Best Soundbar 2021 – Buyer’s Guide

Described as the ‘best Bose soundbar to date’, which is saying a lot as seeing they are the market leaders and have released some corkers in the past few years.

It is solid in perfectly delivering films, music and dramatic box sets, whereas some others on the market excel in one area and are poor in the others. ADAPTiQ audio room calibration optimises the system’s acoustic performance to the unique characteristics of your room, so no matter how much furniture or how minimalistic the room is, you will still get perfection delivered.

A remote control is included, but with Amazon Alexa built-in, you don’t need to reach for it when you want to turn the volume up or change the song on Spotify. You can even ask it a question as normal. Thanks to the eight integrated microphones, it won’t struggle to hear you when you’re snuggled up on the sofa.

Should you already be a Bose multi-room speaker fan, you can connect these up to your soundbar. This allows you to either listen to music around the home in every room or adapt it into a home theatre system for surround sound if your room is on the larger side. If you connect up the Bose Bass Module 700 and Surround Speakers (sold separately), you can get even deeper bass.

Connectivity is a bit of a pain as you have to meticulously follow the instructions on the app – skipping a step or jumping ahead and guessing how its done will do you no favours. But once it is all set, the control is seamless and sound quality is exceptional. A little pricey, but relates to the superior jump in sound quality.

Another soundbar with Amazon Alexa voice recognition. Fab if you’ve not quite jumped on the smart speaker bandwagon yet or are already a firm fan and reaching for remotes is simply something you will no longer do.

There is no limit to what you can listen to using this bar. 9pm BBC dramas, weekend movie marathons, podcasts, video games and playing the Top 40 music chart from your chosen streaming service is all dealt with issue-free.

Ask Alexa the time, weather or the score of the Manchester United match when you’re in the middle of the task, and she will hear you and respond thanks to the five far-field internal microphones.

It is only 65.1cm long, so there is a high chance it is compact enough to sit comfortably on your TV cabinet without hanging over the edges. You just need to plug it in and connect to your telly using an HDMI cable, and that is that.

Other Sonos speakers can be connected up as well, so you can create surround sound or multi-room music. If you have an Apple device, AirPlay 2 will allow you to stream music straight from your phone. Just ask Siri. There is no Bluetooth for connecting other brands, however.

It is simple to set up and produces decent bass despite the lack of subwoofer. It is beautifully made, and to say there is great sound, the price isn’t too extortionate. Perfect if you want to spend that bit more on a quality product but don’t want to break the bank.

Ideal for any TV’s which are 32” and above, this bar features Dolby 5.1 sound support, so it is all you need for immersive crystal clear audio.

You can connect it to your telly via an HDMI or optical cable, or with Bluetooth if compatible. Or, if you happen to have a Samsung TV, then they can both be connected wirelessly.

The Multiroom app for iOS and Android smartphones will allow you to stream music from your gadget straight to the soundbar, so you can start the party or settle down with a nice book and calming playlist.

Automatic sound selection caters the settings towards what it is you are watching, so if there is a drama with a fair bit of whispering, then you’ll still be able to hear. Likewise, if one movie scene is quiet and the next is booming, you aren’t going to have a shaking room. The nine speakers all have their own dedicated amplifier, so you get no less than you deserve.

It is a soundbar which is highly recommended by plenty of dedicated audio sites on the internet and has a host of glowing user praise too. The reason it doesn’t top our list is only that it isn’t multi-room compatible, nor is there voice control. But not everybody needs these features, so if you don’t, the lower price for missing out on them is well worth the quality.

As a bonus, it can be hung on the wall using the included fittings for an even more minimal layout.

Amazon’s Best Seller and a firm favourite of those who want the luxury of better sound without forking out hundreds of pounds. In fact, this soundbar is the best we found for under £200.

We would say it is the best option for anyone who simply wants to boost the ordinary volume levels of their TV without having to turn the volume up or replay scenes. Dialogue mode makes every word clearer and soundtracks richer, while still boosting the bass without it becoming overpowering.

Talking of bass – sometimes, having all of this automatically controlled for you can actually be annoying. It is nice to have an immersive action scene, but there are the odd occasions where you want it to be remaining on screen as opposed to in the room. Well, with the Solo 5, you have the control. Just press the dedicated button on the remote to change levels. You can also increase it if the music requires. Perfect for listening to the latest house music.

Bluetooth lets you stream music from other devices, and you have freedom of choice over which audio cable to use when connecting to the telly. Whether optical, coaxial or analogue, it will automatically detect and adjust to suit. It even comes with a selection.

The remote will also allow you to control any other Bluetooth connected devices linked to the television to make control more effortless. The instruction booklet included is very informative and clear, so even if you are a bit of a technophobe on your first foray into the speaker bar world, it will be set up in no time.

The latest Sony soundbar system is over 10x the price of this one, and while it may unarguably deliver a better sound, we’d still say you can’t go wrong with this Dolby option if you’re on a budget. In fact, it pleasantly packs a punch.

