watering $2,746. That is really very expensive. Obviously the Home Sound bar 550 sounds fantastic, and I’ll discuss sound quality in full later. This makes the full setup around the same price as a Sonos setup, so it’s not out of this world. Good sound systems simply cost a lot of money.

Even so, I can’t review the soundbar’s performance in the “full” 5.1 setup, as that’s not the product I’m reviewing. I’m reviewing the Denon Home Sound Bar 550, not the Denon Home Surround System, which comprises numerous separate elements. So even though the soundbar is designed to be used with rear speakers and a subwoofer, my review does not cover the accessories.

Denon Home Sound Bar 550 review: Features

• Denon’s proprietary HEOS system
• Sound modes
• Dialogue enhancer is great

The Denon 550 has Denon’s proprietary HEOS system, which (kind of) acts like AirPlay or Google Cast. However, HEOS wirelessly syncs up Denon devices for multi-room, whole-house surround sound playback. Most of Denon’s range has HEOS now, so, for example, you’d be able to play music from the kitchen speaker, and sync up with the living room 550 soundbar.

You can also sync up your music streaming service and play directly from Spotify or Qobuz on the HEOS app. This is a really neat feature. I’ll discuss HEOS more in the ‘App’ section below.

Going back to soundbar features sans-HEOS, the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 has all the usual suspects you’d expect from a $699 soundbar. Bass and treble volume adjustment, dialogue enhancement, night mode, and sound mode.

I’ll discuss sound mode first. This is basically a listening/playback controller. You can choose from: Stereo, Dolby Audio - Surround, Dolby Audio - Movie Surround, DTS Virtual:X, and Pure.

These modes do what they say on the tin: pure and stereo are your basic listening profiles, then Dolby Audio and DTS Virtual:X are virtual surround sound playbacks. I mostly used Dolby Audio while testing as this resulted in the richest sound, even when I was watching on basic Netflix.

Even though it’s a 2.0 channel soundbar, using the Dolby Audio mode made me feel more immersed in what I was watching. It could just be placebo, but hey, if the placebo works, then the desired outcome has been achieved.

Last but also kind of least, night mode. Night mode is very simple: it just reduces bass so as not to awaken neighbors, roommates, or family members when watching at night. I wouldn’t recommend this for general use as it makes movies sound flat.

Denon Home Sound Bar 550 review: App

• Denon HEOS app for multi-room listening
• Connect additional speakers in the app
• Can link up music streaming services within the app

After downloading the HEOS app from the App Store, my phone instantly connected to the soundbar using AirPlay. I followed the instructions in the HEOS app and thought I was all set up and ready to go.

However, there were a few connectivity hiccups after the initial setup. The soundbar disconnected itself from my Wi-Fi and I had to reset it. I was able to get it set back up, but I’d be a little wary of connectivity hiccups, especially if you’re not particularly tech-savvy.

The HEOS app is very simple and easy to use, but, again, it’s designed to be used with a Denon home sound system, so it looks a little sparse with only one product. Here’s a screenshot from the app.

As you can see, the HEOS app is great for home hi-fi enthusiasts. You can add loads of streaming services like Qobuz, Spotify, Tidal, and Apple Music. Once I’d connected to Qobuz — which was instant and painless — I could play music directly from the HEOS app via Qobuz.

Denon Home Sound Bar 550 review: Sound quality

• Great bass, even with no subwoofer
• Clear dialogue
• Faithful, natural sound across a range of mediums

I test every soundbar with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, TV shows on Netflix, and music on Spotify and Qobuz.

Movies

I always test soundbars with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ because the opening scene has it all: bass loud enough to shake floorboards, high-frequencies, layered diegetic sound effects, and expansive sound.

I watched ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ with “Dolby Atmos” enabled in the HEOS app. Obviously, though, a 2.0 channel soundbar is physically incapable of true Atmos, so I was skeptical of this.

I was actually really impressed with the soundbar’s performance, though. The jet engines were loud, but didn’t overpower the softer sounds of whooshing air or radio dialogue. The aforementioned high-frequency sound effects (ropes being untied, metal clinking) were audible over ‘Danger Zone’ and the jets taking off.

Although it wasn’t as immersive in terms of 360° audio as I would’ve liked, the overall sound was awesome for just two channels.

I was impressed with the bass performance during dogfighting scenes, even without a subwoofer. The bass was loud and rich, without overpowering dialogue. Even without ‘dialogue’ mode activated, I could hear every word spoken. While some male voices were a little too bassy (not something I’ve experienced on other soundbars), this didn’t negatively impact my experience.

After ‘Top Gun’, I watched ‘Thunderbolts’. The first thing I noticed was how good Florence Pugh’s voice sounded. The 550 handled her husky timbre well, and resulted in a really immersive voiceover at the beginning of the movie.

Even during action scenes, I could hear the string-heavy soundtrack over sound effects like smashing glass and visceral flesh stabbing. The diegetic and non-diegetic sound separation was excellent, but the 3D audio wasn’t as immersive as I wanted it to be. Obviously this is a physical limitation of a 2.0 channel soundbar.

After ‘Thunderbolts’, I watched ‘How To Train Your Dragon (2025)’. The original is my favorite movie of all time, so I took this test very seriously. I know exactly how it should sound, and the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 did a fantastic job. John Powell’s emotive soundtrack had great instrument separation, and the bass was surprisingly powerful.

During Hiccup and Toothless’s first flight, I could feel the wind whooshing past my ears. Although the scene wasn’t wholly immersive, for a 2.0 soundbar, the performance was admirable.

Again, all the dialogue sounded awesome. I never struggled to understand, even when lines were mumbled or shouted over loud noises.

Overall, the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 is a really impressive soundbar. I have no problems recommending it wholeheartedly. The bass is remarkably rich and loud, despite the lack of soundbar. On top of that, all dialogue was clear and intelligible, even in cluttered, noisy scenes.

TV

As I watched 4K UHD Blu-rays to test movies, I needed to test the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 with lower-resolution content as well. It’s unrealistic that you’ll only use a soundbar to watch creme-de-la-creme movies, so I always test with basic Netflix and other streaming apps.

First, I watched ‘Celebrity Traitors’ on BBC iPlayer. I activated dialogue enhancement mode in the HEOS app as this is a reality show, so I needed to be able to hear every word spoken.

The dialogue enhancer worked wonderfully well. It increased the volume and clarity of treble, but didn’t minimize bass or overall immersion. Obviously watching reality TV isn’t particularly immersive in the first place, but the Home Sound Bar 550 made it feel like I was watching something a little more high-caliber.

After ‘Celebrity Traitors’, I watched ‘Wednesday’ on Netflix. Again, this is non-Dolby-Atmos basic Netflix. I used the ‘Dolby Atmos - Surround’ playback mode, and it was really impressive. Even with a 5.1 rather than Dolby Atmos codec on Netflix, the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 did a good job of tricking me into believing otherwise.

‘Wednesday’ has a scene with a huge fire, and I could feel the embers burning all around me. The soundbar provided a surprising amount of height and depth even with just two speakers. There was one moment where the volume suddenly increased, but I can’t be certain that this wasn’t an audio-mixing issue as opposed to a Denon issue.

Music

To test music performance, I listened to a variety of genres using Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles. As I mentioned in the ‘App’ section, I linked up Qobuz directly with my HEOS app so I could play straight from the soundbar’s app.

First, I listened to ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ by Jose James. This song was flabbergasting, in the best way possible. I couldn’t quite believe how rich and immersive the sound was: I could feel each guitar string reverberate, and the percussion had a great deal of height. This was really impressive, and maybe the best soundbar I’ve ever tested for music playback.

Afterwards, I switched genres to electronic and played ‘I Like It Like That’ by Fcukers. While the bass was a little disappointing, the overall soundscape was rich and immersive. In the bridge, there’s a moment where the synth whooshes as if plunging underwater. This specific section was a standout of the whole track, and ticked all the right boxes.

Lastly, I played something heavier. I settled on ‘Moaning Lisa Smile’ by Wolf Alice, which is a grungey alternative rock track. The vocals were incredibly powerful in the verses, but the heavy sections were a little disappointing. In some moments, they felt muffled or restricted.

Even so, the overall music performance was awesome for a soundbar — particularly the soul track I mentioned first. I would definitely recommend using this soundbar as a music speaker for soul and acoustic, but would be a little wary of heavier genres.

Denon Home Sound Bar 550 review: Verdict

The Denon Home Sound Bar 550 is a fantastic soundbar ideal for hi-fi newbies. If you want a soundbar you can add additional pieces to, or if you want a full home sound system from a premium audio brand, then this is the perfect first piece.

No, it’s not cheap, at $699, and yes, there are other options from Samsung (the Q600F) and Polk Audio (the Signa S4) that are much better value. However, the Samsung and Polk Audio options can’t be added to in the same way that Denon pieces can (unless, of course, you have a Samsung AI-enabled TV).

For serious hi-fi enthusiasts, you need to keep this soundbar on your radar. It’s got everything you’d want: rich bass, clear dialogue, and impressive immersion. It’ll just cost you. But I suppose, aren't the best things worth paying for?

There's only one day left of the October Prime Day now, and that means you've not got long to grab this impressive soundbar deal. This might just be one of the best ways to get a new soundbar under your TV that we've seen for a while.

The Samsung Q600F soundbar is $477 at Amazon thanks to a $120 discount, bringing a soundbar+subwoofer combo to your TV stand for a whole lot less money. For buyers in the U.K., there's a £250 saving — you can buy the Samsung Q600F Is just £248 at Amazon. That's a mega discount on a great soundbar for both movies and TV.

If you're not familiar with Samsung's soundbar naming conventions, let me give you a quick run-down. The 'Q' in Q600F refers to the series name. A 'Q Series' Samsung soundbar is the best-of-the-best, top-of-the-range soundbar. The Q600F is the most affordable soundbar in Samsung's Q series, so this is the cheapest way to get theater-quality audio at home.

The Q600F is a 3.1.2 channel soundbar, which means it has three center channels, a subwoofer, and two surround/upfiring speakers. You might not expect immersive Dolby Atmos in just a 3.1.2 channel speaker, but I was really impressed by the Q600F's performance.

In my Samsung Q600F review, I wrote that "For a 3.1.2 channel soundbar, the performance was impressive. I couldn’t look away. I felt like a toddler watching Cocomelon."

Alas, the Q600F has no smart home integration. If you wanted to use AirPlay/Chromecast or the like, you'd need to spend a little extra on the Q800F or Q990F. I've not tested those models yet (they're on the way though!) so I can't attest to their value right now.

But if you're a movie aficionado, you're likely less interested in smart home features and more interested in audio performance. In that case, the Q600F is the cheapest way to get the cinema at home and one of the best soundbars period, and I say that with 100% confidence. I've tested tons of soundbars from brands like Bose, Polk Audio, Majority, Ultimea, and Denon, and I'm hand-on-heart certain that the Q600F is the best bang-for-buck mid-range soundbar out there.

While this deal could last for a while, I'd still waste no time and grab this soundbar for an instant movie night upgrade.

I test a lot of soundbars, so sometimes they all blur into one. But I recently reviewed the Samsung Q600F, and it's a soundbar I won't be forgetting any time soon.

Samsung's 'Q' series of soundbars is its most premium: you want to look for a soundbar beginning with 'Q' if you're serious about sound. The Q600F, though, is a little different. It's the most budget-friendly option on Samsung's premium range, which makes it the best mid-range soundbar I've tested thus far.

While it has no smart home functions, if you want a serious movie-watching soundbar that'll shake your floors and rattle your windows, then this is it. I've found my new favorite affordable soundbar, and this is why.

Bass for days

Just take a look at that subwoofer. Look at it, then look at it again. It's gorgeous.

While, yes, it does actually just look like every other subwoofer, I kind of love how subwoofers look. Or, maybe I just like what they do, and then then, in turn, that makes me like how they look. Hmm.

Even so, this is a powerful, spunky subwoofer. There's only one woofer (and Samsung has started installing side woofers on newer models, despite the Q600F being a 2025 model), but oh boy, does this woofer growl.

You can adjust the subwoofer volume independently of the soundbar volume, so of course I upped it to the max. When I was watching 'Top Gun: Maverick', the fighter jets sounded loud enough to be in the next room, and the bass notes in the 'Danger Zone' track in the opening scene shook the floorboards.

But — and I'll talk about this more later — don't think that this loud bass overpowered other elements of the mix. That's not the case at all. I also watched 'The Batman', and even though a lot of dialogue is very moodily grumbled and broodily fumbled (because Bruce Wayne is very important and very special, of course), I could hear every single syllable.

The bass wasn't just awesome for movies, either. When I was listening to music on the Q600F (committing a cardinal sin of being an audiophile), the drum-and-bass songs I played sounded particularly impressive, and the subwoofer didn't crinkle or cut out due to volume. I was really obsessed with the bass on this subwoofer.

Crisp, clear dialogue

As I mentioned briefly in the section above, the Samsung Q600F performs excellently with dialogue. There's no 'dialogue' or 'speech' mode on this soundbar like you might be familiar with on alternatives. Why? Well, it just doesn't need it.

Going back to 'The Batman' — if you haven't seen that movie, it's basically a three-hour movie full of mumbled dialogue and moody performances. As a result, I assumed it would be really difficult to hear.

But I was so, so wrong. Even RPattz's most inaudible lines were intelligible to me. I was able to understand everything he said. This is mostly due to a high-quality center speaker and an adept subwoofer. If the subwoofer is focusing mostly on the low low-end, then the soundbar doesn't need to juggle two degrees of bass. As a result, you get clearer, more intelligible dialogue.

The Q600F was great for TV, too. When I was watching 'Wednesday' on basic Netflix, I could hear every actor's lines perfectly, even when listening in 'Surround' mode. I thought that the soundbar might struggle with 'Surround' mode on Netflix, as my tier of the streaming service doesn't have Atmos.

However, anecdotally, the show was immersive. The bass notes in the soundtrack felt as if they were coming from beside the TV, and the eerie, atmospheric sound effects in certain monster-heavy scenes (no spoilers) made me jump out of my skin. Wednesday Addams herself would've laughed at my pathetic reaction.

No smart home, no problem

I'll tell you something: when I first plugged in the Q600F and got it all set up with my Samsung S95F TV, I was so prepared for a Smart Things integration that I'd already opened the app on my phone.

So, color me surprised when, not only could my phone not find the soundbar, I also could not locate the Smart Things QR code on the device.

Thankfully, after a very speedy Google search, I realized something: the Q600F doesn't have any smart home integration. No Wi-Fi, AirPlay, or Chromecast, nada. Personally, I'm not too fussed about this, as my personal TV doesn't have AirPlay and setting up soundbars on mobile apps can be as frustrating as trying to teach ABCs to a blind dog.

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The Samsung Q600F is the most affordable soundbar in Samsung’s Q-Series range. At $599, but seemingly on perma-sale for around $480, the 600F is one of the lower-cost ways to achieve cinema-quality sound at home.

Sure, it’s one of the best soundbars if you prioritize surround sound, floor-shaking bass, and crisp dialogue over smart home features like app control and AirPlay. After the initial bamboozlement, I found my user experience wasn’t dampened by the lack of features, as you can easily play music via Bluetooth if needs be. But really? I was mostly just shook by the movie-theater-level sound coming from my TV.

I think the Samsung Q600F certainly has a place in most home cinema setups, but I’ll go through all the features and sound quality in this Samsung Q600F review.

Samsung Q600F review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The most affordable soundbar in Samsung’s premium Q-Series range
• Who is it for? If you want a home cinema setup good enough to feel alive without the big spend
• What does it cost? $599 / £599, but seemingly on perma-sale
• What do we like? The sound quality is bombastic and powerful
• What don’t we like? There’s a weird lack of features — no app integration or AirPlay/Chromecast

Samsung Q600F review: Specs

Samsung Q600F review: Price & availability

The Samsung Q600F is the entry-level model in Samsung’s premium Q range. I’d recommend it as your first premium soundbar if you have a Samsung TV too. I tested with the Samsung S95F OLED.

The Samsung Q600F is new in 2025, but it’s already majorly discounted at mainstream retailers. While the MSRP is $599/£599, it’s discounted — and has been for a long time — on both Samsung’s website and at Amazon.

You can get the Q600F for just $472 at Amazon U.S. and £247 at Amazon U.K. (third-party seller) or from Currys for £599. If you can snag the Q600F for this price, it’s one of the best-value soundbars I’ve reviewed so far. At the MSRP of $599/£599, it’s a little pricey for its performance, though.

The MSRP of $599 places it firmly in the mid-range of soundbars. The Q600F is much better value than the Bose Smart Soundbar, which is $549 and has no subwoofer included, but it’s not as good value as the $449 Polk Audio Signa S4 soundbar and subwoofer combo — although it does have slightly better sound.

The Q600F is also much better value than Samsung’s Ultra-Slim soundbar S801D, which is a massive $899 but performs at around the same level as the Q600F. If you want a cinematic mid-range Samsung soundbar with a subwoofer, I’d recommend the Q600F over the S801D.

Samsung Q600F review: Design & controls

• Looks like all other Samsung Q-Series soundbars
• Angled sides and mesh, plastic casing
• Buttons on top and remote

The Samsung Q600F looks like all other soundbars in Samsung’s Q Series, which isn’t necessarily a positive or a negative. I happen to like how Samsung’s soundbars look: they’re inconspicuous and modern-looking, but they’re not breaking the boundaries of soundbar design.

It’s very long, at over 40 inches, so it wouldn’t be suited to small houses like mine. If you need a smaller soundbar, I’d recommend the 33-inch Samsung B650 ($249).

On top of the soundbar are four buttons: power, volume up, volume down, and input. The buttons are nicely tactile, but I found myself leaning towards using the remote over the buttons. Still, it’s nice to have in case you misplace the remote — unfortunately, the Q600F cannot be used via Smart Things, so cannot be controlled remotely.

The remote itself is nice and long, not the stubby nonsense Bose provides you with. I particularly like the volume buttons due to their tactile nature. There’s a range of options on the remote: ‘sound mode’ being my most used, and also individual channel volume adjustments.

The Q600F is also compatible with the SWA-9250S rear speakers, priced at $149 on Samsung U.S.. As these speakers are not provided with a purchase of the Q600F, though, I did not include their performance in this review.

Samsung Q600F review: Features

• No smart home integration, weirdly
• Surround, game, adaptive, standard sound modes
• SpaceFit Sound Pro only on a select number of Samsung TVs

My biggest qualm with the Q600F is the lack of features for the price. It would be a worthy sacrifice for awesome, cinematic sound quality, but if you want a particularly modern and smart-home-ready soundbar, this probably isn’t the one for you. I’d recommend the Bose Smart Soundbar instead, but then you’d have to buy an $899 subwoofer to go with it.

I tested the Q600F with a new Samsung TV, the S95F, but there was still no SpaceFit Sound Pro compatibility. This is majorly disappointing, especially as I was using a state-of-the-art 2025 OLED TV. Surely, surely, this top-of-the-range Samsung TV should be able to use SpaceFit Sound Pro?

Anyway, there’s also no smart home compatibility. This includes Smart Things app and wireless playback options like Chromecast and AirPlay. I’m not sure why Samsung didn’t include these features in the Q600F, as other similarly priced products have them. Perhaps because this is primarily a cinema soundbar, not an everyday soundbar.

Maybe this would be better suited to a dedicated entertainment room, and you could get a more ‘smart home’ soundbar for the basic living room TV. But then surely you would just get a hi-fi setup? Sigh. Anyway. That’s the fact of the matter: no smart home integration.

So, if you just want a soundbar for movie watching, then I suppose it’s not the end of the world. I use my Bose Smart Soundbar for a lot of music listening (I know — I’m a terrible audiophile), but it’s not as good for blockbuster movies as the Q600F.

However, I’ll choose to end on a positive note. There’s a range of sound modes in the soundbar: adaptive, game, surround, and standard. Obviously surround was the best for movies. ‘Surround’ mode accentuated the side channels and bass, which tricked me into believing I was using rear speakers during some particularly epic scenes.

Samsung Q600F review: Sound quality

• Floor-shaking bass thanks to the subwoofer
• Clear separation between dialogue, sound effects, and soundtrack
• More immersive in some scenes than others, but overall impressive

I test every soundbar with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on 4K UHD Blu-Ray (amongst others, but ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is the control test), TV shows on Netflix, and music on Qobuz.

Movies

First, I watched ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. This movie is excellent for testing soundbars due to its range of sounds and settings: jet planes flying overhead, bass-heavy soundtrack and radioed dialogue, to name a few.

In the opening scene, ‘Danger Zone’ was bassy and groovy, and the ‘80s gated percussion was clear and prominent over the diegetic jet engine sound effects. I couldn’t hear as many of the high-frequency sounds — like ropes whooshing and wheels clinking — as I could on the Denon Home Sound Bar 550.

While the bass was awesome throughout the movie, I couldn’t help but long for more immersion. The Dolby Atmos performance was good, but not excellent. When the jet planes were flying overhead, I couldn’t follow the sound through the room. There wasn’t as much height as I’d want from a soundbar at this price point, but that doesn’t mean it performed poorly.

I loved the bar scene. In this scene, ‘Let’s Dance’ by David Bowie sounded as if it was coming from beside the TV, rather than the TV itself. This was the first time I was genuinely impressed with the Q600F’s 360° audio performance. Even over the soundtrack, the hushed dialogue was clear and audible.

The practice dogfighting scene is one of the best ways to test a soundbar. Thanks to the radioed dialogue, roaring jet engines, and layered, bass-heavy soundtrack, there’s a whole melee of sounds to really push a soundbar to its limits.

The subwoofer growled when the jet planes were soaring overhead, and I could still hear the soundtrack over the engine sounds. However, this scene suffered from the same issue as the previous flying scenes: not enough height.

After ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, I watched ‘The Batman’. I used ‘surround’ mode for this movie, as opposed to the ‘standard’ mode for ‘Top Gun’. The string and piano motifs in the soundtrack were piercing, but not overpowering of the husky, growled dialogue in the opening scenes. A few of Batman’s lines were muffled, but this was almost certainly a creative choice.

About twenty minutes in, there’s a scene of Batman motorbiking through Gotham with ‘Something in the Way’ by Nirvana playing. This scene was by far the most immersive and thrilling of them all; the creepy voiceover by Pattinson, the harrowing acoustic guitar from Cobain; the diegetic news broadcast playing over it all. The soundbar did well with all these different elements, and left me wanting to rewind it just to experience it again.

There are a number of nightclub scenes in the movie; all of these have pounding bass, which sounded excellent through the subwoofer, and a range of indistinguishable chatter laid over computer-generated sound effects. Everything was balanced perfectly, with a great amount of depth. There wasn’t a huge amount of height, as with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, but I was able to overlook this.

I’d heard great things about the famous Batmobile-Penguin chase scene, so I was really excited to reach this point in the movie. The flame sound effects, roaring engine and screeching brakes were loud and immersive throughout the scenes. However, I couldn’t hear the rain sound effects as loudly as I would’ve liked. Still, for a 3.1.2 channel soundbar, the performance was impressive. My heart was racing throughout the scene, and I couldn’t look away. I felt like a toddler watching Cocomelon.

A scene that really surprised me was when Batman and Gordon enter the abandoned orphanage. The Dolby Atmos performance blew me away; I could hear raindrops coming from all around me, and the metallic clinking of boots on staircases reverberated around my brain. This was a great scene, and one of the best surround performances of the entire movie.

Lastly, I watched ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2025 version). The dialogue was crisp and close in the mix, specifically Hiccup’s voiceovers. Every note of the soundtrack was audible, and not lost in the action-heavy scenes. I loved the dragon fight scene at the end of the movie; the roaring, the metal clinking, and the crowd screaming was all room-filling and cinematic.

I found the flight scenes particularly enjoyable; Hiccup and Toothless’s first flights were immersive. Every time they fell into the water, it felt like it was splashing from behind me. Toothless’s purring sounds in particular were awesome, very carefully layered thanks to the subwoofer.

Seeing as this is just a 3.1.2 channel soundbar, it’s not outrageous that it suffers from lack of height. You can purchase additional rear speakers, though, which should mitigate the issue.

For $472 — its seemingly permanent-discounted MSRP on Amazon, this performance is impressive. Even so, if you were to pay the full MSRP of $599, you’d still be happy with the sound, I’m sure. When I was testing the Q600F, I felt like I was in a private movie theater.

TV

As I’d watched 4K UHD movies for my movie testing, I switched to basic Netflix — so no Atmos or DTS Virtual:X. Not everyone has access to 4K movies, so it’s only fair.

I watched ‘Wednesday’ on Netflix, which has a great mixture of muttered, moody dialogue, an infectious soundtrack, and action scenes. While, obviously, the basic tier of Netflix has no Dolby Atmos performance, I still found that the show sounded great.

All dialogue was clear, even Wednesday’s monotonous delivery. There were a number of sound effects that struck me as particularly strong: crackling fires, gargling Venus fly traps; the ticking of clockwork.

I didn’t need Dolby Atmos to enjoy the show. As the Q600F has great elemental separation, I was able to pick out dialogue, high-frequency sounds, and the soundtrack easily.

Music

To test music performance, I listened to a variety of genres using Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles. I listened via Bluetooth, as there’s no Chromecast or AirPlay in the Q600F. Bizarre choice from Samsung, but I suppose we must make do with what we’re given.

