The soundbar can be wall-mounted, and also thin enough to comfortably sit below your TV without messing the remote commands. Its becoming more popular, but the ability to wall mount a soundbar isnt a feature thats universally supported. Supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X with immersive surround sound capabilities. That said, the lack of a separate subwoofer means it isnt quite as bass-heavy as some of the alternatives in our chart. The dedicated subwoofer produces much deeper, richer bass than any standalone soundbar, making explosions, gunfire and the soundtracks in Hollywood blockbusters and the latest AAA games sound incredible. The soundbar looks sleek and although it may lack standard connectivity options like aux-in, it more than makes up for it with the inclusion of both AirPlay 2 and Chromecast alongside Optical In, HDMI and Bluetooth connectivity. Easily add wireless surround sound speakers. Though there are exceptions to the rule, most standalone soundbars simply cant produce full-range sound, so many offload the bass tones to a separate subwoofer. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. The subwoofer might not integrate well with your system. Compatible with HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, optical audio, and up to 4K TVs for video pass-through. It offers an exceptional bass performance with virtually zero distortion and compelling surround sound effects for a theater-like audio experience. Some soundbars have voice enhancement features that can improve the audio clarity and volume of voices. Below, we have compiled a list of the best soundbars with HDMI passthrough for your home theatre needs: A soundbar with HDMI passthrough is simply a soundbar with HDMI input and output. This Vizio soundbar has 6 speakers with dual 3-inch subwoofers built-in. Using a 5.1-channel speaker configuration, the HW-N650 offers a strong audio power ranging at 360 watts. The HDMI inputs support passthrough of Dolby Vision 4K, but not Xbox Series X and PS5 features like 4K at 120Hz. Its connections are available at the bottom of the soundbar, with the HDMI located in a recessed section on the right. As an Amazon Associate TechReviewer earns from qualifying purchases. Compatible with HDMI eARC, Wi-Fi, and optical audio (with adapter). But if youre underwhelmed, theres the option of adding Rokus wireless speakers and subwoofer to the mix to give the Streambar some extra kick.
The cable will pass through the video to your TV while decoding the audio on your soundbar. Gorgeous build quality and design The alternative would be to connect several cables which can get rather messy.
The set-up can be a bit frustrating Most high-end soundbars on the market will allow you to enjoy the latest audio technologies like DTS:X and Dolby Atmos. This Sony 5.1.2-channel soundbar includes a wireless subwoofer and wireless rear speakers. Sony CT800 Powerful Sound bar with 4K HDR, Google SAMSUNG 3.0 Sound+ Premium Soundbar HW-MS650/ZA Bose 767520-1100 SoundTouch 300 Soundbar, works soundbar brings you a powerful cinematic sound with surround, Polk Audio MagniFi Max SR Surround Soundbar. and Bluetooth. Its a worthy recommendation for anyone who needs a superb all-round soundbar! Wireless speakers can either be powered by a wire (for power only) or battery-powered, which can be recharged when needed. Its tight and transient bass gives you a terrific sense of momentum and drama while watching a movie, making it the perfect antidote for weak TV speakers. Beyond all the usual features you get from Sonos devices like multi-room, the Arc is all about spacial sound, thanks to drivers pointing in all directions and support for Dolby Atmos. High-end soundbars can make a big difference when completing your home theater experience, but an entry-level and mid-range soundbars can still be much better than the speaker on a TV. Nonetheless, the price may be a concern to some buyers. Its easily one of the best sounding soundbars weve ever tested, and it looks rather nice too. It also includes AirPlay 2 compatibility, so youve got a plethora of options for playing content on the device. Its a fairly hefty setup, which isnt ideal for smaller TVs wed recommend 43in at a minimum. If youre a bass lover, youll want to get a soundbar that you can connect with a subwoofer. Dont forget to set to external TV speakers once youre connected. Find out what to look for when choosing a home theater soundbar for the LG 50-inch NANO75 TV, along with my recommended soundbars of all price ranges to fit your budget. Additionally, it offers plenty of high-frequency detail to give you a crisp and airy sound. Another thing to consider is whether you want the soundbar to support HDMI passthrough, which lets it function as a middle point between gaming consoles and your TV. This Polk Audio soundbar has a 7-driver array with a full-range center channel and a 5.25-inch subwoofer. Find out what to look for when choosing a home theater soundbar for the LG 50-inch NANO80 TV, along with my recommended soundbars of all price ranges to fit your budget. Find out what to look for when choosing a home theater soundbar for the LG 48-inch C1 TV, along with my recommended soundbars of all price ranges to fit your budget. If the soundbar supports HDMI video pass-through, you can connect your devices (blu-ray, cable box, or game console) directly to the soundbar via an ARC/eARC-supported HDMI cable.
Its much more compact than the likes of the JBL Bar 5.1 too, although youll only get a 4-channel setup here. Dolby Digital: This widely-used format provides a higher bandwidth sound that handles five discrete audio channels for surround sound and a subwoofer channel. Channels refer to the number of speakers the soundbar has. With services like Apple Music and Amazon Music now offering Atmos tracks, this Sonos soundbar is a great choice for getting the most from those songs. Includes model OLED48A1PUA. It comes with an active wireless subwoofer using a 6.5-inch driver and a rear port to offer a decent bass extension. It is high-end, admittedly, but its worth pointing out that you get a similar offering without a subwoofer from the competing Sonos Arc. Compatible with multi-room components, Cons Nonetheless, the best soundbars offer multiple connection options including wireless methods such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. Supports Dolby Audio and Dolby Pro Logic II. The soundbar itself is plenty powerful and has up-firing speakers for immersive Dolby Atmos surround sound. The subwoofer design gives it enough power to fill a decent-sized room with thumping bass, though not the best quality. Obviously its sound output isnt going to compete with any of the bigger, pricier picks on this list. Compatible with HDMI eARC, Bluetooth, optical audio, and up to 4K TVs for video pass-through. Includes models 50NANO80UPA and 50NANO806PA. It offers great audio output customisation, making it easy to tweak the output depending on your own taste, and there are five presets to choose from if youre not too confident. It comes with enough power to fill a large room with a remarkably loud sound. If youre after a budget-friendly soundbar that doesnt compromise on audio quality, the Creative Stage 360 is a solid option. When looking at soundbars, you'll notice the number of channels each has. The Samsung S60T is certainly one of the more stylish soundbars in our chart, offering the companys signature design language at a mid-range price. Via Alexa, youre able to stream songs from Amazon Music, Spotify and other streaming providers, but youve also got Bluetooth if you want to stream from your phone. This feature can be beneficial for people who have a hard time hearing voices or movies that have voices that blend in with other background audio. Its a great way to set up a clean and modern audio system. The feature uses an algorithm designed to identify frequencies normally associated with speech, running them via a digital signal processor. The system, which includes a 6-inch sub and low-profile wired rear speakers, comes with a backlit remote control for switching between TV audio presets (movie, music, etc.) Verdict: The Samsung HW-N650 is a high-end soundbar that rocks a minimalist design and a robust build quality combined with several great features. Dolby Atmos: Gives a sense of height with dedicated upward-firing drivers to produce a realistic surround sound effect. Includes models OLED48C2PUA, OLED48C2AUA, and LG C2 48-inch evo OLED TV. It has non-slip rubber pads at the base and a decent amount of connection options. It also doubles as a Roku streamer, running the companys popular software and supporting 4K HDR video playback. Verdict: Sony is known for creating products with a sleek visual design, and the CT800 is no different. You can also stream your playlist through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, which also supports multi-room listening with other compatible Sony speakers. Samsung is arguably the biggest TV manufacturer aiming to offer great home entertainment. With a slim, lay flat design, the Sony CT800 Sound Bar is ideal for placing or a TV-stand, beneath your flat-panel TV or mounting on a wall. Some TV makers like Sony offer legitimately great-sounding speakers in their most premium models, but they cost thousands of dollars. DTS:X: Has upward-firing drivers to produce height for realistic surround sound effects, similar to Dolby Atmos. You dont need a giant soundbar to achieve the main goal of ditching your TVs dreadful audio. The SoundTouch 300 is a good example of their innovative products, offering an attractive design and a myriad of modern features. It doesnt have many other extra features or tricks, but if you skim through reviews on Amazon or Best Buy, youll find a number of satisfied customers who praise the atmospheric Atmos sound, dialogue clarity, and more. Its price point is a little steep, but in the same price range with other top soundbars on the market. We steer you to products you'll love and show you how to get the most out of them.
