Soundbars are incredibly popular these days; their sales exceed the rest of the home theater surround sound category combined. That's because they're affordable, easy to install, take up comparatively little space and can drastically improve the sound of your TV.
In addition, more and more soundbars are also beginning to support Dolby Atmos, which is one of the most sought-after features for anybody building a home theater system.
If you don't know, Dolby Atmos is an immersive audio technology. It creates virtual height and side channels that trick your ears into thinking that sound is coming from all around you — left, right and above — instead of just right in front of you. It basically makes it sound like you're in a movie, rather than just watching it.
How We Tested
We've been writing about and reviewing audio products — including speakers, headphones, earbuds and other audio components that run the gamut from consumer to hi-fi — for near-on a decade. We also work with major brands and talk to experts within the audio industry. The below selections of Dolby Atmos soundbars are a combination of products that we've had hands-on experience with as well as products that are made by brands that are trusted within the audio space.
To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.
The Best Dolby Atmos Soundbars of 2023
Sonos Arc
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Channels: 5.0.2
- Streaming: Wi-Fi
- Voice control: Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
Released in 2020, the Sonos Arc is the company's flagship soundbar and it supports Dolby Atmos. You can think of it as a bigger, louder, smarter and overall better version of the Playbar. It's a full 5.0.2 sound system, with five horizontal surround channels (left, center, right, left surround and right surround) and two height channels. You can also pair two of the company’s smaller speakers (Play:1, One or One SL) with the Arc, designate them as rear channels, and create a full Sonos surround sound system. Additionally, Arc is a smart soundbar and you can integrate it with either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant and easily use your voice to adjust volume or stream music from your preferred streaming service.
Read our full review of the Sonos Arc here.
Sony HT-A7000
- Channels: 7.1.2
- Streaming: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
- Voice control: No
Released in mid-2021, the Sony HT-A7000 is the company's flagship Dolby Atmos soundbar. The 7-channel soundbar comes with two HDMI 2.1 with eARC connections, meaning it works with the latest 4K and 8K televisions as well as the next-generation consoles (like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X). It's able to stream high-resolution audio (such as Sony 360 Reality Audio) and supports a multitude of wireless streaming methods such as AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect. And if you want, you can add Sony's satellite speakers (for an extra $350) and its subwoofer (for an extra $400 or $700, depending on the model) for a more immersive surround sound system. It's a pricey system, but it's as new-age and future-proof as you can get right now.
Bose Smart Soundbar 900
- Channels: 5.02
- Streaming: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Voice control: Alexa or Google Assistant
Released in late 2021, the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 is the company's first soundbar to support Dolby Atmos, and it's actually very similar to the Sonos Arc. Both are 5.0.2-channel soundbars that cost $899 and can be integrated with either Alexa and Google Assistant voice assistants, so you can summon music with just your voice. The main difference between the two is the multi-room ecosystems they work with; the Smart Soundbar 900 is really designed to work (i.e be grouped or configured in a surround sound system) with other Bose speakers. The Smart Soundbar 900 does lack some of the smart audio technologies of the Sonos Arc (like auto-volume, which reduces loud noises at night in case other people are sleeping), but it does support Bluetooth streaming (which the Sonos Arc does not) in addition to Wi-Fi streaming options like Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
- Channels: 5.0
- Streaming: Wi-Fi
- Voice control: Google Assistant or Alexa
Released in fall 2021, the second-generation Beam looks almost identical to its 2018-released predecessor (save for an updated grille). But Sonos upgraded the internals — with a 40-percent faster CPU and an eARC connection — so that the new Beam now supports Dolby Atmos. It lacks the dedicated upward-firing drivers of the Arc, Sonos's flagship soundbar, but Dolby Atmos content on the Beam still sounds immersive. Plus, it has all the benefits of being a Sonos soundbar, such as support for voice assistants (either Alexa or Google Assistant), AirPlay 2 and easy integration with other Sonos speakers.
Read our full review of the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) here.
Samsung HW-Q900C
- Channels: 7.1.2
- Streaming: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Voice control: Alexa
The Samsung HW-Q900C is a soundbar-and-subwoofer combo that's best when paired with Samsung Q-Series TVs. The soundbar has dedicated upward-firing drivers and can deliver immersive Dolby Atmos all on its own, but when it can use the speakers of a compatible Samsung TV, it can create an even more immersive sound. A nice thing is that if you decide to built out your system after the fact, it's compatible with Samsung's SWA-9500S wireless surround speakers.
Bose Smart Soundbar 600
- Channels: 3.0.2
- Streaming: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Voice control: Alexa or Google Assistant
This is Bose's midrange soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos and it's effectively a more affordable and more compact version of the company's Smart Soundbar 900 (above). It's also a direct rival to the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) as they similarly priced; the main difference between the two soundbars is that Bose's Smart Soundbar 600 actually has upward-firing drivers so it's able to deliver more height (although the Beam still beats the 600 in delivering a wider stereo sound). Just like Bose's higher-end soundbar, you can buy Bose's satellite speakers and wireless subwoofer to turn the Smart Soundbar 600 into a bonafide surround sound system. It also supports the same Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming abilities.
