The Best Sound Bars For 2023-2024

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Disclosure

The Best Sound Bars For 2023-2024


In this picture, one of the best tv sound bars for 2020-2021 is shown.

This will be an article covering the best sound bars for 2023-2024. These are some of the best fully featured sound bars that in my opinion, perform exceptionally well in a wide range of scenarios.

The actual choices are listed directly below, with a helpful guide on how to choose a quality one below that.

 

The Best For A Very Small Room (8 X 10 feet) – ASIYUN Soundbar

 

The Best For A Small Room (10 x 12 feet) – FANGOR Soundbar

 

The Best For A Medium Room (14 x 16 feet) – Klipsch Cinema 400 Sound Bar

 

The Best For A Medium To Large Room (16 x 20 feet) – VIZIO M Series Soundbar

 

The Best For A Large Room (22 x 25 feet) – Yamaha YAS-109

 

The Best For A Very Large Room (Over 25 feet) – Samsung HW-Q950A

 

The Best Looking – Klipsch Bar-40

 

The Best With A Built In Subwoofer – Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar

 

A Personal Favorite – Yamaha YAS-209BL Sound Bar

 

Another Personal Favorite – Sony HT-S100F

 

The Best High End – Sonos Arc

 

Decision Guide

 




 

The Best For A Very Small Room (8 X 10 feet) – ASIYUN Soundbar


So for those of you out there with really small rooms, that still want awesome sound then this would be a really good one to go with.

As long as your TV has an mp3 or audio out jack, then you’re good to go. Coming in at 16 x 2 x 2 inches, it is extremely compact as far as sound bars go.

This is particularly useful if you don’t have a lot of space for anything burly or unwieldy. It has Bluetooth, so playing music without wires is also easy to do.

What I found particularly alluring about this this choice was the fact that it has a built in subwoofer.

So you get the low end benefits of a subwoofer, without having to worry about setting an external one up. Even more interesting, it happens to also have a built in microphone.

This allows you to take calls straight from the sound bar.

Now that’s cool.

As far as looks go, it’s pretty standard, with a metal grill protecting the drivers inside.

The sound it produces belies its appearance though; don’t let it fool you, this thing can put out some seriously satisfying sound.

 

Pros


  • Small & manageable
  • Built In subwoofer Is convenient
  • Good sound quality
  • Built in microphone allows you to make calls from it
  • Bluetooth ability

 

Cons


  • Volume level using it in anything bigger than a small room

Overall, it’s a great soundbar if you plan on using this thing in smaller listening spaces. It’s awesome.

 

Check Availability Of The ASIYUN Soundbar

 

 



 

 

The Best For A Small Room (10 x 12 feet) – Fangor 60 Watt Soundbar


For use with a smaller room, the Fangor 60 watt soundbar is a solid choice.

At 16 inches and a slim profile, this is a soundbar that is best suited for a smaller room.

What’s awesome about this one is the fact that there’s an internal DSP with 3 different sound profiles to accommodate the specific content that you watch.

This is supplemented by the 2 full range internal speakers and low frequency drivers that actually get much louder than one might initially think. Their sound quality is also suprisingly great.

With Bluetooth 5.0 present, you can wirelessly enjoy music and content from your device which is definitely nice.

It’s also really simple to setup, with an optical port, auxiliary input, USB port, and HDMI ARC.

 

Pros


  • Clear sound quality
  • Great for small rooms at 16 inches
  • Multiple sound modes for different content
  • Bluetooth 5.0 capability
  • HDMI ARC Capability
  • Easy to setup

Cons


  • Bass levels out at louder volumes

There’s not too much else to say other than this is a great soundbar for smaller rooms.

 

Check Availability Of The Fangor 60 Watt Soundbar

 

 



 

 

The Best For A Medium Room (14 x 16 feet) – Klipsch Cinema 400 Sound Bar


If you happen to do most of your listening in a normal room or even dorm room, then the klipsch cinema definitely works for that use.

The first thing that surprised me about this sound bar was the fact it uses horn technology.

Now for those of you out there who are familiar with the company Klipsch, then you’ll now that they employ this technology in their products as well.

What is it though?

Well you know how within the speaker there’s the driver that’s responsible for the output of sound?

Well with horn tech, what it basically does is place a specifically measured covering around the driver, which duckbills outwards around the edges.

This allows the sound to not only cover a wider area, but it’s usually clearer as well.

You can read about it here if you’re curious. https://www.klipsch.com/blog/how-do-horn-loaded-speakers-work

At 40 inches long, this is definitely one on the larger side.

Also, if your television has an audio out jack, then you can plug it in there as well to take advantage of its enhanced sound.

In terms of looks, I really liked the subtle yet refined aesthetic of the soundbar.

The subwoofer also has a good amount of bass that definitely adds to the experience.

It also has 400 watts which allows it to get plenty loud.

There’s even Bluetooth to enjoy your favorite content

 

Pros


  • 400 watts of audio quality
  • Horn technology makes sound incredibly enjoyable
  • Nice bass quality
  • Bluetooth capability

 

Cons


  • Large at 40 inches

In summary, it’s a really performant soundbar that finds its groove in a variety of rooms.

 

Check Availability Of The Klipsch Cinema 400 Sound Bar

 

 

https://easyhometheater.net/klipsch-cinema-400-sound-bar-review

 

 



 

 

The Best For A Medium To Large Room (16 x 20 feet) – VIZIO M Series Soundbar


In this size of a room where you nearly getting into large territory but not quite, you might want something with a little more oomph.

The Vizio M Series is that very thing that provides you with just that. Being able to go up to 98 decibels ensures that you get a very full and rich sound that makes movies come alive.

To put that into perspective, that’s nearly the equivalent of standing right next to a subway train in terms of loudness (that’s plenty loud)

But the thing is it’s not just the loudness that makes it impressive, but the clarity of the sound as well.

It also offers Bluetooth so that you can enjoy your music without the hassle of wires.

Even better is the fact that it utilizes DTS sound to give you the most realistic experience possible.

Set up is also simple, and even comes with the cables necessary to plug it up.

Coming in at around 8 and a half pounds and 36 inches, it makes it manageable for those with not the most space in the world as well.

 

Pros


  • Easy to setup
  • DTS sound gives a very lifelike and appreciable sound
  • 98 decibels peak also ensures it can go plenty loud when it needs to
  • Small enough to still be manageable

 

Cons


  • No internal sub

For music and the casual listening this is a great option as well.

 

Check Availability Of The VIZIO M Series Soundbar

 

 



 

 

The Best For A Large Room (22 x 25 feet) – Yamaha YAS-109


When we start to get into the large room territory, this is where speakers need to be able to go loud, otherwise they’ll come off as disappointing.

The Yamaha YAS-109 does exactly that.

Now before even that, the first thing you’ll notice is just how thin it actually is.

This is part of what Yamaha is calling its ultra slim design.

This is to allow it to fit anywhere in your theater space with ease.

However despite this thin design, it still has managed to build in 2 woofers, 2 tweeters, and even 2 subwoofers all within this little enclosure.

The results of this is actually pretty astonishing.

You get a crisp high, and convincingly ominous low that really melds beautifully together.

Power is also something that this doesn’t lack, as it has over 120 watts of power.

What’s really interesting is the different modes available to further customize the sound.

There’s even a clear voice mode that emphasizes dialogue over everything else; which would help in scenes where the characters may be whispering or talking really low.

It comes with Bluetooth as well so you do have the option of going wireless if you want.

What’s also noteworthy about this one is the fact that you can hook it up however you want since it supports all the common connection methods like HDMI and optical.

The bar even has its own app that you can download to customize your sound even further.

Plus there’s even support for DTS Virtual:X, which allows you to enjoy virtual surround sound without the need of any external speakers.

How cool is that?

 

Pros


  • Built in subwoofer
  • 120 watts of power makes for a very entertaining presentation
  • Multiple sound modes
  • Dedicated app for even further customization
  • Great sound clarity
  • Virtual surround sound

 

Cons


  • 37 inches puts it on the slightly longer side.

In all, it really is amazing.

