A soundbar is a must-have sound upgrade for almost any new TV. Due to their ultra-thin design, modern TVs can’t physically accommodate large speaker drivers, which prevents them to produce loud, detailed soundscapes to match their sharp, vibrant visuals. If you want a home theater that sounds as good as it looks, you need to give your speakers a little bit of space — a little room to breathe, if you know what I mean.

Not that much space, though. A soundbar gives you a single, unibody enclosure that place a set of full-size speakers just below your TV, bellowing out excellent stereo and simulated surround sound. They’re also great for listening to music or podcasts if you want to hang out on the couch let the soundwaves wash over you.

Soundbars come at a wide range of price points, offering a middle ground for folks who a TV that sounds good, but maybe isn’t invested enough to shell out big bucks for a full surround sound system. Soundbars are now the dominant form factor for home theater audio, which means there a lot of them out there. Between form factors, hardware specs, and audio capabilities, there’s a lot to consider. To help you find the best soundbar for your needs and budget, I spent months testing high-rated models from leading brands.

The Best Soundbars in 2025

• **Best Overall: **Sonos Arc Ultra Soundbar​
• **Best Value: **Klipsch Flexus Core 200 Soundbar​
• **Best Affordable: **Polk Audio Signa S3 Soundbar​
• **Best Compact: **Bose Smart Soundbar​
• **Best for Audiophiles: **Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 Soundbar

How I Tested

I’ve been testing audio gear, including soundbars, since 2011. To put the ones on this list through their paces, I spent weeks using each of them (and many others) sitting under my TV, pumping out audio for movies, TV, video games, and music.

I streamed movies, series, and live sports, especially Dolby Atmos-enhanced content, from Netflix, Prime Video, Max, and Hulu, among other leading platforms. Of course, I also streamed an eclectic selection of music to every soundbar.

In addition to scrutinizing the bass, treble, and mid-range audio capabilities of each product, I paid particular attention to its dialogue clarity. I looked for options to adjust both the sound and the voice delivery in each device.

Full Reviews

Best Overall

Sonos Arc Ultra

Credit: Stefan Vazharov

Pros

• Great all-around audio performance
• Understated design
• Easy setup and intuitive controls

Cons

• Sonos app comes with a learning curve.

Key Specs

Sound	Connectivity	Width	Other
14 audio drivers, 9.1.2-channel setup, Dolby Atmos
WiFi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2
46.4 in.
Amazon Alexa compatibility

The Sonos Arc Ultra produces exceptional audio, and is easy to both set up and control. Equipped with fourteen audio drivers, it’s pricey, but lives up to the high expectations set by its price tag. I was equally impressed by its powerful bass output, crisp treble, and dialogue clarity. I like that the soundbar can seamlessly connect to the excellent Sonos Ace headphones to deliver multi-dimensional sound without disturbing others.

Using the app, I was also able to adjust the sound and treble intensity, as well as enhance the speech by choosing from four levels. Tuning the speaker for my space using Sonos Connect was intuitive as well. The Sonos app utilized my phone’s built-in microphones to tailor the soundbar’s sound for my living room. The process took only a couple of minutes.

And, like all Sonos gear, it offers unparalleled expandability. All Sonos speakers can integrate and interact wirelessly, allowing you to create a whole home audio system so you can play music throughout your home. Even if you keep it to the living room, you can pair the Arc Ultra with a Sonos Sub and a pair of rear Era 100 or Era 300 speakers to create a full surround sound system that will rival your local movie theater.

Sonos offers the Arc Ultra in black or white. The optional speakers for expanding the setup are available in matching colors. The Sonos Beam 2nd Gen soundbar is another great buy with a much smaller size and a considerably more affordable price tag. Like its larger sibling, the Beam offers a mixture of elegant design, superb connectivity, and immersive sound, though the latter can’t match the Arc Ultra’s oomph.

Best Value

Klipsch Flexus Core 200

Now 13% Off

Pros

• Beautiful design and excellent tactility
• Great sound with powerful bass
• Reasonable price

Cons

• No WiFi connectivity

Sound	Connectivity	Width	Other
9 audio drivers, 3.1.2-channel setup, Dolby Atmos
Bluetooth
44 in.
Companion app

The Klipsch Flexus Core 200 is a stylish soundbar that delivers solid audio performance for less than $500. It lacks some of the features I look for in a bar, including WiFi connectivity, but it’s a very attractive option if you want to great sound without spending a lot.

