The perfect soundbars to spice up your TV audio in 2025

TVs are getting slimmer and sleeker, however that always comes on the expense of sound high quality. Constructed-in audio system simply don’t lower it once you need room-filling audio for films, gaming and even simply listening to dialogue clearly. That’s the place a superb soundbar is available in — a straightforward space-saving option to dramatically enhance your TV’s audio with out the effort of a full dwelling theater system.

Whether or not you’re after a Dolby Atmos setup for immersive {surround} sound, a compact, budget-friendly choice or a feature-packed soundbar with good assistant help, there’s one thing on the market to match your wants.

Desk of contents

The post-CES soundbar outlook for 2025

I usually come out of CES with a reasonably clear understanding of the brand new soundbars which might be coming for the yr, however that wasn’t precisely the case in 2025. LG determined to hold over its most premium soundbars from 2024, however it would add the compact S20A this yr. The corporate solely previewed the mannequin at CES, so full specs are nonetheless forthcoming.

Samsung will as soon as once more preserve the identical general design and options for its top-end Q990 soundbar. Nonetheless, the corporate is including a number of new instruments and it drastically decreased the dimensions of the wi-fi subwoofer that comes within the field. Samsung does have one new mannequin for 2025, the QS700F, that’s designed to sit down on a desk or routinely regulate to being mounted flat on a wall. Particulars are scarce on that soundbar for now and I anticipate a full spec sheet when the corporate is basically to promote it.

Of the large three TV corporations, Sony is the one one which didn’t announce any dwelling theater gear at CES. The corporate has determined to focus primarily on its automotive efforts on the present lately, leaving TV and audio bulletins for later within the yr. The corporate debuted multiple soundbar options in 2024 and a four-speaker setup for the lounge within the Bravia Quad. That stated, it wouldn’t shock me if Sony launched new soundbars later within the yr since its most up-to-date fashions have been solely introduced final April.

One firm I’d keep watch over is Sennheiser. The original Ambeo model is almost six years previous and will use a refresh. The corporate has added medium and mini choices to the Ambeo lineup since then, however it could be good to see a refined model of the biggest mannequin too. The unique Ambeo soundbar is large, so irrespective of how good it sounds, it would all the time be a troublesome promote for some folks.

Though I believe it’s much less doubtless, it’s additionally potential that Sonos has new soundbars this yr. Whereas the corporate’s subsequent system will doubtless be the rumored set-top streaming field, the Sound Motion tech inside the Arc Ultra would provide an enormous enchancment to bass efficiency in compact fashions just like the Beam and Ray. The corporate could deliver Sound Movement to standalone audio system first, but it surely’s destined for these smaller soundbars ultimately.

The perfect soundbars for 2025

Picture by Billy Steele / Engadget

Learn our full Sonos Arc Ultra review

At $999, the Arc Ultra is a dear addition to your lounge, and enlargement solely will get dearer from right here. Nonetheless, Sonos presents important upgrades over the Arc in a number of key areas. First, because of new Sound Movement tech, the Arc Extremely has much more low-end tone by way of elevated bass efficiency. Added bass makes this a greater speaker for music once you’re not watching TV. That improve additionally allowed the corporate to reconfigure its mid-range drivers and tweeters, increasing the soundbar’s dimensional sound and immersive talents.

The on-board controls have been relocated and up to date, which can also be an enchancment – as is the addition of Bluetooth connectivity. The expanded speech enhancement function comes with a level of customization and there are actually two choices for room calibration. Plus, you’ll get every thing that’s nice about Sonos merchandise: multiroom setups and crisp, clear audio high quality.

Professionals

Improved bass efficiency
Crisp, clear and immersive sound
Expanded Speech Enhancement
Appropriate with Ace headphones

Cons

Nonetheless only a single HDMI port
Enlargement stays dear
Giant footprint

$999 at Sonos

Sony

Sony has a protracted monitor file of fantastic high-end soundbars and its latest is one other great-sounding product. The A7000 is a sturdy Dolby Atmos soundbar, able to immersive 7.1.2 audio because of Sony’s 360 Sound Mapping, Sound Subject Optimization, vertical {surround} expertise and S-Pressure Professional entrance {surround}. There’s a number of tech at work right here, and I haven’t even talked about 360 Actuality Audio or DSEE Excessive upscaling, each helpful on the subject of listening to music. Talking of audio, you’ll have the choice of utilizing Chromecast, Spotify Join or Apple AirPlay 2 to ship your tunes to the A7000. The general soundstage is immersive, with glorious readability for each TV exhibits and music.

