Best Dolby Atmos soundbars 2022: the best Atmos TV speakers

A Dolby Atmos soundbar could quite literally take your TV's audio to another level without the hassle and cost of a full install. These ... 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)4SennheiserAmbeo3DSoundbarCheckPrice(opensinnewtab)5SonyHT-A9speakersys...View(opensinnewtab)6BluesoundPulseSoundb...View(opensinnewtab)7Bowers&WilkinsPanorama3CheckPrice(opensinnewtab)8SonyHT-G700CheckPrice(opensinnewtab)9BoseSmartSoundbar900CheckPrice(opensinnewtab)10LGSP8YACheckPrice(opensinnewtab)11SamsungQ950AView(opensinnewtab)12LGSP11RACheckPrice(opensinnewtab)13SamsungHW-Q800ACheckPrice(opensinnewtab)14MajoritySierraPlusD...View(opensinnewtab) BestDolbyAtmossoundbarsBuyingGuide:WelcometoWhatHi-Fi?'sguidetothebestDolbyAtmossoundbarsthatyoucanbuyin2022...Ifyoufancyheighteningyourhomecinemasoundforamoreimmersiveexperiencebutaren'tkeenondrillingholesinyourceilingorturningyourlivingroomintothespeakerversionofStonehenge,thenyou'llbegladtoknowthatwiththehelpofaDolbyAtmossoundbar,youcanenjoytrulyimmersivesoundwithyourfilmscreeningsfromthecomfortofyourhome-withoutanyofthehassle.ADolbyAtmossoundbarcouldquiteliterallytakeyourTV'saudiotoanotherlevelwithoutthehassleandcostofafullinstall.Thesestreamlinedspeakerscanrecreatetheenveloping,3Daudioexperienceyou'dgetatthecinema.MostpremiumAtmossoundbarsuseupward-firingdriverstodispersesoundverticallyandreflectitoffyourceiling–givingtheeffectofhavingoverheadspeakers.Theresultisthatobjectsonyourscreen,suchascirclinghelicoptersorpouringrain,canbeheardallaroundyou.HowtochoosethebestsoundbarforyouAslewofDolbyAtmossoundbarshavehitthemarketinthelastcoupleofyears,andthere'snowarangeofmodelstosuitmostbudgets.Themoreyouspend,themorefeaturesyoutendtogetandthemoredriverunitsthesoundbarstendtouse;hence,mostofourentriestendtobepricierthanordinarysoundbars.Inourexperience,spendingmorealsomeansyoushouldgetmoreconvincinghomecinemasound.Thatsaid,ifyouarelookingforamodelatthemoreaffordableendofthemarket,ourbestbudgetsoundbarspageisheretohelp.Ifyou'dlikemoreadvice,thenheadonovertoourdedicatedguideonhowtochooseandsetupasoundbar.Beforeyoubuy,therearesomethingstobearinmind.ConsiderthedimensionsofyourTVtoworkoutjusthowbigyournewsoundbarneedstobe.Also,checktheheight–ifyouneedtoplacethesoundbarinfrontofyourTV,youdon'twantitobscuringhalfthepicture,andifithasupward-firingdrivers,theyneedaclearlineofsighttoyourceilingtobeeffective.It'simportanttonotethatnotallDolbyAtmossoundbarshaveupward-firingdrivers.SomedecodetheformatandpresentitvirtuallyusingDSPprocessingtocreateanillusionofa3Dsoundstage.TheperformanceofvirtualAtmosmodelsvaries,andwhilegenuineheighteffectsarecertainlybeyondtheirscope,there'smoretoAtmosthanjusttheY-axis.Insomecases,ahigh-qualityvirtualDolbyAtmossoundbarcandelivermoreimmersiveandengagingsoundthanamediocremodelwithverticlespeakers.Wheneverasoundbardoeshaveheightdrivers,it'simportanttorememberthatyou'llgetbetterresultsifyouhavelowceilingstobouncethesoundoffandthatthetopofthesoundbarneedstobeuncoveredandplacedclearoftheTVscreen.Typicallysoundbarsareasinglelongspeakerwithseveraldriversinside,butsomecomewithexternalsubwoofersforextralow-endextensionandrearspeakersforsurroundsoundeffects.SomeAtmossoundbarsevenhaveupward-firingdriversonthesatellitespeakers.Iffloor-shakingbassandencompassingsoundarehighonyourprioritylist,thenthesearemodelsyou'llwanttoconsider.Movingontofeaturesandconnectivity,DolbyAtmossoundbarswillallboasteitherARCoreARC-enabledHDMIportsnecessarytohandlemultichannelaudioformatsandalsoallowingyoutocontrolthevolumeofyoursoundbarwithyourexistingremotecontrol.It'sworthconsideringifhavingaseparatephysicalremoteforthesoundbarisimportanttoyouorifyou'recomfortablewithcontrollingsettingsfromasmartphoneapp. MostDolbyAtmossoundbarshavesomeoptionsforwirelessmusicplaybackwithwifistreamingviaservicessuchasAirplay2,SpotifyConnectandChromecast,aswellasBluetoothconnectivity.Somealsohavemicrophoneswithvoiceassistantfunctionalityorcompatibility.Ifyouhaveexternaldevicessuchasgamesconsolesora4KBlu-rayplayer,keepaneyeoutforadditionalHDMIpassthroughportsthatcouldmakeyoursetupmoreflexible.Ifthehighest-quality3Dsoundisimportanttoyou,you'llwanttomakesurebothyourTVandpotentialsoundbarsupportDolbyTrueHDandeARC.SomeDolbyAtmosSoundbarswillonlyhaveARC,andwhilethatcanhandleDolbyAtmos,itcanonlydosoinitslossyDolbyDigitalPlusform.Incontrast,DolbyTrueHDcandeliverfull-fatDolbyAtmosinallitslosslessglory. Youdon'thavetolookfartofindDolbyAtmoscontent.Besides4KBlu-raydiscs,AmazonPrimeVideo,AppleTV,NetflixandDisney+offerplentyofAtmosmoviesandTVshows.Readytoboostyourbinge-watchingwiththebestAtmossoundbar?Let'stakealookattheoptions...ThebestDolbyAtmosmoviescenestotestyourspeakers(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-winningHT-A7000isnodifferent.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. TheA7000excelsitselfwithitsextensiveaudioformatssupport,whichincludes 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,EthernetVoicecontrol: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-Doesn’tsupportDTS:XDeliveringDolbyAtmosfromasmallchassisisnomeanfeatbutthe2021WhatHi-Fi?Award-winningSonosBeamGen2achievesaconvincing,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.SonosArcThebestDolbyAtmossoundbarwe'veheardatthemoney.SpecificationsSoundsupport:DolbyDigital5.1,DolbyAtmos,DolbyTrueHD,DolbyDigitalPlusConnectivity:1xHDMIeARC,1xopticaldigital,Wi-Fi,EthernetVoicecontrol:AmazonAlexa,Google,AssistantDimensions:8.7x114x12cm(HxWxD)Weight:6.25kgToday'sBestDeals£799(opensinnewtab)ViewatSevenoaks(opensinnewtab)£799(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)£799(opensinnewtab)ViewatJohnLewis(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(19found)Reasonstobuy+ConvincingDolbyAtmos+Dynamic,detailedandweighty+AlloftheusualSonossmartsReasonstoavoid-Musiccouldbebetterprojected-HeavilyreliantonyourTV’sspecsSoundbarsaren'tnewterritoryforSonos,butthe2021WhatHi-Fi?Award-winningArcistheonlysoundbarfromthebrandtodeliverDolbyAtmoswithverticlespeakers.ItsitsabovetheBeam(Gen2)intermsofpricingandissuitedto55inTVsandabove,withoptionalwallmountingfixingsavailablefor£79($79/AU$99).Therearetouch-sensitiveplay/pauseandvolumecontrolsonthebarwithLEDsthatindicatestatusandwhenyou'retalkingtothebuilt-inGoogleAssistantorAmazonAlexa.ConnectivityincludesAirPlay2,ethernetandeARCforDolbyAtmosfromcompatibleTVs.TheSonosArcuses11driverstocreateyoursoundfield,anumberofwhichareupward-firingandangledintoyourroomtobouncesoundoffyourwallsandceilingandgiveyouamorerealisticDolbyAtmoseffect.ItalladdsuptooneofthemostconvincingAtmosperformancesyoucangetfromasoundbar.You'retransportedtotheheartoftheaction.Surroundeffectsareexpertlyplacedandthere'sgreatdynamismandgoodweighttothesoundtoo.Tonally,it'snicelybalancedifyoujustwanttolistentomusic,althoughitcouldsoundatinybitmoredirect.But,there'snodoubtthisisahugelyimpressiveDolbyAtmossoundbarforthemoney.Readthefullreview:SonosArc(Imagecredit:Future)4.SennheiserAmbeoSoundbarIfmoney'snoobject,thisisthebestDolbyAtmossoundbarwe'vetestedrecently.SpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyAtmos&DTS:XsurroundsoundStreaming:Bluetooth,Airplay2,SpotifyConnect,TidalConnectConnectivity:3xHDMIIn,1xHDMIOut(eARC),EthernetDimensions:13.5x126.5x17.1cm(HxWxD)Weight:18.5kgToday'sBestDeals£1,999(opensinnewtab)ViewatSevenoaks(opensinnewtab)£1,999(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)LowStock£2,199(opensinnewtab)ViewatAudioVisualOnline(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(9found)Reasonstobuy+Rich,naturalsound+Dynamicanddetailed+Convincing3DsurroundReasonstoavoid-Large-Expensive-FussywithpositioningSennheiser'sAmbeoSoundbarishugelyimpressiveinbothsensesoftheword.It'sabeast,standingalmost1.3mwide–that'snoticeablylargerthanthecompetition.(It'salsoalotheavier,whichisgoodintelifyou'rethinkingofluggingitbackfromtheshopsonthebus.)Butallthatextraspacehasbeenputtoexcellentuse.Whilemostsoundbarsrelyonanexternalsubwoofer,theAmbeosimplycramsinlarger,morepowerfuldrivers–anditworksatreat. Youcanexpectspine-tingling3Daudiothatsoundstotallyeffortless,sparklingdialogueandplentyofbottom-endgrunt.Connectivityisjustasimpressive,withBluetooth4.2andChromecastforstreaming. Admittedlyitssizemakesitalittletrickytoposition.Anditdoesn'tcomewithawallmount,soyoumightneedaseparatetriptoyourlocalhardwarestore.Butonceyou'resquaredawaytheresultsarebreathtaking. Theabsolutebest-sounding–nottomentionmostexpensive–soundbarwe'vetestedsofar,whichiswhyitretaineditstitleonceagainatthe2021WhatHi-FiAwards.Readthefullreview:SennheiserAmbeoSoundbar(Imagecredit:Sony)5.SonyHT-A9speakersystemTheHT-A9redefinesaccessiblehomecinemasoundwithaninnovative,immersiveandflexiblesoundSpecificationsConnections:1xeARC,1xHDMIinputVideopass-through:4K@60fps;DolbyVision,HLG,HDRChromecast,AppleAirPlay2,Bluetooth5:YesVoiceControl:WorkswithGoogleAssistantandAmazonAlexaAudioformats:DolbyDigital,DolbyDigitalPlus,DolbyTrueHD,DolbyAtmos,DolbyDualmono,DTS,DTSHDHigh-ResolutionAudio,DTSHDMasterAudio,DTSES,DTS96/24,DTS:X,LPCMDimensions(hwd):Speakers:31x16x14.8cm;controlhub:5x15x15cmSpeakerweight:0.45kgReasonstobuy+Notfussyaboutpositioning+Entertaining,detailed,cinematic+StrongfeaturesetReasonstoavoid-Theadditionalsubispricey-Slightlybrightwithstereomusic-AppearanceisabitblandOk,soit’snotasoundbar,butwethinkthatanyoneconsideringasoundbarshouldalsoconsiderthis.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)6.BluesoundPulseSoundbar+TheSoundbar+deftlyhandlesvirtualDolbyAtmoswithprecisionanddirectnessSpecificationsConnections:HDMIeARC,optical,analogue3.5mmStreaming:StreamingAirPlay2,SpotifyConnect,TidalConnect,RoonReady,BluOSBluetooth:TwowaywithsupportforaptXHDVoiceControl:AmazonAlexaSkills;ActionsonGoogleAudioformats:FLAC,MQA,WAV,AIFF,DolbyAtmos;DolbyDigitalDimensions(hwd):14x107x7cmWeight:6.5kgReasonstobuy+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+review7.