Sound-wise, the first thing that impressed me about the Core 200 was its thunderous bass, powered by a pair of 4-inch subwoofers. Their low-end output brought a welcome touch of excitement to everything I watched, listened to, and played, making everything more engaging. Needless to say, this is a great choice if you love bass-heavy music, too.

The Klipsch Connect companion app offers a robust selection of sound customization tools, including a graphic equalizer and the option to enhance dialogue in scenes. It includes some very useful features like night mode, which tones down the bass to minimize disturbance to others. Given the Flexus Core 200’s low-end power, that’s very helpful for apartment-dwellers like me.

You can expand the Flexus Core 200 into a surround sound system via an additional Klipsch subwoofer and surround sound speakers, all while keeping your budget in three-digit territory. The subwoofer features a 10-inch speaker that perfectly complements the soundbar’s already powerful bass.

Best Affordable

Polk Audio Signa S3

Now 13% Off

Pros

• Great audio performance for the money
• Bundles wireless subwoofer
• Surprisingly low profile
• WiFi connectivity

Cons

• No Dolby Atmos

Key Specs

Sound	Connectivity	Width	Other
4 audio drivers, external subwoofer, 2.1-channel setup, Dolby Digital and DTS Virtual Surround
WiFi, Google Chromecast, Bluetooth
35.4 in.
Bundled backlit remote control

The Polk Audio Signa S3 is the soundbar to get if you are looking for a TV audio upgrade on a tight budget. For roughly $300, it offers an impressively slim profile and top-notch sound. And it comes with a wireless subwoofer in the box, unlike my other picks. This is truly the best bargain of any audio package I’ve tested to date.

Like any bargain, though, there’s a bit of compromise in the features department. It lacks Dolby Atmos support and the upward-facing audio drivers required for a true spatial audio experience. That said, the four-driver system produces respectable virtual surround sound. It’s still a big upgrade from your TV’s speakers. The same goes for the entertaining bass rumble from the included external subwoofer.

I like the low-key design of the Polk Audio Signa S3 soundbar, its onboard WiFi with Chromecast support for reliable streaming from mobile devices, and its compact, intuitive remote control. The bundled accessory’s convenient buttons include dedicated keys for adjusting the bass and the voice clarity.

If WiFi connectivity isn’t a big loss, you should also check out the Polk Audio Signa S2. It has a similar design and audio hardware, and costs even less. The only issue is that its limited to Bluetooth wireless when you want to pair your phone.

Best Compact

Bose Smart Soundbar

Now 20% Off

Credit: Stefan Vazharov

Pros

• Incredibly compact footprint
• Immersive Dolby Atmos Sound
• Excellent set of connectivity features
• Doubles as a smart speaker

Cons

• Similarly priced rivals pack more speakers

Key Specs

Sound	Connectivity	Width	Other
5 audio drivers, 5.1-channel setup, Dolby Atmos
WiFi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast
27.3 in.
Companion app, Amazon Alexa compatibility

The Smart Soundbar by Bose is my top pick for small spaces. Measuring just a tad over 27 inches wide, the product has an impressively compact footprint without skimping on features and performance. Of course, the Smart Soundbar is also upgradeable into a surround sound system via an optional bass module and surround speakers.

The device’s five-speaker setup includes a pair of upward-facing units for multi-dimensional Dolby Atmos sound. Experiencing the latter while streaming enhanced content made me feel like I was using a bigger soundbar. Thanks to proprietary Bose technology, the soundbar made standard audio content sound more entertaining, if not quite as captivating as Dolby Atmos sound.

In addition to impressing me with sound that belies its size, the Bose offering excelled at clearly reproducing scenes that included dialogue. Enabling a dedicated AI mode for voice enhancement in the Bose app helped significantly with this challenging task. The app also helped me customize the sound and connect more speakers to the Smart Soundbar.

Another reason I recommend the Bose Smart Soundbar is its excellent set of wireless connectivity features. The WiFi-enabled device can stream from any smartphone, computer, or tablet, thanks to Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, and Google Chromecast support.

Best for Audiophiles

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8

Now 20% Off

Credit: Stefan Vazharov

Pros

• Excellent sound quality
• Can upscale lower-quality audio
• Rich set of connectivity features
• Pleasantly understated design

Cons

• No Google Chromecast support

Key Specs

Sound	Connectivity	Width	Other
11 audio drivers, 11-channel setup, Dolby Atmos
WiFi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2
43.3 in.
Companion app

Sony’s Bravia Theater Bar 8 soundbar, in addition to providing cinema-grade sound to complement any TV, can also stream audio in lossless formats. This standout feature makes the product a particularly exciting upgrade option for audiophiles who plan to use their soundbar as a high-fidelity standalone speaker, rather than just an essential TV companion. The Bar 8 can even eke out more detail from lower-quality audio through sophisticated upscaling technology.