Suiting screens over 32”, it gives everyday viewing a boost and is described as delivering virtual surround sound. This difference is notable, and the built-in bass speaker will also do most of the job of a separate subwoofer by adding a deeper boom, so you can keep everything minimalistic.

If you have audio files on a USB, it can play these simply from plugging it into the dedicated input. Same applies to if these are on a compatible MP3 player or iPod. There are presets for every occasion, from movies to football games and dramatic television marathons.

When comparing to the higher-end soundbars, the sound isn’t quite on par. But this is hardly surprising. We say quite because we were still surprised by just how good it was. There is a cinematic feel to it, and getting it all going is easy.

If you want something cheap but cheerful and for a budget price under £100, then the notable improvement in sound clarity is worth it. The size is unobtrusive, and the choice of input will suit the majority of households.

A clever design means that you will hear crisp sound and rich, deep bass when required, from gaming and movies to your Saturday night and Sunday morning playlists.

It is suitable for TV’s over 42”, so one for those who are serious about their viewing. The biggest notable improvement is the boost in clarity. You may have previously had to turn your television up to high volume, which resulted in a muffled slightly crackly sound. Not any more, as this system reduces the need to reach for the volume button while ridding you of any sound issues.

Even though there is an improvement, it is still an entry level model when comparing to some of the more modern, higher-end models. We also thought that the upward facing display was a bit annoying – you can’t see the  LED indicators for mode selection unless you are standing over it, which is unlikely. To have it on the front, or some form of a sign on the remote would have been much more practical.

Beware that it will only work with HDMI ARC connections as opposed to standard HDMI as well, so check your telly has this before you buy.

But it still has all the basics, and we love the sleek design which won’t clutter up your living room. There is a small remote included for control from the sofa, and buttons on the top of the bar for close-up control too.

Have you ever been to the cinema and been blown away by the 3D sound you have experienced? Well, with this cinematic system, you get as close to that as possible from the comfort of your own sofa.

This is courtesy of the Object Based Audio from Dolby Atmos, and Adaptive Sound Control will balance it out depending on whatever you’re watching. Not to mention the whopping 500W of power, which is over double some of the other lower-end offerings.

It is packed with various extra functions which make it much more adaptable to your needs. Bluetooth allows you to stream music from other gadgets such as tablets or laptops, so you don’t need a separate speaker, and there is also built-in Chromecast. The latter allows you to stream music, podcasts, radio, and access Google Play through the TV.

If you own a Google Assistant speaker, the audio from the bar can be controlled with your voice. Handy if you’ve settled down with the blankets and are all cosy but need to turn the volume up slightly or change channel.

The HDMI ports allow for 4K pass-through, which in short means it can be connected to other devices, and there will be no loss in sound quality or timings. As the sub is wireless, you can pop it anywhere in the room for the best sound – some people love placing it behind them at the back of the room for more of a surround sound experience.

You can also pair it up with the dedicated SPK8 Wireless Surround Speakers if you want to go all out. Talking of pairing up though, people have commented that they struggled with connecting it to their Xbox and Sky Q boxes so if this is what you’d be doing as opposed to straight to the TV, you may wish to read up about this.

A lovely slim design which can be accommodated on any surface, this JBL sub speaker set is a fab choice for anyone who wants to spend well under £300 for a great all-rounder.

The surround sound technology will bring everything on your screen to life, whether you be playing a game with the family or watching the latest talked about drama. You also have the freedom to choose between the HDMI, optical, or aux connections, so it should be able to work alongside any telly.

There’s Bluetooth so you can stream music from compatible devices. Whether it be a motivational playlist or a new podcast, you can make those daunting household tasks a lot more fun.

It comes with a dedicated remote but also works with most ordinary TV remotes, so you can pop the rest away in the drawer to keep them safe. The sound goes loud without any distortion or crackling which is good, but we would still say it is best for small or medium rooms.

There are multiple presets to suit whether you’re watching a football match or a movie, and we love the choice of connections (which coincidentally, a lot of more expensive offerings lacks). If your aim is to simply upgrade your TV speakers and add a bit of something extra, it is a perfect budget offering which is simple to use and set up.

Thanks to the DTS Virtual: X technology, this cinematic soundbar shoots virtual sound vertically and horizontally to create a full 3D sound experience.

The wireless subwoofer delivers a punchy low pitch which makes watching films and action television a dream. An app is available for more control from anywhere, although it is only on Android at the moment. You do get a standard small, chunky remote, however, which does everything you need it to do.

Adaptive Sound Control will cater the settings for you depending on what you’re watching, so you have no fear of Coronation Street using the same settings as the latest Marvel movie and having to scramble for the remote to turn it down. Though we did find that at times, particularly in Cinema mode, the subwoofer can overpower the bar a little, so the ordinary sound becomes muffled. But a slight adjustment of settings can eliminate this.

Listening was still enjoyable though, and it beats the sound which a modern television can blast out. It needs an HDMI connection on the TV, so check all is good before purchasing.