Best soundbars 2022: the best TV speakers you can buy

A good entry-level soundbar with plenty of bass and Dolby Atmos support. Specifications. Sound formats: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X. Connectivity: 1 x ... Skiptomaincontent WhatHifi WhatHifi WhatHi-Fi?THEWORLD'S#1TECHBUYER'SGUIDE Search Subscribe RSS (opensinnewtab) (opensinnewtab) (opensinnewtab) (opensinnewtab) (opensinnewtab) UKUSCanadaAustralia WhatHi-FiMagazineSubscription(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)Whysubscribe?ThebesthomeentertainmentbuyingadviceIn-depth,unbiased,expertreviewsIssuesdeliveredstraighttoyourdoorordeviceFrom£4.99(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab) News Reviews BestBuys Deals Advice Features Awards Forum More Awards Subscribe Newsletter Sound+Image AustralianHi-Fi AboutUs TrendingSonyQD-OLEDBestwirelessearbudsKEFLS60WirelessBestspeakersSonosRay WhatHi-Fi?issupportedbyitsaudience.Whenyoupurchasethroughlinksonoursite,wemayearnanaffiliatecommission.Here’swhyyoucantrustus Includedinthisguide:1SonyHT-A7000CheckPrice(opensinnewtab)2SonosBeam(Gen2)CheckPrice(opensinnewtab)3SonosArcCheckPrice(opensinnewtab)4SonyHT-A9CheckPrice(opensinnewtab)5BluesoundPulseSoundbarCheckPrice(opensinnewtab)6Bowers&WilkinsPanorama3CheckPrice(opensinnewtab)7JBLBarStudioCheckPrice(opensinnewtab)8SennheiserAmbeo3DSoundbarCheckPrice(opensinnewtab)9DaliKatchOneCheckPrice(opensinnewtab)10JBLBar5.0MultiBeamCheckPrice(opensinnewtab)11BoseSmartSoundbar900CheckPrice(opensinnewtab)12SamsungHW-Q800ACheckPrice(opensinnewtab)13DaliKubikOneCheckPrice(opensinnewtab)14RokuStreambarCheckPrice(opensinnewtab)15SonyHT-G700CheckPrice(opensinnewtab)16LGSP8YACheckPrice(opensinnewtab)17SamsungHW-Q950ACheckPrice(opensinnewtab)18SonyHT-SF150CheckPrice(opensinnewtab)19LGSP11RACheckPrice(opensinnewtab)20MajoritySierraPlusD...View(opensinnewtab) BestsoundbarsBuyingGuide:WelcometoWhatHi-Fi?'sround-upofthebestsoundbarsyoucanbuyin2022. Itdoesn'tmatterhowthin,punchyandbrightsmartTVsbecome,therewillalwaysbeastarkdifferencebetweenanewflatscreen'ssparklingpicturequalityanditslacklustresoundperformance.That'sbecausealmostallmodernsets,regardlessofsize,havesubparspeakershiddenawayinincreasinglyscantframes.Butfortunately,simplyaddingasoundbartoyourset-upisaneasywaytogetamoreengaging,clearandenjoyableviewingexperience.Mostsoundbarspackimpressiveaudiointoaself-containedpackagesmallenoughtositinfrontoforbelowyourTV.Thebestaresinglecapablespeakersthatdon'tneedadditionalsurroundsorsubwooferstocrowdouttheroom.Butthereareusuallyoptionstoexpandtoamoreextensivesurroundset-upifdesired,ortherearecompletemulti-boxsystemsthatconnectwirelessly,sotherearenosnakingcablestoactastriphazards.ThebestcheapsoundbardealsHowtochoosethebestsoundbarforyouBeforeyoubuy,therearesomethingstobearinmind.ConsiderthedimensionsofyourTVtoworkoutjusthowbigyournewsoundbarneedstobe.Youdon'twantittobedwarfedbythescreen,butthenagain,itcouldlookstrangepartneringamassivebarwithasmallTV–likeatinyheadperchedatopoverlybroadshoulders.Lookupthedimensionsandcomparethebar'swidthwiththatofyourTV.Also,checktheheight–ifyouneedtoplacethesoundbarinfrontofyourTV,youdon'twantitobscuringhalfthepicture,andifithasupward-firingdrivers,theyneedaclearlineofsighttoyourceilingtobeeffective.Generally,soundbarsareasinglelongspeakerwithseveraldriversinsidebutsomecomewithexternalsubwoofersforextralow-endextensionandrearspeakersforsurroundsoundeffectswhereasothersarecompatiblewithotherspeakersfromwithinthemanufacturer'sbrand.Iffloor-shakingbassishighonyourprioritylistthenthesearemodelsyou'llwanttoconsider.Next,featuresandconnectivity.ManymodernsoundbarsboastARCandeARC-enabledHDMIports,whichcanhandlehighbandwidthmultichannelaudioformatsaswellasopticalinputsforolderTVs.IfyourTVhasARC/eARC,you'llbeabletocontrolthevolumeofyoursoundbarwithyourexistingremotecontrol.It'sworthconsideringifhavingaseparatephysicalremoteforthesoundbarisimportanttoyouorifyou'recomfortablewithcontrollingsettingsfromasmartphoneapp. MostmodernsoundbarshavesomeoptionsforwirelessmusicplaybackwithwifistreamingviaservicessuchasAirplay2,SpotifyConnectandChromecast,aswellasBluetoothconnectivity.Somealsohavemicrophoneswithvoiceassistantfunctionalityorcompatibility.Ifyouhaveexternaldevicessuchasgamesconsolesora4KBlu-rayplayer,keepaneyeoutforadditionalHDMIpassthroughportsthatcouldmakeyoursetupmoreflexible.ShouldyoubelookingbeyondjustasimpleimprovementofyourTVsoundandwanttopurchaseasoundbarthatproducesanimmersivehomecinemaexperience,you'llwanttopayattentiontomodelsthatcanhandleDolbyAtmosandDTS:Xaudio.Somesoundbarsdothisvirtuallywithprocessing,andsomeincludeup-firingspeakersforheighteffects.Ifyou'reinterestedinthelatter,it'simportanttorememberthattheresultwillbemoresuccessfulifyouhavelowceilingstobouncethesoundoffandthatthetopofthesoundbarneedstobeuncoveredandplacedclearoftheTVscreen.Ifhigh-quality3Dsoundisimportanttoyou,thenyou'llwanttomakesurebothyourTVandpotentialsoundbarsupportDolbyTrueHDandeARC.TheARCstandardcanhandleDolbyAtmos,butonlyinitsDolbyDigitalPlusform,whichislossy,whereasDolbyTrueHDcandeliverfull-fatDolbyAtmosinallitslosslessglory.Haveathinkaboutthecontentyou'llbeviewingandthesourcesyou'llbepluggingin.IfyouarejustwatchingFreeview,manyofthesetechnologieswillberedundant.Butifyou'restreamingthelikesofNetflix,AppleTVandAmazonPrimeVideoin4KHDR,you'llwanttosqueezeoutthebestpossibleaudioqualitytomakesureyourcontentsoundsasgoodasitlooks.Foracompleteoverview,checkoutourguideonhowtochooseandsetupasoundbar. Below,we'veroundedupthebestsoundbarsforvariousbudgets(ifyou'respecificallylookingforaveryaffordablemodel,checkoutourbestbudgetsoundbarspage).Allofthemwillupyouraudiogamewithafuss-freesetup.Enjoy.