Best Soundbar 2020: Upgrade your TV audio

What’s the best soundbar to boost your TV’s sound?

You’ve bought a flatscreen TV, turned it on and are wondering why it sounds so thin and meak. Well, you’re not the only one. The sound quality of TVs in general has dropped since they started becoming prettier – and thinner.

Their slim form factor means there’s no space for beefy audio components and as a result the sound quality has suffered. A speaker package would help matter, but not everyone wants nor has enough space. The solution: soundbars and soundbases.

They exist to lend your TV much-needed sonic support and are often a neat and cost-effective way to improve sound quality without the hassle and cables that come with a more traditional surround sound system.

Just to make it slightly tricky, there a few options to peruse. You can of course get a basic standalone soundbar; or perhaps you want a bit more bass to TV watching experience, in which case and bar and sub combo would be prudent. There’s also the option of a more advanced soundbar/subwoofer that has the potential to add satellite speakers for a surround sound effect. Another option is a soundbase on which your TV sits upon, saving space in the process.

If you in the mood to give your TV a kick, you’re in the right place. We’ve included our best picks from budget efforts to more pricey models.

• Best compact: Sonos Beam
• Best budget: Wharfedale Vista 200S
• Best sound: Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar
• Best all-in-one: Samsung HW-Q90R
• Best smart bar: Polk Command Bar
• Great all-rounder: Sony HT-ST500
• Best for music: Dali Kubik One
• Best soundbase: Q Acoustics M2
• Best for multi-room: Bluesound Pulse Soundbar 2i
• Great for movies and music: Denon Heos bar
• Best for Sky customers: Sky Soundbox

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Sonos Beam

The best compact soundbar

Pros:

• Excellent sound
• Integrated Alexa works a charm
• Controls TV
• Lovely design

Cons:

• Not the last word in bass output

If you’re tight on space and have cash to spare, the Sonos Beam is a fine choice. It’s a soundbar for your TV, a multiroom speaker that plays nicely with other Sonos products – and it’s a voice-activated smart speaker armed with Amazon Alexa.

The Beam’s soundstage is so wide and tall it’s hard to believe there aren’t other speakers in the room. An engaging and entertaining sound is complemented by a smooth and direct mid-range, giving a convincing weight to voices. Everything is controlled through the brilliant Sonos app, and there’s even support for Apple AirPlay 2 (with Siri) and Google Assistant.

Pair it with Sonos Play:1 speakers and a Sonos sub, and you’ve got yourself a formidable surround sound system.

Wharfedale Vista 200S

Exceptional value

Pros:

•  Great with movies and music
•  Well-integrated bass
•  Low-profile and well-made cabinet
• Exceptional value
• Easy to setup

Cons

•  Nothing at this price

The Vista 200s is a 2.1-channel effort that’s affordable, attractive and puts in a stonking performance for the price.

It’s a fairly wide unit that’s suited for TVs 65-inches and up. An HDMI ARC, optical and coaxial digital inputs and a 3.5mm jack are your lot for physical connections. Bluetooth comes built-in for streaming wirelessly from a mobile device.

Simple to set-up and use, the Vista 200s puts in a great performance across movies and TV shows. The wireless subwoofer delivers punchy, deep bass; dialogue is rendered with clarity and it can cope well with busy soundtracks, sifting through the detail on offer.

For under £250, the Wharfedale Vista 200S offers exceptional value.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar

Arguably the best-sounding soundbar around

Pros:

• Superb 3D audio performance
• As good with music as it is movies

Cons

• Eye-wateringly expensive
• Big and not exactly pretty

Sennheiser’s long-awaited Ambeo Soundbar is a big, bulky effort that’s the most expensive on this list. It’s always one of the best sounding units we’ve heard.

With support for Atmos, DTS:X, Sennheiser’s Ambeo processing and MPEG-H format, this hefty bar produces a muscular and hard-hitting performance, with excellent effects steering, clarity and a superbly immersive soundscape. A phenomenal sounding bar that convincingly apes a 5.1/object-based speaker packages.

Samsung HW-Q90R

The best all-in-one solution

Pros:

• Superb sound quality
• Genuinely immersive performance
• Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support
• Simple to set up and discreet
• Attractively designed and well made

Cons:

• Audio calibration very basic
• Not exactly cheap

We were impressed with Samsung’s N950 soundbar, but the Q90R effectively replaces it with a performance of similar, if not better quality.