 

Check Availability Of The Yamaha YAS-109 Soundbar

 

 



 

 

The Best For A Very Large Room (Over 25 feet) – Samsung HW-Q950A


From smartphones to TV’s, Samsung is certainly a respectable brand in technology.

That said, this is definitely one of the best ones I’ve personally tried.

Maybe it might have something to do with the fact it can support a whopping 616 watts.

Couple this with the fact that there’s an included subwoofer (which also happens to be wireless), and 2 speakers you’re obviously bound to get something that you’ll be pleased with.

The best way to describe the sound would be super crisp with no distortion, even at high levels.

Of course it comes with the usual features you’ve come to expect from a quality sound bar like Bluetooth and HDMI compatibility.

But what’s odd about it is the fact it supports surround sound.

But wait, aren’t sound bars incapable of doing surround sound?

Well as it turns out, not necessarily.

By utilizing special processing technology, it can reflect sound in specific ways where it gives the perception of being all around you.

It’s a really cool feature.

The sound bar itself is 48.5 inches long and has an attractive design.

There’s even the ability for it to connect with certain Samsung TV’s without any wires.

Now that’s convenience.

 

Pros


  • 616 watts provides plenty of power for even the biggest of rooms.
  • Wireless subwoofer
  • Bluetooth
  • Provides surround sound through special 3D processing tech
  • Amazing sound

 

Cons


  • Large at 48.5 inches

If you have a big room you plan on doing your listening in, then this one is a solid choice.

 

Check Availability Of The Samsung HW-Q950A Soundbar

 

 



 

 

The Best Looking – Klipsch Bar-40


Klipsch is known for making good looking speakers, and the Klipsch Bar-40 is no exception.

Of course sound trumps all, but it’d be hard to ignore how good this one looks, especially when it sounds just as good!

The copper metal accents and metal grille give a premium feel to the sound bar, and the logo on the front of it adds even more.

There’s an included subwoofer that ensures you’re taken care of when it comes to bass, and the added tweeters help make the higher end sounds much more pronounced.

Even better is the fact that it’s 2.8 inches tall, so even if you place it under your TV, you won’t have to worry about blocking the screen.

It is a long soundbar at 39 inches though so that’s something to note.

Bluetooth makes a welcome appearance as well, ditching the need for any wires.

It has a virtual surround mode that as the name suggests, creates the illusion of surround sound without the need for additional speakers.

Surprisingly it works really well, and is sure to impress you.

Rubber feet fixed to the bottom of the bar also ensures it can be placed anywhere without sliding, and the keyholes included as well allows for wall mounting.

Of course Klipsch’s signature tractrix horns are here as well, allowing for a much wider dispersion of sound.

 

Pros


  • Looks great
  • Included subwoofer for low end sounds
  • Virtual surround sound mode
  • 2.8 inch height ensures it won’t block the TV
  • Great sound

 

Cons


  • Long at 39 inches.

Besides that, this is a great option that manages to combines looks and functionality into one.

 

Check Availability Of The Klipsch Bar-40 Soundbar

 

 



 

 

The Best With A Built In Subwoofer -Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar


So if you’re someone who’s concerned with getting a quality sound along with good bass, then this one is certainly a solid choice.

For starters, it comes with built in dual subwoofers and 7 internal speakers that handles the high and low ends really well in my opinion.

A welcome feature this comes with is Bluetooth which is helpful for enjoying your music wirelessly.

When it comes to connecting it, you have a few options including aux, optical, HDMI ARC, and analog. It’s also on the longer side of things, coming in at around 41.38 inches so just be aware of that.

Even when it comes to looks, it has a premium look that really makes it look awesome and has different equalizer modes to dial in your sound.

It can even be wall mounted if you so chose.

All in all, it’s a really great soundbar.

 

Pros


  • Great sound which can be further customized
  • Bluetooth
  • Different ways to connect it
  • 2 built in subwoofers
  • Works with a smartphone
  • Includes remote

 

Cons


  • 41.38 inches could be a little long for some people.