(Imagecredit:Sony)1.SonyHT-A7000Powerfulandmuscularroom-fillingDolbyAtmosfromasinglesoundbarSpecificationsConnectivity:eARC,2*HDMI2.1,optical,USB,WiFi,EthernetSoundformatsupport:DolbyAtmos/DolbyAudioTM/DTS:X/DTS-HD/PCMStreaming:Chromecast,Bluetooth5,AppleAirplay2,WiFiVoicecontrol:GoogleAssistant,AlexaDimensions(hwd):8x130x14cmWeight:8.7kgToday'sBestDeals£1,299(opensinnewtab)ViewatSevenoaks(opensinnewtab)£1,299(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)£1,299(opensinnewtab)ViewatCurrys(opensinnewtab)Reasonstobuy+Robustlow-end+ExcellentAtmosperformance+Feature-richReasonstoavoid-NoVRRorALLMatlaunch-EQcontrolswouldbenice-SlightlyconfusedstylingSonyhasexcellentformwithsoundbars,andthe2021WhatHi-Fi?Award-winingHT-A7000soundbarisnodifferent.A7.1.2slabofsound,thisDolbyAtmossoundbarpacksintwoup-firingspeakers,twobeamtweeters,fivefront-facingdriversandabuilt-indualsubwooferintoasinglechassis.Usingacombinationofdriverplacementandpsychoacoustictechniques,theSonyHT-A700deliversabroadandhighsoundstage,whetheryou’rewatchingimmersivecontentornot,whileretainingmusicality,presenceanddetail.Intermsofheightandprecision,theperformanceissimilartothatoftheSonosArc,butthewidthofthesoundstageanditsforwardprojectionismoreconvincing.It’snotthesameashavingdirectaudiofromthespeakeraboveortheside,butit’seffectiveanddramaticallyenticing,enrichingtheviewingexperience.Theintegratedsubisalsoparticularlyimpressivewithataut,controlledandpowerfulperformance.Intermsofsupportedaudioformats,theA7000excelsitselfandincludes DolbyAtmos (inboththeDigital+andTrueHDformats), DTS:X,LPCM,hi-reswirelessaudioand Sony360RealityAudio.TheA7000isaspackedwithstreamingsmartsasitisstuffedwithspeakerswithSpotifyConnect, AppleAirPlay2, GoogleChromecastallonboardandintegrationintoamulti-roomsystem–withAmazonAlexa,AppleHomeKitand GoogleHome allsupported.Alongsidetwo HDMI2.1 pass-throughsocketscapableofhandling 8K@60Hz, 4K@120Hz,and DolbyVision HDR,thereareportsfor eARC,analogueandopticalaudioinputsandUSBtype-A.There’salsoananalogueoutputforSony’sAcousticCenterSync,whichletsacompatibleBraviaTVbecomepartofthesoundbar’scentrechannelwhenthetwoareconnectedusingthesuppliedcable.TheSonyHT-A7000isanoutstanding,future-proofed,all-in-oneperformerwithexcellentintegrationifyouhaveanewerSonyBraviaTV.Readthefullreview:SonyHT-A7000(Imagecredit:Sonos)2.SonosBeamGen2ThedinkySonosBeamdeliversarefinedsoundandexcellentDolbyAtmosinterpretationSpecificationsSoundformatsupport:DolbyAtmosDP/DolbyAtmosTrueHD/DolbyDigital/MultichannelPCM/DolbyMultichannelPCM/stereoPCMConnectivity:1xHDMIeARC,Wi-Fi,EthernetStreaming:AppleAirplay2,SpotifyConnect,SonosS2appVoicecontrol:WorkswithAmazonAlexaandGoogleAssistant.Dimensions(hwd):7x65x10cmWeight:2.8kgToday'sBestDeals£425(opensinnewtab)ViewatSevenoaks(opensinnewtab)£425(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)£425(opensinnewtab)ViewatPeterTyson(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(15found)Reasonstobuy+EffectivehandlingofDolbyAtmos+Warm,refinedsound+StreamingsmartsReasonstoavoid-NoadditionalHDMIports-NoBluetooth-Doesn’tsupportDTS:XDeliveringDolbyAtmosfromasmallchassisisnomeanfeatbutthe2021WhatHi-Fi?AwardwinningSonosBeamGen2achievesaconvincing,immersiveperformancewithoutsomuchasaverticalspeakerinsight.Instead,whenwatchingAtmoscontent,twoofthesoundbarsfivefront-facingarraysarededicatedtoreproducingoverheadandsurroundsounds.Withitsheftyprocessingpower,theSonosBeamGen2usespsychoacousticHRTF(head-relatedtransferfunction)technologytogivetheimpressionofheightwithoutneedingtogetvertical.Whilegenuineoverheadsoundsareperhapsastretchtoofarforthispetiteperformer,itsvirtualdeliveryoftheAtmosformatoutstripsanysimilarlypricedsoundbarandevenafewthataremoreexpensive.TheBeamGen2offersanenveloping,spatialsoundscapewithrich,detailedaudioaswellastangiblemotionanddepth.Notthatmany soundbars atthispricepointcomewithnetworkingcapabilities,butthisbeingaSonosproduct,theBeamGen2’sabilitytointegrateintoa wirelessmultiroomsystem isfundamentaltoitsdesign.ThismeansyoucanstreamtotheBeamGen2fromahandhelddeviceusing AppleAirPlay2,andSpotifyConnectisbuilt-intoo.Therewillalsobeaforthcomingupgradetoaddsupportfor AmazonMusicUltraHD audio,whichwillgiveaccesstolossless24-bit/48kHztracksaswellasDolbyAtmosMusic.Despitethelackofupwarddrivers,ifspaceandbudgetarelimitedthereisn'tabetterDolbyAtmossoundbarthatwe'drecommend.Readthefullreview:SonosBeamGen2(Imagecredit:Sonos)3.SonosArcEasilyoneofthebestsoundbarswe'veheardatthemoney.SpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyDigital5.1,DolbyAtmos,DolbyTrueHD,DolbyDigitalPlusConnectivity:1xHDMIeARC,1xopticaldigital,Wi-Fi,EthernetStreaming:AppleAirplay2,SpotifyConnect,SonosS2appVoicecontrol:AmazonAlexa,Google,AssistantDimensions:8.7x114x12cm(HxWxD)Today'sBestDeals£799(opensinnewtab)ViewatSevenoaks(opensinnewtab)£799(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)£799(opensinnewtab)ViewatJohnLewis(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(19found)Reasonstobuy+ConvincingDolbyAtmos+Dynamic,detailedandweighty+AlloftheusualSonossmartsReasonstoavoid-Musiccouldbebetterprojected-HeavilyreliantonyourTV’sspecs-NoBluetoothorDTS:XsupportSoundbarsaren'tnewterritoryforSonos,butthe2021WhatHi-Fi?Award-winningArcistheonlysoundbarfromthebrandtodeliverDolbyAtmoswithverticlespeakers.ItsitsabovetheBeam(Gen2)intermsofpricingandissuitedto55inTVsandabove,withoptionalwallmountingfixingsavailablefor£79($79/AU$99).Therearetouch-sensitiveplay/pauseandvolumecontrolsonthebarwithLEDsthatindicatestatusandwhenyou'retalkingtothebuilt-inGoogleAssistantorAmazonAlexa.ConnectivityincludesAirPlay2,ethernetandeARCforDolbyAtmosfromcompatibleTVs.TheSonosArcuses11driverstocreateyoursoundfield,severalofwhichareupfiringandangledintoyourroomtobouncesoundoffyourwallsandceiling.ItalladdsuptooneofthemostconvincingAtmosperformancesyoucangetfromasoundbar.You'retransportedtotheheartoftheaction.Surroundeffectsareexpertlyplaced,andthere'sgreatdynamismandgoodweighttothesoundtoo.Tonally,it'snicelybalancedifyoujustwanttolistentomusic,althoughitcouldsoundatinybitmoredirect.But,there'snodoubtthisisahugelyimpressivesoundbarforthemoney.ReadthefullSonosArcreview(Imagecredit:Sony)4.SonyHT-A9speakersystemTheHT-A9redefinesaccessiblehomecinemasoundwithaninnovative,immersiveandflexiblesoundSpecificationsAudioformats:DolbyDigital,DolbyDigitalPlus,DolbyTrueHD,DolbyAtmos,DolbyDualmono,DTS,DTSHDHigh-ResolutionAudio,DTSHDMasterAudio,DTSES,DTS96/24,DTS:X,LPCMConnectivity:1xeARC,1xHDMIinputVideopass-through:4K@60fps;DolbyVision,HLG,HDRStreaming:Chromecast,AppleAirPlay2,Bluetooth5VoiceControl:WorkswithGoogleAssistantandAmazonAlexaDimensions(hwd):Speakers:31x16x14.8cm;controlhub:5x15x15cmSpeakerweight:0.45kgToday'sBestDeals£1,799(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)CheckAmazon(opensinnewtab)Reasonstobuy+Notfussyaboutpositioning+Entertaining,detailed,cinematic+StrongfeaturesetReasonstoavoid-Theadditionalsubispricey-Slightlybrightwithstereomusic-AppearanceisabitblandOk,soit’snotasoundbar,butwethinkthatanyonecontemplatingasoundbarshouldalsoconsiderthis.Sony’sHT-A9offersthesamecompact,plugandplayconvenienceandstreamingfeaturesofatop-qualitysoundbarbuthastheintegrationandimmersivesoundofatraditionalsurroundpackage.Consistingoffouridentical-lookinggreywirelessspeakersandahubthatconnectstoyourTV,theSonyHT-A9isaflexible,completeDolbyAtmoscinemainonebox. Eachofthefourspeakerscontainsa19mmfront-facingtweeterandfullrangeX-balanceddriver,aswellasanupward-firingX-balanceddriverthatbouncessoundofftheceiling. Sonystressesthatthespeakersdon’tneedtobeplacedatthesameheightorinaregulatedformationandencouragesuserstopositionthespeakersarbitrarily,promisinganeven,uniformandimmersivesoundfieldregardlessofthesymmetryofyourset-up. Intermsofsupportedaudiocodecs,theA9iswellspecced,withDolbyAtmos(intheDigital+andTrueHDformats), DTS:X,LPCM,hi-reswirelessaudioand Sony360RealityAudio.Thelatterisaspatialtechnologyintendedtosurroundthelistener,withcompatiblecontentavailablefrom Tidal, AmazonMusicHD,Nugsand Deezer.Whenwatchingorlisteningtomorestandardstereofare,the‘ImmersiveAE’settingontheremotecanbeengagedtoup-mixcontenttocreatea3Dversionthatusestheheightspeakersandtherears.TheHT-A9’sAtmosperformanceisbetterthananysoundbarwe’vetested.Havingfourequallysized,capableandwide-rangingspeakersmeansthatsoundsfromoff-screenareaswellconveyedasthosefromthefront.Andthere’sarefinedprecisionandtexture,and,whilenotinfallible,itisincrediblyforgivingwithplacement. Thisisanaccessibleandgenerousset-upforpeoplewhowanttoaddentertainingaudiototheirlivingroomwithoutbeingpreciousandwouldwellsuitthosewithlargefamiliesorwholiveinawkwardspaces.Readthefullreview:SonyHT-A9(Imagecredit:Bluesound)5.BluesoundPulseSoundbar+TheSoundbar+deftlyhandlesvirtualDolbyAtmoswithprecisionanddirectnessSpecificationsAudioformats:FLAC,MQA,WAV,AIFF,DolbyAtmos;DolbyDigitalConnections:HDMIeARC,optical,analogue3.5mmVideopass-through:N/AStreaming:StreamingAirPlay2,SpotifyConnect,TidalConnect,RoonReady,BluOSBluetooth:TwowaywithsupportforaptXHDVoiceControl:AmazonAlexaSkills;ActionsonGoogleDimensions(hwd):14x107x7cmWeight:6.5kgToday'sBestDeals£899(opensinnewtab)ViewatSevenoaks(opensinnewtab)£899(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)£899(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)6Amazoncustomerreviews(opensinnewtab)☆☆☆☆☆Reasonstobuy+SatisfyingDolbyAtmosdelivery+Directandsolidpresentation+Detailed,opensoundReasonstoavoid-Musiclacksdriveanddrama-No'native'soundmode-Noauto-detectofHDMIinputFirstthingsfirst:at14cmhigh,theBluesoundPulseSoundbar+isafairbittallerthanyouraveragesoundbarand,whenplacedonthesamesurfaceasaTV,willalmostcertainlyblockpartofthescreen.Althoughitcomeswithdetachablekickstandlegs,BluesoundreallyintendsfortheSoundbar+tobewall-mounted.There’sabracketincludedintheboxforthispurposeand,tokeeptheinstallationtidy,thesoundbarcanbeorientatedwiththecablecoveateitherthebottomorthetop,withaninternalaccelerometerautomaticallysensingwhichwayupthebaris.Butwiththeaddedheight,thePulseSoundbar+canaccommodateforward-facingdriverslargerindiameterthanthoseinmostcompetingmodels.SodespiteonlyofferingvirtualDolbyAtmos,theresultingperformanceisimpressivelydetailed,solidandsatisfying. ThePulseSoundbar+includesinputsfor HDMIeARC,optical,3.5mmanalogueandUSBA,aswellasanethernetportandRCAoutputforanexternal sub.There’ssupportfor hi-resaudiofileformatsandstreamingonboardcourtesyofAppleAirPlay,two-way aptXHDBluetooth(forheadphonelistening) andthe BluOSwirelesssystem thatintegrateswithservicesincluding Tidal and Spotify. Ifyouwantamoreenvelopingsurroundset-up,itcanalsoconnectwirelessly,viaadedicatedwi-fimodule,toapairof PulseFlex2i speakersforsurroundsoundand/oraPulseSub+forextrabass,availableforpurchaseseparately.Availableinblackorwhite(thoughthelatterismoreexpensive),theBluesoundPulseSoundbar+isadesign-friendlychoicewithexcellentmultiroomintegrationwiththeBluesoundecosystem.ReadthefullBluesoundPulseSoundbar+review(Imagecredit:Bowers&Wilkins)6.Bowers&WilkinsPanorama3Acompetent,detailedandweightysoundbarSpecificationsAudioFormats:DolbyAtmos,DolbyDigitalTrueHD,DolbyDigital+,LPCMConnectivity:HDMIeARC,DigitalAudioIn(Toslink)Streaming:AirPlay2,SpotifyConnect,Bowers&WilkinsMusicApp,Bluetooth5(aptXadaptive)Voicecontrol:AmazonAlexaenabledDimensions:(hwd)6.5x121x14cmWeight:6.5kgToday'sBestDeals£899(opensinnewtab)ViewatSevenoaks(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£899(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)£899(opensinnewtab)ViewatElectricshop(opensinnewtab)Reasonstobuy+Sleeklowprofiledesign+Weightybottomend+Self-containedReasonstoavoid-Voiceslackclarity-Notaparticularlyexpansivesoundstage-TonallyinconsistentBowers&Wilkins'sfirstDolbyAtmossoundbarisdesignedasastand-alonesystemthatdelivers3.1.2channelsofaudiofromasingleunit,withnooptionalupgradesforsurroundsandsub.Instead,ithasdedicatedsubwooferdriversonthetopfacealongsideitsverticleheightdrivers. Withanultra-lowlowprofilebuildthePanorama3standsatonly6.5cmtall,meaningitshouldsneakundermostTVs,butifyoupreferwallmountingthenabracketisincludedinthebox.Connectivityisviaasingle