There are a lot of great soundbars out there, but we don’t have enough space to showcase them all. Here are some other things you may want to consider.
Vizio Elevate M Series for $600: If you want full-featured Dolby Atmos and a bit of style, Vizio’s second Elevate bar is worth considering. When Atmos content is playing, the driver pops up from the side and aims at your ceiling, giving it a nifty party trick to show off to your friends. The sound quality is solid, too, and we like the compact design and simple setup. However, you will have to run some speaker cables for the rear surrounds.
Yamaha SR-C30A $200: This SR-C30A soundbar does look very similar to the SR-C20A and that’s because they are identical in terms of size, specs, and sound quality. The difference is that the SR-C30A features a compact (335 x 160 x 364 mm) wireless subwoofer that delivers true Hollywood-style rumble and punch. —Simon Lucas
Sennheiser Ambeo Plus sells for $1,000: Considering the price and physical size of the soundbar (not even including the subwoofer), the Ambeo Plus might seem like a good deal. But thanks to its 400 watts of power and nine carefully developed and more carefully positioned speaker drivers, this Sennheiser is capable of a big, enveloping sound that strongly hints at the height of sound on which Dolby Atmos soundtracks rely. As an encore, it proves to be a capable wireless speaker when you also want to listen to some music. ——Simon Lucas
Polk React costs $236: If you want to get surround sound eventually but don’t have the cash right now, this soundbar will do the trick. The Alexa-enabled soundbar is great on its own, and Polk also offers surround speakers and a subwoofer if you want to upgrade.
Vizio Elevate P Series on sale for $799: It’s a great-looking soundbar with side-firing speakers that swivel toward the sky when you’re watching object-based audio content. It’s a nice-sounding bar, and the gimmick is clever, but there are better options for under $1,000.
Roku smart soundbar for $129: If you’re looking for a soundbar that doubles as a great streaming device, Wired senior writer Adrienne So definitely recommends the Roku smart soundbar. I sent her home with this Roku model after she hadn’t used one in years, and she was so impressed that she shouted it from the rooftops. Setup is easy, and since it comes with Roku’s simple streaming interface (and supports surround sound as well as 4K and high dynamic range video), you can stream movies and shows from almost any streaming service. You can also add a Roku subwoofer or surround-sound speakers. Submarine purchases are encouraged. We’ve linked to the Walmart version of Roku, called the “Onn,” because it looks like the original model has been discontinued. It’s cheaper, slightly weaker, but still a lot better than standard TV speakers, and it comes with a built-in Roku streaming interface.