Even so, I connected via Bluetooth, which was easy using the remote. I played ‘Play Me’ by Fcukers, which has a DnB-inspired bassline and a breathy female vocal. The bass was punchy and vibrated so much I could feel it in the floor. The quieter synth notes were eclipsed a little, but it’s a soundbar, not one of the best speakers.

Afterwards, I played ‘Bird Song’ by M.I.A, which has discordant vocal riffs and an infectious, all-consuming percussion section. The instrumental separation wasn’t great in this track, but the vocal performance was solid.

To switch up genre, I played ‘About A Girl (Remastered)’ by Nirvana. I particularly loved Kurt Cobian’s voice in this track — the soundbar did a really good job of preserving his natural growl — and the bassline was clean. There wasn’t any muddiness whatsoever, which I suppose some people like, but this could be down to the remastered file rather than the soundbar.

Overall, the Q600F performed well with electronic, rock, and pop. While no, the music performance wasn’t equatable to the second coming of Christ or anything, I was generally impressed. The basslines were loud but not overpowering, and the vocals were all really strong. There just wasn’t as much instrumental separation as you might want.

Samsung Q600F review: Verdict

On the whole, the Samsung Q600F is a bit of a no-brainer. It’s the most affordable Q-Series soundbar, so it's the best option for those who want premium performance on a mid-range budget. I would be more than happy to swap out my Bose Smart Soundbar for the Q600F, although I would miss being able to AirPlay my music straight from Qobuz to my soundbar.

However, playing music on a soundbar is actually one of the cardinal sins of being an audiophile, so my membership card should be revoked for doing so anyway. My membership card would not be revoked, however, for saying the Q600F soundbar is one of the best ways to get cinematic sound at home.

The bass is floor-shaking and the dialogue is crisp, even in dramatic action scenes. On the whole, the Dolby Atmos performance is admirable, especially in ‘The Batman’. I think serious movie lovers can overlook the lack of smart home features in lieu of awesome sound, and that’s exactly what the Samsung Q600F has: awesome sound.

The best soundbars are expensive, and that's simply a fact. I've tested the $1,699 JBL Bar 1300X, a surround sound system that made me foam at the mouth — but there's no way I'd ever be able to afford that. So a mid-range soundbar it is!

Mid-range soundbars usually have some sacrifices: poor Dolby Atmos performance, lackluster bass, no smart features... just to name a few. However, as someone whose job is literally to test soundbars, I've discovered a few hidden gems.

Of course the Bose Smart Soundbar and the Polk Audio Signa S4 can't go head-to-head with giants like the Sonos Arc Ultra or the Marshall Heston 120, but for $549-$449, they're pretty impressive. But which is the ultimate winner? There can only be one...

At a glance

Think of this as a TLDR: the Bose Smart Soundbar is a better everyday product with smart features, but the Polk Audio Signa S4 is a better cinema product.

Bose Smart Soundbar vs Polk Audio Signa S4: Specs

Bose Smart Soundbar vs Polk Audio Signa S4: Design

Despite both soundbars being firmly in the midrange of both cost and performance, there are a few key differences between their designs.

The Bose Smart Soundbar is much smaller than the Polk Audio Signa S4. The Bose is 27 inches long compared to the Polk's 41 inches. Even so, each soundbar has the same number of center and upfiring speakers (three and two, respectively), and has comparable sound quality.

However, size isn't the primary point of comparison here. The main difference lies within the Signa S4's subwoofer. Unlike the Smart Soundbar, which can be used with Bose's Bass Module 700 ($899)(... yes, really...), the Signa S4 is a soundbar + subwoofer combo. For just $449.

I'll discuss the sound more in the 'Sound quality' section below, but let's just say that the Signa S4 is pulling ahead right now, purely because it has a subwoofer.

With the main differences out of the way, the Bose and the Polk Audio are comparable in most other design aspects. True, neither of them are breaking any beauty boundaries (that award goes to the Marshall Heston 120), but neither are markedly ugly, either.

The Signa S4 has a gray fabric mesh covering, which might look a little dated if you've got an ultra-modern home, but I don't see it looking out of place in a home cinema setup. Conversely, the Bose Smart Soundbar has a plastic body with a large 'Bose' logo in the center, which is better if you like the look of a branded soundbar, or you perhaps want to show off to your less-techie friends who assume Bose is the be-all and end-all of audio quality.

My final point of comparison is the remote controller. The Polk Audio remote is much sturdier than the Bose, with more buttons and a larger surface area. The Bose remote is quite flimsy, but, then again, the Bose can be controlled via the Bose app, which I'll discuss more just below.

The winner? There isn't one. The Polk Audio Signa S4 could take the crown because of its subwoofer and superior remote.

But the Bose Smart Soundbar looks better and is smaller, therefore more versatile.

The result? A draw.

Bose Smart Soundbar vs Polk Audio Signa S4: Features

In terms of features, there are a few key differences between the Polk Audio Signa S4 and the Bose Smart Soundbar.

First, though, let's get this out of the way: the Smart Soundbar and the Signa S4 have different use cases and, therefore, have different features. The clue's in the name: the Bose is, literally, a smart soundbar. It's going to have smart features.

Let's chat about them separately: first, I'll discuss sound quality-related features, then I'll discuss smart home features. Or, in the Signa S4's case, the lack thereof.

The Bose Smart Soundbar has an array of sound features: Dialogue enhancement, channel volume adjustment, and 'Bose TrueSpace' (for Atmos decoding). The AI dialogue enhancement is one of the best features on this soundbar: I never, ever struggle to hear dialogue. Even during loud action scenes, I am always able to understand dialogue.

You can also adjust each channel speaker independently, so you can increase the volume of the 'Center channel,' 'Height channel,' 'Bass,' and 'Treble' at will. Obviously, I upped the bass to the max, as the subwoofer is a separate purchase, and the soundbar needs all the help it can get bass-wise.

Finally, I'll discuss 'Bose TrueSpace'. This technology is supposed to upmix audio signals into an immersive, surround-sound experience. While obviously this is not Dolby Atmos or DTS Virtual:X, it tries to make everything you watch sound like it could be.

TrueSpace is really frustrating because it could be so good. It's not frustrating because it's bad, or because it's excellent, but a weird amalgamation of the two. Sometimes TrueSpace is awesome and makes me feel like I'm actually underwater during swimming scenes. Other times, I'm trapped on the outside, like I'm hammering on the door of Dolby Atmos and it won't let me in.

If this feature were more consistent, I'd be shouting about it from the rooftops. However, as it stands, it's merely good — not great.

Alright, let's talk about the Polk Audio Signa S4's sound features now. Like the Smart Soundbar, the Signa S4 has the following: Voice adjust (for dialogue), Movie mode, and Night mode. Unfortunately, you can't adjust the volume of each speaker, unlike the Bose, but these sound modes are still great.

Movie mode is the only one you really need if you're into blockbuster films. This mode effectively increases the bass, which makes the subwoofer rumble. Night mode does the opposite — reduces bass so you can listen while neighbors or roommates are asleep — and Voice adjust is ideal if you struggle to hear dialogue.

While the Signa S4 doesn't have any DSPs intended to upmix non-Atmos into Atmos, if you've got an Atmos-encoded movie, the surround sound will be impressive. When I was testing the Siga S4, I watched 'The Wild Robot', and the immersive sound effects made me feel like I was actually in the scene.

However, if your content is not Atmos-encoded, then you'll get no upmixed surround sound.

Right, now let's discuss other features. While Bose and Polk Audio stuff their soundbars with similar sound-related features, only one of these soundbars has any smart features, and it's easy to guess which one.

The Bose Smart Soundbar has a huge variety of smart home features. You can link it directly with your Alexa; it comes with AirPlay and Google Cast, so you can play music directly from your streaming app like Qobuz or Spotify, and you can control it completely from the Bose app.

I find myself using the Bose Smart Soundbar every day to listen to music while I'm cooking or pottering about the house. Thanks to the seamless AirPlay integration, I can play music directly from my phone, without having to connect to Bluetooth or connect any wires. If I wanted to play music on the Signa S4, I'd first have to turn on Bluetooth (annoying) and then connect to my phone (annoying), and then play music (annoying).

The Bose Smart Soundbar eradicates that frustrating system, and, as a result, the Bose Smart Soundbar wins in the Features category.

Bose Smart Soundbar vs Polk Audio Signa S4: Sound quality

Now onto the most important section. Everything I've said so far has been leading up to this very moment. I feel like a scheming adviser in a Medieval court. Imagine me rubbing my hands together with glee, smiling like I've heard a joke only I can understand.

First, I'll go over the fact that the Polk Audio Signa S4 has a subwoofer and the Bose Smart Soundbar doesn't. The existence of the subwoofer makes this a very easy assertion: the Polk Audio Signa S4 has much, much better bass than the Bose Smart Soundbar.

The subwoofer itself has one large woofer on the base, so it'll shake your floors. When I was watching 'Top Gun: Maverick' on the Signa S4 in the office, my colleagues who (unfortunately) work on the floor below our testing room complained that it was too loud.

Hey, if floorboard-trembling bass is what you're after, then the Signa S4 will make you happy.

Unfortunately, that brings me onto the Bose Smart Soundbar's subwoofer... well, lack of subwoofer. As I mentioned briefly above, if you want a subwoofer with your Smart Soundbar, it's going to cost you almost $1,000. Oh, I wish I were joking.

Even though the Smart Soundbar's bass performance is alright considering it's just a soundbar, it can't compare. There's no way you can listen to the Signa S4 and the Smart Soundbar and hear the same level of bass.

Although bass is important, it doesn't eclipse every other aspect of audio. There's also the very integral aspect of sound separation. This is basically: Can you hear different sound effects clearly? Is there enough dynamic difference? How does the soundbar deal with sounds across the frequency range?

The Bose Smart Soundbar has amazing sound separation. When I was watching 'Top Gun: Maverick', I could hear all elements of the scene, from the diegetic rope-whooshing and metal-clinking to the non-diegetic 'Danger Zone'.

I could also hear every element in 'Alien: Romulus', but some of the dialogue was a little muffled without the AI dialogue mode switched on. I use the Bose Smart Soundbar every day at home, and it just sounds awesome. It elevates everything I watch, whether that's brainrot YouTube videos or Bong Joon Ho movies.

The Polk Audio Signa S4 excels in different ways. The bass in 'Danger Zone' sounded fantastically groovy, and the roaring of Maverick's jet in 'Top Gun' was earth-shaking.

No, the diegetic sound effects weren't as pronounced as on the Bose Smart Soundbar, but this is a worthy sacrifice if you are a bass lover. I wish the audio separation on the Signa S4 was better, but for a $449 soundbar + subwoofer combo, the performance is really impressive.

The winner of the sound quality section is a hard one. The Signa S4 is better for bass, purely because it has a subwoofer, but the Bose Smart Soundbar is better for dialogue and sound separation.

Oof, I'm going to pick the Polk Audio Signa S4 due to its subwoofer, but if you primarily want a dialogue or music soundbar, then the Bose Smart Soundbar would be your winner.

Bose Smart Soundbar vs Polk Audio Signa S4: Verdict

I'm surprised writing this, but the overall winner is the Polk Audio Signa S4. At just $449, it's $100 cheaper than the Bose Smart Soundbar — and you get a subwoofer out of it, too.

That's not to say the Signa S4 is for everyone. I personally use my Bose Smart Soundbar at home. Yep, I said the Signa S4 is better overall, but I use the Bose Smart Soundbar. Why is that? The Polk Audio Signa S4 is simply too big. My living room and TV stand don't have enough space to house a 47-inch soundbar, which is why both soundbars won in the 'Design' section. If, like me, your home is on the smaller side, you might be better suited to the Bose Smart Soundbar.

However, if you've got a larger home with a decently big TV, the Polk Audio Signa S4 will surprise you as much as it did me. The sound is rich, room-filling, and immersive, and the wireless subwoofer is remarkably loud. I have no doubts that the Polk Audio Signa S4 will treat you well.

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Generally, I use a pair of speakers attached to the TV that lives in my office. I find they sound better than a soundbar, and look better too — especially the orange pair of Kanto Rens that sat either side of my screen.

At the moment, however, there's nothing to the side or the front of my 65-inch Samsung S90D. While my house is reorganized, I've had to move my speakers out of place. That's left me using the speakers built into my TV, and I am not having a good time.

So while I have one of the best 65-inch TV experiences in terms of wonderful OLED picture quality, I do not have the cinematic audio experience that my big screen deserves. Let me tell you why that's more of a problem than you might think.

Where's the "Dolby Atmos" Samsung?

Apparently, the 65-inch Samsung S90D that sits atop my office TV stand has eight speakers inside it, capable of pumping out Dolby Atmos sound. That should mean that they're able to make the sound of my movies, TV and games sound like they're coming from all around — but they don't. What gives, Samsung?