HDMIeARC portanopticaldigitalinputforolderTVs.Ifyouusethelatter,Bowers&Wilkinshasincludedtechnologyforthesoundbarto‘learn’keyTVremotecontrolcommandssothatalluserscanenjoythesameunifiedexperienceasthosewitheARCconnections.ThePanorama3doesn’thaveitsowndedicatedremote,relyingonappcontrol,whilethere’salso AmazonAlexa onboardforhands-freevoicecommands.Streamingiswellcateredforwith AirPlay2, aptXAdaptiveBluetooth and SpotifyConnect,whilehigh-resolutionlisteningissupportedviatheBowers&WilkinsMusicApp,whichgiveslistenersaccesstostreamingservicesincludingTidal,DeezerandQobuz,withthenumberofsupportedplatformssettoexpandlaterthisyear.Despiteaudioformatsupportincluding DolbyAtmos inbothitsDolbyTrueHDandDolbyDigitalPlusversions,thisdoesn't(atlaunch)extendtorivalimmersivecodecDTS:X.However,Bowers&WilkinsstressthatthePanorama3hasbeendesignedtobeupgradedovertime,suggestingthat DTS:X supportmayonedaybeadded.Additionally,multi-roomcapabilityisplannedforintroductionshortlyafterlaunchtomakeitcompatiblewithotherPanoramasoundbars,ZeppelinsandFormationproducts,thoughnotaspartofamultichannelsystem.Sonicallyithasadynamicanddetailed,ifnotparticularlyexpansive,DolbyAtmospresentationanditsbuilt-inlow-end,unusualatthispricepoint,addswelcomeweighttolivelyactionfilmsandscores.Itcanstruggletomaintaincoherenceandclaritywhenthingsgetbusy,andmusically,likemostsoundbars,itputsinonlyadecentperformance.ReadthefullBowers&WilkinsPanorama3review7.JBLBarStudioAnoldermodelbutoneofthebestsoundbarsyoucanbuyonabudget.SpecificationsSoundformat:DolbyDigital,DolbyDigitalPlus,JBLVirtualSurroundSoundStreaming:Bluetoothv4.2Maxpower:30WConnectivity:1xHDMIARCDimensions:6x61x9cm(HxWxD)Today'sBestDeals(opensinnewtab)£220(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)1Amazoncustomerreview(opensinnewtab)☆☆☆☆☆Reasonstobuy+Solidandpunchysound+Plentyofbass+GoodrangeoffeaturesReasonstoavoid-Hardnessathighervolumes-Notgreatwithmusic-NoeARCTherearesomefinesoundbarstobehadforlittlemoney,andthisJBLprovesthat.Thesoundissolidandpunchy;connectivityincludesasingleARC-enableHDMIoutput,anopticaldigitalinputandBluetooth.Buildqualityisgood,too–it'sclearthatJBLhascraftedthismodeltoitsusualhighstandardsofaestheticmodernity.Givenitspetitesize(it's60cmlongand6cmtall),thescaleoftheJBL'ssoundisalittlerestricted,butitstilldeliversaconfidentsoundwithplentyofdetail,cleardialogueandpunchy,richbassatthebottomend.YoualsogetJBLSurroundSound,anin-housetechnologydesignedtoreplicatethewrap-aroundsoundofa5.1system– furtherproofthissoundbarisaimingtoovercomethelimitationsimposedonitbyitssize.Itmightnotbeamarketleader,butthisisasuperbbuyforanimpressiveall-rounderforthemoney.Ifyou'reafterafull-bodiedupgradetoyourtelly’sanaemicspeakers,youcan’tgowronghere.ReadthefullJBLBarStudioreview(Imagecredit:Future)8.SennheiserAmbeoSoundbarYou'llneedplentyofspace,butthisisthebestsoundbarforthosewithdeeppockets.SpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyAtmos&DTS:XsurroundsoundConnectivity:4xHDMI,opticaldigital,RCAlineinStreaming:Bluetooth,Airplay2,SpotifyConnect,TidalConnectDimensions:14x127x17cm(HxWxD)Today'sBestDeals£1,999(opensinnewtab)ViewatSevenoaks(opensinnewtab)£1,999(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)LowStock£2,199(opensinnewtab)ViewatAudioVisualOnline(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(9found)Reasonstobuy+Rich,balancedsound+Excellentdynamics+ImpressivesurroundeffectReasonstoavoid-Large-Fussyaboutpositioning-HugleyexpensiveTheAmbeoSoundbarisSennheiser'sfirstconsumerspeaker,andit'squitetheproposition–apremiumsoundbarcrammedfulloffeaturesincludingDolbyAtmosandDTS:Xsupport,4KHDRpass-through(allofwhichareusefulifNetflixand/orAmazonareyourmainmovieandTVshowsource).Youalsogetauto-calibrationandfourHDMIinputs,plusBluetoothandsupportforChromecast. Measuring127cmwideand14cmtall,it’scertainlyabeast. TheresultisthattheSennheiserdeliversasoundbigenoughnottoneeditsownsubwoofer,withclear,directdialogueanddetailandsubtletyinspades.Thewayitstretchesthesoundaroundyoucreatesagreatatmosphereandreallydrawsyouintotheaction. TogetthefullDolbyAtmoseffect,you'llneedtowallmountorpositionthesoundbaronthetopshelfofyourracksotheupward-firingspeakersaren'tobstructed.It'swellworththeeffort,though. Forthosewhowantconvincing3Dsoundwithoutthespeakers,thisisthebestsoundbarwithapremiumpricetagthatwe'veevertested,whichiswhyitretaineditstitleonceagainatthe2021WhatHi-FiAwards.ReadthefullSennheiserAmbeoSoundbarreview(Imagecredit:Dali)9.DaliKatchOneAtidysoundbarthat'sgreatformoviesandmusic-youjustneedtowallmountit.SpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyDigital5.1Connectivity:HDMI(ARC),opticalx2,3.5mmStreaming:Bluetooth(aptX)Dimensions:16.4x86x7cm(HxWxD)Today'sBestDeals(opensinnewtab)£549(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)£549(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)LowStock£549(opensinnewtab)ViewatAudioVisualOnline(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(20found)Reasonstobuy+Wholesome,tightbass+Strongdynamics+GoodspreadofsoundReasonstoavoid-Reallyneedswall-mounting-Nofront-facingdisplay-HighscouldsoundsweeterThere'splentytotalkaboutwiththeDaliKatchOne,asoundbarthatoffersfivedifferentaudioinputs,threewaystomountitandtendriversallworkingtogethertodeliveranimmersivesoundexperience.Itisquitetall,soyoureallyhavetomountitonawall,butthatwillonlyaidbassperformancefromtherear-firingdrivers.TheKatchOneisalsoagoodlookingbarandcomesinthreedifferentfinishes:IronBlack,IvoryWhiteandMountainWhite.There'sanARC-enabledHDMIsocketforgettingtheaudiofromyourTV,plusapairofopticalinputsforconnectingtoolderTVsandBluetoothforeasymusicstreamingfromahandhelddevice. The Danishcompanyhascrammedinfourmid/bassdrivers,fourpassiveradiatorsandtwotweetersinsidethesoundbar,anditservesagreatdynamicperformancewithabroad,clearsoundstagethatworkswellformovies.Italsoboaststheabilitytosoundfunwithmusictoo. Providedyouhavespacetowallmountit,thisbarwillbeanentertainingadditiontoanyTVset-up.ReadthefullDaliKatchOnereview(Imagecredit:JBL)10.JBLBar5.0MultiBeamThiscompactsoundbarwon’tblowaholeinyourbudget.SpecificationsSoundformats:MultiBeam,DolbyVirtualAtmosConnectivity:HDMIin,HDMIout(HDCP2.3compliant,eARC&4KHDRpassthrough),Ethernet,OpticalStreaming:Bluetooth,AppleAirPlay,GoogleChromecastDimensions:5.8x71x10cm(HxWxD)Today'sBestDeals(opensinnewtab)£219(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)£299(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)£349.99(opensinnewtab)ViewatCurrys(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(4found)Reasonstobuy+Big,full-bodiedpresentation+DolbyVirtualAtmos+Multi-roomoptionsReasonstoavoid-Couldbemoredetailed-Dynamicexpressionpoor-SlovenlysenseoftimingJBL'ssoundbaristheclosestyoucangettothebig-screensoundexperiencewithoutcrowdingyourloungewithseparates.The5.0MultiBeamisaffordablewithoutfeelingcheap,whichisquiteanachievement.It'ssmallenoughtofitunderalmostanyTVyetfeelssolidandwellbuilt.Anditpacksalotintoitsmodestdimensions:therearefive48x80mmracetrackdriverscomplementedbyfour75mmpassiveradiatorsandagrillethatrunsfromeartoearwithtwomoredriversonthehoodtodeliverheighteffects.ItusesDolbyVirtualAtmosratherthanthefull-fledgedrealdealbutstillmanagestofillaroomwithsound.Thesoundqualityisoutstanding,withnoroughedgesatall,evenwhenyouturnitrightthewayup.Wecouldaskforalittlemoreclarityanddetail,especiallyintheconsiderablebassfrequenciesandamoreopentrebleresponse,butthisisafull-bodiedpresentationthat’sunlikelytofatigueyou,evenwhenlisteningathighvolume.Ifyouhavealargeroomtofillbutonlyenoughspaceforasoundbarinsteadofseparates,thiscouldbetheidealsolution.ReadthefullJBLBar5.0MultiBeamreview(Imagecredit:Bose)11.BoseSmartSoundbar900Animpressivelywide-sounding,articulateandcrispDolbyAtmossoundbarSpecificationsConnectivity:HDMIeARC,opticalAudioformats:DolbyAtmos,DolbyDigital,DolbyTrueHD,DolbyDigitalPlusStreaming:Chromecast,Bleutooth4.2,Airplay2Dimensions(hwd):5.8x105x11cmWeight:5.8kgToday'sBestDeals(opensinnewtab)£863.04(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)£899(opensinnewtab)ViewatJohnLewis(opensinnewtab)£899(opensinnewtab)ViewatCurrys(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(13found)Reasonstobuy+Expansivebreadth+Sleekdesign+ClearvocalprojectionReasonstoavoid-NoDTSsupport-Noticeablyprocessedsound-NotasAtmos-yasthebestBose'saestheticsensibilitiesmeanthattheSmartSoundbar900hasamoremodernandrefinedappearancethanmostofitscompetition,withawraparoundmetalgrilleandpolished,impact-resistanttemperedglasstop. Underneaththebodywork,Bose'sfirstDolbyAtmossoundbarsportshasninechannelsofamplification.Aswellasthepairofheightdrivers,there'sonecentretweeterflankedbyfourracetracktransducers.Despitetheappearanceofitscompletelywrap-aroundgrille,therearenoside-firingdrivers.Instead,twofurthertransducersarepositionedatthefarleftandrightthatuseBose'sPhaseGuidetechnology,whichgivestheimpressionofplacingcertainsoundsateithersideofthelisteningposition.Asyou'dexpectfromBose,thereareplentyofconnectivityoptionsandfeaturesonboardwitha single HDMIeARC port,anopticalin,ethernetandaUSBsocket.Forstreaming,there'swi-fi,Bluetooth4.2, SpotifyConnect and AirPlay2.Moreover,fromJanuary2022,therewillalsobe Chromecast onboardbywayofaretroactivefirmwareupdate.There'salsosupportforbothAmazon’sAlexaandGoogleassistants.TheonboardAlexaletsusersmakeandreceiveintercomcallstoother Bosesmartproducts and AmazonEcho devicesormakehands-freecallstoanyonefromwithinyourcontactslist. TheBoseSmartSoundbar900isanentertaining,feature-packed,sophisticated-lookingDolbyAtmossoundbar.Withanimpressivelywidesoundfield,clearforwardprojectionandbrightcharacter,manylistenerswilllikelybeverypleasedwithitsresponsiveandcinematicperformance.However,itcanbeinconsistentinitseffectivenessandoccasionallyaddsitsownorganisationalstructureandtonalcolourtocontent,particularlynoticeablewhenlisteningtomusic.Whileitdoesn'thavetheheight,transparency,musicality,anddynamics ofthesimilarlypricedSonosArc,forthosealreadyinvestedintheBoseecosystem,theSmartSoundbar900wouldbeasmartchoice.ReadthefullBoseSmartSoundbar900review(Imagecredit:Future)12.SamsungHW-Q800AThisDolbyAtmossoundbarpacksapunchSpecificationsConnections:eARC,HDMI,opticalStreaming:Bluetooth,SpotifyConnect,AirPlay2Soundformats:DolbyDigitalPlus,DolbyAtmos,DTS:X,LPCM8Ch,Bluetooth4.2,AirPlay2Dimensions:(hwd)6x98x11.5cm(bar);40x21x40cm(sub)Today'sBestDeals(opensinnewtab)£500(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)£549(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)£599(opensinnewtab)ViewatPRCDirect(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(4found)Reasonstobuy+Spaciouspresentation+Weighty,articulateseparatesub+GoodrangeoffeaturesReasonstoavoid-Couldbemoreinsightful-HeightchannellacksprecisionIfyoureallyvaluethelowendofthesonicspectrum,thenasoundbarwithaseparatesubisamust.However,veryfewsoundbarsubsperformaswellasSamsung'sQ800Awithamuscular,room-fillingsoundandagut-bustingbass,allcontainedwithinarelativelysmallpackage.Sowhat'shiddenunderthegrille?Acrossthefrontedgeofthemainsoundbararethreeforward-facingchannels,andonthetoparetwoupward-facingtweetersthatprovideheightchannelsfor DolbyAtmos and DTS:X formats,whilethemodestlysizedsubhasaside-firing20cmdriverandrearport,foracapable3.2.1channelswithanarticulate,cinematicsound.Andifyouhappentoowna2021SamsungTV,youcanenhancetheQ800A'ssonicperformancefurtherusinganewfeaturecalled‘Q-Symphony’ thatallowstheTV'sinternalspeakerstoworkinconjunctionwiththesoundbartoaddmoreheightandspacetothesoundfield.NotonlydoestheQ800Aofferpowerfuloverallperformance,butitalsohasabroadfeatureset.AlongsidetwoHDMIports(oneequippedwith