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This guide is for you if you can't catch what people are saying on telly, want bigger sound for films, sport and games, or want to stream music through your living room. It's also for anyone buying a soundbar as a Christmas present. When you choose, check three things: how clear the dialogue is, whether you want Dolby Atmos (sound that seems to come from above as well as around you), and which ports your TV has.
Sony HT-S2000 3.1ch Dolby Atmos soundbar
Best for most living rooms
A small 3.1-channel Dolby Atmos soundbar that turns everyday telly into clear, room-filling sound. "3.1" means three speaker channels plus bass, all in one bar.
Who it's for: Buy it for anyone who keeps turning up the TV and still misses the words.
The facts that matter
- A small, compact 3.1-channel soundbar with Dolby Atmos and a dedicated centre speaker for clear dialogue.
- Built-in dual subwoofers with an X-Balanced Speaker design for powerful bass from a compact bar.
- Almost ready out of the box, connect your TV with an HDMI cable and plug in, and stream from your phone, tablet or laptop over Bluetooth.
Why it made the list: A dedicated centre speaker puts voices front and centre, so dialogue comes through clearly. Built-in dual subwoofers give you powerful bass without a second box. It's almost ready out of the box: connect one HDMI cable to your TV, plug in, and stream from your phone over Bluetooth.
Worth knowing: The wireless subwoofer (SA-SW3/SA-SW5) and rear speakers (SA-RS3S) are optional extras, sold separately.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Sonos Beam Ultra soundbar (Black)
Best for films and music
A Sonos soundbar with 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos and upward-firing drivers, so film sound fills the room. It doubles as a smart music speaker for your living room.
Who it's for: Perfect for the film fan who also plays music all day.
The facts that matter
- 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos surround sound with upward-firing drivers.
- Nine drivers, four more than Beam, for a wider soundstage, and AI-powered Speech Enhancement sharpens dialogue when the action or the room gets loud.
- Control it with your TV remote, the Sonos app, Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth or your voice, and Trueplay tunes it to your room.
Why it made the list: Nine drivers, four more than Beam, give you a wider soundstage. AI-powered Speech Enhancement sharpens dialogue when the action or the room gets loud. Control it your way: TV remote, the Sonos app, Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth or your voice, with Trueplay tuning the sound to your room.
Worth knowing: For the full 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos experience, Sonos's bigger Arc Ultra goes further.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar with Dolby Atmos (Black)
Best for big rooms and home cinema
A Sonos soundbar with 9.1.4 spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. Its Sound Motion technology fills the room, so film night feels like the cinema.
Who it's for: The big Christmas present for the film or sport fan with a large living room.
The facts that matter
- 9.1.4 spatial audio with Dolby Atmos, from an all-new acoustic design with Sound Motion technology that fills the room.
- Clear dialogue, with Speech Enhancement to make it clearer still, and Trueplay fine-tunes the sound for your room.
- Set up with a single HDMI eARC connection to your TV, and control it with your TV remote, the Sonos app, touch controls, Sonos Voice Control or Amazon Alexa.
Why it made the list: It delivers clear dialogue, and Speech Enhancement makes it clearer still. Trueplay fine-tunes the sound to your room. One HDMI eARC cable sets it up, and you control it with your TV remote, the Sonos app, touch controls, Sonos Voice Control or Amazon Alexa.
Worth knowing: It needs an HDMI eARC connection on your TV for set-up, so check your TV's ports first.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus (3.1ch, Dolby Atmos)
Best for Fire TV homes
An all-in-one 3.1 soundbar with built-in bass, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. You get big cinema sound with no extra boxes.
Who it's for: Ideal for homes that already watch everything through Fire TV.
The facts that matter
- An all-in-one 3.1 soundbar with built-in bass, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
- A dedicated centre dialogue channel, plus Film, Music, Sport and Night modes.
- Connect the included HDMI cable to your TV's HDMI eARC/ARC port, and use one remote for your TV and soundbar with Fire TV.