Two HDMI eARC inputs imply you may hook up a number of streaming containers or gaming consoles. And because of HDMI 2.1 help, you may count on 8K and 4K/120 passthrough to your tv, so the A7000 is a superb choice for avid gamers. This soundbar is pricey at $1,198 and it doesn’t include a separate subwoofer (although it does have one inbuilt). Nonetheless, Sony does offer you a number of choices for each a sub and rear satellite tv for pc audio system. The SA-SW3 sub is $298 whereas the SA-SW5 is $699. For rear audio system, the SA-RS3S is $350 whereas the actually wi-fi speaker (and a lot better trying) SA-RS5 set is $598. If you happen to’re trying to avoid wasting cash on the soundbar itself, Sony presents the HT-A5000 for $999 (though we’ve seen it on sale for $798 lately). It packs nearly all of the same bells and whistles because the A7000, solely in a 5.1.2-channel configuration.

Professionals

Dolby Atmos help and 360 Sound Mapping
Works with AirPlay 2
Contains two HDMI eARC ports

Cons

Costly
Does not embody a separate subwoofer

$1,098 at World Wide Stereo

Sennheiser Shopper Audio

Learn our full Sennheiser Ambeo Mini review

Whereas that is probably the most compact of Sennheiser’s Ambeo soundbars, the Mini stays within the premium class for 2 causes. First, you’ll have so as to add a subwoofer to maximise its potential, which provides one other $600. Secondly, the Mini is already $700, so an entire package deal places you at a comparable place to flagship items from the competitors. After you have each although, the Ambeo Mini is actually spectacular for a small soundbar.

The principle function is Sennheiser’s spatial Ambeo expertise that first debuted on the large Ambeo Soundbar Max in 2019. With it, the corporate gives extra immersive sound with a mixture of driver placement and 3D virtualization. On the Mini, the audio profile is extra reliant on virtualization than the larger Ambeo soundbars due fewer audio system inside. Nonetheless, you’ll nonetheless get a virtualized 7.1.4-channel speaker setup that works nicely for films and music. That’s, as long as you splurge for the Ambeo Sub too.

Professionals

Compact design
Wonderful readability
Nice bass
Straightforward setup

Cons

Costly
No bundled sub
Ambeo impact is restricted
One HDMI port

$500 at Amazon

Engadget

Learn our full Sonos Beam review

Stable sound high quality? Test. Dolby Atmos? Yep. Compact and straightforward to arrange? Uh huh. Appropriate with different Sonos audio system for a extra sturdy system? You betcha. The primary-gen Sonos Beam has been one among our favorites since it arrived in 2018, however there was one factor it didn’t have: Dolby Atmos. That was the large addition to the 2021 model, although it’s a bit restricted because the Beam doesn’t have any upward-firing audio system. Sonos manages to make issues appear extra directional by tweaking audio timing and frequency as an alternative of including extra drivers. The new Beam nonetheless solely has the one HDMI port which suggests you gained’t be connecting a gaming console or set-top field on to this. It additionally signifies that when you have an older TV with an optical jack, you’ll want an adapter.

Professionals

Comparatively compact design
Good sound for its measurement
Helps Dolby Atmos

Cons

One consists of one HDMI port

$449 at Sonos

Engadget

Top: 3.66 inches | Width: 21.93 inches | Depth: 2.76 inches | Ports: 1 x Optical, 1 x Ethernet | Channels: 2.0 (non-surround), 5.1 ({surround}) | Voice assistant: None | Connectivity: WiFi, HDMI | Fashion: TV unit, wall mount, shelf | Max wattage: 10W

Learn our full Sonos Ray review

Sonos’ newest bid for finest soundbar could also be its most reasonably priced up to now, however at $279, it’s not precisely a funds decide. Particularly when you think about there are cheaper choices that include a subwoofer. Nonetheless, the compact design doesn’t command a number of house in entrance of your TV or in your TV stand, making it an excellent choice for smaller dwelling areas. The Ray is straightforward to arrange and gives nice sound high quality for each TV and music, and it pairs seamlessly with iOS gadgets. There are some trade-offs on the subject of the immersive nature of the audio, but it surely’s a superb choice for upgrading your TV sound with minimal fuss.