eARC)andanopticalinput,there’sBluetoothand,onceconnectedtowi-fi,youcanstreamvia SpotifyConnect and AirPlay2,allofwhichcanbecontrolledbythebuilt-inAmazonAlexavoiceassistant.TheQ800AispricedtocompetedirectlywiththeSonosArc,andwhilethelatteriscrisperandmoreprecise,especiallywhenhandlingheightelements,theSamsungoffersapresentandcompellinglistenaswellasanepicsenseofscaleandbassthatasolosoundbarcouldn’thopetomatch.Readthefullreview:SamsungHW-Q800A13.DaliKubikOneAmassivesoundbarsuccessinagorgeouspackage.SpecificationsConnectivity:2opticalinputs,1xRCA,subwooferoutHi-resaudio:24bit/96kHzStreaming:aptXBluetoothDimensions:16x98x10cm(HxWxD)Today'sBestDeals(opensinnewtab)LowStock£699(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)21Amazoncustomerreviews(opensinnewtab)☆☆☆☆☆Reasonstobuy+Involving,engagingsound+Goodconnectivity+GoodlooksReasonstoavoid-NothingofnoteThesoundfromthisexcellentsoundbarishugelyengaging,anditlooksverydappertoboot.Thebardeliversawide,spacioussoundstageandpingseffectsaroundtheroomwithease,givingthemampleroomtomanoeuvre.Eventhemorehecticscenesdon’tsoundcrowded.Addsomeheftylow-endhefttothickenthesound,andyouhaveapunchysoundbarthatwipesthefloorwithmanyofitsrivals.Notsureaboutaredsoundbar?Don'tworry;thegrillesareremovable.Red,whiteandblackcomeasstandard,butyoucansplashoutonsixothersnazzycolours,includingpurpleandlimegreen. Asyou'dexpectforthemoney,thisisasolidbitofkitwithawell-designedchassisanddecentconnectivity.Forhigh-qualitymusicstreaming,there'saptXBluetooth,plustwoopticalinputs,microUSB(soyoucanhardwireittoaMacorPCandaccesshigh-restracks)andasubsocket,shouldyoufeeltheneedtohookupasubwoofer. TherearenoHDMIinputs,andat16cmhigh,theDalimightwelljustifyitsownshelf,butthisbarpresentsitselfextremelywell–and,inouropinion,iswortheverypenny.ReadthefullDaliKubikOnereview(Imagecredit:Roku)14.RokuStreambarThisstreamer-cum-soundbarrepresentsverygoodvalue.SpecificationsConnectivity:HDMI2.0a(ARC),optical,USB2.0Remotecontrol:YesWireless:Bluetooth5.0Dimensions(HWD):6x35.5x10.7cmWeight:1.1kgToday'sBestDeals(opensinnewtab)£99.99(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)£99.99(opensinnewtab)ViewatCurrys(opensinnewtab)£99.99(opensinnewtab)Viewatargos.co.uk(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(7found)Reasonstobuy+Direct,well-projectedsound+Greatfeaturelist+CangoloudReasonstoavoid-Doesn'tsoundcinematicThinkoftheRokuStreambarasanupgradeonyourTVratherthananentryintoproperhomecinema,anditticksprettymucheverybox.Whileitdoesn’tquiteascendtofive-starstatus,iteasilynailstheaspectsforwhichitismostcommonlyrequired:projectionandclarity.TheStreambarwillworkwithanytelevisionwithanHDMIinput,outputting4KHDRatupto60fpsforcompatiblesets.Everyoneelsewillget1080pFullHD,withlowerresolutionsignalsupscaled.Thebundledremoteissplendid,andforanout-of-the-boxboosttoTVaudioandoldersets’smartfeatures,theRokuStreambarisextremelylowriskforthisprice.Inthatsense,it’ssomethingwecanwholeheartedlyrecommend.ReadthefullRokuStreambarreview(Imagecredit:Future)15.SonyHT-G700Agoodentry-levelsoundbarwithplentyofbassandDolbyAtmossupport.SpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyAtmos,DTS:XConnectivity:1xHDMI(eARC),1xHDMIinputStreaming:BluetoothDimensions(HxWxD):6x98x11cm(bar);39x19x40cm(subwoofer)Today'sBestDeals£299(opensinnewtab)ViewatJohnLewis(opensinnewtab)£349(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)£399(opensinnewtab)ViewatSevenoaks(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(19found)Reasonstobuy+Big,weightysound+ImpressiveAtmoseffect+SolidandstylishReasonstoavoid-Lackofcrispnessandclarity-NostreamingfunctionalityIfyou'reonatightbudget,theSonyHT-G700couldbethesoundbarforyou.It'snotthesmallest,butit'sbigonsound,valueandcomeswithawirelesssubwoofer,HDMIinputandsupportforbothDolbyAtmosandDTS:X. Sony’sVerticalSurroundEngineandS-ForceProFrontSurroundtechnologiescombinetoproduceaconvincingDolbyAtmossoundscapewhileachunkysubwooferaddsplentyofhefttobigexplosions.Sonos'sArcdeliversanevenmoreconvincingAtomsexperience,butitismoreexpensive.Theonlythingsinthe'againstcolumn'areaslightlackofclarityandcrispnessandtheabsenceofanyrealmusicstreamingfeatures.  So,ifyou'reafteradedicatedbitofhomecinemakitonabudget,thepowerful-soundingHT-700servesupaseriouslycinematicperformanceataniceprice.Readthefullreview:SonyHT-G700 (Imagecredit:LG)16.LGSP8YAAmid-rangeDolbyAtmossoundbarthatproveslessismoreSpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyAtmos,DolbyAudioTM,DTS:X,DTS-HD,PCMConnectivity:eARC,1xHDMI,optical,USB,Wi-Fi,Bluetooth5.0,AirPlay2,ChromecastStreaming:Bluetooth,Chromecast,AppleAirplay2Dimensions:hwd:5.7x106x12cm(bar);39x22x31cm(sub)Today'sBestDeals£699(opensinnewtab)ViewatHughes(opensinnewtab)CheckAmazon(opensinnewtab)Reasonstobuy+Extensivefeatureset+Room-fillingsoundscape+Easilyexpandedwithsurrounds Reasonstoavoid-Sublacksdefinitionandimpact-Missingsomeheightprecision Upuntilrecently,LG'ssoundbarshaveproventobeabitofamixedbag,butthecompanyhasredeemeditselfwithits2021line-upandtheSP8YAisnoexception.ThisDolbyAtmossoundbarwithawirelesssubisbangsmackinthemiddleoftherangeintermsofpriceandsizebutretainstheconnectivityfeaturesofthehigher-endmodels.There's eARC,plusanotherHDMI2.1inputwith 4KDolbyVision and HDR10 pass-throughaswellasanopticalinputandaUSBport.Streamingiswellcateredfortoo.AlongsideBluetoothandwi-fi,there’s Chromecast and AppleAirplay2,andifyouhaveaccesstohi-rescontent,you’llbepleasedtoknowthesoundbarcanhandleaudioofupto24-bit/192kHzquality.Sonicallythis3.1.2packagealsopunchesaboveitsweightwithabroad,vibrantsoundstagethatcaneasilymatchthecinematicscaleoflargerscreens.Itcanalsobeeasilyupgradedto5.1.2bytheadditionofthe SPK8 