The Best Soundbars
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A good soundbar fixes the two biggest complaints about modern TVs: muddy dialogue and thin sound. We narrowed the field to five systems worth your money, from a budget Dolby Atmos set to a room-filling home theater. Every pick below was in stock on Amazon when we checked.
Quick answer: the best sound if you have the space, the Samsung HW-Q990F. A strong all-rounder with cable-free rear speakers, the JBL Bar 1000MK2. A tight budget, the Hisense AX5140Q. A small room, the Sonos Beam. A big open space, the Nakamichi Shockwafe.
Last checked October 2026. Models and stock change quickly, so confirm availability on Amazon before you buy. Picks are ranked using independent testing from RTINGS, plus the specifications listed on each Amazon page.
Our pick · Best overall
Samsung HW-Q990F (2025)
The best soundbar RTINGS has tested, with a full wireless surround system in the box.
Reasons to buy
- RTINGS: the best soundbar it has tested
- 11.1.4 channels with a wireless subwoofer and rear speakers
- Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
- Automatic room correction and plenty of volume
Reasons to avoid
- It is the biggest and most involved system here. RTINGS notes that Q-Symphony, which adds a Samsung TV’s speakers to the mix, makes dialogue less precise than using the bar on its own. When we looked, the listing was sold by a third-party seller.
Why we picked it
RTINGS rates the HW-Q990F the best soundbar it has tested. It is an 11.1.4-channel system: the bar, a wireless subwoofer with two 8-inch drivers, and two rear satellites, with up-firing speakers that add height to Dolby Atmos and DTS:X movies.
It gets loud enough for a large living room, and it includes room correction and a mode that plays through the rear satellites only. A newer HW-Q990H is out, but RTINGS found most of the performance carries over, which makes the F the better value for anyone who does not need the newest features.
Key specs
- 11.1.4 channels, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
- Wireless subwoofer with dual 8-inch drivers, plus two rear satellites
- Automatic room correction using the bar’s built-in microphone
- Q-Symphony works with supported Samsung TVs
- Alexa built in and Google Cast, per the Amazon listing
More top picks
Best mid-range
JBL Bar 1000MK2
A 7.1.4 system with rear speakers you can lift off the bar and place anywhere, no cables needed.
Reasons to buy
- RTINGS: the best mid-range soundbar it has tested
- Detachable, battery-powered rear speakers need no outlet
- 7.1.4 channels with a 10-inch wireless subwoofer
- Room correction and a satellite-only playback mode
Reasons to avoid
- Its three HDMI inputs cap video passthrough at 4K/60Hz, so they will not pass a 4K/120Hz game signal. If you want a louder JBL, RTINGS points to the pricier Bar 1300XMK2.
Why we picked it
RTINGS names the Bar 1000MK2 the best mid-range soundbar it has tested, and the standout is the rear speakers: two small battery-powered satellites that detach from the bar, so you can put them wherever suits the room without hunting for an outlet. They also work as standalone wireless speakers for the kitchen.
The bar pairs with a 10-inch wireless subwoofer and 480 watts of output, per Amazon, for plenty of low end in action scenes. It also has the same tuning tools as our top pick: room correction, a satellite-only mode and per-channel level adjustments.
Key specs
- 7.1.4 channels, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
- Detachable wireless rear speakers, battery powered
- 10-inch wireless subwoofer, 480W RMS output
- Three HDMI inputs with 4K passthrough up to 60Hz
- MultiBeam 3.0 and PureVoice 2.0 dialogue enhancement
Best budget
Hisense AX5140Q 5.1.4
Rear speakers and up-firing Atmos drivers without a big-system price.
Reasons to buy
- RTINGS: the best budget soundbar it has tested
- 5.1.4 channels with up-firing drivers and rear satellites
- Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
- A balanced sound with clear dialogue
Reasons to avoid
- Beyond Bluetooth there is no wireless streaming, so no Wi-Fi or Spotify Connect, and there is no room correction unless you pair it with a Hisense TV. When we looked, the listing was sold by a third-party seller.
Why we picked it
RTINGS calls it the best budget soundbar it has tested, and what stands out is what you get for the money: rear satellites and four up-firing drivers that lift Dolby Atmos movies into a more immersive space. RTINGS found the sound well tuned, with a bass punch that does not overwhelm the mix and dialogue that cuts through.
It passes video through its HDMI input, handles virtually all common audio formats, and Amazon lists a 6.5-inch subwoofer, seven EQ presets and Bluetooth 5.3.
Key specs
- 5.1.4 channels: six front-firing, two up-firing and four surround speakers
- 6.5-inch wireless subwoofer
- Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
- HDMI eARC and 4K HDR pass-through
- Bluetooth 5.3 and seven EQ presets
Best small soundbar
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) with Dolby Atmos
The sound bar that makes TV dialogue clear and movies feel bigger, in a body under 26 inches wide.
Reasons to buy
- RTINGS: the best small soundbar
- Dolby Atmos in a body under 26 inches wide
- Room correction, Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 and Alexa
- Grows with a Sonos Sub Mini and rear speakers
Reasons to avoid
- It is a standalone 5.0 bar with no subwoofer, and RTINGS says it falls short of the pricier Sonos Arc Ultra. When we looked, the listing was fulfilled by a third-party seller.
Why we picked it
RTINGS rates the Beam (Gen 2) as its best small soundbar. It is compact enough for a bedroom or apartment, yet it supports Dolby Atmos and spreads sound well past the edges of the bar, so a movie feels wider than the box it comes in.
Set-up takes two cables, and room tuning adapts the sound to your space. When the TV is off it doubles as a Wi-Fi speaker with AirPlay 2 and Alexa, and you can add a Sonos sub and rear speakers later to grow it into a full surround system.
Key specs
- 5-driver array, 5.0 channels, Dolby Atmos
- HDMI eARC to your TV, plus Ethernet and Wi-Fi
- Apple AirPlay 2, Alexa voice control, Sonos app
- Works with Sonos Sub Mini and Sonos rear speakers
- Less than 26 inches wide
Best for large rooms
Nakamichi Shockwafe Wireless 11.2.6
A 54-inch bar, two subwoofers and rear speakers, built to fill a large room.
Reasons to buy
- RTINGS: one of the best soundbars for large rooms
- Dual wireless subwoofers and dedicated rear satellites
- 11.2.6 channels with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
- HDMI 2.1 passthrough up to 4K/120Hz with two HDMI inputs
Reasons to avoid
- It is huge: a 54-inch bar that weighs about 32 pounds, and two subwoofers of similar weight. RTINGS also finds the treble a little dull, which hurts voices next to the Samsung, and there is no room-correction microphone.
Why we picked it
RTINGS lists the Shockwafe Wireless as one of the best soundbars for large rooms, thanks to higher top-end volume, two subwoofers and dedicated satellites. The subs deliver plenty of thump and rumble for movies.
You can enter your room dimensions to tune the sound, adjust each channel and pick presets such as Music, Movie, Game, News and Sports. HDMI eARC and optical cover the major formats, and two HDMI inputs let it act as a hub for your devices.
Key specs
- 11.2.6 channels, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
- 54-inch soundbar with dual 10-inch wireless subwoofers
- Wireless bipolar rear speakers
- HDMI 2.1 with 4K/120Hz passthrough, eARC and optical
- Room-size settings and five sound presets