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&WilkinsPanorama3review(Imagecredit:Future)8.SonyHT-G700Agoodentry-levelAtmossoundbarwithplentyofbass.SpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyAtmos,DTS:XConnectivity:1xHDMI(eARC),1xHDMIinputStreaming:BluetoothDimensions(HxWxD):6x98x11cm(bar);39x19x40cm(subwoofer)Poweroutput:400WToday'sBestDeals£299(opensinnewtab)ViewatJohnLewis(opensinnewtab)£349(opensinnewtab)ViewatRicherSounds(opensinnewtab)£399(opensinnewtab)ViewatSevenoaks(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(18found)Reasonstobuy+Big,weightysound+ImpressiveAtmoseffect+SolidandstylishReasonstoavoid-Lackofcrispnessandclarity-NostreamingfunctionalityIfyou'reonatightbudget,theSonyHT-G700couldbejusttheticket.Itmightnotbethemostcompactbararound,butit'scertainlybigonsound,bigonvalueandcomeswithawirelesssubwoofer,dedicatedHDMIinputandsupportforbothDolbyAtmosandDTS:X. Sony’sownVerticalSurroundEngineandS-ForceProFrontSurroundtechnologiesdishupaconvincingDolbyAtmossoundscapewhilethatchunkysubwoofer(39cm-tall)addsplentyofhefttobigexplosions. Ofcourse,beinganentry-levelDolbyAtmossoundbar,itdoesn'tcomparetothemuchpricierSonyHT-ST5000(above)intermsofclarity.Italsolacksmusicstreamingfeaturesandvoicecontrol.  Still,ifyou'reafteradedicatedbitofhomecinemakitonabudget,thepowerful-soundingHT-700servesupaseriouslycinematicperformanceataniceprice.Readthefullreview:SonyHT-G700 (Imagecredit:Bose)9.BoseSmartSoundbar900Animpressivelywide-sounding,articulateandcrispDolbyAtmossoundbarSpecificationsInputs:HDMIeARC,opticalStreaming:wi-fi,Bluetooth4.2,Chromecast,SpotifyConnect,AirPlay2Audioformats:DolbyAtmos,DolbyDigital,DolbyTrueHD,DolbyDigitalPlusDimensions(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:LG)10.LGSP8YAAmid-rangeDolbyAtmossoundbarthatproveslessismoreSpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyAtmos,DolbyAudioTM,DTS:X,DTS-HD,PCMStreaming:Wi-Fi,Bluetooth5.0,AirPlay2,ChromecastConnectivity:eARC,1xHDMI,optical,USBDimensions: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)11.SamsungQ950ASamsung’sHW-Q950AsoundbarfiresonallcylindersatalltimesSpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyDigitalPlus,DolbyTrueHD,DolbyAtmos,DTS:XConnections:eARC,2xHDMI,opticalVideopassthrough:4K@60fpsHDR10+andDolbyVisionStreaming:AirPlay2,Bluetooth,SpotifyConnectVoicecontrol:AmazonAlexabuilt-inDimensions(hwd):7x123x14cm(bar);40x21x40cm(sub);20x13x14cm(surround)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-Sybmphony’ thatallowstheTV'sinternalspeakerstoworkinconjunctionwiththesoundbarpackagetoaddmoreheightandspacetothesoundfield.Withplentyofsonicvigour,featuresandspeakers,theQ950Aoffersapotentlisteningexperience.Whileit’snotthemostnuancedorspaciousperformer,thoselookingtosplashoutonaDolbyAtmossoundbarthatcandeliverbig,punchyaudioandsupremelyclearvocalswilllikelynotbedisappointedbytheQ950A.ReadthefullreviewSamsungHW-Q950Areview(Imagecredit:LG)12.LGSP11RAAnenjoyableandimmersivetop-endsoundbarpackageSpecificationsSoundformats:DolbyAtmos,DolbyAudioTM,DTS:X,DTS-HD,PCMStreaming:Wi-Fi,Bluetooth5.0,AirPlay2,ChromecastConnectivity:eARC,2xHDMI,optical,USBDimensions: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 