It’s an all-in-one package that offers genuine immersive audio with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. There’s good bass integration with the subwoofer, even better stereo separation and with the rear speakers the Q90R is able to unleash an enjoyable surround sound experience.

It’s expensive, but the sound quality is superb

Polk Command Bar

Built-in Alexa support

Pros:

• Amazon Alexa built in
• Excellent sound quality

Cons:

• None at this price

Polk’s Command Bar is a soundbar that also integrates Alexa voice control.

This means you get all the benefits of a soundbar plus the convenience of voice control operation. Want to order a Dominos pizza? Tell Alexa. Fancy turning down the lighting for that perfect cinema feel? Alexa will oblige (as long as your smart home devices are connected).

While the audio isn’t proper surround, the Command Bar offers an immersive experience, drawing you into what you’re viewing without the added expense of a surround sound setup. Sound delivery is refined and voice clarity excellent, and that all adds up to a very enjoyable sonic experience indeed.

Dali Kubik One

Delivers a movie/music performance to die for

Pros:

• Stunning design and build quality
• Natural, well-balanced and powerful sound
• Equally talented with music and movies

Cons:

• No HDMI connections
• Dreadful remote
• Movies sound better with subwoofer

The Dali Kubik One is simply stunning. The minimal design, outstanding build quality and eye-catching colour schemes unite to make this a device anyone would want in their living room. It can be hung on a wall or placed on top of a flat surface – and looks great either way.

A strong selection of connections is tucked away at the rear, along with grooves and clamps to keep cables from tangling. Annoyingly, there’s no HDMI port, highlighting Dali’s music-first approach. Bluetooth connectivity is available.

The hefty £800 price tag is justified by the performance. Music, TV and movies sound clear, balanced and highly detailed – as well as powerful. You can adjust sound through the Neutral, Bass Enhance and Bass Boost switches at the back, too.

Sony HT-ST5000

No-compromise 7.1.2 soundbar

Pros:

• Dynamic, exciting performer

• Excellent clarity with High-Res Audio
• Premium build quality
• Powerful bass

Cons:

• Dolby Atmos doesn’t surround you
• Short on streaming services
• Very expensive

If you’ve bought a massive TV and want a fancy soundbar to go with it, the Sony HT-ST5000 wants to be your first choice.

Headline attractions include Dolby Atmos, High-Res Audio, Bluetooth and Chromecast. It has three HDMI ports for passing through 4K video signals, alongside analogue and digital optical audio options.

And it sounds fantastic. It isn’t quite the full surround effect you get with a proper Atmos setup, but you’ll struggle to find such scale, depth, dynamism or clarity on most alternatives.

Q Acoustics M2

Tremendous value

Pros:

• Great build
• Nicely balanced sound
• Plenty of power
• Easy to use

Cons:

• Poor remote

The Q Acoustics M2 soundbase is a simple affair, but it’s exactly what a soundbase needs to be.

It’s sturdy enough to withstand 25kg. It’s wide and deep enough to take most TVs with central pedestals and flat enough to sit under TVs. The cabinet is made of MDF with internal bracing to reduce unwanted resonance – the type of material used in hi-fi speakers.

This unassuming little box does wonders for your TV’s sound. The performance is far more spacious than you’d assume on first inspection. Tonal balance is neutral, never adding too much bass or making voices sound crispy. There are no fancy virtual surround modes, but if you want something to boost your TV’s audio performance, this will do nicely.

Bluesound Pulse Soundbar 2i

A big performer

Pros:

• Extensive specification
• Multi-room ability
• Full, rich and high calorie sound

Cons:

• Quite a visual statement
• Short of outright dynamic headroom
• Control app is quite easily confused

If you want to make a statement, Bluesound’s Pulse Soundbar 2i may be the ideal way to do so.

Measuring a 1m in length and 14cm high, it’s not the most discrete of efforts. That said, it packs plenty of talents into its robust package. It can play hi-res audio tunes, stream audio via AirPlay 2; has support for several streaming services including Spotify and is compatible with Alexa voice control. You’re not left wanting in this regard.