The prepackaged route is great if youre not a bass junky, but thats mainly because you cant upgrade either component without getting rid of them both. Hailing from Samsungs latest sound range, the HW-MS650 ZA is among the best single-body soundbars with rigid and robust construction. Some TVs also support Bluetooth audio to wirelessly connect your TV's audio to a soundbar without an extra cable. You don't need to worry about your TV having support for these audio formats since only the soundbar and the audio source needs them. Vizio has long been the go-to recommendation for a quality soundbar that comes at a sensible price. It has an excellent array of features, including HDMI connections with 4K support and an array of unrivaled Wi-Fi features. Its price tag is fairly hefty, but the addition of the Acoustic Beam technology and a wireless subwoofer justifies it. 4K pass-through with HDCP 2.2 compatibility Depending on your budget, your soundbar can do much more than simply play TV audio some high-end options offer compatibility with AirPlay and Chromecast, while others offer Spotify Connect integration for wireless music playback. When using HDMI ARC, it's expected that you'll be able to control your soundbar volume with your TV remote. As well as handling general smart queries, you can use Alexa to control the volume, switch audio presets and more perfect for when you inevitably lose the remote. Easy to set up, Cons Wide and immersive front soundstage 
Only one HDMI input. Soundbars with HDMI passthrough offers several advantages including a single cable method of passing HD audio formats and video formats. If thats the case, the second-generation Sonos Beam isnt a bad fallback and youll save hundreds by going with the companys entry-level soundbar. The ST300 is capable of a generously wide soundstage, reproducing both the dialog and incidental effects with utmost precision and clarity. Includes model OLED55A1PUA. Connectivity options include HDMI Arc, Optical and Bluetooth, albeit with the basic A2DP codec. No external subwoofer. Find out what to look for when choosing a home theater soundbar for the LG 55-inch A1 TV, along with my recommended soundbars of all price ranges to fit your budget. A 5.1.2-channel sound system comes with a front right, front left, right surround, left surround, right height, left height and subwoofer. Even if you choose to purchase your soundbar at your local electronics store, ensure it has HDMI passthrough, Blu-ray player or Set-Top Box to the TV without altering the signal. DTS: A higher-quality alternative to Dolby Digital, with a higher bitrate and less compression. 
The cable will pass through the video to your TV while decoding the audio on your soundbar. Gorgeous build quality and design The alternative would be to connect several cables which can get rather messy.
The set-up can be a bit frustrating Most high-end soundbars on the market will allow you to enjoy the latest audio technologies like DTS:X and Dolby Atmos. This Sony 5.1.2-channel soundbar includes a wireless subwoofer and wireless rear speakers. Sony CT800 Powerful Sound bar with 4K HDR, Google SAMSUNG 3.0 Sound+ Premium Soundbar HW-MS650/ZA Bose 767520-1100 SoundTouch 300 Soundbar, works soundbar brings you a powerful cinematic sound with surround, Polk Audio MagniFi Max SR Surround Soundbar. and Bluetooth. Its a worthy recommendation for anyone who needs a superb all-round soundbar! Wireless speakers can either be powered by a wire (for power only) or battery-powered, which can be recharged when needed. Its tight and transient bass gives you a terrific sense of momentum and drama while watching a movie, making it the perfect antidote for weak TV speakers. Beyond all the usual features you get from Sonos devices like multi-room, the Arc is all about spacial sound, thanks to drivers pointing in all directions and support for Dolby Atmos. High-end soundbars can make a big difference when completing your home theater experience, but an entry-level and mid-range soundbars can still be much better than the speaker on a TV. Nonetheless, the price may be a concern to some buyers. Its easily one of the best sounding soundbars weve ever tested, and it looks rather nice too. It also includes AirPlay 2 compatibility, so youve got a plethora of options for playing content on the device. Its a fairly hefty setup, which isnt ideal for smaller TVs wed recommend 43in at a minimum. If youre a bass lover, youll want to get a soundbar that you can connect with a subwoofer. Dont forget to set to external TV speakers once youre connected. Find out what to look for when choosing a home theater soundbar for the LG 50-inch NANO75 TV, along with my recommended soundbars of all price ranges to fit your budget. Additionally, it offers plenty of high-frequency detail to give you a crisp and airy sound. Another thing to consider is whether you want the soundbar to support HDMI passthrough, which lets it function as a middle point between gaming consoles and your TV. This Polk Audio soundbar has a 7-driver array with a full-range center channel and a 5.25-inch subwoofer. Find out what to look for when choosing a home theater soundbar for the LG 50-inch NANO80 TV, along with my recommended soundbars of all price ranges to fit your budget. Find out what to look for when choosing a home theater soundbar for the LG 48-inch C1 TV, along with my recommended soundbars of all price ranges to fit your budget. If the soundbar supports HDMI video pass-through, you can connect your devices (blu-ray, cable box, or game console) directly to the soundbar via an ARC/eARC-supported HDMI cable. Its much more compact than the likes of the JBL Bar 5.1 too, although youll only get a 4-channel setup here. Dolby Digital: This widely-used format provides a higher bandwidth sound that handles five discrete audio channels for surround sound and a subwoofer channel. Channels refer to the number of speakers the soundbar has. With services like Apple Music and Amazon Music now offering Atmos tracks, this Sonos soundbar is a great choice for getting the most from those songs. Includes model OLED48A1PUA. It comes with an active wireless subwoofer using a 6.5-inch driver and a rear port to offer a decent bass extension. It is high-end, admittedly, but its worth pointing out that you get a similar offering without a subwoofer from the competing Sonos Arc. Compatible with multi-room components, Cons Nonetheless, the best soundbars offer multiple connection options including wireless methods such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. Supports Dolby Audio and Dolby Pro Logic II. The soundbar itself is plenty powerful and has up-firing speakers for immersive Dolby Atmos surround sound. The subwoofer design gives it enough power to fill a decent-sized room with thumping bass, though not the best quality. Obviously its sound output isnt going to compete with any of the bigger, pricier picks on this list. Compatible with HDMI eARC, Bluetooth, optical audio, and up to 4K TVs for video pass-through. Includes models 50NANO80UPA and 50NANO806PA. It offers great audio output customisation, making it easy to tweak the output depending on your own taste, and there are five presets to choose from if youre not too confident. It comes with enough power to fill a large room with a remarkably loud sound. If youre after a budget-friendly soundbar that doesnt compromise on audio quality, the Creative Stage 360 is a solid option. When looking at soundbars, you'll notice the number of channels each has. The Samsung S60T is certainly one of the more stylish soundbars in our chart, offering the companys signature design language at a mid-range price. Via Alexa, youre able to stream songs from Amazon Music, Spotify and other streaming providers, but youve also got Bluetooth if you want to stream from your phone. This feature can be beneficial for people who have a hard time hearing voices or movies that have voices that blend in with other background audio. Its a great way to set up a clean and modern audio system. The feature uses an algorithm designed to identify frequencies normally associated with speech, running them via a digital signal processor. The system, which includes a 6-inch sub and low-profile wired rear speakers, comes with a backlit remote control for switching between TV audio presets (movie, music, etc.) Verdict: The Samsung HW-N650 is a high-end soundbar that rocks a minimalist design and a robust build quality combined with several great features. Dolby Atmos: Gives a sense of height with dedicated upward-firing drivers to produce a realistic surround sound effect. Includes models OLED48C2PUA, OLED48C2AUA, and LG C2 48-inch evo OLED TV. It has non-slip rubber pads at the base and a decent amount of connection options. It also doubles as a Roku streamer, running the companys popular software and supporting 4K HDR video playback. Verdict: Sony is known for creating products with a sleek visual design, and the CT800 is no different. You can also stream your playlist through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, which also supports multi-room listening with other compatible Sony speakers. Samsung is arguably the biggest TV manufacturer aiming to offer great home entertainment. With a slim, lay flat design, the Sony CT800 Sound Bar is ideal for placing or a TV-stand, beneath your flat-panel TV or mounting on a wall. Some TV makers like Sony offer legitimately great-sounding speakers in their most premium models, but they cost thousands of dollars. DTS:X: Has upward-firing drivers to produce height for realistic surround sound effects, similar to Dolby Atmos. You dont need a giant soundbar to achieve the main goal of ditching your TVs dreadful audio. The SoundTouch 300 is a good example of their innovative products, offering an attractive design and a myriad of modern features. It doesnt have many other extra features or tricks, but if you skim through reviews on Amazon or Best Buy, youll find a number of satisfied customers who praise the atmospheric Atmos sound, dialogue clarity, and more. Its price point is a little steep, but in the same price range with other top soundbars on the market. We steer you to products you'll love and show you how to get the most out of them.
Only one HDMI input. Soundbars with HDMI passthrough offers several advantages including a single cable method of passing HD audio formats and video formats. If thats the case, the second-generation Sonos Beam isnt a bad fallback and youll save hundreds by going with the companys entry-level soundbar. The ST300 is capable of a generously wide soundstage, reproducing both the dialog and incidental effects with utmost precision and clarity. Includes model OLED55A1PUA. Connectivity options include HDMI Arc, Optical and Bluetooth, albeit with the basic A2DP codec. No external subwoofer. Find out what to look for when choosing a home theater soundbar for the LG 55-inch A1 TV, along with my recommended soundbars of all price ranges to fit your budget. A 5.1.2-channel sound system comes with a front right, front left, right surround, left surround, right height, left height and subwoofer. Even if you choose to purchase your soundbar at your local electronics store, ensure it has HDMI passthrough, Blu-ray player or Set-Top Box to the TV without altering the signal. DTS: A higher-quality alternative to Dolby Digital, with a higher bitrate and less compression.