Which soundbar for your TV and room

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The thinner the television, the less space it leaves for sound. What Hi-Fi? explains that slim sets push speakers underneath or round the back. If you're straining to hear a conversation, I'd begin with that problem before getting interested in how spectacular an explosion might sound.

A soundbar puts a separate speaker unit in front of the TV. The numbers help explain what you're buying: 5.1.2 describes five ear-level channels, one subwoofer and two height channels. A zero in the middle means no separate subwoofer. I'd narrow the choice with three questions: whether you want that bass box, whether you'll use Dolby Atmos, and which TV the bar will sit beneath.

Do you want a box on the floor?

That middle number is a good place to begin because it changes your room as well as the sound. A separate wireless subwoofer gives you bass you can feel, but needs floor space and a plug. What Hi-Fi? suggests keeping it near the bar; Dolby says bass isn't directional and suggests trying different positions. I'd allow room nearby rather than assume it can disappear into any spare corner.

More bass isn't always the answer. On Sony's Bar 6, What Hi-Fi? found the default subwoofer level far too loud, and Trusted Reviews reached a similar conclusion. If you have neighbours or sleeping children, I'd value the controls for turning it down as much as its ability to shake things.

An all-in-one keeps the floor clear, though it can change the sound substantially. What Hi-Fi? found Sony's Bar 7 lost scale without its optional sub. I'd accept that trade for a tidier room if dialogue matters more to you than action-film weight.

Speech settings deserve attention either way. What Hi-Fi? explains that most bars have a mode that raises the centre channel, with varying results. I'd care about how comfortably you can follow the words before counting extra channels; the reviews below show why a voice setting can help and still have a cost elsewhere in the sound.

What would you mostly want your soundbar to do? The poll below puts that question to you.

Will you actually use Atmos?

Once you've decided where the bass will come from, height is the next choice. Dolby Atmos uses ceiling speakers or up-firing speakers that reflect sound off the ceiling. It also needs content recorded in Atmos and a device that can play it. I'd pay for that if films are the attraction, rather than assume the logo improves every programme.

Your subscription matters: Netflix requires a plan supporting Ultra HD and offers Atmos on selected titles, while Disney+ reserves it for Premium, again on suitable content. The programmes you watch give the feature its purpose.

Then there's the connection. HDMI eARC is the TV audio connection that carries higher-bandwidth and uncompressed formats. What Hi-Fi? explains that ordinary ARC can carry the Dolby Digital Plus Atmos used by streaming services; eARC handles lossless Dolby TrueHD Atmos, while optical stops at compressed 5.1. An ARC socket alone doesn't rule out streaming Atmos, though the bar must support it too.

The source settings can still undo the plan: What Hi-Fi? advises bitstream output rather than PCM for Atmos. And Apple says most TVs don't pass Atmos through to soundbars, recommending Apple TV 4K connects directly to the bar's HDMI input. I'd settle that connection before choosing a bar without an input.

Which TV is it going beneath?

Those connections matter whatever badge is on the screen. The extra features are more particular: Samsung's Q-Symphony needs a selected Samsung TV, and wireless Dolby Atmos on the Q600H and Q800H works with compatible Samsung TVs from 2022 to 2026.

Sony's Voice Zoom 3 needs a BRAVIA TV. On the Bar 8 and Bar 9, Acoustic Center Sync also uses a compatible BRAVIA's speakers as the centre. LG's WOW Interface and WOW Orchestra provide shared controls and combined TV-and-bar sound with supported LG TVs; TCL's Tutti Choral combines speakers with selected TCL TVs. With another TV brand, those extras are absent. I'd regard them as a reason to favour a match, rather than the whole reason to buy.

The physical match deserves equal attention. What Hi-Fi? recommends matching the bar's width to the TV and leaving the screen and remote sensor unobstructed. A long bar that hides the bottom of your picture is an awkward upgrade. If your picture comes from a projector instead, our home projector guide belongs alongside the sound decision too.

A plain bar or the first step into height

With those questions answered, the simpler end of the list becomes easier to judge. In our Samsung range, the HW-B650F is a 3.1 bar with a centre speaker, wireless subwoofer and HDMI ARC rather than eARC, without Atmos or Wi-Fi. I'd shortlist it if you mainly want voices and bass without making Atmos part of the purchase.

Samsung provides Voice Enhance and Night Mode, with the latter reducing bass. At 860mm wide and 59.4mm high, it's also a useful starting point for a smaller TV stand. That simpler specification suits a modest brief.

The panel below shows every shop's live price for the B650F.

