Like TVs, there are hundreds of thousands of soundbars available on the market right now. From cheap Vizio soundbars that don’t even include a subwoofer, to expensive Samsung and LG soundbars that have everything including Dolby Atmos support. Here, in this gift guide we have rounded up the best soundbars that are available, in many different price ranges. Ranging from $100 all the way up to $1500. So there’s something for everyone.
JBL Bar 5.1
The JBL Bar 5.1 is what I would call a “simplistic” sound bar. This is because it is a pretty inexpensive one, and doesn’t have a lot of the frills of more expensive soundbars, but it still has plenty of oomf to really shake your living room. It comes with the soundbar, which is about the same length as a 40-inch TV. And it also has a wireless subwoofer, which is what will really make your house shake. The bass is very deep here. And it provides virtual surround sound. You can upgrade to the JBL Bar 9.1 for full on surround sound though.
Samsung Q800A Q Series Soundbar
This soundbar from Samsung is a Dolby Atmos soundbar, and it also has DTS:X, along with Alexa built-in. Making it a pretty incredible soundbar for under $600. Now, Samsung does include a wireless subwoofer here, which is going to allow for some incredible bass from this unit. It has 3.1.2 channel surround sound, giving you a theater-like experience, without paying a fortune.
TCL Alto 9+
The TCL Alto 9+ is one of the cheaper Dolby Atmos-compatible soundbars that are available today. And that’s a big reason why it is available in this gift guide. The TCL Alto 9+ has a wireless subwoofer that comes with it. And it uses 3.1-channel for Dolby Atmos. This soundbar also includes support for Chromecast and AirPlay 2, so no matter what kind fo smartphone you have, you can cast audio to this soundbar in your home. Which makes for a really nice experience. You’re also going to get some really great bass from that wireless subwoofer too.
Samsung HW-S60B
This is an inexpensive soundbar from Samsung that also supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X. That means you’re going to get some incredible sound quality out of this soundbar, which is really cool. It does also have a game mode, so you’re going to get great audio while you are also playing games on your Xbox X|S or PlayStation 5.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Price: $449Where to buy: Sonos
The Sonos Beam is one of the more compact soundbars on this list, without sacrificing audio quality. And it is a perfect pick up if you already have Sonos speakers in your home. And with the second-generation, you also get Dolby Atmos support! Sonos does really well with its sound quality too. With the bass being very bumpy, but not over-powering. And the mids and highs are still crystal clear. There is also an EQ built-in, that you can use to adjust the audio if you wish. All of that fits into this package that can easily fill a room with sound, and doesn’t even come with a remote. Because it is completely controlled by your TV. Sonos Beam - Sonos.com
Bose Soundbar 900
The Bose Soundbar 900 is an upgraded soundbar from what we had on this list last year, and not it has Dolby Atmos. So not only do you get that same great Bose sound, but with Atmos included too. There’s also Alexa built-in here, so you can use it as an Echo device. It has a pretty sleek design, and does come in both white and black. Offering a really nice look for this soundbar.
Sony Z9F 3.1ch Sound bar
Sony doesn’t just do cheap soundbars, like another entry in this gift guide. It does also do some premium soundbars like the Sony Z9F. This is a really good looking soundbar, with a wireless subwoofer included. This is a 3.1-channel soundbar, which will provide you with some incredible sound. It is 4K HDR capable. And it also includes support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, giving you a really incredible sound experience. You can also tune the audio to your liking, so if you want more bass, you can choose to do just that.
Roku Smart Soundbar
Here’s when we get into the fun soundbars on this gift guide, that do more than just offer great sound. The Roku Smart Soundbar is exactly that. You can think of it as a soundbar, with a Roku built-in. That means that it does connect to your TV using HDMI ARC. But with this, you won’t need to buy a Roku, as all of that is inside this soundbar. It comes with a Roku remote, so you can control it and your TV using this remote. It’s also going to provide some really great sound for your TV. This is a small-ish soundbar, but the sound is definitely not small. It can easily fill your room with sound. And it’s super simple to set up as well.
Sonos Ray
Sonos does sell the Ray in both black and white, similar to every other Sonos product that they have announced in recent years.
Samsung HW-Q600A Dolby Atmos Soundbar
This Dolby Atmos Soundbar from Samsung is a really great value actually. It has a regular price of $599, but you can usually find it for under $400. It does still come with a wireless subwoofer, which is going to give you some really incredibly deep bass. It also uses 3.1.2-channel for stereo surround sound like a lot of models on this list. Samsung has included Adaptive Sound here, which will optimize the voice clarity and sound to video content. There’s also Samsung Acoustic Beam, for panoramic audio that dynamically moves with the action. It’s a really great model, and perhaps the best value on this list.
Sony HT-S400
The Sony HT-S400 is another inexpensive Dolby Atmos Soundbar, which is a really good option this holiday season, coming in at under $300. It’s a 2.1-channel soundbar, and also has a powerful subwoofer that comes with it. Giving you some deep bass, as well as some great surround sound. If you own a BRAVIA TV, you can also use this soundbar wirelessly, which is going to make for a really good looking setup in your man cave or living room.
