How to choose the right soundbar (2025): Size, Price, Surround Sound and Subwoofer

If you just Get a beautiful new TV and you might be surprised to find it sounds as bad as your old one (or worse). Even the best TVs we’ve tested require a hand to deliver sound that can keep up with its excellent display. However, knowing where to start can be difficult when upgrading your TV audio. Never worry, brave buyer: the easiest and most affordable solution is to get the speaker bar. Modern audio bars come in a variety of shapes, sizes and prices. Here, we have made a list before pressing the Buy button.

Be sure to check out our guide to the best soundbar and best bookshelf speakers, along with our advice on how to buy and how to set up a TV, and provide in-depth picture tweaking suggestions.

Table of contents

Updated June 2025: We provide the latest information and updated model suggestions from the latest round of extensive testing.

Why do you need a soundbar

Note bars are an important first step towards home theater audio, as they are generally compact and easy to set up and sound better than most built-in TV speakers. Seriously: Almost all TV speakers are not good! The quality you can get from the speaker bar ranges from basic improvements to bass and overall sound field to the types of indoor filled sound you might expect from more traditional home theater audio systems (systems with wired speakers and dedicated receivers). Whatever you are watching, the Note Bar is a way to get more low-priced from your viewing experience.

Find the right size

Photo: Ryan Waniata

The sound bar comes in a variety of sizes and configurations, expressed by the size of the sound chamber and the built-in full range, bass and height channels. You can think of the soundbar channel as the number of individual areas that make sounds. The “2.1” soundbar system has at least two separate speakers and a dedicated subwoofer. A 5.1 system has at least five main speakers (one center, left, right, and two surroundings) and a subwoofer.

While most budget bars are stereo only, our favorite performers usually have at least three channels in the front (left, middle and right) and a subwoofer. That’s a 3.1 system. The center channel is usually the most important because this is where the TV and movie mixers play conversations. Is it difficult to hear conversations in movies and shows? At least three channels (3.0) columns are required.

Sometimes, at the end you will see an additional number, such as the 3.1.2 system. “.2” means there are two height channels. In the note bar, these are upward speakers, which pop up sound from the ceiling, simulate ceiling-mounted speakers, and mix content in 3D audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Basically, these sound bars try to recreate the spatial audio experience without you stringing the speakers around the ceiling. The more expensive soundbar system will be equipped with other dedicated rear and side-firing drivers that pop up sounds from the walls using a 5.1.2 (or higher) configuration to make your walls more immersive.

The more channels, the bigger your soundbar system may be. The most important step is to make sure anything you buy fits your media console (ideally, it fits between the legs of the TV, too). We will go into more detail on Surround Sound and Dolby Atmos below.

Do you need a subwoofer?

Photo: Parker Concert Hall

For most spaces, it’s well worth it considering the soundbar with a dedicated subwoofer. If these are too expensive or you are worried about your neighbors, some note bars have a less noticeable bass channel built in, while others can add a subwoofer later, including models from Sonos, Klipsch, Bose, and more. Each of these examples allows you to add surround speakers later, thus upgrading you to a full surround system.