Best Soundbar 2025: Options for every size and budget

If you’re looking for the best soundbar money to buy, the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max is difficult to beat. As the highest-rated soundbar in this list, the Ambeo Soundbar Max sounds incredible, offering superb cinematic audio right out of the box. 

At more than 1m across and weighing 18.5kg, this soundbar is designed to sit (or be mounted) beneath a 65-inch or larger TV. There’s a variety of inputs available, including three HDMI, one HDMI out with eARC and Dolby Vision HDR support, digital optical audio and aux-in. For wireless connections, this soundbar supports Bluetooth and Google Chromecast, with the latter also available in the Google Home app. 

Peek inside the soundbar and you’ll find 13 speakers, including six 4-inch long-throw woofers and five tweeters. There are two Dolby Atmos-enabled drivers pointed upward, along with side-firing cones angled to bounce the audio off nearby walls. 

Along with Dolby Atmos, there’s support for DTS:X and MPEG-H onboard, along with a variety of audio presets to choose from to customise the sound, including movie, music, news, sports, neutral and night. There’s even a high-quality calibration mic to match the sound profile to your living room. 

The Ambeo Soundbar Max sounds fantastic, with films and TV show audio coming across powerful, nuanced and immersive. The mid-range is faultless, dialogue is smooth and we didn’t feel the need to add an additional deep bass woofer with the Ambeo bar capable of dropping to 30Hz. Stereo music sounds incredible too, with the soundbar conveying layers of detail and sonic height. 

It isn’t cheap, but the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max remains more affordable than its closest competition, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Theatre. If you don’t have the space or inclination to install a fully blown home cinema system, the Ambeo Soundbar Max is a very convincing all-in-one alternative and the best soundbar we’ve tested thus far. 

That said, if you’re looking for a slightly less expensive alternative, Sennheiser’s own Ambeo Soundbar Plus is both smaller and cheaper at $1299/£1299. 

The Q990D another belter of a wireless home cinema system from Samsung, tweaking and refining the performance of the predecessor, the Q990C.

The channel count is a massive 11.1.4 channels (the same as the JBL Bar 1300). As has been the case with previous Samsung flagship soundbars, the power and dynamism of its sound makes this a soundbar system that delivers intensity, impact and ‘bite’, with a dynamic range that adds to the excitement of the visuals on screen.

The Acoustic Lens subwoofer delivers some of the deepest rumbles in the soundbar world, but it feels more balanced and integrated into the frequency range thanks to the Space Fit Pro calibration system. The rear speakers offer a fantastic sense of detail to create a soundstage that’s cohesive and balanced; positioning effects accurately around the soundstage whether they be overhead, behind the listening position or to the sides.

Its music performance is better, the tone is warmer than previous models, and the subwoofer is better integrated into the overall performance.

If you have a compatible Samsung TV, it has support for the Q-Symphony technology that combines the soundbar and TV’s speakers to create a bigger sound that places effects where they’re meant to be onscreen. Alexa voice recognition is built-in, and for iOS users there’s AirPlay 2 to cast audio to the soundbar.

The design and connectivity options are essentially the same as before. Connections include two HMI inputs and a single optical audio input, with the HDMI input able to pass through HDR10+ and Dolby Vision formats, as well as 4K/120Hz pass-through.

There’s competition from the JBL Bar 1300, but we feel the Samsung offers a clearer and better immersive audio performance. Samsung also offers the HW-Q930D, though that features just the 9.1.4 channels of sound.

The Ambeo Soundbar Plus takes everything we liked about the Ambeo Max, and puts it into a more friendly form factor.

It’s still a fairly long soundbar and is best paired with 65-inch TVs and larger. Our reviewer felt the design and build quality was excellent, the Ambeo Plus looks smart without necessarily hogging the attention from what’s on screen. It comes with two HDMI inputs to pass-through audio/HDR, but for a soundbar priced as much as it is, we were disappointed that there was no support for gaming features such as 4K/120Hz passthrough.

The system is described as a 7.1.4 system, with upfiring and side-firing speakers to create a wide and spacious presentation. The sound quality we found to be very impressive, dynamic, musical, and detail rich, it is reminiscent of the bigger Ambeo Max. Bass is surprisingly powerful for a one-box system, and the Ambeo processing really does expand the soundstage and place effects from the left, right, centre and above in convincing fashion.

Bass can be increased with the addition of four Ambeo subwoofers, but bass here digs deep and with punch for a cinematic performance. With music it’s also capable, converting stereo tracks with width and plenty of nuance. There’s no provision to add surround speakers to this unit, so it is a very front-heavy presentation.

In terms of features the Ambeo Plus supports the immersive formats such as Atmos, DTS:X, 360 Reality Audio, and MPEG-H. You can also stream over AirPlay, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Chromecast, and Bluetooth, giving the user plenty of ways to stream audio. There’s also Amazon Alexa built-in for those who want to place the soundbar within a smart system.

When it comes to extravagant products there are few better at making them than Bang & Olufsen, and with its Beosound Theatre, they’ve attempted to create an Atmos bar with no compromises.

And in our view they’ve mostly succeeded. There are still constraints and limitations given that the Beosound Theatre is a one-box system that still needs rear speakers to create the enveloping effect of Dolby Atmos immersion, meaning the soundstage is front-heavy. It doesn’t have the same reach and wraparound effect the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max can produce with its digital processing.

But the bass performance is thunderous for any one-box sound system. Our reviewer commented the Theatre was the most dynamic sounding soundbar they had ever heard. The energy and drive it gives soundtracks is excellent, and it seamlessly blends midrange and sub-bass frequencies with confidence. Dialogue clarity is excellent, and the soundbar is particularly good at delivering music. While it’s also a very good bar for movies and music, with games it’s weak at localising effects within the soundstage, making it tougher to figure out what’s around you.

DTS:X isn’t supported, which is a disappointment, but there are plenty of ways to send audio wirelessly to the bar through Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect, with app support that allows the EQ to be adjusted and audio modes to enable. The bar is also able to measure your listening space and optimise its performance for the best possible sound.

The design is certainly not understated, with the Beosound Theatre primarily built to integrate with LG C2 OLED but can be partnered with any TV. The width of the bar can be adjusted to match the size of the screen, with a modular design that allows it to be upgraded over time. And around the back is a generous array of connections with four HDMI ports, including one that supports 4K/120Hz frame rates.

The Beosound Theatre is eye-wateringly expensive at £5590 / $6890 but it is a class-leading effort in terms of build quality and design, and offers a superb sonic performance.

If the expense of a soundbar like the Sennheiser Ambeo Max makes your eyes to water, the presence of an affordable soundbar with a dedicated subwoofer might be more attractive. In that case the Wharfedale Vista 200S is a highly recommended option.

We found the bar’s design to be attractive in appearance and the construction durable. The black finish and glossy top surface doesn’t scream a cheap soundbar despite the Vista 200S’s affordable price. With a width of 900mm it’s tailored to partner televisions up to 65-inches in size, and that it boasts a slim for factor also means you won’t be living in fear of the soundbar blocking the picture.

In terms of features, we observed there wasn’t much to grapple with aside from its active wireless subwoofer that has a side-firing 165mm driver with 60W of power. If you want wireless connectivity or immersive audio, you’d be better off seeking the smaller but more expensive Sonos Beam Gen 2. We did note the three preset EQ settings for media playback are provided in Movies, Music and News to optimise the soundbar’s sound for those types of content.

We found the sound quality for the price was especially good, with the 200S putting in a great performance across the frequency range with a top-end that didn’t suffer from a lack of detail, plus some punchy bass thanks to the active subwoofer. We also observed that the Vista 200S could get rather loud without sounding harsh or compressed due to its 120W of built-in amplification. It also dealt with dialogue well, even without a dedicated centre speaker, and if you’re interested in playing music through this bar, then it delivers on a smooth and clear performance.

There are cheaper soundbars, such as the Sharp HT-SBW202, as an alternative but we haven’t come across another soundbar that offers as much performance-per-pound at this price the Wharfedale.

With its app support, design and Dolby Atmos performance, the Sonos Arc Ultra is one of the most outsanding options below £1000.

The app has access to music streaming services in Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Qobuz as well as the Sonos Radio service. Those with iOS devices can take advantage of the Trueplay feature that optimises audio playback for any environment, while Android users benefit from the QuickTune function that sets the bar up in seconds.

