The best soundbars of 2019
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I've been reviewing TVs for almost seven years, and I've found that no matter how fancy they are, they all share one common trait: their audio sucks. Unless they're specifically designed to house better or bigger speakers than the average TV, modern LED and OLED TVs are simply too thin/narrow to house speakers/drivers of adequate size to produce good quality sound.
Most TVs have two 10-watt speakers, giving them a total audio "power" of 20 watts. For comparison, most smartphones have about 1.2 watts of power. But with TVs delivering bigger and fancier screen sizes every year (55 inches has become the average TV size in the US), the need for big sound to match big screens has only grown. That's where soundbars—compact audio devices that deliver hundreds of watts of sound—come in.
If you've got a mid-range or even a high-end TV, spending a few hundred on a soundbar can truly make the difference between a good movie night, and one that knocks your socks off. If you just want to grab the best soundbar we tested, check out the Sonos Beam. However, we checked out over a dozen of the most widely praised and well-reviewed soundbars on the market right now and found sound quality and features for every budget.
1. Best Overall: Sonos Beam
The Sonos Beam is one of the most popular soundbars around (with good reason). At $400, the Beam isn't cheap, but it's made with Sonos' signature attention to detail and sweeping penchant for minimalism.
The first thing I noticed about the Beam is that it takes an altogether different approach than many of the other soundbars we tested. For one, there's no included external subwoofer. There's also no Bluetooth functionality—casting music wirelessly to the Beam requires interfacing with it through the Sonos app and using WiFi. The Beam withdraws some avenues of accessibility for the sake of consistent streaming quality (and, probably, a feeling of exclusivity and security). Rather than feeling like an oversight, it feels like Sonos' expression of confidence that the Beam is a product that's worth a less open system.
If this feels like a bit of an analog to the philosophical differences behind Apple and Windows computers, that has been my takeaway as well. But beyond the feeling of well-crafted design and a more "closed" streaming atmosphere, the Beam is our favorite soundbar because its audio quality is really spectacular. Whether you're watching a movie or listening to music, the Beam just sounds great, delivering good frequency presence from bass to treble. It's easy to adjust for various musical genres, and despite that there's no external subwoofer, there's plenty of bass presence for such a compact bar.
While I'd give a vote of confidence to the Beam and its accolades just based on its software/hardware design and audio quality, it's also one of the only bars we tested to integrate Amazon Alexa in a sensible way. But if there are two things Sonos seems to have a great grasp on, it's sound quality and fostering a tight functionality ecosystem, and that shines through with the Beam. It doesn't have the most features nor the highest driver/speaker count from amongst all the soundbars I tested, but it just does everything with an undeniable polish and delivery, which makes it our Best Overall.
Get the Sonos Beam from Amazon for $399
2. Best Value: JBL Bar 2.1
The JBL Bar 2.1 starts at $300 and is widely available for $250 online, though in my estimation it's not overpriced at full price. While this JBL soundbar doesn't stand out in any particular way, I discovered during use and testing that it simply delivers the best combination of sound quality, usability, and ease of use out of all the soundbars under $300we tested.
First of all, the form factor, while not overly fancy, is traditional and functional. The bar and its included wireless subwoofer are dressed in unassuming black/charcoal chassis, designed to take up minimal space within your living room or home theater and not draw attention to themselves. The soundbar itself features a small array of buttons along the top, though once you've set it up (either on your TV's tabletop stand or mounted below it on the wall), you're going to be using the remote first and foremost.
Overall, while it doesn't have satellite speakers, built-in streaming or Alexa, or anything quirky or fancy, for the price the Bar 2.1 delivers the most consistent and convenient soundbar experience, and that's why it's our Best Value.
Get the JBL Bar 2.1 from Amazon for $299.95
3. Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400
Yamaha's MusicCast Bar 400 starts around $500, and it's kind of a side of beef. By that I mean, this is not the soundbar to buy if you're looking for pruned elegance or high-tech features, but it is the one to get if you just want to be satisfied by robust audio and simple, effective features.