 

Check Availability Of The Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar

 

 



 

 

A Personal Favorite – Yamaha YAS-209BL


This one is awesome with Yamaha’s inclusion of DTS Virtual X.

If you’re curious about all the specific details then you can check it out here, but to sum it up, this allows it to move sounds around you as if that object were really there.

Normally you would need extra speakers for this, but that’s where the virtual part comes in.

It uses special processing to do accomplish this without all the extras.

What’s also really cool about this one is that it comes with a wireless subwoofer to provide that extra bass.

This bar also supports HDMI so no need to worry about that.

There’s even an app which allows you to control the bar with your smartphone (just in case you lose the remote.)

The bar itself is a little over 36 inches, and has a subdued look to it.

Pros


  • Includes DTS Virtual: X
  • Can be controlled by smartphone
  • Comes with a subwoofer
  • Can be connected via HDMI
  • Bluetooth
  • 200 Watts of power

 

Cons


  • On the long side

Simply put, if you have the room for it, then this is one that is awesome and excels in a wide variety of conditions.

 

Check Availability Of The Yamaha YAS-209BL Soundbar

 

 



 

 

Another Personal Favorite – Sony HT-S100F


Another personal favorite of mine that I think works really well is the Sony HT-S100F soundbar because of its clarity.

Particularly when turned up, I noticed that it maintained that same level of detail in the high end that made content sound really good.

One of the things I like about it most is how well it handles voices in movies.

What’s also helpful is this can be wall mounted too, so there’s additional choice with how it can be placed.

There’s even a virtual surround sound feature and Bluetooth for enjoying your content that way as well.

 

Pros


  • Dialogue sounds awesome with movies
  • Great sound clarity
  • Bluetooth capability
  • Can be wall mounted
  • Slim design looks nice

 

Cons


  • No Dolby Atmos
  • No DTS format support
  • Would like more bass

 

In short, this is an incredible soundbar when it comes to watching content and listening to music.

 

Check Availability Of Sony HT-S100F Soundbar

 

 

https://easyhometheater.net/sony-ht-s100f-review

 

 

 

 

 

The Best High End – Sonos Arc


If you were set on getting something that was next level so to speak, this would certainly be it.

The bar itself is super easy to hook up with only 2 cords to worry about (one is the power cord itself)

In terms of sound, this thing offers a clarity that’s hard to put into words. The internal drivers have a bass quality that’s surprisingly good.

Wifi streaming is also something this soundbar is capable of and it can even connect with other Sonos speakers.

There’s even 3D sound in conjuction with Dolby Atmos for a surround sound experience that’s really immersive.

Talk about awesome.

 

Pros


  • Incredible clarity
  • Solid bass
  • Can connect to other Sonos speakers
  • Built in voice control
  • Attractive design
  • Customizable sound

 

Cons


  • No Bluetooth

Overall, considering the sound quality, this would definitely be a really solid choice.

 

Check Availability Of The Sonos Arc Soundbar

 

 



 

 

What Is A Sound Bar?


So for most of us, a home theater is our preferred way of experiencing surround since it gives a deeply immersive and satisfying experience.

But believe it or not, there may be times when this simply just isn’t possible.

So what happens when you’re unable to utilize a full home theater setup, (due to space constraints, budget, etc) but you still want a better audio experience than what your television can provide?

Enter sound bars.

A sound bar is quite the interesting creation to put it lightly. Inside each one, there’s usually a long row of individual speaker drivers whose job is to project the sound forwards.

The number of drivers is going to of course depend on which one you get, but regardless the end goal is the same; providing the listener with rich, detailed sound.

Now you might be thinking that the idea sounds awesome, but may be curious as to whether it may or may not have any advantages over a typical 5.1 speaker setup?

Surprisingly, the answer to that question would be yes.

Here’s sound bars explained in an easy to understand manner.

 

What Are The Advantages Of A Sound Bar?


So the first major advantage a sound bar would have over a normal speaker setup has to do with the design of the bar itself.

Being that all of the drivers are in this elongated enclosure, this ends up saving a lot of space.

This is great for those of you who may not have a lot of space, or don’t want speakers and/or wires everywhere.