Maybe it's the room layout. Maybe it's too close to the wall, and the speakers aren't able to bounce the sound around properly. Or, maybe the Dolby Atmos accreditation only means they're capable of decoding a soundtrack, instead of recreating it properly in my space.

Whatever may be the case, I'm certainly not getting the advertised surround sound out of the TV, no matter how many speakers Samsung has packed in behind its large panel.

But beyond the lack of Dolby Atmos, there's another significant problem that plagues my otherwise stunning piece of office equipment. Not only is the surround sound lackluster, but the built-in TV speakers simply don't sound very good.

Why do TV speakers sound so bad?

It is a truth universally known — your TV speakers sound bad. Unless you've bought a Philips TV with a built-in soundbar, the speakers that come built into your TV aren't very good for much at all. I've found it's true for the very cheapest sets, all the way up to the flagship models that will cost you thousands and thousands of dollars.

Why? You'd have to ask the companies that make the TVs. I've my own suspicions that sound a lot like "how else are we going to get you to spend more money on a matching soundbar?" but this is a potentially misleading statement that could get me in trouble.

Instead, we're left with one, simple, unfortunate fact. If you want your movies and TV to sound any good, you're going to need something extra. Something I've become uniquely aware of while my usual speakers sit in a box in the attic. I can hear them, sometimes. Calling out to me.

There is a solution

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The Sonos Arc Ultra is easily one of the best soundbars. However after nearly a year with at the center of my living room I figured it was high time for a switch up — and, what better way to do that than with an LG speaker system?

After nearly a week with the LG S95AR system (from $1,199 on sale at Best Buy), I can confidently admit I'm impressed. It hits all the right notes: punchy bass, incredible surround sound, simplified setup, VRR pass-through features. It totally surprised me when I tested it with the Samsung S90F OLED, and could be even better when paired with an LG TV.

Here's everything on the LG S95AR that stood out to me in my week-long testing.

Pushing your movie nights to the next level

The S95AR is a 9.1.5-channel system, which isn't as sophisticated as other rivals on the market, but is perfect for most users, especially when you take into account the price. And, it works very well. LG has kitted the system with five height channels that perfectly portray Dolby Atmos soundtracks.

Setup was a breeze. I used the LG THinQ app to get everything up and running, which simplified the whole process. LG also has clear "Left" and "Right" labels on the rear speakers so you know exactly where they need to go. Pairing them to the soundbar was also super easy thanks to some color-coded lights.

It probably took me no more than 20 minutes to get the soundbar and full speaker system up and running. The ThinQ app makes this process a total breeze, and through it you can change the sound modes to match what you're watching on the TV, including settings like Game, Cinema, Music, Sports and more.

My personal favorite of the bunch was Bass Blast, which was particularly exciting when watching more explosive movies, like "Avengers: Engame" and "No Time to Die" — or when listening to some of my favorite hip-hop tracks over AirPlay. It helps that the S95AR supports all kinds of various audio files, whether it be FLAC or even WAV.

Because it has VRR pass-through, you don't have to sacrifice an extra HDMI port on your TV to play video games at 4K/120Hz via VRR. LG's included HDMI pass-through that lets me game at the best level, and it helps that the audio is earth-shakingly immersive for all my PS5 gaming. Metal Gear Solid 3 never sounded so good.

While I didn't have an LG TV to test them out, the S95AR has some additional features you can try when paired with an LG TV. These include WOW Orchestra, which lets you use the TV speaker in tandem with the soundbar (something I wouldn't recommend, personally). There's also Wow Cast, allowing you to connect the soundbar to the TV wirelessly, and Wow Interface, a helpful interface for sound modes and speaker controls on your TV.

A world of booming bass

I've already discussed how the bass-boosting function on the app works, but in practice it's pretty intense. The most fitting test for this was "F1" on Apple TV Plus, which has engine roars, tire screeches and booming announcers galore. (You also can't knock that soundtrack by Hans Zimmer.) But it wasn't even these louder, punchier sounds that stuck out.

In fact, it was the more subtle noises that were punctuated by LG's subwoofer, like car doors being slammed shut, cars being dropped down in the pit, and even dialogue scenes where the actors' voices were the only sounds. The Bass Blast setting definitely helps in punctuating these more subtle effects, but you don't even need it as you can get excellent audio performance even in Standard mode.

The rear speakers only amplify the S95AR's potential as an all-in-one system. They're built with up-firing channels that add to that spatial audio dome, making Dolby Atmos content all the more immersive.

That extends to less-forceful content and more music-oriented movies, like "A Star is Born." Solos led by Lady Gaga still felt like a live performance, with vocals full of information in the midst of heavy guitar rifts.

Despite many months with the Sonos Arc Ultra — an incredible Dolby Atmos system in its own right — the S95AR stood out as one serious speaker system. The one major downside I found when using it regularly over the past week was that it doesn't have any built-in voice assistants, which may or may not matter for some users.

Sonos Arc Ultra or LG S95AR?

So, do you get the Sonos soundbar, or should you go with LG's S95AR theater system? It depends.

Personally, I think you can't go wrong with the LG system, especially if you're looking for an all-on-one collection and you're a first-time buyer. The LG S95AR comes bundled with a subwoofer and two rear speakers, and it's all available for just $1,199 on Best Buy right now.

Meanwhile, the Sonos Arc Ultra is one of the most premium soundbars in the market. The soundbar alone costs $899, and if you do want the Arc Ultra bundled with other Sonos products, you'll be paying double the price, just under $2,000.

LG WowCast also makes for an interesting addition on the S95AR. If you already own one of the best LG TVs like the LG C5 OLED, it makes the most sense to go with an LG soundbar so you can reap the additional benefits and not pay more when you don't really need it.

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You might think that finding a soundbar for a small room is easy. Just, like, buy one of the best soundbars, and put it under your TV.

Unfortunately, it's much harder than you might expect, thanks to boring things like "acoustics" and "the size of your TV." So, which is the best soundbar for a small room?

There are plenty of options out there, but my favorite is the Sonos Ray. It's a compact soundbar that pumps out excellent sound that'll fill your small room, without any of the problems that introducing something larger can bring. No need to worry about directional speakers and spatial audio formats — this is just a solid plug-and-play soundbar that sounds great no matter what you're watching.

Small room, small bar

In a small room, it's very likely that you've not got a massive TV. Instead, you've probably got something that's closer to the 32-40 inch mark. That's plenty big for a small space that doesn't warrant the need for a large soundbar like the Sonos Arc Ultra.

Instead, you're much better off matching your small TV with something like the Sonos Ray. It's a small soundbar, but it's easily the best sounding for its size. It's a bit tall, so you might need to raise your TV up slightly (I've found a couple of books under the stand works well), but length-wise it's perfectly sized for your small room.

In a smaller room, you probably don't have enough space for multiple audio devices. That means your soundbar has to pull double (or even triple) duty as a movie, TV and music player. Unlike many soundbars, the Sonos Ray is surprisingly good for music.

It's shaped like a Bluetooth speaker, and while you can't move it around the house, it sounds as good, if not better than, the best Bluetooth speakers. Thanks to its movie-based design, the soundstage is quite wide, and instrument separation is pretty good, too.

There's also the smart connection to the Sonos app that makes playing music super simple. You can stream music to the bar with Wi-Fi, including the best music streaming services like Tidal, Qobuz and Apple Music. There's also a Bluetooth connection, should you want a more old-school wireless connection.

Movie Magic

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So you've just bought one of the best soundbars to upgrade your TV speakers. It's out of the box, you've set it up, plugged it in, turned it on... and it's off. Something doesn't sound right. You can't put your finger on what, but there's something wrong. It's time for some troubleshooting.

But where to begin? Let me take you through the likely things that might be going on with your soundbar so that you can make sure it's working its best.

Make sure it's placed right

You know, I never expected that I might have to tell people to put their soundbars in the right place, but then I visited a friend's parents' house. I found, much to my shock, that they'd placed their lovely new soundbar behind their television, so the sound of the bar played into the back of the TV. That's... not good.

Make sure that your soundbar is in front of your TV, preferably below the screen. You'll also want to ensure that it's not upside down, back to front, or sitting on its front grille.

This sounds like common sense and yet, when the Sonos Arc Ultra was released, there was a particular review that showed the sound bar sitting upwards, the rear on the TV stand. That's... wrong. It highlighted the need to place your soundbar properly, and also likely gave the reviewer something to remember.

Check the TV audio settings

Another common issue is that you're not telling the TV to send the audio to your soundbar. If you put your ear up to the soundbar and it's not making noise, but the TV speakers are, that's what's happening.

Open the TV sound settings, and check what device the output is set to. You'll generally spot the name of your soundbar in the menu, or it'll simply call it "soundbar."

Once you've selected that option, your sound should come from the soundbar and not your TV speakers. As much as soundbars often claim to be 'plug and play,' this is sadly an all-too-common issue.

What sound mode are you in?

Soundbars generally feature different sound modes, designed for use at night, or in different sized rooms. Some of these sound modes, unfortunately, don't sound very good, so you want to make sure that you've selected the right one to get the best sound possible.

You'll usually find these sound modes either in a companion app, on the remote control, or on the soundbar itself with the on-device controls.

The sound mode you want will generally be called "cinema." Pro tip: Unless you have a sleeping baby in the house, try to avoid night mode, which removes bass, and dialogue mode which puts more emphasis on spoken word.

Is your subwoofer plugged in or connected?

If there's a subwoofer in the box, you'll want to make sure it's properly connected and working. Subwoofers round-out the audio spectrum by providing the bass response, and the two are generally designed to go together. The soundbar without the subwoofer isn't going to sound like it's supposed to.

If it's a wired subwoofer, follow the instructions that came with the soundbar to get it all connected properly. Some require power, so you'll need to plug them into a wall outlet to get them working.

Wireless subwoofers are a little more complex. Follow the instructions in the box to get the subwoofer connected to your soundbar — and, most importantly, remember to plug it into the wall. I once forgot to plug my subwoofer in, and it took me an embarrassingly long time to realize why it wasn't working.

Make sure you're connected to the right HDMI port

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Sonos hasn't had a good time over the last couple of years. We've seen an app launch that's definitely not to be envied, hardware launches plagued with niggling issues, and sales drop after a loss of trust from consumers. Now, there's a new problem looming for the smart audio firm, and it looks like it's down to those pesky tariffs that are threatening the tech sphere at every crossroads.

According to a report from Bloomberg, "Sonos Inc. will raise prices on some products later this year." The report adds that it "threatens to complicate its comeback attempt following a tumultuous 2024." Tumultuous is one way of describing the many highs and lows for Sonos in 2024, but it's no great surprise that it's happening now.

The firm uses factories in Vietnam and Malaysia, two countries hit hard by President Trump's tariffs. We know that we can expect price rises, then, but by how much?

What this means for you

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Yamaha's latest soundbar is a spec-heavy, ultra-premium speaker system built to turn your entertainment setup into a fully-fledged movie theater.

It's called the Yamaha True X Surround 90A, and offers a total of 12 up-firing drivers, three tweeters, and four full-range speakers. You'll also find two rear wireless satellite speakers for added surround sound and a redesigned wireless subwoofer in the box.

The Yamaha True X Surround 90A is set to hit store shelves sometime in September, but before you get your wallet ready, you're going to want to hear the price.

It will set you back a whopping $3,300 (£2,499 across the pond).

A 3D soundbar with Dolby Atmos to rival the best of them

Yamaha has made some of the sleekest and most advanced soundbars for nearly 20 years, and its new True X Surround 90A is a worthy addition to the lineup.

The speaker array is a one-of-a-kind high-end offering with some of the most advanced features on the block. Not only are there 12 up-firing speakers (an insane amount, even for a $3,000 plus system), but you'll also find six speakers used primarily for height channels, four oval full-range drivers, and three tweeters.

Yamaha's YDA-141 amplifier powers the unit. It uses similar technology found in Yamaha's home cinema AV receivers, called Surround:AI processing, which optimizes the surround sound audio five times per second for a more immersive experience.

Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support is here, which should come as no surprise. Yamaha claims it offers an auditory experience "that goes beyond the realm of conventional soundbars," which sort of feels like an understatement.

A full speaker system package

While the True X Surround 90A soundbar is the beating heart of the system, it wouldn't be able to compete with the best soundbars without including a wireless subwoofer and dual rear speakers.

The subwoofer has been completely redesigned to ensure the audio is as bombastic and immersive as can possibly be. It uses a special symmetrical flare port with an internal plate for improved airflow, limiting speaker movement and vibrations.

Yamaha claims that these advancements in the subwoofer design limit port noise by 20dB when compared to most major rivals. Port noise is often ascribed as "chuffing," in which high-velocity air moves through the subwoofer (often at lower frequencies) and creates annoying noises.