Like the more affordable YAS-108 (which I looked at first), the 408 has all the feature fixings that we want from most soundbars: easy Bluetooth, a "clear voice" setting, dimmable LED indicators, and various audio modes for movie sounds, music, and so on. What makes the pricier 408 stand out is its audio delivery: it provides a solid 200 watts of audio. The hefty included subwoofer is half of that, and the other half is split across four woofers and two tweeters within the bar itself.
While this setup and audio power is not highly unique or unusual, it's a time-tested array that works to deliver content audio and music in a way that complements the full frequency range. The way the BAR 400 is set up, you do have the option to add other Yamaha room speakers to the array for a more integrated surround sound experience, and that integration is one of the things paying for here, too.
All in all, while this isn't the highest value bar and it isn't the very best, the MusicCast 400 is robust, reliable, and easy to set up and use. It's got options for HDMI, optical, aux (3.5mm) connection, Bluetooth, Dolby/DTS pass-thru, and can be integrated with Amazon Echo devices for voice control. This one's only drawback is that it feels a little "plain" for the high price tag, but overall it's worth it at the end of the day.
Get the Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400 from Amazon for $449.95
4. Vizio SB36512-F6
Where sheer speaker count goes, this Vizio product is actually much more than just a soundbar: it's an entire home theater sound system. While that gives it something of an unfair advantage against the standalone soundbars and bar/sub combos here, the fact that you can get this whole system for $500 (and, in some instances, $400) is a pretty incredible situation.
The 36512-F6 gives you a 36-inch soundbar, subwoofer, and two satellite speakers. All told it's an eight-speaker array that deftly covers the sub-bass, bass, midrange, upper middle, and treble frequencies of the audio spectrum. And with full room setup, this Vizio sound system delivers very robust sound. It takes a little bit more work and syncing to set up than a lot of the contenders in this roundup, but the payoff is the closest authentic surround sound system in this price range. It's also one of the only ones on the list that can do Dolby Atmos well.
Get the Vizio 36512-F6 from Amazon for $379.90
5. LG SK8Y
The LG SK8Y is another of the pricier soundbars on our list, with its primary ability lying in providing a whopping 360 watts of sound. It's a 2.1-channel soundbar and subwoofer combo like so many others on the list and delivers the usual fixings: a remote, Bluetooth compatibility, sound modes, easy pairing, Chromecast compatibility, and so on. But it also achieves so-called "high resolution" audio, able to upscale lower bitrate streamed music. And it's Dolby Atmos compatible, to boot.
For what you're paying, the SK8Y delivers a very robust feature set, though like a lot of soundbars in this price range it isn't fully HDMI 2.2/4K pass-thru ready. However, it does function with Google Assistant, can be set up with WiFi (or even Ethernet, which is weird but I'm not going to knock it). However, the major draw here is the two 80-watt speakers in the hefty soundbar itself and the whopping 200-watt subwoofer.
If you were going to guess that the SK8Y delivers huge sound and a ton of bass, you'd be right on the money. This is one of the most aurally powerful soundbars I've ever experienced. While I don't think pure output power alone is what makes for a great soundbar experienced—some may strive more for clarity, for speech preservation, for better crossover—it's definitely a selling point for this soundbar. It can easily fill a large room and has the aural power to match well with TVs in the 65- and 70-inch range.
Get the LG SK8Y from Amazon for $322
6. Polk Audio Signa S2
On paper, you're getting a well-tuned soundbar and external subwoofer with handsome, glossy finishes and reliable-feeling construction. The Signa doesn't look fancy, but it doesn't look cheap either. Either way, in this price range, looks aren't usually a chief concern.
As for features and functionality, however, the Signa S2 checks off a lot of the right boxes. The soundbar and sub come pre-paired right out of the box, and you're getting a slew of common but useful functions: Bluetooth, naturally; different modes for movie, music, or night audio (the latter masks high, sibilant frequencies and reduces bass); alternate volume rockers for the soundbar and subwoofer; and three different "Clear Voice" settings for use with TV/movie programming.