Rather than having speakers situated all across the room, everything is in this simple bar, making things a lot easier when it comes to set up.

Speaking of which, that actually brings us into the next reason why you may want to go with one.

I can even say this from experience, that setting up a sound bar takes way less time than a surround sound system.

Not to mention, it usually comes with everything you need included in the package along with its own set of individual instructions; making it a much more beginner friendly option than the former.

Yet another reason why this be an attractive option to people is that typically, a sound bar will not be nearly as expensive as a full on home theater setup.

Again this is speaking generally, since there are some extremely advanced sound bars out there that can definitely be up there, but those are the high end ones of course.



What Are The Disadvantages Of A Sound Bar?


Not everything is sunshine and rainbows with them however, since there are definitely some real disadvantages you need to be aware of as well.

The first drawback again, stems from its design.

While yes, having all of your speakers in one place does cut down on space, the issue with this is that they can only fire in one direction.

What that basically means is you lose out on a lot of the directionality of surround sound.

So when watching a movie, while still immersive yes, you won’t typically get the enveloping sound field that makes the content satisfying; at least in general.

I do say in general because there are again, advanced ones out there that are able to create surround sound by some pretty creative measures, including actually bouncing sound waves off the wall so that they land directly where you ears are.

While amazing, not every sound bar will include something like this, so it’s really a matter of what you prefer.

Another disadvantage is that if something goes wrong with it, chances are you’ll have to replace the entire thing.

With a speaker, if something goes wrong, you can simply address that speaker.

 

How To Choose The Right Sound Bar


So now that you know whether or not a sound bar is for you, it’s time to actually go over some things you’ll want to consider when going with one.

 

Wattage


I’ve talked about this many times before, but to reiterate, wattage is basically the amount of power a device is capable of.

The higher the wattage, the more powerful it’s going to be. You’ll typically want to go with at least over 50 in really big rooms.

Just keep in mind that this also increases energy consumption as well.

 

One That Can Adequately Cover The Low End


What do I mean by this?

Well if you haven’t noticed by now, there’s one major difference between the average sound bar and a 5.1 system; the subwoofer!

You know, that black box that provides the rumble and tactile feeling during movies?

While some definitely do, not every sound bar will necessarily come with a subwoofer included.

In those instances, you’ll want to be sure that the one you’re choosing is able to cover the low end in its absence.

How do you do that?

Easy! You can make sure the one you’re choosing can do this by looking at what’s called the Hertz. (Hz)

This is a measure of how many vibrations per second speaker is capable of.

To put it simply, the lower this number, the lower the bass.

So by getting one that’s capable of going as low as possible ensures that you’re getting a full range of sound.

For soundbars without a subwoofer, if it can at least go into the 40 Hz range, then it’ll be just fine for movie watching. Honestly same thing with a subwoofer.

As long as it can at least dig that deep then you’re golden.



One That Can Adequately Cover The High End


So conversely, you’ll also want to get one that is capable of covering the higher end as well. This is usually denoted by the term Kilohertz (KHz).

With this number, the higher it is the better. Try to at least get one that is capable of going up to at least 20,000 KHz as this will give you the most detailed sound.

To help you out even more, you’ll typically see something like this 20Hz – 20,000 KHz; the number on the left is the Hertz or how low it can go, and on the right is the Kilohertz or how high it can go.

You want the number on the left to be as low as possible and the one on the right to be as high as possible. Easy enough right?

 

Try To Get One That Accepts HDMI


HDMI pretty much rules everything now a days, so it’s pretty rare occurrence for a modern day device not to support it. Still, it does happen.

While it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t, try to at least get one that accepts HDMI cables.

HDMI 2.1 is the most recent iteration of this standard and allows for many advantages like high frame rate, much higher resolutions, eARC, and expanded color gamuts.

 

You May Want One With Bluetooth Capabilities


If you’re a lover of music, or plan on using your speaker for parties and that sort of thing, then getting one with Bluetooth would be an invaluable addition to consider.

Being able to press a button and play music wirelessly from your phone is much more convenient then having to bother with wires every time.