TheSP11RAisabiginvestmentintermsofmoneyandspacewithaseparatesubandtwosurroundspeakers,nottomentionthatthemainsoundbarclocksinat144cmlong. However,it’sstillamoreconvenientandlessoverwhelmingundertakingthanbuildingatruehomecinemasystem,particularlyonethatcouldhopetomatchtheLG’s7.1.4channelsofexcellentDolbyAtmosaction.Sowhat'sunderneathalltheblackbrushedmetal?Themainbarhasthreefront-facingchannels,two‘surround’channelsateitherendofthebarandonthetopsurfaceareapairofupward-firingheightspeakers.Thewirelesssubhousesan18cmdriverandrearport,whiletherearseachhaveafrontandupward-firingdriver.We'repleasedtoreportthatallthosedriversaren'tgoingtowaste;theSP11RAisabigimprovementfrompreviousLGmodels.It’sgotanimbleanddetailedtopendandiseasytolistento,creatinganeven,immersivelisteningexperience.Whileyoumayhavetogiveupsomespacetohouseit,itsconnectivityspecisoneofthemostcomprehensiveandfuture-proofedwe’veseen.Readthefullreview:LGSP11RA (Imagecredit:Future)13.SamsungHW-Q800AThisDolbyAtmossoundbarpacksapunchSpecificationsConnections:eARC,HDMI,opticalStreaming:Bluetooth,AirPlay2,ChromecastSoundformats:DolbyDigitalPlus,DolbyAtmos,DTS:X,LPCM8Ch,Bluetooth4.2,AirPlay2Dimensions:(hwd)6x98x11.5cm(bar);40x21x40cm(sub)Today'sBestDeals(opensinnewtab)£499.58(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)£549(opensinnewtab)ViewatAmazon(opensinnewtab)£599(opensinnewtab)ViewatPRCDirect(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(4found)Reasonstobuy+Spaciouspresentation+Weighty,articulatesub+GoodrangeoffeaturesReasonstoavoid-Couldbemoreinsightful-HeightchannellacksprecisionVeryfewsoundbarpackageshaveasubthatcanperformaswellasSamsung'sQ800Awithamuscular,room-fillingsoundandagut-bustingbass,allcontainedwithinarelativelysmallunit.Asforthemainunit,ithousesthreeforward-facingchannels,andonthetoparetwoupward-facingtweetersthatprovideheightchannelsfor DolbyAtmos and DTS:X formats.Thewholesystemoffersacapable3.2.1channelsofarticulate,cinematicsound.There'salsotheoptiontoaddSamsung'scompatibleupward-firingsurrounds(SWA-9500S)toboosttheQ800Atoamighty5.1.4system.Andifyouhappentoowna2021SamsungTV,youcanenhancetheQ800A'ssonicperformancebyusinganewfeaturecalled‘Q-Sybmphony’ thatallowstheTV'sinternalspeakerstoworkinconjunctionwiththesoundbarpackagetoaddmoreheightandspacetothesoundfield.NotonlydoestheQ800Aofferpowerfuloverallperformance,butitalsohasabroadfeatureset.AlongsidetwoHDMIports(oneequippedwith eARC)andanopticalinput,there’sBluetoothand,onceconnectedtowi-fi,youcanstreamvia SpotifyConnect and AirPlay2,allofwhichcanbecontrolledbythebuilt-inAmazonAlexavoiceassistant.TheQ800AispricedtocompetedirectlywiththeSonosArc,andalthoughthelatteriscrisperandmoreprecisewhenhandlingheightelements,theSamsungoffersapresentandcompellinglistenaswellasanepicsenseofscaleatthelowendofthesonicspectrum,whichnosolosoundbarcouldeverhopetomatch.Readthefullreview:SamsungHW-Q800A(Imagecredit:Future)14.