If you’re looking to build out a pretty great home theater audio experience, then the best place to start is a solid soundbar. Luckily, there are plenty of fantastic options out there to choose from. So, we’ve put together a list of the best options you can buy right now.
One thing to note right out of the gate here –as of November, 2021– that there is still a chip shortage impacting availability, pricing, and even shipping. So, with that in mind, be aware that some companies have raised prices for their products, and shipping times may be extended (not to mention due to the holiday shopping season).
Still, these soundbars will help fill out your home theater experience with rich sound, so if you’re in the market for one, check out the options below.
Some of the best soundbars you can buy
Sonos Arc
The Sonos Arc launched not too long ago, and, even in that short period of time it has become one of the best options out there. Of course, it’s Sonos so you’ll be forking over some money — and it doesn’t come automatically with extra speaker options. However, with that price tag comes some of the best audio performance in a soundbar.
It’s sleek, elongated, and equipped with 11 high-performance drivers. Owners can mount it, or set it down on a stand depending on their individual use cases. And with the Trueplay tuning feature (owners need to double check that their iPhone is supported for this particular feature), the soundbar will adapt to the room it’s installed in to produce the best audio quality.
The Arc supports Dolby Atmos for improved audio, supports Apple’s AirPlay 2 for streaming, and also supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
The Arc wirelessly syncs with other Sonos products, including the Bass, to further flesh out an at-home theater experience. It’s available in white and black.
Buy Sonos Arc from Amazon for $989.95
Alternate: Buy Sonos Arc from Sonos for $899
Vizio Elevate
The Vizio Elevate soundbar is packed with features. There are 18 high-performance speakers tucked inside, and the soundbar actually boasts “adaptive height speakers” that automatically rotate to optimize audio performance based on the room and the content playing. To that end, the Elevate supports Dolby Atmos for all-encompassing sound, as well as DTS:X cinematic sound.
There are four “upfiring speakers” that aim to bounce sound off your ceiling, for that full-room audio experience. The Elevate features 107dB sound pressure level, and a range of 30Hz – 20KHz frequency range. The soundbar also supports standard Bluetooth connections, so you can use Siri with the speaker as well.
What’s more, you get the Elevate soundbar, a subwoofer, and two surround speakers in the package. All of which is available now in black from Amazon.
Buy Vizio Elevate from Amazon for $798
Bose Smart Soundbar 300
This soundbar from Bose is perfect for apartments or smaller residences in general. It comes with a remote for playback controls, which is handy. The soundbar has a metal grille, while the rest of the speaker is matte black. It’s equipped with five full-range drivers, so it will pump out great acoustics and base.
This soundbar has some Bose perks, including the company’s voice control system. This expands on the built-in Alexa capabilities. So this will let you control audio elements with your voice. It also lets owners control their TV and even their cable/satellite boxes with their voice.
The soundbar gets AirPlay 2 support, Bluetooth connectivity, and Spotify Connect.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 is available now from Amazon.
Buy Bose Smart Soundbar 300 from Amazon for $449
Yamaha Audio YAS-209
This is another packaged deal. If you pick up Yamaha Audio’s YAS-209 soundbar, you’ll also get your hands on a wireless subwoofer as well. The soundbar supports Bluetooth connections. It also supports “clear voice,” which makes sure the dialogue quality is top-tier.
The Yamaha Audio YAS-209 supports Amazon’s Alexa for voice controls, it supports DTS Virtual:X 3D sound for an immersive experience. But there does not appear to be any Dolby Atmos support. It supports Spotify Connect, too.
The Yamaha Audio YAS-209 soundbar is available now in black from Amazon.