Top Soundbars 2023

The Sony HT-A3000 is decent for mixed usage. It's a simple 3.1 bar with a discrete center channel to improve the clarity of dialogue in your audio. When you listen to stereo content, including most music and TV shows, voices and instruments are pretty clear in the mix. As with most standalone bars, though, there's a lack of emphasis in the low-bass that reduces the amount of rumble you feel. While it can playback more advanced audio formats, it has to downmix surround and height content into stereo, so you can't enjoy the more immersive feel.

The Definitive Technology Studio 3D Mini, a compact soundbar system from a traditional speaker-maker, distinguishes itself through impressive performance and an ability to stream audio (including high-res) directly from music services over Wi-Fi. Its HDMI ports lacks support for some of the latest gaming-related features, but overall it’s a great, though slightly pricey option for upgrading your TV’s audio.

Denon’s slim, attractive, and affordable soundbar offers a solid improvement over basic TV sound, and has excellent dialogue clarity. But while it lists Dolby Atmos as a feature, any immersive effect with Atmos soundtracks is limited at best.

The LG S80QY is very good for mixed usage. It has a pretty neutral sound out-of-the-box, with a dedicated subwoofer that adds boom in the bass range. Voices and lead instruments in music and TV shows are pretty clearly reproduced, though higher-pitched sounds get nudged towards the back of the mix due to the dip in the treble. You can customize its sound to your liking, though. There's also Dolby Atmos support, and it can playback surround sound formats like Dolby Digital and DTS, though it has to downmix it into stereo to play it.

For movie lovers with a shortage of space, the JBL offers a seriously appealing prospect: totally wireless surround sound from a soundbar. The sound palette that it offers isn’t as rich as some of its competitors, but its transforming surround sound capabilities are impressive.

TCL's wireless soundbar for Roku TVs, the Alto R1, is a simple way to add powerful stereo sound to your compatible TV, even if the speaker doesn't support any surround sound standards.

If you’re after a compact soundbar that doesn’t cost too much but offers great sound, the Stage 360 is it.

The React will seriously improve upon your TV’s speakers and is a fine choice if you’re specifically looking for a soundbar with Alexa, though it’s certainly not the cheapest option.

The Denon Home Sound Bar 550 is fair for mixed usage. Out-of-the-box, this soundbar has a slightly boomy though fairly neutral sound profile. However, it struggles to reproduce a deep low-bass, so you don't feel the thump and rumble in bass-heavy music or action-packed movies. It supports surround and Atmos content, but it doesn't provide the most immersive listening experience. Also, it doesn't get very loud.

The Vizio M-Series M512a-H6 brings Atmos height, separate surrounds and a subwoofer at an affordable price — and with some effort required.