How We Test
We aggregate millions of product reviews, scour other websites for their professional opinions - then we test the products ourselves. We do not accept free products from manufacturers, and our only goal is to give you the best recommendations possible. However, if you buy from the links on this page, we may earn a small commission.
- Best Probiotics - September 1, 2024
- Best Keto Snacks - September 1, 2024
- Instant Pot® Keto Birthday Cake - September 1, 2024
Until recently, an external speaker system for your TV was definitely not a necessity. But with the advent of huge, slim TVs – a soundbar is definitely a necessity. These soundbars will bring your movies, TV, and gaming adventures to life. And at a great price point. From Samsung to Bose, we have everything covered.
In fact, we tested many different brands and models, aggregated tens of thousands of online reviews, and watched numerous programs – all to determine the best soundbar choices on the market. Here are our top picks.
Our Top Pick
VIZIO SB46514-F6
This awesome soundbar from Vizio is not a budget pick, but it provides some of the best sound we’ve ever heard. With deep lows, perfect highs, and solid mids – it is definitely everything you want from a soundbar. While you can certainly spend more (or less) – if you’re serious about sound, this is the soundbar for you.
Other Great Picks
Definitive Technology Studio Slim
The subwoofer alone is worth the price tag of this awesome soundbar set. With some of the best bass we’ve ever heard, and perfect sound in all other ranges – we cannot recommend this soundbar enough. A must-buy, if you are into great sound quality.
AmazonBasics 2.1 Channel Bluetooth Sound Bar
Amazon has entered into more and more markets with their own products, and this great soundbar is a welcome addition. At a bargain basement price, and with over 1,900 great online reviews – it’s a huge steal. Perfect for anyone on a budget.
Bose SoundTouch 300
With over 300 great online reviews, and top-notch sound quality, this soundbar from Bose is a audio beast. We loved how accurate the sound was, and how not even the most aggressive pitches were distorted or muffled. Highly recommended.
Bose Soundbar 700
Stepping up even higher on the quality scale, we get to this stellar soundbar from Bose. With a sleek white design, and amazing sound quality, it’s definitely made for anyone serious about their sound. Highly recommended.
Bose Soundbar 500
The 500 is a great soundbar, and Bose never misses the mark on sound quality. With over 60 stellar online reviews, it’s a perfect mid-range price model, for anyone serious about sound quality from their television. Definitely recommended.
Nakamichi Shockwafe Elite
With 850 stellar online reviews, this soundbar from Nakamichi is one of the best on the market. We especially loved the bass, as well as the high quality manufacturing. We weren’t that familiar with Nakamichi before testing this soundbar – but now we are intrigued to try some of their other products.
Samsung HW-N950
Samsung is known for their high-quality manufacturing standards, and this soundbar is no exception. While certainly not a budget pick, it is well worth the extra money – especially if you are serious about high quality sound.
Sony ST5000
Some of our favorite audio products (especially headphones) have been made by Sony. This soundbar is no exception. While not the cheapest soundbar on the market, it may be one of the best in terms of quality. Simply flawless, and with a sleek design, to boot.
VIZIO SB3621n-F8M
With over 540 stellar online reviews, and a budget price point, this soundbar from Vizio is a great pick for many people. It doesn’t quite offer the exquisite sound quality from the top models, but the sound is certainly more than passable. Definitely recommended for anyone on a budget.
What Is A Soundbar?
If you’ve ever purchased a giant television, only to be disappointed by it’s less-than-optimal sound – you need to get a soundbar. Essentially a long, thin speaker, a soundbar will take your television’s audio output – and make it sound like it really should.
If you pair a soundbar with a subwoofer, you’ll get almost a movie theater-like atmosphere. Even more importantly, soundbars do not cost very much money – especially considering the value they provide.
How We Tested For The Best Soundbar
After scouring tens of thousands of actual user reviews, we shortlisted the best soundbars, and then tested them ourselves. We played action movies, comedies, musicals, and streamed our favorite songs. Ultimately, after many hours of testing, we were able to determine the best soundbar – no matter what your budget, specific needs, or preferences.
Why Do I Need A Soundbar?
Well, for starters, most modern TVs sound terrible. They are made for great visual appeal – not for audio quality. With thinner television screen architecture, has come less on-board room for high quality speakers.
The good news about soundbars? Even a great model can be purchased for less than $100.
While the old audiophile adage of ‘you get what you pay for’ is still largely true when it comes to soundbars – even a sub-$100 unit will sound light years better than your TV.
This is due largely to the interior design and construction of soundbars. Unlike your TV, soundbars are specially designed for the best audio performance possible. This means utilizing things like Dolby Atmos – which literally makes you feel like you’re in a movie theater, all from the comfort of your own couch.
Just like the VHS recorder revolutionized home video – soundbars have revolutionized home sound. Want to watch an action movie, and feel the bass in your chest? Get a soundbar.
Want to hear ships in Star Wars zooming past your left ear, then circling around past your right ear? You will love a soundbar system. There’s just no other way around it – everyone will enjoy their home entertainment more, after purchasing a sound bar.
Audio Performance Of The Best Soundbars
This question is easy to answer – the more you pay for a soundbar, the better the audio performance will get. Cheaper soundbars offer two-channel systems, but the more you pay, the more the sound channels (and sonic clarity) will improve.
Wireless Streaming Support – Necessary?
Many soundbars now support wireless streaming – which makes it very cool to play music from say – your Apple Watch. You can simply speak into your watch, and within seconds, you’ll have your favorite song playing at full volume. It’s almost like something out of a sci-fi movie.
However, is wireless streaming support truly necessary, when purchasing a soundbar? It’s certainly not required, but the way of the world is clear – it’s only going to become more wireless, and streaming is only going to become more common.
So we do recommend getting a soundbar that supports wireless streaming, as the many benefits outweigh the few negatives. In fact, you can actually save money in the long run, by making a nice soundbar system your only stereo in the house.
Connection Ability Of A Soundbar
When purchasing a soundbar, it is important to determine how easy it is to connect multiple devices to it. The best soundbars on the market today usually offer both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity.
There are no advantages to purchasing a soundbar with fewer connectivity options, so be sure to get a model that has as much connectivity as possible.
Subwoofer For Soundbars
If you love bass (and let’s be honest – who doesn’t?) – you’ll want to get a soundbar with a subwoofer. This greatly enhances the bass frequencies of any audio content, and even allows for sounds to be played back that you actually feel in your chest – rather than hear.
Subwoofers are technically defined as a loudspeaker specifically geared to handle the lowest sound frequencies. Without a subwoofer present, you will be missing out on some of the sound in all of your favorite recordings.
Frequencies around 100+ Hz to 50 Hz may leave a nice ‘full’ feeling in your chest – but the lowest bass frequencies can’t even be heard – they can only simply be felt.
If you’ve gone to a rock concert – you’ll know what this feels like. A feeling almost as if someone is kicking you in the chest – but somehow even thicker. Without a subwoofer – you’ll never get to experience this visceral rush.
What Soundbar Has The Best Subwoofer?
We can’t choose just one. Truth be told, any soundbar that starts to get up there in price, generally has a fantastically engineered subwoofer. We liked the subwoofer on our top pick (from Vizio), as well as the sub on our Samsung pick.
Bose is not particularly known for their bass, but they do have great overall sound quality on their soundbars. If you are a serious hip hop fan, pay the extra money and opt for our #1 pick – as the sub-bass sound quality is unreal.
Do You Need A Subwoofer For A Soundbar?
While you technically don’t need a subwoofer for a soundbar – in our testing, the sound quality was very noticeably diminished without a subwoofer. Unless you are on the tightest of budgets, we highly recommend getting a soundbar with a subwoofer present.
What About Dolby Atmos And Surround Sound?
Dolby Atmos is an exciting new technology, but it is not offered on nearly as many titles as we’d like. Thus, it is not an essential feature at the moment – but it is nice to have.
Surround sound, on the other hand – should definitely be a part of your soundbar package. Without it, you are definitely missing out on some of the best parts of home theater viewing.
Which Size Soundbar Is Best?
Soundbars come in a wide variety of sizes. Whether less than a foot, or bigger than your TV itself, the size of a soundbar will help to shape its sound.
One thing that will impact the ‘bigness’ of your sound – the overall size of the drivers in the soundbar. Larger drivers result in a “larger” sound, and most find this sound preferable to smaller speakers.
We recommend getting the biggest soundbar that fits in your budget – and paying careful attention to the user reviews of that specific model. Your TV size will also factor into the size of the soundbar you purchase. A 60-inch long soundbar works perfectly with a 70-inch TV, for example.
Do You Need Google Assistant Or Alexa In A Soundbar?
This is a great question, and the honest answer is – it depends. If you are a frequent user of voice commands – it is probably well worth the extra cost, to choose a soundbar that has this built-in functionality.
On the other hand, if you never use Alexa – why pay extra for a superfluous feature? It all comes down to personal choice and preference.
What’s The Difference Between A Sound Base And A Soundbar?
This one is all in the name – a soundbar is literally a bar, and a sound base is literally a base. Seated below your TV, with the TV resting on top of it, a sound base is more discreet, and won’t block the sensor for your TV remote.
Does Everyone Need A Soundbar?
While a soundbar is not a true “essential” in the strictest definition of the word (certainly you can watch a big screen TV without one) – we actually do think it is an essential device. Without a soundbar, there is hardly any bass at all – and who wants to listen to music, or watch any action movie – without bass?
On top of this, a soundbar makes dialogue in movies easier to hear, and enhances the entire viewing experience. While technically not a ‘necessity’, in the strictest sense of the word – we highly recommend every home owner purchases a great quality soundbar. The small investment is well worth it – trust us.
How Do I Choose The Best Soundbar For Me?
Choosing the right soundbar is a fairly easy task. Start by determining the size of your TV. Next, write down what features are important for you (what are ‘must-haves’), and then factor in your budget.
From there, the choices are easy. Unlike with most home devices, we actually recommend spending more on a soundbar – it greatly improves your home viewing experience, and there is also a noticeable improvement between cheap models and more expensive ones.
Consider it a good, long-term investment – and one that makes every day just a little bit more enjoyable.
The Best Soundbar
There you have it – our picks for the best soundbar. There are a ton of great electronics besides these though – so be sure to check out our other product reviews in the tech category.