And in terms of the audio performance, the Pulse delivers a rich, detailed sound with a convincingly deep soundstage. If you want a soundbar that can do more than just ably assist film soundtracks, the Pulse Soundbar 2i is worth auditioning.

HEOS Bar

Excellent for both movies and music

Pros:

• Plenty of connections
• Nice design
• Excellent sound
• Easy to use

Cons:

• Not the last word in effects steering
• Could do with a little more bass depth

HEOS used to be Denon’s wireless range but it’s now a brand in its own right.

The HEOS Bar is an all-singing, all-dancing sound system that excels at music playback as much as it does movie soundtracks. It’s smooth, warm, muscular sound takes notes from Denon’s hi-fi heritage. Factor in the smooth app operation and competitive price, and this is a success in virtually every respect.

If you’re looking for a one-box solution to serve as your home’s sonic centrepiece, there are few packages as versatile.

Sky Soundbox

A decent option for Sky customers

Pros:

• Weighty bass
• Clear speech
• Sky Q optimisation modes mostly work well
• Large-scale sound from a compact unit

Cons:

• Sound lacks the subtlety for music
• Awkward form factor makes it difficult to position
• Not worth the higher price to non-Sky customers

The Sky Soundbox is an odd one. The first oddity is the shape, which is more like a soundbase but too small to fit a TV on. It can be tricky to find the right home for it.

The other quirk is that Sky customers can buy it at a truly excellent price. No one should pay the full price, but for £249 to Sky customers, this is a no-brainer.

With help from Devialet, the scale of sound from such a compact unit is super-impressive, while some Sky Q-specific sound modes help to get a better sonic balance during sports, movies, and so on.

It’s a little shouty with music and the bass can be overblown, but with most video content it’s very good – as long as you’ve paid that discounted price for it.

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How we test soundbars

Soundbars were invented to boost the sound quality of TVs – which means we end up watching a lot of TV. We play everything – news reports for voices, movies for scale and effects steering – to ensure that the soundbars that come through the doors at Trusted Reviews are given a proper challenge. We’ll play different genres of music, too, since a good soundbar should be capable of doubling-up as a great music system.

More complex soundbars feature network functionality for hooking up to other speakers and playing music around the home, so we test for connectivity issues and ease of use. We cover the spectrum of models available, everything from cheap soundbars costing less than £100 to those over £1000, to ensure our reviews benefit from our extensive market knowledge. Every product is compared to similarly priced rivals, too.

If you’re undecided on whether to go for a soundbar or a soundbase, here is a brief explanation of the differences.

Soundbars vs Soundbases – Which one is right for you?

If you want to improve your TV’s audio but don’t want a 5.1 surround system cluttering up your living room, you basically have two choices: a soundbar or a soundbase.

A soundbar is essentially a slim speaker system that can be mounted on the wall below your TV, or in front of it on a cabinet. Soundbars emerged to tackle the issue of poor quality built-in TV speakers. Most are stereo offerings, but some beefier models pack enough tech inside to deliver a convincing virtual surround sound experience.

Most soundbars you’ll find are 2.1-channel sound setups. This means you’ll get two speakers and a separate subwoofer. There are a few exceptions that bundle subwoofer and even more speakers into one device. The advantage of a wide soundbar is a better stereo experience, but the slim design is also what makes a separate subwoofer pretty much compulsory.

A soundbase is a much flatter unit designed to sit below the TV on a cabinet or stand. It will typically include a greater number of bass drivers compared to a soundbar, meaning most won’t require a separate subwoofer.

Soundbases are often rated by the weight of the TV they can support, and because of the extra space, will often feature better audio processing than soundbars.

Both soundbars and soundbases sometimes offer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity to stream content from smartphones, tablets and computers. Physical connections can include USB ports to plug in external hard drives, HDMI inputs and outputs to support Full HD and 3D TV playback. A recent trend is to have a single optical input that lets you plug everything into your TV, and then a single cable going to the soundbar or soundbase. The new Sonos Playbase is an example.

Unlike other sites, we thoroughly review everything we recommend, using industry standard tests to evaluate products. We’ll always tell you what we find. We may get a commission if you buy via our price links. Tell us what you think – email the Editor

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