Then there are the two rear surround speakers, which can act as stand-alone Bluetooth speakers as well. When coupled with the soundbar and subwoofer, they utilize Yamaha's True X wireless connectivity to bring the full system to life without any distortion.

Is it all worth a whopping £2,499 ($3,300)? That's tough to say right now, but we'll definitely be getting the Yamaha True X Surround 90A in for testing, so stay tuned to Tom's Guide for a full hands-on and review later this year.

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There has been no shortage of the best soundbars released in 2025 — we've been lucky enough to test a whole bunch of them at Tom's Guide. But there's one that's stood out to me over the course of the year,.

Endless hours of arduous testing (see also: watching movies, playing video games and listening to music) told me everything I needed to know about the Marshall Heston 120: That it's one of the best first products I've ever seen.

Marshall had never made a soundbar before it dug its teeth in with the Heston 120. Not that you'd know — the Heston 120 is so very accomplished that it feels like the device of a firm that's got years of under-TV experience under its belt. It looks the part, sounds excellent, and packs in a whole bunch of features to take the fight to the likes of Sonos and Bose.

But what was it that stuck out for me while I was testing the Heston 120, and why do I keep coming back to my time with the soundbar with a degree of fondness generally reserved for friends and family? Let me get soppy-eyed for a second, and I'll tell you all about my brief love affair with Marshall's excellent soundbar.

A musical experience

Soundbars are generally pretty good for movies and surround sound, but they always seem to fall apart at the seams when it comes to music. Don't get me wrong, the Sonos Arc Ultra sounds ok when I go to listen to my favorite playlists, but it doesn't sound like something that cost $999. There's a reason that I tend to recommend a pair of stereo speakers if you want to listen to music more than you want to watch movies.

Marshall's first soundbar seems to have been built from the ground up to me not only good at Dolby Atmos, but also at playing music. There's incredible depth to the bass, even if you don't hook up a subwoofer, making music richer than most soundbars. The stereo separation is top notch, somehow outperforming soundbar models that are even larger than the already pretty massive Heston.

It means that beyond just being a soundbar, the Heston 120 is really a living room-based audio center. You really can listen to all your content on the bar with very few drawbacks — and that's not something you can say about everything at this price point.

It reminds me of those HiFi systems you used to see almost everyone have in their house. A jack of all trades that happens to be good at just about everything, while packing in loads of features that are easy to use.

Plenty of features

The Heston rivals all the other soundbars that cost the same with a similar feature set. There's the WiFi connection on board which means you can stream from Spotify and Tidal. It even linked up with my Roon system, so I could listen to my library of music from my server.

There's the room tuning feature that works a lot like Sonos' TruePlay system, only with guitar sounds instead of futuristic lazer gun noises. There are sound modes for different times of day, and adjustable EQ so that you can really dial the sound in for your space or to your personal taste.

Then there's the physical controls that sit along the top of the bar — something lacking on pretty much every soundbar out there. It does mean there's no remote control in the box—you either use your phone or the controls—but they're one of my favorite parts of the whole soundbar.

I mean, they look cool, which is already a pretty big bonus. But they also allow such granular control over the sound of the bar that I wish they where included on every single soundbar, ever. They're tactile, almost to the point of "oh no I've been playing with the dials again" when you go to watch Star Wars Episode IV again for the nth time.

Looks matter

I know I'm shallow, you don't have to tell me. But the way the Marshall Heston 120 looks is so important in how much of an impact it's made on the space is unquestionable. Where soundbars are usually just look some kind of white or gray oblong thing, the Heston 120 looks like an amplifier from the stage stretched out and stuck on your TV unit.

The gold knobs, the massive gold Marshall logo, the whole thing looks amazing. It is a focal point as opposed to something that's supposed to blend in, which definitely divides audiences, but I think it's one of the bar's greatest strengths. There is nothing in soundbar land that looks like the Heston 120 — and that's a very special thing indeed.

So many inputs

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Soundbars are really expensive, there's no doubt about it, which means the best time to get a soundbar is 100% during a sales event like Prime Day or Black Friday. Right now, some awesome sales are coming in, like the Sonos Beam 2, just $369 on Amazon.

Because soundbars are so pricey, I've rounded up some of the best deals this Prime Day. These deals include iconic brands like Sonos, Samsung, Sony, and JBL, and the sales extend to both the U.K. and the U.S., so keep scrolling!

Quick links

• shop all Prime Day deals at Amazon

• Sony HT-S100F: was $159 now $97 @ Amazon
• Samsung HW-B650: was $397 now $229 @ Amazon
• Sonos Beam 2: was $499 now $369 @ Amazon
• Polk Audio Signa S3: was $299 now $249 @ Amazon
• JBL Bar 2.0: was $219 now $149 @ Amazon
• Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar: was $899 now $699 @ Amazon
• Bose Smart Soundbar 2024: was $499 now $399 @ Amazon
• JBL Bar 9.1: was $1,199 now $759 @ Amazon

Best soundbar deals

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If you're feeling in the mood for some Amazon deals, be sure to check out our Amazon Prime Day live blog for major savings. We've rounded up discounts on everything from kitchen appliances to TVs. You can get freebies this Prime Day, too!

Here at Tom's Guide, we're scouring the net for the best early Prime Day deals. As a reviews writer, I get my hands on a lot of tech — some good, some bad. Fortunately, that means I know which products are worth your money and which aren't.

Which is why I need to put you on to this Samsung soundbar deal: the awesome Samsung HW-B650 is just $229 at Amazon. (If you're in the U.K, you can get its counterpart the Samsung B650D for just £159 at Amazon UK). I awarded the Samsung HW-B650 soundbar a near-perfect 4.5 stars in my review. So you know this is an awesome soundbar.

• shop all early Prime Day deals at Amazon

While it's just 3.1 channels, I swear it's the closest you can get to 360-degree audio without rear speakers. The provided subwoofer is floor-shaking. It's even better if you have a Samsung TV, of course, but I tested with a Panasonic and it was still beyond impressive.

I awarded the Samsung HW-B650 soundbar + subwoofer an impressive 4.5-star rating because of a plethora of reasons. It's affordable, it's easy to use, it has immersive DTS Virtual:X (which is basically like Dolby Atmos but uses a different DSP to create the 360° audio experience), and most of all, it sounds really impressive.

As the HW-B650 has a wireless subwoofer, it's capable of floor-shaking, bone-quaking bass. This is excellent while watching blockbuster movies like 'Top Gun: Maverick' and 'No Time To Die'. In my review, I wrote that "the bass shook the floor of our testing room, and the clinking of coins was still audible over the bassy music".

I often find that cheaper soundbars are incapable of separating high-frequency sound effects (some made-up examples could be the clinking of glasses in a loud party scene, or the sound of a relaxing fire crackling in the background of an argument scene). However, this was never an issue on the Samsung HW-B650 soundbar.

In my 4.5-star review, I pointed out that "sound effects like bottle caps being unscrewed, zips being unzipped, and lapping waves were audible and clear, and I never had to change the volume between quiet, pensive scenes, and loud action scenes".

The Samsung HW-B650 comes with a wireless subwoofer, which is one of my favorite aspects of the setup itself. Usually, listening to music on a soundbar is inadvisable, but not on the HW-B650 thanks to the subwoofer.

In my review, I wrote that my music sounded much better than expected. "The synth bass notes reverberated through the floor...My colleagues who work underneath the TV testing room asked me if I was bringing the nightclub to the office".

While most soundbars sound meh for music, I loved listening to bassy tracks with the 'Bass' playback mode activated. Like any soundbar, I had to play with the settings to find the optimal performance, but that's all part of the fun.

The HW-B650 is also compatible with Samsung's rear speakers, so you could get this soundbar as the first of many home theater accessories. I would definitely grab this deal before it's over.

Shop more early Prime Day sales

• shop early Prime Day deals at Amazon
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• Prime for Young Adults: 50% off
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If one of your primary concerns is cost, then the Sharp 3.1.2 HT-SBW53121 soundbar could be one of the best soundbars for you. At just £329, the soundbar and subwoofer combo provides an immersive Dolby Atmos (and DTS Virtual:X) experience. I could feel the famous James Bond Italian car chase scene in my soul, and physically flinched every time a gun was fired.

With a 3.1.2 setup and compatibility with 2.0.2 rear speakers, this soundbar is one of the most affordable ways to elevate any home theatre experience. Sharp also makes a £449 5.1.2 soundbar, which is just as impressive.

If you want to upgrade your home setup for the least amount of money possible (who doesn’t?) then I can’t recommend the Sharp 3.1.2 setup enough. Find out the full story, including its flaws, in this Sharp 3.1.2 HT-SBW53121 review.

If you’re in the U.S. and want a similar performance, I’d check out the Polk Signa S4 soundbar, which is a 3.1.2 channel setup for $399.

Sharp HT-SBW53121 3.1.2 Soundbar review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An affordable U.K.-only soundbar with 3.1.2 channel setup
• Who is it for? Home cinema beginners who want to get as much bang for their buck
• What does it cost? £329
• What do we like? The dialogue performance is excellent
• What don’t we like? Sigh… I just wish the subwoofer had a little more oomph

Sharp HT-SBW53121 3.1.2 Soundbar review: Specs

Sharp HT-SBW53121 3.1.2 Soundbar review: Price & availability

The Sharp 3.1.2 HT-SBW53121 soundbar is pretty affordable, all things considered: it’s £329 from Amazon U.K. Yep — it’s only available in the U.K., so if you’re a U.S. reader, I’d recommend the Polk Signa S4 ($399) instead. It has a 3.1.2 setup too, and it’s a genuinely fantastic soundbar.

As I said, £329 for a soundbar + subwoofer combo is a great deal. Usually, soundbars of this channel setup start from around £400. Heck, the Samsung Ultra Slim soundbar is £549 for a 3.1.2 setup. The Sharp price/performance sacrifice is almost certainly in the subwoofer: I do wish it was more powerful. However, it could be a worthy tradeoff.

Sharp also makes a 5.1.2 channel soundbar and subwoofer for £449, which is also an incredibly reasonable price for a soundbar of this quality. If you want a more immersive experience, I’d recommend that model.

Sharp HT-SBW53121 3.1.2 Soundbar review: Design & controls

• Understated design
• Simple to use with remote and buttons
• Compatible with 2 rear speakers

Just like its older sibling, the Sharp 5.1.2 soundbar, the Sharp 3.1.2 Soundbar looks like just about every other soundbar. It’s quite long, at 40 inches, but relatively low-profile. I was able to fit it on my testing TV’s stand easily.

Instead of having a plastic or metallic mesh covering, the Sharp 3.1.2 Soundbar is lined with fabric, which gives it a more premium appearance. It’s definitely worth taking ease of cleaning into consideration, though: dust could look more prevalent on a fabric soundbar.

The top of the mesh houses six buttons that control volume, Bluetooth, and power. I found myself solely using the remote, though. It’s quite weighty and well-made when compared to rivals like Bose and Majority’s flimsy feeling remotes.

At the back of the soundbar, you’ll find the ports: there’s one eARC HDMI, 2 x HDMI, an Optical, USB, 3.5mm aux, and power input. I tested via eARC, as this provides the best quality.

The subwoofer is wirelessly connected, so it only has a power input at its rear. Controlling the subwoofer is easy via the remote, which has subwoofer controls and a bass volume increase.

If you want to spend another £179, the 3.1.2 Soundbar is also compatible with Sharp’s 2.0.2 rear speakers. I don’t think these speakers are essential, but they are nice to have. I found it very easy to connect via the ‘Pair’ button on the reverse of each speaker. You can also independently increase the volume via the remote control.

Sharp HT-SBW53121 3.1.2 Soundbar review: Features

• 650W power
• Range of listening modes including ‘Movie’ and ‘Night’
• Bluetooth for music

Considering the £329 price, it’s not surprising that the 3.1.2 Soundbar doesn’t have a huge range of features. It does, however, have a range of listening EQs. These are: Movie, music, game, night, voice, sport, and independent treble and bass controls. I found myself using ‘Movie’, which increased the bass. I’d recommend cycling through these features and figuring out which one sounds the best, as there’s no one-size-fits-all approach here.

The Sharp 3.1.2 soundbar also has Bluetooth connectivity for instant music playback. Accessing the connection is super easy: just press Bluetooth on the soundbar (or change the source input on the remote) and the soundbar will pop up instantly in your phone settings.

Again, if you’re after a huge range of smart home or AI features, it’s worth checking out a pricier soundbar like the Bose Smart Soundbar ($499) or the Samsung Ultra Slim soundbar I mentioned earlier.

I don’t mind having a simple soundbar, though. If you just want a soundbar that’ll make movies sound even more epic, and don’t necessarily care about being able to link it to your smart home, then the Sharp 3.1.2 is more than enough.

Sharp HT-SBW53121 3.1.2 Soundbar review: Sound quality

• Music performance merely fine
• Crystal-clear dialogue and delicious treble performance
• Semi-disappointing bass

I test every soundbar with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, TV shows on Netflix, and music on Spotify and Qobuz.

Movies

To test the Sharp 3.1.2 Soundbar, I watched ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, as always. The opening scene has the perfect amount of bass, high-frequency sound effects, and challenging treble, which makes it perfect for testing soundbars. I’m looking for intense bass in the jet engines, clear treble in the ‘Danger Zone’ track, and clear high-frequency diegetic sounds like ropes whooshing, metal clinking, and radio dialogue.

I upped the bass to the max, but I was still a little disappointed by the subwoofer’s performance, just as I was with the Sharp 5.1.2 Soundbar. It’s to be expected, as the 3.1.2 uses the same physical subwoofer as the 5.1.2.

Despite this semi-disappointing subwoofer performance, I was still impressed by the dialogue clarity. The soundbar itself definitely excels with treble; percussion in the soundtrack was rich and piercing without being pinching or tinny. On top of the soundtrack excellence, I never struggled to hear anyone, even over radioed dialogue.

I switched it up for the next movie and watched ‘Wicked’. I wanted to evaluate the musical performance and figure out if ‘Movie’ or ‘Music’ EQ would suit.

In both EQ modes, I found the dialogue crystal-clear. The dialogue performance equals that of the Sharp 5.1.2 Soundbar, but, again, the bass was a little disappointing. However, I was still able to enjoy the movie.

I wasn’t blown away by the Dolby Atmos performance, but ‘Wicked’ isn’t as well-known for Dolby Atmos as, say, ‘No Time To Die’, which I watched next to test the Sharp 3.1.2 Soundbar’s 360° audio performance.

In the iconic Matera chase scene, not only was the dialogue clear and audible, but the mixture of the engines, soundtrack, and environmental sounds made for an incredibly immersive listen. I could feel Bond shouting and the squeal of the tyres on the road in my soul. When Bond and Madeline are being shot at, the bullets seem to ricochet off the inside of my brain.

I was much more impressed with the Dolby Atmos performance in ‘No Time To Die’ than ‘Wicked’. Actually, ‘No Time To Die’ was probably the most impressive movie I watched with this soundbar. I would recommend getting this movie just to be amazed by the soundbar’s performance.

On the whole, I was impressed by the movie performance. I felt immersed in the scenes and I honestly could’ve been at the movie theatre. I just wish the bass had a touch more power.

TV

To replicate real-world usage, I watched TV on the basic tier of Netflix. Not everyone has premium streaming services or UHD 4K Blu-rays, so it’s only fair to test with standard resolution audio as well as the premium options.

I watched ‘Stranger Things’ on Netflix, which has a great combination of a synthy, bassy soundtrack, dialogue, and action scenes. Overall, I was really impressed with the performance.

Obviously, the lack of bass oomph meant that some action scenes weren’t as overpowering as I’d want them to be. Even so, the high-frequency sound effects were clear, which added to the atmosphere.

The underground scenes were particularly great: I could really feel the characters’ stress due to the immersive soundscape and the buzzing of the fluorescent lights in the scene. This is 100% a worthy upgrade for TV.

Music

To test music performance, I listened to a variety of genres using Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles.

‘Money’ by Pink Floyd was a little tinny at the top of the percussion section. The bass was a little quiet too, but soundbars are never excellent at music performance. ‘Money for Nothing’ by Dire Straits was atmospheric at the start and affecting throughout, but, again, disappointing bass. I still had a great time listening to these tracks, but it wouldn’t be my first choice of home speaker.

‘Bad guy’ by Billie Eilish is a very bassy song, so I wanted to see how the Sharp 3.1.2 would deal with its sonic makeup. Surprisingly, it was the best sounding song I listened to on the soundbar. This is likely because there wasn’t much sonic differentiation: as the song is almost entirely bass, the subwoofer had to put in extra hours and couldn’t sneak away without clocking out.

In general, the music performance was a little lacklustre, but soundbars are never amazing in this regard. If you want a home sound system setup, I’d definitely recommend getting some dedicated speakers for music like the Fluance Ri71.

Sharp HT-SBW53121 3.1.2 Soundbar review: Verdict

For the low, low price of £329, the Sharp 3.1.2 Soundbar is really competitive. The sound excels with dialogue and high-frequency sound effects. With the optional 2.0.2 rear speaker upgrade, the Dolby Atmos performance is truly excellent. However, if you haven’t got Premium Netflix or the like, then this 360° audio will be lost.

Even so, when I was watching basic tier Netflix, I was still really impressed by the Sharp HT-SBW53121’s performance. This is a very versatile setup. It’s much better value than the competition, including Bose, Sonos (the $449 Beam 2 is 5.0, so no sub), and Samsung. As a result, I’d recommend the Sharp 3.1.2 Soundbar wholeheartedly for those trying to upgrade their home cinema setup on a budget.

As I said earlier, if you’re in the U.S. and want a similar performance, I’d check out the Polk Signa S4 soundbar, which is a 3.1.2 channel setup for $399.

It’s so tricky to find a good soundbar under £500, let alone a soundbar and subwoofer combo. So the Sharp 5.1.2 Soundbar (HT-SBW55121) was like finding a diamond in the rough. It’s just £449 and has a full Dolby Atmos setup, including support for DTS:X.

Is this enough to make it one of the best soundbars? Well, just because something has a subwoofer doesn’t guarantee that the subwoofer is particularly mind-blowing. In the Sharp 5.1.2 Soundbar’s case, it’s simply good enough. There were moments during testing when I’d amped up the bass to max and was still left a little disappointed.

However, that doesn’t negate the soundbar’s areas of excellence. It performs phenomenally with dialogue and high-frequency sound effects, and the Dolby Atmos is truly immersive. I think, all things considered, this soundbar and subwoofer is a steal. I’ll go through everything in this Sharp 5.1.2 HT-SBW55121 Soundbar review.

This is a U.K. only soundbar. If you're in the U.S., I recommend the Polk Audio Signa S4 ($399).

Sharp HT-SBW55121 5.1.2 Soundbar review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A U.K.-only soundbar and subwoofer combo
• Who is it for? If you want a good home theater setup with relatively little £££
• What does it cost? £449
• What do we like? The price, the sound
• What don’t we like? I wish the bass was a little better, and music listening is quite poor

Sharp HT-SBW55121 5.1.2 Soundbar review: Specs

Sharp HT-SBW55121 5.1.2 Soundbar review: Price & availability

The Sharp 5.1.2 Soundbar is only available in the U.K. and is purchasable from Amazon U.K. for £449. The soundbar is compatible with two rear surround speakers, which I used during testing. These speakers are £179 also from Amazon U.K.. I do not think these rear speakers are an essential addition, but they were nice for extra surround sound.

All things considered, this is an incredibly affordable price for a soundbar of this quality. No, it doesn’t have as many features as the Samsung or JBL similarly-priced offerings (the Samsung Q600C and JBL Bar 500), but it performs excellently for a £450 soundbar. The £499 Sonos Beam 2 has no subwoofer, so the Sharp setup has a one-up there.

Sharp HT-SBW55121 5.1.2 Soundbar review: Design & controls

• 650W power
• Easy-to-use remote, easy mode selection
• 2 up-firing speakers, 2 side-firing speakers

As with seemingly every other soundbar I’ve tested, the Sharp 5.1.2 Soundbar looks just like a soundbar. There’s nothing unusual about it, which is both a good and bad thing depending on your personal preference.

While the Samsung Q range seems to be quite plasticky in construction, the Sharp 5.1.2 has a fabric lining, which means it might be trickier to clean — but it does look and feel slightly more premium.

On top of the soundbar are six buttons for volume, Bluetooth, input, and power. I found myself mostly using the remote, though, which is a bit weightier than the Bose and Samsung remotes I’ve used in the past. You can control everything from rear speaker volume to input source on the remote, so it’s a handy piece of kit to have.

The rear of the soundbar houses the source inputs: I used an 8K HDMI cable in the eARC port. There’s also an optical port, USB port, a 3.5mm jack input, and two additional HDMI ports with 4K pass-through.

Sharp HT-SBW55121 5.1.2 Soundbar review: Features

• EQ modes including ‘Night’ and ‘Movie’
• Bluetooth for instant music playback
• Can be used with 2 wireless rear speakers

Considering this is a £449 soundbar + subwoofer, I think it’s pretty fair that it lacks a number of features. Of course there are EQ presets (Movie, music, game, night, voice, sport, including independent treble and bass controls) and a range of connectivity options, but in terms of proprietary features akin to Samsung’s ‘Adaptive Sound’, you’re out of luck.

I didn’t mind or notice this absence during testing. I’d much rather my soundbar excel at its one job (elevating my home theater experience) than be stuffed full with loads of arbitrary features that don’t necessarily do much.

I found ‘Movie’ was the best EQ for watching movies (shock horror), and TV aligned best with ‘Voice’. ‘Music’ did little to improve music quality, as soundbars aren’t generally designed to excel at music playback.

If you’ve got an extra £179, the 5.1.2 soundbar can be upgraded to a 7.1.2 soundbar with two wireless rear speakers. These were easy to connect with a ‘Pair’ button, and you can individually alter volumes with the remote.

All in all, the ‘lack’ of features didn’t negatively affect my listening experience, and I genuinely enjoyed testing this soundbar.

Sharp HT-SBW55121 5.1.2 Soundbar review: Sound quality

• Perfectly clear dialogue
• Excellently clear treble, in soundtrack and sound effects
• I wish bass was a touch louder

I test every soundbar by watching ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, TV on Netflix, and by listening to music on Spotify and Qobuz.

Movies

First, I watched ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ with the ‘Music’ EQ. In the opening scene, I could feel the jet engines rumble through the floorboards, but this bass performance didn’t overpower the high-frequency sound effects of ropes whooshing and metal clinking.

When the iconic ‘Danger Zone’ by Kenny Loggins started up, I was amazed by how clear the vocals sounded. Although I wanted a little more oomph in the bass, I couldn’t get over the vocal clarity. I found myself rewinding just to hear that crystal-clear voice again.

For the second run, I increased the bass volume to 5, which is the loudest it can go. I could still hear the high-frequency whirring and whooshing sound effects without losing that powerful bass. I actually found myself longing for the scene to be longer, as everything sounded so good.

In the dogfighting scene, the radio dialogue felt immersive and close, but I didn’t feel as submerged in the scene as I did with the JBL Bar 1300X — a soundbar nearly three times the price. The soundtrack was a little lacklustre, even with the bass turned up to the max.

This didn’t majorly impact the overall effect of the soundbar, as the treble and dialogue were so clear. I never struggled to understand speech, which I’ve found a little tricky with cheaper soundbars like the Samsung HW-S60D ($349, 5.0 channel).

After ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, I watched ‘No Time To Die’. This movie is renowned for its Dolby Atmos performance, particularly in the opening scene and the first car chase scene through Matera.

When the young girl is hammering on the locked door, I could feel the reverberations as if they were just next to me. The masked killer’s breathing and dialogue were horrifyingly close, as if vibrating right in my eardrums.

When Bond knocked out the attacker’s glass eye, I felt it bounce off the road. During the car chase, when the church bells are ringing, I could hear the scene all around me. Then, when Bond and Madeline are being pummeled with bullets, I could feel the impact of the bullets in my chest.

Finally, I watched ‘Wicked’ to test the musical performance. Again, the bass wasn’t as powerful as I would’ve liked. It was still good, but just not mind-blowingly good. Even so, the vocal performance was excellent, and I never struggled with understanding dialogue.

When Elphaba summons stones and throws them at other children, I heard the stones rising as if they came from behind me.

For the most part, I was really impressed with this performance. I wish the subwoofer was just a touch louder — but I still had a great time.

TV

To test the TV performance, I watched a variety of shows on ‘Netflix’. To reflect real-world usage, this is basic Netflix with 5.1 sound, not Dolby Atmos.

I’ll discuss ‘Stranger Things’ here, as it had the most challenging sound performance of the shows I watched.

Unlike while watching 4K UHD Blu-rays, I found the dialogue a little muffled. As a result, I turned down the bass and changed the EQ to ‘Voice’. This performance is likely due to Netflix’s inferior audio resolution rather than the soundbar itself, but it’s still worth noting.

‘Voice’ EQ did little to help this dialogue issue. However, as I mentioned earlier, when I say a little muffled, I literally mean a little. Overall, I could still hear every word said, but it wasn’t as clear as while watching the movies. Of course it wouldn’t be — it’s like comparing apples to oranges. 4K Blu-ray and Netflix basic aren’t really in the same ballpark.