Why it made the list: A dedicated centre dialogue channel keeps voices clear. Film, Music, Sport and Night modes match the sound to what you're watching. Plug the included HDMI cable into your TV's eARC/ARC port and run your TV and soundbar from one Fire TV remote.
Worth knowing: Sound customisation in the Fire TV audio settings works on selected Fire TV models only.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Denon DHT-S218 Dolby Atmos soundbar
Best for gamers and 4K TVs
A Dolby Atmos soundbar built around two down-firing subwoofers, dual mid-range drivers and tweeters. It brings 3D sound to your games and films.
Who it's for: Buy it for the gamer with a 4K TV and a console.
The facts that matter
- Dolby Atmos 3D audio from two built-in down-firing subwoofers, dual mid-range drivers and tweeters.
- 4K HDMI with eARC, plus support for VRR and ALLM, with the HDMI cable included.
- Bluetooth LE Audio streams from your phone or tablet with low latency.
Why it made the list: 4K HDMI with eARC supports VRR (variable refresh rate) and ALLM (auto low latency mode), two features gamers look for. The HDMI cable is in the box. Bluetooth LE Audio streams from your phone or tablet with low latency, which means little delay.
Worth knowing: It has one HDMI input and one HDMI output (eARC).
Check price on Amazon(paid link)JBL Cinema SB 550 3.1ch soundbar with wireless subwoofer
Best for big bass for action films
A 3.1 soundbar with a separate wireless subwoofer, delivering 250W of Dolby Audio. Explosions rumble and car chases roar.
Who it's for: Made for the action-film fan who wants to feel every blast.
The facts that matter
- A dedicated centre channel for clear dialogue in TV programmes and films.
- A wireless subwoofer for rich, deep bass, and 250W of Dolby Audio.
- Set up with HDMI ARC or stream music over Bluetooth, with a remote, HDMI cable and wall-mount kit in the box.
Why it made the list: The wireless subwoofer brings rich, deep bass, and a dedicated centre channel keeps dialogue clear in TV programmes and films. Set up with HDMI ARC or stream music over Bluetooth. The remote, HDMI cable and wall-mount kit all come in the box.
Worth knowing: The subwoofer is a second box, so plan floor space for it.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Amazon Fire TV Soundbar (2.0)
Best for small TVs and bedrooms
A compact Amazon soundbar just over 60 cm long, with dual speakers. It gives a small TV fuller sound, clearer dialogue and deeper bass.
Who it's for: Great for a bedroom, a kitchen, a student flat or a smaller TV.
The facts that matter
- Dual speakers for fuller sound, clearer dialogue and deeper bass, in a compact bar just over 60 cm long.
- DTS Virtual:X for three-dimensional surround sound, plus Dolby Audio.
- Plug the included HDMI cable into your TV's HDMI eARC/ARC port, and stream music from your phone over Bluetooth.
Why it made the list: DTS Virtual:X creates three-dimensional surround sound, and Dolby Audio is on board too. Plug the included HDMI cable into your TV's eARC/ARC port and you're done. Stream music from your phone over Bluetooth whenever you like.
Worth knowing: It is a 2.0 speaker, so the surround effect is virtual, through DTS Virtual:X.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)Hisense HS2000 2.1ch all-in-one soundbar
Best for Hisense TV owners
An all-in-one 2.1-channel soundbar with a built-in subwoofer for deep bass and less clutter. One bar, no extra box.
Who it's for: The easy gift for anyone with a Hisense TV.
The facts that matter
- An all-in-one 2.1-channel soundbar with a built-in subwoofer for deep bass and less clutter.
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 and DTS Virtual:X create virtual floor-to-ceiling surround sound.
- EZ Play lets you control the soundbar's sound modes with your Hisense TV remote.
Why it made the list: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 and DTS Virtual:X create virtual floor-to-ceiling surround sound. EZ Play lets you change the soundbar's sound modes with your Hisense TV remote, so everything stays simple.
Worth knowing: TV mode and EZ Play are built for Hisense TVs, so owners of other TV brands miss those extras.
Check price on Amazon(paid link)