Where audio quality is concerned, the Signa S2 does a knockout job, especially where bass presence is concerned. During one sampling period, I started streaming music from Spotify to the soundbar via Bluetooth and had to re-pair the subwoofer after checking if it was synced. Once the sub kicked back in, I immediately felt the familiar shaking warmth of bass presence filling the space, robust and distortion-free.
While it's not a full surround-sound system, for around $150 (or even $200), the Signa S2 stands out. You're not getting satellite speakers, but the combination of bar and subwoofer, satisfying bass presence, smart audio modes, and "Clear Voice" option (very helpful for streaming content or DVDs with diminished speech audio) makes the S2 the best value in its price range.
Get the Polk Audio Signa S2 from Amazon for $199
7. Polk Audio MagniFi Mini
The MagniFi Mini really nails the "mini" part of it: while the subwoofer is pretty big, the bar itself is only about a foot long, making it one of the better space-saving options in the bunch. While this also means it isn't quite as loud as some of the beefier soundbars we tested, it still filled the Home Theater lab without much trouble.
I really enjoyed how intuitive the MagniFi Mini was. The subwoofer and soundbar were already paired out of the box, and it was very easy to select sound modes (Movie, Music, Sports) using the included remote control. While my Galaxy S8 had a little trouble pairing with the Mini at first after I cycled my phone's Bluetooth a couple of times I was listening to Spotify in no time.
Overall, the Mini is a very good option. My only complaint about it is that there wasn't quite as much bass as I would have liked. I found myself walking over to the subwoofer to check that it was working at first. The sub fires into the floor (which might not be great for second or third story apartments), but it's also pretty subtle.
It still beats the pants off TV speakers, however. You're getting all the standard necessary connections here (HDMI, optical, and auxiliary), and a pretty good basic soundbar with a subtler-than-usual subwoofer. On the plus side, this could easily work in a more multi-media centric desk/PC setup, and the pairing, remote functions, and various features don't just work as advertised, they're very intuitive. If you're looking to enhance TV and movies without investing in something that takes up a ton of space, the Mini is a great choice.
Get the Polk Audio MagniFi Mini from Amazon for $212.86
8. Razer Leviathan
While the Leviathan (and its hefty external sub) certainly sound great, there are some trade-offs you're making when considering it as a TV/Home Theater stand-in.
First, the design/aesthetic doesn't complement a TV/viewing environment perfectly because it isn't meant for one. The bar itself is very short/compact (around 17-inches), which will match the general width of a computer monitor stand but won't look as "natural" with a mid-size or large TV as a more traditional soundbar: it's not as long, and it's a little tall considering how low a lot of TVs sit on a tabletop.
If you aren't bothered by the slight eccentricities that result from Razer intending the Leviathan for PC gaming, you're going to love how it sounds. The Leviathan delivers crisp treble and midrange frequencies, and the wireless subwoofer adds plenty of bass. In our first-ever soundbar survey for the under $250 bracket, most listeners preferred the Leviathan's sound, and it's true that while its shape breaks away from the traditional soundbar form factor, the different chassis does seem to allow for better sound. Another round of listening tests (Bluetooth music and TV via optical) saw the Leviathan still sounding excellent.
The Leviathan offers a unique aesthetic and solid sound performance, but it's also not the most convenient out of the sub-$200 class bars we tested.
Get the Razer Leviathan from Amazon for $179.99
9. Yamaha YAS-108
For $200 (or less), the Yamaha YAS-108 squeezes a lot of features and sound into a slim form factor. From an aesthetic perspective, it's not much to look at: a rounded, charcoal black chassis houses two 30-watt speakers and a built-in 60-watt subwoofer. If I'm being honest, the YAS-108 kind of looks like what you'd expect to see if you looked up "soundbar" on Wikipedia. But I kind of like that about it.