Yes, the Sharp 5.1.2 Soundbar is intended for movies, and that’s where it excels. And of course that’s the case — give an F1 racer a 1999 Toyota Corolla and see them come dead last. However, the soundbar still performs well for TV shows. I use the Bose Smart Soundbar at home, and while its 4K movie performance is lacklustre, it excels at TV. I’d get a cheaper and lower-spec soundbar if you’re not going to watch movies.

Music

To test music in a real-world setting, I listened via Bluetooth on Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles. You can also use a 3.5mm aux connection or a music streaming app on your TV.

It was easy to connect to Bluetooth: I simply changed the source input on the Sharp remote and selected the soundbar from my settings menu. I know soundbars will never sound great for music. If you want a decent speaker, you should just get one of the best Bluetooth speakers, like the JBL Xtreme 4 ($349). Therefore, it’s unfair of me to massively criticise the lacklustre music performance, as soundbars simply aren’t designed for it.

I will, however, describe how it sounded. I upped the bass to the max and changed the EQ to ‘Music’, but the Sharp 5.1.2 Soundbar still sounded pretty tinny. I listened to ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ by Nirvana, and was excited for the bass to kick in after the intro. However, that bass never kicked in, and I was left disappointed.

I tried a few different genres. First, something a little more acoustic, with ‘Garden of Eden’ by Billie Marten, which sounded great and really immersive. I could feel the guitar strings around me, and Marten’s vocals were soft and clear.

After, I switched it up dramatically to ‘Hot In It’ by Tiesto and Charli xcx. Like with the Nirvana track, the bass was pretty disappointing, even turned up to max. However, the vocals were clear. I just don’t think the soundbar likes bass-heavy genres: I didn’t like listening to bass-heavy genres on it anyway, so it’s a mutual breakup.

Sharp HT-SBW55121 5.1.2 Soundbar review: Verdict

The Sharp 5.1.2 HT-SBW55121 Soundbar and subwoofer is really very good. No, it’s not perfect, but it’s most of the way there. The soundbar handles 4K UHD Blu-rays like a boss and excels with dialogue and immersive sound effects. If the subwoofer was a touch more powerful, this could be a soundbar worthy of battling with the big names like Bose, Sonos, and Samsung.

This isn’t a TV-oriented soundbar: it would be an injustice to watch anything but 4K Blu-rays and high-resolution movies on it. If you want to get the best performance out of it, you’ll need something capable of playing Dolby Atmos, like Netflix’s Premium tier or physical media.

But if you want to transform your home cinema for less, then the Sharp 5.1.2 Soundbar is a fantastic way to achieve that. £449 is almost unbelievable for this quality. There’s not much competition at this price point.

Even though Prime Day 2025 is 6 days away, we're tracking the best early Prime Day deals so you don't have to. Some manufacturers start dropping prices before the sale event — Sony has done just that with this awesome $98 HT-S100F deal.

I reviewed the Sony HT-S100F and awarded it a coveted 4 stars. In terms of pure bang for buck, the Sony HT-S100F is utterly unique. Why, I hear you ask? Well, because no matter how hard other brands try, they just can't seem to replicate the HT-S100F. In the U.K., it goes by HT-SF150 and is currently on sale for £99.

Budget soundbars are often quiet, tinny or lackluster in bass. The Sony HT-S100F has none of that: it performs like a $200+ model. Now at just $98, this is one of the best value soundbars money can buy.

Why is the Sony HT-S100F soundbar such good value?

The Sony HT-S100F is so good because it performs like a much pricier soundbar. It's definitely the best cheap soundbar.

Although it's just a 2.0 channel soundbar, it doesn't feel like it. The bass has a surprising boom for the price. In my review, I wrote, "Considering the HT-S100F has no subwoofer, I wasn’t expecting the bass to be great. However, the bass notes in ‘Danger Zone’ were groovy and didn’t overpower the sounds of the jets taking off."

While the soundbar is prone to tinniness in some moments, this is just an occupational hazard with a cheaper soundbar.

When you look at similarly priced competition, you quickly realize there is no competition. The $99 Majority Elias is tinny, flat, and makes for a disappointing listen.

The $67 Majority Naga 60 performs better than its price, but not as good as the HT-S100F. The Naga 60 really struggles with loud bass — during testing, it couldn't translate the rumble of a jet engine at all.

If you want the best sounding soundbar for under $100, there's no competition: it's the Sony HT-S100F or nothing. But don't be fooled — the Sony HT-S100F isn’t a hi-fi setup: it’s just a step up from TV speakers. There’s no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X support here.

However, at this price? This is the cheapest way to upgrade from TV speakers. I'd snap this up pronto, before the best early Prime Day and 4th July deals are gone.

Just like most cinephiles, I can't get enough of a good surround mix. Something that makes it sound and feel like my movies are happening all around me, so that I'm immersed in the world of whatever movie I might be watching.

For a long time, it was an assembled bunch of speakers and old gear that I'd bought from eBay that gave me my surround sound mix — but when I heard that the Sonos Arc Ultra could create a similarly excellent movie experience, my interest was piqued.

So I decided to give it a test and see how good it might sound, how simple it is to use and how easy it is to live with. Spoiler alert: Unfortunately, not everything was plain sailing during my Sonos Arc Ultra surround sound journey.

Setting everything up

Getting the Sonos Arc Ultra working on its own was super simple. I just placed it in front of the TV, plugged it into power, and then plugged the HDMI port into the eARC port on the TV. There were a couple of different setup steps required in the Sonos app, but then it was done. All sorted.

From there, we had to connect the other components of the system, starting with the Sonos Sub4. This was also relatively simple. I plugged it in and then used the Sonos app to connect it to the Arc Ultra wirelessly. At least I say relatively simple — it did take a couple of tries for the app to recognize the soundbar, and I had to go over the process a couple of times before everything was sorted.

Now it was the turn of the surround speakers — in my case, a pair of Sonos Era 300s. While the soundbar and subwoofer were fairly easy to place, the Eras were not. They're much larger than the surround speakers I've used in the past, so they need more space behind the couch. I borrowed the speaker stands from my upstairs HiFi, but this is hardly a permanent solution. It's also one of the primary issues with the system so far — but I'll get back to that later.

Once placed, I could get the speakers set up with the Sonos app. There were a couple of issues here, although none of them really made life too annoying. Both speakers needed updates as I went through the setup process, but one of them decided it had to do something else and quit the update halfway through. Finally, they were both in the Sonos app — but now I had to join them to the Arc Ultra and the Sub 4.

"Easy!" I thought. "Not annoying at all," I hoped. Alas, it was a pain. In the app, things initially looked simple — and they would be, if things worked properly. But I had so many signal dropouts and issues that by the time I'd finally managed to get them connected together, the only thing I could think was "this had better be worth the effort."

I can see the vision of the surround sound setup of the Sonos Arc system — if everything worked well, it would have been much, much quicker. Unfortunately, it seems plagued by instability and all kinds of weird usability quirks afforded by Sonos' consistently disappointing app.

But, my goodness, was it worth it for the sound.

Spatial Audio excellence

The Sonos Arc Ultra on its own is already pretty impressive for Dolby Atmos when you're watching movies — but adding in the extra spatial audio capability of the pair of Era 300s elevated things to a whole new level.

There were now double the height channels coming from different parts of the room, working together to make things move every which way above your head. There's extra side virtual surrounds for stuff happening on either side of you, and then the physical rear channels afforded by the speakers being behind you.

All in? Everything sounds unreal. Every single one of my test movie scenes blew me away. There was massive bass depth from the subwoofer, and everything happening around me made sure that I was immersed in the scenes. This whole thing took a whole lot longer to write because I just couldn't stop watching my movies — I had to force myself to turn Star Wars off.

The frenetic action of the opening scene of "Star Wars: Episode III" put me directly in the middle of the space battle over Coruscant. Anakin and Obi-Wan fly over Star Destroyers and the droid fleet in the thick of battle, each laser blast zooming past my head. The dialogue was still able to cut through the rest of the din, however, making sure I could hear what the Jedi were saying.

It was the spatial audio bubble that was the most impressive bit, however. It was clearer, and each element of the soundscape was easy to place within my space. A spinning buzz droid slips off Anakin's ship and wizzes behind me, disappearing into the distance. It's super impressive.

The rest of my testing revealed more impressive surround sound: the car chase from "The Matrix Reloaded," the opening scene from "Kingsman," the rain in The Emperor's Blades in "Dune". Everything sounds huge and makes your movies sound amazing.

Living with the ultimate surround soundbar

So it sounds really, really good — I don't think I can deny that at all. There's incredible surround sound, the spatial audio feels like a game changer and it even sounded good for spatial music (even if I'm not entirely enamored with the format).

But some liveability quirks are now persuading me to put the Eras back in their old homes. The first is down to them, in fact. They're much larger than traditional surround speakers, taking up a whole lot more space behind the sofa. There are stands that take up less space than the chunky ones that I used, but even then, there's the "uh oh, I might knock these over" factor whenever you walk behind the sofa — as I do, whenever I need to get to the conservatory.

Then there are the power cables to each speaker. When it's a speaker cable, you can more easily route them out of the way and off the floor because they're generally thinner, and all going to one place. The power cables the Era's need are much chunkier and need to be plugged into the wall or an extension block. In my case, I nearly tripped over them multiple times because they had to trail across the floor in a walkway. Not ideal.

Finally, there are the Sonos app problems that continue to plague all of my Sonos devices. The rear surrounds dropped out a couple of times, there were all the setup issues and I've had problems with getting music playing on the system even through the Sonos app itself.

It's a massive shame, because conceptually, the Sonos Arc Ultra and its surround system are very cool. Wireless surround that uses all of its own amps to save space on your TV stand? And it's all connected to the internet? Great, sounds good.

But the reality just isn't quite there. It sounds phenomenal, and it's incredibly impressive. But, as I now put it all back where it came from, I can't help but think a traditional Home cinema system might not just sound better, but also provide even better spatial audio sound quality thanks to physical surround and height channels. It would have more reliable wired connections, and there would be far less that requires connection to the internet.

Considering that I could pick up a multi-channel true surround system for a very similar price, I do wonder if the wireless nature of the Sonos Arc Ultra and its accompaniments start to make less and less sense — especially considering how annoying the setup turned out to be.

So, I'll be going back to the Sonos Arc Ultra on its own for now — but this experience has whet my appetite for the Dolby Atmos experience. Perhaps it's now time to start looking at amplifiers again...

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I've tested loads of soundbars by now. Sometimes I spend whole weeks locked away in Tom's Guide's testing room, emerging only to make cups of coffee and take snacks from the office kitchen. So surely I know how to separate the best soundbars from the chaff, right?

Yeah, in a way. Unfortunately, though, a lot of the best budget soundbars often fall into the "chaff" category. Budget soundbars aren't intended to be cinematic, immersive setups like the 11.1.4 channel JBL Bar 1300X (the best soundbar I've ever tested).

Budget soundbars know what they are: TV speaker upgrades. For the most part, that's it. These are the budget soundbar mistakes you've been making, so hopefully you'll be able to squeeze the most out of your cheap soundbar.

Mistake #1: Not adjusting default settings

Let's take the Sony HT-S100F for example. This is the best budget soundbar on the market, no questions asked. I love this soundbar. But right out of the box? You might think I'm a crazy person.

This is by far the easiest fix. Soundbars will all come with a remote or a companion app, so you can adjust the default settings.

On this remote, you'll want to cycle through the playback modes (EQs) until you find the one that suits your movie or TV show. Sony's options are: 'Auto sound', 'Cinema', 'Night', 'Voice', and 'Standard'. When I tested this soundbar, I mostly used 'Voice' with TV shows and movies with less bass in the soundtrack. For blockbusters, I watched with 'Cinema' which upped the bass.

You should also go into your TV settings and have a play around. I can't recommend one setting, because different TV brands have different settings. Just keep clicking through until you find something that suits your eardrums.

Mistake #2: Expecting Dolby Atmos

Seeing as most Dolby Atmos soundbars (with 5.1.2 channel, or minimum 3.1.2) start from around $500, getting a budget soundbar and expecting 360° audio is just setting yourself up for failure.

There's nothing inherently wrong with lacking Dolby Atmos, so don't be disheartened. While, yes, it definitely provides some of the best audio experiences, not everyone needs Dolby Atmos.

I recently tested the $67 Majority Naga 60 soundbar, and while, no, a $67 soundbar is never going to rival Sonos, it was actually really impressive for the money. When I was watching Stranger Things, I could feel the radioed dialogue all around me.

Another budget option with quasi-immersive audio is the $249 Samsung HW-B650. I thought this was one of the cheapest ways to get (imitation) surround sound, thanks to the powerful DTS Virtual:X DSP and high-quality channel speakers. These are great budget options that don't have Dolby Atmos, but won't let you down.