Professionals

Excellent sound high quality for each TV and music Good bass efficiency for such a small speaker
Compact, unobtrusive design
Straightforward setup
Cheap worth

Cons

Sound isn’t as immersive as you get from bigger fashions
Individuals with massive dwelling rooms would possibly need a louder speaker
No voice controls

$279 at Sonos

VIZIO

If you happen to’re searching for a manner to enhance your TV sound on a funds, Vizio has some high-quality options. With the V21t-J8, you get a 2.1-channel setup in a compact soundbar and 4.5-inch wi-fi sub combo for $160. This is able to be an excellent selection in case you don’t need your add-on TV speaker to take up a number of house. There’s no Wi-Fi connectivity, however that’s actually the one sacrifice on the subject of the fundamentals. HDMI ARC/eARC and optical connections hyperlink to your tv whereas a 3.5mm aux jack and Bluetooth assist you to play music out of your telephone or one other system. DTS Digital:X compatibility presents a few of the impact of {surround} sound and not using a larger unit or extra audio system.

Professionals

Compact design
Contains wi-fi subwoofer

$129 at Amazon

What to search for in a soundbar

Options

In terms of options, the extra you pay the extra you are going to get in your new audio system. Most reasonably priced choices ($150 or much less) will enhance your tv’s audio high quality, however that is about it. Step into the $300 to $400 vary and you will find a sensible soundbar with issues like built-in voice management, wi-fi connectivity, Google Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and even Android TV. They’re all useful once you wish to keep away from searching for the distant management, however the very best sound high quality is often solely within the prime tier and the codecs these premium soundbar techniques help. I’m speaking about issues like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and different high-resolution audio requirements. These are important if you would like actually cinematic sound to your living-room setup. And never all Atmos soundbars are equal, so you may want to take a look at the finer particulars fastidiously earlier than you break into the financial savings account. If you happen to’re searching for top-of-the-line Dolby Atmos soundbars, measurement, channels and subwoofer choices might be essential elements to think about. Some fashions even embody a devoted subwoofer to reinforce bass efficiency, bringing an additional punch to motion scenes and soundtracks.

Ports

It is a massive one. Loads of the extra reasonably priced soundbars are restricted on the subject of connectivity choices. They both provide an optical port or one HDMI jack and, in case you’re fortunate, each. Issues get barely higher within the mid-range part, however that is not all the time the case. The Sonos Beam, for instance, is $449, however solely has a single HDMI port. Even on the higher-end, the $899 Sonos Arc nonetheless solely has one HDMI port. If you happen to plan to attach a number of gadgets like a set-top field, gaming laptop computer or console on to your soundbar for the very best audio expertise, you’ll need an choice with not less than two HDMI (eARC) inputs. HDMI connections are essential for supporting Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital audio codecs, in addition to high-res passthrough for HDR and 8K/4K content material.

Channels

One other massive factor you’ll wish to take note of when searching for the very best soundbar is channels. That’s the two.1, 7.1.2 or different decimal quantity that corporations embody in product descriptions. The primary determine corresponds to the variety of channels. A two would simply be left and proper whereas a extra sturdy Atmos system, particularly one with rear {surround} audio system, could possibly be 5 or seven (left, proper, heart and upward). The second quantity refers back to the devoted subwoofer, so in case your new soundbar comes with one or has them inbuilt, you’ll see one right here. The third numeral is up-firing audio system, essential for the immersive impact of Dolby Atmos. Not all Atmos-enabled items have them, but when they do, the third quantity will inform you what number of are in play and the way they contribute to the general soundstage.