2.0surroundkitforaround£130($180,AU$249).Therearebetterperformersintermsofheightavailable,liketheSonosArc,andthelowendisalittlelooseandundefinedbutforthoselookingforareasonablypricedDolbyAtmossoundbarwithahightechspecandadetailed,room-fillingsound,theSP8YAisworthconsidering.Readthefullreview:LGSP8YA(Imagecredit:Samsung)17.SamsungHW-Q950ASamsung’sHW-Q950AsoundbarfiresonallcylindersatalltimesSpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyDigitalPlus,DolbyTrueHD,DolbyAtmos,DTS:XConnections:eARC,2xHDMI,opticalVideopassthrough:4K@60fpsHDR10+andDolbyVisionStreaming:Bluetooth,SpotifyConnect,AirPlay2Voicecontrol:AmazonAlexabuilt-inDimensions(hwd):7x123x14cm(bar);40x21x40cm(sub);20x13x14cm(surround)Today'sBestDeals(opensinnewtab)£899(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)£999(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)£999(opensinnewtab)ViewatHughes(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(9found)Reasonstobuy+Extremelypresentcentrechannel+Room-fillingsound+ExcellentfeaturesetReasonstoavoid-Rearscanbedistracting-Subwoofernotwellintegrated-NotthemostnuancedordynamicWithagenerous22driversdelivering11.1.4surroundsound,theHW-Q950Aoffersthegreatestnumberofchannelsofanysoundbaronthemarketrightnow,aswellas3DaudioformatsupportfrombothDolbyAtmosandDTS:X.TheQ950AhastwoHDMIinputsandoneoutput(withsupportforeARC),anoptical-inandthepowersocketwhilethesoundbar’smicrophoneallowsforcommandstothebuilt-inAmazonAlexavoiceassistantandcanalsobeusedtomonitorbackgroundlevels,astheQ950Ahasaniftyfeaturetoboostthecentrechannelformoretransparentdialogueifambientnoiseincreases-thoughwedoubtyou’llfeeltheneedtouseit.  At130cmlong,themainunitoftheHW-Q950Aisn’ttiny,butit’sneverthelessshorterthanmanyotherflagshipDolbyAtmosmodelsavailableatthemoment.Insidetheleft,centreandrightchannelsalongsideapaireachofupward-firing,surroundandwidesurrounddrivers.Theseparatesubhousesasingle8-inchspeakerwhilethewirelesssurroundunitseachcontainthreedrivers-onefacingtowardsthefrontoftheroom,oneupwardsandthelastonetowardsthelisteningposition. Andifyouhappentoowna2021SamsungTV,youcanfurtherenhancethedrivercountbyusingaSamsungfeaturecalled‘Q-Symphony’ thatallowstheTV'sinternalspeakerstoworkinconjunctionwiththesoundbarpackagetoaddmoreheightandspacetothesoundfield.Withplentyofsonicvigour,featuresandspeakers,theQ950Aoffersapotentlisteningexperience.Whileit’snotthemostnuancedorspaciousperformer,thoselookingtosplashoutonaDolbyAtmossoundbarthatcandeliverbig,punchyaudioandsupremelyclearvocalswilllikelynotbedisappointedbytheQ950A.ReadthefullreviewSamsungHW-Q950Areview(Imagecredit:Future)18.SonyHT-SF150Abudgetsoundbarthat'sastepupfromyourTV’sspeakersSpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyDigital,DolbyDualmono,LPCM2chConnectivity:HDMI,optical,USB,ARCStreaming:Bluetoothversion4.2Dimensions:6.4x8.8x90cm(HxWxD)Today'sBestDeals£95(opensinnewtab)ViewatJohnLewis(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£95(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)£99(opensinnewtab)Viewatargos.co.uk(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(10found)Reasonstobuy+Looksandfeelspremium+Impressivescaleandwidth+InexpensiveReasonstoavoid-Slightlymuffledpresentation-CouldhavemorepunchIfyou'relookingforasimple,constructivestepupinsoundfromyourTV'sin-builtspeakers,Sony'sSF150offersasignificantsonicenhancementforlittleoutlay.Indeedthere'salmostnoothercompetitionworthconsideringforunder£100($100,AU$200).Despiteitslowpricepoint,theSF150isawell-builtspeakerandwouldn’tlookoutofplaceperchedbeneathaTVthatcostsseveraltimesitsprice.AlongsideHDMIARC,ithasanopticalinputsupporting DolbyDigital,DolbyDualmonoandLPCM2ch.There'salsoaUSBportandBluetooth4.2connectivityformusicplaybackfromanexternalsourcetoo.TheSF150alsofeaturesSony'sS-ForceFrontSurroundtechnology,whichappliesprocessingtogivetheacousticimpressionofamoreencompassingsoundstage.Whilethereisnoreplacementforsurroundsound, itaddsadramaticsenseofweightandseparation. SonicallytheSF150paintswithfairlybroadbrushstrokes,meaningdialoguecansometimesfeelatouchmuffled,andtransientslackimpact,butthatshouldcomeaslittlesurpriseatthisalmostridiculouslylowprice.Anyonewantingamusical,finelydetailedspeakershouldaimforamoresophisticatedmodel.Still,thisbudgetbarisidealforthoselookingforaquickandeasyimprovementtotheirTV.ReadthefullSonyHT-SF150review (Imagecredit:LG)19.LGSP11RAAnenjoyableandimmersivetop-endsoundbarpackageSpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyAtmos,DolbyAudioTM,DTS:X,DTS-HD,PCMConnectivity:eARC,2xHDMI,optical,USBStreaming:Wi-Fi,Bluetooth5.0,AirPlay2,ChromecastDimensions:6.3x144x14.6cm(bar);39x22x31cm(sub);21x13x19cm(rears)Today'sBestDeals£999(opensinnewtab)ViewatHughes(opensinnewtab)£999(opensinnewtab)ViewatBox(opensinnewtab)£999(opensinnewtab)ViewatLaptopsDirect(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(5found)Reasonstobuy+Detailedtopend+Large,well-spreadsoundscape +Comprehensivefeatureset Reasonstoavoid-Looksdon’tmatchthepricetag -Lacksalittlepunch-Subfeelsonedimensional Makenomistake;theSP11RAisabiginvestmentintermsofbothmoneyandspace.Themainunitclocksinatahefty144cmlong,andthepackageincludesaseparatesubandtwosurroundspeakers. However,you'dbehardpushedtobuildatruehomecinemasystemthatcouldmatchtheLG's7.1.4channelsofexcellentDolbyAtmosactionforpriceandconvenience.Underneathallthatblackbrushedmetal,themainbarhousesthreefront-facingchannels,two‘surround’channelsateitherendofthebarandonthetopsurfaceareapairofupward-firingheightspeakers.Thewirelesssubhousesan18cmdriverandrearport,whiletherearseachhaveafrontandupward-firingdriver.Wecanconfirmthatallthosedriversaren'tgoingtowaste;theSP11RAisabigimprovementfrompreviousLGmodels,whichupuntilrecentlyhaveproventobeabitofamixedbag.It’seasytolistento,creatinganeven,immersivelisteningexperienceand,whileyoumayhavetogiveupsomespacetohouseit,itsconnectivityspecisoneofthemostcomprehensivewe’veseen.Forstreaming,alongsideBluetoothandwi-fi,there’s