Prices at UK shops / 1 product

Samsung HW-B650F 3.1 soundbar with subwoofer

Samsung · 5 shopsSamsung HW-B650F B-Series 3.1ch 370W Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer Black

From £153.69 at Appliance City, with delivery

1. Appliance CityIn stock · Lowest price here£153.69 with deliveryShop at Appliance City
2. Sonic DirectStock at the shop£199 with deliveryShop at Sonic Direct
3. ElectricshopIn stock£229 with deliveryShop at Electricshop
4. HughesIn stock£229 with deliveryShop at Hughes

Compare all 5 prices

Prices, stock and delivery as each shop listed them, checked 7 hours ago. Some shops pay us when you buy through these links; that never changes the order. How that works.

The alternative from our TCL range makes a stronger case on channels. Shops use the Q75H name, while TCL UK's Q75HK page specifies 5.1.2, a wireless subwoofer, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. I'd follow TCL's channel description. TCL also lists HDMI eARC, a separate HDMI input and AI Sonic-Adaptation room calibration. Those features interest me for an Atmos setup, though without an English-language professional review I'd want to hear it before buying primarily for dialogue.

The next panel has every shop's live price for the TCL Q75H.

Prices at UK shops / 1 product

TCL Q75H 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos soundbar with subwoofer

TCL · 4 shopsTCL Q75H Q Class 5.2.1ch Dolby Atmos Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer Dark Titanium

From £276 at Appliance City, with delivery

1. Appliance CityIn stock · Lowest price here£276 with deliveryShop at Appliance City
2. ElectricshopIn stock£276 with deliveryShop at Electricshop
3. HughesIn stock£276 with deliveryShop at Hughes
4. Sonic DirectStock at the shop£282.99 with deliveryShop at Sonic Direct

Compare all 4 prices

Prices, stock and delivery as each shop listed them, checked 7 hours ago. Some shops pay us when you buy through these links; that never changes the order. How that works.

Three different reasons to buy an Atmos bar

If you'd rather have testers' findings behind the decision, the next group gives you distinct choices. I'd look first at Samsung's Q600H for a mixture of television, films and music streaming: Samsung lists 3.1.2 channels, a wireless sub, eARC, an HDMI input and Wi-Fi with AirPlay and Chromecast.

In July 2026, Tom's Guide gave the Q600H 4.5 stars and praised the balance of voices, effects and score. Its reservations help set expectations: less width and height than larger bars, and music with treble that needed turning down. Samsung also includes Voice Enhance and Night Mode. I'd lean towards it when you want Atmos without giving up convenient music streaming.

Sony's BRAVIA Theatre Bar 6 has 3.1.2 channels, a sub, Atmos and DTS:X over eARC, but Bluetooth rather than Wi-Fi and no HDMI input. Among our Sony bars, I'd put it with the action-film viewer. Expert Reviews found it exciting with films but heavy on bass for everyday TV.

Even its height effects divided testers: What Hi-Fi? heard effects directly overhead, whereas TechRadar found them subtle, while liking the dialogue lift from Voice mode. Room setup is manual: you enter sofa and ceiling distances in the app. I'd be more persuaded by its force than by an expectation of effortless balance.

WhatGear's April 2025 Bar 6 review below offers another take on this choice.

For a calmer alternative, I'd look through our LG range at the US70TY, a 3.1.1 system with a sub and a single up-firing centre channel. It provides an HDMI input and eARC output, unlike the Bar 6's input-free arrangement. What Hi-Fi? reviewed it as the S70TY and found the sub well integrated and the sound balanced. The same review found Clear Voice Pro helped speech, although Cinema mode hurt dialogue and there was no Wi-Fi streaming. It gets my attention for everyday viewing where balance matters more than force.

These cards show every shop's live prices for the Q600H, Bar 6 and US70TY.

What the Q800H adds to the room

That question of balance gives the Samsung Q800H a reason to step up. Its 5.1.2 layout includes side-firing speakers, while SpaceFit Sound Pro uses a built-in microphone to calibrate for the room. I'd value that more than another specification if placing the bar is already a compromise.

It also has Wi-Fi streaming, Voice Enhance and Night Mode, plus Moderate Bass, which mutes the subwoofer. That last option appeals to me for a room shared with sleeping children: the separate sub needn't dictate every evening's sound.

The listening praise belongs to earlier models. TechRadar gave the 2025 Q800F five stars for bass, dialogue and expansive Atmos; T3 heard convincing height and intelligible dialogue from the 2024 Q800D. I'd take those as encouragement, while basing a Q800H purchase on its own features.

The panel below shows every shop's live price for the Q800H.

Prices at UK shops / 1 product

Samsung HW-Q800H 5.1.2 soundbar with subwoofer

Samsung · 4 shopsSamsung HW-Q800H Q-Series 5.1.2 Ch Dolby Atmos Soundbar with Subwoofer - Black (2026)

From £649 at Appliance City, with delivery

1. Appliance CityIn stock · Lowest price here£649 with deliveryShop at Appliance City
2. ElectricshopIn stock£649 with deliveryShop at Electricshop
3. HughesIn stock£649 with deliveryShop at Hughes
4. Sonic DirectStock at the shop£649 with deliveryShop at Sonic Direct

Compare all 4 prices

Prices, stock and delivery as each shop listed them, checked 7 hours ago. Some shops pay us when you buy through these links; that never changes the order. How that works.

Abt Electronics' April 2026 Q800H review below is a US shop's video.

The Bar 7 makes you choose the sub again

Room calibration doesn't require a separate bass box. Sony's Bar 7 is a 5.0.2 all-in-one with a built-in woofer, Wi-Fi, AirPlay and an HDMI input, and Sound Field Optimization adjusts for the room and listening position. The kit pairs it with Sony's Sub 7 wireless subwoofer.

The distinction explains the reviews. What Hi-Fi? awarded the Bar 7 plus Sub 7 five stars; Tom's Guide's 4.5-star review also used the Sub 7 and praised clear dialogue and propulsive bass. Trusted Reviews gave the same pairing 4.5 stars for its wide, exciting sound. By contrast, TechRadar tested the bar alone and gave it three stars, finding weak bass despite good dialogue.

I'd lean towards the kit for films, and the bar alone only if clearing floor space is worth that loss of scale. Speech processing has a trade-off too: What Hi-Fi? found Voice Zoom brought voices forward but shrank the soundstage. I'd treat it as a useful choice when words are getting lost.

The cards below compare every shop's live prices for the Bar 7 alone and the kit with Sub 7.

A longer bar beneath a BRAVIA

If you want to keep the floor clear and have a compatible BRAVIA, I'd turn next to Sony's Bar 8 and Bar 9. They offer Acoustic Center Sync, and room and listening-position calibration. The 5.0.2 Bar 8 is 1100mm wide; the 7.0.2 Bar 9 is 1300mm wide, with no sub included. Both have Voice Mode and Night Mode. I'd want the TV and furniture to suit that length.

The Bar 8 is hard to recommend on dialogue alone. What Hi-Fi? found voices flat and recessed, TechRadar found them exceptionally clear, and Trusted Reviews liked dialogue but heard bass distortion in demanding scenes. I'd want to hear it before committing if speech is your main reason to upgrade.

The Bar 9 has a stronger case. What Hi-Fi? gave it five stars, with reservations about a slightly clinical character and occasional excess bass. Expert Reviews also awarded five stars and heard unusually clear height effects for a single bar. For an Atmos film viewer with room for a long bar, it's the all-in-one I'd favour on those accounts.

Andrew Robinson's July 2024 Bar 9 video below is a US reviewer's take.

These cards show every shop's live prices for the Bar 8 and Bar 9.

The one you'll enjoy living with

After all those features, I'd come back to why the TV needed help. In a January 2024 Mumsnet discussion, an owner found a Samsung soundbar worthwhile because slim TVs lack speaker space. They didn't name the model, but that is a recognisable reason to buy one.

For comparing shops, ElectricshopElectricshopElectricshop is an online retailer of home appliances, televisions, hi-fi, home audio and wireless music systems, stocking a mix of well-known brands. Because the range spans large7 current offers · View store →, HughesHughesHughes is a family-run electrical retailer from East Anglia that sells across mainland UK online. Its strengths are big white goods, where delivery and installation can be booked i17 current offers · View store → and Sonic DirectSonic DirectSonic Direct is an online discount retailer focused on home appliances. Its range, as described by the merchant, centres on branded domestic appliances, small kitchen and householdBuying guide · View store → carry every bar here; Appliance CityAppliance CityThis is Appliance City, a family-run appliance retailer in Bunny, near Nottingham, trading since 1986. You get cooking, laundry, dishwashing and fridge appliances, plus TVs, with a16 current offers · View store → carries most. If you're waiting, price drops and our Black Friday guide give you somewhere to follow the purchase.

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I'd be content with the B650F for straightforward TV and a modest brief, or lean towards the Q600H when films and music share the room. For an action-heavy setup with floor space, the Bar 7 with Sub 7 is more persuasive to me than the bar alone. With a compatible BRAVIA, room for its width and a wish to avoid a separate sub, I'd favour the Bar 9. The right stopping point is the bar that answers how you watch.

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