Get One That Will Fit In Your Entertainment Area


Just as a heads up, some sound bars can be surprisingly long (some totaling over 4 feet in length)

So beforehand with any one that you choose, make sure that you’re aware of the dimensions of both the bar you’re thinking about going with, and the amount of space you might have for it.

That way you aren’t caught off guard when it comes time to take it out of the box.

With all of this being said, the ones on the list above takes into account all of these things and more.

But that’s pretty much it for now. I hope you enjoyed this article on the best sound bars for 2023-2024.

Hopefully with this list, you now understand what a sound bar actually is, along with why it still can give a great home theater experience overall.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.

20 Comments so far:

  1. You have provided a lot of very useful information. I personally prefer JVC who makes speakers for a living, but many of these are good as well.
    I was very surprised that many of these do not support HDMI. How can that be now days?
    I like the optical option. It is much more clear than most HDMI and definitely better than a basic audio out jack.
    Thanks for the information for all different checkbooks.

    • Yeah it is weird. No clue what the rationale is about that, but I know that these still perform admirably. But yeah, no problem at all.

  2. This is great extensive info – they seem very practical products as most of my friends that have them say how great they are in terms of price and how much space they take up.
    I still prefer my old style of surround sound set up but these maybe an option for me to look into considering it takes less time to set up and they seem cheaper.

    • I can definitely understand why you feel that way as I too have a surround sound setup. But I also have a sound bar setup in the other room due to space. So if you were to go the second route, then yeah it definitely does take less time to set up which a lot of people might prefer.

  3. Great article! I like the look of the KLipsch personally. How does the maintenance on these electronics work? If something goes wrong is the warranty good enough to cover it? Or does it vary between each product?

    • Honestly it does vary between products. But that being said, Klipsch is one of those companies known for really good customer service and warranty options, so I wouldn’t worry too much. Plus, besides the standard 1 year warranty that comes with most electronics, you could always get a square trade warranty that’ll protect you as well.

  4. i really like some of the options presented here. I actually never thought about it till now, but I currently have these giant old clunky speakers that i was thinking of replacing.

    • Hey I mean if they still work fine then you can always just stick with them. But if space is an issue, then maybe switching would be a good idea.

  5. Thanks…
    What a difference in sound from the TV. Now I can turn off the captions as I have a slight hearing problem and the tv speakers face the rear which muddled voices a bit. Now…clear as a bell!

  6. This was an amazingly thorough post! Very informative. HDMI does rule now a days as well as blue tooth. I have hearing issues so I would need it to be super loud. I just got some wireless earbuds for xmas and I have to say with my hearing problems, they are just not loud enough. This is a great site and I appreciate the work you put into this. I am bookmarking this site too!

    • I definitely agree and with HDMI 2.1 coming, that’ll only continue. And I see, hmm in that case you’ll definitely want something with a high wattage and a wide frequency range since it’ll take more for you to hear it, but you can still experience home theater just like the rest of us so don’t worry about that. I also appreciate that, means a lot! As long as it at least helps somebody, I’m happy. 🙂

  7. This article was very educational for me, I know nothing about sound bars but I have heard about them while browsing online.

    It was very helpful you recommending the sound bars that are your best choices for the room size, I would have never thought myself to check for that if I was purchasing one.

    Is there one that would be better for my teenage niece for her bedroom, I don’t know the size of her bedroom so I am a bit confused which one would be the best choice for her?

    Loved your article,
    Jeff

    • Hey I appreciate that a lot. The thing with sound bars is that if you have the room, always try to go the biggest you can for that particular room. That being said, for a bedroom, I think the choice to go with would definitely be the Yamaha YAS-108 sound bar since it mixes great sound and a good low end bass without being overly gigantic. This allows you to get the best of both worlds by getting great sound while also not sacrificing a large amount of space.

  8. Hey, great article! I always love finding deals on electronics, including sound bars. This article was super helpful in knowing what size and type are good for certain size rooms. Appreciate the in depth research you shared on this.

    Thanks, Chase

  9. What I love in particular about your site is the clarity and layout of everything.
    I’m convinced that you will create a lasting impact in many lives.
    Everyone loves good sound.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *