From Dolby Atmos surround-sound to affordable two-speaker sets, here’s your expert guide to the best soundbars on the market
While most television manufacturers will happily boast about the picture quality of their latest 4K TVs , they’re generally less effusive when the subject of sound quality comes up. There’s a simple reason: it’s often a bit rubbish, a key reason why the best soundbars have soared in popularity.
“Everybody wants slim TVs,” explains Paul Murray, head of e-commerce at hi-fi and home cinema retailer Sevenoaks Sound and Vision, “but the speakers inside them have had to shrink in tandem in order to still fit inside. Smaller, shallower speakers simply don’t sound as good as larger ones, which is why TV audio quality has got progressively worse over the years.”
The solution? A quality soundbar. “Adding a soundbar to your TV will make a significant improvement to your viewing experience,” Paul says. “Entry-level models will give you clearer audio and generally better range. More advanced models provide surround-sound formats such as Dolby Atmos. Top-end models, from the likes of Sony and Sonos, can genuinely transform your movie watching experience to something that approaches what you’d hear from a full home cinema sound system.”
Many soundbars come with subwoofers and/or rear speakers, but for the purposes of this test we’ve concentrated on standalone soundbars, designed to give a boost to your TV’s audio performance without forcing you to accommodate further boxes. I’ve tried out the latest models from the leading brands. You can read my reviews below, followed by answers to some frequently asked questions. But if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at my top five: