Top 3 Best Soundbars In 2024

Looking for the best soundbars to elevate your audio experience?

Soundbars are an excellent way to boost your TV’s sound quality without breaking the bank or dealing with a complex setup. In this guide, I’ll share my top three soundbar picks, each offering a unique blend of performance, features, and value.

First, WE Have a budget-friendly option that delivers impressive sound without breaking the bank.

Next, a premium choice with top-tier features and exceptional sound quality.

And finally, my top pick that balances performance, features, and price perfectly.

So let’s get started!

Number 3. Hisense HS2100 2.1 Ch 240W – Best Budget Soundbar

To get high-quality sound, you usually have to fork over a substantial amount of money. Fortunately, Hisense has an excellent solution to that problem with their HS2100 soundbar. This is a budget audio setup that’s cheaper than most speakers, and it happens to sound surprisingly great.

I say “audio setup” because you’re not just getting a standalone soundbar, but also a wireless subwoofer. In terms of sound, the HS2100 is similar to the HS214, with the major difference being that the HS214 lacks a subwoofer and it’s cheaper.

At this price, it’s hard to find a decent soundbar, let alone one with a subwoofer. The soundbar itself has an output of 120 watts, and the sub adds another 120 watts. This totals a 240-watt output, making the setup loud enough for most rooms.

Design-wise, it is as simple and as discrete as it gets. The top has a plastic design that somewhat resembles fake leather, but it doesn’t add much to the aesthetic. As for the subwoofer, it’s quite slim and compact. It’s mostly plastic, and you’ll notice a square-shaped fabric mounted to the side.

While the sub is small at 6.5 inches, it still gets surprisingly loud. However if you’re looking for that deep, rumbling bass you won’t necessarily get that here. The bass does have a kick to it, but it lacks that sub-bass rumble noticeable at lower-end frequencies. It still sounds impressive and boomy though, and the overall sound profile is warm.

Nevertheless, if you want more details in the vocals and higher pitches, you’ll want to turn down the bass and raise the treble a bit. This will give you clearer audio, which is important for movie dialogues. Just keep in mind that it will take away from the bass a bit.

The soundstage isn’t the widest, but for a stereo soundbar that doesn’t have Dolby Atmos, it’s not bad at all. It has plenty of volume to fill up most living rooms, and that’s about all you can ask for at this price.

As this is a budget soundbar, you won’t find support for premium codecs such as DTSX or Dolby Atmos. There is support for Dolby Digital Plus, but you won’t get any fancy surround sound. However, you do get onboard adjustments for the bass and treble, and some decent EQ presets.

For a bit more money, you could get the Sony S100F or the Bose TV soundbar but neither of them comes with a sub, and the HS2100 is cheaper and delivers respectable audio for the average home.

Overall Hisense soundbar is affordable, features a punchy subwoofer, and delivers a lot of value for the cheap price. All these make it in my opinion, the best budget soundbar out there.

To sum up, what I like is…
Affordable price
Comes with a punchy subwoofer
Onboard bass and treble adjustments

On the downside…
Surround sound audio isn’t great
Vocals and high frequencies require some tuning
No room correcting features

Ratings:
Features: 7.5/10
Sound Quality: 7.5/10
Subwoofer sound: 7.5/10
Connectivity: 7.5/10
Value: 8.5/10
Overall Rating: 7.7/10

Number 2. SAMSUNG HW-Q990D – Best Premium Soundbar

While you can often find a lot of great soundbars for cheap, there are a lot of features you’ll miss out on — features you’d find on higher-end models. If that’s what you’re looking for, as well as the best possible sound quality, Samsung HW-Q990D is a soundbar that will not disappoint you. While it’s certainly expensive, it more than justifies the high price of admission.

Part of the reason why this soundbar is so expensive is the overall configuration. It is an 11.1.4 channel setup, which means it has 11 front-firing speakers, 1 subwoofer, and 4 up-firing speakers. In total, that’s 16 channels. It’s intended as a surround setup, and you get full Dolby Atmos support to facilitate that.

It is an improvement over the already incredible Q990C. Mainly, it adds HDMI 2.1, making it a better choice if you have a PS5 or Xbox Series X.

Additionally it houses 9 of the channels, and the two identical rear speaker units house 6 channels (3 each). The subwoofer counts as its own separate single channel. Needless to say, there’s a lot of potential here for a very immersive experience.

As mentioned before it features HDMI 2.1 support, allowing for 4K 120Hz passthrough.. The setup is a bit involved though, as you’ll need to place the rear speakers behind your seating position for the correct experience.

As for the design, the soundbar has an angled look and a metal grill that covers the drivers. On the right, there’s even an LED display. The 8-inch subwoofer is large, and a plastic housing covers the woofer itself. Finally, the rear satellite speakers have an angled design at the top, with a metal grill on each to protect the drivers. The sub is connected to the soundbar wirelessly, and you can place it anywhere in your room with ease.

As for the most important aspect, the sound quality, it is simply impressive. You get excellent stereo separation, meaning you can localize where each sound effect is coming from. This makes it great for gaming and for movies that support Dolby Atmos. The up-firing speakers add a different level of immersion, and explosions sound almost terrifying.

Even with all that loudness, the dialogues sound crisp, and the instruments are incredibly detailed. If you watch a movie with a good soundtrack on this soundbar, you’re in for a cinematic experience. Finally, the soundstage is also excellent, which again helps to pinpoint sound effects around your area.

Moving on, the subwoofer adds an incredible amount of bass, making the experience even better. You get that low rumbling thump that’s incredibly satisfying. On top of all that, the SpaceFit room correction feature further helps optimize the sound for your room acoustics.

At this price, there are a few competitors. JBL Bar 1300X and LG S95TR provide a similar cinematic experience, but both lack HDMI 2.1. Additionally, the Q990D has a more accurate response, further cementing it as the best premium soundbar.

The high price is certainly worrying, but in return you’re getting a fantastic Dolby Atmos experience, 16 channels for the full immersion, and a warm detailed sound signature that’s incredibly pleasing. All that makes it my choice as the best premium soundbar, hands down.

To sum up, what I like is that…
The 16 channels provide incredible immersion
HDMI 2.1 support
Wireless subwoofer
Room correction features

On the downside
Very expensive

Ratings:
Features: 9/10
Sound Quality: 9/10
Subwoofer sound: 9/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Overall Rating: 8.8/10

Number 1. Samsung HW-Q800C – Our Top Choice

While there are a lot of ultra-premium 16-channel Dolby Atmos soundbars, a lot of them are not the most practical choice. They’re expensive, a bit of a pain to set up, and require complimentary gear that justifies high-end audio. If you don’t want to deal with all that hassle, and want the best possible sound quality within a reasonable price, Samsung’s HW-Q800C could be the ideal choice for most people.

Compared to its predecessor, the Q800A, this newer version features a 5.1.2 channel instead of 3.1.2. This upgrade means that it’s better at handling surround sound, and that’s especially true with features like room correction.

The soundbar is constructed out of sleek plastic and features metal grilles that cover the drivers. An angular design can be seen on the side, and the overall look is similar to Samsung’s higher-end soundbars. The subwoofer is made of wood, and the woofer itself is covered by a round piece of fabric. Unlike other high-end models, there are no satellite speakers here.

Since it is a 5.1.2 setup, there are a total of 8 channels. On the soundbar, you get 5 front-firing and 2 up-firing channels. The subwoofer counts as the final 8th channel. While adding satellite speakers would have made the experience more immersive, this 5.1.2 configuration carries some serious sound.

For example, the overall frequency response is great. Its room correction feature is close to more expensive soundbars and that helps produce a balanced and pleasing sound. The vocals and lead instruments sound great, so the mids are handled perfectly. As for the sub, it has a lot of rumble in the bass. While it doesn’t have that extended low bass found on some subwoofers, you won’t notice that unless you’ve used an ultra-premium sound system in the past.

Needless to say, this level of sound quality is more than enough for most people. In terms of Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround sound, HW-Q800C certainly delivers. While discrete rear-firing speakers would have been great, the side-firing channels on the soundbar do a good job of replicating the same experience.

It provides a very pleasant listening experience, with plenty of crisp detail in the max. The up-firing channels bring a feeling of height to the sound, as that’s what Atmos is intended for. While this concept is even better on the Q990D, it’s more than serviceable here on the cheaper model.

At this price, companies like Sonos and Sony only give you a standalone theater soundbar. The Dolby Atmos execution on soundbars like the Bravia Theater Bar and Sonic Arc is excellent, but it’s not the best value. Samsung is giving you a 5.1.2 setup for the same price, and for most people, it’s the most reasonable choice. The fact that it sounds incredible is just the cherry on top.

To sum up, what I like is…

Fantastic bass response
Gets quite loud
Room correction features
Priced well for a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos setup

On the downside
Lacks HDMI 2.1

Ratings
Features: 8.5/10
Sound Quality: 8.5/10
Subwoofer sound: 9.5/10
Connectivity: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Overall Rating: 9/10

So what do you think? Which of these is the best soundbar for you?

Or do you think another soundbar is better?

Tell us in the comments below.