Top Picks

Soundbars

Top Pick of the Year:

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar
(October/November 2019) Read Review

Sennheiser may be a company best known for headphones and microphones, but with the Ambeo it proved it knows how to make a soundbar. Not just any soundbar, but a class-leading one that delivers powerful bass from a single cabinet, along with convincing immersion via Ambeo 3D processing created jointly with German MP3 developer Fraunhofer. $2,500, en-us.sennheiser.com

Finalists:

LG SL8YG 3.1.2 Soundbar
(October/November 2019) Read Review

Like other companies that make TVs, LG sells soundbars to go with them. At $600, the 3.1.2-channel SL8YG offers good performance for the price and features upfiring drivers for a good dose of immersion with Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks. Connections include HDMI ARC and optical digital ports, and there's Chromecast built-in for streaming. $600, lg.com

Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400 Soundbar and MusicCast 50 Wireless Speaker
(June/July 2019) Read Review

With expansive sound and wireless streaming via the company's MusicCast platform, along with AirPlay and Spotify Connect, Yamaha's soundbar-plus-wireless subwoofer is already a formidable package. Add in a MusicCast 50 Speaker (or two) and you get a full 5.1 system with wireless surrounds. $499 (BAR 400), $499 (MusicCast 50), usa.yamaha.com