Mistake #3: Not getting a dedicated subwoofer (if your soundbar has a sub out)

Now, this is a funny one. Firstly, you have to make sure your budget soundbar has a subwoofer out in the first place. The Majority Naga 60 soundbar I mentioned earlier actually does have a subwoofer line-out.

You'll need to get a wired, powered subwoofer to go with it. I asked Majority for recommendations, but it just said any wired and powered subwoofer would do the trick.

You can see the "SW out" on the top right of the soundbar. While, yes, this will increase the price of your setup, it will provide a much stronger sound system. Ideally, you'd get a soundbar setup with a wireless subwoofer, but those go for at least $400 on a good day.

If you follow my tips, you should be well on your way to making the most of your soundbar, even though it's cheap! Let me know if you try any of these tips in the comments. Also, if you have any budget soundbar recommendations I haven't mentioned here, do tell me about them.

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Depending on how you configure your desk setup, space can certainly be at a premium, especially if you have a large desktop computer or a lot of accessories.

One accessory that can certainly take up a lot of space is a pair of computer speakers. This is why I often choose a monitor with built-in speakers when reviewing the best standing desks. However, not every monitor comes with built-in speakers and even then, a lot of people just can’t stand the subpar and often tinny sound produced by these smaller speakers.

When it comes to the best monitors, chances are, you won’t find a pair of built-in speakers in most of the best gaming monitors. This is because with gaming monitors, the companies that make them are more focused on delivering great picture quality and the fastest refresh rates possible instead of an excellent audio experience.

Likewise, many gamers prefer wearing one of the best gaming headsets while at their desk to fully immerse themselves in what they’re playing.

One way to get around having a pair of bulky computer speakers taking up unnecessary space on your desk is to buy a soundbar instead.

Just like in your living room, one of the best soundbars is a far more compact solution than a pair of speakers or a surround sound system. After testing out a smaller, cheaper soundbar, I decided to take a chance on the more expensive BlueAnt Soundblade for my gaming setup and I’m glad I did. Here’s why.

Thin but powerful

At 23 x 8.58 x 2.13 inches, the BlueAnt Soundblade doesn’t take up that much space on your desk at all. And, unlike with other soundbars, this one is designed to go under your monitor. It’s also quite light at just 3.75 pounds.

One thing that immediately drew me to this soundbar in particular is the fact that it’s designed to sit in the typically unused space between your monitor and its stand. However, it works even better when you have your display mounted on one of the best monitor arms as you can keep the soundbar closer to your desk which really helps with the bass.

Besides the more traditional charcoal color I went with, the BlueAnt Soundblade also comes in white, pink and green to match the rest of your desk setup. Unlike with other computer speakers like the AudioEngine A2s, you don’t have to pay more if you want this soundbar in a brighter and less conventional color.

All of the BlueAnt Soundblade’s ports are located on the right side at the back of the soundbar. This makes for easier cable management and you don’t have to run wires under your desk from one speaker to another like you would with bookshelf speakers.

In addition to a standard AC power port, you also get a USB-C port and a 3.5mm audio jack to connect the Soundblade to your computer or game console.

I used this under-monitor soundbar with a PS5 and one of the best mini PCs, so to simplify things, I just connected it to my gaming monitor using an auxiliary cable.

However, it also has Bluetooth 5.3 on board if you don’t want to bother with running wires from it to your other devices. There are also touch-sensitive buttons on the right side which you can use to pair new Bluetooth devices as well as to raise or lower the volume and to power off this soundbar.

Under the hood, the BlueAnt Soundblade is quite powerful despite its low-profile design. It can reach up to 120 watts at peak power and features two 0.8 x 3.3-inch Neodymium magnet drivers. While you might be thinking this is just a thinner soundbar, turning it over reveals what really sets it apart from the likes of the Razer Leviathan V2 X or the Creative Sound Blaster GS3 I was previously using with my gaming setup.

On the bottom of the BlueAnt Soundblade, you’ll find a 3.1-inch, Neodymium subwoofer right in the center. While it doesn’t produce anywhere near the same bass you’ll get with a dedicated subwoofer, you do tend to feel it a bit more since this soundbar’s subwoofer fires directly down onto your desktop. This is especially true if you prefer to play with mouse and keyboard over a controller since your forearms will likely be resting on the edge of your desk.

The Soundblade also has eight rubber feet on either side of its subwoofer. These help prevent it from vibrating on your desk but BlueAnt also includes a taller set of feet in the box too. By swapping out the feet, you can lift the soundbar slightly higher up which can really come in handy if your monitor’s stand is on the taller side.

For instance, I had to do this at first as I was using my monitor’s included stand. However, once I mounted my monitor to the back of my desk to free up even more space, I switched back to the shorter feet as I found that the Soundblade produced better bass and remained firmly in place when I did. Still, it’s always nice to have options.

Along with those extra feet, you get all the cables you’ll need to get this soundbar set up in the box, including both U.S. and U.K. power cables. You also get a remote for the Soundblade which in my experience, made it easier to quickly adjust its settings. Don’t get me wrong, the touch-sensitive buttons work well enough but I didn’t like having to reach across my desk to lower the volume or switch between inputs.

A double space saver

With the BlueAnt Soundblade directly under my monitor, I had enough space on either side for the PS5 Pro I used for my ultimate remote play setup and the AtomMan G7 Ti mini PC.

That way, I could have the best of both worlds with console gaming on the left and PC gaming on the right. At the same time, when I needed even more desk space, I could put my mechanical keyboard and trackball mouse on top of the soundbar to have them both out of the way.

In terms of sound quality, the Soundblade was a big step up from both the built-in speakers I’m used to and the Sound Blaster GS3 I previously paired with my gaming monitor.

Game audio was clear and I liked the extra bass from its subwoofer being a lot closer to my ears, even if I mostly played with one of the best PC game controllers. The Soundblade is also a very loud subwoofer and at night, I had to turn it down to its lowest setting to avoid waking everyone up. During the day though, it was a different story and I liked how it filled the area around my desk setup with fuller sound.

Although I used an aux cable to simplify my setup, you can connect this soundbar directly to either your PS5 or PC over USB-C. However, if you don’t want a cable running from the front of your console, you will need to pick up a USB-C to USB-A adapter.

Unlike with the Nintendo Switch or the recently released Switch 2, the PS5 and the PS5 Pro both don’t natively support Bluetooth audio which makes a wired USB-C connection your best option. On PC though, you can use your computer’s 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C or Bluetooth.

I really liked not having a gaming headset or a pair of headphones over my ears while playing as I could hear the game and what was going on around me at the same time. For those who prefer using a headset, I recommend the TurtleBeach Atlas Air (at least on PC and PS5 wirelessly) as its open-back design lets you achieve something similar. However, you won’t get the bass that you do from the Soundblade’s subwoofer which can really help elevate your gaming experience since you can feel all the action a bit better in action-packed games like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

A lot of times, you might not have space for a large, dedicated subwoofer underneath your desk or if you live in an apartment, it might be too loud and bother your neighbors. With this soundbar, you get the best of both worlds in a slim package that takes advantage of all that unused space under your monitor to boot.

There is one downside to the BlueAnt Soundblade worth noting but fortunately, there’s already a fix. When powering on or off the device as well as switching inputs, you’re greeted with rather loud voice prompts with no way to turn them off.

I did find an easy workaround when I first started using this soundbar. Instead of powering it down, I left it on with the volume turned down and then I’d turn up the volume once pairing was complete.

Now though, you can reduce the soundbar’s voice prompt volume level and get greater control over its volume at lower levels by updating its firmware. However, doing so takes a bit more work than you’d expect. The process starts by registering your Soundblade, finding its serial number and current firmware version and then reaching out to BlueAnt’s support team. Once this is done, they’ll provide you with the correct firmware file for the update which you can install using one of the best USB flash drives. So far, there have been six minor and one major firmware update for the Soundblade which fix bugs and improve the device’s usability.

Not quite for everyone

So is an under-monitor soundbar the best option for your desk setup? Well, it depends on your audio needs as well as how much space you have. Audiophiles will likely opt for bookshelf or computer speakers instead due to their richer sound quality. However, if you just want to play games without a headset or watch videos on your computer without wearing headphones, it might just do the trick.

In a desk setup like mine above, you’re able to make the most of your space and you don’t have to worry about tucking wires behind or under your desk. Now if you’re using one of the best laptops or even one of the best gaming laptops instead of a desktop or console, you’ll have plenty of room on either side of your monitor for a pair of computer speakers.

Alternatively, if you are short on space, you could always mount your speakers on the wall or even use some clamp-on stands to have them at the back or on the sides of your desk.

Since I’m using a standing desk though, I like to have everything right on my desk itself and plugged into a cable management tray underneath it. That way, I don’t have to worry about things getting unplugged or cables getting snagged as my desk moves up and down.

At $200 full price, the BlueAnt Soundblade is certainly on the expensive side for a subwoofer for your computer or consoles. However, you can frequently find it for half off or even more. I too bought it when it was on sale and at $100, you’d be hard pressed to find a soundbar with a built-in subwoofer for that price. Sure, there are other cheaper options for your computer where you don’t necessarily have to wait for a sale like the Razer Leviathan V2X ($99, Amazon). However, that soundbar only comes with a USB-C port and Bluetooth which makes it less versatile connectivity wise when compared to the Soundblade which you can connect to your monitor and other devices using an aux cable.

If you’re looking for a soundbar with some bass that fits perfectly under most monitors, the Soundblade is a great choice, especially if you can find it on sale and going through the process of updating its firmware fixes all of my biggest gripes with the device.

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The Sonos Arc Ultra is an excellent soundbar — there's a reason it tops the list of the best soundbars you can buy today. It features amazing Dolby Atmos performance, along with super smart features. It's not cheap, but it's worth every penny of its $1,000 price tag.

But you might not be getting the most out of your pricey soundbar.

So, let's make sure that your Sonos Arc Ultra is working its absolute best as you watch your favorite movies. Get that Sonos App installed, and lets get your soundbar tuned up.

Trueplay tuning

Ok, so some of you might already know how this works, but if you've just plugged your soundbar in and not checked out the app yet, the bar might not be properly attuned to your space.

Every room, be that a bedroom, a living room, or even a bathroom (if you've got a Sonos Arc Ultra in your bathroom, I suspect you might be Lex Luthor), has different audio parameters. Sound is bounced around in different ways by wall layout, and even the stuff that you've got in the room, like sofas, tables, and even light fittings. Some things absorb sound, changing the way the movie sounds even further.

That's where TruePlay comes in — the soundbar plays a series of noises, and then listens to them to make sure the sound is as good as it should be. It doesn't take long, but it's a must if you want your movies to sound the way the director intended.

First off, tap the TruePlay button, and then follow the on-screen instructions. From there, the soundbar will play a series of noises to read the room, and then change the EQ from there to make sure that it sounds its best.

It'll let you know when it's done. Now you can enjoy amazing sound!

That said, remember to redo the TruePlay tuning if you significantly change the makeup of your room, like moving furniture. Also, redo it if you put the soundbar in a different room. Preferably out of the bathroom, Lex.

Change the height setting for superior Atmos

Not getting the full effect of the height channels when you're watching a Dolby Atmos-encoded movie? Make sure you check the height channels in the Sonos app. The height channels in the Sonos Arc Ultra are bounced off the ceiling, so raise them to make sure they're coming in at the correct height.

It's another simple fix. Go to the height channel settings in the Sonos App, and then raise and lower them until you're hearing overheard effects.

Not sure what to watch? I like to use the Dolby Atmos test video, although you'll have to pick up a special DVD and DVD player to make it work properly. Otherwise, use your favorite movie on Netflix or Disney+ that you know features a Dolby Atmos channel, and adjust accordingly from there.

My room needs about +1 to the height channels for the full effect, although your room may vary depending on the ceiling height or how tall your TV stand is.

Make the dialogue super clear

Dialogue is a tricky thing for any kind of audio equipment to get right. Perhaps there's lots going on in a scene, or there's some mad director's decision that's left the dialogue feeling lost and muffled (I'm looking at you, Christopher Nolan). Either way, the Sonos Arc Ultra has some excellent built-in features to make the dialogue in your favorite movies sound even better.

There's a setting called "Dialogue enhancer," which make the voices in your movies sound clearer and easier to hear. It's easy to find and use, and very useful if you or someone you know is hard of hearing.

Find the Dialogue Enhancer option in the Sonos app, and from there find the option that works best for you. The "Low" and "Medium" settings are the least intrustive, but they don't enhance the dialogue as much for people who struggle with busy sounding move mixes.

"High" and "Max" are the options you'll want to use if you struggle to hear the dialogue. They quieten the rest of the scene, and raist the volume of spoken parts to make them easier to hear. They aren't very close to the director's intent, but they're a great way of making movies more accessible for more people.

And we can finally hear what the characters are saying in Tenet. No thanks to you, Nolan.

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