The best soundbars for the ultimate TV viewing experience
You can spend as little as a few hundred dollars on a new TV, or you can spend many thousands on something big and fancy but they all share one thing in common – they aren't great at audio.
Sound is as important as the picture for many things like sport or movies and with so much great content now on streaming platforms, you're missing out if you haven't heard them properly.
Now some TVs have good sound, don't get me wrong – but trust me, in 99 per cent of cases, even a cheap and basic soundbar will blow you away.
What to look for when choosing a soundbar
Firstly, you have to know this is a booming category. So there is a lot of choice – brands you've never heard of and brands you associate immediately with sound.
In 99 per cent of cases, even a cheap and basic soundbar will blow you away.
One thing you will notice when shopping for a soundbar is the names always seem to include a number with decimal points. Here's what all that means: There can be three numbers, so for example 7.1.4, or some might just be two numbers, for example 5.1.
In all cases, it's simple.
The first number is the count of the main "channels". A system starting with 2 has a left and a right channel. A system with a 3 will have a left, right and centre. A system starting with a 5 will have those, plus a rear left and rear right. Take it to 7 and you start to add speakers on the side.
Now I should be clear, those numbers refer to a physical speaker location in a room, but can also refer to a virtual speaker. Hear me out. A soundbar with 5 channels might sit just in front of you. What it does is points speakers at the side walls of your room, and "bounces" the sound waves off the walls in a specific manner to mimic the presence of physical speakers around you – done right, this is amazing. Done cheaply, it's hard to notice.
The second number refers to the addition of a subwoofer to the system. In this case you're also getting a big "box" to go with the soundbar. That box can sit at the back of your room, or over to the side as its role is not to direct sound to you, but to emit a strong bass into the room – essentially via the floor.
Finally, if there's a third number, like the '4' in 7.1.4, that's Dolby Atmos – Atmos is the format that allows sounds to come from above you, and again, the number here indicates the number of locations that sound will come from above you. This is the latest surround sound technology and it's fast being adopted in new movies, new music and streaming services.
The more speakers, virtual or otherwise, the bigger the investment most likely, and the better the sound will be.
Our top picks across a range of budgets...
VIYAGOOL Soundbar
Simply put, this is cheap and cheerful. It's basically a big Bluetooth speaker designed for use on your TV. Given its price, the reviews published by buyers are remarkably positive, as long as you go in knowing that this isn't a top-of-the-line audio brand.
My only real reservation here is the connectivity. A great soundbar will have multiple input options, HDMI being one, optical another and 3.5 mm audio the other. This one has no HDMI, so your TV must have either a headphone jack you can plug into or an optical output you can use. If you use that, you'll then need to go into the TV settings to choose the audio output, but once done, you're off and running.
While not explicitly outlined in the device listing, we are assuming the two drivers (speakers) are operating as Left and Right, and thus this is a 2.0 system.
BlueAnt XT120
This Aussie company makes a range of affordable but quality audio products, making this a really good choice for a simple plug-and-play boost to your TV sound.
As a 2.1 system, you might wonder where the "box" I referred to earlier is. In this case, the subwoofer is built-in, so the bass is generated within the soundbar.
While that won't mean a booming bass in movies, it will certainly work well in music and to some extent on TV shows and movies.
I do love the built-in EQ settings for movies, games, voice, and music, allowing you to choose the right sound profile for what you're listening to, and it comes with an included HDMI or you can buy an Optical cable as an alternative.
Built-in Bluetooth means you can stream music from your phone too!
LG S65Q
Bang for your buck, this LG is a cracker. Firstly, it's the cheapest I've listed here that has a physical subwoofer – the separate box you can see that you can place in the TV room for a great movie experience.
HDMI and optical are your input choices, and again, some great sound modes like Standard, Music, Bass Boost, Clear Voice, Sports and Game.
Plus, it's compatible with DTS Virtual for great surround sound.
Critically, LG's soundbar is engineered by British audio brand Meridian, meaning their specialists have tuned the speakers to work just as they should, offering a premium sound experience – music or movies.
In addition, it supports High Res Audio for 96kHz sampling and a 24-bit depth – the kind of thing you won't get on a cheap soundbar.
Critically, this is a 3.1 soundbar, so there are three channels centre, left and right coming at you for awesome sound.
While this LG soundbar will work on any TV, it will pair perfectly with an LG TV for a single remote experience, you should get the same on many – but there is something great about a single-brand combo.
Buy it today for $389.
JBL Bar 5.0
JBL's Bar 5.0 is a runout soundbar, with JBL releasing a whole new range in the market right now. But that doesn't mean it's not amazing.
In fact, it's a solid bit of tech wizardry. The .0 means no sub-woofer, so if it's booming bass you're after, keep scrolling.
But the 5 means five channels – but have a look at it, it's a single soundbar. From that one bar, the speakers project sound out into your room and it bounces off the walls to give you a sense that sound is coming from all around you. And it's done very, very well.
The Bar 5.0 even has a "virtual" Dolby Atmos. While it might not sound the same as a genuine Atmos speaker, it's all about giving your ears the illusion that the sounds are there – remarkable really.
Packed with an eARC connection that's a higher standard than just using HDMI. More bandwidth in the HDMI signal means far better quality audio can be delivered from the TV to the soundbar.
With a built-in WiFi connection, you can also stream your favourite music via Chromecast or AirPlay direct to the soundbar.
This is serious sound quality, at a great low-range price.
READ MORE: The very best portable speakers
JBL Bar 1000 7.1.4
I've spent the last two days lost in movies and music with this setup in my office. JBL's 2023 model range features five soundbars ranging in price from just over $500 to close to $2,000. This Bar 1000 model is the second top-of-the-line and would be a sensational choice for someone who has a deep love for movies, music and great sound.
Pumping out a genuine 7.1.4 sound, this soundbar has an epic party trick.
At the two ends of the bar, the speakers detach and leave a smaller soundbar in place, while you move those "rears" to the back of your room.
Speakers are all calibrated by the bar itself, and from there, you are getting one heck of a sound.
You'll hear action come from behind you, beside you, around you, and above you.
With Wi-Fi 6 on board you've got great connectivity for streaming and setup, as well as Apple and Google streaming connections.
It also features three HDMI inputs and the one HDMI eARC. Those additional inputs allow you to plug in more things like game consoles or Blu-Ray players where your TV might have a limited number of inputs.
It's not cheap, I get that, but for the ultimate sound, this will be the one that impresses anyone you have around for a movie night.
Samsung HW-S800B
With a total of 10 speakers packed inside, this Samsung soundbar outputs a genuine 3.1.2 sound.
That .2 means we're getting an upward firing sound, and a sense that you'll be hearing from above as sounds bounce off your ceiling. This is where next-level listening starts – especially in movies.
With AirPlay 2, and Chromecast, as well as Spotify Connect, streaming music won't be a challenge, but it's the slimline design of this one that appeals most to many.
You can also use voice control and have this act as one of your Google or Alexa smart speakers in your home.
At less than 4cm tall, this soundbar is ideal where you worry about the height of your TV on an entertainment unit, but it can also easily be wall mounted.
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