Best soundbars 2016: 10 soundbars that kick bass

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It used to be the case that soundbars were a compromise for people who couldn’t afford the space required by full surround sound setups.

But nowadays soundbar technology has improved to the extent that you can get a surprisingly good surround sound experience from a soundbar alone.

At their most basic, soundbars offer a decent upgrade over the compact speakers that are built into your television, but a good soundbar will also offer additional features like surround sound and music streaming.

But not all soundbars are made equal. In their quest to improve upon the bass-free output of a TV’s inbuilt speakers, some soundbars go too far in the opposite direction, and give you a bass overload.

So without further ado, welcome to our guide to the best soundbars available in 2016. We’ve got something to match every budget, and our price tracker will make sure that if you do decide to buy one from our list then you’ll be getting the absolutely best price possible.

What’s the best soundbar?

Soundbars come in many shapes and sizes, and range in price from under £100/$100 to over £1,000/$1,500. Cheaper models have basic connections, more expensive ones add superior HDMI inputs (including 4K/HDR passthrough), wireless audio streaming (e.g. Bluetooth and AirPlay), better power, more refined speaker drivers, and decoding of Blu-ray sound formats.

Design is also important, with some models able to sit in front of your TV on a stand while others may need a separate shelf, or to be wall mounted. However, whatever your budget, there are some cracking good acoustic upgrades to be had that can give your TV the sound it deserves.

1. Philips Fidelio B5

Surround sound or portable Bluetooth – the choice is yours

Satellites unsnap from main soundbar

Easy-to-setup surround sound

A bit too big for most TV setups

The Philips Fidelio B5 is an impressive bit of kit, and it’s the perfect soundbar for someone who appreciates good cinema sound but has no interest in tearing up their living room to install a 5.1 surround sound system to use only every now and then. The B5 enables you to pick and choose your movie moments, and do it on a whim. And it creates a pretty decent surround sound experience too, using both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Digital Surround decoding.

The combination of convenience and good audio – the raison d’etre of the soundbar – with its transformative surround sound capabilities makes the Fidelio B5 a great option for the movie fan who can’t face all the aggravation of a proper 5.1 installation.

Read the full review: Philips Fidelio B5

2. Q Acoustics M4 Sound Bar

‘If there’s a better sounding soundbar on the market for less than £400/$400, we haven’t heard it’

Beautiful musicality

Easy to use

Stereo only

No HDMI input

The Q Acoustics M4 soundbar doesn’t immediately set pulses racing with its slightly prosaic looks, ‘mere’ 2.1-channel sound and lack of any HDMI support. However, you only have to hear what the M4 can do with both music and movies for your doubts about it to evaporate almost instantly. In fact, it sounds so good that it starts to make the idea of trying to deliver more channels from an affordable sound bar look a bit silly.

In fact, though, it sounds so much better than pretty much any rival soundbar in the same price bracket that it’s actually ridiculously good value – especially if you care about music as much as you care about movies.

Read the full review: Q Acoustics M4 Sound Bar

3. Focal Dimension

An impressive-sounding soundbar with a few setup faux-pas

Virtual surround sound

Excellent design

Expensive

Focal, most known for its excellent sounding speakers (and the recently released Focal Listen headphones), is late to the soundbar space, but its Focal Dimension was worth the wait. The Dimension soundbar is simply gorgeous, with its piano black accents and aluminum unibody construction.

At $1,399 (£799, AU$1,699) it’s not exactly cheap, but you’re paying for excellent build quality, sound and design.

Read the full review: Focal Dimension

4. LG SH7B

LG’s entry-level soundbar offers impressive sound for the price

Flexible and painless setup

Good sound for the price

Narrow sound stage

The LG SH7B is a soundbar system that can do it all. Its feature set and solid sound quality make it a good choice for those with limited space. While music playback and surround sound aren’t mind-blowing, they’re more than respectable at this price.

It’s a breeze to set up since its subwoofer is wireless, though Android users may be frustrated by LG’s buggy app. Sound quality is decent for the price, but in the end loses out to traditional bookshelf speakers in terms of clarity on the high-end. However, if you want a soundbar that can take on every type of media you can throw at it, the LG SH7B is a great option.

Read the full review: LG SH7B

5. Sonos Playbar

Turns your multi-room audio system into wireless surround sound

Beautiful sound

Integrates with Sonos systems

Requires particular TVs

The Sonos Playbar is a non-HDMI device that uses optical to hook up to a TV. Used simply on its own it delivers a massive sonic boost to your TV listening, but operating it does require using a smartphone or tablet app. The benefit is that it can seamlessly segue in to a Sonos wireless system, and can even act as the front three speakers in a 5.1 setup with two Play:1s acting as rears.

