Home The Best Soundbars for Blasting Your Favorite Music in 2022
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When it comes to filling a room with great sound, a soundbar is an excellent option. Soundbars are sleek and unobtrusive. In spite of that, they pack a powerful audio punch, and because they’re designed specifically for music, they provide superior sound quality compared to other types of audio systems, which is great if you like to blast your room with your favorite music.
If you’re looking for a soundbar that will deliver rich, detailed sound, you’re in the right place as we’ve rounded up some of the best options on the market. Whether you’re looking for something compact and affordable or something high-end and feature-packed, there’s a soundbar here that will suit your needs.
The Samsung HW-Q990B carries on the recent history of the firm providing its flagship soundbar with four physical boxes; however, up until this point, Samsung has constantly been able to cram more channels into those four boxes. Due to the total channel count remaining at 16, unchanged from the previous year, Samsung must rely on other advancements to continue the soundbar story. Fortunately, all of the Samsung HW-upgrades Q990B’s have been made to enhance the sound quality that those 16 channels provide, making it among the greatest soundbars of the year. The rear speakers, for example, have a new angled top and small pedestal stands to produce purer and better-positioned effects. The subwoofer, on the other hand, wears a fancy new Acoustic Lens atop its massive 8-inch driver to make the bass more smooth and refined. In order to make the most of its unrivaled channel count, Samsung has finally added an auto-calibration system to its newest flagship soundbar. It can even work in tandem with the speakers in many of Samsung’s most recent TVs to create an even larger soundstage. The Q990B produces the most comprehensive and immersive surround sound experience we’ve ever heard from even the greatest Dolby Atmos soundbars by introducing new control, balance, and precision to the immense power and channel counts its predecessors have come to be known for.
Fantastic Dolby Atmos soundRemarkably compact speakersGood connectivity
It’s not cheapNo 4K 120 Hz/VRR passthroughMusic could sound better
LG has a solid history of producing feature-rich soundbars that deliver powerful, room-filling audio. The company’s most recent entry into this market, the $1,000 SP9YA, carries on the 9-Series’ tradition of packing a ton of audio functionality into just one soundbar and one wireless subwoofer. It’s an appealing choice for anyone who desires a simple setup and powerful, theatrical music. The SP9YA is a very powerful system for both music and movies. It has eight sound modes, including Cinema, which upmixes all audio sources to 5.1.2, including 2.0 stereo audio, and Music, which uses Meridian technology to optimize its audio performance. The Bass Blast amplifies the bass while also upmixing all sources to 5.1.2, and the Clear Voice amplifies dialogue. There are also Sports and Game modes. A further eighth setting called AI Sound Pro employs artificial intelligence to adjust the sound to what you are listening to. Although the SP9YA gave good sound cue performance, its side-firing drivers produce a more subdued response when it comes to surround effects. For instance, the screech of the Rebel speeders on Hoth in Empire never quite seemed to swerve behind me, and the pre-launch gurgle of the fuel pumps in Apollo 13 didn’t feel like it was coming from behind my couch. Although the side speakers did succeed in expanding the overall soundstage and giving me a hazy sense of surround atmospherics, you’ll need to dig deep into your pocket to purchase the rear speaker kit if you want the best surround sound that the SP9YA can provide.
Awesome and immersive Dolby AtmosEasy setupHi-res audio capabilities
No access to network music librariesOnly one HDMI input
The Vizio M-Series M512a-H6 is the latest addition to the company’s line of reasonably priced Dolby Atmos soundbars, and it brings an essential feature: upfiring speakers, which deliver the key height element of Dolby Atmos. That makes the M512a-H6 a genuine Atmos surround sound system, and all for a reasonably low price. It also has separate surround speakers and a wireless subwoofer. The M512a-H6 has numerous sound-adjustment options, which is both a benefit and a disadvantage because they make it more difficult to customize the sound to your preferences, and you’ll probably need to do some tweaking, particularly the bass, which can be too strong. In comparison to the M51a-H6, the M512a-H6 offers excellent sound for the money, and the complete battery of speakers unquestionably enhances the overall sound. The M512a-H6 gives a 360-degree experience that is unmatched by Atmos soundbars without separate surrounds; however, a speaker with auto-calibration, such as the JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam, will do a better job with the height aspect of Atmos. The subwoofer’s powerful bass completes the sound system, but occasionally, there was too much bottom end. Although its bass-forward nature occasionally overpowered the rest of the mix, the M512a-H6 manages music nicely as well. The vocals and keys on the Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” sounded bright and clear, which was an upgrade over the M12a-very H6’s lifeless music rendering. However, the kick drum and deep bass shook my teeth a little too much. On Billie Eilish’s “Your Power,” the guitar was clear and her voice was powerful, but the throbbing bass was murky and overpowering. In a large space, the M512a-H6 could produce over 96 dB at full volume without distorting, which is an exceptional performance.
