14 Best Soundbars We Tested & Reviewed (2025): Sonos, Sony, Bose

There are a lot of great soundtracks out there and we don’t have room to feature them all. Here are some others you might want to check out.

LG’s S95TR for $1000-1300: LG’s 9.1.5-channel soundbar (8/10, WIRED recommends) doesn’t perform as well as Samsung’s flagship Q990 series, but may be a better choice for those with newer LG TVs like the C4which can connect wirelessly and use its speakers in tandem with the bar for greater immersion. It also supports gaming features like 120-Hz passthrough, but only includes one spare input.

Vizio 2.1 Soundbar (SV210M) for $170: Vizio’s curved little combo packs a tantalizing value, with solid sound quality and a bit of cinematic punch from the youngest subwoofer you’ll ever see. There’s no optical input or remote included, but the Vizio app makes adjusting settings or switching Bluetooth easy enough. The main downside is that the dialog is sometimes (but not always) lost, reducing the main appeal of a cheap soundbar. However, good music tracks and features like DTS Virtual X expansion make it worth considering for sale.

Samsung HW-Q800C for $598: If Samsung’s all-in-one HW-Q990C bar is too rich for your blood, the two-piece HW-Q800C (WIRED recommends, 8/10) can be a good compromise. This bar offers a similar sound signature to Samsung’s flagship bars, includes many of the same features packed into a smaller bar and subwoofer combination for a remarkable discount – especially since it’s almost always on sale now.

Sennheiser Ambeo Mini for $700: This fancy pint-sized bar is great for those with cash to burn in very small spaces. Sennheiser’s built-in Ambeo virtualization technology brilliantly projects sound all around you for exciting TV and movies, and offers advanced features such as support for Google Assistant and Alexa.

Sony HT-X8500 for $300: Sony’s HT-X8500 is getting harder to find, but it’s still one of our favorite options for those who want a bar with solid bass response and expansive sound, including decent Dolby Atmos virtualization. Although it’s more expensive than our top bar, it’s a great alternative for those who want a bit more, and it’s worth considering while it’s still available.

Roku Streambar for $130: If you’re looking for a soundbar that doubles as a great streaming device, WIRED reviewer Adrienne So swears by the Roku Streambar. After going years without one, she was so impressed that she shouted it from the rooftops. Setup is easy, and since it includes Roku’s simple streaming interface, you can stream movies and shows in up to 4K HDR from almost any streaming service. You can also add a Roku subwoofer or surround sound speakers down the line. We encourage receiving sub.

Vizio Elevate M-Series for $500: If you want full-featured Dolby Atmos and like a bit of flair, Vizio’s second Elevate bar is worth considering. The drivers pop out of the side and point towards your ceiling when Atmos content is played, giving it a great party trick to show off to your friends. Sound quality is also solid, and we like the compact design and easy setup. You will still need to run some speaker cables for the rear surrounds.

Yamaha SR-C30A for $276: This SR-C30A soundbar model does look very similar to the SR-C20A, and that’s because they’re the same thing in terms of size, specification, and sound quality. The difference is that the SR-C30A comes with a compact (335 x 160 x 364mm) wireless subwoofer for authentic Hollywood-style rumble and punch. —Simon Lucas

Sennheiser Ambeo Plus for $1200: Considering the price and physical dimensions of a soundbar that doesn’t even include a subwoofer, the Ambeo Plus might seem like a bad deal. But thanks to its 400 watts of power and its nine carefully designed and even more carefully positioned speakers, this Sennheiser is capable of big, enveloping sound with a strong hint of the pitch that Dolby Atmos soundtracks thrive on. Encore, it turns out to be a wireless speaker with huge capabilities when you want to listen to music as well. — Simon Lucas

The Polk React for $269: This soundbar works if you want to get surround sound eventually but don’t have the money right now. The Alexa-enabled soundbar is good on its own, with surround speakers and subwoofers available from Polk if you want to upgrade.

Vizio Elevate P-Series for $700: It’s a great-looking soundbar with side speakers that flip up when you’re watching object-based audio content. This is a good sounding bar and this trick is neat, but there are better options for under $1000.