Best soundbars for at-home cinema audio in 2024

Sennheiser makes some very impressive soundbars, but not everyone has the space for its larger Ambeo Max paired to its subwoofer. That’s why we adore the Ambeo Mini: it’s a fraction of the size when compared to the brand’s full-size models but still gives you punchy sound quality, with a premium build, responsive touch controls and solid, booming bass. This is a soundbar that’s perfect for a main bedroom or a smaller living room.

We set it up in under five minutes – plug in the mains power cable, attach the HDMI cable to your TV and follow the steps on the brand’s Smart Control App to pair it to your home’s wifi network. From there, you tailor the sound output to your room using the four built-in microphones and we found the process to be seamless – with the soundbar examining the size and shape of our space and altering the output accordingly.

There are no upfiring speakers here, which is a shame for the high price. Still, it recreates a 7.1.4 theatre system and has two subwoofers inside the fabric-coated body that deliver just enough bass for snug areas, even if it’s not as immersive as some rivals. On test, we played a few of the classics – the lobby shootout from The Matrix, the bank robbery scene from Heat and multiple Star Wars movies – and were very impressed with the soundstage, it’s wider than you expect, and any vocals are clearly heard over the action.

At more than 3kg, this is still not a portable soundbar, but we don’t expect you’ll be moving it too much once it’s plugged in. One factor that you will need to consider is that the HDMI cable supplied is quite short, so you may want to buy another if you require a longer wire to reach the TV. The port selection on the rear is also slightly more limited than some larger soundbars. Still, while we described Sennheiser’s Ambeo Max as “not for everyone”, this is the opposite. This is beautifully crafted for smaller spaces. It’s elegant, loud and easy to set up via the app. However, there are more affordable options, including the Bose Smart Soundbar 600 and the Roku Streambar.

The Sonos Arc has been scooping up industry awards like they’re going out of fashion. It offers a wonderful combination of usability, features and brilliant sound performance, and if it’s within your budget, this soundbar should be very close to the top of your shopping list.

At 115cm wide and 8.5cm tall, it is big. But, it is also sleek and looks superb under our TV, and all that width makes room for 11 speakers, two directed upwards, to create an immersive experience, especially if you’re playing films with Dolby Atmos, which puts you right in the heart of the action. If you thought Disney’s Coco was a tearjerker before, try watching it with the Sonos Arc, and be prepared to sing and sob in equal measure.

Like all Sonos speakers and soundbars, it connects to your home wifi and also lets you listen to music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, as well as Sonos Radio. You can also sync multiple speakers around the house to create a multi-room audio system, or create a truly epic home cinema by adding a wireless subwoofer (from £429) and a pair of Sonos One smart speakers (£199 each).

And, as with the Sonos Ray, we love the “Trueplay” feature, which uses the microphone on your iPhone or iPad to analyse how sound reflects off walls, furnishings, glass and other surfaces in a room and tweaks the sound so it sounds great no matter where it’s positioned.

This Denon soundbar doesn’t have wifi connectivity and you can’t talk to it with a voice assistant, but it does have the latest “virtual” Dolby Atmos compatibility (albeit without upfiring drivers) and creates a big, impressive sound for not very much money. If you’re looking to upgrade your TV audio, this is a great place to start.

There are six speakers here, and while it doesn’t include any upfiring options to help create a greater sense of 3D atmospheric sound, it does enhance audio considerably without sacrificing dialogue for the impact of explosions and action sequences.

Set-up is quick and intuitive and if your TV has HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) support you can just plug and play. There is also a standard HDMI input for consoles and Blu-ray players, auxiliary and optical – and you can attach a subwoofer too. While there’s no wifi, Bluetooth is included so music streaming is still possible.

There are various listening modes to choose from, with Pure being the most universal, but we like the night mode that helps maintain detail, even at lower volumes that won’t disturb the neighbours. And while watching Mad Max: Fury Road doesn’t offer the same white-knuckle immersive listening experience you’ll find with more expensive Dolby Atmos soundbars, the impact and scale of the sound on offer still belie the low cost.

We were honestly surprised by the audio quality that emits from this soundbar on test. You may not recognise the brand compared to the other models on this list, but the Groov-e 75 is a solid pick if you need to improve the sound of a smaller TV (such as a 32-inch or 43-inch set) and don’t need the speakers to fill a large room.

Connectivity is decent – you can pair via an auxiliary audio cable, optical cable or USB-A – but we found it easiest to use the built-in Bluetooth, which quickly paired to multiple other devices including a phone and MacBook. The remote is standard for a budget model, but we like that it lets you boost or reduce the bass and treble.