Of all the soundbars I tested, the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 offered the highest level of detail, with 11 onboard speakers and spatial-mapping technology that mimics a surround-sound system setup. Plus, it was easy to optimize sound for my space via the app.

Unsurprisingly, the Bravia Theater Bar 8 integrates particularly well with Sony’s latest TVs. If you already own one, it’s your best bet. Budget and space permitting, you can expand the Bar 8 into a surround sound system by adding a subwoofer and rear speakers. The pricier Sony Bravia Theater Bar 9 is an even better option for audiophiles. Its wider footprint and 13 integrated speakers bring an even more powerful sound that’s worth the premium, especially if you set it up in a larger space.

What to Consider

Sound

Dolby Atmos is the most important audio feature to look for in a soundbar. The spatial audio experience you’ll get will make any Dolby Atmos-enhanced content you watch, from blockbuster movies to live sports, more lifelike. The audio standard is widely available on all streaming services, so don’t skip it unless you are shopping on a super tight budget.

Look for a soundbar with upward-facing audio drivers to get the best Dolby Atmos experience. Some lower-cost models can deliver virtual Dolby Atmos without the upward-firing speakers, but I really recommend spending a bit more to get a properly equipped option. The extra hardware makes a big difference.

Speaking of hardware, the number of speakers a soundbar packs is also important to consider while shopping. More audio drivers naturally result in a bigger and more detailed sound with a wider soundstage. Don’t settle for less than four audio drivers in a soundbar, even if you are shopping on a tight budget.

The channel configuration of a soundbar, although undeniably technical, is also a crucial factor in making a purchasing decision. The essential spec is showcased via three numbers, separated by dots. The first number shows the number of front-facing speakers a soundbar has, the second one measures the downward-facing bass drivers, while the third displays the quantity of upward-facing units (if any).

The more audio channels a soundbar has, the more immersive its sound will be. The channel count reflects the number of perceived directions the sound will reach you. Having experienced products across the price spectrum, I can confirm that more expensive soundbars with more audio channels sound noticeably more engaging.

Size

When not wall-mounted, soundbars should be placed right in front of a TV and underneath its screen, with the second option being the most commonly used setup among consumers. The width of a soundbar is particularly important in such scenarios, so be sure to measure your TV unit to confirm it fits before making a purchase. I learned the importance of this task the hard way a while back.

Full-size soundbars measure around 50 inches in width, making them perfectly suitable for a big-screen TV with a 65-inch or larger panel, including 75- and 85-inch options. Smaller ones would suffice if your TV has a 55-inch or smaller screen, or you don’t want to overspend on an upgrade.

Connectivity

HDMI is the default wired connectivity option for all soundbars, regardless of their price tag. Connecting them to a TV is as easy as plugging their bundled cable into its eARC HDMI connector.

Trevor Raab

Fancier soundbars at higher price points feature HDMI 2.1 passthrough connectivity, which allows consumers to connect, say, a high-powered gaming console directly for a more enjoyable sound experience.

WiFi connectivity is mandatory for a high-end soundbar. It allows the product to stream higher-quality audio and link with other speakers in a multi-room setup. Soundbars with WiFi also support Apple AirPlay 2 and/or Google Chromecast wireless protocols, making it super easy to stream audio from a phone, tablet, or computer.

Additional Features

A companion app is standard for most new soundbars. Only budget-friendly ones lack one, but their lower cost makes up for the omission. An app makes setting up a soundbar, customizing its sound, and keeping it up to date with updates easy.

I prefer using an app to control a soundbar over a bundled remote control. The essential accessory is curiously not included with Sonos soundbars, but I didn’t miss it.

Stefan is an award-winning consumer technology editor with over a decade of experience in reviewing gadgets, particularly smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, desktop and laptop computers across multiple form factors and platforms, as well as accessories for them. He also covers televisions and audio equipment, including headphones, earbuds, wireless speakers, and soundbars. Since joining Hearst in 2015, Stefan has contributed to BestProducts, Popular Mechanics, and numerous other publications. Prior to his current role, he served as the US Editor for GSMArena.com.