Read the full review: Sonos Playbar

6. Sony HT-NT5

A cut above the commonplace, both in form and function

Outstanding clarity

Premium design and finish

Compact subwoofer too mild

Proudly atop Sony’s 2016 soundbar line-up, this $700 / £599 / AU$999 2.1 sound system includes 4K HDMI-ready inputs, a wireless, slimline subwoofer and even a Hi-Res Audio badge. The latter means compatibility with 24-bit sound sources as well as Spotify Connect, Google Cast, Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth, which even covers both AAC and the higher-resolution LDAC codec.

The sub’s three-way speaker design really shines, but it’s the presence of Sony S Master digital amp module for every driver that wins the day. Audiophile-grade sound is assured across the board, with stereo width best appreciated when it’s wall-mounted. This is an accomplished 2.1 package, though at 108cm long it’s going to be physically hard to house for some.

Read the full review: Sony HT-NT5

7. Samsung HW-K950

This combo of soundbar, two wireless sats & Dolby Atmos is game-changing

Dolby Atmos built-in

Wireless satellites and sub

Slightly muddled surround sound

Do you need Dolby Atmos? This more immersive ‘3D bubble of surround sound’ tech is here, created not only by a standard soundbar design, but with a couple of satellite speakers and a subwoofer added. Is that verging on a messy home cinema cinema of old? Perhaps in theory, but this is one of the sleekest implementations of Dolby Atmos yet. Using rear speakers with upward-firing speakers, it actually creates a virtual 5.1.4 system.

OK, so the £1,299 / $1,499 / AU$1,499 HW-K950 is not perfect. It only plays DTS in stereo (unless you have a Blu-ray player that can convert it to Dolby Digital), but this simple-to-set-up package is an amazing performer that should be near the top of any audiophile’s soundbar audition list.

Read the full review: Samsung HW-K950

8. Bose SoundTouch 300

A beautifully made, precise sounding soundbar

Power: N/A | Speakers: 1 | Dimensions: 42 x 6.2 x 5 inches | Weight: 15.2lbs | Inputs: 1 x digital optical, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Ethernet port, 1x 3.5 mm jack for ADAPTiQ system setup, 1 x 3.5mm jack to hardwire the bass module, 1 x micro-USB connection | Outputs: 1 x HDMI output with Audio Return Channel (ARC) | Wireless: Bluetooth | Subwoofer included?: No | Special features: Multiroom

Wide, articulate sonic presentation

Gorgeous design and build quality

Potentially frustrating set up

Doesn’t come with a subwoofer

Boasting high-end design, Bose’s slim soundbar looks superb, and sounds above average. At 97.9cm wide, it’s best partnered with larger screen sizes (50-inch+) and priced at £599/$700/AU$999, it offers great sound. There are caveats regarding usability and price, but overall it warrants a cautious two thumbs up.

It’s also worth mentioning that, as this isn’t a 2.1 package, there’s no subwoofer supplied – although Bose will sell you a wireless Acoustimas sub and the ST300 can be partnered with the brand’s Virtually Invisible (i.e. small at 10cm) 300 surround speakers. The system is also compatible with the Bose SoundTouch wireless multiroom system which includes smaller Bluetooth speakers.

Read the full review: Bose SoundTouch 300

9. Yamaha YSP-5600SW

The other soundbar with Dolby Atmos built-in also adds DTS:X

Dolby Atmos built-in

DTS:X is there too

Overkill for small rooms

Challenging Samsung in the Dolby Atmos stakes is Yamaha, the creator of the soundbar genre over a decade ago. It doesn’t quite match the HW-K950 on pure surround specs, creating a 5.1.2 sound stage in place of Samsung’s 5.1.4 array, but there’s plenty more to love about this £1,429 / $1,599 / AU$2,499 hunk of tech.

The chief attraction is its unique support for both Dolby Atmos and rival codec DTS:X, but it’s the YSP-5600SW’s 44 individual speakers and dual subwoofers – all within a single unit – that make this all-in-one so attractive. Measuring 1,100 x 212 x 93mm and with Hi-Res Audio playback (including 24-bit ALAC, FLAC and AIFF), the YSP-5600SW even adds WiFi, Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay for day-to-day convenience.

10. Razer Leviathan

Razer’s first soundbar is all about that bass

Bass-heavy sound

Plenty of inputs

Limited surround sound

For $199 (£159, AU$279), the Razer Leviathan is a great sound bar, and is easily recommended for gamers who just aren’t ready to dive into a full 5.1 system yet. It’s a bit bass-heavy, thanks to the standalone subwoofer – but even so, movies and games come through clear.

The bar is relatively versatile, too. It’s plenty powerful for a PC, but it works out of the box with any console or TV through optical audio out. Not to mention that built-in Bluetooth lets you connect your mobile device when you aren’t directly in front of your entertainment setup. A few tweaks, like a more stable subwoofer connector and a remote would’ve been nice. But, in spite of its diminutive size, the Leviathan far outgrew my expectations.

Read the full review: Razer Leviathan

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