The YAS-108 takes a no-nonsense approach to features, too. There are touch-responsive control buttons along the top, but most people are going to be using the included remote to control it. It's a flat, simple controller that allows you to turn the soundbar on and off, control the speaker and subwoofer volume individually, mute, swap between stereo and surround modes, and so on. A mostly intuitive series of lights on the soundbar provide visual feedback, though understanding what they're indicating will take a bit of getting used to.
For what you're paying, nothing about the YAS-108's features help it stand out overmuch, but unless you have very specific needs you won't feel like anything is missing. You're getting separate treble and bass control, Bluetooth, Clear Voice, bass boost—that's plenty.
All in all, the YAS-108 provides satisfactory audio and a baseline selection of features. It's enough for most size TVs, and is very easy to plug in and get going with. You're getting pretty good value for $200, especially if you just want a simple, single-body audio solution at home.
Get the Yamaha YAS-108 from Amazon for $219.95
10. Polk Audio Command Bar
On the surface, this is a 2.1-channel bar/subwoofer combo like so many others on the list. But when you boot it up, it immediately becomes something else: the familiar ring seen on Amazon devices like the Echo begins to circle on top of the bar, and Alexa—whose voice is probably familiar to any tech-friendly readers—instructed me to set up the Command Bar via the Polk Audio app.
Personally, I had a lot of trouble with all the Alexa The Command Bar doesn't sound bad, but it's not the most impressive or convenient in this price range. Still, if you love Alexa, you may just love this soundbar.
Get the Polk Audio Command Bar from Amazon for $297
11. JBL Bar Studio 2.0
The JBL Bar Studio is one of the cheapest on the list, but it's not the best-sounding 'bar I listened to. While you're certainly getting more volume, the Bar Studio wasn't as robust and crisp as other bars, like the Polk Signa S2 or Leviathan. It's a very compact and space-saving product, but at its size, it doesn't have room for the larger drivers required to produce a lot of high-quality sound.
My biggest issue with the Bar Studio is actually the remote. It's a tiny, flat controller that's stuffed with buttons. All of the buttons have the same physical dimensions/travel and tactile sensation, and there are so many packed onto the surface of the tiny remote that it's tricky to figure out what does what at first. It's not a major gripe, but it's one of those little things that make the Bar Studio feel less valuable than some of its competition.
If you absolutely want to spend as little as possible, this one gets the job done at $119 . But if you want something that's less bare bones and more fleshed out, there are better options.
Get the JBL Bar Studio 2.0 from Amazon for $149.95
About the Tester
Hello. I'm Lee Neikirk, an ISF-certified AV calibrator as well as a musician and music-lover. I love listening to music almost as much as I love making it, and have enough experience mixing on studio monitors and fussing over built-in TV speakers that I find soundbars and consumer sound systems to be fascinating to work with. While the sound quality is a chief consideration in these reviews, in lower price brackets we're just as focused on practicality and usability.
About the Tests
We compared thirteen standalone soundbar and soundbar/subwoofer combinations (and a few with satellite speakers) with prices ranging from around $150 to around $500.
Testing involved using them as any consumer would: using each bar as an audio substitute for a TV (via either HDMI ARC or optical), testing its streaming and Bluetooth functions, and analyzing its sound modes, voice-boosting modes, and individual proprietary features.
Where listening and frequency analysis is concerned, I didn't use any special equipment, just back-to-back analysis of sources like Netflix/Blu-ray movies (using a 55-inch Vizio M-Series 2018 TV), Spotify over Bluetooth (or Chromecast, where allowed), and occasionally, 3.5mm aux sources and USB.
What I discovered is that, while the soundbars all had different combinations of drivers, tweeters, woofers, and external subwoofers, generally, audio quality was respectable in most cases. What really tends to set soundbars apart in this price range are usability pain points, design aesthetic, and responsiveness.
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
This article originally appeared on Reviewed.com: Best Soundbars of 2019: make your TV sound great