There’s a snug but well-lit LED panel on the front, and power/volume buttons on the side in the event that you ever misplace the remote. Measuring 50 cm in length, this sits well on smaller cabinets or, like us, the top of a fireplace, but there are also two pre-built holes for wall mounting if you prefer.

We blasted some bassy synthwave and re-watched the Star Wars pod race scene and found it works very well for music and movies. We also didn’t encounter too much background hiss at louder volumes.

Let’s be clear: you don't get the top build quality or the listening experience of a high-end brand like Bose or Sonos here – and the price reflects that this is not a model for audio perfectionists – however, the Groov-e Soundbar 75 is easy to use and (crucially) an extremely affordable way of enhancing the sound of a small TV’s built-in speakers.

The latest model from Sonos is about half the width and half the price of most quality soundbars, but it still greatly enhances your TV audio. While it lacks some of the features of the larger Beam and Arc designs, it is still every inch a Sonos speaker, and as such is well-made, good-looking, easy to install, and works seamlessly as a multi-room music player too.

Connection to the TV is via an optical cable, which is a bit limiting for real cinephiles, but if you’re just looking to boost audio, it’s a quick and easy option, especially as all the set-up is done via the smartphone app.

And while you’re using the app, you can take advantage of the impressive TruePlay, which tweaks the sound based on the size and shape of your room. You have to waft your phone around according to the instructions, but it really works, and helps give everything a welcome boost. It’s not as powerful or engaging as the excellent Sonos Beam, but for the size, we were hugely impressed by its performance, and while there’s no Atmos, it remains an engaging listen at a very reasonable price.

Good looking with an understated grown-up design, the Bar 800 is a brilliantly conceived do-it-all soundbar with wifi connectivity, multi-room music streaming, Bluetooth, Dolby Atmos upfiring speakers, voice control and a beefy 10-inch wireless subwoofer included.

But that’s not all. When you want to really immerse yourself in the on-screen action, you can detach two battery-powered wireless surround sound speakers and position them behind you for a realistic 3D listening experience. It’s the ideal compromise for anyone who wants a proper surround sound system but can’t stand the idea of all that clutter.

They’re not the first brand to try this detachable speaker configuration, but the first we’ve tried with true Dolby Atmos and it was a cinematic treat. Be prepared to tweak the sound settings as the down-firing subwoofer really packs a punch, however, and some may find it a bit much for smaller living rooms. It’s also huge, so forget about hiding it under or behind the sofa.

Thankfully the set-up was impressively easy, and while it isn’t quite as simple as plug-and-play, it isn't far off. The JBL One app has loads of settings you can adjust and it also features room calibration that helps adapt the sound based on the space you’re in.

And a final word of praise for the PureVoice technology, which helps dialogue cut through even the noisiest background sound effects. It really does make a difference. While watching Avengers: Endgame (not all three hours of it, however) there’s a surprising amount of dialogue during fight sequences, but the speaker tuning and processing here meant that we could keep up with the plot and the explosions.

With the Sonos Ray and Arc also on this list, it’s safe to say we’re huge fans of Sonos and its multi-room brilliance. The latest version of the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is also a superb option that we recommend, but if you want “real” Dolby Atmos via upward-firing speakers, this is one of the most affordable ways to get proper cinematic audio.

Unlike the Sonos Beam, the Bose has two upfiring speakers, which really helps make the most of Dolby Atmos movies. The sense of extra scale here is really impressive given the soundbar’s dimensions. Using Bose’s “TrueSpace” tech, it also does a great job with non-Atmos content, helping boost it to all parts of the room. Bose has a long history of being able to swamp a room using relatively tiny speakers, and here’s no exception. It’s loud, detailed and extremely impressive, with dialogue especially present.

It comes with one HDMI eARC output so your TV will need to be able to process Dolby Atmos for you to benefit properly. There’s also an optical output, but again, this can’t handle the bandwidth needed for true Dolby Atmos. There’s also wifi, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2 and voice control via Alexa.

Control via Google Assistant is available, but you’ll need a separate speaker to activate it. Once connected to your home wifi, and linked to the Bose smartphone app, setup is simple and takes a matter of moments. There’s no room calibration though, so you may want to adjust settings manually if you have awkward dimensions, although we had no such issues, and could simply sit back and enjoy.

If you want the best possible sound quality for movie nights but don’t have the space for multiple surround sound speakers, the Sennheiser Ambeo Max is impossible to beat. At 127cm long, 14cm tall and 18.5kg it is an absolute brute, but what it lacks in discretion it makes up for with 13 front, side and upfiring speaker drivers that guarantee goosebumps.

It’s not a soundbar for everyone. This model is too big and cumbersome for many living rooms and TVs, but once in position, you’ll be transported to your own mini multiplex, as 5.1.4 channels of Dolby Atmos flood the senses with a deep and powerful, but controlled performance.

