Soundbars
A soundbar is a long, thin speaker designed to sit just in front of or below your television, to provide much bigger, clearer and more immersive sound than a TV alone can manage. Today’s flat and thin TVs don’t have much space for powerful speakers, so their sound is often thin and unsatisfying. Adding a soundbar can just make people’s voices clearer – or it can create a home theater experience.
Soundbars come in different sizes, with different levels of features, aimed at different budgets. You can get small ones suitable for TVs of 32 inches that just add louder, clearer sound, for example. You can get mid-sized ones that start from being cheap and simple, but will range up to options with virtual surround sound. And you can get big soundbars suitable for TVs of 55 inches and up that deliver a huge audio upgrade, usually with Dolby Atmos 3D sound.
Pretty much all soundbars either connect over HDMI ARC to a compatible HDMI port on your TV, or over an optical digital connection. HDMI ARC means you can control them from your TV’s remote with no extra steps, so is usually the preferred option – and it’s the only way to get Dolby Atmos. Some soundbars come with subwoofers for better bass, or even rear speakers to deliver a true surround-sound experience.
Latest about Soundbars
Hey Sonos, Yamaha's new Dolby Atmos soundbars offer built-in or separate subs
By Becky Scarrott published
Yamaha wants to level up your TV's audio with one of its two new Dolby Atmos soundbars – and on paper, they look good.
Prime Day soundbar deals 2023: the best offers still available
By Matt Bolton last updated
Hot deals The best Prime Day soundbar deals range from Dolby Atmos to cheap soundbars, starting from just $99.
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By Amelia Schwanke published
Huge savings We've rounded up our top three soundbar picks – all of which are selling for under $500/£500 in the Prime Day sales.
The best soundbars for 2023
By Matt Bolton last updated
Buying Guide From budget-friendly bars to Dolby Atmos wonders, the best soundbars make it easy to get a serious TV audio upgrade.
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By Amelia Schwanke published
With Amazon Prime Day fast approaching, we’ve rounded up the best soundbars to look out for in the big sales.
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By John Archer published
Samsung’s soundbars have set the home theater audio pace, but with improvements thin on the ground, is the brand's progress grinding to a halt? Maybe, but it doesn't matter.
Soundbars in 2023: the best launches so far and what’s coming next
By Amelia Schwanke published
Wireless soundbars, Dolby Atmos soundbars, cheap soundbars – here’s our roundup of all the latest and most exciting launches so far this year.
Sony's new speaker is a soundbar with rear speakers for your phone or tablet
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Sony's compact, portable, wireless solution upconverts stereo content from your device using 360 Spatial Sound mapping.
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