

In terms of height and precision, the performance is similar to that of the Sonos Arc, but the width of the soundstage and its forward projection is more convincing. Using a combination of driver placement and psychoacoustic techniques, the Sony HT-A700 delivers a broad and high soundstage, whether you’re watching immersive content or not, while retaining musicality, presence and detail. A 7.1.2 slab of sound, this Dolby Atmos soundbar packs in two up-firing speakers, two beam tweeters, five front-facing drivers and a built-in dual subwoofer into a single chassis. Sony has excellent form with making some of the best soundbars for TV, and the 2022 What Hi-Fi? award-winning HT-A7000 is no different. But there are usually options to expand to a more extensive surround set-up if desired, or there are complete multi-box systems that connect wirelessly, so there are no snaking cables to act as trip hazards.

The best TV soundbars are single, capable speakers that don't need additional surrounds or subwoofers to crowd out the room. Most soundbars pack impressive audio into a self-contained package small enough to sit in front of or below your screen.

This is because almost all modern sets, regardless of size, have small speakers hidden away in increasingly thin frames, which may be good for looks, but certainly isn't for sound.įortunately, simply adding a soundbar (or sound bar if you prefer) to your TV is an easy way to get a more engaging, clear and enjoyable viewing experience without taking up much space or requiring tons of cables. You've probably noticed that as smart TVs become slimmer, sleeker and brighter, there's a significant difference between a new flat screen's sparkling picture quality and its muffled sound performance.