Chromecast built-inand,ifyouhaveaccessto hi-res content,you’llbepleasedtoknowthesoundbarcanhandleaudioofupto24-bit/192kHzquality.Readthefullreview:LGSP11RA (Imagecredit:Future)20.MajoritySierraPlusDolbyAtmosSoundbarADolbyAtmossoundbarthatwon’tbreakthebankSpecificationsConnectivity:HDMIARC,optical,coaxial,3.5mmaux,USBAudioFormats:DolbyDigitalPlus,DolbyAtmos2-channel,MP3,FLAC,WAV,WMABluetooth:4.2Totalpower:108WClassDamplificationWeight:Soundbar2.7kg/Subwoofer7.9kgDimensions(hwd):Soundbar8.1x96x10.8cm/Subwoofer37x19x30.6cmReasonstobuy+Wellprojectedvocals+Broadsound+AdditionalHDMIportsReasonstoavoid-Subisill-defined-Frontdisplayisalwayson-CouldbemoredetailedMajoritymightnotbeaparticularlywell-knownname,buttheBritishbrandhasbeenproducingaffordableAVequipmentforadecadeandoffersathree-yearwarrantyonallofitsproducts,withfreeshippingtotheUKfromitswebsiteandworldwideviaitsAmazonstorefront.It'sflagshipsoundbaristheSierraPlus,handles2.1.2channelsofsoundwithDolbyAtmosdecodingforlessthanthepriceofmanystandardnon-Atmossoundbars.Whileitdoesn'thavewi-ficonnectivitythisbudgetbardoesfeatureBluetoothformusicstreamingandhard-wiredinputsfor HDMIARC,optical,mini-jackandUSB.HandilyitalsogivesuserstwoadditionalHDMI4KHDRpassthroughportstodirectlyconnectexternaldevicessuchasagamesconsoleor Blu-rayplayer,reducingthenumberofcablesyouneedtoruntoyourTV.AstheSierraPlushasARC,asopposedtoeARC,itcanonlydecodeDolbyAtmosinitslossyDolbyDigitalPlusformat.HowevernostreamingservicecurrentlyoffersDolbyAtmoscontentinlosslessTrueHD,sounlessyoualsoplantoconnecta4KBlu-rayplayerintoyourTVandthenpassthesoundouttothesoundbar,thisshouldbenogreatloss.It’snotthemostdetailedperformer,withavagueseparatesubandheighteffectsthatwon'tmakeyouduckandcover,butsonicallyitdeliversanengaging,enjoyablehomecinemasoundwithabroadsoundstageandcleardialogue.AneasyupgradetoyourTVsspeakers.Readthefullreview:MajoritySierraPlusHowwetestsoundbarsWehavestate-of-the-arttestingfacilitiesinLondon,ReadingandBath,whereourteamofexperienced,in-housereviewerstestthemajorityofhi-fiandAVkitthatpassesthroughourdoor.EachsoundbarwetestispairedwithanappropriatereferenceTVandisdirectlycomparedtothebestinitspriceandfeaturesclass–whetherthat'sthecurrentWhatHi-Fi? awardwinnerorafewofthelatestmodelswe'vebeenimpressedbyinrecentreviews.WhatHi-Fi? isallaboutcomparativetesting,andwekeepclass-leadingproductsinourstockroomssowecaneasilycomparenewproductstoonesweknowandlove.Wearealwaysimpartialanddoourbesttomakesurewe'rehearingeveryproductatitsverybest,sowe'lltryplentyofdifferentstylesoffilmsandTVshowsthatshowwhateachsoundbariscapableofwithbothadvancedandstandardaudioformats.We'llcheckallthefeaturesonboardincludingmusicplaybackwithavarietyofgenresandallowforplentyoflisteningtimeaswellasrunningtheminbeforewebeginreviewing.Allreviewverdictsareagreeduponbytheteamratherthananindividualreviewertoeliminateanypersonalpreferenceandtomakesurewe'rebeingasthoroughaspossible,too.There'snoinputfromPRcompaniesoroursalesteamwhenitcomestotheverdict,with WhatHi-Fi? proudofhavingdeliveredhonest,unbiasedreviewsfordecades.Today'sbestSonosArc,SonosBeamSoundbar(Gen2),SonyHT-A7000,SonyHT-A9,BluesoundPulseSoundbar,DaliKatchOne,LGSP8YA,SamsungHW-Q800A,JBLBarStudio,JBLBar5.1,DaliKubikOne,RokuStreambarandSennheiserAmbeo3DSoundbardeals(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£425(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£799(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£799(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)ShowMoreDealsWecheckover250millionproductseverydayforthebestpricesMORE:Lookingforabargain?HerearethebestbudgetsoundbarsBestDolbyAtmossoundbars2022:thebestAtmosTVspeakersCheckoutthelatestandcheapestSonosdeals2022 Roundupoftoday'sbestdeals(opensinnewtab)SonyHT-A7000(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£1,299(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(opensinnewtab)SonosBeam(Gen2)(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£425(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(opensinnewtab)SonosArc(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£799(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(opensinnewtab)SonyHT-A9(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£1,799(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(opensinnewtab)BluesoundPulseSoundbar(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£899(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(opensinnewtab)Bowers&WilkinsPanorama3(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£899(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(opensinnewtab)JBLBarStudio(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£220(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(opensinnewtab)SennheiserAmbeo3DSoundbar(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£1,999(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)SeeallpricesReducedPrice(opensinnewtab)DaliKatchOne(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£649(opensinnewtab)£549(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)SeeallpricesReducedPrice(opensinnewtab)JBLBar5.0MultiBeam(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£349.99(opensinnewtab)£219(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)SeeallpricesWecheckover250millionproductseverydayforthebestpricespoweredby AndyMadden (opensinnewtab) AndyisDeputyEditorofWhatHi-Fi?andaconsumerelectronicsjournalistwithnearly20yearsofexperiencewritingnews,reviewsandfeatures.Overtheyearshe'salsocontributedtoanumberofotheroutlets,includingTheSundayTimes,theBBC,Stuff,andBAHighLifeMagazine.Premiumwirelessearbudsarehispassionbuthe'salsokeenoncartechandin-caraudiosystemsandcanoftenbefoundcruisingthecountrysidetestingthelatestset-ups.InhissparetimeAndyisakeengolferandgamer. 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