As flat-panel HDTVs have gotten increasingly thinner, so has their sound quality. The soundbar was born to provide a higher-quality audio experience than your HDTV delivers in a convenient all-in-one box. Most soundbars on the market are active (or powered), combining the speakers, amplification, and audio inputs (sometimes video inputs, too) into one box that sits near your TV.
Some manufacturers offer passive (non-powered) left/center/right soundbars to replace the front channels in a surround sound setup. These days, the configurations are endless: Soundbars can have two, three, five, or even seven speaker channels. Sometimes they’re packaged with separate surrounds and/or subwoofers, and sometimes they’re not.
Check out our review archive below to read about the latest entries to this popular category.
Polk's Magnifi Max AX mixes great performance and versatility for a winning combination.
Samsung’s latest flagship Soundbar is another Dolby Atmos powerhouse.
Monoprice incorporates Dolby Atmos into its SB-300 soundbar system for under $200, but does it work?
The Denon Home Sound Bar 550 packs a lot of features into its compact chassis, but how does it stand up to the competition?
Sony’s cheapest Dolby Atmos soundbar is capable, but you can get more for less
It packs a powerful punch with its 12" subwoofer
This soundbar system puts a home theater in your living room
A perfect all-in-one Atmos soundbar for anyone living the audiophile lifestyle
Samsung's latest soundbar is slim enough to go where no Dolby Atmos soundbar has gone before.
LG hits all the right notes with this Meridian-tuned 7.1.4 soundbar - it's loaded with features and delivers one of the most immersive listening experiences we’ve heard from a...
This smart yet simple one-piece solution delivers a great upgrade your TV sound, especially if you value simple setup and enhanced dialogue intelligibility
Yamaha’s affordable two-piece delivers good bass and works well for music and movies alike.
One side of the small box containing Roku's Streambar consists simply of six silver words that stand out on an otherwise solid background in the company's familiar shade of...
ZVOX says its AV157 soundbar enhances dialogue clarity. Bill Kanner puts that claim to the test in our in-depth review.
Scott says the SB46514-F6 is a versatile and full-featured 5.1.4 audio system that sounds great, is easy to set up, and seems like a bargain compared to other Dolby...
Theory Audio Design's speaker systems manage the nearly impossible feat of being both lifestyle friendly and unflinchingly high-performance.
Given its small size and price, Denon's no-frills DHT-S216 soundbar delivers surprisingly impressive sound that will dramatically upgrade the audio of virtually any contemporary TV.
Scott Wasser says the Roku Smart Soundbar may not be for everyone, but it's great for anyone shopping for a fantastic media streamer and simple two-channel (or 2.1) soundbar...
I pick up a small remote, press a button, and say, "Hey Google! Turn on the media room lights and dim them to 20 percent." The LG SL10YG soundbar...
As 2019 comes to a close, we at HomeTheaterReview.com look back at all the products we reviewed this year and pick the best of the bunch, from affordable favorites...