Sound effects in films – bullets, rain, a speeding car, for instance – feel fantastically real, and put most other soundbars to shame. The size and power mean it feels more like a dedicated surround sound system, all squished into one box, and even films you’ve seen countless times - in our case, the Bond movie No Time To Die - are given a new cinematic lease of life.

There are loads of options for connectivity too, and a recent software upgrade means Spotify Connect, Tidal and Chromecast also make it an excellent option for music playback. It’s expensive and awkward, but if you want the best cinematic audio from a single box, buying the Sennheiser Ambeo Max is the compromise you’ll need to make.

At just 4cm thick, the Samsung HW-S800B stands out from the crowd by being slimline and gorgeous. Obviously, such skinny proportions mean smaller speakers, but Samsung has managed to cram a lot of tech into the tiny case, including two Dolby Atmos upfiring speakers.

There are nine drivers behind the stylish metal grille, and deep bass is taken care of by the separate, powerful, wireless subwoofer. Combined, they create a complete 3.1.2-channel system that slots elegantly into your living room. And if you’ve struggled to find a soundbar to sit beneath your TV, that doesn’t impede your viewing, this could be the one.

There’s wifi and Bluetooth streaming and Alexa voice control built-in, as well as Apple AirPlay 2, so it is easy to integrate into your existing setup. It also features “SpaceFit” sound, which like TruePlay with Sonos, uses microphones to tune the soundbar to the shape of the room. And if you are connecting to a new Samsung TV, you can take advantage of “Q Symphony”, which synchronises the TV's speakers and the soundbar to create a bigger, more immersive soundstage.

The only real downside here is the lack of physical connections. It has a single Mini HDMI port, so you will need to buy an HDMI to Mini HDMI adapter or cable to connect the soundbar to your TV. Check that your TV supports ARC, as there’s also no optical connection.

A soundbar as small as this has no right to sound as big as it does. Measuring just 34cm wide, it features three drivers. The left and right channels get a small 19mm speaker, while the centre, mid-range driver is 51mm, and there’s a separate 37cm tall subwoofer. There are no upfiring speakers here, but clever Dolby Atmos software processing means the speakers do a great job of spreading audio to all corners of the room with “virtual” Atmos, without losing focus.

The subwoofer will take some hiding at home, but it’s a payoff you’ll probably accept given how small the soundbar is. In fact, it looks more like a speaker than a traditional soundbar, and with Bluetooth and wifi streaming, Apple Airplay 2 and Spotify Connect built-in, it happily doubles up as a music system.

As well as Dolby Atmos, the Magnifi Mini AX also has a “3D Audio Mode” that enhances standard stereo and transforms it into 360-degree surround sound. Having only four speakers means you shouldn’t expect miracles here, but it certainly gives standard movies and sports – the T20 Cricket World Cup final in our case – a crowd-pleasing boost.

Special mention has to go to the remote that has multiple volume controls, meaning you can increase the centre channel to boost voices or tweak the bass to find a sound that works for the content you’re watching. It’s a neat trick indeed.

If you’ve been swayed by an extra-large TV set, you’ll need a soundbar to match. Few designs are better suited than the 130cm wide HT-A7000. With 11 speakers – two upward-firing speakers for Atmos, two tweeters, five forward-facing drivers and two built-in subwoofers – and 500W of power, it elevates your home movie watching, while also improving how sport sounds, and even gives I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here a welcome upgrade.

The Dolby Atmos processing is particularly impressive, and while it doesn’t match the realism of a true 7.1.2 sound system, hearing audio effects sweep past sounds realistic enough in our three-bed terrace, with bass rumbling brilliantly when on-screen action kicks in.

As well as virtually all the leading movie sound codecs, the A7000 works well with music too, featuring Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast plus Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Home all supported, and unlike the Sonos Arc there are loads of connections that should ensure it remains up to date for years to come.

This 2-in-1 device is a soundbar and TV streaming device combined, making it a good option if you’re looking to upgrade a basic home entertainment set-up, or want an inexpensive way to improve a second TV. It isn’t as powerful as a bigger or more expensive soundbar, but it makes dialogue sound clear and provides a good sense of bass.

This one is smaller and lighter than others on this list, so could be a good option for bedroom TVs or smaller living room setups, and is great value for money. It has a helpful feature that cleverly drops the volume when adverts are playing and raises it when your show returns. It’s energy-efficient and comes with everything you need in the box, including two different options for connecting it to your TV.

Like other Roku TV streaming devices, it lets you watch the five major catch-up TV players (BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, My 5, All 4 and UKTV Player), as well as Netflix, Now TV, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Hayu and Apple TV+, plus any other streaming service that you might need. It comes with voice control via the remote, too.