True surround soundDolby Atmos with upfiring speakersLots of ways to adjust sound
Bass can be overpoweringNo auto calibration or app
If you’re on a tight budget, the Vizio V Series V51-H6 is a good option. Despite being very straightforward, the 5.1 system performs excellently with music. It reproduces vocalists and lead instruments with clarity and accuracy, thanks to its balanced mids, and its dedicated subwoofer makes sure that you feel the punch and rumble in the bass. Due to its neutral audio, it can be used to listen to anything from classical to rock to hip-hop. For its low price point, you receive a very normal array of sound-enhancing capabilities. Although there is no graphic EQ or room correction option, you can change the bass and treble to have some control over the sound. You’re in luck if you want a multipurpose bar. You still receive satellites with the bar despite its low cost. The sound is really immersive while watching performances mixed in Dolby Digital, and the instruments appear to come from specific places in the surrounding area. However, if you want to enjoy music or movies mixed in Dolby Atmos, you’re out of luck here, which is frustrating. Overall, it’s less adaptable than our top recommendations, but it still works well if you want a plug-and-play bar to listen to music on a tight budget. If you don’t watch many movies, you might want to consider the Samsung HW-B550, which is an excellent option for music and doesn’t require satellites.
Robust surround soundCustomizable audio
Boring designSurround speakers could stand out more
The Sonos Beam is the best compact soundbar for music we’ve tested, so even if your living room is too small for a bar with a separate subwoofer, you can still enjoy a good listening experience. This 5.0 setup is well-made, has a quality style, and is simple to add to your current setup because of its tiny size. Its side-firing speakers, which project sound throughout your space and immerse you in your favorite music from all sides, provide it a wide soundstage despite its small size. You can use the room correction feature on a compatible iOS device to adjust audio based on the particular acoustics of your room. It is appropriate for most musical genres because of its neutral sound profile, particularly in the mids, where most instruments are reproduced. To alter the sound, you may always modify the bass and treble. You don’t get the thump and rumble in the low-bass compared to sets with a dedicated subwoofer, like the comparably priced Vizio M Series M512a-H6. If you enjoy bass-heavy music genres like EDM and hip-hop, it’s especially depressing. Nevertheless, you can always add a separate sub if you eventually move into a bigger space, which is excellent.
Impressive sound for its size3D audio with support for Dolby AtmosHi-res audio compatibility
Same acoustic architecture as prior modelNot as good when at lower volumesNo HDMI inputs
In some ways, the $800 Bose Soundbar 700 is a return to the original soundbar concept, but it also has some distinctly contemporary capabilities hidden beneath its opulent veneer. The Bose Soundbar 700 has excellent sound quality and, in contrast to a number of other soundbars we’ve tested, is equally adept at handling streaming music and TV soundtrack audio. Bose’s PhaseGuide arrays are hidden into the bar’s sidewalls, contrary to most soundbars that conceal their elements behind the grill. If your viewing space has walls on both sides, these ingeniously designed tunnels project sound out to the sides of the soundbar, giving the impression that there are speakers above your TV that are unseen. In other words, it accomplishes the enigma of giving us immersive home theater sound without all of the wires and speakers, which is something we all consciously or unconsciously expect from a soundbar. However, it is pretty disappointing that this soundbar doesn’t support Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, given its large price tag.
Enthralling surround soundPrivate listening optionGorgeous design
ExpensiveSome music services are not supportedNo HDMI inputs
For a stereo system, the Samsung A450 soundbar has a very good frequency response. However, it is believed that the sound profile is primarily neutral with a slight bass tinge. This may be sufficient to view common films with different sound effects, but if you like the deep rumbling of powerful bass music, this might not be the soundbar for you. However, this soundbar also includes a graphic equalizer and a number of presets, among other sound-enhancing capabilities. Sadly, the HW-A450 soundbar is just another stereo, therefore it won’t be able to widen the soundstage. The 2.1 sound system implies that the A-450 lacks a dedicated center channel. Instead, the bar produces sound in the center using the left and right radiators. This “imaginary channel” results in sound that is less coherent and more dispersed than other discrete center speaker setups. Numerous sound-improving features are present in the Samsung A450 soundbar. You can adjust the sound to your preferences with a variety of presets, including Standard, Surround, Bass Boost, Game, and Adaptive Sound Lite. Remember that the Adaptive Sound Lite setting is a dialog improvement tool. While the soundbar is not in use, you can toggle the auto volume mode on or off by pressing and holding the Sound Mode button. Overall, The acoustic panel on the Samsung A450 is tuned for music. It can fill a big space and be loud enough for a home party, but the soundbar lacks low bass.
Graphic Equalizer and PresetsLoud enough
No Wi-Fi, Chromecast and Apple AirPlay support
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