The original Arc represented the first time Sonos waded into the Dolby Atmos waters and this sequel is an even better effort. It’s a big step up from the older model thanks to clearer and cleaner delivery of dialogue as well as its new Sound Motion transducers that give more depth and precision to the low frequencies.

Our reviewer found thta it positioned sounds in a room well, as if effects were actually coming from above or from far-away, and with music it handles all flavours of genre well.

If you’re already inside the Sonos ecosystem, then you can add the Sub 4 for more bass (although we’d say you don’t necessarily need it, depending on your room); as well as Era 300 and Era 100 speakers as rear speakers.

The Arc only has an HDMI eARC port, which means you’ll need a TV with an eARC port to get the highest quality Atmos audio . Wirelessly there’s AirPlay 2, which is now joined by Bluetooth, and in the app there’s the ability to place the Arc within a multi-room system with other Sonos speakers.

Design wise, the Arc Ultra is around the same dimensions as the old model, and comes in the same black or white options.

Issues? There are hangovers from the older soundbar. We’ve already mentioned the HDMI eARC niggle, but considering the price we would have expected full DTS support too. If you’re in need of DTS support, we’d recommend the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus or the Sony Theatre Bar 9 as an alternative.

For those with limited space or a smaller TV, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is one of the best soundbars available at its size. Measuring at 100mm in width and 69mm in height, the Beam 2 is ideal for small TVs up to 50-inches.

Similar to the Gen 1 Beam, the Gen 2 is equipped with a tweeter, four mid-woofers and three passive radiators. It has none of the upward-firing speakers for the overhead channels for Dolby Atmos found on the Sonos Arc or Arc Ultra. Instead, the Beam uses digital processing to create an immersive experience.

Unlike the original, the Beam (Gen 2) features HDMI eARC, which offers higher bandwidth and support for lossless audio formats such as Atmos. That does mean your TV will need an eARC port to get the best quality audio.

There are a number of modes to choose from including a night mode to cut out loud noises in the evenings and a speech enhancement mode to boost dialogue. The soundbar also supports voice commands with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

When it comes to sound quality, we found the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) performs with excellent balance and range. It doesn’t have the dimensionality of the Sonos Arc, but it positions sound in a way that it feels as though it’s wrapping around you. Our reviewer also felt that bass levels impressed, though they don’t have the same weight and depth as those produced by the larger Arc.

Nevertheless, the Beam 2 manages to deliver a good sense of cinematics, a clean and balanced sound and thus remains the best choice for smaller TVs and rooms, beating out the likes of the similarly priced Bose Smart Soundbar 600 and Denon Home 550 Soundbar, and is a cheaper option than the Sennheiser Ambeo Mini.

The Razer Leviathan V2 is a soundbar designed for gamers, intended to amp up gaming sessions with a bar and subwoofer combo. At $249.99 / £229.99, it’s within the affordable realm of the soundbar market, and a worthwhile option not just for gaming, but also with music too.

The appearance of the Leviathan V2 is toned down compared to some of Razer’s other products, although the RGB lighting scheme can summoned and customised to fit the environment, bringing a cascade of colour to gaming sessions. We found the build quality to be sturdy enough, despite being predominantly made from plastic, with feet that can angle the soundbar upwards to fire audio towards the listening position.

There is no HDMI port, just a USB audio input to connect to a PC, and wirelessly there’s Bluetooth 5.2 if you want to connect the Leviathan V2 to a device other than a PC and play audio through the bar. It’s a simple enough state of connections, though we found it to be a little disappointing that there’s no 3.5mm despite its predecessor including it. The Razer Audio app features EQ presets such as Bass Boost to help customise the sound to match the game being played.

And in terms of the sound, our reviewer enjoyed the warm, punchy bass of the soundbar/subwoofer combo, with the spacious soundstage helping to identify where enemies where, plus the sound of bullets flying past helped immerse us better within the game. There is THX Spatial Audio as opposed to Dolby Atmos, which the Panasonic SoundSlayer Gaming Speaker features, and we found the addition of spatial audio brought more heightened awareness to the games we played.

Playing music over a Bluetooth connection wasn’t as good as a wireless speaker, it’s perfectly serviceable if you’re expectations aren’t too high. There is the Pro version that supports some clever spatial audio processing, and you can read our impressions.