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:MajoritySierraPlusHowwetestDolbyAtmossoundbarsWehavestate-of-the-arttestingfacilitiesinLondon,ReadingandBath,whereourteamofexperienced,in-housereviewerstestthemajorityofhi-fiandAVkitthatpassesthroughourdoor.EachDolbyAtmossoundbarwetestispairedwithanappropriatereferenceTVandisdirectlycomparedtothebestinitspriceandfeaturesclass–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.MORE:BesthometheatrespeakersystemsBestsoundbardeals20ofthebestfilmscenestotestsurroundsoundRoundupoftoday'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)SennheiserAmbeo3DSoundbar(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£1,999(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(opensinnewtab)Bowers&WilkinsPanorama3(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£899(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(opensinnewtab)SonyHT-G700(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£299(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(opensinnewtab)BoseSmartSoundbar900(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£899(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(opensinnewtab)LGSP8YA(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£699(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)Seeallprices(opensinnewtab)LGSP11RA(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£999(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)SeeallpricesReducedPrice(opensinnewtab)SamsungHW-Q800A(opensinnewtab)(opensinnewtab)£575(opensinnewtab)£500(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)SeeallpricesWecheckover250millionproductseverydayforthebestpricespoweredby AndyMadden (opensinnewtab) AndyisDeputyEditorofWhatHi-Fi?andaconsumerelectronicsjournalistwithnearly20yearsofexperiencewritingnews,reviewsandfeatures.Overtheyearshe'salsocontributedtoanumberofotheroutlets,includingTheSundayTimes,theBBC,Stuff,andBAHighLifeMagazine.Premiumwirelessearbudsarehispassionbuthe'salsokeenoncartechandin-caraudiosystemsandcanoftenbefoundcruisingthecountrysidetestingthelatestset-ups.InhissparetimeAndyisakeengolferandgamer. Seeallcomments(4) 4Comments Commentfromtheforums Reasonforthelackofanatmosenabledpassivesoundbar? Reply bsmurfysaid:Reasonforthelackofanatmosenabledpassivesoundbar?Becausepassiveusesthecurrentfromtheaudiotopowerthespeakerswhereactivespeakersinjectandmodifiesthesoundtoactuallyhavebetterqualitywherepassivedegradesthequality,welcometothelawsofphysics. Reply WhataboutSamsung'ssoundbars?Noreviewslasttime... Reply YoulistedtheSamsungQ800Aascosting$248butit'sa$780soundbar.Thelinktakesyouonlyto2Samsungrearspeakers,whichare$250ontheirown.Youshouldchangethe$247.99priceyoulistedtothecorrectpriceof$777.99,whichiswhatitcostsonAmazon. Reply ViewAll4Comments WhatHi-Fi?Newsletter SignupbelowtogetthelatestfromWhatHi-Fi?,plusexclusivespecialoffers,directtoyourinbox! ContactmewithnewsandoffersfromotherFuturebrands Receiveemailfromusonbehalfofourtrustedpartnersorsponsors ThankyouforsigninguptoWhatHi-Fi?.Youwillreceiveaverificationemailshortly. Therewasaproblem.Pleaserefreshthepageandtryagain. MOSTPOPULAR1Sony'snewX-Serieswirelessspeakersareallaboutthatbass2ItlookslikeanewSonosproductcouldbeannouncedanyday3There'sanewOLEDTVpanelmanufacturerontheblock4Forgetsoundbars,Sennheiser'slatestwirelessearbudswillboostyourTV'saudio54mistakesyoumightbemakingwithyourrecordplayerandvinyl WhatHi-FiMagazineSubscription(opensinnewtab)●(opensinnewtab)ThebesthomeentertainmentbuyingadviceFrom£4.99(opensinnewtab)View(opensinnewtab)