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Soundbar Reviews

Klipsch Bar 40 review

Klipsch Bar 40 soundbar review

Klipsch’s Bar 40 does its namesake proud when it comes to both style and sound, with a great look and impressively clear performance. But those seeking loads of features may want to look elsewhere. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know so you can make the best decision for your budget.
Vizio SB3621n-GB review

Vizio SB3621n-G8 2.1 review

With a slim subwoofer, simple connections, and the ability to easily customize your sound, the latest Vizio’s SB3621n-G8 2.1 soundbar is an excellent, affordable way to beef up your TV’s terrible sound, making your favorite films and TV shows grab you, without the need to spend hundreds of dollars.
tcl alto 7 plus review feat

TCL Alto 7+ Review

TCL’s Alto 7+ soundbar showcases the company’s ability to offer quality products at low prices, bringing energetic home theater sound to your living room, without blowing out your budget. If you’re looking to save some cash and you hate your TV speakers, TCL’s 7+ Alto is a great place to start.
Sony HT-S350

Sony HT-S350 review

Sony’s new midlevel soundbar, the HT-S350, offers tons of power, big bass, and a sleek look for $300. But mediocre features and a focus on might over detail make it easy to miss the little things. In our review, we’ll explain why you may want to look elsewhere for great TV sound at this price.
Sonos Beam Speaker

Sonos Beam review

Sonos makes some of the best single-speaker home theater products, but they’re expensive. A more affordable model would help a lot of people make the jump to Sonos. The Sonos Beam looks to be that product, with Alexa built-in. But did Sonos remove too much in the effort to keep the price down?
Samsung HW-N950

Samsung HW-N950 soundbar review

Samsung’s first Dolby Atmos soundbar became the bar to beat for thrilling Atmos surround sound. With the HW-N950, the company has attempted to one-up its own creation by once again offering the best surround soundbar in the business. But is it worth its kingly price tag?
Vizio Dolby Atmos Soundbar

Vizio 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos soundbar review

Soundbars with true Dolby Atmos surround sound have historically been a rich man’s game, often costing well over $1,000. Vizio’s new 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos soundbar undercuts similar competitors by hundreds of dollars, so we spent some quality time with the system to find out if it can hold its own.
Yamaha MusicCast Bar 400

Yamaha MusicCast Bar 400 (YAS-408) review

Yamaha’s latest soundbar is all about multiroom audio, offering multiple ways to play including creating your own surround sound system using MusicCast speakers. We spent a week with the bar to see if its chameleon ways make it worth its $500 price. The answer is a bit more complicated than expected.
anker soundcore infini soundbar review feat

Anker Soundcore Infini soundbar review

Best known for its battery chargers, Anker has expanded into audio in a big way in recent years with its Soundcore lineup, including Bluetooth speakers, headphones, and soundbars. The latest example is the Soundcore Infini soundbar. At just $99, it makes for a very affordable add-on to your entertainment setup, but is it worth the cash?
polk command bar review 3

Polk Command Bar Review

Amazon’s incredibly popular voice assistant, Alexa, is everywhere these days, but how well does it work when controlling your TV? We put Polk’s new Alexa-enabled Command Bar to the test to find out if it can stand up to the Sonos Beam.
Sony HT-Z9F soundbar review

Sony HT-Z9F 3.1 soundbar review

Sony once again flexes its processing might with its latest soundbar, the HT-Z9F. Loaded with features and packing powerful virtual surround in a tiny package, the Z9F stretches far beyond its boundaries for impressive performance. But, is this the nimble sound system you’ve been looking for?
Samsung HW-NW700 review

Samsung HW-NW700 soundbar review

Samsung changed the script for the latest addition to its Sound+ soundbar line, the NW700. With an eye trained directly on newer Samsung TV owners, this specialized soundbar has a tough case to make for its $700 price tag. Still, if you’re a certain kind of buyer, this could be the right fit for you.
samsung hw-ms750 sound+ soundbar review offset

Samsung HW-MS750 Sound+ soundbar review

Samsung has expanded the Sound+ soundbar line to add some extra power and depth. In our HW-MS750 review we ask whether that’s enough to justify the higher price.
Q Acoustics M2 Soundbase review

Q Acoustics M2 Soundbase hands-on review

In our M2 Soundbase hands-on review, we see how Q Acoustics delivers better sound than your TV speakers, without crowding your TV stand.
Bose SoundTouch 300 review on stand

Bose SoundTouch 300 and Acoustimass 300 review

Not all soundbars are created equal. In our Bose SoundTouch 300 review, we explore how well Bose delivers on the "big sound, small package" promise, and discuss whether the company's latest soundbar delivers convincing virtual surround sound.
Onkyo SBT-A500 Atmos soundbar review

Onkyo SBT-A500 Atmos review

While Onkyo’s relatively affordable SBT-A500 checks all the right boxes on paper, when it comes to creating thrilling surround sound, this Atmos soundbar leaves something to be desired.
Sonos PlayBase

Sonos PlayBase review

Sonos isn’t first to the soundbase game, but the company is playing it better than any other. Find out why we’re calling the Playbase the best alternative to a soundbar you can get.
Vizio SB4551-D5 review

Vizio SB4551-D5 SmartCast 5.1 sound bar review

Vizio goes micro for its flagship 5.1 surround soundbar, and while the treble gets a little lighter, the bar adds better detail, new features, and thrilling surround sound, all at a nice price.
Nakamichi soundbar

Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1 sound bar review

Nakamichi’s Shockwafe Pro is packed with features and heaps of muscle, as well as impressive true 5.1 surround sound immersion, putting it in true competition in the world of budget surround soundbars.
Yamaha YSP-5600 soundbar

Yamaha YSP-5600 sound bar review

Yamaha’s flagship sound projector works acoustic wonders to create convincing Dolby Atmos/DTS:X surround sound, but it’s big enough to require some redecorating.
Focal Dimension

Focal Dimension review

Focal’s Dimension series sound bar and subwoofer treat audio with verve while delivering multiple setup options for the space-deprived.
monoprice sound bar and subwoofer review 42 inch soundbar kit angle

Monoprice 42-inch sound bar review

Monoprice’s budget-friendly sound bar will definitely upgrade your TV audio, but how low is too low for a quality experience?
yamaha yas 203 review yas203 hero

Yamaha YAS-203 review

While it may not be the most powerful or feature-packed bar in the Yamaha family, when it comes to sheer dollar to performance value, few outpace the YAS-203.
Klipsch R-20B main 1

Klipsch R-20B review

The R20-B may be a step up from the model before it, but more sub, more drivers, and more money doesn’t always equal more performance.
Pioneer SP-SB03 Andrew Jones speaker base review 1

Pioneer Andrew Jones SP-SB03 Speaker Base review

While it isn’t without a couple of quirks, Pioneer’s first sound platform has been expertly tuned to offer cinematic excellence, and great music playback to boot, putting it at the head of the class.
Yamaha SRT-1000

Yamaha SRT-1000 review

Yamaha ups the ante (and the price point) for the sound platform genre with a model bearing its effective Sound Projector technology, the SRT-1000. And while powerful bass and clean treble highlight its sound signature, a lack of features steals some of its thunder.
Yamaha YSP2500

Yamaha YSP-2500 review

At the entry point of Yamaha’s top-tier, the YSP-2500 sound projector earns its lofty price-point with a wealth of features, ample detail, and a vivid expanse of virtual surround sound that elevates the home theater experience.
Vizio S212W-D0 sound stand review front

Vizio S2121w-D0 review

Vizio’s new Sound Stand is a pinch hitter for a traditional sound bar at best.
Klipsch R10B main

Klipsch Reference R-10B review

As Klipsch's new 'Reference' sound bar, the R-10B promises premium components and sound performance for its manageable price tag. While it leaves a few features behind, the system delivers, offering a wealth of power and clarity for the price.
Pinnacle Theater One 2.1 Soundbase

Pinnacle Theater One 2.1 review

The Theater One 2.1 is a coffee table-sized sound base that aims to beef up your TV’s audio while serving as its stand. It will hold up to a 65-inch TV, but how does the sound hold up?
Sony HT XT1 phone scale

Sony HT-XT1 review

While the sound bar has long been the go-to solution when it comes to a simple way to upgrade your TV’s audio, Sony’s new XT1 proves a sound base can pack a whole lot into a tiny box, and at a great price, to boot.
Vizio soundbar set

Vizio S5451w review

Vizio continues to excel in the sound bar category with its latest effort, bringing supersized 5.1 surround sound that trounces most one-box solutions.
Sony HT-CT770 soundbar front

Sony HT-CT770 review

Sony’s new entry-level sound bar packs a refined, yet powerful punch and a host of features, making it a solid contender in a crowded field of applicants.
Philips HTB3525B top angle 2

Philips HTB3525B review

Philips brings a little bit of everything to its new Blu-ray surround base. With 3D Blu-ray playback, streaming Internet apps, and a heavy punch of sound, the HTB3535B is an enticing choice for those who need a major technology upgrade.

John Higgins is Digital Trends’ Senior Editor and section lead for A/V. After receiving his Bachelor in Music with an Audio Production focus from Ithaca College and Master of Music in Keyboard Collaborative Arts from the University of Southern California, he began working for Home Theater Magazine in 2003. His time in the print and online publishing world has been spent as a writer, editor, copy editor, researcher, and test lab technician. Most recently, Higgins was the Managing Editor of Tech at Reviewed, part of the USA Today network, where he led the website’s tech coverage. He has previously written for Wirecutter, IGN, Projector Central, T3, Sound & Vision, and Home Theater Magazine covering projectors, televisions, headphones and earbuds, sound bars and speakers, and monitors. He is a yearly attendee at CES and an ISF level 3 certified calibrator.

In addition to his career in publishing, Higgins has been a professional musician since the late 90s, having performed on piano in solo recitals, as a collaborative partner with various singers and instrumentalists, and with the Pacific Symphony. He also is an accomplished guitarist and, with his pop/rock band, has played such hallowed L.A. venues as the Troubadour, Roxy, Viper Room, and House of Blues. For 10 years, he was a teacher and music director at a private school in Los Angeles, and following his teaching career spent some time in the film industry as a post-production sound editor and composer.

Originally from just outside Boston, Higgins has been a Los Angeles resident since 2001 where he lives with his wife, son, two rescue dogs, and parrot. When not working, he spends his time watching TV shows about cooking and serial killers, preparing for his next D&D session, ignoring the growing list of games in his Steam gaming library, and building Legos with his son.