Wi-fi

Most soundbars today provide both Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or each. In terms of Wi-Fi, that connectivity affords you luxuries like voice management (both built-in or with a separate system), Chromecast, Spotify Join and AirPlay 2. Relying in your preferences, you would possibly be capable to reside with out a few of these. For me, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are necessities, however the remaining I can reside with out. These two give me the flexibility to beam music and podcasts from my go-to apps with out having to accept — or wrestle with — a Bluetooth connection. As an example, Sonos audio system usually provide seamless integration with iOS gadgets, making it straightforward to attach and stream music wirelessly. If you happen to’re searching for a wi-fi speaker that may improve your TV setup whereas additionally providing flexibility for audio all through the home, it is price contemplating a multi-room system.

Dimension

This one may appear apparent however humor me for a minute. Nothing is extra soul-crushing than getting a dear soundbar in your lounge solely to find it’s important to rearrange every thing to discover a spot for it. This was my plight when the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar arrived at my door. Sure, that speaker is absurdly giant (and heavy), and most soundbars aren’t almost as massive. I discovered a precious lesson: Be sure the house the place you wish to put a soundbar will accommodate the factor you are about to spend a whole bunch (if not hundreds) of {dollars} on.

Principally, all of it comes all the way down to the TV you have got (or are planning to get) and what the first objective is to your living-room audio. Is it ease of use? Would you like the absolute best sound from a single speaker or speaker/sub combo? Do you simply need to have the ability to truly hear your TV higher? Or do you wish to flip your lounge into an immersive dwelling theater system with {surround} sound?

By taking note of every of these areas, it’s best to have a good suggestion of what to search for in a soundbar, soundbar/subwoofer combo, Dolby Digital system or a extra sturdy setup. With that stated, we have put quite a few merchandise via their paces at Engadget and have a number of favorites for finest soundbar at numerous worth factors to get you began.

Different soundbars we examined

Sonos Arc

There’s little question that the Arc is Sonos’ best-sounding soundbar, but it surely’s additionally the corporate’s costliest. With a brand new mannequin based mostly on the Arc rumored to be on the way, it’s troublesome to advocate this product over the likes of Samsung and Sony. The Arc works nicely as each a soundbar and a speaker, and the system will slot in properly with different Sonos gear you would possibly have already got for a multiroom setup. It solely has one HDMI port although, the place a lot of the competitors permits you to join streaming and gaming gadgets on to their soundbars.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus

I don’t suppose Sennheiser’s medium-sized model presents sufficient to face out from the extra highly effective Ambeo Soundbar Max or the Ambeo Soundbar Mini. The Mini is extra reasonably priced and does a strong job with immersive audio in its personal proper. Like the remainder of the Ambeo lineup, there’s no choice for satellite tv for pc audio system as you may solely add a subwoofer to the soundbars. Nonetheless, the Ambeo Soundbar Plus does have RCA enter, so you should use it with a turntable in case you’re into vinyl.

Soundbar FAQs

Is a soundbar higher than audio system?

It actually will depend on what you’re after. A soundbar is unquestionably a less complicated, extra compact resolution in comparison with a full speaker setup. If you’d like higher sound than your TV’s built-in setup however don’t wish to cope with a number of audio system and wires all over the place, a soundbar might be the best way to go. Some soundbars may even ship spectacular {surround} sound results, because of options like Dolby Atmos and digital audio expertise.

Nonetheless, in case you’re an audiophile or need true {surround} sound for an at-home theater expertise, a multi-speaker setup with a receiver, {surround} audio system and subwoofer gives you a richer soundstage and extra management over your expertise.

What connection do I would like for a soundbar?

Most fashionable soundbars hook up with your TV by way of HDMI ARC or eARC, which is the best and best choice for reaching high-quality audio. In case your TV helps this, all you want is an HDMI cable, and also you’ll get not solely nice sound but additionally some further options like controlling the soundbar along with your TV distant.

If HDMI ARC isn’t an choice in your TV, you should use an optical cable, which additionally delivers strong audio high quality. Some soundbars even provide Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections for streaming music, and some nonetheless have a 3.5mm aux jack for connecting to older gadgets.

Do all soundbars include subwoofers?

Not all soundbars include subwoofers, however many do or not less than provide one as an elective add-on that you could buy individually. A subwoofer is what offers you that deep, booming bass, so in case you like motion films or need a fuller sound for music, having one could make an enormous distinction. Some soundbars have a built-in subwoofer, however these typically don’t present the identical punch as a separate one.

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