Sennheiser Ambeo Max
- Channels: 5.1.4
- Streaming: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Voice control: No
The Sennheiser Ambeo "Max" is the company's flagship soundbar — it's the same Ambeo soundbar that was released in 2019, only it's been renamed as the "Max" now that Sennheiser has released a more affordable alternative in the "Plus" (below) — and it's a beast. The Ambeo Max is a standalone 5.1.4 soundbar with 13 dedicated drivers, making it a true high-end surround sound system that's packed all in one enclosure. What makes this 49-inch wide soundbar stand out is the sheer scale of its presentation. It plays cleanly down to 35Hz without a subwoofer, delivers a warm and detailed midrange that excels with both movies and music, and it actually reproduces Atmos-encoded films with a level of immersion that will convince you that there are height and surround channels in your room. It's expensive, for sure, but nothing else sounds like it.
Sennheiser Ambeo Plus
- Channels: 7.1.4
- Streaming: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Voice control: No
Released in late 2022, the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus is essentially a more compact and affordable alternative to the company's Ambeo Max. It packs nine total drivers (two are up-firing to create a truly immersive experience) instead of the Max's 13, but still manages to be a complete 7.1.4 system because, according to the company, it uses beam-forming technology to create extra virtual high speakers. It has all the other features as the larger Max, including streaming ability over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. It has a total of three HDMI inputs, but none are HDMI 2.1 (so no 4K 120Hz passthrough) meaning this isn't the best option for serious console gamers. The good news is that the Ambeo Plus delivers a similar immersive experience as the Ambeo Max, but it's also $1,000 cheaper.
Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3
- Channels: 3.1.2
- Streaming: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Voice control: Alexa
Released in early 2022, the Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 is the company's first Dolby Atmos soundbar. It's a direct competitor to Sonos's and Bose's flagships as it has pretty much all the same features, including a single HDMI eARC connection, Wi-Fi streaming (including AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect) and you integrate it with Alexa (but not Google Assistant). It supports Bluetooth streaming, too, which the Sonos Arc does not. The 3.1.2 soundbar packs 13 total drivers, including two upward-firing, and can deliver 400 watts of total power. It also packs enough bass that B&W doesn't think you need an external subwoofer (and you can't sync it with one).
Samsung S60B
- Channels: 3.1
- Streaming: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- Voice control: Alexa
The Samsung S60B is a compact soundbar that's best for smaller rooms. If you're looking to experience Dolby Atmos, however, there's a bit of a catch: you need to have a Samsung TV. The reason is that the S60B takes advanced of Samsung's proprietary technology (called Q-Symphony) that allows it to work with the TV speakers to create a more immersive 5.0-channel system. As for other features, the S60B can function as a smart soundbar with Alexa. And it supports AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth, which makes streaming music from your smartphone quite easy, too.
Vizio Elevate
- Channels: 5.1.4
- Streaming: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
- Voice control: No
The Elevate is one of the most innovative new soundbars because its side-channel speakers actually rotate up when it's playing Dolby Atmos content and then rotate back down (to face you) when playing audio that's not approved for Atmos — it's freaking cool. In addition to that, the Elevate is just a beast of a soundbar. It houses 18 total speakers and comes with a wireless subwoofer. It's a complete 5.1.4 system. Vizio designed it to work perfectly with Vizio's new OLED TVs, but it can really be paired with any new-age TV.
What to Look for in a Dolby Atmos Soundbar
The brand ecosystem
When buying a soundbar, you're also likely buying into a brand's ecosystem. That's because many of today's soundbars support rear-channel speakers and subwoofers so that, down the road, you can turn a soundbar into a full surround sound system if you're willing to spend the extra dough. However, many of these soundbars only work with other speakers by the same company. For example, you can't pair a Bose soundbar with a wireless subwoofer by Sonos.
Upward-firing speakers
The best Dolby Atmos soundbars all have upward-firing drivers as they do a far superior job at creating virtual height and side channels and, ultimately, a more immersive sound experience. However, you can buy a more affordable Dolby Atmos soundbar, like the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), but it won't create quite as immersive sound.
Streaming support
Many of today's soundbars connect to Wi-Fi and support music streaming when the TV is off. You want to make sure that the soundbar works with your streaming method of choice (such as Spotify Connect or AirPlay) as well as the devices that you're streaming from. Some soundbars also support Bluetooth streaming.
Voice assistant
Many soundbars have built-in microphones and can be integrated with a voice assistant, such as Alexa or Google Assistant so that they work as a large smart speaker. This allows you to play music or get answers (about the weather or sports scores) with a simple voice command. And if you don't want an always-listening soundbar, then no problem — "smart" soundbars allow you to turn their microphones off.
More Home Theater Guides
- Home Theater Systems, Explained
- Soundbar Versus Speakers
- There's a New Breed of Dolby Atmos Soundbars
- "Dolby Sound" vs. "Dolby Atmos"
